South Africa: Forging deeper relations on the continent President Cyril Ramaphosa says the future of Africa depends on the strengthening and deepening of relations between countries on the continent. The President said this during his opening remarks at the State Visit of President of Guinea Bissau, General Umaro Sissoco Embalo, in Pretoria. This visit affirms the solidarity and friendship between South Africa and Guinea Bissau. Our common vision of a better Africa and a better world forms the foundation of our relations today and into the future. This visit is an important opportunity for us to consolidate the areas of cooperation that anchor our relations, explore new ones and address the challenges that will affect our people in the future, he said. During his opening remarks, President Ramaphosa said the visit presents an opportunity for the two countries to implement the General Cooperation Agreement signed by the two countries in 2008 which, he said, should also form part of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. According to President Ramaphosa, other areas of cooperation for intra-African trade include that: Preference should be given to SOEs and businesses when bidding for significant procurement contracts in each others countries and Exploration for investment opportunities by South African companies in Guinea Bissau in areas such as agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing and infrastructure. Turning to the impact of COVID-19, President Ramaphosa reflected on the challenges African countries have faced in receiving vaccine doses. We meet as the world is counting the costs of COVID-19. We have the arduous task of rebuilding our societies, our economies and our peoples livelihoods. Africas recovery depends on more of our people getting vaccinated against COVID-19. It is a cause of great concern that the global community has not sustained the principles of solidarity and cooperation when it comes to equitable access to vaccines. It is therefore, all the more urgent that African countries cooperate to manufacture its own vaccines and that we strengthen our health systems so that these vaccines reach the people who need them most, President Ramaphosa said. Conflict on the continent President Ramaphosa told the Guinea Bissau delegation - led by President General Umaro Sissoco Embalo - that South Africa condemns the attempted coup in that country earlier this year. While much of the continent enjoys the benefits of democracy, peace and stability, there are still pockets of insecurity and conflict on our continent. The spate of unconstitutional changes of government in parts of our country runs contrary to the aspirations of [the African Unions] Agenda 2063 of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous continent. It also sets back our common goal for silencing the guns. A goal that we set out to achieve as the African Union. We emphasise that any aggrieved party needs to engage in constructive and peaceful dialogue in good faith and within the confines of the law when addressing any conflict or area of dispute or disagreement, he said. The two Heads of State are expected to address the media later today to give an update on the deliberations of the State Visit. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. American man falls to death from Da Nang high-rise building An American man was found dead on the ground of Son Tra Ocean View, a block of flats in Da Nang city, central Vietnam, on April 28. The Son Tra Ocean View building where the incident heppens on April 28. Upon receiving the news from local residents, the police were urgently deployed to cordon off and examine the scene. They found one leg of the victim was severed while the man was still holding a battery of a portable wall drill in his hand. The man, 62, was said to rent an apartment on the 18th floor in 2019 and has since lived there. A representative of the buildings management said before the incident happened, the man had contacted to fix the air conditioner on the balcony. It is likely that the victim went to the balcony to fix the air conditioner and he then slipped and fell to the ground, according to an investigator. Investigation is still underway. On April 20, 2022, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi met with Cambodian Ambassador to China Khek Caimealy Sysoda and Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh, respectively, in Beijing at their requests. Yang Jiechi said, China-Cambodia and China-Laos relations, having withstood the test of time and grown even stronger with closer people-to-people bonds, have entered a new era of building a community with a shared future. The China-Cambodia free trade agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership came into force at the beginning of this year, and the China-Laos Railway opened to traffic successfully with good benefits. The two sides have firmly rendered mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests. The two sides should ensure sound implementation of the important consensus reached by leaders, strengthen strategic communication, consolidate political mutual trust, improve the quality of economic and trade cooperation, and work for more outcomes in cooperation and exchanges in fields such as pandemic response, people's wellbeing, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China is ready to work closely with the two countries in multilateral coordination and collaboration, to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, and uphold international fairness and justice. Yang Jiechi stressed, this year kicks off the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). China supports Cambodia's role as the rotating chair of ASEAN and stands ready to work with ASEAN to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together. The two ambassadors thanked China for providing valuable assistance for the two countries' pandemic response and economic and social development. The two countries firmly support China's just position on its core interests and major international issues, expect to work with China to advance Belt and Road cooperation, and will actively promote the development of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership. Killeen, TX (76540) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 93F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. 1. Yes. If inflation remains high and interest rates rise, the economy will be a major factor. 2. Yes. If the nation goes into a recession, it will be the issue on the minds of most voters. 3. No. Inflation will likely moderate by then; if so, the economy wont be a major issue. 4.No. All the turmoil involving Russia and Roe v. Wade will probably take center stage. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the economy will play with voters at this point. Vote View Results LEXINGTON A man and a woman have been charged with possession of methamphetamine after a controlled delivery of a package containing 3.9 pounds of the substance. Mellenize Utterback, 30, of Lexington and Nestor Gomez-Orta, 36, have both been charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Class 1B felony and possession with intent to distribute or deliver a controlled substance, a Class 2 felony. Utterback and Gomez-Orta were arraigned in Dawson County Court on Tuesday, April 26. Judge Jeffrey Wightman set both of their bails at 10 percent of $500,000. A preliminary hearing date has been set for May 9. According to court documents, law enforcement was advised a suspicious package was allegedly being sent from California to 408 Rimpley Lane in Lexington. The package was intercepted by a United States Postal Inspector on Friday, April 22. A K-9 brought in and indicated the odor of illicit drugs in the package. A federal search warrant was obtained. When opened, the package contained 3.9 pounds of methamphetamine. The Postal Inspector from the Postal Service made a controlled delivery of two packages to 408 Rimpley Lane to Gomez-Orta. The Nebraska State Patrol SWAT Team, with assistance from officers with the Lexington Police Department, executed a search warrant on the residence and located five individuals and two juveniles inside. Utterback and Gomez-Orta were arrested. During the search of the residence, around 1,000 small blue bills believed to be fentanyl were located in a safe allegedly in Utterback and Gomez-Orta room. Also located was a large amount of U.S. currency, six knives, a compound bow, pipes, rolling papers, phones, scales, computers, grinders, a small amount of marijuana and methamphetamine and packaging materials. Explosions rock Kyiv again as Russians rain fire on Ukraine KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia mounted attacks across a wide area of Ukraine on Thursday, bombarding Kyiv during a visit by the head of the United Nations. Several people were injured in the attack on Kyiv, including one who lost a leg and others who were trapped in the rubble when two buildings were hit. A spokesperson said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his team were safe. The attack is the boldest the capital city has seen since Russian forces retreated weeks ago. Elsewhere, Ukrainian authorities reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin is bent on capturing. EXPLAINER: Why US needs a law to sell off oligarchs' assets WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden doesnt want to just seize the yachts, luxury homes and other assets of Russian oligarchs, he wants to sell off the pricey goods and use the money to help rebuild Ukraine. Hes asking Congress to streamline the process to allow that to happen. In the latest attempt to pressure Russia to end its war and to pay for the enormous costs of defending Ukraine, the Biden administration on Thursday called on Congress to enhance U.S. authority to liquidate assets seized from Russian elites the bad guys, as Biden called them. Drop in US GDP challenges Biden's pitch to voters WASHINGTON (AP) The latest report on gross domestic product is complicating President Joe Bidens pitch that the U.S. economy is strong. It shows that the economy shrank at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first three months of this year. Biden says the drop reflects technical quirks such as businesses adding less to their inventories, while Republicans have a direct line of attack to say the problem is rooted in inflation at a 40-year high. The risk for Biden is now a muddled message going into the midterm elections at a time when voters are focused on the economy. Report calls out abuse of social media by Minneapolis police ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Among the scathing findings of an investigation launched after the police killing of George Floyd is that the Minneapolis Police Department used covert or fake social media accounts to monitor Black activists and organizations. And it did so despite having no clear public safety rationale for doing so. The report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights echoes past revelations of surveillance by other law enforcement agencies targeting prominent people and communities of color even though they werent doing anything illegal. Experts say what happened in Minnesota is also happening in many other jurisdictions because there are few rules in place and no accountability. 2022 NFL Draft l First round features 5 Georgia defenders LAS VEGAS (AP) A first round of the NFL draft featured a record five defenders taken from one school as the night began and ended with the selections of former University of Georgia defenders. The old record was four set by the University of Miami in 2004 and tied by Florida State in 2006. The night began with the Jaguars selecting edge rusher Travon Walker and ended with the Vikings selecting safety Lewis Cine at No. 32. The Packers selected linebacker Quay Walker at No. 22 and Georgia teammate Devonte Wyatt at 28. And the Eagles grabbed D-tackle Jordan Davis at No. 13. British Virgin Islands premier arrested on US drug charges MIAMI (AP) U.S. authorities say the premier of the British Virgin Islands and the director of the Caribbean territorys ports have been arrested on drug smuggling charges in South Florida. A criminal complaint shows Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie and Managing Director Oleanvine Maynard were arrested Thursday by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport. They are charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to launder money. Officials said Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard had been at the airport to meet with drug traffickers who in reality were undercover DEA agents, to see a shipment of $700,000 in cash that the the BVI officials expected to receive for helping smuggle cocaine from Colombia to Miami and New York. Moderna seeks to be 1st with COVID shots for littlest kids Moderna is asking U.S. regulators to open its COVID-19 vaccine to the nation's youngest children. Kids under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for vaccination. Frustrated parents are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect them. Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration Thursday. The company hopes the FDA will rule in time for tots to start getting vaccinated by summer. It's a complex decision partly because while other countries give Moderna shots to older children, the U.S. so far has restricted them to adults. Rival Pfizer also is studying its vaccine in the littlest kids. Astroworld movie set for release despite lawyers' concerns HOUSTON (AP) The experiences of panicked concertgoers who couldnt breathe and had no clear path to escape a massive crowd surge at last years deadly Astroworld music festival in Houston are featured in a new documentary. But lawyers for Live Nation, which is being sued for its role as the festivals promoter, say theyre concerned that publicity from Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy, could taint the jury pool. The documentary is set for release Friday in 11 Texas cities. But Charlie Minn, the films director, says it's a balanced and fair documentary that tries to show what happened. Ten people died and hundreds of others were injured at the Nov. 5 concert by Scott, a popular rapper. Oklahoma House sends Texas-style abortion ban to governor OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma House has given final approval to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. The bill passed Thursday by the GOP-led House now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. He's expected to sign it within days. The bill was immediately challenged in court by abortion rights advocates. The measure prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo. Experts say thats typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Like Texas, the bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a similar law in Texas to stand. 'Carpool Karaoke' king James Corden leaving late-night show LOS ANGELES (AP) James Corden will be bowing out of his late-night CBS TV show next year. Corden announced his decision during the taping of Thursdays The Late Late Show, which he began hosting in 2015. In a statement, the president and CEO of CBS lauded Corden for taking huge creative and comedic swings, including with Carpool Karaoke. In those videos, Corden and pop stars including Adele and Paul McCartney performed sing-alongs on the road. Cordens contract with The Late Late Show was to expire this August, but the London-born actor and writer extended the agreement for another season. He will leave the show in spring 2023. 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 On the afternoon of April 22, 2022, Premier Li Keqiang had a phone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer at Ziguang Pavilion of Zhongnanhai leadership compound at the latter's request. Li Keqiang once again congratulated Nehammer on his assuming office as Austrian Chancellor. He said, Austria is China's important cooperative partner in the European Union (EU). Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 51 years ago, China-Austria relations have transcended differences in system, culture, and development level, among other aspects, with bilateral cooperation continuously deepening. In 2018, President Xi Jinping and President Alexander Van der Bellen decided to establish the China-Austria friendly strategic partnership, elevating China-Austria relations to a new height. China is ready to work with Austria to strengthen dialogue and communication, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and push forward the sound and steady development of China-Austria relations. Li Keqiang pointed out, the current international and regional landscape is complex and volatile, with economic globalization facing headwinds. Noting that China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, major economies in the world and important trading partners of each other, he said that the two sides should all the more stick to two-way opening-up and cooperation, strengthen communication and dialogue, and jointly send a signal of stable development of China-EU relations and active progress in bilateral cooperation, so as to ensure smooth logistics between China and the EU, stable industrial and supply chains, as well as food security and energy resource security. Li Keqiang stressed, China will never waver on the basic national policy of opening-up, which has not only boosted growth for China itself but also brought benefits to the world. No matter how the international landscape may change, China will stay committed to opening-up and deepening bilateral and multilateral international cooperation. A big and open Chinese market will always be a promising land for enterprises from all over the world, including Austrian ones, to invest and do business. Nehammer said, Austria and China have enjoyed sound relations for a long time, with successful bilateral cooperation in various fields. Noting that China is a vital participant in international affairs, he said that Austria cherishes its relations with China, adheres to the one-China principle, and stands ready to continue deepening cooperation with China and push for the further development of the Austria-China friendly strategic partnership. Austria supports the EU and China in strengthening dialogue and communication to constantly elevate EU-China relations. The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. Li Keqiang expounded on China's principled position, pointing out that China always pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. China holds that countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, uphold international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations, and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. China hopes that all parties will work together to call on the relevant parties to achieve a ceasefire and end the conflict through dialogue and negotiation and in particular, avoid a humanitarian crisis on a larger scale. Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the above activity. 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 An Extraordinary Life, Linking Past and Present I was trained to fight by my grandmother, Mamie Bland Todd. She would often remind me, Pessimists are right more often, but optimists win more often. In this life you have to decide whats more important to you. Then she would add, As for me, Ill take winning. My favorite optimist died recently at 105. ADVERTISEMENT For our family, she was the last living link to our story of origin in antebellum Southern Virginia. Three of her grandparents were Black and born into slavery. The fourth was white and helped run a plantation. She and my grandfather made the great migration north to the Up South that is Baltimore. Their love story was the bridge to our familys life in modern America. She carried lessons from the old world with her. She learned to fight from her paternal grandfather, Edward David Bland. He was born into slavery in his white uncles house. He would defeat one of his white cousins to become one of the last Black Reconstruction statesmen in Virginia. He was also the Black leader of a multiracial populist movement made up of former slaves and former Confederate soldiers. His white counterpart was former Confederate General William Mahone. Theirs was a coalition of working men, Black and white. Most of them were farmers with rough hands and dirty fingernails. Together they built a movement in the early 1880s that created Virginia State University, expanded Virginia Tech, and secured the future of free public education for every child in the commonwealth. Their common enemy was the far right-wing politicians who said Virginia could not afford the universal free public education that had been created during Reconstruction. Publicly, these wealthy conservatives said the state could not afford both free public education and paying off Civil War debt. Privately, they feared free universal public education would render both poor whites and poor Blacks ungovernable. ADVERTISEMENT Bland and Mahones multiracial movement also attacked voter suppression, outlawing the poll tax and several other measures meant to make it harder for Blacks and low-income whites to vote. When they took control of the state legislature, they made Mahone a U.S. Senator. Without forgetting the sins of the past, the men they led each chose to invest in new-found unity rather than renew old hurts and divisions. What united those men was their commitment to providing a better future for their children. They recognized that what the children of working families Black and white needed more than anything was access to a free high-quality education. In short, they needed what the children of plantation owners took for granted. My grandmother was born in 1916. She was a third-generation NAACP member who rebelled against Jim Crow without hesitation. As a young teacher, she confronted the white man who was the local superintendent of schools. She convinced him that just like white teachers, Black teachers could not teach without adequate supplies. He rectified the problem at her segregated all-Black school the next day. Two decades later, she would support my mom when at age 12 she signed on as a named plaintiff in one of the feeder cases to Brown v Board of Education. When my mom desegregated her local high school at 15, my grandmother was with her every step of the way. Ultimately, however, my grandmother, like her grandfather, could not escape the moral imperative that children of every color who are struggling need the same protections and supports. She would go on to found Child Protective Services for the city of Baltimore and lead Marylands effort to replicate the program statewide. Like Bland, she built an army of warriors for social change. In her case, it was an army of social workers, who were mostly women. Among them was a young white woman and future U.S. senator named Barbara Mikulski. Four years ago, when I was the Democratic nominee for governor of Maryland, I bumped into Sen. Mikulski at a womens political event. She looked at me and said, Youre Mamie Todds grandson. I said, I am, and I watched a tear roll down her face. As I close this weeks column, tears are running down mine. Ben Jealous is president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. His book, Never Forget Our People Were Always Free will be released by Harper Collins next January. It is largely based on the life of his grandmother. Foley and Lardner Secure Victory in Bruces Beach Case for County Supervisors Foley & Lardner LLP secured a victory on behalf of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last week when Honorable Judge Michael Beckloff of the Los Angeles County Superior Court denied a County residents petition for a writ of mandate in an attempt to block the transfer of Bruces Beach back to the legal heirs of Charles and Willa Bruce. Bruces Beach was a popular Black-owned resort in the City of Manhattan Beach that catered to Black beachgoers in the 1910s and 20s. In 1924, the City of Manhattan Beach condemned Bruces Beach in an act of racial discrimination, seeking to drive out Black patrons from Manhattan Beach. Recognizing this profound historical wrong, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 796 into law, which enables the County to take appropriate actions to return Bruces Beach to the legal heirs of the Bruce family. A County resident petitioned for a writ of mandate to block the transfer of the property. The resident primarily argued that the transfer of the property violates Article XVI, Section 6 of the California Constitution, which prohibits the Legislature to give public funds to private citizens. ADVERTISEMENT Foley partner and the Countys lead counsel Byron McLain argued that returning the property to the Bruce family is not an improper gift in violation of the California Constitution because this act serves a clear and direct public purpose of addressing and redressing government racial discrimination. As stated in Senate Bill 796, this transfer enables the County to rectify the historic injustice that was done to the Bruce family by returning the landfrom whom it was taken in an act motivated by racism. Judge Beckloff denied Petitioners writ of mandate and held that the anticipated transfer is constitutional, which effectively grants the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors the power to right this historic wrong. The Countys effort to return Bruces Beach works to strengthen government integrity, represents governmental accountability. . . [and] fosters trust and respect in government, Beckloff wrote in his ruling. Redressing past acts of discrimination as well as preventing such acts in the future benefits the whole of the community. The public purpose served by [the Countys efforts] is direct and substantial, Beckloff found. In addition to McLain, the Foley team representing the County included Anum Amin and former Foley attorney M. Kristina Fernandez Mabrie. Paralegal Autumn McIntosh and Vivian Hong also assisted in this matter. Jenner testifies She Warned Brother About Blac Chyna Kylie Jenner testified April 25 that she expressed concerns to her brother Rob Kardashian about his new girlfriend and soon-to-be reality TV co-star Blac Chyna, because she had heard Chyna had a tendency to abuse drugs and alcohol and become violent and had gotten a possible glimpse of it herself. I felt it was my duty to express my concerns, but ultimately it was up to him, Jenner, now 24 and a teenager at the time, said from the witness stand at a Los Angeles trial. She said her brother didnt heed her warnings, and continued with the relationship. Chyna is suing Jenner and three other members of the Kardashian family, alleging they defamed her as violent and forced the cancellation of her reality show, Rob & Chyna, after one short season. ADVERTISEMENT Both Chyna and Jenner had previous relationships with the rapper Tyga, and Chyna had a child with him. Jenner said Tyga told her dark stories of his time with Chyna and showed her a 6-inch knife scar he said she gave him while abusing drugs and alcohol, Jenner said. Jenner said that while dating Tyga, she had received at least one threatening text message from Chyna. From what I remember she sent me a bunch of devil emojis, and said something like counting down the days until she could beat me or something, she said. I didnt report it, because I assumed they were empty threats. Jenner testified that when Rob Kardashian and Chyna began dating in January of 2016, she didnt trust that Chynas love was genuine. I felt like me dating the father of her child had something to do with it, and maybe she was out with my brother for other reasons? Still, she said, she was cautiously optimistic after they announced in April 2016 that they were getting engaged, and said in May that they were having a baby together. ADVERTISEMENT I was happy for my brother at the time, Jenner said, but just curious how it would go. Rob & Chyna would premiere in September, the couple would have a daughter, Dream, in November, and in December they would have an all-night celebration of their show being approved for a second season that turned into a bitter fight. That dispute, and how violent it may have become, was at the center of testimony from both Chyna and from Jenners mother Kris Jenner. Chyna said she was being playful when she wrapped a phone-charging cord around her fiances neck and grabbed his gun. Kris Jenner, who did not witness the fight, testified through tears that she felt that Chyna had tried to murder her son. Kylie Jenner, whose home the two had been living in, testified that in the aftermath of the fight she saw some of the damage, and remembers her brother being emotionally traumatized, but couldnt recall seeing any evidence of physical injury. She definitely came away believing the violence had been serious, she testified. He used the words, She was trying to kill me Kylie Jenner said. Jenner returns to the witness stand on Tuesday. The two other defendants, Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian, are expected to testify later in the week. Kim Kardashian was not in court Monday for the first time in the six-day-old trial. Another witness, Jeff Olde, who in 2016 was a senior vice president of the E! network, which aired both Rob & Chyna and Keeping Up With the Kardashians, testified that he approved a second season for the show, though further approval from his bosses would still have been needed. But his excitement for more episodes was based on the idea that it would include the stars getting married. I thought it was really promising because with a wedding that gave us a hook for season two, said Olde. Everyone loves a wedding. Chynas lawyer Lynne Ciani pressed Olde over an email he received from Kylie Jenner expressing concerns about violent behavior from Chyna. The email is a key element of Chynas defamation case. Olde testified that it did not especially influence his decision to reverse course on a second season for Rob & Chyna. I dont really take direction from 17-year-olds, he said. A similar email soon after from Khloe Kardashian also had little effect, he said. He thought the show should be canceled, he testified, because the couple it featured was no longer a couple. It was the Rob and Chyna show and there was no more Rob and Chyna, he said. It was not the show we bought. Rep. Karen Bass released her plan to combat climate change and take bold action to protect Los Angeles from the existential threat of global warming. Her comprehensive climate strategy will expand access to clean transportation and open space, enhance biodiversity and climate resiliency, conserve our natural resources, and train our workforce for prosperous green jobs. It is our responsibility to protect this planet, said Bass. As rising temperatures and extreme drought create health emergencies, drive displacement, destroy jobs, and threaten livelihoods, it is imperative that we take immediate action to defeat climate change and serve as a model for cities throughout the world. As mayor, I will lead Los Angeles to a new era of sustainability that supports frontline communities, makes major investments in energy efficiency, and creates thousands of good-paying jobs in the process. ADVERTISEMENT Bass plan is bold. It meets the serious environmental challenges that Los Angeles is facing climate change, drought, pollution and environmental injustice with a vision of an L.A. powered with clean energy, resilient to drought and climate impacts and centered on healthy communities and a strong, just economy, said Nancy Sutley, former chair of the Obama White House Council on Environmental Quality. I believe Karen Bass is the leader we need to enact this vision. Karen Bass has developed an exciting, highly ambitious, but realizable environmental vision for Los Angeles, said Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve. We need Karens brand of get-it-done leadership in City Hall. For Karen Bass, the environment is where we live, work, play, pray, and go to school. She understands that the restoration and protection of our air, land, water, and climate is inextricably linked to peoples health and livelihoods. She knows from experience the deep environmental inequities and injustices borne by frontline workers and residents, low-income individuals, and communities of color, said Martha Matsuoka, associate professor and executive director, Urban and Environmental Policy Institute, Occidental College. She will bring people together particularly those most impacted by environmental conditions and leverage federal, state, and local authorities and resources to get things done to protect our environment and our people. Our city finds itself in an era of extreme drought fueled by the climate crisis, said Charles Stringer, managing director of Renewable Resources Group and former board chair of Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. The next mayor will need to take bold and decisive steps to combat climate change. Im proud to support someone whos done it Karen Bass was a leader on water policy as Speaker of the Assembly and she is a climate champion in Congress. Her plan will help ensure a sustainable water future and makes me optimistic for our city. ADVERTISEMENT Karen Bass understands the urgency of our climate crisis and its catastrophic impacts, said Randall Winston, Vice Chair of California Environmental Voters*. Her vision is bold, equity-driven, and deeply grounded in communities and working people. Karen Bass is the leader Los Angeles needs. The environmental damage caused by the climate crisis has disproportionate impacts on low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, and the elderly, said Gloria Medina, environmental justice leader. I trust Karen Bass to redress the historical injustices of environmental racism and help our communities recover from and prepare for the ongoing impacts of global warming. This plan puts the health and economic sustainability of frontline communities first, and elevates the need to center the voices of those most impacted. I am proud to support this plan. (If needed, cut after content below) LA County Library Reading Machine Enriches the Minds of Juniorversity Children through Storytime Juniorversity is an early childcare center located in the city of Compton. Their tagline is, Where Learning and Growing Go Hand-in-Hand, and owner/director, Gwendolyn Crews, is making sure that her childcare center lives up to that slogan. As part of the curriculum, library volunteers from LA County Library Reading Machine come out every other Friday to Juniorversity to read to the children in the form of Storytime implementing both literacy and S.T.E.A.M. Reading Machine is a service provided by LA County Library where librarians visit licensed home daycares and preschools via a decorative mobile van. Someone from the Reading Machine program had reached out to Juniorversity in 2018 and asked if they were interested in being a part of the program and since Crews is always looking for engaging experiences for the children, she said yes. ADVERTISEMENT Before COVID-19, the program was similar to a S.T.E.A.M program. They wouldnt just read stories; the kids would engage in different lessons and activities such as a science lesson on ladybugs. The volunteer read books on ladybugs having the kids pass around a plastic ladybug for them to touch. This type of engagement intertwines with Juniorversitys core belief, which is that children learn in different ways some visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The Reading Machine and Juniorversity mix perfectly together to cater to each childs individual needs. During the early COVID-19, the program engaged with the children via zoom with Juniorversity teachers present with them on site, following COVID-19 precautionary guidelines. Once Reading Machine volunteers returned to Juniorversity, they engaged with the children outside for some outdoor fun, following the stress of the pandemic. This ongoing engagement helped to soften the sting of the pandemic, which allowed the children to continue to be stimulated in a safe, stable, and fun environment, Crews stated. Juniorversity opened in 2006, but started as a family home childcare program called, Little Lambs Training Center, in Carson, CA in 1994. Little Lambs Training Center was licensed for only 14 children and was filled for over seven years. Crews expressed that she had to sometimes turn parents away who needed care for their children calling it, disheartening. Crews goes on to explain how after 9/11, Los Angeles County provided incentives for those who wanted to start or expand a childcare business. She has always had an innate desire to serve more parents and children. This was her motivation. This was her way to provide childcare services to families in her community. Unfortunately, the program was dismantled before it could get off the ground and funds were frozen. However, I continued to pursue my dream of being able to provide quality care to more than 14 families at a time and worked to fund my own project. Although it was a tedious process, it was one whose end result would allow me to serve my community and its young children, so it was truly worthwhile, Crews expressed. Fortunately, she persisted and in 2003 with her daughter by her side, they purchased and renovated an empty warehouse and co-founded Juniorversity. Crews always knew the importance of engaging children in enriching learning environments as part of the providing quality care process, she explained. Many of the children from the daycare transitioned to kindergarten already knowing their colors, shapes, how to paint, numbers, and how to read. When Crews changed her business model from a family home daycare to a state-of-the-art childcare center, she changed the name to something that truly reflected the service she provided, which was educating young children while providing quality care, she stated. ADVERTISEMENT My program caters to the whole child socially, emotionally, psychologically, and cognitively, thereby giving them a head start. As a Doctor of Education with an M.B.A., my daughter was also quite instrumental in the naming process of Juniorversity, Crews told the Sentinel. Juniorversity plans to maintain their relationship with the Reading Machine, and have been doing so for the past four years. Juniorversity is located at 2400 S Central Ave, Compton, CA 90220. For more information, visit: https://juniorversity.com/, call (310)638-3500, or email [email protected]. Leftwich Transforms Lives in South L.A. and Africa Ministry begins at home and although Phyllis Leftwich has been instrumental in changing the lives of the people on various levels on the continent of Africa for nearly 20 years; she and her local team here in Los Angeles have been feeding the hungry, providing housing, personal hygiene items, and much here at home too. Abundant Life Missions, Inc. (ALMI) was established in November 2003 as a nonprofit, charitable 501(c)3 organization to address the consequences of poverty, hunger, and hopelessness faced primarily by women and children in our nation and abroad. Abundant Life Missions is interdenominational without regard for age, race, or creed. Abundant Life Missions facilitates or provides emergency food, clothing, shelter, transportation and referrals to other resources. Gifts are given to prisoners and needy families at Christmas and other holidays. Additionally, personal enrichment seminars/workshops are available free of charge to churches, transition homes, and other non-profit organizations. A donation to Abundant Life Missions helps to transforms lives, here locally and abroad. ADVERTISEMENT Evangelist Phyllis Marie Leftwich has been a missionary since 1961. This 87-year-young, hardworking lady is affectionately known as Mother or Mom Leftwich. She began her service at Bethany Baptist Church of West Los Angeles in California. These days, she continues to serve at West Angeles Church of God in Christ under the leadership of her pastor, Presiding Bishop Emeritus Charles E. Blake, Sr., and his lovely wife, Lady Mae L. Blake. She also serves as a part of the Evangelist/Missionary Fellowship, under the leadership of its president, Evangelist Lisa Nevels. Evangelist Leftwich is a registered nurse by profession and a Bible teacher by Gods gift. She has a background in teaching subjects that focus on evangelism, missions, and prayer throughout the United States and abroad. Her formal Christian education includes courses at Los Angeles Bible Training School, Bethany Bible Christian College, Los Angeles School of Ministry, and West Angeles Bible College. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science and a masters degree in public administration from California State University Dominguez Hills. In addition, Missionary Leftwich has served as a Bible teacher and registered nurse in 24 foreign countries. The Lord commissioned her to launch the Abundant Life Missions ministry as a means to carry His love to the nations. Her lifes passion is to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of people throughout the world. Abundant Life Missions Inc. was established to assist persons who are the most needy and underserved, especially single women and their children at home and abroad. We endeavor to educate, motivate, teach, and train them in secular skills and Christian-Judea principles to promote self-esteem and achieve successful independent living. ADVERTISEMENT Their goal is to equip and empower each individual to function at their highest potential in their own environment and culture. All services and resources are provided free of charge without regard to age, creed, nationality, or gender. To find out more about Missionary Phyllis Leftwich, and ALMI, visit https://abundantlifemissions.org Mother Barbara Bryant Jurisdictional Supervisor of COGIC SoCal First Unprecedented times demand and require courageous leadership that awakens purpose in others. Mother Barbara Bryant the newly appointed Jurisdictional Supervisor of Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions Department of Women has answered the call to empower the largest, multifaceted womens department in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) denomination. The trailblazing torch has been figuratively passed to Mother Bryant from the Church of God in Christs world-renowned General Supervisor and Jurisdictional Supervisor Emerita, Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis, and Mother Bryant is poised to illuminate her God-given path with unique abilities for this new age. Mother Barbara Bryant a skilled administrator and innovative visionaryis successfully charting new territory through her ground-breaking initiatives, programs and events. Equipped with professional acumen and anointed, ministerial tools, Mother Bryant has prayerfully begun to execute a vision that addresses the diverse needs of women in Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and beyond. ADVERTISEMENT Her transformative leadership inspires women of all ages with diverse stories to grow spiritually, professionally and relationally, while simultaneously serving their communities. Mother Bryants holistic approach tackles the challenges women commonly face today and provides avenues for women to build upon their existing strengths. The partial list of initiatives, programs and events provides a snapshot of the departments impactful work under Mother Bryants leadership: Health and Wellness Workshops Women of Action Authors Circle Book Blast Ministry Webinars Specific Ministries in Auxiliaries, Bands and Units Tuition Assistance Scholarships Leadership Conferences and The Leadership L.E.A.G.U.E Youth Ministries Mentoring HER Programs Community Outreach Programs Although Mother Bryant has received numerous commendations, Bishop Joe L. Ealy and the constituency of Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction will formally honor Mother Bryants elevation at a celebration luncheon on Saturday, May 7, at the beautiful Knotts Berry Farm Hotel in Buena Park, California. Congratulatory messages and/or gifts in honor of Mother Barbara Bryant can be sent to the Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Headquarters: Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction COGIC, c/o Mother Barbara Bryant, Jurisdictional Supervisor, Gospel Memorial Church of God in Christ, 1480 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, California 90813 On 30th Anniversary, Los Angeles Reviews Impact of 1992 Civil Unrest County Supervisor Holly Mitchell convenes panel to discuss local progress in race relations and other areas Thirty years ago, on April 29 to May 4, 1992, the streets of South Los Angeles were on fire literally and figuratively with both structures and tempers flaring due to the acquittal of four White LAPD officers charged with the horrific beating of Black motorist Rodney King. ADVERTISEMENT The African American communitys outrage over the verdict led to three days of civil unrest, taking the lives of 63 people, injuring another 2,383 and destroying more than $1 billion in property. Equally tattered were the already shaking relationships between the Black, Korean and Latino relationships, which appeared to suffer irreparable damage. However, that appearance turned out to deceiving as evidenced by the progress cited by experts, witnesses and members of the involved ethnic groups. Along with County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, two representatives gathered on April 22 to recall the 30th anniversary of the civil unrest and chart the progress that has been achieved in the last three decades. The program, entitled Rising From the Fire Los Angeles 30 Years After 1992, was part of Mitchells Second District Racial Justice Learning Exchange. In addition to Mitchell, the participants included Brenda Shockley, City of Los Angeles chief equity officer and John Kim, executive director of the Advancement Project California. Natalia Robles, Mitchells justice deputy, and Daniel Park, deputy for constituent engagement, offered welcoming remarks. The Racial Justice Learning Exchange is an initiative by Supervisor Mitchell that connects residents, county departments, leadership, commissioners and community organizations to build capacity and address and confront biases, celebrate and share in our diversity and create meaningful steps to eliminate structural racism, explained Robles. The session opened with music by the Korean Drum Band followed by a performance from Matthew Cuban Hernandez of Street Poets Inc., and Alicia Wise of the Rhythm Arts Alliance. The group of spoken word artists delivered an inspiring presentation comprised of poetry, dance and drums. The connection between the drums from two different cultures is very powerful, noted Mitchell, who also commented on the significance of the program, which reflected rebirth and renewal in the 30 years since the civil unrest. Its important, as we talk about our future, that we ground ourselves in where we were. The 1992 Civil Unrest was not a single catastrophic event. It was another upheaval in this cycle a 30-year sequence of these events, Mitchell said. ADVERTISEMENT Thirty years ago, we lost 50 lives and many lost faith in our justice system. We lost generational wealth and investment and many lost faith in their government. Thirty years ago, we were a part of a moment of collective rage, desperation and exhaustion. But that is changing and the winds are bringing forth new energy and excitement, she insisted. Investments in the Second District include 50,000 square feet of commercial space, 180 units of affordable housing, the new SEED School, 250 full-time jobs in retail, education and opportunities to work at Metro, she said. Serving as moderator, Mitchell asked Shockley and Kim to share their opinion of the root causes of the uprising. I was here in 1965 and in 1992, so for me, that cycle is very real. Each time its been because of that bit more of oppression, that bit more of disinvestment and bit more of lack of training. When you leave people where their only power is to destroy strip them of their ability to engage and to vote you are not going to be able to soothe that because its an open wound that has festered for so long, Shockley stressed. I grew up here, on 2nd and Vermont, in the back storage rooms of my dads friends who had stores in South L.A., recalled Kim as her recounted often witnessing the Korean owners behind plexi-glass shields shouting at Black customers. Its hard to know who was wrong the one looking to be respected in their own neighborhood or one looking to protect something that they fought their entire life for in terms of their store. Over time, I learned that its not about looking for bad people, but about looking for bad systems, he said. We were all in a system that sapped both of these men of their potential and pit us in this place to go at each other. Thats the power system that caused the uprising the system of White supremacy and structural racism, declared Kim. Next, Mitchell inquired about the lessons learned since 1992 concerning economic investment and Shockley replied that she realized in 1992 that disinvestment was the foe and today, gentrification is the menace. Out of 1992 came a network and structure that you see today the rise and power of the nonprofit sector where it really became a profession, said Shockley, the former CEO of Community Build, which is headquartered in Leimert Park. She added that Mitchell previously headed Crystal Stairs, a child care and child development nonprofit agency, and Congresswoman Karen Bass started Community Coalition, that Shockley said, Literally has spawned a mayoral candidate. The program also included a Q&A portion between the panelists and audience along with requesting attendees to tell how they planned to assist in finding solutions to racial injustice and contribute to positive change in South Los Angeles. The presentation is available for viewing on Mitchells YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG0-CMdGHAM Prostate Cancer Rising in Black America As the United States continues to grapple with its legacy of systemic racism, debates on issues such as police brutality and racial profiling, the economic gulf between Blacks and Whites, and the dearth of access to affordable educational opportunities, there is one area that has received far less attention: The gap in positive health outcomes that African Americans and particularly Black men face. While the COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on these fissures, its beam barely touched the edges of the problem. Yet according to government data, Black Americans are generally at higher risk for heart diseases, stroke, cancer, asthma, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes and HIV/AIDS than their white counterparts. Black people also have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial/ethnic group in the United States for most cancers. These are abhorrent figures anyway you look at them, but especially when considering that many of these deadly diseases at least when detected early are treatable and survivable. Prostate cancer, for example, has a five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with it of greater than 99 percent if the cancer is detected during the early stage. ADVERTISEMENT Yet, Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing prostate cancer than white men, and research from the American Cancer Society found that Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than their White counterparts. One of the key reasons for these staggering disparities is the fact that Black men are overall less aware of the threat this form of cancer poses to them and have less resources available to them to receive testing and monitoring for the disease. Thankfully there are members of the Black community like billionaire investor Robert F. Smith, The Today Show Co-host Al Roker, and activist comedians such as Chris Tucker and Steve Harvey who are raising their voices and contributing their dollars to combat this affliction. Robert Smith, for example, recently donated $4 million of his own money to New York Citys Mount Sinai Medical Center to create the Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit. This mobile home-sized bus will tour New York City neighborhoods where men are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and offer screenings and educational materials about the disease. This proactive approach that brings diagnosis tools directly to the communities most at risk is the type of action that our nation needs when it comes to battling a disease that more than 13 percent of African American men are expected to develop in their lifetime. But Smith cant be the only one doing this and New York City cannot be the only place where this type of outreach is occurring. Whether it is other philanthropists, local or regional health centers, or state and federal officials, there is a desperate need for creative solutions to getting more people screened and saving more lives. Smiths initiative is an innovative approach, but there are other ways to spread awareness and boost screenings in the Black community. Whether it be through an advertising and outreach campaign to pop-up health centers and tents, the COVID-19 vaccine push in the Black and other minority communities can serve as a good example of how to quickly and efficiently get more Black men screened for the disease. ADVERTISEMENT For too long, prostate cancer among Black men and the disparity in health outcomes within the community overall has remained relatively low profiled, but now we have a way to resolve this issue. The pioneering Black journalist and one of the effective voices and leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Ida B. Wells said it best, The way to right wrong is to turn the light of truth on them. It is long overdue to turn on a brighter national light on prostate cancer and Black America. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and Executive Producer/Host of The Chavis Chronicles on PBS TV stations throughout the United States who can be reached at [email protected] Rhodes Hosts Youth Town Hall Aarika Rhodes is an elementary school teacher running for Californias 32nd Congressional District, which is comprised of numerous San Fernando Valley communities such as Encino and Woodland Hills as well as coastal communities such as Malibu and Pacific Palisades. ADVERTISEMENT On April 21, Rhodes hosted a Youth Town Hall in Vanalden Park as part of her Kids Have A Voice Too program. Many young people and community members gathered to participate in the forum, which was organized and led by local youth. Our campaign is committed to cultivating the next generation of leaders, said Rhodes. We are pleased to be able to help coordinate this event so that our young people are able to voice the issues that are important to them. At the event, local youth discussed issues such as education reform, health care, and homelessness. Also, participants from the deaf community shared concerns about access. One issue mentioned was the fact that interpreters are typically not provided for critical communications such as presidential announcements. According to her campaign, Rhodes has devoted her life to youth and advancing equitable education. In 2013, she received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles Clippers for her achievement in constructing an effective science curriculum. Rhodes has taught students from diverse backgrounds in both public and private schools, and said that she understands the importance of closing the disparity in academic performance between groups of students. She has also written about equitable STEM curriculum for the Journal for Multicultural Education. If elected, Rhodes promises to fight hard to solve the problems that matter most to the people who she represents. She said that she will also support small businesses, work to close the income gap, and fight for every childs right to quality education. ADVERTISEMENT More information about the candidate and the youth program can be found at AarikaforCongress.com. Righteously Remembering Haji Malcolm: Becoming and Being Ourselves In this month and historical moment of remembering and raising up Nana Malcolm X as a mirror and model for us and the world, we must make sure it is righteous and rightful remembrance. Indeed, it must be a critical remembering that reaches back in the practice of sankofa, retrieving the best of his moral sensitivities, thought and practice and using them to ground our lives, inform our work and guide our ongoing struggle to be ourselves and free ourselves. For Haji Malcolm wanted us to become and be our beautiful Black and sacred selves through a righteous and relentless struggle to free ourselves from the various kinds of chains imposed on us by our ruthless oppressor. Indeed, he taught and Kawaida reaffirmed that our struggle at its heart is always to be ourselves and free ourselves. In a word, it is to be ourselves so we can free ourselves and to free ourselves so we can fully be ourselves. Min. Malcolm Xs unchanging challenge to us as a people and persons to wake up, clean up and stand up is a constant and clarion call: to come into and cultivate an ever-expanding consciousness of ourselves and the world; to ground ourselves in the best of our ethical sensitivities, thought and practice; and to raise up and remain standing and struggling in the interest of a good world for us as Africans and for humanity as a whole. And on this another anniversary of his historic birth and comingintobeing, we honor him best by reexamining the instructive and enduring legacy he left and by trying to integrate it meaningfully in the forward focus and thrust of our lives. ADVERTISEMENT Haji Malcolms message is rooted in a liberation ethics, a critical reflection and practice of ongoing personal and social transformation which forms and frees our strongest selves, and directs us toward the good and expansive lives we long for and deserve. Nana Malcolm saw in us a great and ancient people, root and reflection of the soul of Africa and obligated to accept the awesome role of struggle, history and heaven had assigned us. He said, I dont think that anything is more positive than accepting who you are. And this means accepting our fundamental role as a moral and social vanguard in this country in a still unfinished fight to expand the realm of freedom and justice in the world and acting accordingly. Haji Malcolm continues with a call for a moral grounding that upholds, in the most empowering and expansive ways, the African ethical imperative to always act in honor of the dignity and divinity within us. Within his third major focus, the moral challenge to stand up, Min. Malcolm stresses the transformative character and essentiality of practice, for he understands that practice proves and makes possible everything. Standing up in Nana Malcolms liberation ethics encompasses three basic practices: (1) bearing witness to truth; (2) living the truth of a recovered and reconstructed self, and (3) struggling to achieve a context of freedom, justice and equality indispensable to realizing the fullness of our personhood and the possibilities within us. To bear witness to truth is to teach and uphold the good and expose and condemn evil, to speak up in the midst of fear and silence, to refuse to go along and get along with oppression and oppressors and to reaffirm the right to a good life for everyone. ADVERTISEMENT Haji Malcolms teaching on standing up, like his other teachings, is both rooted in and reflective of his own personal recovery and reconstruction. His experience teaches him that standing up is essentially offering ones life and death as a testimony of some social value, in a word, being willing to live and die as a mirror and martyr for liberation and securing good in the world. This morality of self-sacrifice in the cause of liberation and a better society and world and humbleness about what one can do and has achieved are at the core of Nana Malcolms ethical concept of standing up. Also, Haji Malcolm poses standing up as constantly steering and staying clear of things which would undermine our commitment to a rightful and righteously good life and our capacity to contribute to the struggle to achieve this goal. The personal battle to stay upright and committed to the struggle for the good is for Min. Malcolm a daily and ongoing challenge. But he believed that even as he had been able to stand up and sustain himself in the context of community, so can others with adequate self-assertion and support. Offering himself as an undeniable example of moral resurrection and rootedness, Min. Malcolm states that having made the commitment and passage, he can and must bear witness to its possibility and promise. For he says, I myself, being one who was lost and dead, buried here in the rubbish of the West, suffering from evil and ignorance, misled and manipulated was finally able to stand upright, perpendicular. . . and for the first time in 400 years to see and hear. And it is this retrieved and reconstructed capacity to hear and see from a position internal to his culture and pointing outward towards the world that gave him a solid sense of history and the promise of personal and social transformative struggle. For Haji Malcolm, to stand upright here has three essential meanings. First, it is to stand in confidence and courage born of knowledge, knowledge of oneself in the historical and cultural sense and of the possibilities inherent in this grounding. Secondly, to stand upright is to stand in righteousness, free from vices and rooted in virtues which elevate and strengthen. And finally, it is to stand up courageously in practical struggle to transform oneself and society. This practical struggle which one is compelled to wage is essentially for freedom, justice and human equality, a context indispensable to human life and human flourishing. As Haji Malcolm states, freedom is essential to life itself and to the development of the human being. Moreover, he continues, If we dont have freedom, we can never expect justice and equality. For only after we have freedom, does justice and equality become a reality. It is this stress on the priority of human freedom as the grounds and context for justice, equality and human development that leads Haji Malcolm to argue the right to achieve freedom by any means necessary. Min. Malcolms ethical vision is rooted, then, in the concept of the human persons capacity for self-transformation exemplified in his own personal passage from lumpen life to a life of righteousness, responsibility and self-conscious struggle. Thus, his fundamental lesson is his own life, the way he turned himself around, raised up, resisted and broke the racist restraints imposed on him and became a man among men and women, a leader among the leaders of the world, and a noble witness for his people to the world. It is this also which aided in grounding his faith in the masses and in their capacity to create progress, push their lives forward and lay the basis in struggle for a new world. Like Nana Frantz Fanons wretched of the earth, the masses are for Haji Malcolm, capable of the most drastic change, are the most fearless and will stand the longest in the struggle for a new world and a new history of humankind. Finally, Haji Malcolm reminds us, as we remember and honor him, that a people is like a (person). Until it realizes its own talents, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself. And it is only through our struggle to fully become and be ourselves and to remake society in the interest of good in the world is this fulfillment and flourishing possible. Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, California State University-Long Beach; Executive Director, African American Cultural Center (Us); Creator of Kwanzaa; and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture and Essays on Struggle: Position and Analysis, www.AfricanAmericanCulturalCenter-LA.org; www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org; www.MaulanaKarenga.org. Smith Joins Community Coalition as First Chief Strategy Officer As a 15-year-old teen, Ryan Smith landed his first job as a student organizer working with high school leaders affiliated with Community Coalition. Currently poised to receive his doctorate degree from UCLA, hes once again connected to the nonprofit known as CoCo, but now hes a member of the executive team. As the organizations inaugural chief strategy officer, Smith will develop initiatives to support South L.A. residents especially Black and Brown Angelenos in overcoming systemic and institutional barriers in education and other areas. He will also assist in guiding outreach efforts and launch the groups new National Center for Community Organizing. I am so excited about this new position at Community Coalition and to join an organization thats doing so much for South Los Angeles and for Los Angeles in general. It feels like a homecoming in many ways, said Smith. ADVERTISEMENT I know the leadership Aurea Montes-Rodriguez (executive vice president) and Alberto Retana (CEO) fought for students who look like me to attend UCLA, which I ultimately did. So, Im really delighted that this is not only a new position, but it feels full circle in my career, he noted. Prior to CoCo, Smith was the chief external officer sat Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, an n-district organization dedicated to transforming schools and empowering students with high quality education. Also, he was the director of Education Programs and Policy for United Way of Greater Los Angeles where he managed education program and policies. Prior to that position, he served as vice president of Strategic Advocacy for the Education Trust, an education civil rights organization that aims to close opportunity gaps. Smith is the author of several editorials and opinion pieces that have appeared in major publications. On a national level, Education Week named him as one of Ten Education Leaders to Watch and Families in Schools presented Smith with its Parent Engagement Leader of the Year Award. A native of Los Angeles County, Smith is quite familiar with the issues and concerns of the regions communities of color. In fact, his doctoral thesis explores how Black families navigated the pandemic as well as distance learning education. What I learned is that our families are navigating so many systems. Theyre navigating the housing system and navigating how to work with jobs and they had to buy all this technology while they were losing income, explained Smith. ADVERTISEMENT We often talk about these issues in silos. But, the great thing about Community Coalition is that it focuses on these issues and doesnt see its mission just as a single-issue mission, but sees the intersections of these and how we can support Black and Latino residents. So, Im excited to support intersectional advocacy that Community Coalition has spearheaded for 30 years now, he said. Outlining his top goals as chief strategy officer, Smith shared that his emphasis will be on aiding constituents in rebuilding and healing from the pandemic. The areas of concern range from health to housing to jobs and the economy. He will also be alert for opportunities to influence government policy that improves the quality of life of South L.A. residents. In addition, he aims to address the myriad of challenging issues surrounding the criminal justice system and its impact on Black and Brown young people. Under my new tenure at Community Coalition, [I] will continue to listen to the community and make sure that were creating space so that theyre informing policies and were not passing policies and programs that arent in the best interest of South L.A. residents, said Smith. The other thing thats really exciting [is] that [were] launching a Center for Community Organizing. We often talk about when you come out of South L.A., come back to the community. We also have to make sure were building that leadership pipeline of folks and residents who are committed to building power and change. Im excited to invest in the future as Community Coalition has done for the last two decades, Smith admitted. His passion for helping those less fortunate likely stems from his late father, who desired to end homelessness. His parents dream influenced Smith to assist others facing challenges created by unfair and racist structures and systems. As the new chief strategy officer, Smith will play a critical role in CoCos approach to relieving some of the societal pressures that South L.A. residents are experiencing along with equipping citizens to achieve a reasonable standard of living. Fulfilling this mission requires that Smith relies on the three mantras that guide his life. Frederick Douglass said without a struggle, there can be no progress and I believe weve seen a lot of struggle because of the pandemic. This provides an opportunity for us to think about the future. We are a people who are resilient folks. But we are about progress and one of Community Coalitions mantras is People, Power, Progress. So, Im excited about that, he said. Number two, Fannie Lou Hamer is somebody that I am inspired by a Black woman in the South that fought against so many of these systems. She said, Nobody is free until everybodys free, so [we must] work in tandem across communities to make lasting change, shared Smith. The last thing is theres a great scripture that says, Without vision the people will perish. Hopefully, its our collective vision that makes that impact. Community Coalition wants to make a difference in lives every day and Im just honored to work alongside the men and women who continue to give of their lives in order to support South L.A. State Ed Chief Thurmond Is Piecing Together the Future of Californias Post-Pandemic Education For Tony Thurmond, Californias African American State Superintendent of Public Instruction, American public education will never be the same after experiencing what it has over the last two years. The pandemic really did put a spotlight on places where there were big holes and gaps and inequities, Thurmond told California Black Media (CBM). In a nation with the wealth we have, that there should be a digital divide, I think thats just a big example of the kinds of inequities that have existed. But Thurmond is hopeful. Working with lawmakers in both the California Senate and Assembly, he is sponsoring and supporting a range of focused legislation that, if approved, would increase access to education opportunities and improve learning for Black, Hispanic and other children who were most affected by the pandemic. Many of the children Thurmonds programs target are underperforming on the states standardized tests. ADVERTISEMENT As a former Assemblymember representing the 15th District in Alameda County from 2014 to 2018, Thurmond is familiar with the sausage making that goes into creating policy. He is leveraging knowledge of that process, he says, to transform public education. He told CBM, Our number one bill is Senate Bill (SB) 1229. The bill authored by Sen. Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) offers incentives to recruit 10,000 professionals to help support the growing mental health needs of students. SB 1229 provides $25,000 grants to aspiring mental health clinicians who commit to serving a minimum of two years as a mental health professional either in a school district or youth-serving community organization in high need areas. Approximately eight million Californians, most of them from communities of color, live in areas with a shortage of behavioral health professionals. Theres no question that our students need all kinds of support for academic recovery, but our students and families need to really heal from the trauma that is this pandemic. Thurmond said. Weve seen a spike in suicide for Black students; weve seen an increase in hospitalizations for young people. Addressing childhood literacy and biliteracy, is another of Thurmonds priorities. Last year, he announced his vision that by 2026 all California students will be literate by third grade. He pulled together a Statewide Literacy Task Force of experts and community partners to design a strategy for reaching that goal. Also, to support the initiative, Thurmond pledged to secure one million book donations for students in need and he exceeded his goal with more than five million free online books downloaded. Thurmond is sponsoring three bills focused on literacy expansion working with two legislators: Sen. Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda). ADVERTISEMENT The first is Senate Bill (SB) 952 (Limon), written to help existing schools convert to dual-language immersion programs. The second, Assembly Bill (AB) 2498 (Bonta), would expand Freedom School programs evidence-based Afrocentric literacy programs that have been shown to help students improve their reading by one to two grade levels in as little as six weeks. The third is AB 2465(Bonta), which would expand literacy programs to fund home visits. According to Limon, Dual language schools have demonstrated cognitive, social, cultural, economic and educational benefits for students. They are effective in closing the achievement gap and test results show that most dual language schools outperform other demographically similar schools. Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), who is a member of the Statewide Literacy Task Force, says, AB 2465 was inspired by recommendations from the state superintendents Task Force to improve reading by third grade. There are several other game-changing education bills Thurmond is sponsoring. Among them are SB 830, which Sen. Anthony J. Portantino (D-Thousand Oaks) introduced. The legislation calls for funding schools based on school district enrollment instead of attendance. It would also finance efforts to address chronic absenteeism and truancy. Then theres AB1614, legislation introduced by Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates) and Patrick ODonnell (D-Long Beach), who serves as chair of the Assembly Education Committee. That bill would increase the school funding base to provide greater flexibility to all school districts throughout the state. According to Thurmond, SB 830 gives districts predictability on how they receive funding and gives them important resources to address what has been one of our most perplexing challenges: dealing with chronic absenteeism in ways we have not yet seen before. It will put students and schools on a better path to further close opportunity and education gaps. Thurmond has thrown his support behind AB 2806, legislation that would help reduce suspensions of preschool children. This bill was introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park). He is a sponsor of AB 2088 introduced by Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D- Elk Grove) that would provide paid internships to students within their Career Technical Education courses or pathways. Another bill Thurmond feels will help work through the challenges ahead is, AB 2794 that would fund the School De-escalation Specialist Pilot Program under the administration of the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide one-time grants to local educational agencies for the creation or expansion of non-police school safety programs. The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson). Thurmond notes there appears to be no opposition to any of the bills he is supporting. I think the biggest challenge is that these bills have a cost, and they ask for money, Thurmond told CBM. I happen to think that while all of them are important if you invest in mental health, if you invest in programs like literacy, and dual language programs, these programs will have a high return of investment for California schools. With the funds included by Gov. Gavin Newsom in the state budget and passed by the Legislature, Thurmonds Department of Education is implementing a Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Planning & Implementation Grant program. The initiative will expand prekindergarten for every four-year-old. The budget is covering a program serving two meals free of charge (breakfast and lunch) during each school day to students in grades K12. Also budgeted is $3 Billion to establish community schools across the state that offer additional services to students and families. Voting Charges Dropped Against Pamela Moses Tenn. D.A. Gets Pound of Flesh Pamela Moses spent 82 days in custody after a Tennessee judge handed down a six-year prison sentence against the 44-year-old Black woman for trying to register to vote. On April 22, prosecutors declared that theyd gotten their pound of flesh. Charges were dropped against Moses after another judge granted her a new trial. ADVERTISEMENT Our original offer to the defendant Pamela Moses was a guilty plea to a misdemeanor and no time to serve, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich declared. She rejected that offer and asked for a jury trial. At the conclusion of the week-long trial, the jury convicted her on the felony charge of false entry on permanent voter registration. Weirich continued: She was taken into custody and spent 75 days in jail before Judge Mark Ward granted her motion for a new trial. In total, she has spent 82 days in custody in this case, which is sufficient. She is also permanently barred from registering to vote or voting in Tennessee as a result of her 2015 conviction for Tampering with Evidence. In the interest of judicial economy, we are dismissing her illegal registration case and her violation of probation. The vital issue had always centered on whether Moses knew she lost her voting eligibility. A probation officer filled out and signed a form indicating the end of her supervision stemming from a 2015 felony conviction. ADVERTISEMENT The officer admitted the mistake but left Moses wondering whether she could vote. Prosecutors alleged that she deceived the officer and knew of her ineligible status. However, following her conviction, The Guardian newspaper uncovered evidence through public records that undercut Weirichs false claim that Moses duped the probation officer. In September 2019, just two days after a probation officer mistakenly signed a certificate telling Moses her probation was complete, officials at the Tennessee department of corrections investigated how exactly their employee made the error, The British daily newspaper reported. Their investigation didnt find that Moses had deceived a probation officer, but rather that the officer had made a good-faith mistake. The review found that the probation officer referred to as Manager Billington spent about an hour investigating whether Moses was still on probation. Billington came across a note in Moses file noting that in 2016, she had been placed on supervised probation for two years. Even though the system said that Moses remained on unsupervised probation, Billington thought this was a mistake. The person who handled the file, he believed, forgot to close out the case when the supervised probation ran out. Thats why he ultimately signed Moses voting certificate saying her probation had expired in 2018 and she was eligible to vote. Joe Williams, an administrator in the department of corrections, wrote a letter to a top department official stating that Billington failed to investigate the status of the case adequately. He failed to review all of the official documents available through the Shelby county justice portal and negligently relied on a contact note from a court specialist in 2016, Williams stated, according to The Guardian. Williams noted that if Billington had looked more thoroughly, he would have found additional documents issued in 2019 that said Moses was on probation. Williams conceded that it was tedious to find some of that information. The information that Manager Billington had at the time he signed the Voters Restoration was insufficient to reasonably affirm that an offender was off supervision. Meanwhile, Moses waited in the lobby of the probation office and seemed impatient while Billington investigated. However, it does not suggest that Moses bore responsibility for the mistake, The Guardian reported. This really runs contrary to the prosecutions characterization of the incident as Ms. Moses tricking the probation officer, Blair Bowie, an attorney at the Campaign Legal Center. Moses has declined to speak with reporters but has maintained she believed she had a right to try and register to vote. Zimbabwe Churches Allow Poor to Access Wi-Fi In a sprawling township in Mutare, a border city in Zimbabwe, Laurence Moyo, 24, spends five hours each day resting his back on the wall of a gigantic church building that belongs to the United Baptist Church. He grasps a rusty Asus laptop and an old Samsung smartphone and is immersed in his own online world. Daily we poach the churchs Wi-Fi. Its our gateway to the limitless digital world outside there, Moyo explained. In Zimbabwe, Baptist churches, Catholic cathedrals, Anglican or Lutheran seminaries are places where free, high-speed Wi-Fi is lavishly available around the clock because local churches are comparatively awash with money from tithes and foreign philanthropy charities in the U.S. and Europe. Yet these church premises in Zimbabwe are islands of wealth in the sea of impoverished urban townships that dot the country. Immaculate church buildings in Zimbabwe are surrounded by thousands of homes where jobless, highly educated youths live, youth who are desperate to connect to high-speed broadband internet and better themselves digitally. ADVERTISEMENT Its such a contrast: church premises are zones of high-speed Wi-Fi in a country where millions are so poor that their experience of the internet is simply cheap WhatsApp messaging and nothing more, said Carter Mavhiza, an independent public economist in the capital Harare. The Alliance for Affordable Internet says Zimbabwe is home to one of Africas most expensive broadband internet access. Few residents in this deeply Christian but impoverished country can afford to buy 1.4GB of data, which costs a whopping $15, a figure thats double AAIs global benchmark of 2% of average monthly income. This leaves hundreds of church premises across the country as unofficial Wi-Fi hotspots where internet-hungry township residents, especially digital-savvy Millennials, can hop on high-speed signals from Wi-Fi routers installed in church premises. We dont invite the internet poachers or expel them, said Pastor Ruda Moyo, a Baptist minister in Harare who is used to seeing a bevy of teenagers strolling around his church premises, tapping into Wi-Fi signals. They just show up with their old laptops and smartphones, stand against the church walls whilst we conduct our services and they are busy poaching into our free Wi-Fi. Rarely do they show interest in church sermons, just free Wi-Fi. We know they are poor and hungry for any free internet connection. Zimbabwes youth, who are among the worlds highest victims of joblessness, desperately poach church Wi-Fi to do online assignments for students worldwide who can pay; to seek jobs abroad and escape the blighted country; to keep in touch with relatives in the U.S. or Europe who can send remittances for desperately needed medicine and food. Its hard being young in Zimbabwe educated but jobless yet hungry to connect to a whole internet world out there, said Slyvester Kaneta, 24, who holds a bachelor of environmental science degree but says he never has found employment two years after graduation. ADVERTISEMENT Sylvester walks a mile each day to the endowed Presbyterian church premises in his township to poach the free church Wi-Fi, teach a one-hour Skype mathematics class for 10 students in Johannesburg, South Africa 1,000 miles away for a weekly flat fee of $10. At the end of each remote Skype math lesson which I teach via free church Wi-Fi, I desperately apply for water engineering jobs in Dubai and other Gulf Arab countries, hoping for any luck, said Kaneta, whose ultimate hope, like thousands of other deprived Millennial Zimbabweans, is to exit the country. We dont put a password on our church premises Wi-Fi to lock out free riders who come to poach our signals, said Taurai Makuza, a pastor at All Nations Faith Church in Bulawayo, the countrys second largest city. In resource-poor countries like Zimbabwe, churches which are also great humanitarians, supplanting some state roles do have considerable wealth (from Western donations, tithes, tax-free investments). However, church premises often are surrounded by urban squalor and deprivation. The poor who live around church premises feel they have a moral justification to poach some trapping of the churches riches like broadband internet. Honestly churches are our last Wi-Fi zone hope because our Zimbabwe government refuses to roll out affordable or free basic broadband. Hotels, corporate offices, gas stations, shopping malls in Zimbabwe too are selfish and dont host free Wi-Fi on their premises like they do in neighboring South Africa, explained Shylet Nezandonyi, 25, a Millennial in Mutare city who poaches Catholic premises Wi-Fi to research nursing jobs vacancies in England and hopefully exit Zimbabwe. Church ministers in Zimbabwe say ideally they would wish those who poach their free broadband internet would become converts and attend services, but it doesnt always happen. Churches cant expel the poor who are using their internet resources because that, too, would be morally insensitive. Its the moral catch-22 situation of Zimbabwe churches, said Deline Chikoshana, a theology lecturer at Rusitu Bible College, a Baptist training seminary in east Zimbabwe. Expel free Wi-Fi poachers and violate Christs commandment to cater to the poor. Tolerate free Wi-Fi poachers on your cathedrals, and see your premises crowded by rowdy crowds totally uninterested in sermons. Audrey Simango is a Zimbabwe freelance reporter. Her work appears in New Arab, Newsweek; The Africa Report, and The New Internationalist. Climate change is fueling the spread of wildfires across the Western United States, scientists say. Researchers want to know how the fires might affect water supplies in the area. Communities often depend on melting snow in the spring as their water supply during dryer months. Studies show that snow in a burned forest melts up to several weeks earlier than snow in a healthy forest. The burned trees no longer provide much shade and release small amounts of carbon. These conditions mean the snow absorbs, or takes in, more sunlight. This makes it melt faster, said Anne Nolin. She researches how burned trees from forest fires affects snowmelt for the University of Nevada. If snow melts earlier than normal, Nolin said, that would likely leave less water flowing in the summer when it is most needed. Water predictions look at conditions like snow density, soil wetness and air temperature. Dust, ash and soot similarly affect snow by causing it to absorb more light. That is called the albedo effect. But California officials are increasingly worried about carbon, which absorbs even more. It was like, OK, we really need to understand this. This is the new norm, said David Rizzardo. He is with the California Department of Water Resources. In some fire-damaged areas, state officials are beginning to create maps of snow. They use planes with cameras that can measure albedo. Already, a warming climate is leading to earlier snowmelt and leaving places more likely to have wildfires, said Noah Molotch. He researches water and snow at the University of Colorado. A burned area worsens the effects of drought by leading to even dryer conditions in hotter months, he said. Nolin and student Arielle Koshkin worked in Californias El Dorado National Forest for one of their final research trips in early April. That is when the area usually has the most snow. But little remained when they arrived, in part because of unusually hot temperatures this spring and many days without clouds. Late-season storms have since covered the area with several centimeters of new snow. This, Nolin said, could help slow the melt. The Caldor Fire that burned the area and more than 80,000 hectares last year has left nearby communities worried over water supply. About 65 kilometers southwest from where Nolin measured the snow sits the town of Grizzly Flats. The town is working to fix a water pipeline damaged in the fire. The pipeline sends snowmelt into a reservoir, or manmade lake. Burned trees, however, keep falling and damaging the pipeline. It is not yet clear exactly how the burned trees might affect the towns water supply in the future. So far this year, water managers said runoff from snowmelt appears normal. But officials do not know for sure because measuring devices were destroyed in the fire. Jodi Lauther is the general manager of the local water agency. She is concerned about the fire's lasting effects. For now, she said, we are in survival mode." Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story shade n. an area of slight darkness that is produced when something blocks the light of the sun density n. the amount of something in a particular space or area soot n. a black powder that is formed when something is burned drought n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain manager n. someone who is in charge of a business, department, etc. mode n. a specified way of thinking, feeling, or acting A nearly 300-year-old musical instrument called a violin could soon sell for more than $10 million. The instrument was made by Italian violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri in 1736. A French auction house compares the violin to a painting by Leonardo da Vinci - the famous Italian painter. The violin is owned by Regis Pasquier. He has played the instrument in concert halls around the world. Pasquier received the first prize for violin from the French National Conservatory of Music when he was only 12 years old. He is known as one of the top violinists in the world. Sophie Perrine is with the Aguttes auction house, near Paris, France. Perrine said, "There are many violins, but this one is like selling a Rembrandt, a Goya, or even a Leonardo da Vinci painting." The instrument is one of about 150 made by Guarneri. He is often compared to another well-known Italian violin maker, Antonio Stradivari. Pasquier bought the violin more than 20 years ago. He gave a concert the following day without even practicing on the instrument. Perrine noted, "For him, this instrument was perfect." Pasquier has since played the instrument in places like Carnegie Hall in New York and the Opera Garnier in Paris. The violin will be up for sale on June 3 following a three-day viewing. Perrine said it could sell for up to $10 million. At that price, the violin would not even be the costliest in the world. In 2012, an unnamed buyer paid $16 million for a violin that was once owned by 19th-century violinist Henri Vieuxtemps. That violin is on loan to American violinist Anne Akiko Meyers for the rest of her life. The most valuable violin is believed to be the Messiah Stradivarius. The violin is estimated to be worth $20 million. It can be seen at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. Perrine said of the Guarneri violin, "It's both something very old but yet very current and alive. She added, This little thing will continue allowing people to hear its exceptional sound for years to come. Im Ashley Thompson. Hai Do adapted this story from a Reuters report. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story auction - n. a public sale at which things are sold to people who offer to pay the most viewing - n. looking at something carefully allow - v. permit, let Vegetable cooking oil prices rose around the world during the two years of the COVID-19 health crisis. Prices went even higher two months ago when Russia started a war with Ukraine. The two countries supply much of the worlds sunflower oil. About half comes from Ukraine and 25 percent comes from Russia. The price increases are hurting people around the world who use oil to cook their food. Vegetable oils from corn, soybean and oil palm hit a record high price in February. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said prices again rose by 23 percent in March. Food stores in Turkey are limiting the amount of oil families can purchase. In Istanbul, Mahsun Aktas is a food server and cook at a restaurant that sells seafood like fish, squid and mussels. He said the restaurant finally raised prices in April because oil became four times more costly than it was in 2019. He said the restaurant postponed raising prices for many years, hoping oil costs would fall. But we saw there is no improvement, he said. But higher prices cause a problem: the customer cannot afford it. Indonesia said it will soon stop exporting cooking oil. That means the international price of palm oil will rise again. The high cost of cooking oil is one reason for recent protests in the capital, Jakarta. A woman named Emiwati runs a small eating place in Jakarta. She needs 24 liters of oil each day to make her traditional beef and rice meal. She has been having trouble buying the oil she needs. She said she is not raising prices because she does not want to lose customers. But she is losing money. I am sad, Emiwati said. Other people are trying new cooking methods. Glaudina Nyoni is from Harare, Zimbabwe. She was shopping at a food store and told a reporter that the cost of oil has gone up 100 percent over the last two months. We will just have to boil everything now, the days of the frying pan are gone, she said. In Britain, Spain and Italy, stores have also limited the amount of oil customers can buy. In Kenya, the nations main power company warned people about buying cooking oil on the street. The company said thieves were stealing liquid from power stations and selling it as cooking oil. If people use it, the company said, they will become sick. Yawar Khan owns an Indian restaurant in London. Khan said 20 liters of oil once cost $28. Now it is $49. But Khan said passing the higher cost on to customers will cause a catastrophe. International companies like Unilever and Cargill are warning that prices for products that use oil, such as soap and mayonnaise, will go up. Other companies are trying to come up with new combinations so they can use less or different oils for their products. Food experts say there is a chance that prices will go down later in the year when farmers in the northern half of the world harvest their crops. But there is no guarantee, said Joseph Glauber of the International Food Policy Research Institute. Steve Mathews studies agriculture at Gro Intelligence, a research company. He said if Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement to stop the war, there might be a short-term decline in prices. In the long term, Glauber said, the shortage might cause countries to change the amount of vegetable oils required to be mixed with fuel as a way to reduce pollution. In the U.S., for example, 42 percent of the soybean oil gets mixed into fuel. In Europe, the European Commission said it would support countries that decide to reduce the amount of vegetable oil that is used to make fuel for vehicles. Currently, however, restaurant owners from London to the southern U.S. state of Tennessee are worried that they might go out of business. Harry Niazi in London makes fried fish and potatoes, known as fish and chips a popular British meal. Its very, very scary, he said. In Tennessee, Christine Coronado makes fried foods at her restaurant called Jordans Grab n Go. She said she finally increased prices in April. You hate to raise prices on people, but its just that costs are so much higher than they were a couple of years ago, she said. Im Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by the Associated Press. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Words in This Story customer n. a person or group that buys a good or service afford v. to be able to pay for something fry v. to cook a food in hot oil catastrophe n. a terrible disaster; an extremely bad event soap n. a material used for washing things mayonnaise n. a food product added to other foods like salads or sandwiches made from eggs and vegetable oil decline n. a decrease An Albany City Council members push to remove fluoride from the citys drinking water died without a vote. Councilor Matilda Novak raised the idea in March, leading to a staff report and passionate testimony regarding fluoridation during a council meeting the night of Wednesday, April 27. In the end, three council members and Mayor Alex Johnson II voiced support of fluoridation for public health reasons, and it became clear there wasnt enough support for Novaks plan. Rather than start the process for a proposed ordinance that would ultimately fail, the council essentially abandoned the matter. If were not going to do anything, lets not do anything, Councilor Dick Olsen said. At an earlier point in the meeting, Novak pleaded with the council to give fluoridation serious thought and urged the city to continue discussions with experts. Actual experts testified tonight, responded Johnson. Dr. Patrick Hagerty of Albany, a local dentist and former Oregon Health & Science University faculty member, said that there was a stark difference in dental health between communities with fluoridated water and those without. He also hammered research against fluoridation, saying it mostly came from one source and used questionable methodology. 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. Pediatrician Dr. Edward Frothingham of Samaritan Health Services discussed how dental decay contributes to a wide array of other health problems, and how adding small amounts of substances to food and drink much like adding fluoride to water is well-established and has essentially eliminated some diseases. Residents who testified against fluoridation said that it caused health problems, and that it was unethical to use a drug on the populace without its consent. Most Albany residents dont know that they are being forced to consume fluoride, Deb Merchant said. The city of Albany has included fluoride in its drinking water since 1968. Fluoridation is optional but recommended by the Oregon Health Authority, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies. Albany is one of 44 community water systems in Oregon that use fluoride, according to a staff memo from Scott LaRoque, Albanys water superintendent. According to the OHA, Oregon ranks 48th in the United States for water systems that are fluoridated. Overall, 22% of Oregonians on public water systems receive fluoridated water, compared to 73% nationwide, the memo states. The cost to the city to fluoridate its drinking water supply is about $25,000 in materials. Staff time on fluoride adds up to more than one hour per week about five minutes each day for testing, with an additional 15 minutes every two to three days to add more fluoride, according to the memo. A complicating factor in removing fluoride, LaRoque said, would be the city of Millersburg, which shares water systems with Albany. Millersburg officials recently discussed drinking water and decided they wanted to continue fluoridation. If Albany voted to discontinue fluoride, a fluoridation station would need to be installed on the main water line supplying Millersburg. The cost of that would be unknown and likely would fall upon Albany, LaRoque said. The Albany City Councils meeting packet also included written testimony for and against fluoridation that was received before April 20. Among those writing letters in support of continuing fluoridation were: Dan Keteri, CEO of Samaritan Albany General Hospital; Deidre Greene, chairperson of the NAACP Health and Wellness Committee and a retired nurse practitioner; and Britny Chandler, chairperson of the Linn, Benton, Lincoln Regional Oral Health Coalition. About five letters in opposition to fluoridation were from Novak herself. She said water fluoridation is a minor factor, if any factor, in preventing cavities and asserted fluoridation is linked to serious harm to human health. I believe that if a substance cant be demonstrated safe for everyone beyond a reasonable doubt, it shouldnt be added to the water. Numerous high-quality scientific studies, especially recent ones, have found significant evidence that fluoridated water can be harmful to both children and adults, she wrote in one of the undated letters. Novak also noted that the majority of Oregon cities, including Eugene, Bend, Medford, Roseburg and Ashland, do not fluoridate their waters. Neighboring cities such as Corvallis, Philomath, Lebanon and Sodaville continue to fluoridate their water systems, wrote Keteri. He cited a CDC letter from March 2021, which stated that water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by 25% in children and adults. Schoolchildren living in communities where water is fluoridated have, on average, 2.25 fewer decayed teeth compared to schoolchildren not living in fluoridated communities. In addition, no convincing scientific evidence has been found linking community water fluoridation with any potential adverse health effects or systemic disorders, he said. Keteri wrote that fluoridation is one of the simplest and most cost-effective means of ensuring better health for all Albany residents. The council also held an executive session on Wednesday night to discuss property transactions. When the government body reconvened, it unanimously voted to give staff authority to negotiate the potential purchase of a property within the city of Albany. Kyle Odegard can be contacted at 541-812-6077 or Kyle.Odegard@lee.net Follow him on Twitter via @KyleOdegard. Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. KYIV, Ukraine Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscows forces retreated weeks ago. Ukrainian emergency services said 10 people were wounded when a Russian missile hit a 25-story apartment building in Kyiv on Thursday evening and set off a fire, which partially destroyed the first and second floors. The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Ukraine has become an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain. A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Ukraine says Russian offensive in east picks up momentum NATO chief says Finland, Sweden could join quite quickly Biden seeks new powers to use oligarchs assets for Ukraine A chilling Russian cyber aim in Ukraine: Digital dossiers After a rocket: One second and you are left with nothing Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had very substantive and warm talks on energy and defense cooperation with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov during his visit to Kyiv on Thursday. Zelenskyy said they agreed that damaged Ukrainian military equipment could be repaired at Bulgarian plants and then sent back to Ukraine. Another issue we agreed on was the supply of Ukrainian electricity to Bulgaria and the joint use of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline to diversify energy supplies in the region, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. Russia this week cut off natural gas supplies to Bulgaria and also to Poland, two NATO members which have been among the strongest European supporters of Ukraine in the war. Although Bulgaria gets over 90% of its gas from Russia, the cutoff does not immediately put the country in dire trouble because of other potential suppliers. The Trans-Balkan gas pipeline runs from Greece through Bulgaria and Romania to Ukraine. ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine An 11-year-old Ukrainian boy was one of at least three people wounded in what emergency officials are calling the first Russian strike in a residential area of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia since Russias invasion began. The city has been a crucial waypoint for tens of thousands of people fleeing the besieged southern port of Mariupol. The rocket strike came Thursday as parts of southern Ukraine prepared for a further onslaught by Russian forces who seek to strip the country of its coastline. Residents said at least eight homes in the modest neighborhood were damaged or destroyed. Glass shards cut the boys right leg to the bone. The injured boys father, Vadym Vodostoyev, said it just takes one second and youre left with nothing. KYIV, Ukraine Russia struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv shortly after a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday evening. At least one person was killed and several were injured, including some who were trapped beneath the rubble, according to rescue officials. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Shevchenkivskyi district in the northwestern part of the city was hit twice, causing fires in at least two high-rise buildings. The explosions, which sent plumes of black smoke into the air, came just shortly after the two leaders held a press conference in which Guterres condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia retreated. Authorities said the U.N. chief and his team were safe. Appearing to be one of boldest attacks on Kyiv since Russian forces retreated from around the capital weeks ago, the explosions came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing number of people have been out and enjoying the spring weather. KYIV, Ukraine Ukraines prosecutor on Thursday identified 10 Russian soldiers she accused of atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, one of the wars major flashpoints that helped galvanize Western support of Ukraine. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said on Facebook that the 10 soldiers in Russias 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Ground Forces Brigade who occupied Bucha were involved in the torture of peaceful people. She did not specifically say that her office had filed criminal charges, and appealed to the public to help develop evidence. The Russian government denies it targets civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently honored the brigades work, and Venediktova said he bears responsibility for the soldiers actions as their commander-in-chief. During the occupation of Bucha, they took unarmed civilians hostage, killed them with hunger and thirst, kept them on their knees with hands tied and eyes taped, mocked and beat them, Venediktova said, adding that the Russian soldiers threatened to shoot the hostages and looted houses. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, visiting Bucha on Thursday, called for a thorough investigation of alleged war crimes. Ukrainian authorities have said they are investigating thousands of possible war crimes, including killing of civilians, bombing of civilian infrastructure, torture, sexual crimes and use of prohibited weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address to his nation, renewed a pledge to hold Russian soldiers accountable for crimes. He added about the 10 suspects identified Thursday: Some of them may not, after all, live until a trial and fair punishment. But only for one reason: This Russian brigade has been transferred to the Kharkiv region. There, theyll receive retribution from our military. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is rejecting the idea that Russias war in Ukraine could grow into a larger proxy conflict between Moscow and the United States and NATO allies that may even bring the world closer to nuclear confrontation. At an event at the White House where Biden asked Congress for an additional $33 billion to aid Ukraine, the president said Thursday that the idea of a larger proxy war was concerning but not true. He blamed Russian authorities for exaggerating such speculation, saying it shows the desperation that Russia is feeling about their abject failure with the invasion of Ukraine. Instead of saying that the Ukrainians, equipped with some capability to resist Russian forces, are doing this, theyve got to tell their people that the United States and all of NATO is engaged, Biden said. He added that no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons and called doing so irresponsible. LONDON The British government says a U.K. national has been killed in Ukraine, and another is missing. The Foreign Office confirmed Thursday that it is supporting the family of a British national killed in Ukraine. It also said it was urgently seeking further information on another Briton who is missing. The government did not provide further details. Sky News reported that the Britons were believed to have been fighting with Ukrainians against the Russian invasion. Volunteers from Britain and many other countries have traveled to Ukraine to fight, despite being discouraged from doing so by their governments. ISTANBUL Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says both U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin have told him that their talks in Moscow earlier this week were positive. Erdogan told reporters before leaving for a trip to Saudi Arabia, that he held separate telephone calls with Guterres and Putin. Mr. Guterres ... informed me that the talks (with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov) were positive. In our discussion with Mr. Putin yesterday, Putin expressed the same views. Erdogan added that the Russian president had conveyed the opinion that a U.N. intervention is positive for the future. He did not elaborate. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian troops defending a steel plant that is the last Ukrainian bulwark in the key port of Mariupol say an intensive Russian bombing has inflicted more casualties. The Azov Regiment holed up at the giant Azovstal steel plant on Thursday posted a video showing people combing through the rubble to remove the dead bodies and help the wounded after the Russian bombing overnight. The Azov said the Russians hit an improvised underground hospital and its surgery room, killing an unspecified number of people and wounding others there. The video couldnt be independently verified. The Russian troops have pummeled the mammoth seaside plant with relentless airstrikes and artillery barrage, trying to uproot its defenders holed up in a 24-kilometer (15-mile) maze of underground tunnels, passages and bunkers. Ukrainian officials say that up to 1,000 civilians also were sheltering in Azovstal. They are demanding that Russia provides a safe exit for them under the United Nations aegis. WARSAW, Poland Polands border guard agency says that it has recorded 3 million crossings into Poland from neighboring Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, while there have been 904,000 crossings into Ukraine. Border guard spokeswoman Anna Michalska said Thursday that the number includes people who cross a number of times because, for example, they regularly do shopping in Poland and then go back. Polish authorities say some 1.6 million refugees have applied for and received special ID numbers that will allow them to work and receive free health care and education in Poland. VIENNA The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says radiation levels in excavations found in the exclusion zone around the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant were well below the maximum authorized levels for plant workers. Ukraines state power company said after Russian troops withdrew at the end of March that they received significant doses of radiation from digging trenches in the area. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said Thursday that, during a visit this week, experts from his agency took measurements from excavations probably made by occupying soldiers. He said that the levels were three times or more lower than the authorized levels for workers in areas exposed to radiation. As for whether anyone was actually exposed to those radiation levels, he said: We have asked about possible exposures or situations; we havent received any answer. Although that suggested the health risk wasnt as great as feared, Grossi stressed that its not a place to have a picnic or excavate. BRUSSELS Senior European Union officials say countries or companies bowing fully to the terms of a Russian presidential decree insisting that they pay their gas bills in rubles will be in breach of the blocs sanctions. The Kremlin says importers should establish an account in dollars or euros at Russias Gazprombank, then a second account in rubles. They would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars and direct the bank to exchange the money for rubles. The officials warn that Russias central bank could hold on to the money before converting it and in essence use the funds as a temporary loan for the national economy or to prop up the ruble. The EUs sanctions prohibit any transaction with the Russian Central Bank. One official said Thursday that if the member states and the European companies apply strictly the decree it will constitute a breach of the sanctions. His job description does not allow him to be named publicly. The violation essentially comes with the use of the second bank account. The EUs executive branch, the European Commission, has said that companies could remain in compliance by paying in euros or dollars, as per their contract, and then notifying Gazprombank that their payment obligations are over. Ultimately, its up to the 27 EU countries to judge whether the rules are being broken. Some of those countries are heavily reliant on Russia for gas. By Lorne Cook. TOKYO German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is defending his countrys ongoing purchase of gas and other fossil fuels from Russia. Speaking during a visit to Japan on Thursday, Scholz said that it is a challenge that many European countries, including Germany, are dependent on imports of fossil resources from Russia. Scholz said his government aims to end imports of Russian coal and oil this year. He said that the same will happen for gas, but that is a process that will require more time. Asked whether he was concerned Russia might stop shipping gas to Germany, like it did this week for Poland and Bulgaria, Scholz acknowledged that any interruption would have consequences for the economic situation. He said this was also the reason why there no sanctions have so far been imposed on energy supplies from Russia, adding this had been decided in close cooperation with our partners who themselves are energy exporters and therefore in a different starting position, such as the United States. Scholz said: Whether and what decisions the Russian government takes in this regard one can only speculate, but it makes little sense to do so. ANKARA, Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the war in Ukraine in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders also discussed a prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia that took place in Turkey on Wednesday. Erdogans office said he told Putin on Thursday that Turkeys mediation in the exchange was an indication of the importance Ankara attaches to peace, dialogue and cooperation. He reiterated Turkeys readiness to mediate between Russia and Ukraine and its wish to establish peace in the region by increasing the momentum generated in face-to-face talks that were held between the two countries delegations in Istanbul late last month. It was the second telephone call between the two presidents this week. On Tuesday, Erdogan urged Putin to agree to direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is asking Congress or new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs as part of a new funding request to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion. In remarks at the White House on Thursday morning, Biden will formally ask for billions of dollars in additional U.S. spending earmarked for supplying Ukraines military, bolstering its economy and supporting the millions of refugees who fled Russias invasion two months ago. The White House said he will also seek new authorities from Congress to strengthen U.S. sanctions against the Russian government and those who profit from it, the White House said. Biden is asking lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government, double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of racketeering under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions. MOSCOW Russia says that Turkey gave it advance notice before moving to bar Russian planes from flying to Syria over its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Turkey had asked Russia more than a month ago not to send Syria-bound planes over its territory. She added that the reasons for that were clear to us and the Russian side isnt using that route. Zakharova made the comment when asked about Turkeys weekend announcement that it had halted Russian flights to Turkey over its territory from the start of this month. It wasnt clear whether the move was related to Russias military operation in Ukraine. Turkey has close relations with both countries and has positioned itself as a mediator. Russia and Turkey have backed opposite sides in the Syrian civil war. SOFIA, Bulgaria Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has said during a visit to the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka that he hopes Bulgarian lawmakers will agree next week to send military assistance to Ukraine. Petkov was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv later Thursday. He said after viewing damage caused to Borodyanka during the initial Russian advance that we cannot be indifferent. We cannot say that this is a Ukrainian problem, we cannot say some people are dying but we are not interested in that. He criticized the argument of some politicians in Bulgaria that denying military aid to Ukraine would bring about a faster peace. Petkov said: If this is the price of peace, if the Russian state continues to fire and no one can defend himself is this the peace we want? KYIV, Ukraine Mariupol authorities are sounding the alarm about unsanitary conditions in the ravaged port city that they say pose a deadly danger to its remaining residents. Mariupol City Council said on the messaging app Telegram Thursday that deadly epidemics may break out in the city due to the lack of centralized water supply and sewerage, the decomposition of thousands of corpses under the rubble, a catastrophic shortage of drinking water and food. It said that the lives of 100,000 people who still remain in Mariupol, out of 450,000 pre-war residents, may be in danger pointing to diseases like cholera and dysentery. The Telegram post cited Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko as saying that the invaders are not able to provide the remaining population with food, water and medicines or are simply not interested in that. He said that living conditions in the ruined Mariupol are now medieval and that an immediate and complete evacuation is needed. WASHINGTON A majority of U.S. adults say misinformation around Russias invasion of Ukraine is a major problem, and they largely fault the Russian government for spreading those falsehoods. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 61% of people in the United States say the spread of misinformation about the war is a major problem, with only 7% saying its not a problem. Older adults were more likely to identify the wartime misinformation as an issue, with 44% of those under 30 calling it a problem, compared with 65% of those 30 or older. Misleading social media posts, fake pictures or videos and propagandized headlines have proliferated on websites, from TikTok to Facebook, since Russias assault on Ukraine began in February. In recent weeks, Russian state media and social media accounts have operated in lockstep to push tweets, TV reports and posts that claim photos of bombed buildings and bodies across Ukraine have been staged or faked. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A man who had just started a new job allegedly opened fire at the business Tuesday, shooting and killing a co-worker and putting others in danger as bullets ricocheted around the room, Janesville police said. The suspect, Kevin L. Todd, 23, of Evansville, claims he was being bullied by co-workers in the seven days that he had been working at Precision Drawn Metals in Janesville, police said. But Janesville Police Chief David Moore says theres no evidence of that. Todd alleges there was some bullying in the workplace, Moore said during a news conference Wednesday. That is not supported by any statements weve taken from employees or their management. Todd was arrested about 45 minutes after the workplace shooting on the tentative charge of first-degree intentional homicide. Moore said the killing Janesvilles first homicide of 2022 is unusual because there was no clear conflict or prior police contact that preceded the violence. Janesville police Lt. Mark Ratzlaff said Todd had minimal contacts with law enforcement before the fatal shooting, and police are not aware of any history of violence. Police believe Todd and the victim did not know each other before working together at Precision Drawn Metals. While it was Todds seventh day on the job, the victim had been an employee for longer, but Ratzlaff did not specify for how long. The victim is a 30-year-old man from Janesville, Ratzlaff said. The mans name had not been released. Janesville police officers responded around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to reports of an employee who was shot in the back at Precision Drawn Metals, 1345 Plainfield Ave., Ratzlaff said. The victim was still alive when emergency crews arrived, but CPR and other lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful, Ratzlaff said. Witnesses identified Todd as the shooter and provided a description of him, Ratzlaff said. Other employees were there at the time of the shooting, and could have been hit by gunfire. Ratzlaff said police believe Todd fired a total of four times. Initially, it was unclear whether Todd was still in the building or had fled in a vehicle, so officers conducted a search of the building and the surrounding area, Ratzlaff said. Around 5:13 p.m., Todd was located in his vehicle at Highway 213 and Highway 11, Ratzlaff said. Officers pursued the vehicle, but after a short time Todd pulled over. Todd told police that he wasnt trying to flee, but that where officers initially tried to stop him there were a lot of hills, which could have been unsafe because of the cross-traffic, Ratzlaff said. Todd said he wanted to get to an area that was more flat so it was safer for officers when they arrested him. Officers arrested Todd and took him to the Rock County Jail. Later, officers searched his home and found handgun accessories and ammunition, Ratzlaff said. During a search of Todds vehicle, officers found a small amount of marijuana, $2,000 in cash and six firearms, including the suspected murder weapon, which is a handgun. Ratzlaff said officers did not find anything in the home that indicated Todd had been planning the shooting. Todd was legally allowed to possess the firearms. Asked why Todd had so much cash, Ratzlaff said, I have no idea. Todd is also facing three tentative counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety for the three bullets that were shot into the room but did not hit anyone. Its unclear when hell appear in court. The Rock County Sheriffs Office assisted with the investigation. 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 second year of turnover is expected among Madison School District leadership, with two principals and at least one administrative cabinet member departing, in addition to other changes in building management. A number of school building leadership changes were announced Wednesday morning in an email from Superintendent Carlton Jenkins to students, staff and families. Among the schools are East, West and Capital High, Sennett Middle School, and Gompers and Henderson elementary schools. The changes come following the departure of the districts chief academic officer in March. This second year of leadership changes comes after the district experienced significant turnover in the administrative office over the summer following Jenkins first year. The district attributed the first year of turnover to COVID-19 and characterized it as something experienced normally when a new leader takes charge of an organization or governmental body. Among the changes announced recently, East High School interim Principal Mikki Smith will be made the schools permanent principal; West High School Principal Karen Boran plans to retire at the end of the school year; Sennett Middle School Principal Daniel Kigeya will become the new West High School principal; Gompers Elementary Principal Jackie Smith plans to take on the role of principal at Henderson Elementary School; and Capital High School Principal Quinn Craugh plans to leave the district to take on the role of principal at Savannah Oaks Middle School in Verona. The changes come on the heels of the departure of the districts chief academic officer, Marvin Pryor, who signaled his plan to move back to Atlanta full time to be with his wife and children in March. A search is underway for new Gompers elementary and Sennett middle school principals, as well as the new Capital High principal. For a district the size of (Madison), it is common for there to be this level of movement among leadership positions every year, spokesperson Tim LeMonds said. What is a little different this year compared to past years is that normally these announcements are spread out over the course of a few months. This year, many of these changes were announced all at the same time. Aside from Pryor and the above-mentioned building administrators, the district is not anticipating other high-level staff to depart their positions, LeMonds said. Mike Jones, president of local teachers union Madison Teachers Inc., anticipates there will be more principals, as well as teachers, who may leave the district or education before September. Turnover is typical, this level of turnover is not, Jones said. He said COVID-19-related burnout and stress was a main motivating factor fueling staff departures. Among the central office staff to leave the district last summer were Kelly Ruppel, chief financial officer; Chad Wiese, executive director of buildings and administration services; Lisa Kvistad, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning; Nichelle Nichols, executive director of equity, partnerships and engagement; Tremayne Clardy, co-chief of elementary schools; Mike Hernandez, chief of secondary schools; and John Harper, executive director of student services. La Follette High School Principal Devon LaRosa also left the district early into the 2021-22 school year for a position as deputy chief of schools in the Chicago Public School District. Nichols was sworn in as a new member of the Madison School Board on Monday after running uncontested for Seat 5. Bittersweet move Craugh told his staff, students and the district in March he planned to move to the Verona School District to take on the role as the Savannah Oaks Middle School principal at the start of the 2022-23 school year. Craugh had been an administrator at Capital High for three years, as an assistant principal for two years before becoming principal at the start of the 2021-22 school year. Prior to joining Capital High, Craugh worked in the districts central office, where he and a team revised the districts behavior education plan. The best word is bittersweet, Craugh said of his move, which comes just before the district plans to combine all three of the alternative high schools sites under one roof in the Hoyt Building on the citys Near West Side. Struggles at East Jenkins called Smith a steady leader at school, a tireless advocate for students, and committed to family partnerships and engagement. She was an East assistant principal for 11 years before replacing Sean Leavy, who began as principal at the beginning of this school year but left in late October amid criticism by students over his handling of an off-campus sexual assault of a student by another student earlier that month. Leavy was subsequently assigned to a vacant position in district administration. Prior to coming to East, Smith was an assistant principal at La Follette High for six years and at West High for three years, according to Jenkins email. She also worked as an administrator at Sun Prairie High and was a school counselor, and has served 24 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, where shes a logistics officer and major, Jenkins said. Jenkins referenced challenges at East this school year, including a student walkout Oct. 13 over the sexual assault that was part of what led to Leavys departure; fights outside on school grounds that in some cases drew heavy police response; and a videotaped attack on a student in a classroom that led to misdemeanor charges against two classmates. This school year, weve witnessed East students lead the way in many important efforts, from sexual assault reporting and school safety to community building and camaraderie, Jenkins said in his email. We have much to learn from our amazing and resilient (students) and look forward to how they will transform our society in years to come. Change at West In the email to West parents, Jenkins said the district was told earlier in the year that Boran would be retiring. Shes been principal at West since 2017. Jenkins said Kigeya has worked with students in an educational setting for the last 20 years and is committed to ensuring academic success for all scholars, built on rigorous instruction and authentic relationships. Kigeya has been principal at Sennett since 2017 and previously was an associate principal at Verona High School and has held school social work and student services roles and worked for the UW-Madison PEOPLE Program for low-income and first-generation college students, Jenkins 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. Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Urban affairs, investigations, consumer help ("SOS") Follow Chris Rickert | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Wisconsin regulators have approved the second piece of Alliant Energys plans to spend more than $1.5 billion to replace its coal-fired plants with solar energy. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to authorize Alliant to buy or build six solar farms at a cost of about $620 million. The projects in Dodge, Grant, Green, Rock and Waushara counties will have a combined capacity of 414 megawatts, enough to power about 100,000 typical homes. The vote comes about a year after the PSC approved a roughly $925 million investment in 675 megawatts of solar spread over six projects currently under development. Together the projects are part of Alliants plans to replace its remaining Wisconsin coal plants in the next two years, which the utility estimates will save consumers $1.52 billion to $6.15 billion over the next 35 years. Alliant also plans to eliminate or offset all carbon emissions by 2050. Commission members agreed Alliants economic modeling was robust, but Commissioner Ellen Nowak noted the clean energy transition is not without costs. There are long-term savings for customers. The hard part is the cost comes now, early on, Nowak said. While there are a lot of benefits there are also costs along the way not just monetary costs but the land use. Five of the projects are smaller than 100 megawatts, requiring only local construction permits. The commission previously approved construction of the 100-megawatt Springfield Solar project in Dodge County. The commission voted 2-1 to require Alliant to report the number of construction jobs filled by Wisconsin workers. A recent study sponsored by labor and construction groups found local workers generate more than twice the economic activity as out-of-state workers. I think it behooves us to collect the data, said Commissioner Tyler Huebner. If we ask for the data we have it. I think its in the public interest. Nowak dissented, saying it may not be feasible and that the commission has no authority to require local labor. I hope they hire Wisconsin workers, she said. But all companies should be allowed to compete. Renew Wisconsin hailed the commissions decision while warning that a federal trade investigation could delay construction and add to the project costs. Based on a complaint from a single U.S. company, the Commerce Department is investigating claims of trade violations by solar manufacturers in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, which together produce about 80% of all U.S. solar panel imports. Renew executive director Heather Allen said if not resolved soon, the investigation could jeopardize some 2,500 megawatts of solar energy development in Wisconsin. Until this investigation closes, all shipments are at risk. The biggest projects are the ones most at risk, Allen said. Ultimately that costs ratepayers more money. 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. PORTAGE Police say a 43-year-old Michigan woman, claiming to be on her way to Illinois to pick up her son, was found to be nearly four times the legal limit for drinking and driving. A Portage police officer said he was westbound on U.S. 6 shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday when he saw an eastbound vehicle travelling 70 mph in the 45-mph zone. He turned to follow the vehicle, which slammed on its brakes at the traffic light at Swanson Road and stopped inside the intersection, the officer said. When the light changed green, the vehicle sped up to 65 mph and was stopped in the area of Ash Street. The driver, Jennifer Begrin of Kalamazoo, reportedly told the officer about picking up her child. When it was pointed out she was travelling in the wrong direction for Illinois, Begrin appeared confused and could not offer an explanation, police said. The officer said he discovered the woman using her phone for directions to the local Walmart store. Begrin then said she was picking up her son midway, according to the incident report. After noticing Begrin mumbling and smelling of alcohol, officers reportedly found a half empty bottle of wine on the passenger floorboard of her vehicle. Following field sobriety tests, Begrin was taken to the Portage police department where her blood alcohol concentration was found to be .281 as compared to the legal limit for driving of .08, the report says. Once cleared at the hospital, Begrin was taken to the Porter County Jail and faces several charges of operating while intoxicated, including one of endangering others. How often do college professors in Wisconsin encourage students to explore a wide variety of views? How interested are students in discussing controversial ideas on campus? How much have students learned about the First Amendment? Those are just a few of the innocuous yet important questions a UW-Stout professor plans to ask college students attending University of Wisconsin System schools this fall. Professor Tim Shiell's free speech survey appears straight-forward and worthy. It shouldn't trigger outrage, much less an interim chancellor's resignation. Shiell had planned to send his questions to UW System students earlier this month but agreed to wait until the fall after several university leaders objected. This included interim UW-Whitewater Chancellor Jim Henderson, who actually resigned this month, citing the survey as a big reason why. He said he believes students are already exposed to a variety of voices. Henderson is entitled to his opinion. But the purpose of this survey is to gauge student views -- not his own. And enough examples of intolerance of unpopular views on campuses justify a serious examination. In 2016, for example, protesters delayed a speech by conservative activist Ben Shapiro at UW-Madison, though his talk eventually resumed. A year later, protests over conservative speakers on campuses in California, New York and Vermont turned violent. At the same time, some GOP lawmakers have sought to squelch speech on campus by nitpicking professors' syllabuses and threatening student protesters with expulsion. Critics of Shiell's survey worried its results might be released before the fall elections and misused by candidates for political advantage. That's possible. Politicians often latch on to news they think provides rhetorical advantage. But the survey could just as easily show their assumptions were wrong. Instead of fretting over what students might say, school administrators should welcome and learn from the feedback. Some critics claim the survey wasn't properly vetted. They are wrong. The project's research team included Shiell and other professors specializing in politics, research methodology, psychology and constitutional law. They even ran their questions past an advisory group that included Janine Geske, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice and member of the State Journal editorial board. Critics worry that the survey takers received donations from conservatives. That's true. But liberal donors and foundations give to campus projects, too. UW System works hard to protect the integrity and independence of all its work. As Shiell explained: "Im a liberal professor being funded by a conservative donor to run a nonpartisan center." Critics of the survey should remember the UW Board of Regents' heroic call for free inquiry more than a century ago. A plaque on Bascom Hall at UW-Madison enshrines the Regents' words from 1894: Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere, we believe that the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found. You can't sift and winnow if you're afraid to speak. So surveying students on their ability to speak their minds should be celebrated, not censored. Wisconsin State Journal editorial board The views expressed in the editorials are shaped by the board, independent of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper. STAFF MEMBERS KELLY LECKER, Executive editor SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial page editor PHIL HANDS, Editorial cartoonist COMMUNITY MEMBERS JANINE GESKE SUSAN SCHMITZ WAYNE STRONG WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday for $33 billion to bolster Ukraine's fight against Russia, signaling a burgeoning and long-haul American commitment as Moscow's invasion and the international tensions it has inflamed show no signs of receding. The package has about $20 billion in defense spending for Ukraine and U.S. allies in the region and $8.5 billion to keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys government providing services and paying salaries. There's $3 billion in global food and humanitarian programs, including money to help Ukrainian refugees who've fled to the U.S. and to prod American farmers to grow wheat and other crops to replace the vast amounts of food Ukraine normally produces. The package, which administration officials estimated would last five months, is more than twice the size of the initial $13.6 billion aid measure that Congress enacted early last month and now is almost drained. With the bloody war dragging into its third month, the measure was designed to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that U.S. weaponry and other streams of assistance are not going away. The world must and will hold Russia accountable," Biden said. And as long as the assaults and atrocities continue, were going to continue to supply military assistance. Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. in his nightly video address to his nation. President Biden rightly said today that this step is not cheap," he said. But the negative consequences for the whole world from Russias aggression against Ukraine and against democracy are so massive that by comparison the U.S. support is necessary. Biden's request to Congress comes with powerful Russian offensives underway in eastern and southern Ukraine, and pleas from Zelenskyy for long-range and offensive weapons. The U.S. and others have pledged to step up deliveries of such equipment, and summaries of Biden's plan mention artillery, armored vehicles and anti-air and anti-tank weapons and munitions. Biden said the new package addresses the needs of the Ukrainian military during the crucial weeks and months ahead and begins a transition to longer-term security assistance thats going to help Ukraine deter and continue to defend against Russian aggression. The proposal also comes as Russia has halted gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria, increasing anxieties that the war and its repercussions, in one form or another, could ultimately spread elsewhere. Biden promised that the U.S. would work to support its allies energy needs, saying, We will not let Russia intimidate or blackmail their way out of the sanctions. Bipartisan support in Congress for Ukraine is strong, and there is little doubt that lawmakers will approve aid. But Republicans said they were examining the proposal's details, including its balance between defense and other expenditures, and would not reflexively rally behind Biden's $33 billion figure. South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate GOP leader, said that while Republicans are committed to helping Ukraine, Its a pretty eye-popping number. Biden's billion request is more than half the entire proposed $60 billion budgets for next year for the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development. The $20 billion defense portion of Thursday's package amounts to about one third of Russias entire military budget and is well over Ukraines $6 billion defense expenditures. Both figures are for 2021 and were compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Institute, a Swedish organization that studies defense issues. Biden has proposed $800 billion for the Pentagon for next year. According to Brown Universitys Costs of War Project, the U.S. has spent nearly $2 trillion for Iraq, and another $2.3 trillion for Afghanistan, since Sept. 11, 2001. The costs of the post-9/11 wars in total for Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are over $8 trillion. The biggest potential stumbling blocks in Congress are Democrats' desire to also consider billions more to combat the pandemic, and a GOP drive to force an election-year vote on renewing some Trump-era immigration restrictions that seems likely to divide Democrats. But combining those ingredients yields a complicated political brew that could slow the Ukraine money when every day counts for Kyiv's outnumbered forces. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said he wants to combine the Ukraine and COVID-19 spending the virus money gets only tepid GOP support but was notably silent on that question Thursday. Biden seemed to open the door to letting the Ukraine measure move separately, which would accelerate its pace. They can do it separately or together, Biden said, but we need them both. Biden asked lawmakers Thursday to provide $22.5 billion for vaccines, treatments, testing and aid to other countries in continuing efforts to contain COVID-19. But that request, which he also made last month, seems symbolic. In a compromise with Republicans, Senate Democrats have already agreed to pare that to $10 billion, and reviving the higher amount seems unlikely. Biden also asked Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs, saying the U.S. was seizing luxury yachts and homes of bad guys. He proposed letting the government use the proceeds from selling those properties to help the people of Ukraine. The president wants lawmakers to make it a crime to knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government, double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of racketeering under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions. In recent weeks, the U.S. and global allies have sanctioned dozens of oligarchs and their family members, along with hundreds of Russian officials involved in or deemed to be supporting its invasion of Ukraine. The White House says the new tools will toughen the impact of the sanctions on Russia's economy and its ruling class by making sanctions more difficult to evade. Of the new money Biden is requesting for military purposes, $6 billion would be to arm Ukraine directly and $5.4 billion to replace U.S. supplies sent to the area. There is also $4.5 billion for other security assistance for Ukraine and U.S. allies and $2.6 billion for the continued deployment of U.S. forces to the region. The proposed spending also has $1.2 billion to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing to the U.S. with cash assistance, English language instruction and help to school districts with Ukrainian students. There is $1.6 billion for global food programs to compensate for shortages prompted by the war's impact on Ukraine's food production. Associated Press writers Chris Megerian, Fatima Hussein, Lolita C. Baldor and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. In a earlier version of this story, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the U.S. has spent about $2.2 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq since Sept. 11, 2001, according to Brown Universitys Costs of War Project. The correct costs, according to Brown Costs of War, are an estimated nearly $2 trillion for Iraq, and another $2.3 trillion for Afghanistan. The costs of the post-9/11 wars in total for Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are over $8 trillion. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Idaho lawmakers voted to send an additional $105 million annually to K-12 schools in hopes of improving employees health insurance. But some schools are hesitant to switch over to the states comparatively low-premium, high-benefit insurance plan for fear that the state funding wont cover the costs. Proponents have touted the funding increase as a game changer, though schools and the laws legislative sponsor alike say the $105 million wont be enough to bring insurance benefits for K-12 staff up to par with the $12,500 spent on other state employees (schools currently get $8,400 per state-funded employee). Weve been trying for so long to get on the state plan, and it would be really, really cool if we could, said Nampa School District Finance Director Randy Dewey. But at the present time, it just financially doesnt make sense. Gov. Brad Little proposed the benefits boost in his January State of the State address, and has signed into law a policy bill and a spending bill to execute the change. Those bills add the $105 million in annual state spending, tack on $75.5 million in federal one-time money to help cover the costs of switching onto the state plan and cut a $17.9 million leadership premium program as a tradeoff. But on the bottom line, districts will be a little bit short of the annual funding they need to spend as much on their employees as state agencies do, said Rep. Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, who sponsored the increases that sailed through 2022 Legislature. Thats for several reasons. One is that the $105 million figure was calculated through the states arcane funding formula for schools, so only state-covered positions will be funded, as Littles budget chief Alex Adams confirmed to EdNews last month. That doesnt cover staff positions that districts pay for with other sources whether from property tax levies, other state funds or federal cash. The Nampa district, for example, will be over $600,000 short of what it would cost to pay for the states plan year to year, Dewey told EdNews this week. Another reason is that state funding may be earmarked for school employee health insurance, but schools can spend that at their discretion. Furniss said some lawmakers have overestimated how much of this money schools are using on other expenses, but even the extra money wont have strings attached to it. The money is discretionary, so schools can use it on whatever purposes they choose. As administrators take stock of their budgets, its too soon for some to tell whether theyll be able to switch over to the states plan, or whether theyll put the annual funding boost into lowering out-of-pocket costs for their employees. After Little ceremoniously signed the policy bill increasing insurance funding into law in front of Melba Elementary Schools student body, Melbas superintendent said she wasnt sure whether the money would be enough to join the state plan. If we can swing it, that obviously would be my preference, because it would benefit all staff. Their premium would be greatly reduced, and their deductible would be greatly reduced, Superintendent Sherry Ann Adams told EdNews. But I cant do it at the cost of cutting programs. If they dont switch to the states plan, rural districts can face added challenges. Districts like Melba, which only employs around 100 people, have considerably less bargaining power with insurance companies, Ann Adams said, but she hopes having the state plan as an option will help in negotiations. Making the switch Districts also cite another reason for hesitating to switch on to the state plan: the $75.5 million of one-time money is not enough to cover the upfront costs. To join the state plan, enrollees have to pay into a high-risk claims pool, a shared pot that helps the state pay for expensive and unexpected medical procedures and bills. Furniss, the legislative sponsor for the increases, is a career insurance salesman and sits on the Your Health Idaho board, which deals with state insurance issues. He maintains that school districts will get enough federal money to cover the upfront costs and switch over to the state plan. Plus, he says the states high-risk pool is $50 million overfunded now, and he hopes that could be used to offset the costs for schools. Still, many are proceeding with caution. Dewey estimates the state funding will cover just over half of the $5.9 million upfront cost of joining the state plan, though Furniss disputes claims that districts wont be able to cover those costs, pointing to differences in how the $75.5 million will be divided up. Dewey remains optimistic about the change. Even if we put all this (annual state) money in our own plan, were gonna have a much better plan for our teachers, he said. After meeting with several school administrators, Furniss anticipates most districts wont switch to the state plan for another year; they have two years to do so, before a deadline to spend federal aid. From the outset, advocates of the policy switch have never said all districts will move onto the state plan. The governors goal is to provide better health insurance coverage to school employees; in some cases that may mean joining the state plan, in other cases that will mean providing coverage through other carriers, but in all cases, the governors goal is to lower the premiums or deductibles school employees face, Alex Adams told EdNews by email in early February. A good tradeoff While cutting a $17.9 million leadership premium for experienced teachers will still leave schools with a net funding boost, some are disappointed with the cut. Especially if teachers cant get on the states plan in return. For that to just be gone for nothing makes it seem like some kind of big scam to just get rid of the leadership premium money, said Nampa Education Association President Brian Coffey. In Nampa, the district uses the $3,000 premiums to recruit so-called hard-to-fill special education jobs. The district will have to find another way to make up the difference to prevent those teachers from taking a salary hit, said Dewey. Furniss has called the cut a good tradeoff, and he made an early campaign promise, of sorts, in a Wednesday interview with EdNews. He said hell look to fix the shortfall in state spending, so it covers all staffers, by pushing legislation to increase ongoing state spending on employee health insurance next year if hes reelected. In the meantime, he hopes to allay administrators concerns, amid confusion about how much money districts will get, and how it will be divided up. Ive had meetings with 90 superintendents. Theyve all interpreted this differently, Furniss said. As districts get a better understanding of their budget pictures, there could be an increase in schools moving onto the state plan, Furniss anticipates. Theyre seeing if were legit. No ones ever given them this much money before and theyre just afraid. You know, this is the biggest increase in state budget that theyve ever seen. And theyve never trusted the money weve given them before and you know, I dont blame them for being skeptical. I dont blame them one bit. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editors note: This story contains graphic descriptions of an alleged sexual assault. A jury soon will determine whether to convict a former northern Idaho lawmaker of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern last year but will be unable to use the interns Wednesday testimony to make its decision. The jury listened as the intern, identified only by the initials J.V. in court documents, briefly testified Wednesday against former Lewiston Republican Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger. After five minutes on the witness stand, the now-20-year-old woman abruptly left the courtroom. I cant do this, J.V. said as she walked out. Von Ehlinger is accused of sexually assaulting the legislative intern in March 2021. Von Ehlinger, 39, faces two felony charges, of rape and forcible penetration by use of a foreign object. Since von Ehlingers attorney, Jon Cox, wasnt given the ability to cross-examine J.V., the jury was instructed by 4th District Judge Michael Reardon that it could not weigh the testimony. The jury is prohibited from using J.V.s account to reach a verdict unless she returns to the courtroom to testify in full. When asked whether J.V. would return, Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Katelyn Margueritte Farley on Wednesday said the state had rested its case. Von Ehlinger, now a Juliaetta resident, has denied all allegations against him. He resigned from the Idaho House in April 2021 just hours after a legislative ethics committee unanimously recommended to expel him from his seat. Farley asked J.V. multiple times to look at her from the witness stand, to which J.V. responded, I cant. J.V. appeared to be looking at von Ehlinger. J.V. began to recount the alleged rape, but after she said von Ehlinger placed his fingers between her legs and testified that she closed her legs at the time, she walked out of the courtroom. This case is about power, power wielded in the wrong hands, Farley said in her opening statement. On March 9, 2021, the defendant Aaron von Ehlinger wielded that power against a 19-year-old intern. Anne Wardle, the nurse who performed the sexual assault kit on the intern, said in public testimony that J.V. told her at the time that von Ehlinger got on top of her, pinned her arms down and forced his penis inside her mouth. Wardle also said J.V. told von Ehlinger she didnt want to and pulled away. Von Ehlinger has maintained that he and J.V. had consensual sex. Cox objected multiple times to Wardles testimony and said the nurse shouldnt be able to testify outside of medical topics by including the details of the alleged sexual assault. The jury of 13 seven men and six women, one of whom will be designated an alternate was selected out of roughly 26 men and 24 women. Throughout the selection process, prospective jurors shared stories of how they knew survivors of sexual assault, which led to at least six of them being excused. One woman, identified as Juror No. 45, said she has five daughters, which would make her lean against von Ehlinger. She was excused. Jurors on Wednesday heard from a handful of other witnesses, including two Boise police detectives, Brandon Joseph and Monte Iverson, who spoke to J.V. after the alleged rape. She was emotional, still kind of in a state of shock, Joseph said, describing Doe when he met with her. Von Ehlinger attorney publicly names woman In the Ada County courtroom packed with potential jurors before the 13-person panel was selected Cox publicly named J.V. Cox then continued to use J.V.s full name multiple times throughout the day. Once the official trial proceedings began, he switched to using the womans initials. Far-right agitators have publicly named J.V. and included a photo of her. Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, was removed from a legislative committee after she shared a far-right outlets article that identified the woman, who was known only as Jane Doe throughout legislative ethics hearings against von Ehlinger. David Pettinger, who has been arrested at the Idaho Capitol and for protesting outside officials homes, has posted J.V.s legal name multiple times on social media. He was ordered to leave the fourth floor of the courthouse at the request of Reardon. Annie Hightower, one of J.V.s attorneys and the director of Law and Policy at the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, told the Idaho Statesman in an interview at the courthouse that beyond physical safety, the No. 1 concern for survivors is privacy. Hightower said many survivors of sexual assault fear that it will follow them for the rest of their lives and impact their ability to get a job, among other things. So having your name publicly shared would be scary at a minimum, Hightower told the Statesman. Boise State University associate professor Laura King on Wednesday was called by the prosecution to testify as an expert witness on the effects of sexual violence. King focuses specifically studies sexual violence and victimization in her research. Cox questioned King several times on the timing of the sexual assault reports. King said that while most reports of sexual violence are delayed, typically more than 24 hours, reports are sometimes made much longer even years after the assault occurs. J.V. reported her alleged rape to the police within two days. Wardle had also testified Tuesday about what J.V. told her regarding the alleged rape. One detail J.V. focused on was the color of von Ehlingers curtains. King said its common for a survivor to focus on a random thing like curtain colors during a sexual assault. Theres really a variety of ways that people respond to sexual assault and really any trauma, King testified Wednesday. Theres no right way to respond. Mychel Matthews is the managing editor at the Times-News. Contact Matthews at mmatthews@magicvalley.com or 208-735-3233. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 1 Mormons began to move into Idaho less than a decade before the state became a territory. The first Mormon settlement was Fort Lemhi, an 1855 establishment near what is now the Idaho-Montana border. Lemhi is a misspelling of King Limhi in the Book of Mormon. The Lemhi Valley, a base of the Hudson Bay Co. as early as 1822, was abandoned by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1858 after an attack by American Indians. A second group of Mormons settled in 1860 in what would become Franklin, which was first thought to be in Utah. Turns out, Franklin is Idahos oldest town. Later, church leader Brigham Young sent members from the Salt Lake Valley north to colonize new territory for the church. After Young died leaving 23 wives behind in 1877, the church continued to send Mormons into southeast Idaho territory and quickly gained political power in the area. After several dozen Mormon towns had risen from the dust along the Oregon Trail, some non-Mormons become nervous about the churchs growing political pull; Mormons were accustomed to electing church officials into public office. In addition, the idea of polygamists wielding political power did not sit well in the American West. By 1880, Mormons made up one-fourth of the Idaho population, giving church members considerable influence in election results. In order to suppress the Mormon vote, the territorial Legislature passed the anti-Mormon Idaho Test Oath. The oath prohibited any practitioners of polygamy or any members of an organization that ever condoned polygamy to vote or hold public office in Idaho, basically disenfranchising a quarter of the territorys population. The restriction also prohibited Mormons from serving on juries. Although the 1893 state legislature removed the restrictions against Mormon voters, the constitutional provision was not removed until 1982, according to the University of Idaho Librarys Special Collections and Archives Department. Hidden History: Idaho's Borah tried to stifle women's suffrage U.S. Sen. William Borah of Idaho never supported the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to give women the right to vote. Hidden History: Mormons in Mexico Territory Between 1856 and 1860, more than 3,000 Mormons pushed handcarts 1,300 miles on the 85-day trip to reach the Salt Lake Valley. Mychel Matthews is the managing editor of the Times-News. The Hidden History feature runs every Thursday in the Times-News and on Magicvalley.com. If you have a question about something that may have historical significance, email Matthews at mmatthews@magicvalley.com. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscow's forces retreated weeks ago. Several people were wounded in the attack on Kyiv, including one who lost a leg and others who were trapped in the rubble when two buildings were hit, rescue officials said. The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Ukraine has become an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain. A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country, in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses. Ukrainian authorities also reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin says is its main objective and near Kharkiv, a northeastern city outside the Donbas that is seen as key to the offensive. In the ruined southern port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian fighters holed up in the steel plant that represents the last pocket of resistance said concentrated bombing overnight killed and wounded more people. And authorities warned that a lack of safe drinking water inside the city could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dysentery. In Zaporizhzhia, a crucial way station for tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Mariupol, an 11-year-old boy was among at least three people wounded in a rocket attack that authorities said was the first to hit a residential area in the southern city since the war began. Shards of glass cut the boys leg to the bone. Vadym Vodostoyev, the boys father, said: It just takes one second and youre left with nothing. The fresh attacks came as Guterres surveyed the destruction in small towns outside the capital that saw some of the worst horrors of the first onslaught of the war. He condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia withdrew in early April in the face of unexpectedly stiff resistance. Wherever there is a war, the highest price is paid by civilians, the U.N. chief lamented. Separately, Ukraines prosecutor accused 10 Russian soldiers of being involved in the torture of peaceful people in Bucha. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova did not say her office had filed criminal charges, and she appealed to the public for help in gathering evidence. Russia denies it targets civilians. During his nightly video address, Zelenskyy renewed his pledge to hold Russian soldiers accountable for crimes they commit and said about the 10 identified earlier Thursday: Some of them may not, after all, live until a trial and fair punishment. But only for one reason: This Russian brigade has been transferred to the Kharkiv region. There theyll receive retribution from our military. In the attack on Kyiv, explosions shook the city and flames poured out of windows in at least two buildings including one residential one in the capital, which has been relatively unscathed in recent weeks. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least three people were hospitalized after the strike, and plumes of smoke could be seen over the city. The explosions in northwestern Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky district came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing numbers of people have been out and about, enjoying the spring weather. It was not immediately clear how far away the attack was from Guterres. Getting a full picture of the unfolding battle in the east has been difficult because airstrikes and artillery barrages have made it extremely dangerous for reporters to move around. Several journalists have been killed in the war, now in its third month. Also, both Ukraine and the Moscow-backed rebels fighting in the east have introduced tight restrictions on reporting from the combat zone. Western officials say the Kremlin's apparent goal is to take the Donbas by encircling and crushing Ukrainian forces from the north, south and east. But so far, Russia's troops and their allied separatist forces appear to have made only minor gains, taking several small towns as they try to advance in relatively small groups against staunch Ukrainian resistance. Russian military units were mauled in the abortive bid to storm Kyiv and had to regroup and refit. Some analysts say the delay in launching a full-fledged offensive may reflect a decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to wait until his forces are ready for a decisive battle, instead of rushing in and risking another failure that could shake his rule amid worsening economic conditions at home because of Western sanctions. Many observers suspect Putin wants to be able to claim a big victory in the east by Victory Day, on May 9, one of the proudest holidays on the Russian calendar, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. As Russia presses its offensive, civilians again bear the brunt. Its not just scary. Its when your stomach contracts from pain, said Kharkiv resident Tatiana Pirogova. When they shoot during the day, its still OK, but when the evening comes, I cant describe how scary it is. Ukraine's military said that Russian troops were subjecting several places in the Donbas to intense fire and that over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces had repelled six attacks in the region. Four civilians were killed in heavy shelling of residential areas in the Luhansk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. Columns of smoke could be seen rising at different points across the Donetsk region of the Donbas, and artillery and sirens were heard on and off. Many of the Russian troops who were in Mariupol have been leaving and moving to the northwest, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. military assessment, didn't have exact numbers but said a significant number of the roughly one dozen battalion tactical groups that were in the city were moving out. Russian forces are making slow, incremental progress in the Donbas gaining only several kilometers on any given day, the official said. As of Thursday, Russia had launched about 1,900 missiles into Ukraine the vast majority fired from outside Ukraines borders. Most are strikes on Mariupol and the Donbas. In Mariupol, video posted online by Ukraine's Azov Regiment inside the steel plant showed people combing through the rubble to remove the dead and help the wounded. The regiment said the Russians hit an improvised underground hospital and its surgery room, killing an unspecified number of people. The video couldnt be independently verified. An estimated 100,000 people remained trapped in Mariupol. Deadly epidemics may break out in the city due to the lack of centralized water supply and sewers, the city council said on the messaging app Telegram. It reported bodies decaying under the rubble and a catastrophic shortage of drinking water and food. Ukraine has urged its allies to send even more military equipment to fend off the Russians. U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine. This story was corrected to remove a reference to a man being killed in the attack on Kyiv. He lost a leg in the attack. Associated Press journalists Jon Gambrell and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Yesica Fisch in Sloviansk, and AP staff around the world contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine 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 April 28, 2022 09:54 Acute hepatitis of unknown origin affecting children has already been detected in 12 EU countries, as well as in Japan, Israel and Canada. In total, almost 200 cases of this disease have already been identified in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one child died, 17 children required a liver transplant. Children from 1 month to 16 years old get sick with mysterious hepatitis, but more often - children under 5 years old. Unknown origin The disease is interesting because scientists have not yet been able to identify the cause of its development: laboratory tests have excluded hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D and E) from patients. Ordinary causes that could cause acute hepatitis were also excluded. Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus and adenovirus have been found in some children, but these viruses are unlikely to be associated with hepatitis. International travel or contacts with other countries have also not been identified as possible contributors to infection, according to the WHO. Some experts from Scotland have put forward a hypothesis according to which adenovirus in tandem with coronavirus may thus affect the liver of children. However, at the moment there is no confirmation of this hypothesis. Moreover, co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and adenovirus was found in only 19 patients. British specialists from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Administration believe that due to insufficient exposure of children to the usual adenovirus during the pandemic, in conditions of self-isolation and social distance, acute hepatitis could simply become more severe. Symptoms According to WHO, the clinical syndrome among the identified cases is acute hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) with a markedly elevated level of liver enzymes. In many cases, young patients have experienced gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. All these signs precede the development of severe acute hepatitis. An increase in the level of liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase above 500 IU / l) and jaundice were also recorded. There was no fever in most cases. What will happen next? According to many experts, if the mysterious hepatitis does turn out to be of viral origin, this will be the worst case scenario, since the virus can spread quite quickly around the world and cause serious problems in many countries, especially in those where healthcare is not very accessible. population. Commenting on the situation to the CNBC channel, Amy Edwards, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Case University Medical Institute of the Western Reserve Region (USA), noted that it is not yet possible to say how serious or dangerous this outbreak of acute hepatitis is. According to her, everything will depend on how the disease behaves in the coming months. If it turns out that the cause of the disease is a serious form of adenovirus that affects the liver in children, this will be a serious cause for concern, since adenoviruses are everywhere and they are not seasonal. However, there are still quite a few cases of the disease, and it is not worth making hasty conclusions. Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter The Malian junta has accused the French army of repeated violations of its airspace in order to spy on Malian soldiers in the field, the latest episode in the deterioration of relations between Bamako and Paris. In a statement released Tuesday evening, the junta said it had recorded more than 50 deliberate violations of the temporary no-fly zone over central and northern Mali since the beginning of the year. According to Malian authorities, a majority of these violations have been committed by French aircraft or drones, with the aim of espionage, intimidation, or even subversion. One of the infractions mentioned in the communique concerns the illegal overflight by a French drone of the Gossi military base in central Mali on April 20, the day after France transferred control of this base to Malian forces as part of its gradual withdrawal from the country. Malian authorities also denounced repeated overflights by French aircraft of a convoy of Malian troops en route to Gossi on April 21. After the return of the Gossi base, a video posted on social networks accused the French soldiers of leaving behind a mass grave of civilian bodies, an accusation to which the French army responded by releasing its own drone footage, which it said showed Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group burying the bodies. The Malian army said last week that its soldiers had discovered a mass grave near Gossi after transferring control of the base, saying the rotting state of the bodies proved that the deaths had occurred long before they were discovered. In addition to espionage, the French forces were guilty of subversion by publishing false images fabricated to accuse the Malian armed forces of killing civilians, the junta said in a statement Tuesday. In Paris, neither the foreign ministry nor the army staff responded to an immediate request for comment. A famous ex-musician and beauty pageant organizer in Rwanda was arrested Tuesday after accusations of sexual assault, Rwandan police said. Dieudonne Ishimwe, better known as Prince Kid, was taken into custody for alleged crimes of sexual assault, the Rwanda Bureau of Investigation (RIB) said. The 36-year-old man is suspected of assaulting former Miss Rwanda contestants on several occasions, said a spokesman for RIB, Thierry Murangira. The case will be sent to the prosecutors office in due course, he added. Ishimwe is the head of Rwanda Inspiration Backup, the company that organizes the annual Miss Rwanda contest. His arrest comes after the organization announced last week that a former Miss Rwanda had resigned as communications director after four years of working together. A baby receives a polio vaccine during the Malawi Polio Vaccination Campaign Launch in Lilongwe, Malawi, on March 20, 2022. The World Health Organization said on Thursday, April 28, 2022 that Africa is seeing a surge of outbreaks of preventable diseases as a result of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Credit: AP Photo/Thoko Chikondi, File Africa is seeing a surge of outbreaks of preventable diseases as a result of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The continent recorded a 400% increase in measles, to more than 17,000 cases between January and March, compared to the same period last year, Dr. Benido Impouma, a WHO expert in Africa, told a press briefing. Two years of disruptions by the coronavirus pandemic have had "major effects on the provision of routine health services, with immunization being seriously affected" in many countries, he said. Twenty-four countries confirmed outbreaks of polio last year, four times more than in 2020. Last year 13 countries reported new outbreaks of yellow fever, rising from nine in 2020 and three in 2019, according to WHO figures. "The rise in outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases is a warning sign," Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said in a statement. "As Africa works hard to defeat COVID-19, we must not forget other health threats. Health systems could be severely strained not only by COVID-19 but by other diseases." The continent of 1.3 billion people has reported 11.4 million COVID-19 cases, including 252,000 deaths, according to figures from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical staff look out from a window as officials prepare for a ceremony to commence the country's first coronavirus vaccinations using AstraZeneca provided through the global COVAX initiative, at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya on March 5, 2021. The World Health Organization said on Thursday, April 28, 2022 that Africa is seeing a surge of outbreaks of preventable diseases as a result of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Credit: AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File Ugandans receive Pfizer coronavirus vaccinations at the Kiswa Health Centre III in the Bugolobi neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda on Feb. 8, 2022. The World Health Organization said on Thursday, April 28, 2022 that Africa is seeing a surge of outbreaks of preventable diseases as a result of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Credit: AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda, File Although the virus had been trending downwards since January, the WHO reported a rise in cases Thursday driven by a doubling of infection rates in South Africa, the African country most affected by the pandemic. Impouma, the WHO official, said that in the wake of the pandemic the agency seeks to support countries to scale up COVID-19 vaccinations as well as routine immunization services. "The same is true for routine immunization as for COVID," said Helen Rees, executive director of a reproductive health and HIV institute at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand. "There is the direct health ... problem, but there's this spinoff in terms of adversely affecting poor development and contributing to poverty, which is absolutely critical for our region." 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Jacob Lemieux, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School, said this week that recent COVID data out of South Africa is "alarming," as the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 appear to be causing an exponential rise in positivity ratesthe percentage of all tests that are positiveand already make up more than 50 percent of cases. "You start to see a rise that is reminiscent, in its numbers, its timing, and its test positivity rate, of the omicron wave, possibly even taking off faster," Lemieux said during a media briefing Tuesday by the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness. "It really is alarming and suggests that we probably will see a fifth wave in South Africa. The extent of this wave is not yet clear." Lemieux, who is the co-lead of MassCPR's viral variants program, said it's too early to tell whether the subvariants will cause a rise in hospitalizations and deaths, or, like the BA.2 subvariant that eclipsed the original omicron in South Africa and the U.S., simply replace prior versions of the virus without causing a rise in serious illness. "There's a lot more population-level immunity, so perhaps it may just be a wave in numbers, not morbidity and mortality," he said. "But it does have a flavor of "Here we go again.'" Lemieux's comments came amid generally positive news on the virus in the U.S. Anthony Fauci, the president's top medical advisor, on Tuesday told media outlets that the nation has escaped COVID's pandemic phase and appears to be decelerating toward endemic disease, where cases occur but hospitalizations and mortality remain relatively low. (Fauci clarified his remarks the next day, saying that he meant the "acute component of the pandemic.") Meanwhile, new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research shows that nearly 60 percent of Americans had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 as of February. The study captured the impact of omicron's initial wave, which pushed the percentage of Americans with antibodies due to coronavirus infection from 34 percent in December to 58 percent in February. The findings suggest at least some naturally derived immunity in most Americans. The CDC's director, Rochelle Walensky, a professor of medicine on leave from HMS and Massachusetts General Hospital, said that immunity from vaccination appears to be superior to that gained from exposure, so the agency is still recommending vaccination for people who have had COVID. Doing so may confer significant benefits in immunity, according to Galit Alter, a professor of medicine at HMS and MGH who spoke at the MassCPR briefing. Alter cited persuasive evidence that "hybrid immunity"gained from a variety of sources, such as infection and vaccination, or vaccination and boosting with a different vaccineprovides stronger protection than either natural immunity or vaccination-derived immunity alone. "Hybrid immunity is really the most robust correlate of protection against severe disease and death," Alter said. "Even folks who've gotten two shots don't seem to do as well at resisting COVID-19 as folks who had hybrid immunity due to infection either before or after vaccination. There is something special about seeing the virus in its entirety." Though the country's pandemic outlook remains favorable, there are some areas of concern, Walensky said. Cases have risen slightly since reaching a low of around 25,000 in early April, with the seven-day moving average topping 45,000 early this week. Hospitalizations have also ticked upward, from a post-Omicron low of 0.43 per 100,000 on April 8 to 0.54 per 100,000 this week. Vaccination rates have slowly climbed, with 82.4 percent of Americans age five or older now having received at least one dose. Among the most vulnerable population, age 65 or older, that figure is 95 percent, with 90.1 percent of the group now fully vaccinated. This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday released proposed rulesfirst announced a year agoto ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. "The proposed rules would help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in an FDA news release. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf discussed the proposed bans Thursday while appearing before a congressional subcommittee, the Washington Post reported. Califf told the panel that the proposed bans would "reduce the mortality risk of current smokers of menthol cigarettes or flavored cigars by substantially decreasing their consumption and increasing the likelihood of cessation," the Post reported. Califf's remarks came nearly a year to the day after his predecessor, acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock, announced the same proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored small cigars. The ban would "address health disparities experienced by communities of color, low-income populations and LGBTQ+ individuals, all of whom are far more likely to use these tobacco products," Woodcock said at the time. "Flavored tobacco, including flavors found in some cigars and cigarillos, makes smoking more appealing by reducing initial aversive responses, particularly for young people," Woodcock explained. Menthol cigarettes have been marketed aggressively to Black Americans for decades. About 85% of Black smokers use menthol brands compared with 30% of white smokers, the FDA said, and research shows menthol cigarettes are harder to quit than traditional tobacco products. Anti-smoking and civil rights advocates applauded the proposed ban. "This is a giant step forward" in reducing health disparities caused by smoking, Carol McGruder, co-chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, told the Post. In 2019, there were over 18.5 million menthol cigarette smokers aged 12 and older in the United States, with particularly high rates of use by young people, Black people and other minorities, the FDA said. Modeling studies have estimated a 15% reduction in smoking within 40 years if menthol cigarettes are no longer available, the agency said, and those same studies estimate that 324,000 to 654,000 smoking-related deaths overall (92,000 to 238,000 among Black Americans) would be avoided over the course of 40 years. Experts agreed that the public health impact of following through on the proposed ban could be enormous. Black men have the highest rates of lung cancer in America, largely due to smoking, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "FDA's actions today send a clear message that Big Tobacco's strategy to profit off addicting Black Americans will no longer be tolerated," Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, said in a statement. "Currently, lung cancer death rates in Black males are 15% higher than those of white males in the U.S. If we're going to address these very real health disparities, we must take strong action to end the industry's targeting of Black communities." Dr. Raja Flores is chair of thoracic surgery at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. He said, "It's a crime that this has gone on for so longthat they've focused on the most vulnerable population, like the African American community.... We see the disparities and the results in Black patients because of menthol cigarettes. They don't do as well as white patients with lung cancer. It's about time that we do something to stop this." Geoffrey Fong, principal investigator of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project, said as many as 1.3 million people could quit smoking and potentially hundreds of thousands of premature deaths could be averted if the United States's experience mirrors that of Canada after it banned menthol cigarettes. "This is potentially an extraordinary, landmark intervention to reduce the No. 1 preventable cause of death and disease," Fong told The New York Times. American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer said the proposed ban could "be the single most significant action taken by FDA in its almost 13-year history of regulating tobacco products." "Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death among Black Americans, claiming 45,000 Black lives every year," Wimmer said in a statement. "Black men have the highest rates of lung cancer in the U.S., and Black middle and high school students smoke flavored cigars at rates higher than cigarettes. These statistics did not happen by accident. They are the results of decades of marketing directed at Black communities by the tobacco industry. Halting the sale of these flavored tobacco products lays the groundwork for reversing decades of disparities in tobacco use, disease and death in Black and brown communities." However, anti-smoking advocates predicted that the effective dates of the bans remain at least two years away. "The FDA has a duty to protect public health with nothing short of ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products," the American Heart Association said in a statement. "The American Heart Association and our nationwide network of advocates will relentlessly work with FDA to ensure the final rules are as strong and comprehensive as possible. We urge the agency to quickly issue final rules and remove these harmful products from the market." Public comment on the proposed rules starts May 4, and the FDA will also hold public hearings on June 13 and June 15. Explore further More than a million smokers likely to quit after US bans menthol cigarettes More information: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about menthol and flavored tobacco products 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Vanderbilt University Research Professor of Nursing Sheila Ridner recently completed a large, randomized trial to assess early detection methods for a common side effect of breast-cancer treatmentslymphedema. Lymphedema, a chronic condition that causes fluid buildup in the body, can be caused by damage from radiation treatment for breast, head, neck or ovarian cancer. The resulting swelling can complicate patients' mobility, eating and swallowing, and it can even result in death. The study Ridner designed and led was to compare the effectiveness of bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) measuring technology with traditional tape measurements in early identification of lymphedema swelling. BIS, a painless and non-invasive procedure that runs an electronic signal through the body, uses technology similar to that used by electronic monitors for body mass index. Patients were assigned to a BIS or measurement group at 13 sites around the world. Those in the BIS group were assessed using an L-Dex U400 from ImpediMed Ltd. The trials found that patients with early detection who used L-Dex and additional intervention methods were less likely to progress to chronic lymphedema than patients monitored with a tape measure. The statistically significant results were published in Lymphatic Research and Biology earlier this year. In their paper, Ridner and her co-authors concluded that BIS screening should be "a standard approach for prospective breast cancer-related lymphedema surveillance." Currently, 5% to 40% of women who undergo breast cancer surgery will likely experience some level of lymphedema, according to Breastcancer.org, and that risk is higher in women who undergo chemotherapy or radiation. Earlier detection of lymphedema "gives clinicians the information they need to begin early intervention on their patients at a stage when it's possible to keep the lymphedema from advancing," Ridner said. "These findings provide all clinicians addressing lymphedema in breast cancer patients with clear scientific data regarding the optimal measurement and sound evidence to switch from using tape measurements. "This is a victory for patients, particularly the 1,200 breast cancer patients who volunteered for this study. I thank them and all the collaborators at 13 hospitals across the U.S. and Australia for their dedicated work over several years," she added. Before joining Vanderbilt School of Nursing, Ridner was an oncology nurse who saw the debilitating issues lymphedema caused patients. Then her mother developed lymphedema. Since then, Ridner has dedicated much of her research to increasing quality of life for patients dealing with the painful condition. She has worked on alleviating lymphedema in various ways, from studying yoga as a form of therapy to working on a potential head and neck device to alleviate patients' pain. Ridner has received more than $7 million in funding for treatment research since 2001. "My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and developed the condition," said Ridner. "It got to the point where she couldn't even play her favorite instrumentthe piano. If we could have caught it earlier, it may not have progressed as it did for her." Explore further Technology better than tape measure for identifying lymphedema risk More information: Sheila H. Ridner et al, A Comparison of Bioimpedance Spectroscopy or Tape Measure Triggered Compression Intervention in Chronic Breast Cancer Lymphedema Prevention, Lymphatic Research and Biology (2022). Sheila H. Ridner et al, A Comparison of Bioimpedance Spectroscopy or Tape Measure Triggered Compression Intervention in Chronic Breast Cancer Lymphedema Prevention,(2022). DOI: 10.1089/lrb.2021.0084 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When police officers and paramedics arrived at the scene of the Pittsburgh shooting in the early hours of April 17, they rushed to transport the injured to the hospital. Time is of the essence in such situations. It can take as little as five minutes for a person with a life-threatening injury to bleed to death. Much like CPR, basic bleeding control techniques could help save a life in the event of an emergency. "If someone has life-threatening bleeding and they have minutes to live, you can't rely on medical personnel," said Dr. Matthew Neal, a trauma surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who cared for many of the critically wounded victims of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in 2018. "Bystanders are going to be the first people there." Dr. Neal is an advocate of Stop the Bleed, an effort that teaches people first aid skills for controlling bleeding. It was introduced in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, which killed 26 people. With gun violence on the rise in the United States, the odds of being at the scene of a shooting are increasing. But the techniques also apply to other scenarios that can cause significant bleeding, such as car accidents. Alert authorities The first thing to do when a shooting or serious accident occurs is to alert the authorities as soon as possible. "It's really easy in a chaotic scenario to think that everyone else has done it," said Dr. Allan Philp, head of trauma at Allegheny Health Network, who treated the North Side shooting victims. "But you want to make sure that someone has actually called 911 so that professional help can arrive as quickly as possible." He emphasized the "run, hide, fight" approach in an active shooter situation. Flee the area if you can and call 911 once you're safe. If you can't run, get out of the shooter's view and remain quiet. As a last resort, and only if you're in immediate danger, try to stop the shooter. Apply pressure Ensure your own safety first before attempting to help someone who's wounded. Regardless of what part of the body is injured, the most basic tactic to stop bleeding is to apply firm, direct pressure on the woundand not just with one hand, said Dr. Neal. Use a towel or T-shirt to tamp the bleeding if gauze isn't available. "Hold two hands together, lock your elbows and put all of your weight onto the wound to try to stop that bleeding," he said. Though it seems simple, he said this can be challenging because people think they might further hurt the person who's injured. "If it's truly life-threatening bleeding, standing by and waiting is not enough," he said. "You may have to hurt in order to help." Keep applying pressure until the bleeding has subsided. If the bleeding hasn't stopped, that's a sign that you should apply more pressure, he said. While it may be physically painful for the wounded person, you're unlikely to cause an injury just by applying pressure. When medics arrive at the scene, they'll administer pain medication to those injured. Bystanders may also be squeamish about coming into contact with someone else's blood, but it is not dangerous unless you have open wounds yourself. Dr. Neal said there's little risk of getting a blood-borne illness, such as hepatitis or HIV, from someone else if your skin is intact. Use a tourniquet For injuries that occur to the arms or the legs, a tourniquet can be very effective at stopping bleeding. "A tourniquet stops blood flow to the limb and it squeezes the blood vessels so that it eliminates blood flow to the area where the wound is," said Dr. Neal. The goal is to place it above the wound, as high up on the arm or leg as possible. It can be placed on top of clothing but should be at least a few inches from the wound. A tourniquet should not be applied over a joint. To use a tourniquet, wrap it tightly around the limb and tighten it as much as possible. Then, twist the windlass rod in one direction to increase pressure and secure the rod so it doesn't come undone. A tourniquet is likely to be painful, but it can help stop life-threatening bleeding. Leave the tourniquet on until medical personnel arrive. Through Western Pennsylvania's Stop the Bleed Initiative, UPMC has placed tourniquets in many schools across the region and outfitted police officers with them. Tourniquets are often included in trauma first aid kits and can also be purchased online. But they're not readily available everywhere. In those cases, Dr. Philp advised against making an improvised one. They're usually not effective, and every minute counts when someone is bleeding. He said you could lose precious time looking for the materials to make one. "That's three, four or five minutes of time that's better spent just holding pressure," he said. Pack the wound For wounds to the armpit and groin, packing is another useful bleeding control tactic. Open or remove the clothing over the wound, then stuff the wound with gauze, a clean towel or whatever fabric might be available nearby. Whatever you use, the fabric needs to come in direct contact with bleeding, said Dr. Neal. Once you've packed it as tightly as you can, push down on the wound as hard as you can using both hands. If the packing material becomes soaked and the wound is still bleeding, replace it with new material. If the bleeding is controlled, do not remove the soaked material. Keep holding pressure on the wound until medical responders arrive. Explore further Stop the bleed, save a life 2022 PG Publishing Co. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The negative impact of smoking on health inequalities in the UK means even if smoking stopped tomorrow, the full health benefits would not be seen until 40 years down the line. New research shows that the maximum improvement that could be expected from a complete cessation of smoking is only around 2.5 years rather than the full 6.3 years which separate smokers and those that have never smoked. The research by the International Longevity Centre (ILC) and Bayes Business School, titled "Leveling UpThe Great Health Challenge," shows how health inequalities, particularly smoking, impact the UK's health and working futures. The findings state that the UK Government's target of leveling up healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035 is unachievable, and can only be reached if much bolder policies are adopted. The conclusions come ahead of the release of a Government white paper on health disparities, and the 2017-2022 Tobacco Control Planboth of which are to be released this yearwhich aims to make England 'smoke free' by 2030. Most worryingly, the report says that even if all smoking ceased tomorrow, the impact could take 40 years to work through. The report, led by Professor Les Mayhew of Bayes Business School, highlights that life expectancy has increased by more years than healthy years since 2001, with the time spent in ill health increasing as a result. Factors contributing to this include an aging population, negative health behaviors such as smoking, and the success of the NHS in keeping people alive. To put the research into perspective, smoking is the major cause of death and ill health in the UK. It is implicated in deaths from cancer, heart, and respiratory disease accounting for about 75,000 deaths a year in England and half a million hospital admissions (92,000 deaths UK-wide). It affects all ages: For example, the health of a 34-year-old smoker is the same as that of someone aged 40 who has never smoked. The geography of smoking, and deaths associated to lung cancer, is also strongly correlated with health expectancy and with deprivation. The local authorities with the highest prevalence of smoking, as ranked by the Office for National Statistics on their smoking index, are Blackpool, Kingston upon Hull, Barking and Dagenham. Those ranked lowest are Richmond upon Thames and Windsor. Professor Mayhew, Head of Global Research at ILC and Professor of Statistics at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), said there is no silver bullet in untangling the web of how to solve this problem. "The challenges involved in improving healthy life expectancy include the interconnected risk factors associated with smoking, such as tackling mental illness, drug abuse, obesity, poor housing, and deprivation among others. It means that while tackling smoking head-on is a welcome and necessary step, it is only the beginning of a much bigger journey towards leveling up." "With differences of up to 15 years in health expectancy between the healthiest and least healthy areas, the scope to level up is definitely therethe policies just need to be much bolder in order to succeed." Explore further Smoking costs UK economy in excess of 19 billion a year Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Seven hours is the ideal amount of sleep for people in their middle age and upwards, with too little or too much little sleep associated with poorer cognitive performance and mental health, say researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University. Sleep plays an important role in enabling cognitive function and maintaining good psychological health. It also helps keep the brain healthy by removing waste products. As we get older, we often see alterations in our sleep patterns, including difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and decreased quantity and quality of sleep. It is thought that these sleep disturbances may contribute to cognitive decline and psychiatric disorders in the aging population. In research published today in Nature Aging, scientists from the UK and China examined data from nearly 500,000 adults aged 38-73 years from the UK Biobank. Participants were asked about their sleeping patterns, mental health and well-being, and took part in a series of cognitive tests. Brain imaging and genetic data were available for almost 40,000 of the study participants. By analyzing these data, the team found that both insufficient and excessive sleep duration were associated with impaired cognitive performance, such as processing speed, visual attention, memory and problem-solving skills. Seven hours of sleep per night was the optimal amount of sleep for cognitive performance, but also for good mental health, with people experiencing more symptoms of anxiety and depression and worse overall well-being if they reported sleeping for longer or shorter durations. The researchers say one possible reason for the association between insufficient sleep and cognitive decline may be due to the disruption of slow-wave'deep'sleep. Disruption to this type of sleep has been shown to have a close link with memory consolidation as well as the build-up of amyloida key protein which, when it misfolds, can cause 'tangles' in the brain characteristic of some forms of dementia. Additionally, lack of sleep may hamper the brain's ability to rid itself of toxins. The team also found a link between the amount of sleep and differences in the structure of brain regions involved in cognitive processing and memory, again with greater changes associated with greater than or less than seven hours of sleep. Having a consistent seven hours' sleep each night, without too much fluctuation in duration, was also important to cognitive performance and good mental health and well-being. Previous studies have also shown that interrupted sleep patterns are associated with increased inflammation, indicating a susceptibility to age-related diseases in older people. Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan University in China said: "While we can't say conclusively that too little or too much sleep causes cognitive problems, our analysis looking at individuals over a longer period of time appears to support this idea. But the reasons why older people have poorer sleep appear to be complex, influenced by a combination of our genetic makeup and the structure of our brains." The researchers say the findings suggest that insufficient or excessive sleep duration may be a risk factor for cognitive decline in aging. This is supported by previous studies that have reported a link between sleep duration and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia, in which cognitive decline is a hallmark symptom. Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, one of the study's authors, said: "Getting a good night's sleep is important at all stages of life, but particularly as we age. Finding ways to improve sleep for older people could be crucial to helping them maintain good mental health and well-being and avoiding cognitive decline, particularly for patients with psychiatric disorders and dementias." More information: Wei Cheng, The brain structure and genetic mechanisms underlying the nonlinear association between sleep duration, cognition and mental health, Nature Aging (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s43587-022-00210-2 Journal information: Nature Aging Wei Cheng, The brain structure and genetic mechanisms underlying the nonlinear association between sleep duration, cognition and mental health,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-022-00210-2 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Medical language that casts doubt, belittles, or blames patients for their health problems continues to be commonly used in everyday clinical practice, but is outdated and overdue for change, argue experts in The BMJ today. Caitriona Cox and Zoe Fritz at the University of Cambridge draw on existing research to describe how such language, while often taken for granted, can insidiously affect the therapeutic relationship by altering the attitudes of both patients and physicians. They suggest how it could be changed to foster a relationship focused on shared understanding and collective goals. Language that belittles patients includes the widely used term "presenting complaint" rather than referring to a patient's reason for engaging with healthcare, they write. Similarly, use of words such as "denies" and "claims" when reporting a patient's account of their symptoms or experiences, suggests a refusal to admit the truth, and can hint at untrustworthiness. Other frequently used language renders the patient as passive or childlike, while emphasizing the doctor's position of power, they add. For example, doctors "take" a history, or "send" patients home. The terms "compliance" and "non-compliance" (in relation to taking medication) are also authoritarian, and they suggest that doctors should focus on changing their language to instead focus on reasons why patients might not be taking prescribed medications, promoting a more collaborative doctor-patient relationship. Patients too have objected: "Being described as 'non-compliant' is awful and does not reflect the fact that everyone is doing their best." Language that implicitly places the blame on patients for poor outcomes is also problematic, argue Cox and Fritz. For instance, the term "poorly controlled" in conditions such as diabetes or epilepsy can be stigmatizing and make patients feel judged, while "treatment failure" suggests that the patient is the cause of the failure, rather than the limitations of the treatment or the doctor. Research shows that specific word choices and phrases not only affect how patients view their health and illness but also influence doctors' attitudes towards patients and the care and treatments offered, they explain. For example, a study of neutral language with language implying patient responsibility (not tolerating oxygen mask v refuses oxygen mask), showed that the non-neutral term was associated with negative attitudes towards the patient and less prescribing of analgesic medication. The authors note that using the right language "is not a matter of political correctness; it affects the core of our interactions" and say research is now needed to explore the impact that such language could have on patient outcomes. Much of the language highlighted here is deeply ingrained in medical practice and is used unthinkingly by clinicians, they write. Clinicians should consider how their language affects attitudes and choose language that facilitates trust, balances power, and supports shared decision making. Explore further Specific language important in heart failure communication More information: Presenting complaint: use of language that disempowers patients, The BMJ (2022). Presenting complaint: use of language that disempowers patients,(2022). DOI: 10.1136/BMJ-2021-066720 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Unlike other states, Michigan laws severely restrict the reproductive health services that midwives and advanced practice registered nurses can provide. Ruth Zielinski, professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing and nurse midwife, discusses the restrictions placed on APRNs and midwives, and how the impending Supreme Court decision on abortion may impact Michigan women who need reproductive health care. Maryland lawmakers recently passed a law that allows physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses and midwives to perform abortions. What are the limitations on reproductive health care, such as abortion, the morning after pill, etc., in Michigan? First, Michigan unnecessarily restricts where abortion can be provided by requiring that abortions be performed in a hospital or a specialized facility (in compliance with the requirements of a surgical facility). This is unnecessarily restrictive and could make accessing abortion more difficult for those in rural communities, especially if they are lower income. Also, Michigan restricts APRNs, including midwives, from performing first trimester surgical abortions, even though it is included in the International Confederation of Midwives competencies and is safer than other procedures midwives perform. Medication abortion prescribing is restricted to physicians. A medication abortion, or RU-486, ends a developing pregnancy. APRNs, including midwives, can prescribe Plan B (the morning-after pill). Morning-after pills are emergency contraception that does not abort pregnancy that has implanted but delays or prevents ovulation. Who uses midwives and APRNs and who is most affected by these restrictions? I don't have exact stats for this as they are not collected. Anecdotally, I will tell you that most Federally Qualified Health Centers utilize APRNs and midwives to a great extent. As with other health care needs, the people most affected are lower-resourced people, particularly those in rural areas (of which there are many in Michigan). Also, minors under the age of 18 cannot get an abortion in Michigan without parental consent, so they are also affected by the restrictions. These are all people that midwives care for to a great extent. Has there been a move to expand the role of midwives and APRNs? Yes, there has in Michigan but, unfortunately, not to expand the role for abortion care. It is something I would really like to take on but I can't imagine right now there is any chance with such an anti-choice legislature. How does Michigan compare to other states? Abortion is legal in Michigan but cannot be publicly funded (i.e., Medicaid won't pay). The number of abortion clinics has declined from 83 in 1982 to only 20 in 2014. While people with resources can still travel for an abortion, with the price of gas, it becomes really difficult for lower-resourced people who live in more rural areas, such as the UP, to obtain an abortion. While Gov. Whitmer is pro-choice, the house and senate are decidedly not, which makes it challenging. In Michigan, counseling is biased and puts undue burden and restrictions on access to abortion: "A woman may not obtain an abortion until at least 24 hours after a physician, nurse, physician's assistant, psychologist, social worker or qualified counselor confirms the patient is pregnant and orally describes to the patient the probable gestational age of the fetus." Will the U.S. Supreme Court decision impact how midwives practice? Michigan is one of 26 states that will likely ban abortion in nearly every case, including rape and incest, if Roe v. Wade is overturned. In 1931, abortion was banned in Michiganthat law is still on the books, but Roe v. Wade overruled that ban. Now, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, that law could take effect. Gov. Whitmer has filed a lawsuit that would keep abortion legal in the state. According to a poll by Whitmer's office the majority of people in Michigan want abortion to be legalalized in the state. Midwives will be affected in that more people may seek unsafe abortions or will be forced to continue an unwanted or unsafe pregnancy. In some cases, they may be forced to carry a pregnancy that puts them or the fetus at riskfor example, in the case of an anomaly or when the pregnant person is taking medication or using substances that may harm the fetus. Verification by non-invasive goblet cell imaging and biopsy of the normal rabbit conjunctiva. Credit: POSTECH A Korean research team led by Professor Ki Hean Kim, Ph.D. candidates Seonghan Kim and Jungbin Lee (Department of Mechanical Engineering) at POSTECH, in collaboration with Professor Chang Ho Yoon (Department of Ophthalmology) of Seoul National University Hospital and Professor Young-Ho Jung (Department of Ophthalmology) of Eulji Hospital, has successfully demonstrated the non-invasive conjunctival goblet cell (CGC) examination in live rabbit eyes. Goblet cells in the conjunctiva of eyes are specialized epithelial cells secreting mucins to form the mucus layer of tear film. The mucus layer spreads the tear film on the ocular surface for protection. The dysfunction and death of CGCs causes tear film instability and is associated with various ocular surface diseases, including dry eye disease (DED). Therefore, CGC examination is important for the precision diagnosis and effective treatment of ocular surface diseases. However, it has not been possible until now due to lack of non-invasive devices. The research team had recently developed non-invasive high-contrast CGC imaging methods, which use moxifloxacin, an FDA-approved ophthalmic antibiotic, as a cell labeling agent. In this study, the research team took one step forward by imaging CGCs in live rabbits whose eyes are similar to those of humans. The researchers imaged normal rabbits first and verified that CGC images with the new imaging device were well matched with conventional histological images where CGCs were visible with periodic-acid Schiff (PAS) staining. The researchers then imaged DED rabbit models. DED was induced with topical instillation of povidone-iodine (product name: Betadine) which is a disinfectant used for ophthalmic surgery and is known for causing temporary DED after ophthalmic surgeries. The researchers observed the decrease of CGC density in the first and second weeks of DED induction, and then the recovery back to the normal level in the third and fourth weeks. The changes in CGC density observed with this technology in live rabbits were consistent with the results of standard DED evaluations including the corneal staining score, tear volume measurement (Schirmer's test), and tear break-up time measurement, and the results of conventional histology with PAS staining. Tracking the damage and subsequent recovery of conjunctival goblet cells using the non-invasive high-contrast imaging in a rabbit model with dry eye disease. Credit: POSTECH The findings from the study were recently published in The Ocular Surface. Since this technology uses FDA-approved moxifloxacin antibiotic, it can be safely used in patients. Professor Ki Hean Kim of POSTECH explained that they "have verified that the newly developed imaging device can do the non-invasive examination of CGCs in the eye of live rabbit models, which are similar to humans. Going forward, we will develop a device for patient imaging and do clinical trials to test the feasibility and effectiveness of non-invasive CGC examination in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular surface diseases." More information: Seonghan Kim et al, Non-invasive high-contrast imaging of conjunctival goblet cells for the precision diagnosis of ocular surface diseases, The Ocular Surface (2022). Seonghan Kim et al, Non-invasive high-contrast imaging of conjunctival goblet cells for the precision diagnosis of ocular surface diseases,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2022.03.003 Provided by Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) Examples of information derived from the dataset of specimen no. 15-2017. (A) Cortical maps from the dataset: blockface (left), quantitative R2* (middle), and parvalbumin immunohistochemistry (right), sampled at the midcortical surface in fully folded (top) or inflated (bottom) views; (B) reconstructed blood vessels extracted from the coregistered stainings; (C) automated cortical and subcortical parcellations; (D) different stainings outline different thalamic nuclei boundaries. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7892 An exhaustive map of the human brain has been a long-sought goal of neuroanatomists. Noninvasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow scientists to investigate the healthy living human brain but provide only limited anatomical detail. A higher level of detail can be obtained by using microscopy on brains from deceased donors, generally focusing on small brain structures imaged in 2D. Now a team led by scientists from the UvA, have combined MRI and microscopy to produce 3D images of two entire brains with a previously unmatched level of detail. Their findings have been published in the journal Science Advances. The UvA team worked for over five years, alongside researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, to build a bridge between ultra-high field MRI and microscopy approaches to creating images of the brain. Two human brains donated to science were placed in the MRI scanner for 21 hours, and afterwards examined under the microscope. The MRIs were then combined with the microscopy slides, resulting in images of the brains which allow for exploration at a 200mm (0.2mm) level of detail. Virtual brain dissections Team member Anneke Alkemade: "We are excited about all the possibilities this can open up for the field. Instructors, for example, can use the datasets for neuroanatomy trainings or virtual dissections. And being able to compare MRI results with individual proteins visualized using microscopy will give researchers more insight into poorly understood MRI observations, as well as providing more anatomical detail on small brain structures." The researchers used an ultra-high field 7 Tesla MRI system, which has a more powerful magnet than the MRI systems routinely used in hospitals. The MRI software was programmed specifically for these studies by the researchers to accommodate the differences between living and preserved tissue. During the cutting of the tissue, each section was photographed individually, so that it could be used later to digitally correct tissue deformation in microscopy sections. Individual brain sections were placed on specially ordered glass slides, and processed with custom-built laboratory equipment. Credit: University of Amsterdam After digitization of the individual microscopy slides, new algorithms were created by the researchers to correct for the tissue deformation resulting from the cutting and microscopy processing. After weeks of uninterrupted calculations, the researchers were finally able to create full reconstructions of two individual brains. Explore further Peeking inside 'mini-brains' could boost understanding of the human brain More information: Anneke Alkemade et al, A unified 3D map of microscopic architecture and MRI of the human brain, Science Advances (2022). Journal information: Science Advances Anneke Alkemade et al, A unified 3D map of microscopic architecture and MRI of the human brain,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7892 A woman wears a face shield to protect against COVID-19 at a taxi rank in Soweto, South Africa, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. South Africa is seeing a rapid surge of COVID-19 cases from a sub-variant of omicron, say health experts. Credit: AP Photo/Denis Farrell South Africa is seeing a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases driven by yet another version of the coronavirus, health experts say. Cases had been dropping in the country since February. But a new omicron subvariant that scientists call BA.4 began pushing up cases last week and they have risen rapidly since, said Salim Abdool Karim, who previously advised the government on its COVID-19 response. So far, there has been only a slight rise in hospitalizations and no increase in deaths, said Abdool Karim, who is a public health expert at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa is recording just over 6,000 COVID-19 cases a day, up from a few hundred just a few weeks ago. The proportion of positive tests jumped from 4% in mid-April to 19% Thursday, according to official figures. Wastewater surveillance has also shown increases in coronavirus spread. The new mutant appears to be quickly achieving dominance over the original omicron and other versions of the virus, but Abdool Karim said "it's too early to tell whether BA.4 is going to cause a fully-fledged wave." Still, the new version is notable because the omicron variant first emerged in November in South Africa and Botswana before sweeping around the world. There is one concerning trend, said Helen Rees, executive director of the Reproductive Health and HIV Institute at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg: Children are the first to be winding up in hospitals, just like during the original omicron surge. Thoko Dube, who lost two family members to COVID-19, speaks to the Associated Press during an interview at her home in Soweto, South Africa, Thursday, March 3, 2022. South Africa is seeing a rapid surge of COVID-19 cases from a sub-variant of omicron, say health experts. Credit: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe Experts say BA.4 seems to be more transmissible than both the original omicron variant and an omicron relative known as BA.2. Scientists are still studying the new mutant, but it doesn't appear that BA.4 causes more severe disease than other versions of the virus, WHO said in a recent report. In South Africa, gatherings for the recent Easter, Ramadan and Passover holidays, plus massive flooding in the coastal city of Durban, may have contributed to the current surge, Abdool Karim said. BA.4 has shown up in other countries, but it's not clear whether it "it's going to become a globally dominant variant," he said. So far, it hasn't made inroads in the U.S., where BA.2 remains the dominant strain and its descendant, called BA.2.12.1, is gaining ground. That descendant is believed to spread faster than previous versions of the virus and caused about 29% of U.S. COVID cases in the latest week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Can BA.4 out-compete BA.2.12.1? Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, a Johns Hopkins University infectious disease expert, said the two variants are spreading in different populations, and he doesn't know of any data "that would support a robust direct comparison." Since the start of the pandemic, South Africa has had the lion's share of COVID-19 in Africa. Although the country's 60 million people account for less than 5% of Africa's population of 1.3 billion, South Africa has had more than a quarter of the continent's 11.4 million reported cases and nearly half of Africa's 252,000 deaths. Experts say that may be because it has a more developed public health system and keeps better records of hospitalizations and deaths than other African countries. More than 44% of adult South Africans are vaccinated against COVID-19, according to government statistics. Benido Impouma, a WHO official in Africa, said the latest surge "shows that people must remain vigilant and continue to adhere to public safety measures such as wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing." 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Taiwan recorded more than 10,000 new infections for the first time on Thursday following the government's decision to move away from its zero-COVID strategy and begin living with the coronavirus. The shift leaves Chinaand its financial hub Hong Kongas the only major economy still sticking to the zero-tolerance strategy even as Omicron breaks through those defences and forces painful lockdowns. "We have 11,353 local infection cases, two deaths and 164 imported cases," health minister Chen Shih-chung said at an afternoon press briefing. Taiwan has largely closed its borders and implemented strict quarantine rules throughout the pandemic, keeping infection numbers low. An outbreak last year prompted the temporary reimposition of economically painful social distancing measures until it was brought under control. Infections are once again rising but the island's leaders have signalled they will follow other former zero-COVID economies like Singapore, Australia and New Zealand by opening up and accepting that cases will spike. According to Taiwan's health ministry, 99.7 percent of 51,504 infections recorded since January 1 this year have been mild or asymptomaticwith seven COVID-19 deaths reported over that period. "We are at a phase where (infection) cases are certain to increase rapidly, which is unavoidable," Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters. Chen warned that the island's daily infection cases could more than double to 37,000 in a week. Around 80 percent of Taiwan's population are double vaccinated, while 58 percent have taken a third booster. However, the vaccine take-up among the elderly, the most at-risk demographic, remains a vulnerability for Taiwan with only 59 percent of over 75s having had the full three jabs. Across capital city Taipei this week, residents could be seen lining up outside pharmacies to buy test kits, which are now being rationed by the government. The government has begun a new plan to shorten home isolation for close contacts of COVID-19 cases to 3 days, down from 10, if a rapid antigen test proves to be negative at the end of the isolation period. It is also considering relaxing the 10-day quarantine rules for foreign arrivals. Since the pandemic began Taiwan has reported 88,000 cases and 860 deaths. 2022 AFP Taoiseach Micheal Martin congratulates Cork and Dublin on selection by European Commission for Climate-Neutral Smart Cities Mission I am pleased to confirm two of our Irish Cities, Cork and Dublin, have been selected by the European Commission as representatives in their highly-competitive Climate-Neutral Smart Cities Mission. Achieving climate neutrality through accelerated and rapid greenhouse gas emissions reduction is a fundamental goal of the European Green Deal and a key commitment of this Government. Our urban areas play a critical role in this endeavour, with opportunities to transform our cities into healthier, safer and cleaner spaces and even more enjoyable places to live. Through this Mission, Cork and Dublin will be supported in accelerating their green and digital transformations and will become part of a network of 100 cities across Europe working to achieve this aim. The chosen cities are poised to act as experimentation and innovation hubs, implementing cutting-edge and creative solutions across energy, transport, waste, infrastructure and building categories to reduce their environmental footprints and contributions to climate change. They will act as sites of learning and inspiration for other cities and towns to follow in the decades to come. I am also aware that a number of our other cities and towns applied to take part in this transformative Mission. I commend their commitment, foresight and ambition in applying and am encouraged by how strongly Ireland was represented in the competition. This is only the beginning of the climate-neutral journey for all cities in this call, with the Commission keen to also support those who were not selected with twinning activities, open access resources, support networks and other funding opportunities. The Government is keen to ensure that Cork and Dublin are assisted in making best use of this opportunity and the support of relevant Government Departments, agencies and bodies will be forthcoming. For now, I hope you join me in congratulating Cork and Dublin in their commendable success in the Commissions Climate-Neutral Smart Cities Mission. I look forward to engaging with them as they pursue their accelerated climate and digital actions and anticipate the important lessons that they will unveil for other towns and cities across Ireland and Europe to follow. NOTES TO THE EDITOR What are EU Missions? EU Missions are a new way to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest challenges. They have ambitious goals and will deliver tangible results by 2030. They will deliver impact by putting research and innovation into a new role, combined with new forms of governance and collaboration, as well as by engaging citizens. EU Missions are a novelty of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for the years 2021-2027. What this EU Mission deals with The importance of climate-neutral and smart cities Cities play a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the goal of the European Green Deal. They take up only 4% of the EUs land area, but they are home to 75% of EU citizens. Furthermore, cities consume over 65% of the worlds energy and account for more than 70% of global CO2 emissions. Since climate mitigation is heavily dependent on urban action, we need to support cities in accelerating their green and digital transformation. In particular, European cities can substantially contribute to the Green Deal target of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 and, in more practical terms, to offer cleaner air, safer transport and less congestion and noise to their citizens. Aims of the Mission The Cities Mission will involve local authorities, citizens, businesses, investors as well as regional and national authorities to Deliver 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 Ensure that these cities act as experimentation and innovation hubs to enable all European cities to follow suit by 2050 As foreseen in its implementation plan, the Cities Mission takes a cross-sectoral and demand-led approach, creating synergies between existing initiatives and basing its activities on the actual needs of cities. Funding opportunities Two new calls will contribute to the implementation of the Climate-neutral and Smart Cities Mission by providing support to cities to achieve climate neutrality. Actions under these calls will cover a wide range of subjects such as urban planning and design for climate-neutral cities, sustainable urban mobility, positive and clean energy districts. The first call will be open 11 January 2022 26 April 2022, with an overall indicative budget of EUR 117 million. The second call will be open 28 April 2022 6 September 2022, with an indicative budget of EUR 42 million. GIS Press Office Government Information Service AFTER THE controversial flyover issue, now the rice purchase made by the local government for Zamboanguenos at the height of the Covid-19 pa... The annual Arts and Culture Awards presentation will return in person on June 1 after a two-year break due the pandemic. Arts Missoulas annual Arts and Culture Awards honor individuals and organizations whose work in the arts and humanities have made a significant contribution to the communitys quality of life. The reception is set for Wednesday, June 1, at the DoubleTree Hotel from 4:30-6 p.m. This year's Cultural Ambassador Award, honoring someone who has consistently supported the arts community and cultural diplomacy in numerous ways, is awarded to John Engen, Missoulas longest serving mayor, and a strong advocate for arts and cultural expansion in Missoulas community. The Individual Artist Award, presented to someone who has shown exceptional achievement in their chosen craft, is awarded to Joy French, dancer, choreographer, and founder of Bare Bait Dance Company. The Arts Educator, honoring an outstanding local educator who has devoted a career to teaching the arts, is awarded to Rob Tapper, professor of trombone and director of Jazz Studies at the University of Montana, and director of the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival and Missoulas All-City Jazz program. The Business Support for the Arts, given to a business that has provided long-term support to Missoulas artists and arts organizations, is awarded to the Logjam Foundation. The Cultural Vision Award, honoring artistic programming, will be presented to Open Air, the artist-in-residency program operated by Western Montana Creative Initiatives. In announcing the award winners, Arts Missoula Executive Director Tom Bensen said, These awards recognize lifetime achievement in the arts. The outstanding individuals and organizations honored this year are prime examples of what makes Missoula an exceptional place to work and live. Tickets are $40 each or $320 for a table of eight, available online at artsmissoula.org, or by contacting Arts Missoula at 406-541-0860 or info@artsmissoula.org beginning April 25. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SALEM, Ore. (AP) In 1994, Kyle Hedquist led a teenager down a remote logging road, then shot her in the back of the head because he feared she might tell police about burglaries he'd committed. This month, Oregon. Gov. Kate Brown granted clemency to Hedquist, who was serving a life sentence without parole after being convicted of murdering Nikki Thrasher when he was 18. Brown's act is unleashing a storm of criticism from prosecutors and law enforcement. The executive clemency granted by Gov. Brown in this case is shocking and irresponsible, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said Tuesday in a statement. Hedquist, now 45, was convicted in Douglas County Circuit Court in 1995. On Tuesday, Brown defended her clemencies, comparing them to President Joe Biden's granting of clemency Tuesday to 78 people, though those were all for nonviolent crimes. Teenagers, even those who have committed terrible crimes, have a unique capacity for growth and change, Brown said in social media posts in which she applauded Biden's action, adding: We are a state and a nation of second chances. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 2012 ruling, said only the rare, irredeemable juvenile offender should serve life in prison, but that applies in federal cases. Some two dozen states have banned sentencing juveniles to life without parole, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Sentencing Project, which advocates for humane responses to crime. The Democrat-dominated Oregon Legislature passed such a law in 2019, but the state Supreme Court has ruled it's not retroactive. The clemency of Hedquist has fueled Republican complaints that Brown, a Democrat who is not running for reelection this year because of term limits, is soft on crime. As with many others, the facts of this case are outrageous and brutal, Oregon Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp said Tuesday. The Governor continues to let violent criminals out of prison, and Democrats in the majority remain silent. However, Brown said she has denied most clemency requests. Clemency is an action I reserve for individuals who have demonstrated that they have made incredible changes in their lives to rehabilitate themselves, take accountability for their crimes, and dedicate themselves to making their communities a better place, Brown said. While locked up in the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Hedquist spent over 20 years volunteering for hospice care services, said Liz Merah, Brown's spokeswoman. Hedquist wrote about caring for the dying inmates in a piece that was awarded honorable mention in memoir in PEN America's 2019 Prison Writing Contest. I couldnt have known all those years ago that death would bring my humanity back, Hedquist wrote. So I sat, I listened, their teary-eyed regurgitation of their crimes burned my ears, they left a bitter taste in my mouth as I consumed the confessions ... but somehow just being with them and listening lightened their burden before death stepped in to take them." This month, Hedquist was released to the Salem home of a former prison chaplain after a suitable place could not be found for him in Douglas County, where Hedquist was from. Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson and Sheriff Joe Kast, whose county includes Salem, issued a public safety notice Saturday in which they expressed significant safety concerns surrounding the sudden and ill-planned governors commutation. Hedquist tricked the victim into driving him to a rural Douglas County location where he shot the victim execution-style in the back of the head and dumped her body along the road, Clarkson and Kast said. Hedquist admitted killing her to eliminate a witness in hope of preventing his own capture. Brown accused several district attorneys of scoring political points by stoking public fears in these cases. Oregonians granted clemency have demonstrated they have turned their lives around and pose a low risk to the public, she said. Merah, Browns spokeswoman, said Hedquist's conditions of sentence commutation include lifetime supervision and GPS ankle monitoring for at least six months. If Mr. Hedquist violates any terms of his post-prison supervision, the governor can revoke his commutation, Merah said. Since taking office in 2015, Brown has granted 1,148 sentence commutations 963 of them to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, Merah said. Also among the total were 41 commutations for inmates who fought wildfires and 72 who committed crimes as juveniles and were sentenced to more than 15 years. Brown also granted 63 pardons. Commutations reduce prison terms, while pardons forgive defendants of crimes. The number of clemencies from governors varies widely across the nation. Democratic Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee, in office since 2013, has issued 1,266 clemency orders, including 422 because of the pandemic and 35 for marijuana convictions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat in office since 2019, has granted 112 pardons, 109 commutations and 34 reprieves. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican who took office in 2019, has granted clemency to 17 people. The Republican governors of Mississippi, South Carolina and Idaho have issued zero clemencies during their terms. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, has granted 293 clemency actions since 2020, including 275 pardons and 18 commutations. Parson said there was a backlog of clemency requests when he took office following the 2018 resignation of fellow GOP Gov. Eric Greitens. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat in office since 2015, issued 159 pandemic-related temporary reprieves for inmates. Of that number, 62 were returned to custody and Wolf commuted the sentences of 97. His office said he has issued 1,996 pardons -- more than any other governor in more than 20 years. This story has been updated to correct Hedquist's age at the time to 18. Associated Press writers Donald Thompson in Sacramento, California; Rachel La Corte in Olympia, Washington; Emily Wagster in Jackson, Mississippi; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee; David Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri; and Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Heaven Hill Distillery, one of the worlds largest bourbon producers, plans to revive its whiskey production in its Kentucky hometown more than a quarter century after a devastating fire destroyed a previous production facility. The family-owned and operated spirits company announced plans Wednesday to build a $135 million distillery expected to open by 2024 at Bardstown in the heart of the state's bourbon country. It's the latest sign that Bluegrass State whiskey producers both large and small are bullish on future demand for their spirits. Kentucky's bourbon sector is in the midst of an expansion phase totaling billions of dollars in projects. Bourbon production in Kentucky has skyrocketed 435% since the turn of the century, according to the Kentucky Distillers Association. Heaven Hill said its new distillery is needed to help meet growing global demand for the company's whiskeys. Heaven Hill produces Evan Williams, one of the worlds top-selling bourbons. It also marks Heaven Hill's return to distilling in Bardstown where the company lost its onsite distillery, seven storage warehouses and almost 100,000 barrels of whiskey in the 1996 fire. Afterward, Heaven Hill's distilling moved to the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, while bottling, storage of aging whiskey and other functions continued in the Bardstown area, where those operations still remain. Bardstown is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Louisville. The new distillery builds on the company's longtime roots in Bardstown, said Heaven Hill President Max Shapira. It's been nine decades since Heaven Hill first operated a distillery in Bardstown. The people of Bardstown have helped us create and build our brands over all these many years, so its a special homecoming to bring distilling back to this community, said Heaven Hill President Max Shapira. Our new distillery will honor our long-time Bardstown roots while applying state-of-the-art equipment and processes to produce the highest quality American whiskey." The distillery is expected to employ about 30 people initially, but the workforce could reach about 90 once full production is reached in coming years, the company said. The state Economic Development Finance Authority approved up to $1.5 million in economic incentives for the project. The distillery will be built on a vacant 61-acre (25-hectare) site, a couple of miles (kilometers) from where the previous production facility stood, the company said. Construction is expected to begin this spring. Initial production is pegged at 10 million proof gallons a year, or 150,000 barrels, and the distillery will have capacity to ramp up production to 30 million proof gallons, or 450,000 barrels, over time. Heaven Hill said it will continue to age bourbon at existing locations and the Bernheim distillery in Louisville will continue operating at full capacity. The Bernheim distillery produces more than 420,000 barrels of whiskey per year. Other Heaven Hill brands include Elijah Craig, Old Fitzgerald, Larceny and Parkers Heritage Collection. Kentucky distilleries produce 95% of the worlds bourbon supply, according to the Kentucky Distillers Association. Kentucky's booming bourbon industry is in the midst of a $5.2 billion expansion, with $3.3 billion of that coming in the next three years, KDA said. The growth includes new distilleries, storage warehouses, bottling lines and visitors' centers. 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 Missoula County Sheriff's deputies will be accepting unused and unneeded medications on Saturday as part of a nationwide event. Take Back Day is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. A drop-off location for unneeded medications will be set up in the west parking lot of the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 West Broadway, off Woody Street. Disposal of medications is free and anonymous. Collection is coordinated by the Missoula County Sheriffs Office, which joins more than 30 agencies across Montana participating in the event. Take Back Day happens bi-annually with more than 4,000 drop-off locations nationwide. This initiative addresses vital public safety and public health issue(s), stated a press release from the sheriffs office. Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs. Year-round drop off is also offered at the following locations: Partnership Health Center, 401 W. Railroad, Missoula, MT 59802 Health Service Pharmacy, 634 Eddy Ave., Missoula, MT 59812 Credena Health Pharmacy St. Patrick, 500 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802 Walmart Pharmacy 10-3259, 3555 Mullan Rd., Missoula, MT 59808 Montana CVS Pharmacy LLC, 1902 Brooks St., Missoula, MT 59801 Missoula Pharmacy Inc., 1211 S. Reserve St., Ste 102, Missoula, MT 59801 Granite Pharmacy Missoula, 2230 27th Ave., Ste 2, Missoula, MT 59804 Community Medical Center Hospital Pharmacy, 2827 Fort Missoula Rd., Missoula, MT 59804 Community Cancer Center Pharmacy, 2837 Fort Missoula Rd., Missoula, MT 59804 Walmart Pharmacy 20-2147, 4000 Hwy 93 S., Missoula, MT 59804 G&E Ventures, Inc. 16862 Beckwith St., Ste P, Frenchtown, MT 59834 Lolo Drug, 103 Glacier Dr., Lolo, MT 59847 Seeley Swan Pharmacy, 3027 Hwy 83, Lazy Pines Mall #J, Seeley Lake, MT 59868 Florence Pharmacy North, 5549 Old Highway 93, Florence, MT 59833 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Flathead officials identified the victim in a shooting at Snowslip Inn near Essex last week. Jeremy McKenzie, 36, was shot and killed on April 16 in a brief altercation with another man in the parking lot of the Snowslip, Flathead Sheriff Brian Heino said in a press release. Detectives have interviewed several subjects involved, including the shooter, who was identified, interviewed and released, Heino said. He didnt detail why the suspect is not in custody. The sheriffs office is continuing with follow-up interviews, and the case remains an open homicide investigation. It will be referred to the Flathead County Attorneys Office for review when its completed, Heino added. Authorities are asking anyone with information to email tips@flathead.mt.gov or call 406-758-5600. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LONDON (AP) Britains top diplomat called Wednesday for Western allies to send tanks, warplanes and other heavy weapons to Ukraine, saying fears of escalating the war were misplaced and inaction would be the greatest provocation. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said this is a time for courage, not caution among nations helping Ukraine fight Russia's invasion. Heavy weapons, tanks, airplanes digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production. We need to do all of this, Truss said during an annual foreign policy speech at Mansion House, the residence of the Lord Mayor of London. NATO nations have supplied Ukraine with military weapons and gear, including missiles and armored vehicles. But they have been reluctant to send fighter planes despite pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for fear of escalation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already accused NATO of effectively waging a proxy war against Russia. Western officials deny that, saying the conflict is between Russia and Ukraine due to Russias illegal invasion of its neighbor. Britain has sent 450 million pounds ($565 million) in military aid to Ukraine, including thousands of missiles. But Despite Trusss call for jets, British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman, Max Blain, said there were no plans for the U.K. to send planes. He did not rule out Britain sending planes to another country, such as Poland, that would then give its own jets to Ukraine, but said there were no specific plans to do so. Truss said Russias attack on Ukraine must be a wake-up call for international institutions that failed to prevent the invasion. The architecture that was designed to guarantee peace and prosperity has failed Ukraine, Truss said. The economic and security structures developed after the Second World War and then the Cold War have been bent out of shape so far that they have enabled rather than contained aggression. Truss called Russian President Vladimir Putin a desperate rogue operator who was ripping up the global order and outfoxing international institutions. Russia is able to block any effective action in the U.N. Security Council, where it has a veto as a permanent member, she said, adding that the Group of 20 club of wealthy and emerging nations cannot function as an effective economic body while Russia remains at the table. In response, Truss called for a new focus on military strength, economic security and deeper global alliances among free nations. After years of declining military spending in many countries, including Britain, she said NATOs goal that countries spend 2% of gross domestic product on defense should be a floor, not a ceiling. Truss also called for tougher economic sanctions on Russia, saying the West must cut off Russian oil and gas imports once and for all. That would be an easier thing to do for Britain than for many other European nations. If Putin succeeds, there will be untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe, she said. We would never feel safe again. So we must be prepared for the long haul and double down on our support for Ukraine. Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine 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 A new law that changes the process for placing measures on the ballot only applies to initiatives that seek to change state law, not those that aim to alter Montanas Constitution, a Helena judge ruled Wednesday. The order came from Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Chris Abbott. Its part of a complicated case that involves Constitutional Initiative 121, a measure aimed at capping property taxes. It also involves a new law passed in 2021 that requires the Attorney General to conduct a review of initiatives to determine if they pose any material harm to businesses' interests and makes a legislative interim committee take a non-binding vote on if lawmakers support putting the measure on the ballot. The plaintiffs in the case included the Montana Federation of Public Employees, Montana Farmers Union, Dennis McDonald, Ron Osterberg, Jeff Barber, Barber Realty and the Montana Cattlemens Association. They wanted to stop supporters of the initiative from gathering or accepting signatures to qualify for the ballot, saying that because the Attorney General did not issue an opinion on if CI-121 would cause harm, any signature-gathering efforts were void. They also wanted to hold Matthew Monforton, a Bozeman lawyer, former legislator and a main supporter of the initiative, in contempt for what they claimed was violating a temporary restraining order and invalidate any signatures gathered while the order was in effect. The Secretary of State and Attorney General were the defendants, as well as Monforton and Troy Downing, the state auditor who also backs the initiative. Downing was sued in his personal capacity, not in his state role. That group said the Attorney General's material harm review and interim committee review established under the new law only apply to ballot initiatives aimed at changing state law, not ones that seek to alter the state Constitution like CI-121. Abbott agreed. The plaintiffs pointed out the law refers to ballot issues, a term thats defined in parts of election code to include all forms of initiatives. And while Abbott concurred, he noted that the new law only directed the warnings of a negative review from the Attorney General or vote by a legislative interim committee to go on forms for initiatives trying to change state law. To read (the law) to include anything other than statutory initiatives would be to render the statute nonsensical, Abbott wrote. In a statement Wednesday, a spokesperson for Attorney General Austin Knudsen said his office agreed with Abbotts ruling that the new law only applies to statutory initiatives. "In passing HB 651, the Legislature tasked the attorney general with warning Montanans about statutory initiatives that could seriously harm businesses in our state or create unconstitutional regulatory takings of private property. As we have said from the beginning of this case, a plain reading of the new law makes clear that the Legislature gave the attorney general power to make these findings for statutory initiatives but not initiatives that would amend the Montana Constitution, spokesperson Emilee Cantrell said. The Court reached the same conclusion. Attorney General Knudsen is committed to the rule of law and will continue to exercise the significant, but limited, authority that the Legislature has given him in reviewing proposed statutory initiatives for harm to businesses in Montana. Monforton also welcomed the order. The liberal special interests that sued us knew theyd never win, Monforton said Wednesday. They were simply trying to disrupt our signature efforts. Montana Federation of Public Employees President Amanda Curtis criticized CI-121 in a statement issued Wednesday evening. CI-121 will hurt Montana communities, farmer and ranchers, young families, and seniors," she said. "Thats why the most politically diverse coalition in Montana history is fighting to keep failed California policies out of Montanas constitution. Supporters of CI-121 started gathering signatures as soon as they were cleared to do so by the Secretary of State on Jan. 7, but six days later Helena judge Michael McMahon issued a temporary restraining order blocking them from doing so. But then Jan. 24 the court entered an order denying a preliminary injunction, which dissolved the restraining order and cleared the way to gather signatures. The plaintiffs claimed Monforton and Downing gathered signatures while they were blocked from doing so, and kept up their campaign website with a link labeled Sign initiative today that directed people to a page where they could print out the petition and materials. They also produced evidence of at least one person gathering signatures while the restraining order was in effect, Abbott wrote. To counter, Monforton said that he put a notice on the website that the court had halted signature gathering and while he encouraged people to register and download petitions, he also said hed let people know when they were allowed to gather signatures again. Abbott found that because the law didnt apply to constitutional initiatives, there was no need to invalidate any signatures gathered in support of CI-121. Still, he said he was troubled by Monforton's decision to leave the website up while the TRO was in effect, and the court would have expected a more assiduous effort to prevent signature gathering while the TRO is in effect, Abbott wrote. Monforton said Wednesday he followed the courts direction. We complied fully with Judge McMahons order even though it was issued without giving us any notice and was patently illegal, Monforton said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Helena institution is celebrating its 100th birthday on Thursday in a very tasty fashion. The Parrot Confectionery is ringing in its first century with free handmade soda fountain drinks, kicking off a celebration that will run through the summer, its owner, Jonny Plichta, said. We are turning 100. It says a lot for something to be around this long and make through the Depression and the economys ups and downs, he said. It shows people appreciate the business. The shop, known for its handmade chocolates, sodas and chili, is a staple along the Walking Mall at 42 N. Last Chance Gulch. It opened as a candy store in downtown Helena in 1922. According to Helenahistory.org, the Parrot Confectionery began as the Helena Drug Co. Fountain and Confectionery Department in the early 1910s. The current location is the fourth address for the business, opening on Oct. 15, 1938. Plichta, who moved to Montana from Los Angeles, bought The Parrot in 2017. He is the fourth owner. The Parrot candy, which according to advertisements "Talks for itself," is still crafted using the original methods, including hand-dipping the chocolate-covered pieces. The Parrot boasts of a worldwide reputation for quality hand-dipped chocolates made from fresh, natural ingredients and utilizing up to 10 tons of chocolate each year," its website states. The Parrot produces a selection of 130 types of candy, using recipes devised by its original owners. The website states favorites include a turtle-like confection called a parrot, chocolate-covered caramels, almond butter toffee and other creams, nuts and chews. The original soda fountain still serves up cherry phosphates and caramel cashew sundaes prepared with handmade ice cream, sauces, toppings, and syrups. And loyal lunch customers line up regularly for a bowl of The Parrots secret recipe chili. Other options include Truzzolino chicken tamales, an assortment of original Campbell soups, and Sabrett hot dogs (New Yorks No. 1 hot dog), served plain or topped with chili. In a 2020 article for Lee Newspapers, Donnie Sexton wrote The Parrot, the chocolate-covered caramel with pecans, has consistently been the top-selling candy over the years. The Christmas season proves to be the busiest, with more than 2,000 boxes of chocolates mailed out. Bill and Ianthe Post were the original owners and sold it to Arnold and Nancy Duensing in 1957. The Duensing family purchased the Parrot when Dave Duensing was a toddler. Duensing and his brother, Stan, who is also known as "Dusty," started working there in the early 1970s, before becoming co-owners. Arnold Duensing had gotten sick and Bill Post came to the store and taught Dusty how to make all the candies, Pam Duensing said. Dusty Duensing said he was in the store from 1957-2010. I was basically raised here, he said. Its one of the last really old-time retail stores in Helena. Theres not much older than this that I know of. David and Stan ran the business with their wives, Wendy and Pam. Dave Duensing died in 2010. Wendy, Dave's wife, ran the front of the store. I think its a wonderful thing for them to be in business after all this (time), she said Tuesday during a visit to the shop. Thats not bad. Pam Duensing was happy about the store reaching its 100th year. I think its great, she said. I think its amazing. Were happy the store is still there, Pam said, noting many longtime businesses have closed. It is really a labor of love. She said the Parrot was all about customer service. We had amazing support, good food, the chili was excellent and the chocolate was excellent, Duensing said, adding there are not many soda fountains in Helena. Dusty said he believes the walking mall destroyed businesses on this side of town. He said there was parking and traffic flow. He said there is little foot traffic now. People have to make your business today a destination, he said. Pam said she and her husband still stop by the shop. To me it is the best candy in the world, so I always have to go in and get a few pieces, Pam Duensing said. Her favorite? Its the dark fudge dipped in chocolate. Brian and Kelly Ackerman bought the Parrot from the Duensings in 2009. They sold it to Plichta in 2017. Plichta said the Parrot continues to be a staple in Montana and he is glad to be a part of that. "I'm happy to be turning 100," he said. "It's a huge day for us." For more on the Parrot, go to: https://www.parrotchocolate.com/ Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico brought recreational marijuana sales to the doorstep of Texas, the largest prohibition state, as the movement toward broad legalization sweeps up even more of the American West. Anyone 21 and older can purchase up to 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana enough to roll about 60 joints or cigarettes or comparable amounts of liquid concentrates and edible treats. First-day sales reached about $2 million by early Friday evening. New Mexico has nurtured a medical marijuana program since 2007 under tight restrictions. Fridays launch still represents a sea change for local law enforcement, taxation officials, commercial growers and residents who thought full-blown legal access to pot would never come. At a Santa Fe dispensary, customers said they were thrilled to buy openly and cut black market ties. When they legalized it here, I didnt need my guy anymore, said Devin Killoy, a painter and handyman in clothes speckled with white. Antonio Rodriguez, a 38-year-old grocery worker, said he was content to pay taxes on recreational cannabis: I want everyone to be legit, even if its more expensive. Would-be marijuana farmers are bidding for water rights and learning to raise the crops, as experienced medical cannabis producers ramp up production and add retail showrooms. New Mexico is among 18 states, including neighboring Arizona and Colorado as well as the entire West coast, that have legalized pot for recreational use, with implications for cannabis tourism and conservative Texas, where legalization efforts have made little headway. A marijuana decriminalization bill won U.S. House approval Friday, but is unlikely to pass the Senate. Republicans said potent pot is impairing users, and characterized marijuana as a gateway to opioids and other dangerous substances. In Clovis, a high plains New Mexico town of about 40,000 residents less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Texas, Earl Henson and two business partners pooled resources to convert a former gun shop and shooting range into a cannabis store and companion growing room at a Main Street address. I cant explain how happy I am, said Henson, a former real estate agent who says his affection for marijuana was a burden. He is harvesting the first crop for a store called Earl and Toms. These cities that are near Texas, for the next two years it is going to change their economies. In the state capital of Santa Fe, marijuana is on sale across from the citys newly built visitors center on a block lined with galleries, clothing boutiques and restaurants. LeRoy Roybal, manager of a downtown Santa Fe store for producer and dispensary chain Minerva Canna, hopes pot stigma quickly fades. Were liberating a lot of hearts and souls, he said. Its going to be like getting a cup of joe at Starbucks. Supportive lawmakers hope legalization will eliminate black markets, boost employment and provide stable new sources of government income. Consumers initially will rely heavily on 35 legacy marijuana businesses that took root over the past 15 years. Regulators have issued more than 230 new marijuana business licenses to growers, retailers and manufacturing facilities for extracts and edibles. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who toured a busy store Friday, says legalization responds to popular demands and is generating small business opportunities. This is what consumers want, said Lujan Grisham, up for reelection in November. We have the potential for 11,000 more workers, jobs in places where young people can work and stay, like Torrance County and Texico and Tucumcari and Raton. Local governments cant ban cannabis businesses entirely, though they can restrict locations and hours. Public consumption carries a $50 fine. Business licenses for cannabis cafes or lounges havent been requested yet leaving people to indulge at home or designated hotels, casinos and cigar shops. In Sunland Park, flanked by the Rio Grande and U.S.-Mexico border fencing, Mayor Javier Perea says marijuana retailers can set up across the small city of just 17,000 residents. He said about 30 businesses have sought authorization, banking on tourism from nearby El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Perea hopes the industry creates economic opportunity and tax income to bolster city services. Local governments will receive a minority share of the states 12% excise tax on recreational marijuana sales, along with a share of additional sales taxes. Medical cannabis is tax-free. The one thing that we are going to struggle with is, we are going to run out of buildings for new businesses, he said. Legal experts warn that New Mexico customers who return home to other states could risk criminal penalties, arrest and incarceration most notably in Texas. Paul Armento, deputy director of the drug policy group NORML, said Texas is among the leading states for marijuana-possession arrests, and that having concentrates there is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Marijuana possession, use or sale also remains federally illegal a standard that applies across vast tracts of federal land and Indian Country in New Mexico. New Mexicos cannabis industry, still reliant on cash to avoid running afoul of federal law, is gaining access to banking services through an alternative certification system for credit unions and banks supported by state attorneys general. The state also plans to underwrite $5 million in low-interest loans to small cannabis businesses that cant access traditional credit. Lawmakers have sought to reverse harm from marijuana criminalization on minority communities and poor households by automatically dismissing or erasing past cannabis convictions, encouraging social and economic diversity in employment and reducing financial barriers for startup businesses. The states micro-business license to cultivate up to 200 plants for a flat $1,000 fee is attracting first-time commercial growers, such as recently retired U.S. Marine Kyle Masterson and wife Ivy, a Hispanic Army veteran with business consulting experience. They are raising three children and making a mid-life career shift into cannabis. The Mastersons, residents of suburban Rio Rancho, searched more remote areas for an affordable building to cultivate high-grade marijuana under lights, settling on a vacant former movie theater in tiny Cuba, a village near the Jemez Mountains. It felt right, it felt good and out of a vision of what we could do, said Kyle Masterson, who served in four combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Were used to working out of austere environments without much direction and doing our best. 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 him on Twitter. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Name: Beth Heile Party Affiliation: Republican Seeking Office: Burke County Board of Commissioners Age: 54 Profession: Vice-President, NoteWorthy Software, Inc. Education: East Burke High School, 1986; NC State University, 1991 Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering Family: Married to Eric for 27 years, son Zakk Community Involvement: Currently serving as First United Methodist Church member, NC Parks and Recreation Authority member, Friends of the Valdese Rec Founder and President, Burke County Planning Board member, Burke Womens Fund Steering Committee, Draughn High School Band Booster President, Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail President, Rotary Club of Valdese Membership Chair, Duke Habitat Enhancement Program Lakes Advisory Committee, NC Great Trails State Coalition Executive Committee, Valdese Recreation Commission member, DHS Leadership Team, Burke River Trail Association President 1. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No 2. Do you currently owe back property taxes? No 3. How do you believe commissioners should address facility inadequacies for the health department and social services?I attended a county commissioner budget planning retreat where Danny Scalise, director of the Burke County Health Department, discussed the condition of the building on Parker Road. The description did not sound like a pleasant environment for employees or clients. I toured the building for myself and found it to be a drab, windowless maze. The 1979 facility is depressing and in poor condition, though very clean. How can nurses and case workers provide outstanding service while surrounded by bleak conditions? How can those seeking services feel respected when entering a dingy reception area and then being led to cramped offices for assistance? How can the departments recruit top-notch employees? Joshua Bennett, VP of Mosley Architects presented a comprehensive analysis of all Burke County facilities to the commissionersbuilding conditions, the building capacities, where departments could be moved, combined, or left alone in the coming years. With only 9 acres of the 27-acre parcel being used, the possibility exists for a new building on-site for both departments. However, looking deeper into the facility study to see the big picture will help determine if relocation, rebuilding or remodeling is the right solution for the health department and social services. 4. What are your feelings on commissioners creating a long-term regional drug rehabilitation facility?Substance misuse is a huge concern in our area. Almost everyone I have spoken with has a friend or loved one who has had a struggle with or is currently struggling with addiction that may have started from an accident, surgery, self-medicating or just experimenting. Data from the NCDHHS shows from February 2021 to January 2022, Burke County was in the top ten counties across the state with a high opioid overdose emergency department visit rate with 172.4 visits. This is just one way drug misuse creates a strain on our facilities, families, and front-line workers. From information discussed at commissioner meetings and articles in the paper, the regional facility seems like a productive addition to our countys services. The state budget included $3.25M to renovate the old jail for the rehabilitation facility. In addition, the county will receive $13M over 18 years as part of a national lawsuit against opioid distributors to use to address the opioid crisis. This financial backing is key in developing a progressive center where clients can stay as long as needed for treatment while receiving job training. Both will contribute to participants success upon leaving and hopefully will stop the cycle of financial strain and hardship on our system and on loved ones. 5. There has been controversy over the placement of the Confederate statue on the Old Burke County Courthouse square and a call to create a committee to discuss/address its location. What decisions would you like to see the board of commissioners make on the statue/committee?The monument for Burke Countys Confederate Army troops was erected in 1911 using funds contributed by Burke County, Burke County Sons of Confederate Veterans, and former Burke County soldier Captain W. J. Kincaid of Griffin, GA. The four engraved marble slabs containing the names of the soldiers from Burke County who died in the Civil War represent an era of Burke Countys history. Most everyone knows that state law prohibits the removal of an object of remembrance and, thus, Confederate statues can only be taken down under certain circumstances. However, state law does not prevent community dialogue. I agree with citizens that it is time to move forward on this issue instead of continually presenting conflicting perspectives as I have witnessed at many county commissioner meetings. While several high-profile, illegal statue removals have taken place in North Carolina since 2020, I believe that Burke County is a tight-knit community, and I would be in favor of facilitating dialogue with experts on Confederate monumentation to see what options would benefit all citizens of Burke County. 6. What priorities do you think the board should set to live up to its All About Advancing slogan?My goal is for people to Live, Work, Play and Stay in Burke County. However, for me, the STAY is not about tourism. For me, the STAY is for families staying and thriving in Burke County generation after generation. It is important while families Stay that they be an integral part of the community, earning well more than a living wage, participating, taking advantage of the opportunities available, giving back, being as proud to be a Burke County citizen as I am. When we invest in something, we want it to be successful. We will do our part to make it better, whether it be picking up a piece of trash, rehabbing an old warehouse or running for office. To get to the Stay, priorities should be more affordable and market rate housing (the Live), more high-end jobs and workforce development (the Work) and taking advantage of our natural resources for incredible quality of life (the Play). Putting residents first by addressing their needs and wants, we will have the Stay and be a Better Burke. Dont worry, I havent forgotten about schools! I include that under Work, because when you are in school (as a kid or as an adult that is a job). Supporting BCPS, WPCC and companies implementing apprentice and training programs is critical for a prosperous community. With all the above goals, the top priority is for the board to continue to be good stewards of taxpayer money to keep the county financially stable. 7. What makes you qualified to become a commissioner?Trained as an electrical engineer, I will take a logical, fair approach to strategic decisions to keep Burke County Advancing. Over my years of volunteer service, I have proven I can be trusted to get things done. The best example of my vision and commitment to a project is Valdese Lakeside Park. Seven years ago, I founded Friends of the Valdese Rec, Inc, an all-volunteer non-profit to help the Town of Valdese acquire 300 acres on Lake Rhodhiss for a park. I faced many obstacles along the way but never gave up. I dug trail, sought funding, followed up on opportunities, presented at the Governors Mansion, and worked tirelessly to succeed because I knew what this park would do for Valdese and the county. The $2.3M funding for the land acquisition and phase one construction came from grants and community donations. I have managed over 2300 volunteer hours since the land was acquired in 2018. I have leveraged partnerships (government and business) for big results. The park is now open with 175 daily visitors and there is more to come. I will bring this same zeal and dedication while serving as your county commissioner. I am passionate about Burke County and the people who live here. I believe we all deserve the best quality of life possible and want to continue to make a difference in my community by serving as a Burke County commissioner. For more about me, visit BetterBurke.com. I will be highly effective. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi named among top ten destinations in Southeast Asia to visit in 2022: Travelport Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have been named among the top ten destinations in Southeast Asia for international travellers to visit in 2022, according to Travelport, a global technology company that powers bookings for travel suppliers worldwide. Ho Chi Minh City listed among top ten destinations in Southeast Asia to visit in 2022 According to Travelport, as borders begin to reopen across Southeast Asia, increased flight bookings show how excited travellers are to return to the region. All countries in Southeast Asia, with the exception of Brunei, have started to remove travel restrictions and are reopening their borders to international tourists in the hopes of rejuvenating their tourism industries which have been so badly hit hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Travelports booking data shows that international flight bookings to Southeast Asia overall have increased and have showed an upward trajectory in the first quarter of 2022 with the Philippines taking the lead with 42 percent of its international bookings in the first quarter of 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first three months of 2022, the Philippines and Thailand accounted for over half (51%) of all international flight bookings to the region. The top five nationalities traveling to Southeast Asia are the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of Korea. TEHRAN, April 27 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe in Tehran on Wednesday. Ebrahim Raisi said that Iran and China share weal and woe and hold similar stances and support each other in international affairs. Iran opposes unilateralism, hegemonism and external interference and firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests. Iran thanks for China's support and assistance over the years in its difficult period and hopes that the two sides will further expand cooperation areas and strengthen all-round cooperation including in the military field. General Wei Fenghe said that both China and Iran are ancient civilizations and their traditional friendship is getting stronger with the passing of time. Since last year, President Xi Jinping and President Ebrahim Raisi have exchanged phone calls and letters, jointly led the China-Iran comprehensive strategic partnership to make new progress. General Wei pointed out that this visit is an important one against the backdrop of the current turbulent international situation. It demonstrates the importance of China-Iran relations and embodies the mutual firm support and common progress. China firmly supports Iran in safeguarding state sovereignty and national dignity, and stands ready to work with Iran to cope with various risks and challenges, safeguard the common interests of both sides and jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability. General Wei said that the military-to-military cooperation between China and Iran has been expanding in recent years, and the Chinese military is willing to maintain strategic communication, make good use of cooperation mechanism and promote practical cooperation with the Iranian side, so as to push the development of military-to-military relations to a higher level. On the same day, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri also met with General Wei Fenghe, and Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani held a welcome ceremony for Wei Fenghe and held a formal talk with him. During the talks and meetings, the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the international and regional security situation, the Iranian nuclear issue and the situation in Ukraine, and also reached a number of consensus on strengthening strategic communication at the top level of the two militaries and deepening practical cooperation in such areas as exchanges between services and arms, joint exercises and training and personnel training. After slightly increasing in February, Burke County saw its unemployment rate dip back down in March. The countys rate fell to 3.2% for March, down from 3.3% in February, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Thats lower than the state and national rate, according to commerce figures. With a labor force of 40,257, a 3.2% unemployment rate means 1,286 people are looking for work. A year ago, the county unemployment rate was 5%, according to the commerce department. And like Burke County, the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metropolitan statistical area saw its unemployment fall again, dipping to 3.3% in March, down from 3.4% in February. With a labor force of 172,388 workers, that leaves 5,684 people looking for work, according to commerce department figures. The government sector saw the biggest employment gains between February and March in the local metro area, adding 200 jobs, followed by the manufacturing sector, the education and health services sector, the information sector and the mining, logging and construction sector each adding 100 jobs over the period. There are many manufacturing companies in Burke County looking for workers. Valdese Weavers has 23 openings, including for a human resources manager, quilting technician, materials clerk, inventory and warehouse staff. Continental also has 23 openings, including for an internal auditor, material handler, quality inspectors, engineer, maintenance and mechanical assembler. And Leviton has 19 openings, including for a production manager, maintenance technician, operators, learning and development specialists, a planner and warehouse workers. Multiple other jobs are available in Burke in retail, food, government and health care. To search for a job, visit www.ncworks.gov. The only sector to experience employment losses was trade, transportation and utilities, which lost 300 jobs during the month. The state unemployment rate for March was 3.5% and the national rate was at 3.6%. The state unemployment update for April is scheduled to be released Friday, May 20. Butte-Silver Bow commissioners have rejected a plan that included demolition of two buildings on East Park Street that have served as the Butte Rescue Missions thrift store for years. The councils decision Wednesday night means at least a temporary reprieve for the now-vacant buildings, but it leaves the Mission with ownership and liability for structures a county official formally tagged as dangerous on Thursday. Under a proposed pact, the county said it would pay the Mission about $38,500 for the parcels at 123-125 E. Park St. and then demolish the buildings and an adjacent, caved-in building at 135 E. Park St. it has been aiming to tear down since 2019. But several commissioners have opposed the demolition part of the pact, and because county officials told them they couldnt unilaterally change any of its terms, they voted 8-4 to reject the entire agreement. Now, unless a new deal with the county is worked out, the Mission will have 60 days to present and commence its own plan for demolishing the buildings or making repairs an engineering firm says will cost far more than $200,000. The county could still pay the Mission for the parcels as originally proposed, but then the county would own the buildings and have 60 days to start demolition or major repairs and a majority of commissioners have clearly signaled their opposition to demolition. The county acquired the caved-in building at 135 Park St. in 2019 because it was dangerous and the owner couldnt afford abatement. But officials later determined that in order to demolish it while sparing the thrift buildings, a shared wall must be shored up at a cost roughly estimated at $150,000. The Mission could sell its buildings to someone else, but the dangerous-building designation would come with the sale and the new owner would be on the hook. Plus the 60-day clock for presenting and starting an abatement plan would have started, regardless of who owns it. County officials have been sparring with commissioners for several weeks on how to proceed but with Wednesdays vote against a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, with the Mission, theres no clear-cut plan on resolving the matter. We talked to the Mission and they are not sure what they want to do, J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bows chief executive, told The Montana Standard after Wednesday nights meeting. But by denying the MOU, the Mission is responsible (for the buildings). It is a twisted mess, he said. Brayton Erickson, executive director of the Mission, said Thursday he hopes a new deal can be worked out that relieves the Mission of ownership of the buildings, liability and costs associated with demolition or repairs. In other words, remove the Mission from the mix. The Mission provides shelter and meals for the homeless and hungry in Butte and surrounding counties, Erickson noted, and, We just dont have the capability to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into this building. That was the reason county officials proposed the MOU in the first place, and at least two commissioners who have opposed demolition have suggested the county pay the Mission for the buildings, remove them from the equation, and then figure out what to do. Voting to reject the current MOU on Wednesday night were Commissioners Shawn Fredrickson, Michele Shea, Bill Andersen, Josh ONeill, John Riordan, Eric Mankins, Cindi Shaw and Dan Callahan. Voting for the MOU were Hattie Thatcher, Jim Fisher, Justin Fortune and John Sorich. More than a dozen residents, many preservationists by profession or at heart, have urged commissioners to reject any plans that include demolition. Among other things, they say Uptown Butte has lost too many historic buildings and people have purchased and fixed up far-worse structures. Some commissioners agree with that and some have questioned engineering reports on the thrift buildings and suggested county officials made decisions too fast or in secret. I still believe that we have to have a better policy when dealing with these buildings, Riordan said Wednesday night. County officials had already invoked a public safety exclusion on the thrift buildings. It means they believe a building is unsafe and will not be subject to considerations and decisions by the countys Historic Preservation Commission that can delay actions for weeks or months. Formally declaring the building as dangerous on Thursday was done through a separate enforcement ordinance and triggers the 60-day requirement for an abatement plan and action. Planning Director Dylan Pipinich told commissioners that would be necessary if they rejected the MOU. Regardless of the owner whether its Butte-Silver Bow, whether its the Rescue Mission, whether its a third party the building is dangerous and the danger status needs to be abated, he said. If we dont have a path forward as an agreement, then we have to follow the ordinances. County officials say its not cost effective to spend $150,000 in taxpayer money shoring up a shared wall so one caved-in building can be torn down while sparing two adjacent dangerous buildings that will cost more than $200,000 to make safe. But some commissioners, citing other demolitions, say taxpayer costs for tearing down the buildings alone could far exceed $200,000. Gallagher told commissioners Wednesday night that nobody in his administration wants to see historic buildings torn down, but the council has enacted ordinances on dangerous buildings that he must follow. The outcome might not be what some want, he said, But as the chief executive, I trust the leaders in my departments to enforce the ordinances that are on the books. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 9 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. Starting Sunday, NorthWestern Energy will collect $3.8 million from natural gas customers for energy assistance and conservation under terms unanimously approved by the Montana Public Service Commission this week. Commissioners on April 26 approved the rate in what gas customers are charged for universal systems benefits, like aid for low-income energy assistance, weatherization and energy efficiency projects. Commissioners noted that the increased charge is an interim rate, which NorthWestern is allowed to collect while the commission considers whether to make the increase permanent. Details of the order were released April 29. The increase in what customers are charged for USB programs was necessary, PSC staff explained, because the amount determined by the companys natural gas revenues from the previous year. Last year, NorthWesterns customers paid more for natural gas, which means the USB charge had to also increase because by law the charge is 1.12% of NorthWesterns annual natural gas revenue. The utility's natural gas revenues in Montana totaled $222.3 million in 2021. Commissioner Jim Brown suggested the commission approve the increase, but Tony ODonnell was skeptical. He said in the each of the last two years, NorthWestern took in more in USB charges than it spent. So, my understanding of an over collection is that money was collected, and they didn't spend $200,000 of it, ODonnell said. So, if they didn't spend $200,000 and $175,000 the year before, I didn't see any justification for why this amount. Spread over NorthWesterns 201,500 metered gas customers, the $3.8 million adjustment would cost an average residential customer, burning 100 therms a month, about 15 cents per month. Charges for the previous year totaled $3.4 million. 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. By Alex Pologruto | Apr 28, 2022 Murray State University has named Amy Krazl of St. Louis, Missouri and Nicholas Gaubatz of Fairview Heights, Illinois as the recipients of the spring 2022 Outstanding Senior recognition. MURRAY, Ky. Murray State University has named Amy Krazl of St. Louis, Missouri and Nicholas Gaubatz of Fairview Heights, Illinois as the recipients of the spring 2022 Outstanding Senior recognition. The students recognized with this honor are known for their academic excellence and professionalism. Krazl is the daughter of Carla and Steve Krazl. She is majoring in nursing and expected to graduate in May 2022. After graduation, she will be moving to Nashville, Tennessee to begin her career as a nurse in the ICU at Centennial Hospital. She also plans to pursue her doctorate degree in the coming years. Additionally, Krazl will be getting married next month after graduating from Murray State. Her accomplishments during her undergraduate career include being awarded the Presidential Fellowship; being selected as a nurse extern at the Mayo Clinic in summer 2021; receiving the Elizabeth Bird Small Award, the highest award one can receive as an individual member nationally in her sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha, in September 2021; being a member of the 2020 Murray State University Homecoming Court; being selected as a Top 15 individual in the 2021 Miss Murray State University Scholarship Pageant; and finally, perhaps her biggest accomplishment, was being named as one of the top 10 Student Leaders of 2022 at Murray State University by Dr. Don Robertson, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. Krazl is a member of the national sorority Alpha Sigma Alpha, Campus Ministry, Student Government, Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society, Order of Omega, greek honor society and the Honors College. She is also a student ambassador and is actively involved on campus. She has served as vice president of public relations & recruitment and vice president of alumnae & heritage in Alpha Sigma Alpha, served as vice president of administration for two terms in the Student Government Association, served on the executive team for Student Ambassadors and was selected to present undergraduate research at a Sigma Theta Tau conference. Murray State is a place where lives are changed for the better, of which mine is no exception, said Krazl. This University has molded me in ways that four years ago would have been unimaginable. I have been afforded knowledge, experiences, friends and mentors that will never be replaced. At the end of the day, Murray State isnt about the red brick buildings, the T-room food, or the pretty campus magnolia trees. Its about the dedicated, supportive, kindhearted individuals that are the life and breath of this University, allowing students like me to call this place home. Thank you Murray State, the finest place I know. Shoes up forever! Gaubatz is the son of Amy Gaubatz. Expected to graduate in May 2022, he is majoring in mathematics, minoring in computer science, a member of the Honors College and a Presidential Fellow. Gaubatz will be attending Auburn University next fall as a Presidential Graduate Research Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in mathematics. His ultimate goal is to become a mathematics professor. During his time at Murray State, Gaubatzs biggest accomplishments include publishing a mathematics paper titled Friends in Z_n in the International Journal of Mathematics and Computer Science, and participating in two Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Louisiana State University and Auburn University over the period of two summers. He has served as president of the Euclidean Mathematics Club and vice president of both the Honors Student Council and the Association for Women in Mathematics. Additionally, he has served as a Residential Advisor in JH Richmond Residential College for the 2021-2022 school year. Gaubatz has been recognized on the Deans List and has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his entire college career. Apart from his studies, he is a professional pianist and organist. Murray State has felt like home since my first campus visit as a high school senior, said Gaubatz. This community has truly cared about both me as an individual and as a young adult. This has inspired me to reach my full potential as an undergraduate and also give back to the same community by sharing the knowledge and experiences I have attained. I have only achieved so much because of the guidance and support of professors, staff, students and friends that I have met here. I am incredibly honored to be chosen as the Outstanding Senior Man of spring 2022. Murray State is truly the finest place I know. The spring 2022 Outstanding Seniors were recognized at the Senior Breakfast on Wednesday, April 27 at the CFSB Center. The spring 2022 commencement ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 14 at the CFSB Center. Please visit murraystate.edu/commencement for additional information. The decree, which calls for women to only show their eyes and recommends they wear the head-to-toe burqa, evoked similar restrictions on women during the Taliban's previous rule between 1996 and 2001. Amazon.com Inc. will let warehouse workers keep mobile phones with them on the job, abandoning plans to resume a ban temporarily lifted during the pandemic. We recognize the desire for employees to keep their mobile phones inside facilities and the last two years have demonstrated that we can safely do so, Amazon said in an email to employees reviewed by Bloomberg. Therefore, we are making the temporary phone policy permanent, worldwide, in all of our operations facilities. The Seattle-based company considered resuming the ban late last year, angering workers who said they needed phones to keep in touch with family members during the pandemic. A December tornado that killed six Amazon workers at an Illinois warehouse further reinforced employees desire to have their devices so they could access real-time information during emergencies. For years, Amazon prohibited employees from having their phones on warehouse floors and required them to leave them in their vehicles or in lockers near breakrooms. After temporarily relaxing the ban during the pandemic, the company announced last year that it planned to reimpose the prohibition. When workers complained, Amazon said it would allow phones until further notice. Its not uncommon for employers to discourage the use of personal devices during work hours. Mobile phones can pose a safety risk, especially in industrial operations, if workers are distracted. And some businesses fret that rogue employees could use camera-equipped smartphones to leak sensitive technology and information. But many workers in the digital age consider their devices a lifeline, especially in sudden emergencies. Amazons shift on banning phones comes as the company faces unprecedented labor unrest. Employees in one of Amazons Staten Island warehouses voted in favor of joining the upstart Amazon Labor Union earlier this month. A second vote is under way to decide whether 1,500 workers in a neighboring Staten Island facility want to be represented by the same union. Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, twice voted against joining the Retail, Wholesale Department Store Union, and the labor group is appealing the outcome of the most recent election. Now read: Ticketmaster launches in South Africa The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has launched a legal challenge to overturn the National Energy Regulator of South Africas (Nersas) decision to award power generation licences to Karpowership. The action comes after Nersa announced it had approved three generating licences for the Turkish power ship company in September 2021. Soon after, Outa said it found the decision inexplicable, stating there was a lack of transparency over why it granted the licences, despite allegations of corruption and a lack of environmental approvals. In a statement regarding its legal challenge, Outa claims that Nersa failed to act in the interests of South Africa when it granted the licences. It also alleges the regulator failed to provide adequate reasons for its decision and failed to consider that the Karpowership contracts would not resolve load-shedding. The decisions to award the licences to Karpowership for generation at Coega, Saldanha Bay and Richards Bay, respectively, were irrational, unreasonable, and taken without regard to relevant considerations or with regard to irrelevant circumstances, said Outa executive director advocate Stefanie Fick. It is submitted that Nersa has displayed a cavalier attitude towards statutory compliance and public concerns throughout its decision-making process to award generation licences to Karpowership. By doing so, it has failed to properly exercise its mandate in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act and fulfil its oversight functions of regulator without the necessary independent checks and balances to ensure that the interests of electricity suppliers are balanced with the interests of customers, the public and the South African economy, said Fick. Outa outlined 12 points that form the basis of its application, including a lack of public participation in the approval process, Karpowerships failure to meet specific regulatory and legal requirements, and a lack of transparency from Nersa over the financial implications of a potential contract. In a tweet thread explaining more about its legal action, Outa pointed out that power ships were not typically intended to be a long-term power supply solution but only for emergencies like in a war or after a natural disaster. If Karpowerships emergency contract kicks in, South Africa will be tied into a 20-year contract, costing us more than R218 billion over two decades. Then, they up and leave, Outa said. When Karpowership leaves South Africa after 20 years, they leave behind no infrastructure. Nersas independent consultant also said the ships would not provide significant job opportunities like local power plants, as the companys own staff and experts would run it. Contrary to Nersas assertion in its reasons for the decision to grant the Karpowership IPPs generation licences, renewable energy solutions provide more employment opportunities on a per kWh basis than will be provided by the Karpowership projects, they stated. There are faster and substantially cheaper generation project options available to eliminate load-shedding in the short-term, so the Karpowership projects are not needed. Outa added the power ships were not a simple plug and play option for South Africa, with lengthy licencing issues that need to be considered. It will take the ships at least a year to supply electricity to the South African grid, so the spin that this is something that can help us now is misleading, Outa stated. Electricity price surge Outa also warned that South Africas electricity price would surge if the contract went ahead. The Karpowership bid price in April 2020 was about R1.50 per kWh, and Nersa said this would be up to R2.80 per kWh from April 2022, but the independent consultant estimates the current price is close to R5 per kWh, roughly two to three times the cost of alternative generation methods, the organisation said. Outa said these prices could lead to windfall profits for Karpowership. The organisation said the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), under which Karpowership has been granted preferential bidder status, had been rendered moot by other projects. Outa believes that the normal public procurement processes for new generation capacity and private procurements by electricity customers themselves are now overtaking the RMIPPPP. Now read: Eskom wants corruption protection for Karpowership deal Long Meadow Ranch's annual Kentucky Derby party will support the St. Helena Cooperative Nursery School. Celebrate the 148th Run for the Roses at Farmstead from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. This event generates financial support for the nursery school as half of the betting pool goes to students. There will be prizes for "Best Dressed," "Best Hat" and more, so be sure to dress the part. An adult ticket is $75 and includes a lunch buffet and one mint julep. A child ticket (12 and under) is $35 and includes the buffet. The school thanks Long Meadow Ranch for its continuing support. Tickets are available at longmeadowranch.com/event/kentucky-derby-2022. When images of Russias unprovoked attack on Ukraine appeared on her television screen Jessel Miller felt horrified by the barbarity being inflicted on innocent people as well as strong identification with the victims. I am from Russian and Polish descent. My family had to flee the atrocities of the past," the Napa Valley artist said during an interview at her gallery. "Some of them narrowly escaped the wounds of war. We lost many family members in Poland in World War II. Most of my family died at the hands of Hitler. Putin is like Hitler. 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. Miller grew up in a tight-knit Jewish community in Northern Ontario, Canada, where her family had immigrated to find safety. Questions without solutions raced through her mind as she watched the news in late February and early March. Hadnt the world decided this would never happen again? How do you stop the bloodshed and inhumane, brutal, heartless treatment of a whole country? she asked. Though Miller felt powerless to prevent death and destruction in Ukraine, she knew she had to do something to help the people of that country. Watching a country being attacked and feeling helpless has overwhelmed my soul, she said. My only recourse is to paint and donate what I can to help the good against evil cause. Realizing that all she could do was pray the senseless war ends soon and paint, Miller went downstairs to her gallery, her place of refuge for 38 years, and began to paint. Miller is donating half of the proceeds from all of her paintings to World Central Kitchens to help the Ukrainian people. She continues painting sometimes into the wee hours of the morning and other artists have joined her cause. Every talented artist I approached about this fundraiser did not hesitate about giving a portion of their earnings to World Central Kitchens, Miller said. The result is the beautiful Floral & Fauna HeART Fundraiser for Ukraine show, currently at Jessel Gallery and running through the end of May. World Central Kitchen, founded by chef Jose Andres, created a new model for disaster relief helping devastated communities recover and establish resilient food systems by partnering with local restaurants and chefs to provide food systems during various crises. World Central Kitchen has been on the ground in and near Ukraine providing fresh food and hot meals since the first day of the war. These are the artists participating in the Flora & Fauna HeART Fundraiser for Ukraine: Therese Legere, B.J. Thrailkill, Erin Dertner, Debbie Dean, Olaf Schneider, Camille Przewodek, Alona Marozova, Mark Mattioli, Michelle Moore and Jessel Miller. A reception for the Floral & Fauna HeART Fundraiser for Ukraine is scheduled for Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artists demonstrations by Erin Dertner, Camille Przewodek, Debbie Dean and Michelle Moore will take place Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. throughout Jessel Gallery. Therese Legere will be giving art demonstrations from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday at Bougetz Cellars, next to Jessel Gallery. Bougetz Cellars is hosting the artwork of Therese Legere, Miller said. Bougetz Cellars did not hesitate (when asked) and is donating half of the proceeds from the sale of wine on April 30 to the Ukraine fundraiser. Millers painting of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, titled Taking the Bull by the Horns, is being auctioned on her website (jesselmiller.com). The starting bid is $20,000.00 for the 30-inch by 20-inch acrylic portrait of Zelensky in a hand-painted frame. This auction runs through May 31 but may be extended, Miller said. The final bid and the winner will be announced after June 1. As with her other paintings, half of the proceeds from this painting will be donated to World Central Kitchens. We are now experiencing what I feel is one of the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet in Ukraine, Miller said. Zelensky speaks for all of us when he said we are defending the right to live. Ukrainians are defending the ability of a person to live in the modern world. We are so fortunate to live in a country that believes in democracy, Miller said. Our daily freedoms are taken for granted at times and watching the situation in Ukraine wakens the souls senses to protect and support this country in any way we can. The Jessel Gallery is at 1019 Atlas Peak Road in Napa. For more information, visit the website, jesselgallery.com or call 707-257-2350 Azerbaijan ignores points added by Armenia on agenda of forthcoming talks Process of including Armenian church in UNESCO World Heritage List is discussed in Irans Isfahan Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD lying once again American Armenians stage demonstration outside Armenia consulate Newspaper: Notification to be sent to Armenia Patrol Guard Service head today Quake hits Georgia-Azerbaijan border zone, also felt in Armenia Biden signs Lend-Lease Act to defend democracy in Ukraine EU considers additional funds for eastern countries for a deal to ban Russian oil Armenia PM to visit Netherlands 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 The EU is considering setting a price ceiling and customs duties on Russian oil imports to stop the flow of vital revenues to the Kremlin, the Financial Times (FT) reports. These measures were proposed before the EU negotiations on additional sanctions against Russia. Setting a price cap and customs duties on Russian oil imports will allow the EU to undermine Moscow's finances while preventing economic chaos caused by a full embargo. According to Eurostat, Russia supplies about a quarter of EU oil. Italy supported the idea of setting an upper limit on the price of Russian oil, but other EU countries are not so interested. Germany, the EU's largest economy and a main importer of Russian energy, will suffer the most from measures to reduce Russian energy supplies. A senior German official told FT that setting a price cap would be a difficult process and a breach of contract, while another said the idea was "not taken seriously." Germany, which buys about 25 percent of its oil from Russia, has said it will suspend imports of Russian oil by the end of the year, and has asked for patience as pressure is put on for a full embargo as soon as possible. The third group of the Resistance Movement of Armenia started its march from Aparan city of Aragatsotn Province to the capital Yerevan. The march kicked off from the tomb of Armenian military commander and politician Drastamat Kanayan, who is better known as Dro. At the beginning of the march, Artur Khachatryan, an MP from the opposition "Armenia" Faction of the National Assembly, emphasized that they are not against peace, they are the supporters of peace, but they state that as long as Armenia is not a powerful country, it cannot live in peace in its region. "(..) we will be able to ensure Armenia's security, peace in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], on Armenia's borders, and harmony within Armenia. () forward, toward a free, independent, powerful, united Armenia!" Khachatryan added, in particular. To note, another group of the "Armenia" Bloc has headed to Yerevan from Ijevan city of Tavush Province on Monday, and another groupfrom Tigranashen (Kyarki) village of Ararat Province on Tuesday. And another group will start marching to Yerevan from the Sardarapat Memorial Thursday. The Azerbaijani authorities are holding an international conference on "Development of South Caucasus and Cooperation," in the Azerbaijani-occupied Armenian city of Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Conference participants have already arrived at the Fizuli international airport by plane, APA reported. The participants of the event landed at the airport on a plane named "Agdam." They got acquainted with the airport. Subsequently, the guests left for Shushi via "Victory Road." Hikmet Hajiyev, the assistant to the Azerbaijani president and head of the foreign policy department of the presidential administration, also will attend this international conference. The march of the fourth group of the Resistance Movement of Armenia to the capital Yerevan started Thursday in Armavir Provincefrom the Sardarapat Memorial. "Awareness marches from various places have already started in the past four days. All four places are symbolic. [These marches] started from Tavush [Province], which has been heroic (). The second place is also symbolic: Tigranashen [village], the Yeraskh hill. The authorities are talking about a mirror retreat [of troops] in Yeraskh, which will endanger the Armenian world. The third place is Bash Aparan, also symbolic. And the fourth, Sardarapat; the Sardarapat where the life-and-death fight of the Armenians took place 104 years ago. () We will be in Yerevan on May 1. Our comrades-in-arms moving in all routes will be in Yerevan for the decisive fight that will bring peace, security, and dignity to our country," Gegham Manukyan, an MP from the opposition "Armenia" Faction of the National Assembly, stated near the Sardarapat Memorial. "We will succeed, we are determined in our actions, and we will achieve results together," "Armenia" Faction lawmaker Aram Vardevanyan stated, in his turn, at the beginning of the march. At the start of the march, all participants sang the patriotic song "Sardarapat," then raised the national flag of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) at the Sardarapat Memorial. The Armenian Genocide official commemoration, which has been traditionally held for 20 years, was held in the Uruguayan parliament, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from Armenian National Committee - International. The event was attended by the President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou, Vice President Beatriz Argimon Cedeira, President Ope Pasquet of the Chamber of Representatives, numerous ministers, parliamentarians, diplomats, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Uruguay, heads of Armenian organizations, and several other others. Vice President Beatriz Argimon Cedeira of Uruguay and President Ope Pasquet of the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay delivered remarks on the occasion of the Armenian Genocide remembrance day. Pasquet, reflecting on the Turkish nationalist Gray Wolves sign made to Armenians by Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu a few days ago in Montevideo, strongly condemned it, stating: "We consider this gesture an insult not only to the Armenian community, but also to the people of Uruguay." In her turn, the Vice President of Uruguay reaffirmed her country's commitment to the fight for the Armenian Cause, and added that as historically accepted, Uruguay will always continue to commemorate this day to prevent future atrocitiesas the Armenian Genocide was. The embassy of Armenia Armenian in Greece organized an international symposium in Athensand dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Representatives of the Athens City Hall, ambassadors accredited to Greece, scholars, and members of the Armenian community attended this symposium, the embassy added.. Geoffrey Robertson, a well-known British human rights barrister, academic, author and broadcaster, delivered opening remarks. The keynote speaker of the event was Ara Sarafian, the founder and director of the Gomidas Institute in London. He delivered a lecture entitled "Turkey and the Armenian Genocide: Commission, Consolidation and Denial." Also, a documentary short film was shown, which was entitled Blue Book: Evidence of Armenian Genocide, which was shot in 2015 by the UK company Ballista Media in the context of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. If Armenia can be integrated with Azerbaijan and Turkey from the economic point of view, Azerbaijan will have great additional opportunities. Iulian Cifuthe Romanian prime ministers adviser who is attending the international forum called "South Caucasus: Development and Cooperation" being held in the Azerbaijani-occupied Armenian city of Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)told this to APA. He stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on the delimitation of the borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "I hope that steps in this direction may be taken on basis of 5-clause proposal, presented by President Ilham Aliyev. The second point is the delimitation of borders, which is a technical part. It is very important. Truly, you can do both of these. But there should first be an agreement. If you can realize an agreement, which confirms independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and respect principles of countries, I think, the delimitation, which is a technical part, can occur. These are very significant steps forward. But I would recommend that you first turn to the economic side of the issue. Because you can integrate Armenia with Azerbaijan and Turkey from an economic point of view, Azerbaijan will have great additional opportunities, Cifu said. By Adrian Dyer, Associate Professor, RMIT University Shutterstock What makes us want things we like? We know things that offer potential rewards, including food, sex, addictive drugs, and even certain artworks, can inspire desire in us but why? The French Enlightenment philosopher Denis Diderot pointed out a central conundrum: Desire is a product of the will but the converse is also true: will is a product of desire. Neuroscience has solved part of the mystery, by identifying a system that drives wanting in mammals involving specific brain regions. Desire may help an animal to survive, for example by wanting to experience pleasure from nutritious food. Now, as we discuss in a paper in Science, new research by Jingnan Huang at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and colleagues has found evidence of a similar wanting system in honeybees. A common currency for driving wanting What do we mean when we talk about liking and wanting things? Well, for neuroscientists, liking means the pleasurable feeling we get when we consume some reward. Wanting, on the other hand, means being motivated to reach the reward. We know a bit about what happens in our brains and those of other mammals such as rodents when we want a reward. It involves dopamine, a kind of chemical called a neurotransmitter that enables communication between neurons in our brains. To understand how the process works for non-mammals, Huang and colleagues looked at what happens in the brains of bees when presented with the prospect of a reward. As the German scientist Karl von Frisch showed in the 1920s, honeybees use a symbolic dance language to communicate the location of rewarding flowers to hive-mates. Other bees who observe this waggle dance are enticed to leave the hive and forage to collect nectar or other nutrition. Huang and colleagues measured dopamine levels in the brains of the dancing and observing bees. They discovered that dopamine surges for performers and watchers at the beginning of the waggle dance, dropping off by the time the dance concludes. Dopamine levels were higher when watching the dance than when the bees were actually feeding. These fluctuations show it is the expectation of wanting the sweet reward of nectar that chemically motivates the honeybees to forage. Read more: Long-lost letter from Albert Einstein discusses a link between physics and biology, 7 decades before evidence emerges A wanting system in a miniature brain In spite of having fewer than a million neurons in their brains, honey bees demonstrate complex behaviours and are cable of solving problems like detecting flower scents and colours. Other research shows bees can learn symbols to represent numerical quantities, or can learn to perform maths tasks like arithmetic. Huang and colleagues also showed that providing higher dopamine concentrations to some test bees increased their motivation and improved their capacity to learn flower signals like scent. How to motivate pollinators Honeybees and other bee species native to the different regions of the world are among the most important pollinators of many commercial and wild plant species. By carrying pollen from one flower to another of the same species, bees ensure cross pollination which often results in higher number of seeds and fruit size. Therefore bees are of important economic value by pollinating valuable crops such as almonds, citrus and various species of vegetables. Queen bees can modulate dopamine pathways of young bees to capture their attention and motivate them to complete specific tasks. A better understanding of the effects of dopamine on the wanting system of honeybees may open the door to a more efficient and sustainable use of honeybees for many tasks including agricultural and neuroscience. Read more: 150 years ago, Charles Darwin wrote about how expressions evolved pre-empting modern psychology by a century The new research on honeybees also supports an idea raised by the famed English naturalist Charles Darwin 150 years ago, in his book The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals. He proposed that liking and disliking things was so helpful to animals that it might form the basis for wanting mechanisms in humans and other animals. This idea, alongside the presence of a wanting system in honeybees suggests that a precursor of the mammalian wanting system may have developed very early in the evolutionary history of animals. It may also provide a biologically plausible explanation for why we want what we like. Adrian Dyer receives funding from The Australian Research Council. Jair Garcia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Originally published in The Conversation. Finland and Sweden will be able to join NATO quickly should they decide to ask for membership in the Western military alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, ABC News reported. "If they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed and I expect the process to go quickly," Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels, adding he planned to speak with the Finnish president later in the day. He expressed confidence that mechanisms could be found for an interim period between the two Nordic countries' application and formal ratification in the parliaments of all 30 NATO members. "I am confident that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way which is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden," Stoltenberg said. Public support for NATO membership in the two Scandinavian countries has been growing since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. A March poll by Finnish broadcaster YLE showed that, for the first time, more than 50 percent of Finns supported joining the Western military alliance. In neighboring Sweden, a similar poll showed that the number of supporters of joining NATO exceeded the number of opponents. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of top news as of 28.04.22: Azerbaijani pro-government news agencies have disseminated reports entitled "Easter Celebrated in Hadrut" and posted new photos from the Armenian Church of the Surb Harutyun (Holy Resurrection) in the city of Hadrut, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), war.karabakhrecords.info reported. Examination of these photographs clearly shows that its cross was removed from the church, and its Armenian inscription was erased. All this is a result of the policy planned by Azerbaijan, which is evidenced by the statements of its high-ranking officials. Before the Artsakh war in the fall of 2020, the Surb Harutyun was a functioning church, it did not suffer damages during the war, and its desecration was consistently carried out after the war. Armenia is lifting some COVID-19 requirements. The requirement to submit a negative PCR test result or a proof of coronavirus vaccination every seven days at work has been lifted in Armenia, Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan said at Thursdays Cabinet meeting of the Armenian government. She noted that the requirement to submit a rapid PCR test and a proof of coronavirus vaccination when entering Armenia by land or air also will be lifted as of Sunday. According to minister Avanesyan, the easing of these restrictions is due to the small number of COVID-19 cases that have been registered in Armenia during the last 14 days. "The cases of deaths from the coronavirus have also decreased in the last month," the health minister added, thanking the medical staff of Armenia for their work in this regard. Armenian opposition continues its resistance march from Armenian towns to Yerevan. The first two groups marched from Ijevan city of Tavush Province on Monday, and another groupfrom Tigranashen (Kyarki) village of Ararat Province on Tuesday. Today the third and fourth group started their marches from the Aparan city of Aragatsotn Province and from Armavir Provincefrom the Sardarapat Memorial. And another group will start marching to Yerevan from the Sardarapat Memorial Thursday. In the meantime, the opposition young people held an informational rally at a number of Yerevan higher educational institutions, raising a flag of Karabakh on Thursday. They also staged a protest action with colored smoke near Yerevan State Medical University chanting "Student, get up," "Karabakh," and "Nikol is a traitor". The protesters blocked Abovyan Street, after which the police began subjecting some of the activists to arrest and unblocked the road. The rest of the protesters said they were going to express their support for their companions. Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has called for accountability after touring devastated areas near Ukraines capital, Kyiv, where Russia has been accused of committing war crimes. The visit on Thursday, Guterres first to Ukraine since Russias military operation started in late February, comes two days after he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, where he stressed the need for so-called humanitarian corridors, particularly out of the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol. Western nations intervention in Ukraine will be met with a lightning-quick military response, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned. The bellicose threat from Putin came as Russia claimed on Wednesday to have carried out a missile strike in southern Ukraine that destroyed a large batch of Western-supplied weapons. Countries aiding Ukraine that get it into their heads to meddle in ongoing events from the side and create unacceptable strategic threats for Russia, they must know that our response to counterpunches will be lightning-quick, said the Russian leader. We have all the tools for this that no one else can boast of having, Putin told lawmakers in St Petersburg, implicitly referring to Moscows ballistic missiles and nuclear arsenal The procession initiated by the Republican Party of Armenia reached the Republic Square. It started from the monument to Avetik Isahakyan. Police officers tried to hinder the protesters by restricting their access to the Republic Square. Nevertheless, they managed to stop the citizens' advance towards the Government building. The protesters blocked the entrance to the square from Tigran Mets Avenue. Then, Tigran Abrahamyan, a deputy from the opposition "I Have Honor" bloc, addressed to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is seated in a nearby building. "Armenia's state administration and security systems have collapsed, the country's foreign policy has failed, and Karabakh is about to be surrendered to the enemy... Providing assistance to our own people is not a favor. Support of our compatriots living in different corners of our Motherland is the sacred duty of each of us", Abrahamyan said. According to the politician, those who see their future with Azerbaijan may move there today and build their future there. After that, the protesters sat down on Tigran Mets Avenue, thereby blocking the entrance to the Republic Square, and then continued their march. 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. Shortly thereafter, the couple was enrolled in a program with the City of Miami to rebuild the home. Cost overruns and delays following the Covid-19 Pandemic led to Rebuilding Together Miami-Dade and the University of Miami School of Architecture partnering together, where the two collaborated on a proposal using 3D printing technology to rebuild the house. The initiative began in September of 2021 and has continued to move through a research and design phase. The initiative aims to utilize digital fabrication, in particular, concrete 3D printing to rebuild the shell of the house and traditional construction to build the interior of the house. The team for this project consists of a range of students from the M. Arch, B. Arch, Construction Management, and Real Estate programs to think through the project on a wide range of issues. Students have met with the owners of the lot to discuss the aesthetics, culture, constructibility, and economics related to the project. At the same time, the students have been investigating the opportunities and limitations provided by using a large format 3d printer to print at full scale. The project aims to complete the design phase by April 1st and move into permitting and construction over the summer of 2022. With the designs nearing completion, a heightened focus on fundraising is needed to cover the construction costs for the project. To donate, please contact Rebuilding Together, Miami-Dade. The People: Born July 25th, 1953, Linda was raised in Coconut Grove by her single mom Bessie Thompson Haithman. A creative and compassionate outlook on life was instilled in her at an early age which shaped her into becoming a representative of her community. Linda attended and graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School in 1971. She then went on to start her career as a secretary for Pancoast Architects. Five years and several jobs later, she opened a business of secretarial/clerical services provided to the general public. She completed her working career with Macedonia Mission Baptist Church. After her mothers passing in 2006, Linda became committed to working to improve her community by being part of the Coconut Grove Village West Homeowners and Tenants association (HOATA). She is a part of several associations such as the Community Advisory Committee, Coconut Grove Negro Womens Club, the Historical Cemetery Association, and the Coconut Grove Village Council. Alfred Williams was born on April 7th, 1943, and raised by a single mom, Lucille Hannah. Alfred, along with his younger brother Edie Lee Peters lived in Attapulgus, Georgia. They eventually moved south to Miami, Florida, in 1951, where he graduated from George Washington Carver Senior Highschool. After graduation, following his curiosity, he attended the National School of Meat Cutting in Toledo, Ohio. Upon returning home, he attained various jobs throughout the years, such as the Griffin Roofing Company, the Maintenance Department at the University of Miami, and later retired from a Winn Dixie Store in 2005 after 31 years of service. Alfred and Linda met in 1971, and after a long courtship, they married in 1983 and had a son, Alfred Jr. Alfred, and Linda both enjoy many activities. Still, some of their favorites include sewing, cooking, and barbequing with friends and family. VIEW MORE Between working on her masters degree thesis and creating new technology for homes of the future, Olha Khymytsia keeps track of the almost-daily entries to a heartrending list: historic buildings and landmarks in her homeland of Ukraine that have been damaged or destroyed by Russian bombs and missiles. From churches in Donetsk to a library in Kharkiv to a monument in Kherson, nearly 250 structures of historical significance are on the list, compiled and placed on the internet by Ukrainian citizens who are documenting the destruction of their country. Khymytsia, a graduate assistant at the University of Miami School of Architecture, looks at the list at least once a day. She wants the world to know that along with the ever-growing humanitarian crisis caused by Russias invasion of Ukraine, her homelands architectural heritage is at risk of being erased, as its buildings, landmarks, and public squares continue to be reduced to rubble by Russian rockets. Architecture helps make us different. Its one of the most effective ways of representing a countrys culture, its history, said Khymytsia, who was born and raised in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Until now, we may have taken that for granted. But now, I believe were all realizing just how important architecture is and that it should be preserved. Olha Khymytsia Professor of architecture Jorge L. Hernandez echoed her sentiments. Architectural heritage is about memory and history, he explained. And those two things are and have always been embodied in places. Thats why we are so drawn to different sites. Ukraine is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, all of which Khymytsia has visited. And while none appears to have been damaged in the war, scores of other cultural sites have been harmed, according to the United Nations-run agency. Russian artillery, for example, damaged a menorah at the Drobytskyi Yar Holocaust memorial complex in eastern Ukraine about a month after the war started, according to Ukraines ministry of defense. And in the early stages of the conflict, invading forces reportedly burned the Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum to the ground, destroying the 25 paintings by Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko. The attacks, if deliberate, would be violations to the provisions of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, to which Russia, ironically, is a signatory. Its the eradication of our culture, our history, Khymytsia said of the attacks. But she remains optimistic, hoping for the wars end and a Ukrainian victory. Only time will tell, she said. When armed conflict does cease, the 24-year-old Khymytsia, who as a little girl would watch an American-made home makeover show on Ukrainian television, wants to return to her homeland and use her architectural skills to help rebuild it. She believes there is an opportunity to not only replace what has been destroyed but also to improve upon it. Well have the chance to modernize the country in certain areas. To help in its rebuilding, Ukraine will have several examples to follow of countries that reinvented themselves after the ravages of war reduced their infrastructure to rubble. Theres Poland, Ukraines western neighbor, with its wonderful capital city of Warsaw, said Hernandez, an authority on architectural history who helped restore a dozen churches in Cuba. Warsaw is a fantastic example. It was reborn after essentially being reduced to rubble by Nazi Germany. It was the will of the people to recreate the urban landscape and skyline of Warsaw. And there are other case studies, many of them quite well known. As for now, Khymytsia continues to keep abreast of the latest developments in the war by watching television coverage and reading newspaper articles. Her mother and father still live in Lviv, which until recently had been largely unaffected by the war. That changed on April 18, when the city reported its first wartime deaths after Russian missiles hit a military warehouse and a commercial service station two milesfrom Khymytsias home. Among the dead: an acquaintance of one of her best friends. But out of the ashes and crumbled concrete, Khymytsia declared, Ukraine will rise again. Last Sunday, French voters elected Emmanuel Macron to a second term as president of France. He was reelected by about 59 percent of the vote, compared to 41 percent for Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally party. Although plagued with low approval ratings and low voter turnout, it was a clear victory for Macron, who has been criticized as being arrogant and favoring the rich. In his victory speech, Macron expressed a quiet determination to break with past habits, confront the anger and disagreements in the land, and to reach out to the many people who had only voted for him to keep out Le Pen, The New York Times reported. Critics have noted that even in defeat, Le Pens run can signal a resurgence of far-right ideology in France. Le Pen ran on an anti-immigration campaign favoring the values of the working class. She had also shown praise for Russian president Vladimir Putin and suggested that France should leave the European Union. Even though she lost, Le Pen improved her score from the 2017 presidential race, in which she also ran against Macron, by 8 pointsgarnering slightly more than 41 percent of the votes, political analysts noted. Joaquin Roy, professor of international studies and director of the European Center for Excellence at the University of Miami, addresses queries about the election and the incumbent. What does this election mean for France? It shows that France continues to be a leader in the European Uniona body that holds a cohesive Europe that has contributed to the peace of the continent. The absolute majority of the European Union member states governments did vote for Emmanuel Macron, since they support his presidency. By contrast, LePen campaigned for a looser link to the European Union. Although Marine Le Pen lost, she does have a strong following. What is her appeal? She is attractive to a segment of the traditional extreme right, but she is also followed by the unemployed not covered by the traditional French welfare state and by many who oppose the proposed states decision to change the age of retirement. Is this part of a trend that we are seeing in which electorates are moving to the extreme right? In part, yes, but different than in other countries such as Hungary and Poland, which have established far right agendas and coalitions. Those countries are following models of government that have few checks and balances and suppress free expression. Le Pen is supported by a growing sector of the French population that rejects immigration and yearns for traditional values. What are some of the hot button issues that are affecting the French people right now? There is a sort of rejection of the old-fashioned role of the state as a builder of the nation. Since the French Revolution, France is seen as the state, or government in which its representatives are the rulers and policy makers. Most French citizens had extreme confidence on the efficiency of the state. Now that efficiency has been eroding. The French people are basically conservative socialists. They want to conserve what the social democracy has rendered. Emmanuel Macron is perceived as being arrogant and not in touch with part of the populace. Do you feel he will amend his way of governing to increase his appeal? That perception is only prevalent in sectors that never understood the central role of the presidency, a position with a certain prestige and authority that former president Charles de Gaulle considered to be crucial. Since the foundation of the EU, the role of first-class Frenchmen has been central. Macron fits the role, as did de Gaulle, Jacques Delors, and Francois Mitterrand. Le Pen is not at that level and the EU that she proposes is destructive to its values and institutions. A large sector of the French citizenship still supports the traditional grandeur of the official French system. By grandeur, I mean that many French believe the mystique of France as a former empire, that it is prestigious among all of Europe and all the people as French citizens are descendants from this great tradition and if not superior to others, at least have a certain privilege. Macron will have to find ways to render the citizens who did not vote for him the global benefits of a system based in the reduction of unemployment, good public education, and retirement support. Speaking at a youth summit in Brussels, Stoltenberg said, "We need to be prepared for the long term," BBC reported. He added that "there is absolutely the possibility that this war will drag on and last for months and years", the report said. NATO countries -- alongside nations that are not part of the alliance -- met in Ramstein, Germany, earlier this week to discuss how they can support Ukraine's defence and security. The Nato chief said Ukraine's allies are preparing to provide it with NATO-standard weapons. Several countries have been sending military assistance and financial aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion on February 24. The Kremlin has warned the West that sending heavy weapons to Ukraine threatens security on the European continent, BBC reported. Russia's Foreign Ministry singled out the UK for criticism, saying it was encouraging Ukraine to attack Russia within the Russian territory. "Further provocation prompting Ukraine to strike against Russian facilities will be met with a harsh response from Russia," a spokesperson said. Russia would not allow Western officials visiting Ukraine to deter it from launching retaliatory strikes on nearby Ukrainian targets, the spokesperson warned, adding: "Advisers from Western countries staying in Ukraine's decision-making centres will not necessarily be a problem for Russia's response measures." --IANS san/arm ( 253 Words) 2022-04-28-20:40:09 (IANS) In a major setback to the Tamil Nadu government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, the Madras High Court has set aside the take over of the Ayodhya Mandapam. The first bench of the High Court comprising of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharath Chakravarthy on Wednesday set aside the takeover of the Ayodhya Mandapam. The takeover of the Ayodhya Mandapam was challenged in court by the Shri Ram Samaj and the court after hearing the arguments from both sides directed the state government to hand the control back to the Shri Ram Samaj. The court said that the HR&CE order was passed without following the procedures of natural justice and that no further opportunity for hearing was given to the Shri Ram Samaj. The bench said that the HR&CE department had passed the orders merely stating that the Samaj was a public temple as per Section 6 (20) of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act as it fulfilled the conditions stated in the Act. The court said that the HR&CE department failed to look into the objectives of the Samaj and other activities carried out by the Samaj. The court directed the HR&CE department to conduct a fresh inquiry and proceed in the matter afresh after following the procedures of law. The court passed the orders on an appeal filed by the Shri Ram Samaj against the order of a single judge dismissing the writ petition filed in 2014 against the take over of the Ayodhya Mandapam by the HR&CE department and appointing a 'fit person' to take over the administration of the Samaj. The court also directed the Shri Ram Samaj to maintain a proper book of accounts and to carry out all transactions through the banks so that all the transactions are accounted for. The DMK government had tried to take over the Ayodhya Mandapam and it had led to a major political row in the past few months. There was a major ruckus in front of the Ayodhya Mandapam at West Mambalam in April this year when the HR&CE took over the premises amid heavy police deployment. Chief Minister Stalin had while speaking in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on April 12 told the BJP that if it was trying to politicize the Ayodhya Mandapam into a temple issue, it would not succeed. --IANS aal/bg ( 413 Words) 2022-04-27-20:38:05 (IANS) The Patna High Court on Wednesday, directed Sahara India chief Subrata Roy to physically appear before court on May 11. Justice Sandeep Kumar, while hearing the cases related to investment in Sahara India, said that there were no further excuses for Subrata Roy, who should appear before the court on designated date otherwise the court will take strong decision against him. The high court had asked lawyer for Sahara India, Umesh Prasad Singh to submit a full report about how Sahara India will return the money of investors of Bihar. During the hearing on Wednesday, the lawyer had given some alternate methods to return the amount of investors but Justice Sandeep Kumar was not interested and told the lawyer that the court will not tolerate further excuses of Subrata Roy to appear personally and clarify how the money of investors would be returned. At present, more than 2,000 cases pertaining to alleged fraud by Sahara India are before the high court, while the actual numbers of duped persons are in lakhs, and many of them have already died. Recently, Madhya Pradesh Police reached Lucknow with a non-bailable warrant to arrest Subrata Roy but failed as he was not present there. At present, police and intelligence agencies do not know his exact location. --IANS ajk/vd ( 230 Words) 2022-04-27-20:42:04 (IANS) The BJP has started the ground work to ensure massive victory of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in by-polls from Champawat assembly. As per the rules, Dhami, not a member of Uttarakhand assembly, needs to be sworn in as an elected MLA within six months of taking over as the Chief Minister. Kailash Gahatodi, who vacated Champawat assembly seat for Chief Minister Dhami, has been made convener for by-polls in Champawat. Sources said that on Sunday, BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh discussed the by-polls of Champawat assembly constituency. "Santhosh ji asked all those present in the meeting to ensure the huge victory of chief minister Dhami from Champawat," a Uttarakhand BJP leader said. The BJP has already deployed senior leaders to oversee the poll preparation of chief minister Dhami from Champawat. BJP national vice president and state co-incharge Rekha Verma is leading the team of BJP leaders including minister in state government. Uttarakhand minister Chandan Ram Das has made minister in-charge for the Champawat. State unit vice president Kailash Sharma has been made election in-charge and national general secretary of BJP women wing, Deepti Rawat has been made election co-incharge. Sources said that all the leaders given responsibility have been asked to start working on the ground at the earliest. "All these leaders will complete the poll preparation for chief minister Dhami even before the announcement of the by-poll date by the Election Commission. We are expecting that by-poll will be held in July-August as the chief minister has to become MLA by the third week of September," a Uttarakhand BJP insider said. The BJP has created history by becoming the only party to retain power for a second consecutive term in the state since its formation. The BJP has won the second term in Uttarakhand by winning 47 seats out of 70 but the incumbent chief minister Dhami lost the poll from Khatima. Speculation had started over Dhami's future after defeat, but the BJP leadership has given him the responsibility to run a government for a full term. On July 4, last year Dhami, MLA from Khatima, was sworn in as chief minister of Uttarakhand replacing Tirath Singh Rawat. --IANS ssb/pgh ( 380 Words) 2022-04-27-20:44:01 (IANS) In an unexpected twist, the mafia angle has emerged in the ongoing ruckus between Independent MP-MLA couple, Navneet Kaur Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Late on Tuesday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had dropped a Twitter bomb claiming that the Amravati (SC seat) MP, Navneet Rana, had allegedly taken a loan of Rs 80 lakh from Yusuf Lakdawala, alleged to be linked to the absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and nabbed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a Rs 200 crore money-laundering case a couple of years back. When questioned, Minister of State for Home, Shambhuraj Desai, said that the police would ascertain the matter and in case a complaint is registered, they would investigate further and do the needful. A film financier, realtor and businessman, Lakdawala died while in custody at the Arthur Road Central Jail in September 2021. Raking up the issue, Raut also posted a purported extract of Navneet Rana's 2019 election affidavit which mentions the loan amount due to (the late) Lakdawala. "Why has the ED not yet investigated this? This is just one matter that has come to light, there may be other such irregularities that will be exposed in the probe," Raut said. He also wondered whether there could be an "underworld link" to the ongoing political row over reciting 'Hanuman Chalisa', as it (a link) was found during the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. Terming it as an issue of national security, Raut slammed the BJP for "trying to shield" Navneet Rana, who was arrested on April 23 and is currently in custody along with her husband after they threatened to go and chant Hanuman Chalisa outside the private residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra. Though they later abandoned the plan ostensibly in view of the Prime Minister's visit to Mumbai on Sunday (April 24), they were arrested under various charges, including sedition, and are currently in judicial custody for 14 days. On Wednesday, Raut tweeted asking if Lakdawala's illegal money is now in Rana's account, will the ED summon and serve tea to her, why the D-Gang is being saved and why the BJP is keeping quiet. Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal demanded that the Mumbai Police and ED should take immediate cognisance of the allegations against Navneet Rana. "The ED took action against state minister Nawab Malik for transacting land worth Rs 5 lakh. Now MP Sanjay Raut has posted documents that Navneet Rana had taken Rs 80 lakh from Lakdawala, why should it not be investigated," Bhujbal asked. It must be probed why the film actress-turned-MP took the money, through whom she approached Lakdawala and what was done with the loan amount, he said. Sena MoS Kishore Tiwari also joined the debate saying that Badnera MLA Ravi Rana is the nephew of Yoga guru Ramdev. "He has now invested crores of black money of his uncle Ramdev to buy lands and has become a land-mafia. This came out in his wife Navneet Rana's poll affidavit," said Tiwari, demanding a probe by ED and CBI. BJP state President Chandrakant Patil distanced himself from the issue saying though Raut is trying to link his party (BJP) with Navneet Rana, they had no connections as she was elected as an Independent MP. --IANS qn/arm ( 573 Words) 2022-04-27-20:48:02 (IANS) After news surfaced that Kerala Chief Secretary V.P. Joy left for Gujarat on Wednesday to study the 'dashboard system' of e-governance being implemented there, the Congress took pot shots at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asking when is he leaving for Delhi to study about the governance model of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Incidentally, all hell broke loose when in 2013, the then state Labour Minister Shibhu Baby John of the RSP, an ally of the then Congress-led UDF government led by Oommen Chandy, had visited Gujarat when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister. John had visited the state to study certain things happening there, with top Left leaders like Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan slamming him and demanding his resignation. On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan wanted to know when is Vijayan flying to Delhi to learn about the governance model of Modi. "It's now become a habit of Vijayan to take an anti-BJP stand during the day, and join hands with Sangh parivaar forces when dusks falls. In the recently-concluded 23rd CPI-M Congress, they took a stand to finish the Congress to favour the BJP. "It has come to light that there are middlemen in the new-found relation between the CPI-M and the Sangh parivaar forces. What has happened now is the latest example of a new-found relationship between the Kerala government and the Gujarat government, which clearly shows that the CPI-M and the BJP are hand-in-glove," said Satheesan. According to sources, the visit of Joy to Gujarat is based on a meeting that Modi had with Vijayan recently in Delhi, where the former asked the latter to send a delegation to study the 'dashboard system' of e-governance being implemented in the Prime Minister's home state. --IANS sg/arm ( 305 Words) 2022-04-27-20:54:02 (IANS) The Rajasthan government on Wednesday announced a financial assistance of over Rs 1.41 crore for the individuals affected during the violence in Karauli which was reported on April 2 on the occasion of Hindu New Year. On April 2, violence had erupted in Karauli between two groups when a section pelted stones on a rally being taken out on the occasion of Hindu New Year. Thereafter, many shops and vehicles were set ablaze. Mukesh Pareek, Deputy Secretary, Home Department, said that administration approval has been given for financial assistance of Rs 18.25 lakh to a total of 45 victims who were injured in the incident in Karauli city on April 2. "At the same time, administrative sanction of Rs 1 crore 23 thousand 55 hundred has been given to 69 victims in relation to the amount of damage to property and goods during the incident, and action has been initiated by the administration for early payment in this regard," he said. District Collector Ankit Kumar Singh said that financial assistance has been sanctioned in case of damage to properties and goods due to arson in the incident that occurred during the Shobhayatra (Bike Rally) organised on Nav Samvatsar in Karauli city. A total financial assistance of Rs 1 crore 41 lakh 80 thousand has been sanctioned to the riot victims, he added. --IANS arc/pgh ( 236 Words) 2022-04-27-20:56:03 (IANS) Two men, including one person who went to rescue the other, died inside a sewer pit in the national capital on Wednesday, an official said. The deceased have been identified as Chittaranjan (26) and Abdul Salam (18) According to the official, the incident took place in the city's Bawana area when Abdul Salam, a rag picker, had removed the cover of the sewer on Ganga Toli Road near Balaji Chowk in Bawana and entered inside to collect waste plastic. "As he did not come out after some time, his younger brother Sahil (12) raised an alarm and sought people's help," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Brijender Kumar Yadav said. A passing driver Chitranjan Choudhary went to rescue the man inside the pit. Unfortunately, after sometime the second man also became unresponsive. The Delhi Fire Service and the police received information about the incident and rushed to the spot. Both the persons were taken out from the pit and shifted to MV hospital where the doctors declared them brought dead. Proceedings under the relevant section of the Code of Criminal Procedure have been initiated, the official said. --IANS uj/bg ( 197 Words) 2022-04-27-20:56:04 (IANS) Kerala Police on Wednesday registered another case against Malayalam actor-cum-producer Vijay Babu, who has been booked with charges of sexual assault, for revealing the identity of the complainant. Earlier Police registered a rape case against Vijay Babu on a complaint of a woman actor. Meanwhile, Vijay Babu on Wednesday denied the charges of sexual allegations against him and said he will file a defamation case against the complainant. Taking to Facebook Live, the Malayalam actor denied the allegations and made it clear that he will file a defamation case against the woman who filed the case against him. "I am not afraid as I am sure, I did not do anything wrong. I am the victim here. I know a woman had been making allegations against me since 2018. I have not had a single chat with her since then until 2021. In December, she started texting me. I have 400 screenshots of messages sent by her. I will say all this in court," Babu said. "I have the answer to everything, whether it was rape or consensual. I will file a countercase against it. In addition, a defamation suit will be filed. Let this be a fresh start for me too. Let us see. Let us fight," he added further. Earlier on Tuesday, Kerala Police registered a case against Vijay Babu for an alleged sexual assault. Ernakulam South Police has registered the case on a woman's complaint.According to the police, the complaint was received on April 22. The complainant alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Vijay Babu in a flat in Kochi. The offence was repeated by the accused more than once, she alleged. The complaint said Babu committed the offence on the pretext of offering the victim roles in movies. The complainant is a native of Kozhikode district. (ANI) Virtually sounding the bugle for COP27 later this year, India on Wednesday noted that some countries declined to enhance NDCs after the COP26 and termed it a serious thing about the future of the COPs. COP26 was held at the UK's Glasgow in 2021 while the COP27 is to be held later this year at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. The COP, i.e. the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) is where countries meet annually to negotiate climate actions and climate finance. "India is among the few countries among the G20 that has fulfilled its NDCs, has achieved its targets. But even the mitigation measures and Net Zero promises and NDCs made by the developed countries... We know that after COP, some countries said there is no need to enhance the NDCs. This is a serious thing about the future of the COP," Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at the Raisina Dialogues 2022 here. NDCs, the nationally determined contributions, are the climate actions that each country has promised to take as part of the collective efforts to restrict carbon emissions in order to keep the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial era. Yadav was referring to the promises made by rich countries as part of the COP negotiations and how their actions have not been up to the mark. Earlier he had pointed out: "It was the pledge of the developed countries at Copenhagen that they would provide $100 billion to the developing countries. But they are not able to fulfill their own promise. Also, for the world to come together in fighting climate change, technology transfer is necessary. But even that is not coming through in a way expected." "It requires $1 trillion in this age, $100 billion dollars is not sufficient," he said. Yadav also said, it was the demand of the developing countries to define what exactly comprises climate finance and the developed world ultimately agreed to form a committee to work on the exact meaning of climate finance - loan, subsidy, private finance, which one? "Second is about the major demand of developing countries is adaptation. We know adaptation money is only 25 per cent (of the total finance) and developing countries need more money for adaptation," he said. "India is part of the solution and not part of the problem (of climate change)," he said and reminded the audience of the five major announcements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 last year regarding reaching the Net Zero by 2070. He also listed out India's achievements since the Paris Agreement of 2015. "Resolute domestic mitigation actions are underway already," he said. In reply to a question from amongst the audience, Yadav asserted India's right to development and reiterated its position on phasing down coal rather than phasing it out. --IANS niv/vd ( 493 Words) 2022-04-27-22:40:02 (IANS) RJD chief Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, who is embroiled in controversy over allegedly thrashing a party youth leader, on Wednesday levelled sensational allegations against former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Referring to a video he uploaded on social media, Tej Pratap Yadav, claiming to have exposed a journalist of a Youtube channel who came to his residence for his interview, accused Manjhi of trying to malign him and his family. As per the video, as soon as the journalist entered the premises, Tej Pratap Yadav, along with his camera team, was waiting for him and asked the journalist to keep his mike and mobile phone out of the house for the interview. Following the instructions, the journalist named Ved Prakash went outside the premises, entered his car and sped away. Tej Pratap claimed that he had exposed Ved Prakash as he fled from his house without taking his interview. "I have followed the car of Ved Prakash. It was parked outside the official residence of Jitan Ram Manjhi. He is the person conspiring against me to malign my political and social image and also conspiring against the Lalu Prasad family," he claimed. "I always respect every journalist who comes to my house or we meet anywhere else but some journalists are playing in the hands of leaders like Jitan Ram Manjhi. The conspiracy is taking place from the house of Jitan Ram Manjhi," he added. Reacting to the allegations, Danish Rizwan, the national General Secretary of Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, said: "As per the video uploaded by Tej Pratap Yadav, he is clearly telling the journalist Ved Prakash Yadav to put the gun mike and mobile phone outside to take his interview. How could a journalist take an interview without a gun mike and mobile phone. The intention of Tej Pratap Yadav was probably realised by Ved Prakash. He has an apprehension of where he would be beaten by Tej Pratap inside his official Bungalow. Hence, he fled from there." "I admit that Ved Prakash, after the incident, came to the residence of Jitan Ram Manjhi. He is a leader of Dalit community. Any person comes to his residence, he used to protect them and also try to bring justices for him as per his capacity," Rizwan added. "The allegation of Tej Pratap Yadav is completely baseless. Tej Pratap does political stunts every day. People of Bihar know it. Recently, a youth leader of RJD had levelled serious allegations on him for beating him inside Rabri Devi's residence. Everyone knew his difference with Tejashwi Yadav, Jagadanand Singh and other leaders of RJD. He has left his wife. Is Jitan Ram Manjhi behind all these incidents?" he asked. --IANS ajk/vd ( 467 Words) 2022-04-27-22:54:02 (IANS) The lawyers of Independent Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, who is now under five-day police custody in Assams Barpeta district, said on Wednesday that they would move the sessions court on Thursday seeking bail for the Dalit activist. Mevani's advocate Angshuman Bora said that he, accompanied by other lawyers, would move the district sessions court on Thursday with a bail plea. Meanwhile, Congress leaders on Wednesday announced to stage a sit-in against the arrest of Mevani, who had earlier pledged outside support to the party, in all 34 districts of the state on Thursday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Assam to kick-start a slew of projects. On Tuesday, Mevani was sent to five-day police custody after his bail petition was rejected by Barpeta's Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM). Earlier, soon after the CJM's court in Kokrajhar district granted him bail on Monday, six days after he was arrested by Assam police from his home state in Gujarat in connection with an "objectionable" tweet against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was re-arrested by the Assam police on different charges, including "outraging the modesty of a lady police officer". The Gujarat legislator was arrested following a complaint filed by an Assam BJP leader seeking action against him under the IT Act. --IANS sc/arm ( 227 Words) 2022-04-27-22:56:05 (IANS) Police said a group of two to three terrorists are holed up at Mitrigam area of Pulwama and the priority is to prevent collateral damage and to evacuate the civilians. "2-3 terrorists including foreign terrorist of JeM terror outfit trapped inside cordon.A Ops was halted for evacuation of civilians. One soldier injured. Precautions being taken to avoid collateral damage. Trapped terrorists will be neutralised at the earliest," Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a tweet, quoting Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar. The firefight broke out as a joint team of security forces, which cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists, came under heavy fire as they zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding. --IANS zi/vd ( 166 Words) 2022-04-27-22:56:06 (IANS) The minister, while responding in the Assembly, said that the state Revenue Secretary, Kumar Jayant, will be in the one-man committee constituted by the government to investigate the Kalimedu tragedy. Earlier, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had moved a resolution in the House expressing condolence over the death of 11 persons at Kalimedu in Thanjavur district after the top of a temple chariot touched high tension wires. The House also observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls. The Chief Minister said that to coordinate relief and rescue operations, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has been deputed to Kalimedu. Opposition leader E.K. Palaniswami said that the authorities had not taken any precautionary measures, adding that the tragedy could have been averted had proper measures been taken. He also said that even after the recent stampede during the Madurai Chithirai festival, in which two people had died, no measures were taken to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. --IANS aal/arm ( 217 Words) 2022-04-27-23:08:03 (IANS) In wake of rising cases of COVID, the Goa government on Wednesday advised citizens to continue wearing masks and follow COVID appropriate behaviour. "Government desires that in view of the emerging COVID situation across the country, all the citizens be advised to continue wearing masks at all public places and also to continue observing all COVID appropriate behaviour as an important preventive measure," read the advisory of the state Public Health Department. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are currently 27 active COVID cases in Goa. So far 3,832 people have died due to the disease in Goa. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of all states via video conferencing to review the COVID-19 situation amid the surge in the COVID cases in the country. Prime Minister stressed on the implementation of 'test, track and treat' with the same efficacy as it was done during the earlier COVID waves in the country. PM Modi emphasized on cent per cent testing of serious influenza cases and genome sequencing of the positive cases, COVIDappropriate behaviour in the public places and avoiding panic. He also emphasized the continued upgradation of health infrastructure and medical manpower. Talking about the increase in the COVID cases in the country in recent days, PM Modi cautioned the states to stay alert on the matter. "This is clear that the COVID challenge is not fully over. Omicron and its subvariants can create problems as evident in the case of many countries of Europe. The subvariants are causing many surges in many countries. India has been able to deal with the situation better than many countries. Still, in the last two weeks, increasing cases in some of the states show that we need to stay alert," PM Modi said. Meanwhile, India recorded 2,483 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The active caseload is 15,636, while the positivity rate is 0.55 per cent, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare bulletin. (ANI) According to Anjuman Auqaf, government officials and police officers visited Jamia Masjid premises on Wednesday to convey to Auqaf members that the Administration has disallowed the congregational prayers on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. "The Authorities also decided that no prayers or shab be allowed on Shab-e-Qadr at the Jamia Masjid. Anjuman strongly denounces this decision of the authorities," Anjuman Auqaf, Jamia Masjid said. Sources said the decision to not allow the congregational prayers was made in view of the law and order situation as in 2017, Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammed Ayub Pandith was lynched during the festival outside Jamia Masjid. Sources also said that whenever there is a big congregation at Jamia Masjid, provocative slogans were raised. Notably, On April 8, anti-national and provocative sloganeering was made after Friday prayers inside Jamia Masjid in Srinagar. This created a situation of ruckus inside the mosque leading to clashes between people. Following the incident, 13 people were arrested by Srinagar Police. (ANI) After a gap of six years, a conference of Chief Justices of high courts, followed by a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices would be organised in the national capital on April 29 and 30 respectively. Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana will chair the 39th conference of Chief Justices of high courts - scheduled on April 29 on the Supreme Court premises - with an aim to address and resolve the issues concerning judiciary. "The conference shall review the progress made on the resolutions passed in the previous Chief Justices' conference 2016 and also to consider further steps that need to be taken to improve the justice delivery system in the country," said an official statement. "Besides the evaluation progress made vis-a-vis resolutions of Chief Justices' Conference 2016, following major issues are to be deliberated upon in the Chief Justices' Conference 2022: strengthening of the network and connectivity of all courts complexes pan India on priority basis; human resources/personnel policy; infrastructure and capacity building; institutional and legal reforms; appointment of high court judges," added the statement. This conference will be followed by a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices at Vigyan Bhawan on April 30. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event. "Supreme Court of India has been organising the conference of Chief Justices of high courts with the object to deliberate on issues related to the judiciary. The first Chief Justices' conference was held in November, 1953 and till date 38 such conferences have been organised. The last conference was held in 2016," added the statement. --IANS ss/vd A ( 280 Words) 2022-04-28-19:16:02 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Andhra Pradesh government for failing to file a reply on a plea alleging diversion of hundreds of crores of Covid ex-gratia funds to a personal deposit account. Counsel for the Andhra Pradesh government submitted before a bench headed by Justice M.R. Shah that the affidavit could not be filed as the father of the Finance Secretary was hospitalised. At this, the bench, also comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna, said: "The government is run by the Finance Secretary?..... We want the Chief Secretary's affidavit." The counsel submitted that it was necessary that the affidavit should be filed after the Finance Secretary's approval, and that he has been instructed to submit that no amount was diverted from Covid disaster management funds, and the funds transferred were meant for drought relief, sanctioned in 2018. The top court emphasised that it is serious, if funds were used for other purposes. After a hearing in the matter, the bench said it was giving the last chance to the Chief Secretary to explain the issue and scheduled the matter for further hearing on May 13. On April 13, the Supreme Court restrained the state government from transferring funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to personal deposit account, saying it is a very serious issue. The plea filed by Palla Srinivasa Rao, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, said when the top court is actively and continuously monitoring the implementation of its October 2021 order, dealing with the issue of disbursing ex-gratia assistance of Rs 50,000 to next of kin of those who died due to Covid-19, the diversion of funds by the AP government from the SDRF to personal deposit account is not only against the law of the land but is also contemptuous in nature. Advocate Gaurav Bansal, representing Rao, had submitted that AP government diverting funds from SDRF to personal deposit account, is not permissible under the Disaster Management Act. The plea cited a letter issued on March 12, by the Union Minister of State for Finance, which crystal clearly says that Andhra Pradesh government received an amount of Rs 324.15 crore as the central share of State Disaster Response Fund and an amount of Rs 570.91 crore under National Disaster Response Fund from the Centre. The letter also mentioned that Andhra Pradesh has transferred the funds from state Disaster Response Fund to Personal Deposit Account without spending on immediate relief, the plea said, contending that as the statute prohibits utilisation of funds deposited under National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund, the Andhra Pradesh government has no authority to divert the said fund to any other use. The plea also sought a direction to the Andhra Pradesh government to submit the details of funds which they have utilised under State Disaster Response Fund during the Covid pandemic. --IANS ss/vd ( 493 Words) 2022-04-28-20:16:01 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy, who is officially still a BJP legislator from West Bengal, informed the office of Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee that he is still associated with the BJP and has not joined the Trinamool Congress. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Roy got elected as a legislator from Krishnagar (North) in Nadia district on a BJP ticket. However, on June 11, 2021, he went to the Trinamool Congress headquarters and rejoined the ruling party in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the party's national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The event was widely covered and aired by the media. Soon after that, the Speaker elected him as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the state Assembly, a chair which by tradition is always offered to an opposition legislator. The BJP objected to this and demanded that Roy should be disqualified as an MLA. A hearing on this was scheduled in the office of the Speaker on Thursday, wherein Roy's counsel claimed that his client visited the Trinamool office on June 11, 2021 out of courtesy, and he continues to be with the BJP. Earlier on January 19, the Speaker had dismissed Roy's disqualification as a member of West Bengal Assembly. The BJP had approached the Calcutta High Court against this decision of the Speaker which earlier this month set aside the Speaker's decision to dismiss Roy's disqualification. At the end of the day, the Speaker said that there will be no more hearing in this matter. Another order from the Speaker is expected in the second week of May. --IANS src/arm ( 280 Words) 2022-04-28-20:48:04 (IANS) In a significant announcement, Maharashtra Housing Minister Dr. Jitendra Awhad on Thursday said that the state government would redevelop the sprawling fishermen's colony at Cuffe Parade - from where the 10 heavily armed Pakistani terrorists sneaked into the city and wreaked havoc during the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike. The area, known as Machchimar Nagar is situated on a prime 21 acres in the posh Cuffe Parade, on the Arabian Sea shores, and the Minister's announcement came at the Real Estate Forum-2022 here. "Out of these 21 acres, 15 acres are open spaces. The state government plans to involve the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to handle the processes and then hand it over to some developer for further redevelopment," said Dr. Awhad. The 10 terrorists had quietly landed in rubber dingies at the porous fishers' colony late in the evening of November 26, 2008, and entered the city virtually unnoticed that cool night. Then, they fanned out to various key locations like the Chabad House, Hotel Trident, Hotel Taj Mahal, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Chowpatty, etc and indulged in bloody mayhem for the next 60 hours. Awhad also said that there has been a huge jump in the premium collected by the Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA) in the past ten years. Compared with a collection of Rs 1,902 crore from 2011-2021, in just one year, 2021-2022, MHADA netted around Rs 1,873 crore as premiums, he said. Emphasising that the development and beautification of Mumbai is linked with the realty industry, Awhad said that with no open spaces available, all development is possible only through redevelopment on the existing spaces, which benefits all stakeholders. The Machchimar Colony will be the third major eyesore redevelopment project taken up under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government after the BDD Chawls and the Patrawala Compound projects in the past one year. --IANS qn/vd ( 326 Words) 2022-04-28-20:50:03 (IANS) The NIA will register a fresh case and take over the investigation from the Jammu and Kashmir Police. On April 22, terrorists had attacked a CISF bus carrying 15 security personnel wherein one officer was killed and others were injured. The security forces had killed two suicide attackers in the operation, just two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Samba region in Jammu on April 24. Later, CCTV footage showed two Jaish-e-Mohammed militants lobbing grenades and firing at the CISF bus. According to the sources in the security grid in J&K, the two militants were tasked to execute a terror strike ahead of the Prime Minister's visit. The J&K police said that the terrorists were wearing suicide vests and were also equipped with a huge quantity of arms and ammunition. --IANS ams/arm ( 178 Words) 2022-04-28-20:54:01 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday urged investors from Bangladesh to take advantage of the incentives being offered by the state government in the industrial sector. The Chief Minister said that Tripura fulfills all the prerequisites to become the new IT hub and industrialists from Bangladesh should utilize the opportunity to help both the regions flourish together. Addressing the Digital Bangladesh IT Business Summit 2022 in Agartala, Deb said, "Tripura government is working on a priority basis to promote the IT sector in the state. Bangladesh can invest here in Data Centers which will help the country in strengthening its service sectors like banking." "The government has given a lot of relaxations for investors such as 50 per cent rebate in electricity, rebate in GST for five years, reduced electricity prices for commercial use and 24 hours uninterrupted supply of electricity -- a must for any industrial park or area." Apart from that, Deb said, Tripura has a high-speed internet gateway with Chittagong. All the necessary steps are being undertaken from the end of the state government to ensure ease of doing business, he added. According to Deb, several companies from abroad have shown interest in setting up their ventures in Tripura. "An American company has arrived here. They have started their initial work at an IT building. We are looking after all the logistic matters. Today, we have railway connectivity across the country. Kisan trains are carrying state grown products at subsidized prices to national markets, railway connectivity has been extended up to Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Deoghar and recently Jammu Express has agreed to run a train on a trial basis," he said. Speaking about Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's approach towards Tripura, he said, "For the COVID pandemic, several projects that were in the planning stage did not see any progress. I have spoken to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on a number of occasions. She assured me to open the Cox Bazar international airport for Tripura-bound flights. Besides, we are also working wholeheartedly to develop another airport at Kailashahar." Chief Minister Deb mentioned that the Kailashahar airport was non-functional for several years and he has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transform it into a big-ticket airport. Works are in the primary stage pertaining to the project. The new airport will be opened at a plot of 500 acres of land and Rs 500 crore will be spent on the project. Deb further informed that he had also written a letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking direct flights in Agartala-Chittagong, Agartala-Dhaka and Agartala-Bangkok routes as soon as possible. Deb emphasised that once North Eastern states start using Chittagong port for the import of goods, Bangladesh will be immensely benefited as only rice and wheat exports will give Rs 5,000 crore duty to Bangladesh. (ANI) Amid reports of thermal power plants witnessing a dip in their coal stocks, Haryana will take additional power from states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and other sources to meet the consumption, said state Power Minister Ch Ranjeet Singh. "We will tackle the situation within a week. 1200-1400 MW additional power would be taken from Adani. Power consumption has increased. Further, 350 MW of additional power would be taken from Chhattisgarh and 150 MW from Madhya Pradesh," the Minister told ANI. Singh further said a unit of the thermal power plant has been closed for technical issues. "A unit of a thermal power plant had been closed. Its router had to be changed. It has to be brought from China. It could not happen during COVID due to the lockdown in China. The replacement will be completed soon," added Haryana Power Minister. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has expressed its concern over the possible shortage of coal in power plants that supply electricity to the national capital and has written a letter to the Central Government urging it to ensure adequate coal supply. Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain held an emergency meeting at Delhi Secretariat in this context on Thursday and also wrote a letter to the Central Government requesting its intervention so as to provide enough coal for the power plants supplying electricity to the national capital. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday that the country's thermal plants hold about 22 million tonnes of coal which is enough for 10 days and replenishment will be done continuously. The minister referred to thermal plants not working to their full capacity due to the surge in prices of imported coal. He said the power ministry has given requisite directions to the thermal power plants. "Since gas-based power plant got shut, imported prices hiked, no plant functioned at full capacity. Power Ministry has given directions to start it...our thermal power plants hold 21-22mn tonnes coal, enough for 10 days. Replenishment to be done continuously," Joshi said. (ANI) The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded approval to the opening of a new Indian Mission in Lithuania, which will help expand the relation between the countries including diplomatic footprint, deepen political relations and strategic cooperation. "Opening of Indian Mission in Lithuania will help expand India's diplomatic footprint, deepen political relations and strategic cooperation, enable the growth of bilateral trade, investment and economic engagements, facilitate stronger people-to-people contacts, allow for more sustained political outreach in multilateral fora and help garner support for India's foreign policy objectives, the cabinet said in an official statement on Wednesday. Indian Mission in Lithuania will also better assist the Indian community and protect their interests, as per the statement. The decision to open a new Indian Mission in Lithuania is a forward-looking step in pursuit of our national priority of growth and development or "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas". "Enhancement of India's diplomatic presence will, inter-alia, provide market access for Indian companies and bolster Indian exports of goods and services. This would have a direct impact in augmenting domestic production and employment in line with our goal of a self-reliant India or Atmanirbhar Bharat," the statement added. On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankarexchanged views with the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on global and regional issues and discussed bilateral economic and cultural cooperation. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Discussed strengthening our economic and cultural cooperation. Shared perspectives about regional and global issues." India and Lithuania enjoy cordial relations that are marked by close cultural linkages. The economic and commercial ties have grown in recent years and the bilateral trade between India and Lithuania stood at USD 485 million in 2020-21. Indian investment in Lithuania includes Indorama Group's investment of over USD 200 million in a manufacturing plant and HCL Technologies which has taken over the IT infrastructure services of Barclays in Vilnius employing over 500 people. Indorama has set up a plant in the Klaipeda Economic Zone to manufacture plastic resin. Indian investment is increasing in Lithuania. (ANI) Four people, including three Chinese faculty members of the Institute of Confucius Studies, were killed on Tuesday when the suicide bomber targeted the van carrying them, Samaa TV reported. Sources in the investigating team said that one family member of the suicide bomber has been detained in the raid. Conflicting claims have been made about the identity of the suicide bomber, who was named as Shari Baloch by the banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) that claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, Samaa TV reported. The claims that she was an M.Phil scholar and had moved to Karachi six months ago with her husband and children could not be independently verified, the report said. In an attempt to pin the identity of the bomber and her handlers, investigators have arrested the driver of the rickshaw she used for entering the university. They also obtained CCTV footage from several locations. The police on Wednesday registered an FIR against the spokesperson and two commanders of the outlawed group under terrorism charges for the suicide attack against the Chinese nationals. Newly-appointed Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad shortly after he took charge on Wednesday. Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also arrived in Karachi and went to the Chinese consulate, besides meeting the investigators. --IANS san/arm ( 261 Words) 2022-04-27-22:42:03 (IANS) Days after Tesla Chief Elon Musk take control over Twitter, he said that for the microblogging site to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral. "For Twitter to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral, which effectively means upsetting the far right and the far left equally," Musk tweeted. Twitter on Monday (local time) confirmed the sale of the company to Musk for USD 44 billion. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive USD 54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own, matching Musk's original offer and marking a 38 per cent premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company, CNN reported. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said that he was proud of the employees who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise. "I took this job to change Twitter for the better, course-correct where we need to, and strengthen the service. Proud of our people who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise," Agrawal tweeted. Meanwhile, the former CEO of the microblogging site Jack Dorsey dropped a series of tweets, suggesting that he supports the move. "In principle, I don't believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company. Solving for the problem of it being a company, however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness," Dorsey tweeted. For those unaware, Dorsey, the maverick co-founder of Twitter, on November 29, 2021, suddenly announced his resignation. Parag Agarwal, an IITian who was CTO at Twitter, was named his replacement. (ANI) As the United Kingdom realize its growing dependence on Bejing for the development of new nuclear power projects, the country has recently begun to mull preventive actions to save the strategic sector from getting into Chinese hands, said a media report. Di Valerio Fabbri, writing in Geopolitica.info said the UK government is reportedly working on a deal aimed at removing China from a 20-billion project to construct a nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. The Sizewell C power station project, which is still in the planning and development phase, is owned by a French state-backed power giant EDF with an 80 per cent holding, and the China General Nuclear (CGN) having the remaining 20 per cent. UK government now plans to acquire a stake in the project, alongside the EDF, which would result into the removal of CGN from the project, said the report. The existing nuclear facilities in the UK are owned by EDF along with Centrica, a British energy company. The company had to shut down many plants ahead of schedule and four out of the seven stations are due to retire by March 2024. As a result, there has been an increasing push to build more nuclear power plants in recent years. The exigency has proved to be quite conducive for China to enter UK in a big manner, said the report. A nuclear deal signed during a visit to London of Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 cleared the road leading to China's future dominance in nuclear industry of UK. Under the deal, China got to fund Hinkley and Sizewell nuclear power projects, and then install its own reactors at a third site at Bradwell in Essex. However, what stoked analysts' fears was the deal's scope of letting China be a majority owner of a proposed plant of its own design, at a site about 50 miles from London, the report said. Meanwhile, the fears appear to be coming true with the indigenous Hualong-I reactor design of CGN getting the approval of UK's nuclear regulators for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and Environment Agency for construction in Britain in February 2022. With this, it joined the league of two other reactor designs approved in 2012 and 2017. CGN already owns 33.5 per cent in the project coming up at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is due for completion in 2026, Fabbri said. According to Fabbri's report, the recent development demonstrates that containing China's increasing inroads in the strategic sector is easier said than done for London. Notably, the United States has also been cautioning the country against heavy reliance on China for nuclear power plants citing national security concerns. In 2019, Washington blacklisted CGN over allegations of stealing nuclear technology. The Chinese company and its subsidiaries China General Nuclear Power Corp., China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, and Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute were reported to be trying to acquire advanced US nuclear tech for military use. The former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in mid 2020 urged Britain to choose sides in the battle to develop nuclear technology, saying it "stands ready to assist our friends in the UK with any needs they have", Fabbri said. According to the report, London's difficulties in dealing with Chinese companies have been increasingly apparent in recent years. A couple of years ago the UK government announced a ban on Huawei, a Chinese telecoms equipment manufacturer, from participating in its 5G mobile phone network, citing national security concerns. The two countries have also differed on other issues including the crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and the harsh treatment of Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region. UK's handling of the latest issue is of great concern and it would certainly test its ability to balance its energy needs with security concerns, the report added. (ANI) India on Thursday slammed Pakistan's remarks on the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's to Jammu and Kashmir and said Islamabad has no locus standi to comment on the matters pertaining to the union territory. Answering queries about Pakistan's remarks during the regular media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the reception that the Prime Minister got and the changes that have happened on the ground in the union territory is a very clear answer to any questions that may have been raised about the visit. He also took a dig at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif terming the visit as "staged." , "I don't understand the word staged. It seems to indicate the visit did not take place and we are trying to show that it did," he said. "I think it's pretty clear that the reception that he (PM Modi) got and the visuals that you saw and the development projects that he inaugurated and the changes that have happened on the ground is a very clear answer to any questions that may be raised about Prime Minister's visit about it. In any case, I think Pakistan has no locus to talk about...it from its perspective on what's happening in Jammu and Kashmir but I answered in the context of if somebody is questioning the visit itself," he added. PM Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday to participate in the celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day and addressed all the gram sabhas across the country. It was his first major visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. He inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development initiatives worth Rs 20,000 crore in the union territory. (ANI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led delegation, who is in Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit, received a "wonderful welcome" as they entered Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madina. A viral video has been circulating on social media platforms that showed hundreds of pilgrims raising "chor chor" [thieves] slogans upon seeing the delegation making their way to Masjid-e-Nabawi. After the incident, it was reported that police have arrested them for violating sanctity. In a video, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and member of the National Assembly Shahzain Bugti were seen along with others. According to the Pakistani newspaper, Aurangzeb indirectly blamed ousted Imran Khan for the protest. "I will not name this person on this holy land because I do not want to use this land for politics. But they have destroyed the [Pakistani] society," The Express Tribune quoted Aurangzeb as saying. This comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on his maiden three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. Dozens of officials and political leaders have accompanied the Pakistan Prime Minister on his visit to the Kingdom. Taking to Twitter and sharing the video, netizens wrote, "Proud Pakistanis, please be heartened by witnessing what a wonderful welcome our PM and his Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) gang of criminals got in Saudi Arabia." Another Twitter user, Muhammad Ibrahim Qazi said that Saudi Arabia citizens are calling out ousted PM Imran Khan. "Citizens of Saudi Arabia are calling out Ousted PM Imran Khan to have exported the moral obscenity to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. They are also condemning Pakistanis for violating the Kingdom's laws," Qazi said. Sharif was sworn in as Pakistan's 23rd Prime Minister on April 11 after his predecessor Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote. During the visit, Sharif is set to seek an additional package of USD 3.2 billion from Saudi Arabia. He will pose this request to avert further depletion of Pakistan's foreign currency reserves. Saudi Arabia had already given USD 3 billion deposits to the debt-ridden country and an oil facility on deferred payment worth USD 1.2 billion during Imran Khan's tenure. Estimates say Pakistan requires USD 12 billion to prevent the balance of payment crisis and further depletion of the foreign currency reserves. (ANI) Richard Olson, a former US ambassador to Islamabad, has admitted before a federal court that he is guilty of not properly disclosing a travel gift he had received from a Pakistani-American businessman and of lobbying illegally. In a document filed with the federal court in Los Angeles on April 7, Olson said "I wish to plead guilty to offences charged" by the Justice Department that he did not disclose the gift received in the form of travel worth about $18,000 as required by law. He was also charged with lobbying for Qatar in violation of rules against such activities within a year of leaving office. The Department said in its court filing that Olson had also received a payment of at least $20,000 soon after his retirement from government in 2016 through a company he had set up. A career diplomat, Olson was the US Ambassador to Pakistan from 2012 to 2015 and the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2015 to 2016. In the US legal system, an accused person can plead guilty -- admit to the charges -- and be automatically convicted. Usually in exchange for a guilty plea, the prosecutors can reduce the charges or recommend that the judge give a lenient penalty as it will save them the trouble of going through a trial. The Justice Department said Olson had received air travel to London, lodging there and expenses from the Pakistani-American businessman, whose name was not disclosed in court papers but identified only as a "naturalised US citizen born in Pakistan", who operated several businesses and lobbied, and was the go-between for another deal. The Department said Olson aided Qatar to "influence decisions" of US officials, including those in the National Security Council, within a year of retiring as the special representative. The Department's court filings threw spotlight on how legal political contributions work in the US. It said that the Pakistani-American was "retained by foreign governments and individuals" and "received funds from foreign clients, used those funds to make political campaign contributions to US politicians, parlayed those contributions into political influence in the US and lobbied with US officials on behalf of his foreign clients". The Department said in court filings that Olson set up a company, Medicine Bear International Consulting, through which at least one payment of $20,000 was routed to him after the Pakistani-American had "agreed to retain" his services for $20,000 per month plus expenses. The London trip Olson took at the Pakistani-American's expense was to meet a Bahraini businessperson regarding a one-year contract worth $300,000, according to the Department. Court papers did not identify the Bahraini businessperson or say if the contract was signed or what it would have entailed. The Department said that the Pakistani-American's company received $5.8 million from a Qatar official and it involved lobbying the US government to set up pre-clearance facility at the Doha airport for passengers travelling to the US. Olson, it said, advised the Pakistani-American and another businessperson on how to "sell" idea to US officials. Another former US Ambassador, Robin Raphel, had also run into problems with the Justice Department but was ultimately not charged with any wrongdoing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had raided her home in 2014 while investigating if she had provided secret information to the Pakistani government. The State Department had put her on administrative leave and suspended her security clearance while the investigation was taking place. The Justice Department ultimately informed her that she was not suspected of espionage and closed the investigation in 2016. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis) --IANS al/arm ( 615 Words) 2022-04-28-22:30:03 (IANS) Washington [US], April 29 (ANI/Sputnik): The US House of Representatives passed legislation loosening requirements for engaging in lend-lease deals for defense equipment with Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, paving the way for more US arms to flow into the region amid Russia's special military operation. House lawmakers passed the bill in a vote of 417 to 10 on Thursday, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. The Senate unanimously passed the bill earlier in April. "This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government or the governments of other Eastern European countries affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine," according to an official summary of the legislation. The lend-lease deals harken back to the famous Second World War-era policy of US President Franklin Roosevelt, which supplied Allied nations including the Soviet Union with weaponry and other materials. The move was considered an effective end of US neutrality in the war and a step towards open support for the Allies. The legislation comes amid a number of other efforts by Congress and the Biden administration to support Ukraine amid the ongoing special Russian military operation, including a new $33 billion request from Biden to Congress for military, economic and humanitarian support for Kyiv. (ANI/Sputnik) Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, and Paul Gosar of Arizona have all proxy voted over 100 times. Greg Nash and Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images House Republicans are opposed to proxy voting, and Kevin McCarthy tried to end it with a lawsuit. But 15 Republicans have used the system which allows members to cast votes on others' behalf over 100 times. They include prominent names like Matt Gaetz, Madison Cawthorn, and Paul Gosar. Ever since the House of Representatives instituted proxy voting a procedure that allows members of Congress to vote on behalf of their colleagues Republicans have made their opposition to the practice clear. When the House voted in May 2020 to allow proxy voting due to the public health emergency spurred by COVID-19, every single Republican lawmaker voted against the measure. Days later, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over it, challenging the constitutionality of proxy voting. "It is a brazen violation of the Constitution, a dereliction of our duty as elected officials, and would silence the American people's voice during a crisis," McCarthy said at the time. "Democrats are creating a precedent for further injustice. If their changes are acceptable, what stops the majority from creating a 'House Rule' that stipulates the minority party's votes only count for half of the majority party's?" Ultimately, the Supreme Court declined to hear the complaint in January 2022. Republicans have also claimed that Pelosi only keeps the procedure in place to this day in order to shore up Democrats' razor-thin majority. But with time, Republicans have begun to break with their stated opposition to the practice and attest that they are "unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency" while dealing with health issues, the births of children, political events, and ailing family members. Insider analyzed the data from each of the over 700 roll call votes taken by the House between May 20, 2020 until April 7, 2022, analyzing which members used the practice most frequently. Story continues While proxy voting is still overwhelmingly used by Democrats versus Republicans, Insider identified 15 Republican House members who've cast over 100 proxy votes in the last two years. Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho Fulcher at a press conference outside the Capitol on December 3, 2020. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Fulcher, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who's served since 2019, has voted by proxy 177 times by far the most frequent proxy voter in the Republican caucus, despite joining McCarthy's lawsuit to end the practice. At the time, he argued that proxy voting was an "unconstitutional process" that would "eliminate any meaningful debate and allow Members to stay home collecting a paycheck while others cast their vote." But after Fulcher was diagnosed with renal cancer in June 2021, he began utilizing that very same process the following month as he underwent chemotherapy, a punishing treatment that can lead to fatigue, among other symptoms. He continued frequent proxy voting into the fall of 2021. Still, Fulcher says he wants proxy voting abolished. "While proxy voting was a useful tool during my cancer treatment, my situation was rare ... by far the exception, not the rule," Fulcher told Insider in a statement, arguing that the system has "proven to be too ripe" for abuse. "I remain in support of removing the policy." Yet even after announcing that he was cancer-free in December 2021, Fulcher has voted by proxy 17 times in 2022, most recently asking fellow Republican Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania to cast 6 votes on his behalf on April 5. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida Buchanan on Capitol Hill on November 17, 2020. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Buchanan, a Florida Republican who's served since 2007 and could be next in line to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has voted by proxy 165 times over the last 16 months. His first proxy vote took place on January 12, 2021, when he asked fellow Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida to vote on his behalf against a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th amendment and remove former President Donald Trump from office. He then voted by proxy regularly until mid-April 2021, and has continued to sporadically use it since then. Buchanan did not respond to Insider's request for comment, but he's previously said that the procedure allows him to be "more productive" than if he'd voted in person. "I can be a lot more productive back home. There's nobody up here. So I just felt like I'd have a bigger impact in my district back in Sarasota," Buchanan told CNN in July. "Nobody can come in and visit with you. We can be more productive visiting with people having meetings back home, not spending a half a day each way coming up here, flying up here, and there's nobody here." Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina McHenry at a House Oversight And Government Reform Committee hearing on September 30, 2021. Al Drago/Pool/AFP via Getty Images McHenry, who's served in the House since 2005 and hopes to chair the House Financial Services Committee in the next Congress, has voted by proxy 164 times. After fellow Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana first cast a proxy vote on behalf of McHenry on January 21, 2022, the North Carolina Republican has used the procedure with relative frequency, most recently on April 5. McHenry told CNN in July that he believes the practice is "being held onto for political purposes rather than for health purposes." Democrats' majority in the chamber is in the single digits, making absences potentially fraught and McHenry says proxy voting has impeded normal business. "I think, frankly, as an institution we should get back to dealing with each other, talking to each other and trying to understand each other," he told CNN. "People aren't here. And we're a one-on-one institution. We're a human interaction place both with members and with the press." Rep. Greg Steube of Florida Steube speaks to TV cameras outside the Capitol on April 23, 2020. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Steube, another Florida congressman who's served since 2019, is the fourth most frequent proxy voter in the Republican caucus, despite signing onto House Republicans' anti-proxy voting lawsuit in May 2020. "By signing on to this lawsuit I am committing to refrain from lending my vote via proxy or placing a vote via proxy on behalf of another Member," Stuebe wrote in a letter to McCarthy at the time. Since then, he's voted remotely 161 times. The Florida Republican also warned at the time that the procedure would "allow Members of Congress to cast votes on behalf of American citizens from entirely different districts and states who never elected them for representation." Since then, he's had Republican colleagues from Ohio, South Carolina, and other districts in Florida cast proxy votes on his behalf. Steube's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Insider. Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana Baird leaving a House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club on October 22, 2019. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Baird, who's served in Congress since 2019, is the fifth-most frequent proxy voter in the Republican caucus, casting 159 votes remotely in the last two years. Like Buchanan, his first proxy vote was against a resolution calling on Pence to invoke the 25th amendment, and he's voted remotely sporadically since then, asking fellow Indiana Reps. Jackie Walorski and Larry Bucshon to cast votes on his behalf almost every time. Baird's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota Hagedorn outside the Capitol on November 14, 2018. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Hagedorn, who died in February after suffering from kidney cancer, had become the 6th most frequent proxy voter after casting 155 votes remotely. As the House prepared to vote on the measure in May 2020, Hagedorn who had previously undergone treatment for his disease took the House floor to speak out against the idea. "You know, some might question why a member of Congress like myself who's dealing with Stage IV cancer, getting treatment the last year at the Mayo Clinic why I would be the one passionately wanting everyone to travel and work in this chamber," he remarked. "It's because it's a bad idea for this House." But after Hagedorn's cancer re-emerged in July 2021, he began to vote remotely again, and stopped voting in person entirely beginning in November 2021 until his death in mid-February. Rep. Brian Babin of Texas Babin at a news conference with members of the GOP Doctors Caucus on January 19, 2022. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Babin, a Houston-area congressman who was first elected in 2015, has voted by proxy 127 times. "House Democrats' proxy voting rule takes away the constitutional duty of every member, and I oppose it completely," said Babin in May 2020 as he announced that would be joining McCarthy's lawsuit. He added that he "will never utilize the constitutionally dubious provisions" that allow for proxy voting. But on March 8th, 2021, days after a group of House Republicans faced backlash from their colleagues for using proxy voting while attending CPAC in Florida, the Texas congressman utilized the procedure for the first time. He was also among several House Republicans who voted by proxy on June 30, 2021 in order to travel to the US-Mexico border for an event with Trump. Babin's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Insider. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina Cawthorn at the Capitol on November 18, 2021. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Cawthorn the far-right 26-year old congressman who's perhaps best known for suggesting that his GOP colleagues participate in cocaine-fueled orgies is the eighth most frequent proxy voter among Republicans, casting 124 votes remotely since he arrived in Congress in 2021. But he's accused Democrats of abandoning their posts by voting by proxy. "Leaders show up no matter how uncertain the times are," Cawthorn tweeted in July 2020, days after he unexpectedly defeated a Trump-backed candidate in a GOP primary. "The Democrats are cowards for hiding and not showing up to work," he said. But Cawthorn changed his tune just weeks after being sworn in, with McHenry himself the third most frequent proxy-voting Republican voting on his fellow North Carolinian's behalf in late February 2021 while Cawthorn attended CPAC. The North Carolina Republican defended that particular vote, telling Smoky Mountain News days later that Pelosi "arbitrarily changed our voting schedule to intentionally situate it over CPAC in an effort to prevent congresspeople from speaking to their constituents," he said. "I chose to value speaking with conservatives and North Carolinians over abiding by her bad faith ruling," he added. But since then, Cawthorn has voted remotely plenty more times, including over 50 times just this year. Cawthorn's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. John Carter of Texas Carter arrives for an event on the House steps of the Capitol on September 15, 2020. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Carter, who's served in Congress since 2002, has cast 122 proxy votes, the ninth highest rate among Republicans. The Austin-area lawmaker first began to use the procedure in 2021, and a colleague's failure to vote on his Carter's behalf in May 2021 may have allowed for the initial House passage of a bill providing emergency funding for the Capitol Police following January 6. The initial 213-212 vote was nearly a tie due to the defection of several progressive Democratic lawmakers, who argued that the bill failed to address the underlying issues that caused the riot. Carter was one of two Republicans who didn't vote on the measure, while the rest of their Republican colleagues voted against the security funding, despite asking fellow Republican Rep. Kevin Calvert of California to vote no on his behalf. "Rep. Calvert had been voting by proxy for Rep. Carter throughout the week," a spokesman for Calvert told JustTheNews. "Rep. Calvert made a mistake and simply forgot to cast Rep. Carter's vote." Carter told Bloomberg in February that he'd used the procedure to take care of his wife while she was sick, and conceded that technology enables members to make informed decisions about how to vote. "If you have a serious family emergency or some kind of emergency in your district, like a hurricane came in or stuff like that, you ought to be able to proxy vote," said Carter. Carter's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona Gosar objects to Arizonas Electoral College votes certification on January 6, 2021. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Gosar who's most recently garnered headlines for attending white nationalist conferences and being censured by the House of Representatives for releasing an anime video that depicted him killing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also happens to be the 10th most frequent proxy voter in the Republican conference. He voted by proxy for the first time on January 21, 2021. Just six days later, Gosar wrote on Twitter that "Pelosi's 'proxy voting' scheme is shameful and unconstitutional." He has since deleted the tweet, and proceeded to proxy vote 110 more times since then, including once to attend a white nationalist event, while asking colleagues like Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Matt Gaetz of Florida, and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to vote on his behalf. At one point, he even asked fellow Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri to vote on his behalf while he attended CPAC, only for her to decline when she learned why. "I was not going to vote anyone's proxy who was traveling for other reasons," she told CNN last year. "I just said, 'you know, find someone else to carry your proxy.'" Gosar's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida Salazar at a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 10, 2021. Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images Salazar, a former Telemundo reporter who unexpectedly flipped a Miami-area House district in 2020, has voted by proxy 107 times. After first voting via proxy in July 2021, Salazar has continued to use the procedure frequently, including casting nearly 70 votes by proxy in 2022. The congresswoman told Insider in a statement that since her elderly mother fell ill last year, she's had to miss votes in order to serve as her main caretaker. "My parents sacrificed so much to give me a better life and my mother has always been there for me," said Salazar. "Without knowing how much time we have left together I want to be there for her." Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York Stefanik at a press conference on Capitol Hill on October 26, 2021. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Stefanik, whose position as caucus chair makes her the third highest-ranking member of House Republican leadership, has voted by proxy 106 times since January 2021. Her use of proxy voting is particularly flagrant, given her position in leadership and repeated denunciations of proxy voting, even while using the practice to attend a fundraiser with Trump in January 2021. Stefanik spokesman Alex deGrasse defended her use of proxy voting to attend the event, telling the Adirondack Daily Enterprise that she "will always work to ensure her district is represented at the highest levels which is why she made sure the district had a vote." Stefanik also voted entirely by proxy from August 24 until October 12 after giving birth to her first child in late August. In January 2022, Stefanik defended her use of the practice even while declaring that Republicans "believe in in-person voting" and would eliminate proxy voting if they regain control of Congress. "It's the rules of the House right now," Stefanik said. "These are the rules that Nancy Pelosi sets. She sets the mask rule, she sets the magnetometer rules. I oppose both of those rules, but we use them. I use those rules because those are the rules that she has set." Stefanik's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. Mark Amodei of Nevada Amodei at a hearing on Capitol Hill on March 30, 2022. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Amodei, a low-key congressman who's represented a wide swath of northern Nevada since 2011, has proxy voted 105 times. Nearly all of those proxy votes, which began in January 2021, were cast by either Republican Reps. Troy Balderson of Ohio or Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania. When asked about his frequent use of the procedure in August 2021, he justified it in similar terms to those that Stefanik would later use. "The use of proxies has been reality [sic] of The House Rules for nearly two years," he told the Nevada Current. "I follow House Rules." Amodei's office did not respond to Insider's repeated requests for comment. Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida Waltz at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on September 29, 2021. Rod Lamkey-Pool/Getty Images Waltz, who succeeded current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a special election in 2018 following his resignation from Congress, has used proxy voting 102 times. In every instance, Waltz has attested that he is "unable to physically attend proceedings in the House Chamber due to the ongoing public health emergency," asking fellow Florida Republicans like Salazar, Cammack, and others to vote on his behalf. Waltz's office did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Insider. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida Gaetz at a hearing on Capitol Hill on October 21, 2021. Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images Matt Gaetz, the far-right congressman who's currently under a federal investigation for sex-trafficking allegations, has voted by proxy 100 times. He was among the Republicans that used the procedure to attend CPAC in February 2022, and unlike most of his GOP colleagues, he even used it in 2020. On both December 18 and 20 of 2020, Gaetz asked former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii to vote on his behalf. But Gaetz is one of the rare Republicans who's actually publicly supportive of proxy voting; when Insider reached out to his office for comment, spokesman Joel Valdez referred to a Washington Examiner oped that Gaetz wrote in November 2020. "To date, I've toed the party line, but no more: the Republicans are wrong," wrote Gaetz. "I am now convinced that remote voting would be a devastating blow to the lobbyists and special interests who corrupt our politics and harm our nation." He went on to detail what he sees as the average lawmaker's day, including taking "thousand-dollar PAC checks" from lobbyists and raising "tens of thousands of dollars over mediocre Tex-Mex." "I support remote voting because we are better as public servants when we spend more time with the public we are elected to serve," he wrote. "And if we cannot drain the swamp, we should at least spend less time in it." Read the original article on Business Insider The three men responsible for killing University of Kentucky student Jonathan Krueger during a violent robbery in April 2015 received their prison sentences in an emotional Fayette County courtroom Thursday. Roman Gonzalez, 24, Justin Delone Smith, 25, and Efrain Diaz, Jr., 27, all accepted guilty pleas for their involvement in the crime in early April. On Thursday a Fayette Circuit Court judge gave each of them decades-long prison sentences. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to murder and two counts of robbery. Judge Jeffrey Taylor sentenced Gonzalez to a total of 35 years in prison after accepting sentencing recommendations made by prosecutors and choosing to run the sentences for each of Gonzalezs convictions consecutively. Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter, two counts of robbery and evading police. Taylor also accepted the recommendations made by prosecutors for Smiths sentencing and ordered the sentences to run consecutively, setting his prison time to a total of 34 years. Diaz pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery. Taylor accepted prosecutors recommendations for Diaz and ordered the sentences to be served consecutively, putting Diaz in prison for a total of 20 years. Nearly 7 years after fatal shooting, suspects admit guilt in UK students death Taylor did credit the three men for their time served in jail while they awaited the resolution of their court cases, meaning that time will be taken off of their prison sentences. The lawyers for all three defendants asked for the sentences to be served concurrently, meaning the sentence for each individual conviction would be served at the same time and the total prison time would be reduced. Multiple letters from the defendants families were sent to Taylor asking for concurrent sentences. Smiths mother even spoke in court, mentioning how a rough upbringing negatively altered the course of her sons life. She maintained that he is a good person. Diaz and Smith both personally apologized to Kruegers family, including his mother. Story continues I know that if my mother were going through the same thing, she would be devastated, Diaz said. Diaz was 20 years old when the shooting happened. Gonzalez was 17 and Smith was 18. Victims mom: He had the biggest and most generous heart. After final statements from the defendants and their lawyers, some people who knew Krueger spoke in court, including Mary Krueger, Jonathans mother, Elizabeth Krueger, his sister, and the companion who was with him the night he died, Aaron Gillette. Mary Krueger delivered a 20-minute speech, with the podium facing the direction of the defendants and the gallery, that caused her and others in the courtroom to cry. She said she had been waiting seven years for Thursdays sentencing. She and all the other supporters in the courtroom felt it was long overdue. He had the biggest and most generous heart to match his smile, Mary Krueger said. It isnt possible for me to wrap my head around the idea that someone could crush his heart. Fayette Commonwealths Attorney Lou Anna Red Corn said she also felt justice was served but that it was overdue. She said legal matters involving the appeal of the death penalty set the case back a few years. Trial postponed, death penalty no longer sought in case of UK students shooting death This family has been through a nightmare that is going to continue for them, Red Corn said. Im glad the judge ran the sentences consecutively, that he understood the nature of what happened to those young men when they were walking home that day. Like Kruegers mother, Red Corn said this situation is every parents worst nightmare and something no one should experience. She hoped the sentencing could finally give the family some peace after seven years of waiting. A consequence is a very good thing, and the consequence will bring some peace this family, Red Corn said. It doesnt bring Jonathan back and it doesnt bring them joy. Surviving victim: I wouldnt wish my experience on anyone. Gillette first met Jonathan in 2012 when the two rushed for a fraternity at UK. Their friendship grew over time, and Gillette described Jonathan as one of his closest friends during his senior year in 2015. Although I consider myself lucky to spend Jons last night on Earth with him, I wouldnt wish my experience on anyone, Gillette said. Gillette said he never once felt unsafe on Maxwell Street or in Lexington, but the trauma he experienced has changed the way he sees things now. He said hes undergone counseling and treatment to try to heal the damage and still struggles to deal with the survivors guilt. Police: University of Kentucky student, friend tried to resist robbers; fatal shots blamed on juvenile Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots on April 29, Korean American and Black community leaders are planning a series of unity events to educate young people from both groups about a turning point in the citys history and to reflect on the ongoing work of healing past wounds and building trust. Korean Americans who lived through the uprising refer to the event as Saigu, which translates to 4-29. April 29, 1992, was the first day of the riots, which began after a jury acquitted four white police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. Six days later, more than 50 people would be dead and 3,000 businesses destroyed or looted, nearly half of which were Korean-owned. Damages totaled about $1 billion. Psychological scars ran just as deep: A survey from the Korean American Inter-Agency Council found that 15 percent of college-age Koreans in L.A. dropped out of school because of the riots, The Los Angeles Times reported in 1993. Saigu has become almost like a memorial for Korean Americans, Connie Chung Joe, chief executive officer of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles, told NBC Asian America. Its a moment of profound sadness and loss, of feeling so targeted and so abandoned. Los Angeles Times (Hyungwon Kang / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Six Korean and Black organizations including AAAJ, Los Angeles Urban League and Korean American Coalition are hosting a peace gathering at Koreatowns Liberty Park on Friday, bringing together recording artists and spiritual leaders to reflect on the impact of the riots on both racial groups. The musical performances from young Asian and Black artists, Joe said, are meant to draw in younger audiences who dont learn much about the event in school. In the late 1980s, widening racial wealth inequality escalated long-simmering tensions between Black and Korean Americans in L.A. Korean immigrants who owned many businesses in impoverished, majority-Black neighborhoods became the target of growing class resentment. These clashes reached a fever pitch in March 1991, when Korean shopkeeper Soon Ja Du killed 15-year-old Latasha Harlins and received probation. Story continues A year later, the jury acquitted the officers involved in Kings beating, setting off widespread riots that targeted Koreatown. Desperate merchants called authorities for help, but the police never showed up. Many had been deployed to protect to affluent white neighborhoods like Beverly Hills. To prioritize building Black-Asian solidarity, Joe said organizers were intentional with their use of language to center the perspectives of both groups. In marketing materials for the commemoration, they referred to the events of 1992 as an uprising instead of a riot, since uprising more accurately describes why violence had erupted following the King verdict, Joe said. The media back then framed this uprising as Koreans vs. Blacks, Joe said, noting that she hopes to use the gathering to raise awareness about the systemic racism that still persists. But the Korean community didnt come up with that decision; the judge and our criminal justice system created this racial hierarchy. A Korean man carries a weapon to prevent looters from entering a grocery store in Los Angeles on April 30, 1992. (John Gaps III / AP) The Korean American religious nonprofit Faith and Community Empowerment, with the support of Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city officials, is leading a monthlong Saigu campaign that includes film screenings, art exhibits and symposiums on subjects like creating multicultural, anti-racist faith communities. Hyepin Im, the founder of FACE, said many Korean business owners were sidelined or revictimized by the media and elected officials after suffering disproportionate losses during the riots. On the 10th anniversary, for example, she said President George W. Bush flew to L.A. but didnt visit Koreatown or meet with any Korean American leaders. I told myself then that I would do my part to ensure our narrative would not be demonized or erased, Im said. Part of this campaign is to reclaim the word 'saigu' and turn it into something that is positive. A daylong event on April 29 at Tapestry L.A. Church will feature a segment honoring those who stood up for Korean Americans, such as Radio Korea, which became an ad hoc command center for besieged business owners; Koreatown Youth and Community Center, which provided business counseling and assistance to riot victims; and a Crips leader who returned stolen goods to store owners. Aerial view of 1992 LA Riots (Myung Chun / MediaNews Group via Getty Images) Separately, the Department of Cultural Affairs is commissioning six local artists to create a public art installation in Leimert Park Plaza called Voices of the Rebellion: 30th Anniversary Reflections. And the Black-led group Operation HOPE will lead a private bus tour through South Central L.A. to recognize three decades of healing and revitalization in the neighborhood. City Councilmember John Lee, the second Korean American representative elected to the council, said its important to reflect on the legacy of Saigu because it precipitated the political awakening of the Korean diaspora. He said his run for public office was heavily influenced by what happened to his mother, who in 1992 operated four shoe stores in Koreatown. None burned down during the riots, but the unrest turned the neighborhood into a ghost town and dealt a crushing blow to surviving businesses. Within a couple of years, she drained her savings and had to shut every shop. Watching it on TV, I remember being very angry at the lack of response, he said. I remember wondering, Where was the police, and why werent they there to protect us? While the losses are irretrievable and emotional wounds still sting, Lee said Asian and Black Angelenos have achieved a remarkable amount of healing and community-building in the intervening years. In last years anti-Asian hate rallies, you saw people from every race joining us, Lee said. I dont know if that would have been the case 30 years ago. A Ukrainian woman is thanking the doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai West in New York City for helping her give birth to her first child after fleeing the war in Ukraine while 38 weeks pregnant. Olesia, a 38-year-old single mom from Kyiv, was enjoying her celebratory baby shower hours before the first Russian bombs fell on Ukraine. "My last photo from my apartment is me with a lot of gifts and balloons from this party," Olesia, whose last name is being omitted for her safety, told TODAY Parents. "I had a lot of plans in Kyiv for this year." Those plans quickly evaporated when Olesia woke up at 5 a.m. on the day after her baby shower and heard the sounds of Russian bombs. Within five minutes, she gathered a few onesies from her future daughter's pink nursery, along with her documentation and some cash, and drove to the nearest gas station, determined to leave the city. After encountering long lines to get gas, she decided to stay in Kyiv, fearing that she wouldn't have enough gasoline to flee and that her car would be targeted by Russian soldiers if she tried to evacuate. Olesia, pictured wearing a black jacket and the word Often cradling her visibly pregnant belly, Olesia spent three nights in a bomb shelter, hoping the assault would ease and she could remain in Kyiv. But on the fourth day, her maternity hospital was bombed. Olesia knew she had to leave her hometown in order to give birth to her daughter safely. "I understood that I didn't have a place for delivery," Olesia said. "So I decided to go to western Ukraine, and then into Poland." It took Olesia four days to make it to the Ukraine-Poland border, where she waited for more than 30 hours before safely crossing. "It was a lot of stress, but I understood in that moment that I needed to do it," Olesia said. "It would be safer for my daughter." Related: This is what its like to be a pregnant woman in Ukraine right now Before the war began, when Olesia was 32 weeks pregnant, she had asked her OB-GYN whether it was possible for her to fly to another country because she feared the inevitable Russian invasion. Her OB-GYN told her no, saying that it was far too dangerous for her to fly so late in her pregnancy. Story continues But once the war began, everything changed. In need of shelter and a safe place to give birth, Olesia spoke to her friend of more than a decade, Ana, who is also from Ukraine and now lives in Manhattan. "Once we got to Warsaw, I had a ticket for a plane," she explained. "It was very dangerous. The pilot was very afraid I would deliver on the plane. But, I made it." A picture of the bomb shelter where Olesia spent three nights as Russians invaded Ukraine. (Courtesy Olesia) Dr. Whitney Lieb, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive health at Mount Sinai, was one of the doctors waiting for Olesia. "We got an email saying there was a woman coming to the States who needed maternity care," Lieb told TODAY. "There was a bunch of us on the email, and we all just banded together to get her the earliest appointment." Lieb, who wound up becoming Olesia's primary OB-GYN, looked over her records, then worked tirelessly along with her team to get Olesia emergency public insurance so she could be treated. "With fragmented medical care, we wanted to make sure she was getting good care, ultrasounds and lab work, and that there weren't other medical conditions that could make a pregnancy high-risk," Lieb explained. "All of those things were going through our heads, to ensure that she was safe. There's so many terrifying things you think of at that time." Related: Desperation, then hope: American ex-military rescue pregnant surrogates in Ukraine Olesia had detailed medical records and she had received adequate care before the war started, which reassured the entire medical team. The doctors then examined Olesia, who despite the trauma of the war and the long journey was not experiencing any pain or pregnancy complications. "She was really stable, and she ended up breaking her water on March 25," Lieb said. "She had a normal vaginal delivery, with no complications, and was at the hospital for two days before going home." On March 25, Olesia's daughter, Kira, was born. Baby Kira, born on March 25, is happy, healthy and sleepy. (Courtesy Olesia) "We came in the morning at 4 a.m. At 11 a.m., it happened," Olesia recalled. "The doctors danced in our room. It was very fast, very easy and very fun." Olesia's labor and delivery was an emotional moment for the entire Mount Sinai team, who have felt helpless as they've watched the war impact and, in many instances, harm pregnant Ukrainians. "When we see these things on the news and hear about them, they're so far away and we feel like there's nothing we can do," Lieb said. "So being able to provide care for her really felt like we were making some kind of difference, you know? It felt really lovely to help someone in need." Related: Ukrainian mothers give birth in Poland after fleeing war at home It was also a full circle moment for Lieb, whose grandparents were born in Ukraine and eventually immigrated to the United States. "I didn't know my grandparents they died when I was very little," she explained. "But just that connection of my grandparents being from that area hit very hard for me. It was rewarding taking care of her and I feel privileged to be part of the team who took care of her." "It was just wonderful," Lieb added. "She is a really strong person, and it was just wonderful that she had a happy, healthy delivery and that she and her baby were safe and healthy. It was really just very touching." Olesia is pictured with some of the nurses who helped her safely bring her daughter, Kira, into the world. (Courtesy Olesia) Olesia is still in New York City with her daughter, Kira, who loves to eat and sleep and has just started to smile. "I can't believe that my daughter is with me," she added. "At the same time, I can't believe I lived without her. I feel like she was always with me." Olesia says she also knows how lucky she is. Russian forces have targeted children's hospitals, maternity wards and schools. The United Nations has been able to verify that at least 142 Ukrainian children have been killed, and tens of thousands more Ukrainian civilians are feared dead in Russian-occupied towns like Mariupol. Ukrainian refugees have been experiencing an increase in pregnancy complications as a result of the war. A pregnant woman and her fetus were killed after Russians bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol. "I understand that if I stayed in Kyiv, it would be horror and very terrible," Olesia said. "A lot of women now in Ukraine are not safe. Days ago in Odessa, a 3-month-old girl was killed. She had the same name as my daughter, Kira. She died because civilian houses were attacked. This is happening every day in Ukraine." Related: At 37 weeks pregnant, she fled war ... and now shes going back to Ukraine Olesia said her heart is not only with her fellow Ukrainians, but with her family members, who remain in Poland and in Ukraine. "My sister is now in Poland, and my parents are in Donetsk (in eastern Ukraine)," she explained. "It's a very dangerous situation in Donetsk now. They spent the last two weeks in a bomb shelter, and now they want to leave and go to Poland too. I hope I can get all the necessary documents for Kira so that in May I can go back to Poland and, if it's safe, maybe even go back to Kyiv." Olesia said the first thing she'll do when she's back in Kyiv is show Kira her room, which she says is "very cute" and filled with a lot of toys and clothes. But until she can go back home and be reunited with her loved ones, Olesia has video calls with her family regularly so they can see her daughter. "She's my parents' first granddaughter, and they are very happy," she added. "We also have a big dog a golden retriever and that dog loves my baby so much. My sister says the dog is waiting for Kira and wants to play with her." Olesia holds her daughter, Kira, while posing with one of the health care professionals who helped her give birth. (Courtesy Olesia) Olesia says she will forever hold the team at Mount Sinai in her heart, and cannot thank them enough for the care they gave her. "When we were in the hospital for two days, seemingly every hour doctors and nurses came to ask if I needed help," she said. "I got a lot of advice from them, because this is my first baby. They helped me with breastfeeding, showed me how to change diapers and a lot of people just wanted to help us." Olesia also says that when her daughter is old enough, she will share her birth story with her and will not hide the horrible truths about the ongoing war in Ukraine. "Maybe it's not the best story, about war and about all of these moments, but it's her way," Olesia said. "My daughter is very strong. Her name, 'Kira,' means 'strong woman.' ... "Our story has a happy ending," she added. "I hope many of other people's stories will have a happy ending too, and people will be safe, children will be safe and the war will end as soon as possible." Related: Leading candidates for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvanias open governors office will meet for their first statewide live-televised prime-time debate as they seek an edge in a nine-person field. The candidates are former Congressman Lou Barletta, state Sen. Doug Mastriano, lawyer Bill McSwain and plumbing and HVAC firm owner Dave White. They are to appear Monday at 8 p.m. in the studio of WHTM-TV in Harrisburg for the one-hour debate. The four met the polling threshold set by the stations parent company. Democrat Josh Shapiro doesnt face a challenger for the partys nomination. The primary election is May 17. The debate is to be televised in Pennsylvanias six media markets. TRENDING NOW: Here are the top high schools in the Pittsburgh area, according to new 2022 rankings Pittsburgh man sentenced after violating supervised release by attempting a trip to Jamaica A new taco restaurant is set to open at the Ross Park Mall VIDEO: Man shot inside home when someone fired through basement window DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Ukrainian serviceman on a seized Russian tank 2346: The United States House of Representatives has passed S. 3522, the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, by a vote of 417-10. The bill will now pass to the U.S. President's desk, where U.S. President Joe Biden is likely to sign the measure. 2321: The United States House of Representatives has passed House Resolution 1065, 220-205, paving the way for a vote on the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act. The passing of this rule, which provides enhanced authority for the U.S. President to enter into agreements with the Government of Ukraine, means that Ukraine will likely receive lend-lease support from the United States the first such act of support since the Second World War. Lend-lease would allow for Ukraine to receive a much greater range of weaponry from the U.S., in higher quantities than has been offered previously. 2151: The Minister for Reintegration, Iryna Vereshchuk, says it may be possible for Ukraine to evacuate the civilians and soldiers trapped under the ruins of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, following a visit to Kyiv by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "We're beginning to plan the humanitarian operation," the Minister wrote in a Telegram post. 2141: Russia shelled Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast the day UN Secretary-General met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While they were speaking about the possible evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, two Russian missiles hit downtown Kyiv. Another missile strike happened in the Fastiv district of Kyiv Oblast, Kyiv Oblast council has reported on Telegram, revealing no details. The media reported about casualties, citing eyewitnesses. 1804: Ukraine and Russia conducted another prisoner swap on April 28, Ukraine's reintegration minister Iryna Vereshchuk has reported. According to her, Ukraine has rescued 45 people today 13 Ukrainian officers, 20 soldiers, and 12 civilians. 1701: Russian occupiers have been forcing Mariupol residents to dismantle the rubble of the drama theater Russia bombed early in March, Mariupol mayor's advisor Petro Andriushchenko has reported. Story continues Under the strict control of Russian soldiers, Mariupol residents are forced to clean the debris of the city. Russia bombed the drama theater, where more than 1300 people were hiding from shelling, on March 16. First it admitted it shelled the theater and then denied, claiming Ukrainians bombed themselves. 1628: Russia has shelled residential areas of New York, a town in Donetsk Oblast. Three civilians were killed and three more wounded, Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko has reported. 1304: The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Ukraine. The mission is getting ready to assist evacuation from Mariupol. He visited Borodianka, a town in Kyiv Oblast where Russian soldiers killed dozens of civilians during the occupation. At the same time, UN in Ukraine Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Osnat Lubarni reported the UN mission is getting ready to go to Zaporizhzhia to prepare for the evacuation of Mariupol residents. 1256: German Bundestag has approved heavy weapons supplies to Ukraine, Spiegel has reported. Meanwhile, Russia has shelled Zaporizhzhia, local mayor Anatoliy Kurtev has reported. Twelve private houses were damaged, and five people were injured in the attack. No one has been killed. Morning digest Today the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Kyiv. Before that he visited Moscow where he was trying to persuade Vladimir Putin to organize a humanitarian corridor for civilians from the AzovStal factory in Mariupol. US President Joe Biden is also expected to give a speech about Ukraine today. Meanwhile, Russian invaders have been concentrating their attacks in Kharkiv and Donetsk directions. Russians keep massively shelling Luhansk Oblast. In the last 24 hours, 13 buildings were destroyed and four people were killed, Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai has reported. Russian propaganda news outlet RIA has reported the invaders have already "deported" more than 1 million Ukrainians to Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. More than 183,000 of them are children. Overnight Ukrainian forces repelled nine enemy attacks in Donbas and shot down a fighter jet, a helicopter, and several drones of the invaders. The invaders continue terrorizing the occupied regions. Russian media announced in May Russia will introduce rubles in Kherson Oblast. Read also: 63rd day of Putin's war. An ammo depot in Russian Belgorod caught fire, Russia dispersed a pro-Ukrainian rally in Kherson Overnight Russian invaders shelled Kharkiv 11 times. They also opened artillery fire against Derhachi, Zolochiv, and Chuhuiv. Eight people were wounded and one person was killed, Kharkiv governor Oleh Synehubov has reported. Russia has already lost 22800 soldiers killed in action in Ukraine, Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff has reported. 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 [] Amal Clooney TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Amal Clooney at the United Nations Amal Clooney is speaking out about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Ukraine is, today, a slaughterhouse. Right in the heart of Europe," Clooney, 44, said Wednesday at an informal United Nations Security Council meeting in New York City. "Putin's aggressive war is so outrageous that even after warnings from the US, and Russia's long criminal record, Ukrainians could not believe this could happen," she added. She continued: "I still read news headlines not knowing how to process them. Could it be that thousands of children are being forcibly deported to Russia? Are teenage girls being raped in the street in front of their family and neighbors? Was a building that had the word 'children' painted on it bombed? Are civilians in Mariupol being systematically starved and tortured to death? Unfortunately, the answer is yes." CFJ's Co-President, Amal Clooney speaking at an informal UN Security Council meeting earlier today. #Ukraine https://t.co/CW6wiYF3Pn Clooney Foundation for Justice (@ClooneyFDN) April 28, 2022 In March, Clooney joined an international legal task force dedicated to investigating evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces since their invasion of Ukraine was launched on February 24. Through this and the work of the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), which she co-founded with husband George, 60, the human right's lawyer hopes to bring perpetrators of serious crimes committed under the cover of combat to a courtroom. RELATED: Ukrainian Woman Allegedly Raped by Russian Troop Who Said She 'Reminded Him' of Female Classmate To make this possible, the CFJ already has a team on the ground investigating evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The data it collects will then be used to launch criminal cases in national courts around the world under the principle of 'universal jurisdiction' and to support the work of investigative bodies and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Story continues Body bags are lined up for identification by forensic personnel and police officers in the cemetery in Bucha, north of Kyiv, on April 6, 2022, after hundreds of civilians were found dead in areas from which Russian troops have withdrawn around Ukraine's capital, including the town of Bucha. - Located 30 kilometres (19 miles) northwest of Kyiv's city centre, the town of Bucha was occupied by Russian forces on February 27 in the opening days of the war and remained under their control for a month. After the bombardments stopped, Ukrainian forces were able to retake the town. Large numbers of bodies of men in civilian clothing have since been found in the streets. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty The war in Ukraine At the same time the CFJ's strategic partner, The Sentry, is investigating the Kremlin-backed mercenary firm Wagner Group, which is implicated in mass atrocities in the Central African Republic linked to the looting of gold, diamonds, and other resources vital to Russia's attempts to minimise the impact of international sanctions. "Here we are: faced with evidence of the crime of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. And mounting evidence, each day, of genocide," Amal continued Wednesday about the war in Ukraine. Amal Clooney TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Amal Clooney at the United Nations "Peace like war must be waged. It doesn't just happen," she added. "And justice, too, is something we must fight for. "You may have to wait for someone to be out of office. You may have to wait for some of their underlings to defect. You may have to wait for them to get old. Or to travel. But if we remain very focused, and very resolute, justice may yet be within our reach" The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney chastised the United Nations (U.N.) on Wednesday for ignoring war crimes that have been happening in the world, saying it emboldened Russias assault on Ukraine. Here we are, faced with the evidence of crimes of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and mounting evidence each day of the crime of genocide, Clooney said at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting. How did we get here? I believe we got here by ignoring justice for so long. For too long, we have watched as perpetrators of mass human rights abuses have murdered, tortured and raped without consequence, Clooney continued, citing Yemen and Myanmar as examples. The meeting focused on how Russia would be held responsible for its actions in Ukraine, as soldiers have been accused of killing civilians, kidnapping children and raping women. Clooney says countries have committed war crimes because they believe they will get away with it, and they have been right. Clooney says the international community needs to continue to rally behind Ukraine and urge accountability for war crimes so the issue does not get ignored like other conflicts, such as those in Syria. What worries me as I sit here today is that the resolute action we have seen in the first 50 days of this war will turn out to be the high point instead of the starting point of the legal and diplomatic response from the world, Clooney said, adding that the U.N.s actions could slowly fade into a predictable pattern. In response to Russias invasion, the U.N. has voted to condemn the war, while many of its countries have provided aid and weapons to Ukraine. The U.S. has given billions of dollars in aid and weapons while sanctioning Russian oligarchs and others for the war. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Microsoft failed in its attempt to challenge Amazon's $10 billion NSA contract. Nextgov has learned the NSA re-awarded the "Wild and Stormy" cloud computing deal to Amazon Web Services after reviewing the decision. While the Government Accountability Office recommended a reevaluation in October following Microsoft's objections, it's clear the second look didn't substantially change the outcome. Many details of the contract are unsurprisingly murky, but it's part of a larger Hybrid Compute Initiative that will see the NSA migrate intelligence data from in-house servers to those of a cloud provider like AWS. Wild and Stormy should help the security agency cope with growing datasets without having to manage the storage itself. This isn't the first time Amazon and Microsoft have been at odds over a large-scale US government agreement. The two fought bitterly over the military's $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud project, with Microsoft surviving Amazon's challenge only to watch the Defense Department cancel the contract once requirements changed. Microsoft isn't down and out when it's still in the running for the $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability deal, but this still represents a significant blow for a company that thrives on government partnerships. 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 Story at a glance A Missouri House bill would bar doctors in the state from providing gender-affirming care to patients younger than 18 years old. Some say gender-affirming care should be off-limits to people under 25 years of age, citing brain maturity. The bill currently would only apply to Missouri minors if it is signed into law, but young adults in the state that have not yet turned 25 worry their care may still be taken away from them. The bills sponsor, Rep. Suzie Pollock, is sponsoring another piece of legislation this year that would require physicians to provide those seeking gender-affirming care with the most recent available studies on detransitioners. Elliot Laurence is 23 years old. Hes an editor at Saint Louis University School of Law and just ended a six-year enlistment in the United States Air Force, where he served as a staff sergeant. Laurence is also transgender, and, under a proposed Missouri law, may soon be considered ineligible to receive the gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy (HRT) he has been taking for four years that is, until his 25th birthday in July of 2024. Missouri House Bill 2649, introduced in February, would bar physicians and other health care providers in the state from providing gender transition procedures like puberty blockers or hormones to individuals younger than 18 years old. The bill, officially titled the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, has been championed by conservative legislators who say their intent is to protect children from making drastic changes to their bodies before they are able to fully comprehend the gravity of those choices. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. Giving children puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and even irreversible surgery violates the first duty of medicine, which is Do no harm, Missouri state Rep. Suzie Pollock (R), who is sponsoring the bill, said during a recent hearing. Minors cannot consent to these harmful physical interventions. Story continues But state lawmakers this month debated whether the states proposed ban on gender-affirming care should be extended to adults, pointing to research suggesting the human brain is not fully developed before the age of 25. Before then, individuals are not able to fully comprehend the dramatic and drastic and irreparable changes to their bodies, Laurie Haynes, a psychologist, said last week during a public hearing, where she also equated gender-affirming care to child abuse. In some cases, Haynes said, conversion therapy may be an option for those who voluntarily want to explore whether they have the capacity to moderate their identities. While the bill as it currently reads only applies to minors, young transgender and nonbinary adults in Missouri are beginning to worry that the measure, which passed its final House committee on Wednesday, will be amended to restrict gender-affirming care to individuals younger than 25. For people like Laurence, that could mean being forced off their hormones for years. At 23 years old, Laurence is a veteran sergeant of the U.S. military and holds a bachelors degree in English Language and Literature from Webster University in Missouri, for which he was permitted as a teenager to borrow thousands of dollars from the government. But Im still not developed enough to decide what name and pronouns I want to use? It just doesnt add up, he told Changing America. In an interview, Laurence said he feels as though his own journey differs from the typical transgender narrative and, growing up, he didnt mind wearing dresses and had similar interests to those of his sisters. But something always felt off, he said. It took me a little while to realize what it was, he said, because I am more of a feminine person, even now. After enlisting in the military at 17, just before his high school graduation, Laurence began experimenting with male clothing and challenging the idea of conventional masculinity. He cut his hair short and started using male pronouns. At 19, Laurence placed an order at a fast food restaurant under the name Elliot, which has been his legal name since 2019. When a restaurant employee called him sir, Laurence said everything fell into place. It was like, this is it this is what Ive been waiting for, he said. That same year, he began taking testosterone. If a statewide ban on gender-affirming care was extended to adults under 25 years old, health care providers in Missouri would risk losing their medical licenses by supplying Laurence with the hormones his body has become accustomed to. His voice would remain low, but his facial hair would stop growing. Some of his breast tissue would grow back. That would put me into the place that I was before I started transitioning, which is very upset with my body, feeling strange in my own skin things that I have been able to overcome in the last four years, he said. Pollock, the bills sponsor, did not respond to multiple inquiries from Changing America about whether she plans to alter the bills language to extend the states proposed ban to transgender and nonbinary individuals younger than 25. She also did not respond to questions asking whether people like Laurence would be forced off their care if her bill were to become law. Pollock last year voted in favor of a bill with an amendment barring transgender women and girls in Missouri from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. The bill itself bore no similarities to the amendment, and was initially introduced as a measure to protect the grade averages of students adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Pollock earlier this month spoke on a panel about transgenderism at an event held by the conservative organization Concerned Women for America, which in March filed a Title IX complaint against the University of Pennsylvania for allowing Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer and the first transgender NCAA Division I champion, to compete on the universitys womens team. A second bill sponsored by Pollock this year would require physicians to provide those seeking gender-affirming care with the most recent available studies on detransitioners, or individuals who sought gender-affirming care and later regretted doing so. According to the 2015 National Transgender Survey, detransitioning is exceedingly rare and more than 60 percent of those who do detransition do so only temporarily. I have no regrets, Laurence said, adding that if he is forced off HRT before his 25th birthday, he doesnt have any doubts that hell start taking testosterone again once he turns 25. But hes hoping it wont come to that for his sake and for the sake of other young gender-expansive adults in Missouri. Thats a lot of people. Thats a lot of people who have full time jobs and a lot of people who have college degrees, Laurence said. Thats a lot of people who have been told by the government that theyre not developed enough to make decisions for themselves. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was one of just eight House lawmakers to vote against seizing assets from Russian oligarchs. The progressive firebrand said seizing the yachts and plush apartments of billionaire cronies of Russian President Vladimir Putin could undermine Americans Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful search and seizure. Oligarchs should pay ... but this vote told POTUS to violate the 4th Amd & seize private property, AOC wrote on Twitter. AOC and other progressives have long been concerned about civil forfeiture laws, which have sometimes been used as blunt weapons in the hands of overzealous prosecutors. Some advocates say those forfeiture rules have disproportionately been used to punish Black and brown suspects in the failed war on drugs. This sets a risky new precedent in the event future Presidents who may seek to abuse that expansion of power, Ocasio-Cortez said. She insists she supports Ukraines effort to turn back the Russian invasion and has backed other anti-Russian sanctions. The measure, which calls on President Biden to seize oligarchs assets that have already been frozen, only targets foreigners, undermining AOCs argument about its potential use against Americans. It passed the House by an overwhelming bipartisan 417-8 vote. The no votes included an extremely unusual coalition: AOC was joined on the left by three of her staunchest progressive allies, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri). They were joined by four of the most extreme right-wing Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-Fla.), Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) and Rep. Tom Massie (R-Ky.) Greene and Cawthorn have been harshly critical of the Ukrainian government and have spouted pro-Putin talking points, while Massie is fiercely opposed to U.S. involvement in overseas conflicts. A "fictosexual" Japanese man who married a hologram in 2018 recently told a Japanese newspaper that their relationship is struggling with communication. Akihiko Kondo, 38, who works at a middle school in a Tokyo suburb, married Hatsune Miku, a hologram that was created by a computer as singing software, on Nov. 4, 2018, in a wedding that cost more than $17,000. As one of the thousands of "fictosexuals," Kondo is attracted to fictional characters. Japanese man Akihiko Kondo poses with a doll of Japanese virtual reality singer Hatsune Miku, as he shows their marriage certificate, at his apartment in Tokyo, on Nov. 10, 2018, a week after marrying her. BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images Kondo first interacted with Miku using Gatebox, a $1,300 device that projected fictional characters into a cylinder and allowed users to communicate via artificial intelligence and marry them unofficially. When he proposed to her in the cylinder, Miku reportedly replied, "I hope you'll cherish me." MAN, 35, REPORTEDLY MARRIES COMPUTER HOLOGRAM Since their marriage in 2018, Gatebox technology no longer exists, which Kondo said has complicated their relationship, but not lessened his feelings. "My love for Miku hasnt changed," he told Japanese paper Mainichi, which recounted how he walks around with a life-size version of the doll. "I held the wedding ceremony because I thought I could be with her forever." Japanese man Akihiko Kondo poses next to a hologram of Japanese virtual reality singer Hatsune Miku at his apartment in Tokyo, on Nov. 10, 2018, a week after marrying her. BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images Remembering what caused him to withdraw into a world where he would marry a fictitious character, Kondo told Newshub, "It's not that people can't live in society because they're engrossed in a two-dimensional world, but rather, there are cases where people become captivated as they search for a place for themselves in video games and anime because reality is too painful for them." "I was one of those people. People who don't understand the background probably think, 'Games are disrupting their lives,' but that's not the case," he added. Kondo was reportedly bullied at work and fell into a depression in 2008 when he first stumbled upon Miku and realized human relationships weren't for him. He credits the Vocaloid software voicebank with pulling him out of his depression. "I stayed in my room for 24 hours a day, and watched videos of Miku the whole time," he recalled to Mainichi. Fox News' Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report. Atlanta police arrested a man on Tuesday whose previous run-ins with law enforcement led to his arrest over 19 times in four states. The departments Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit (ACE) was contacted by NYPD detectives about a suspect wanted for murder believed to be in or passing through Atlanta. The ACE Unit and the Air Unit began searching for the suspect, officials said. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police gathered information leading them to a shopping area at 1 Buckhead Loop in North East Atlanta where they located the suspect. The Air Unit tracked the suspect and guided ACE Unit officers to the location where officers made the stop. Police arrested Lequan Battle, 26, who had been arrested 19 times in four different states. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Battle had active warrants for a parole violation and murder. The passenger, Michael Anderson, 26, was arrested on an active warrant for trespassing and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Anderson had numerous run-ins with law enforcement as he was also arrested a total of 16 times. Police say they recovered a firearm, fictitious identity documents, and counterfeit currency during the arrest. TRENDING STORIES: Officials say they learned the suspects vehicle was purchased with a dead persons identity. IN OTHER NEWS: A longtime Memphis attorney was convicted of stealing a clients $150,000 check she was awarded in a 2014 civil case settlement, Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich said. Paul Springer, a lawyer for over 20 years, represented a woman in a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city. The case settled with the city agreeing to pay the woman $150,000, DA said. Springers fee was one-third of the settlement. After litigation costs were deducted, she was expected to receive approximately $90,000, according to a press release. Springer picked up the check from the City Attorneys Office in Mar. 2014, and kept the full amount. Springer, who still faces theft charges involving another client, was permanently disbarred in 2018 by the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility, DA said. Paul Springer was convicted on the felony count of theft of property over $60,000. He will be sentenced in June. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: China has hit out at the US for sending a guided-missile destroyer through the Taiwan Strait a few days ago. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit April 26 (local time) through international waters in accordance with international law, the US Navys Japan-based Seventh Fleet said in a statement. The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows, it added. But China on Wednesday accused the US of publicly hyping the event. The frequent provocations of the US have sent the wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces and deliberately undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, senior colonel Shi Yi, a Chinese military spokesperson, said in a statement. We firmly oppose it. The PLA Eastern Theater Command organised forces to track and monitor the US warship throughout its entire course on high alert, Mr Shi added. Tensions have been simmering between the US and China over Taiwan in recent months. China considers the self-governing island to be a part of its territory and has condemned US support for Taiwan. While the US recognises Beijing and does not have any official relations with Taiwan, it supplies arms to the island nation under the Taiwan Relations Act. Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office said Beijing opposes any kind of military ties between Taiwan and the US. The Taiwan issue concerns Chinas core interest, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. We will by no means allow and strongly oppose any interference by exterior forces. Additional reporting by agencies The First Street U.S. Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) A Beverly Hills real estate developer has agreed to plead guilty to bribing a former Los Angeles County real estate official in connection with a lucrative lease scheme, a charge that could bring a 10-year federal prison term. The developer, Arman Gabaee, 61, also known as Arman Gabay, paid the county employee, Thomas M. Shepos, bribes and kickbacks of about $1,000 a month from around 2011 to 2017, according to the plea agreement signed Tuesday. In exchange, the plea agreement states, Shepos gave non-public information to Gabaee and got him favorable terms on county deals. Shepos cooperated with the FBI and secretly recorded meetings at which Gabaee paid $6,000 in cash bribes, the document states. Central to the case was the Hawthorne Mall, a property Gabaee owned and was redeveloping. His bribes were meant to induce the county to rent office space for the Department of Public Social Services on the site, a 10-year deal worth more than $45 million, prosecutors said. Shepos was a senior official in the countys real estate division whose job was to negotiate leases between property owners and the county. He had the power to green light deals, subject to final approval by the Board of Supervisors. Under Gabaees influence, Shepos pressured a subordinate to make sure the Hawthorne Mall deal looked good on paper, the plea deal states. To secure Shepos help in winning the Hawthorne Mall lease, the plea deal states, Gabaee not only paid him monthly bribes but tried to buy a home for Shepos use in Northern California wine country. In April 2017, the plea deal states, Gabaee made offers on a $1-million home in Santa Rosa, but swiftly withdrew the offer after FBI agents confronted him. As part of the plea agreement, Gabaee, co-founder of the Hollywood-based real estate firm Charles Co., will agree to pay a fine of $1.1 million. He is expected to formally enter the guilty plea on Monday before U.S. District Judge George H. Wu. In a 2020 court filing meant to counter Gabaees claim that he had been entrapped, the U.S. attorneys office revealed that a telephone wiretap suggested he had not just bribed Shepos but also had corrupt dealings with other public officials. Story continues In 2017, the filing stated, Gabaee asked an unnamed high-level official at a public agency to assist a friend with a tax issue, prompting the official to reply: Well help him out. According to the court filing, Gabaee then told his friend, I took care of it for you, explained that he helped the public officials friends in campaigns and things like that, and added: Tell no one. Dont even trust your own shadow. In another intercepted 2017 conversation, federal authorities said, Gabaee told a lobbyist to pay off a second public official in a bid to obtain Section 108 funding for a development project in Calexico. I need somebody whos got huevos and power too, Gabaee said, according to the filing. The wiretaps suggested that Gabaee was likely giving bribes and/or benefits to a third public official, who prompted Gabaee to make a $10,000 contribution to an ally's political campaign in exchange for help on the construction of Gabaees home. That same year, the wiretap captured Gabaee telling a lobbyist that he would write a check to a fourth unnamed public official to get on his good side because he would need help soon in Washington, prosecutors wrote. Defendant is transactional, prosecutors wrote. When defendant gives donations or takes care of a public official, he expects official acts in return. The U.S. attorneys office has not identified the public officials in question, and declined to comment when asked if they were under investigation. Shepos, a Palmdale man who worked at the county CEOs real estate division for nearly two decades, pleaded guilty in 2018 to making false statements to federal investigators and to signing a false tax return, both felonies. In his plea agreement, Shepos acknowledged that he did not report $434,000 in bribes and kickbacks over seven years with the countys real estate division. He said he received bribes not just for the Hawthorne lease but also from an electrical contractor who would slip him envelopes with $50 and $100 bills in exchange for help in winning country contracts for electrical work. Shepos began accepting bribes after a contentious divorce that left him hopelessly trapped in debt, his attorney said. Shepos could face eight years in prison when he is sentenced in June. The L.A. county CEO's office said the plea deal marked a "milestone toward correcting a series of corrupt acts that led to a betrayal of the public's trust." Since the corruption was revealed, the county said it has introduced measures to strengthen oversight of real estate transactions, including a new management team, annual audits of the real estate division, and a "special strike team" to evaluate policies. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Associated Press With anti-immigrant rhetoric bubbling over in the leadup to this year's critical midterm elections, about 1 in 3 U.S. adults believes an effort is underway to replace U.S.-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains. About 3 in 10 also worry that more immigration is causing U.S.-born Americans to lose their economic, political and cultural influence, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to fear a loss of influence because of immigration, 36% to 27%. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Joe Biden has called for a giant $33bn package of military and economic aid to Ukraine, more than doubling the level of US assistance to date, in an emphatic rejection of Russian threats of reprisals and escalation. A few hours after Biden spoke, Kyiv was shaken by two powerful cruise missile strikes, while the UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, was visiting the Ukraine capital following a meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. A senior Ukrainian presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the attack a postcard from Moscow and asked why Russia still had a seat on the UN security council. Biden asked Congress to give immediate approval for spending that would include over $20bn in military aid, involving everything from heavy artillery and armoured vehicles to greater intelligence sharing, cyber warfare tools and many more anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Biden also requested $8.5bn in economic aid to Kyiv and $3bn in humanitarian relief, as well as funds to help increase US production of food crops and strategic minerals to offset the impact of the war in Ukraine on global supplies. The total of $33bn is more than twice the last supplemental request approved by Congress in March and dwarfs the entire defence budget of Ukraine and of many other countries. The US president said it was aimed at helping Ukraine repel the renewed Russian offensives in the east and south of the country, but also to transition to assuring the nations longer-term security needs. On the same day, Congress agreed to update the 1941 lend-lease legislation with which Franklin D Roosevelt sought to help Britain and other allies fight Nazi Germany. The updated law is intended to make it easier for the US to provide military equipment to Ukraine. It comes in the face of Russian warnings that increased western weapons supplies to Ukraine would endanger European security, that western intervention could bring instant Russian reprisals and raise the risk of nuclear conflict. Story continues Making the case for western aid, Biden argued that on the contrary, if Putin was not stopped in Ukraine he would continue to threaten global peace and stability. The president framed the request principally in terms of defending Ukraine, and did not explicitly repeat the declaration earlier this week by his defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, that one of US aims in Ukraine was to weaken Russia to stop it attacking other countries. Despite the disturbing rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin, the facts are plain for everybody to see. Were not attacking Russia. Were helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, Biden said. But he added the cost involved was a small price to pay to punish Russia and aggression, to lessen the risk of future conflicts. Throughout our history, weve learned that when dictators do not pay the price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and engage in more aggression, he said. The threats to America and the world keep rising. We cant let this happen. The new military assistance the congressional funding will finance will include: More artillery and armored vehicles, as well as anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems. Help to build up Ukraines cyber warfare capabilities. More intelligence sharing. Support to increase Ukraines ability to produce munitions and strategic minerals. Assistance in clearing landmines and other explosives and in Ukraines defence against chemical, biological and dirty bomb attacks. A further buildup in the US military presence on Natos eastern flank. The Kremlins official spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, warned on Thursday that an increased western supply of heavy weapons to Kyiv would endanger European security. The tendency to pump weapons, including heavy weapons, into Ukraine, these are the actions that threaten the security of the continent, provoke instability, Peskov said. The day before, Vladimir Putin had threatened a lightning fast response to western intervention in Ukraine, adding: We have all the weapons we need for this. His foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has accused the US and its allies of fighting a proxy war in Ukraine and warned of the rising danger of a nuclear conflict. Biden rejected the accusation he was fighting a proxy war, describing the claim as part of the Kremlins domestic propaganda to explain the inability of Russian forces to achieve their goals. I think its more of a reflection, not of the truth, but of their failure, the president said. He added: No one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons. The package of proposals the administration is sending to Congress also includes measures to strengthen the hand of the justice department in pursuing Kremlin-aligned oligarchs seizing their assets and using the proceeds to support the Ukraine war effort. Related: UN secretary general describes war in Ukraine as absurdity in 21st century Biden said the measures would allow for expanded and expedited measures for investigating, prosecuting, and forfeiting assets of Russian oligarchs to be used for the benefit of Ukraine. Were going to seize their yachts and luxury homes and other ill-begotten gains of Putins kleptocracy, he added. The president made his announcement as the UN secretary general was visiting Ukraine, where he described the war as an absurdity in the 21st century. Guterres was touring Borodianka on Thursday, where Russian forces are accused of massacring civilians before their withdrawal, on his first visit to Ukraine since the start of the invasion on 24 February, before talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. In nearby Bucha, where dozens of civilian bodies, some with their hands tied, were discovered this month, Guterres backed an investigation by the International Criminal Court into possible war crimes in Ukraine. I appeal to the Russian Federation to accept, to cooperate with the ICC, he said. The humanitarian impact of the Russian invasion has been devastating. The UN refugee agency UNHCR said nearly 5.4 million Ukrainians had fled their country since the attack began, with more than 55,000 leaving in the past 24 hours. While the outflow has slowed significantly since March, it forecast that the conflict in Ukraine could produce 8.3 million refugees by the end of the year. Maria Zakharova, Russias foreign ministry spokesperson, warned the west on Thursday to stop encouraging Ukraine to strike at targets inside Russian territory, saying it was trying our patience. Multiple targets, including fuel and ammunition depots, have been hit in Russian provinces bordering Ukraine in recent days. Such aggression against Russia cannot remain without an answer, Zakharova said. We would like Kyiv and western capitals to take seriously the statement that further provocation prompting Ukraine to strike against Russian facilities will be met with a harsh response from Russia. Podolyak, the Ukrainian presidential aide, defended the countrys right to strike inside Russia, saying: Ukraine will defend itself in any way, including strikes on the warehouses and bases of the killers in Russia. The world recognises this right. Britains defence secretary, Ben Wallace, on Thursday also repeated the UKs assertion that it was legitimate under international law for Ukrainian forces to target Russian logistics infrastructure, but he said such attacks were unlikely to use British weapons. The US on Thursday accused Russia of planning fake independence votes to justify its conquest of Ukrainian territory, saying the Kremlin might attempt sham referenda in southern and eastern areas it had captured using a well-worn playbook that steals from historys darkest chapters and must never be recognised as legitimate. NextShark A 91-year-old Korean War Navy veteran is hoping to find his first love, who he met during his time as a second class petty officer in Japan in 1953. Duane Mann, 91, wrote a Facebook post on May 1 hoping to find someone who recognizes the woman in a photo he took in 1953, whose name he says is Peggy Yamaguchi. In the post, Mann explains that while he was stationed in Japan from 1953 to 1954 at age 23, he met Yamaguchi at an Air Force NCO Club, where he worked as a slot machine repairman in his spare time and Yamaguchi worked as the hat check girl. By Soo-hyang Choi SEOUL (Reuters) -Visiting Asia next month for the first time since becoming U.S. president in 2021, Joe Biden will hold talks with allies in Japan and South Korea over China's growing influence in the region and the latest threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. "The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties, and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results," the White House said in a statement. Biden will meet South Korea's new president Yoon Suk-yeol on May 21, during a three day visit that comes shortly after Yoon's swearing-in on May 10, Yonhap news agency reported. The U.S. president will travel to Japan on May 22, where he will meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, before both leaders attend a gathering of the Quad security group along with their counterparts from Australia and India. Biden's trip to Asia comes at a time when Washington is seeking to reinforce unity and commitment among allies in response to both Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and China's growing economic and security influence in the region. North Korea is expected to be a key topic for discussion in both Seoul and Tokyo, as Pyongyang is outlining an expansive new doctrine for nuclear weapons use. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has threatened to use nuclear weapons to strike anyone who violates the North's "fundamental interests." North Korea resumed testing of its long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017 last month, and Seoul and Washington officials say it may be preparing for a new round of nuclear tests. Yoon and Biden will hold in-depth discussions on a broad range of issues including developing the alliance between the United States and South Korea, "policy coordination on North Korea, economic security, and major regional and international affairs," Yoon's spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin said. Story continues During his election campaign, Yoon pledged to bolster South Korea's defence capability to counter North Korea's threats. In Tokyo, Biden and Kishida will seek ways to build on their ties to further peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a briefing. "Russias invasion of Ukraine is a unilateral attempt by force to change the status quo and a huge shock to the international order, and ... its essential to further strengthen the US-Japan alliance and verify the ties that will allow us to work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi in Seoul and Elaine Lies in Tokyo; Editing by Jack Kim) Mandarin-Speaking Australian Tour Guide: Chinese history and culture need to be known by more people 14:30, April 27, 2022 By Haotian Zheng ( People's Daily Online As an Australian citizen, Justin Steele has long served as a tour guide who has kept a strong connection with China, Chinese tourists and Chinese culture. It was a choice in following my destiny to select Chinese as second language because I expected to help more people learn about China's rich history and its diverse cuisines, he said. Steele, who also has a Chinese name, Hailin Wen, has been a tour guide in Sydney for many years now. The Australian man, who speaks fluent Chinese, has a great passion for Chinese culture and offers guide services for tourists in Mandarin Chinese. Through the years, he has helped many Chinese visitors to enjoy a wonderful journey in Sydney, Australia, by offering his Mandarin-speaking tours. There are a lot of people in Sydney and in Australia with a Chinese background, and I think those people are really important in building relationships. So this Chinatown tour that Ive launched is focused on telling the story of Chinese-Australians and to celebrate the contributions that the Chinese people have made to Australia over the last 200 years, said Steele. Steele used to work as a corporate lawyer until one day he finally decided to quit his job and pursue a happier career as a tour guide and travel consultant. He noted that the most exciting thing about this job is to show people different places and bring people together to experience historical stories. In 2018, Steele founded AussieYou Travel (now called Local Sauce), a travel agency that offers small group tour services for tourists worldwide. Its Walking Sydney's Chinatown tour has been among the most popular options for Chinese tourists. This tour was designed to give visitors a chance to learn more about the Chinese communities residing in Australia. During the two-hour tour, Steele usually takes the visitors to Chinatown, tasting authentic Chinese snacks and exploring the early history and development of the community. When people talk about Chinese food, they may only know Sichuan, Shanghai and Cantonese cuisine, but they don't know what Rou Jia Mo and lamb kebabs are, so I want more people to taste special snacks from different parts of China, said the man. Actually, Steele personally knows many of the Chinese restaurant owners there. He would always give them a warm hello every time he passes by. These restaurants have lost so much business over the past two years because of COVID. So I want to help them in this way, he said. Other than Chinese cuisine, Steele also takes the time to introduce the history behind some of the different Chinese communities in Australia. He takes the visitors to places such as the Australian Chinese Ex-Services Monument and the Golden Water Mouth Tree, a feng shui-stylized treasure tree covered in 23-karat gold leaf at the entranceway to the local Chinatown. To encourage the tourists to learn more about how the local Chinese community has contributed to the development of Sydney, Steele even designed an educational game, where participants are divided into different teams and then compete to find nine Chinese-Australians and list their contributions to society. Steeles interest in China began all the way back when he was in primary school. At that time, he was living with his family whose home was located in the Chinese community of Brisbane. With the influence of many Chinese and Asian classmates, he chose Chinese as a second language to study as a young pupil. This learning experience then accompanied him through his high school and university years. China has been a big part of my life and I made many Chinese friends both in Australia and China, he said. At the age of 16, Steele went to Guilin for an exchange study trip where he received a Chinese name from his host family. During this exchange trip, he visited Shanghai, Beijing, and many other places in China. After graduating from high school, the young man went on to study at Nanjing University, where he spent a great deal of vocational time traveling everywhere around the country as a student. No matter where he went, he would always do his best to taste the local food and learn about local culture, this is the best way to understand the diversity of China. Nowadays, Chinese tourists have become an important group for Steeles business in Australia. More than 50 percent of his clients are Chinese, having seen overall a 40 percent increase in his total number of clients from 2018 to 2019. This number was expected to double by 2020, but the business was met with its most severe challenge to date over the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, Steele remains optimistic about his career. He never regretted entering into the tourism industry. He is also really looking forward to welcoming more tourists to Australia after the pandemic is over. I hope my little tours can play a part to help in improving relations and improving peoples knowledge in recognition of the importance of the China-Australia relationship through tourism, he said. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Hospitals see decrease in COVID-19 patients A patient room is ready to use at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, CA on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Hospitals across California have seen a decrease in the number of COVID-19 patients. Credit - Paul Bersebach-MediaNews Group/Orange County Register Back in 1982, when I first began my career as a family practitioner in a small town of Boston, I was confident that the care Id provide would be as effective as the care patients receive anywhere in the world. At the time, the death rate for Americans was lower than that of comparable countries, resulting in 128,000 fewer deaths annually. Although healthcare was expensivecosting 2.3% more of our GDP than the average of 11 other wealthy countriesthe rapid growth of HMOs and managed care plans promised to make our healthcare even more effective and efficient. Over the ensuing four decades, however, the opposite has occurred. The same age-adjusted mortality rate has improved so much more in comparable countries that, by 2017, an excess 478,000 Americans were dying each year. This translates into an extra 1,300 deaths daily, equivalent to three jumbo jets crashing every day. The everyday poor health of Americans and the inability of our healthcare system to mitigate preventable deaths amounts to a crisis that dwarfs even the COVID-19 pandemic. And our excess spending has risen to 6.8 percent of GDP, or $1.5 trillion per year. This raises a key question: Why have so many smart, well-trained doctors stood by as American healthcare descended into a state of profound dysfunction? The answer lies in the gradual, nearly invisible commercial takeover of the medical knowledge that doctors are trained to trust. This transition started in the 1970s, when the acceptance rate of grant applications for funding from the National Institutes of Health shrankfrom roughly half of medical research applications to one-third. Then, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan slashed government support of university-based medical research, further pushing academic researchers into the waiting arms of industry, especially pharmaceutical companies. Following the 1980 passage of the University and Small Business Patent Procedures Act, nonprofit institutions and their researchers were allowed to benefit financially from the discoveries made while conducting federally funded research. Story continues Former president of Harvard University Derek Bok expressed concern about the growth of commercial activities within academia: Making money in the world of commerce often comes with a Faustian bargain in which universities have to compromise their basic valuesand thereby risk their very souls The biggest shift was, however, still to come. Over the past few decades, the drug companies have taken over most of our clinical research. In 1991, academic medical centers (AMCs)hospitals that train doctors and conduct medical researchreceived 80 percent of the money that industry was spending to fund clinical trials. The drug companies relied on academic researchers for their expertise in designing studies, enrolling patients, and analyzing the data. This arrangement allowed academics to receive the funding they needed while still preserving much of their independence. But by 2004, the percentage of commercially funded clinical trials conducted by AMCs had fallen from 80 to just 26 percent. A look at the research contracts between corporations (mostly Big Pharma companies) and academic medical centers shows that 80% allowed the commercial funder to own, and thus control, the data from jointly conducted research. Furthermore, fully half of the research contracts between drug companies and academic institutionsthe partnerships with the highest likelihood of upholding rigorous research standardsallowed industry insiders to ghostwrite clinical trial reports for publication in scientific journals, relegating the named authors to the position of suggesting revisions. Nonetheless thorough peer review ensures that these reports are accurate, right? Wrong. Unbeknownst to almost all doctors, peer reviewers are not granted access to the underlying data that serves as the basis for the reported findings. The drug companies own that data and keep it confidential as corporate property. Reviewers must rely on brief data summaries included in the submitted manuscripts. Peer reviewers at even the most prestigious medical journals cannot possibly attest to the accuracy and completeness of the articles they review. This sham was exposed in 2005 when the editors of an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine admitted they had not seen relevant data from a clinical trial involving Mercks arthritis drug Vioxx. Five years earlier, the article had extolled the drugs safety even though neither the editors nor the peer reviewers had been granted access to underlying data, which showed three heart attacks that had occurred in patients treated with Vioxx were not reported. Had this data had been properly disclosed and analyzed when the manuscript was first submitted, the article would have shown that Vioxx significantly increased the risk of heart attack five-fold when compared to over-the-counter naproxen (Aleve). And many of the estimated 30,000 Americans who died as a result of taking Vioxx after the incomplete article was published would not have been exposed to the drug. To this day, Big Pharma companies remain unwilling to disclose their underlying clinical trial data. The most recent example involved Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. In September 2021, one month after the vaccine had been granted full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a group of medical researchers and scientists sued the agency for the release of 451,000 pages of scientific documents it had evaluated prior to granting the vaccine full approval. Even though the agency required only 108 days to sufficiently evaluate these documents before granting the vaccine formal approval, the FDA (with Pfizer wanting to join the lawsuit), argued that the fastest they could release the data was five hundred pages per month, meaning that it would take seventy-five years before the documents were released in full. On January 6, 2022, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled that the FDA must release 55,000 (not 500) pages of the documents each month until complete. I want to be clear that Im a strong advocate of getting vaccinated and boosted (especially for people age 65 and older), the CDCs analysis of real-world data shows that last December unvaccinated adults had 41 times the risk of dying of COVID-19 compared to fully vaccinated and boosted adults. But I believe just as strongly that doctors and the public must have access to the underlying clinical trial data that the FDA approval is based upon nownot in seventy-five years. The lack of transparency of clinical trial data in peer review is similar around the world. But the effect is far greater in the U.S. because of our unique pharmaceutical policy. We have no formal assessment that compares the medical benefit and economic value of new drugs to older therapies, so health-care professionals do not have access to this critically important information. Federally funded clinical practice guidelines are not allowed to include the relative cost of therapies in their recommendations, which means there is no consideration given to the chance that a drug may unnecessarily bankrupt patients or inflate the cost of health insurance. Further, the price of brand-name drugs is unregulated in this country, which is why they cost 3.5 times more in the U.S. than in other OECD countries. And unregulated prices increase the reward-to-risk ratio for overly aggressive marketing practices in the U.S. The industrys control over what doctors believe about optimal therapeutics explains why new, expensive drugs are used more liberally in the U.S. than other countries. Without access to the actual clinical trial data, medical journals are publishing unvetted articles that doctors then rely on to treat their patients. Although prescription drugs only account for 17% of U.S. health-care expenditures, this has become a tail wags dog situation: The drug companies control the knowledge that informs doctors clinical decisions. This leads to soaring pharmaceutical profits and crippling healthcare costs, while doctors have no way of knowing which therapies are more effectiveor more efficient. Americans deserve better. Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12. One of the most important moments in the evolution of cryptocurrency was powerhouse investor Marc Andreessens landmark 2014 essay Why Bitcoin Matters. This was the man who had seen the promise of transformational companies from Lyft and Facebook to Dollar Shave Club and Airbnb (and many others since), arguing in the pages of the New York Times that a technologically near-incomprehensible magic internet money had the same kind of potential. Most of a decade later, Andreessens venture capital fund Andreessen-Horowitz is at the bleeding edge of cryptocurrency and web 3 investment. But looking back on that essay, its striking to note that one of the pillars of Andreessens Bitcoin thesis has definitively crumbled. This article is part of CoinDesks Payments Week series. A third fascinating use case for Bitcoin is micropayments, or ultrasmall payments, Andreessen wrote. It is not cost-effective to run small payments (think $1 and below, down to pennies or fractions of a penny) through the existing credit/debit and banking systems. The fee structure of those systems makes that nonviable. [But] all of a sudden, with Bitcoin, thats trivially easy. Cue record scratch. You may be wondering how we got here. The fee for a single transaction on Bitcoin in the Year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-Two is nearly $2, according to BitInfo, making it not just extremely nonviable for sub-$1 payments, but also more expensive than a credit card even for many larger payments. Fees have risen so dramatically because Bitcoin has a competitive market for transaction fees, which fund network security, and rising demand has made transactions more pricey. The last time Bitcoin fees were low enough for anything close to micropayments was June of 2015, when the cost of a simple send broke five cents. They havent looked back since. Even in the deep dark doldrums of the 2019 bear market, with the bitcoin (BTC) currency trading as low as $3,000, fees were consistently above 10 cents. Story continues Andreessen wasnt the only early crypto bull who hyped micropayments on Bitcoin but didnt see the fee hike coming. The steady rise has contributed to the decline or shuttering of some early Bitcoin-based micropayments projects, such as ChangeTip. But while its not going to happen on the Bitcoin base chain, fees low enough to support sub-dollar payments have remained both a technical Holy Grail and a common promotional refrain in crypto. Everything from less expensive proof-of-stake systems to Bitcoins own Lightning Network have hype-farmed the concept yet it remains, by and large, just a concept. See also: The Lightning Network Is Bringing Payments Back to Bitcoin And so we find ourselves asking: Can crypto, or any other technology, actually solve the problem of digital micropayments? What might that solution look like? And most importantly, what does the world stand to gain when it finally arrives? Micropayments: An entirely different thing There has been endless speculation about new business models that can be realized once digital micropayments are feasible. Much focus over the years has been on allowing users to buy media, such as individual news articles, on an a la carte basis that is, piece by piece, rather than as part of a subscription or with intrusive advertising. The general argument is that this would allow a transition away from ad-supported content on the internet, which is still the thesis behind the Brave browser and its tokenized browsing model. But this and similar concepts may be barely the tip of the iceberg. People think about micropayments as smaller payments, but really you should think of them being an entirely different thing, says Stefan Thomas, CEO of web-content micropayments platform Coil. Its like if you thought of the internet as a fax machine that could send smaller faxes more cheaply. Instead, you can do entirely different forms of communication. Thomas, an early Bitcoin contributor, says much of his career has been defined by the quest for workable micropayments technology. It was part of his motivation for serving as chief technology officer of Ripple before forming Coil. Micropayments are an entirely different thing at least as much because of their consumer psychology as because of their business implications. Over the past five years, the discourse around micropayments has become much more attuned to the problem of mental transaction costs, a concept developed in part by Bitcoin pioneer Nick Szabo way back in 1999. The essence of the problem is that even if we solve the technical challenge of micropayments, users would find the decision to spend a dime or a nickel more annoying than the actual act. This would be a particular problem if micropayments were to become omnipresent on the Web, demanding that you make various small payments ten or 20 times a day. An unintentionally hilarious illustration of the problem of mental transaction costs came recently during Meta/Facebooks (FB) Metaverse launch video. Near the start of the presentation, while a group of folks are admiring a virtual sculpture, it starts to fade away. One of them has to tip the artist to look at the sculpture for more than a few minutes. Theres no clearer illustration that Metas pitch was aimed at investors rather than consumers, because a metaverse where youre constantly micro-tipping artists would clearly be a gigantic pain in the ass. If micropayments make life worse for consumers in the way envisioned by Mark Zuckerberg, theyve obviously failed. Melvin Klein, a researcher studying micropayment applications at the University of Hamburg, points out that theres more than a bit of deja vu to this core problem. With America Online, people were annoyed by the ticking clock theres another minute you have to pay for [being online]. People were so annoyed that in the end they had to transition to a monthly subscription. Read More: Bitcoin Payments Remain in Their Infancy But There Are Green Shoots Everywhere Thats why Coil and several other projects have begun emphasizing whats sometimes known as streaming micropayments. Coil is effectively a membership subscription, but instead of one large publication or platform, it grants access to several smaller outlets. Those outlets then get paid in tiny streams as the user browses them. Part of Coils tech stack are a pair of standards called Open Web Monetization and Interledger. The standards can interact with cryptocurrency networks, but also with other systems. Its like a layer on top of the blockchain, Thomas says of Interledger. Each transaction is extremely efficient. It really is free, and it really is infinitely scalable [for] true micropayments. I wish more people were paying attention to the Interledger protocol. A project even more rooted in the crypto world is Superfluid, which CEO Francesco Renzi takes pains to emphasize is not really about micropayments, again because of the mental transaction cost issue. Fundamentally the way it works doesnt require the user to understand that small payments are happening, says Renzi. Those small payments are more of a problem than they are a solution. (Pro tip: Renzi says he often sees micropayments pitches at hackathons, and we have to go and explain [to the developers] why its not a good idea.) Instead, Superfluid is a cryptocurrency standard for streaming payments. Streaming is built into the token, according to Renzi. You give me an address, I open a stream, every second your balance is ticking up. So far, Renzi says Superfluids biggest market is decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) using it to pay contributors. Whats most notable about Superfluids model is that the stream is a single transaction for the purpose of on-chain fees. You say, I want to send David a dollar every minute, and after that youre done. You click the button once, you pay forever Effectively, money itself is now moving on-chain automatically. It also means that the longer a stream continues, the cheaper the relative transaction cost gets. Machine-to-machine payments But even if the streaming approach takes off, transactions between people may not wind up being the most interesting application for micropayments: Many argue the real potential lies in high-speed, machine-to-machine transactions. Examples include the sale of electricity from home solar installations, which has been explored by a crypto project called Brooklyn Microgrid, or streaming payments for electric vehicle charging. BitTorrent, now owned by Tron, has touted an automated micropayments system for download bandwidth which, at least in theory, can improve throughput for decentralized file sharing. With micropayments added to digitized systems, everything becomes more automatic, according to Marvin Klein. For example, You can think about directly paying taxes when you buy a product, so the shop doesnt have to do all the accounting. Read More: The Future of Crypto Payments Will Be Centralized Another use case is artificial intelligence, says Stefan Thomas. Some people are thinking about a future where theres a marketplace for internet user data. [But] youre not going to think about selling this or that piece of data, there will be a user agent that does that on my behalf. Thomas also thinks micropayments could become key to building out modular and composable AI systems: You can plug into multiple APIs, but you need a payments system to pay them all. Micropayments and market control A more familiar example of the transformational potential of micropayments is the Apple App Store not, that is, how micropayments could improve it, but how they could destroy it. The App Store, you see, is the ultimate example of digital rent-seeking: an attempt to extract wealth out of other peoples creations by controlling a systemic chokepoint. Its notorious for the 30% cut of sales Apple (AAPL)takes from app creators, and Apples ferocious opposition to allowing independent in-app purchases. Part of that rent is paid-for access to the iPhone ecosystem itself, which Apple has locked down to prevent users from installing programs from any source other than the App Store. But payments technology plays a surprisingly large role in Apples ability to control the market. Many mobile apps, as youve probably noticed, are priced at ninety-nine cents or less. This could be a big challenge from a payments perspective, since 10% or more of such small purchases would normally wind up with credit card or other payment processors. Apple is able to work around the problem solely because of its centralization and scale. To save money on fees, the App Store bundles all of a customers payments over the course of a month, according to Klein, then processes them in a batch. For instance, a purchase of two apps and a Coldplay album would be processed as a single transaction of $15, instead of three smaller transactions, cutting the processing fee as a percentage of the purchase substantially. But even in a world where iOS was more open, a developer trying to sell a 99 cent app directly to users would not have access to this workaround. Since the vast majority of sales would be one-offs, there would be no option to reduce fees by bundling multiple payments from each customer. This is just one example of how the absence of functional digital micropayments contributes to the clustering of digital commerce around a few players. Facebook, now known as Meta, apparently foresees that stranglehold continuing: it has said it will charge a cumulative 47.5% cut of digital creator sales in its Horizon Worlds environment. Tip the artist, indeed but Zucky gets to wet his beak a little, eh? A smarter market for a richer world Finally, there is a more abstract problem that functional digital micropayments would solve: market transparency for low-priced digital goods. One of the most important roles of markets in a society is to discover the level of demand for goods and, in turn, how much of that good an economy should produce. Thats complicated by the zero marginal cost nature of digital goods (once a piece of digital content is created, each additional copy is essentially free), but it still broadly holds when it comes to things like software development. But the current structure of digital transaction fees creates a shocking blind spot in the market for digital goods that might be priced at under a dollar. That could range from trivialities like video game skins and novelty non-fungible tokens (NFT) to more impactful products like niche applications or highly tailored data streams. It could also include real-world services like on-the-go cell phone charging. Read More: Fast, Fluid, Frictionless Payments Are the Future But the entire category remains underdeveloped because payments limitations have proportionally higher influence over pricing than actual consumer demand does. In effect, any digital good that would be appropriately priced at less than a dollar must either be sold through an intermediary, priced above market equilibrium in a way that makes it less likely to succeed, or, probably most often, simply not produced at all. Cell phone charging is a great example. Right now, paid cell-charging services are largely limited to airports, where rushed, higher-income flyers are willing to pay far above the actual cost of a charge. But if payments tech made it possible to charge a more appropriate a la carte price for charging (probably just a few cents per hour including a healthy profit margin), intuition suggests charging services would be much more widely available. Its a market failure caused entirely by the lack of functional micropayments. There are likely many similar potential examples including many we cant even imagine. But right now, its near-impossible to sell such goods outside of a relatively limited set of siloed, heavily intermediated markets. Most likely, this means there is immense unfulfilled demand for low-cost digital goods, data distribution, mobile charging, and other services that the market is currently fulfilling. Thats an economic inefficiency that will only grow as the economy digitizes unless widespread and functional micropayments free the market from its technological constraints. More from Payments Week: The evolution in interest among TradFi, which was once dominated by diehard crypto skeptics, from crypto curiosity to crypto commitment is perhaps the industrys most important move yet. Porn, gambling and even furniture sales are deemed high-risk merchant categories. Sometimes the risk is financial; other times its just bad publicity. How and why those original digital payments projects are no longer with us today can give us an idea of what needs to be done to do it right. This piece is part of CoinDesk's Payments Week. FORT LAUDERDALE A 27-year-old Boca Raton man this week was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison after admitting he was part of an operation that smuggled as many as 100 guns into Canada in a two-year span. Mackenzie Delmas was arrested in February 2019, five months after the Canadian Border Service Agency stumbled upon a cache of weapons hidden in a secret compartment inside a car that attempted to cross the border at Champlain, N.Y, according to court records. An investigation by federal agents led them to Delmas and more than a half-dozen other Palm Beach County residents who were part of the international gun smuggling ring. 'This shoot-first mentality we have in Florida': Advocates push for Florida gun control in statewide Day of Action Death penalty: Did gunman kill to avenge ex-girlfriend's abuse? Woman testifies at death-penalty murder trial Guns at airports: TSA seized record 666 guns at Florida airports during 2021, many of them loaded Delmas in May pleaded guilty to various charges, including smuggling goods from the United States, making false statements to a federal firearms dealer and being a felon in possession of a handgun. With convictions for burglary and other felonies, Delmas couldnt buy the weapons himself, agents said. So he hired straw buyers to purchase firearms at gun shops and gun shows throughout South Florida. The weapons were then loaded into cars and driven to Canada, agents said. Naomi Haynes, 42, who was initially detained in March 2018 after agents said she brought 20 guns into Canada, was sentenced to seven years in prison in January for her role in the scheme. The Boca Raton woman was one of the organizers of the operation, agents said. Five other people, who worked for her and Delmas, have been convicted and sentenced on various smuggling-related charges. Two others, including a Canadian citizen, have evaded arrest and are considered fugitives. The sentencing took place before federal Judge Judge Roy Altman in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. jmusgrave@pbpost.com This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida man convicted for smuggling guns from US into Canada A former special education employee was in Muscogee County Superior Court Thursday morning on charges connected to the alleged sexual assault of a Columbus student. Devin Douglas, 24, is charged with sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority, public indecency and possessing both marijuana and the oil containing marijuana THC. Muscogee County School District police officer Alyssa Phillips testified a parent had shown entries in the students journal that described the assault to police. Police got a search warrant for bus security camera video from mid-April, which showed Douglas sitting next to the student on the bus, where he reportedly exposed himself to the student. During an interview with police, the student told police Douglas sexually assaulted her. Douglas was living at at Victory Drive motel where police served a search warrant, finding 21 grams of marijuana, the THC oil and two cell phones, Phillips testified. He was arrested and booked into the Muscogee County Jail at 7:57 p.m. Friday, according to jail records. Recorders Court Judge Julius Hunter found probable cause to send Douglas case to Muscogee Superior Court, setting his bonds at $50,000 on the sexual assault charge, $5,000 for public indecency, and an own-recognizance bond on the drug possession. The reported victims age, school and address will not be reported: the Ledger-Enquirer typically does not report information that could be used to identify alleged victims of sexual assault. Bostons top education official is calling for the closure of a Jamaica Plain school amid a report into sexual and physical misconduct dating back to 2014. Superintendent Brenda Cassellius is recommending to the School Committee Wednesday night that the Mission Hill K-8 School permanently close at the end of the school year. That would mean transferring some 200 students to other schools in the district. The recommendation follows a report from Boston law firm Hinckley Allen that found school leadership cultivated and tolerated a culture of pervasive indifference to sexual misconduct, bullying and bias-based conduct and toward rules, regulations and policies. The report was commissioned by Cassellius last fall. In a statement, the superintendents office referred to the investigation as an independent report. Ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of all students is the most important obligation a school district has, a spokesperson for the district said. Based on the persistent pattern of abuse confirmed in this independent report, the only viable option is to close the school and support students in their transition to other schools in the district. This action indicates how seriously the Superintendent takes this responsibility. BPS immediate priority is to work with each Mission Hill family to determine where their child will continue their education. Investigators conducted 65 interviews and collected more than 2 million documents, including 3,500 from the Boston Public Schools that spanned nearly 14,000 pages. They found that school leadership created a climate of hostility and intimidation toward parents and staff who questioned or disagreed with that culture, and that all of the above undermined the safety and educational aspirations of Mission Hill students according to the report. The Boston Public Schools has formed a transition team to work with families during the transition to another school. The district anticipates there will be about 400 seats available in K-8 schools within 1.5 miles of the Mission Hill School. Story continues Families will have access to a special enrollment period to find a new school placement. Staff at the Mission Hill School who were directly involved in the cases detailed in the report either no longer work for the district or are on leave while their actions are further investigated. Staff not related to those incidents will be able to seek employment elsewhere in the district. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW By Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) -Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told allies on Thursday he aims to represent a seven-party center-left coalition in his challenge to incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in this October's election. Lula, a former union organizer leading the presidential race, has stacked his agenda with party congresses to cement that coalition, including Thursday rallies with the Brazilian Socialist Party and Sustainability Network (REDE). "To those who have not joined us yet, our arms are open to welcome everyone who wants to recover this country," he told reporters at a meeting with REDE. Senator Randolfe Rodrigues pledged REDE's support for Lula's candidacy, but party founder Marina Silva, a former Lula environment minister, was absent. Silva left Lula's government and she ran against his Workers Party (PT) in three bruising presidential elections. Lula celebrated the findings of a U.N. rights committee earlier in the day that a graft case that jailed him and blocked his presidential candidacy in 2018 had violated due process. He called the ruling "extraordinarily soul-cleansing." Opinion surveys have shown Lula's advantage over Bolsonaro eroding in recent months, as Bolsonaro has ramped up spending on social programs. Still, the left-wing challenger maintains a double-digit advantage over his far-right opponent in simulations of a likely runoff. Sources close to Lula told Reuters his strategy five months from the election is to focus on gathering maximum support for an expected second-round runoff against Bolsonaro. Some parties are maneuvering to field their own candidates but could still back Lula in the runoff, such as the Social Democratic Party and some factions of the Brazilian Democratic Movement. Later on Thursday, Lula was welcomed by cheering supporters at a national meeting of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), his main ally, where he appeared with his pick for running mate, former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin. Story continues Party members shouted "Out with Bolsonaro" and sang the Socialist hymn L'Internationale. "We need to defeat Bolsonaro soundly because he is a disgrace for Brazil," PSB president Carlos Siqueira said in a speech. Party leaders said Bolsonaro had undermined labor rights and environmental protections. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Anthony Boadle; editing by Brad Haynes, Alistair Bell and Richard Pullin) Former CIA director John Brennan said on NBCs Deadline Russian President Vladimir Putin will try to find new ways to go after the West after the setbacks of his invasion of Ukraine. Brennan was discussing with host Nicole Wallace Moscows latest move to cut off Poland and Bulgaria from Russian gas. I can see him continuing to do these things because he realizes that his initial game plan has just completely collapsed and, therefore, he had to adapt and react, Brennan said. At the start of the invasion, many thought Ukraine would not last even three days before folding to Russian forces. After two months, however, Ukrainian forces are still standing strong and have kept the capital city of Kyiv out of Putins hands. Russia has repositioned its troops to eastern and southern Ukraine where they have had more success in fighting. Putins continued actions against the West despite missteps in the invasion are meant to rally support to Russian sympathizers in other countries and deter NATO from continuing to support Ukraine, Brennan said. NATO countries have sent billions of dollars in aid and weapons to Ukraine, as well as placing dozens of sanctions on Russias economy in response to the invasion. Brennans comments come at a time when violence has also increased in Transnistria, the Russian-backed separatist territory in Moldova. Russia has said it hopes it does not have to get involved in the territory that borders Ukraine, drawing fears Russia will expand the fighting beyond Ukraines borders. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The premier of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has been arrested in a sting operation in Miami on charges of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and money laundering. Related: UK minister in BVI for urgent talks on sanctioning Russian oligarchs The BVI governor, John Rankin, confirmed in a statement that Andrew Fahie had been arrested on Thursday morning, saying: I realise this will be shocking news for people in the territory. And I would call for calm at this time. Oleanvine Maynard, the manager director of the Caribbean territorys port authority, and her son Kadeem were also detained in the operation. Court papers filed in Florida alleged Fahie, who was also referred to as head coach, was involved in conspiracy to import at least 5kg of cocaine and money laundering between 16 October last year and 28 April 2022. DEA agents allege in the documents that Oleanvine and Kadeem Maynard agreed with undercover agents who were posing as members of Mexicos Sinaloa cartel to set up a meeting between Lebanese Hezbollah operatives and Fahie in order to establish a place to store thousands of kilograms of drugs arriving from Colombia. The plan offered by the agents was to store the drug, bundled inside 5kg buckets of paint, in the BVI for one or two days before shipment to Miami or New York, the papers said. Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard were arrested at a Miami airport after being invited by undercover agents to see a shipment of $700,000 in cash that BVI officials expected to receive for their part in the alleged plot, the court papers alleged. Liz Truss, the British foreign secretary, said she was appalled by the arrest. Truss said: This afternoon, the premier of the British Virgin Islands, Andrew Fahie, was arrested in the United States on charges related to drugs trafficking and money laundering. I am appalled by these serious allegations. She said she had held talks with Rankin and stressed the importance of the recent inquiry into corruption on the Caribbean archipelago. Story continues Last year, the UK set up a commission of inquiry into mis-governance in the British overseas territory, which has heard allegations of systemic corruption, cronyism, jury intimidation and misuse of public funds. In his statement, Rankin said Fahies arrest was the result of a US operation led by the US Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) and was not linked to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report. The remit of the Commission of Inquiry focused on governance and corruption, and was not a criminal investigation into the illegal drug trade. To avoid unnecessary speculation, I intend to move ahead urgently on publication of the inquiry report so the people of the BVI can see its contents and its recommendations in the areas it addressed, he said. Addressing the commission of inquiry last year, Fahie denied that there was any corruption in the BVI. He said: The key to any country is its reputation, but so far, and thank God for that, there is no evidence provided in the CoI showing that the BVI is corrupt. SOFIA (Reuters) - Ukraine has asked Bulgaria to repair some of its heavy military machinery at its arms plants, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said on Thursday after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskiy in Kyiv. European Union and NATO member Bulgaria has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but is yet to decide on whether to send military aid to Kiyv, with one of the partners in Petkov's four-party government opposing such a move. "This is a genuine request, which I personally will present to the coalition council and I hope next week, when we will be voting in the parliament on military technical assistance to Ukraine, that it will be a key part of the package," Petkov told reporters in Kyiv. Petkov's centrist PP party and two other coalition partners are in favour of supporting Ukraine with military aid, while the fourth party, the Socialists, who have also opposed imposing sanctions on Russia, see it as a direct involvement in the conflict. Bulgaria's parliament is expected to approve the move with support from some of the opposition parties. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Blue states across the country are using billions of taxpayer dollars from President Bidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to push core tenets of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which the Democrats passed in March 2021 without any Republican support, was billed by the Democratic Party as a necessity for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the law provided over $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), which helped multiple states implement "implicit bias" and "anti-racism" training, among other programs, according to research from One Nation shared with and verified by Fox News Digital. EPA USED COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS FOR GRANTS PROMOTING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE In February 2021, before the legislation passed, the White House told FOX Business that ESSER funding would provide schools "with the resources they need to safely reopen and fully serve their students." Democrats like Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., described the passing of ARP as a matter of life and death. "This is one moment in which its very clear that public policy is quite literally a matter of life and death," Warnock said during a February 2021 news conference with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., adding that the bill would provide "more than $4 billion to the state of Georgias K through 12 schools to ensure students, teachers, and staff stay safe and healthy, and to address learning loss." Soon after Biden signed the bill into law on March 11, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education declared that ESSER would be used to "implement the CDC's recommended prevention and mitigation strategies for K-12 schools, meet student and educators' social, emotional, and mental health needs, invest in strategies to address lost instructional time, and boldly address inequities exacerbated by the pandemic." Story continues "My priority right now is to safely reopen as many schools right now, as quickly as possible," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said after the bill passed. Miguel Cardona speaks after President-elect Joe Biden announced his nomination for education secretary on Dec. 23, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images In August 2021, the U.S. Department of Education published a report offering strategies for how states should use ARP funds to support families and reengage students for the return of in-person learning. The DoE report said, "Rebuilding from COVID-19 is an opportunity to reexamine and strengthen school policies," and that some school systems may see a need for a "culture shift" to ensure schools "reopen equitably for all students." The report recommended that states use ARP funding to "build trust with families to support in-person learning" by communicating frequently with families, implementing universal indoor masking, providing access to vaccinations and other measures, including addressing the "reasons families of color have cited for not returning to in-person learning," such as "fears of xenophobic and racist harassment." WHAT IS CRITICAL RACE THEORY? The DoE report said school districts should "implement strategies designed for systemic change at the local and school level." "Educators should evaluate and reflect on their school culture, climate, and policies and can use well-designed survey tools to learn what practices may be keeping all students from feeling safe, included, and academically challenged and supported," the report said. "Based on this information, they should commit to making improvements to achieve the goal of safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments." Applications were due on June 7, 2021, and at least $46.5 billion from the ARP ESSER fund has been allocated to 13 states, including California, New York and Illinois, that are planning to use the funds to implement CRT in their schools. The California Department of Education was awarded $15.1 billion in ARP ESSER funding to implement its schools reopening plan, which included $1.5 billion for training resources for school staff regarding "high-need topics," like "implicit bias training." The California DoE used funds to "increase educator training and resources" in subjects such as "anti-bias strategies," "environmental literacy," "ethnic studies," and "LGBTQ+ cultural competency," according to the plan. Cardona said in November 2021 that he was "excited" to approve Californias plan, and that it laid the "groundwork for the ways in which an unprecedented infusion of federal resources will be used to address the urgent needs of Americas children and build back better." The New York State Education Department (NYSED) was awarded $9 billion in ARP ESSER funding to implement its reopening plan, which supported "putting DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) at the heart of NYSEDs work with" all local education agencies. The funds helped NYSEDs Civic Readiness Taskforce build a DEI plan to provide "staff development on topics such as culturally responsive sustaining instruction and student support practices, privilege, implicit bias, and reactions in times of stress." The approved plan also recommended that schools use social-emotional learning [SEL] to "support the work of anti-racism and anti-bias." The plan said the New York State Board of Regents "is committed to creating an ecosystem of success built upon a foundation of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, opportunity, innovation, trust, respect, caring, relationship-building, and much more. It is the policy of the Board to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in all NYS districts and schools through the budgeting process, allocation of resources, and development of Board policies" The plan, quoting the Boards DEI framework, said "equity warriors" were currently working to create "more diverse, more equitable, and more inclusive" school communities across the state, and that their efforts should be "recognized and applauded." Cardona approved the plan in August 2021, saying it will "will help ensure that districts and schools in your State can continue to reopen safely; support sustained access to in-person instruction throughout the summer and into next school year; and address the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), particularly those students most impacted by the pandemic." In Illinois, $5.1 billion in ARP ESSER funding was awarded to the state Board of Education for its reopening plan that implemented strategies with "an emphasis on equity and diversity." The plan provided school districts with training on topics like "anti-racism" and equity, and allocated a percentage of funds to create a statewide coalition to help school districts offer grants for projects addressing "issues pertaining to interrupted learning and support groups that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (e.g., homeless, LGBQT [sic], marginalized communities)." Illinois Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala cheered Cardonas approval of the plan last year. "We continue to do everything possible to ensure each and every student can attend school in-person safely this fall," Ayala said in August 2021. "The approval of our state plan will allow us to make even greater equity-driven investments in teacher retention and students' mental health and academic growth." There are at least ten other states, including Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia, that have used or plan to use billions of dollars in ARP funding for their state education departments to implement certain tenets of CRT. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris deliver remarks on the child tax credit at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on July 15, 2021, in Washington. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education released its Equity Action Plan earlier this month, pledging to ensure an "equitable impact" of ARP ESSER funds and to invest in "resources to help advance civil rights." "We need to keep the focus on transforming our education system so it truly expands opportunity for all students, no matter their race, background, zip code, age, or family's income," Cardona said in an April 14 press release announcing the plan. One Nation President Steven Law called Bidens ARP a "massive bait-and-switch" used to indoctrinate children. "It turns out Bidens so-called American Rescue Plan was a multitrillion-dollar progressive shopping list, a massive bait-and-switch for life-saving COVID aid," Law said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Indoctrinating children to judge themselves and one another based on the color of their skin is wrong and has nothing to do with fighting COVID or getting our economy back on track." The news comes as the American Rescue Plan faces intensifying scrutiny for its effect on the U.S. economy after inflation rose a stunning 8.5% last month. Some economists, including former Obama administration economic advisers, have blamed the $1.9 COVID-19 relief package for overheating the economy. The Department of Education provided a statement to Fox News Digital that emphasized curriculum decisions are made at the local level, not by the Department. "The Department is not encouraging the use of American Rescue Plan funds to teach CRTand any claim to the contrary is patently false," the statement read. "The Department believes politicians should stay out of the curriculum decisions that are best made at the local level, in engagement with parents, families, and local school communities. "American Rescue Plan funds which have been indispensable to safely re-opening practically 100% of our schools are helping school communities recover from COVID-19, by providing vital resources to help students make up for lost learning time and to support their mental health," it continued. "As weve repeatedly told your outlet, and is on the Departments website, curriculum decisions are made at the local level." The Illinois State Board of Education said in a statement that "ISBE is using the funds to support students academic recovery from the pandemic." The education departments for New York and California didn't immediately return requests for comment. By Steve Scherer and Julie Gordon OTTAWA (Reuters) - The front-runner to become the next leader of Canada's opposition Conservatives said on Thursday he would ban the Bank of Canada from issuing a central bank digital currency if he became prime minister. Pierre Poilievre, who is campaigning on a vow to make Canada the blockchain capital of the world, also said he would ensure the central bank faces regular scrutiny of its balance sheet, including an audit of its COVID pandemic bond-buying program. "A Poilievre government will ban a central bank digital currency and allow Canadians to have the economic and financial liberty that they deserve," he told reporters gathered outside Canada's central bank building in Ottawa. Poilievre, a Conservative member of parliament since 2004, is leading all polls ahead of a September vote to pick a new leader for Canada's main opposition party. If elected, he will likely have to wait until 2025 for the next federal election, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals have a political support deal with the New Democrats, a smaller left-leaning party. The leadership race was triggered in early February when Erin O'Toole was ousted as Conservative leader after failing to beat Trudeau in last year's election. Poilievre, in his campaigning, has blamed Canada's high inflation rate on the central bank's pandemic purchases of government bonds and said cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are a good way to "opt-out of inflation." Central bank officials, this week, pushed back on those claims. "We don't see cryptocurrencies as a way for Canadians to opt out of inflation or as a stable source of value," Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers told lawmakers on Monday. Governor Tiff Macklem added that he foresees the Canadian dollar remaining at the center of the country's financial system. The Bank of Canada had no immediate response on Thursday. Story continues The central bank has been working on a digital currency (CBDC) for a number of years. The CBDC is currently in the development stage, though a final decision on its launch is up to the federal government. Inflation in Canada hit a 31-year high at 6.7% in March. Countries around the world are grappling with runaway prices amid strong demand and supply chain constraints. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed up commodity prices, adding to the pinch. (Reporting by Steve Scherer and Julie Gordon in Ottawa; Editing by Paul Simao) The King County Prosecuting Attorneys Office filed charges Wednesday against Michael Smith, the off-duty Auburn police officer who was arrested for a crash that killed a pedestrian in Seattles Interbay neighborhood last Saturday. Smith was charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and hit and run-attended vehicle for the crash in which he struck and killed a 65-year-old man on April 23. According to charging documents, Smith was driving his 2016 Mercedes northbound on Alaskan Way in downtown Seattle around 10:30 p.m. with his girlfriend in the front passenger seat. Just past the intersection of Alaskan Way and Madison Street, Smith struck the right rear of a taxi that had a passenger inside. The fender-bender caused minor damage and no one was injured. Both cars stopped and Smith exited his car, opened the front passenger door of the taxi and tried to remove the driver. Unsuccessful, Smith then tried to open the drivers side door. When the taxi driver said that he was calling police, Smith returned to his car and sped off northbound on Alaskan Way. 10 minutes later, Smith was seen speeding northbound on 15th Avenue West A witness saw Smith passing traffic using the oncoming southbound lane. Another witness estimated Smith was traveling at 80 mph. Data later obtained from his cars crash data recorder showed he was going 85 mph on the 30 mph road just five seconds before crashing. Smith tried turning right onto Gilman Drive West but could not stay in the curb lane until the intersection. He drove onto the sidewalk, sideswiped a telephone pole, and struck a 65-year-old man, killing him almost instantly. Smith told police that the pedestrian came out of nowhere and boom, I hit him. Scroll down to continue reading More news from KIRO 7 Story continues DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP Smith continued driving out of control through an uphill grassy embankment, striking three metal mailboxes before finally stopping against the northern curb of the westbound lane of Gilman Drive West, about 100 feet from where he drove up onto the sidewalk. After the crash, Smith stumbled out of his car and told a witness that the man he had hit was okay, but a witness pointed and said, hes not. Smiths girlfriend was uninjured and did not cooperate. Officers who were called to the scene noted signs that Smith was impaired, such as his difficulty in answering basic questions as to where he was going or where he lived. One officer noted that Smith had watery eyes and that he stumbled to the officers patrol car. Smith told officers that he and his girlfriend had been at the Mariners game, where he had consumed two mixed alcoholic drinks. He refused to do any field sobriety tests. A drug recognition expert was called to the scene to evaluate Smith, and they noticed that Smiths eyes were watery and bloodshot and that he smelled of alcohol. That officer placed Smith under arrest for vehicular homicide/DUI. Smiths blood sample was collected for toxicological testing, the results of which are still pending. The Cherokee Nation hosted its first at-large community gathering since the beginning of the pandemic last week. More than 700 Cherokee citizens gathered in northern California, including Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., First Lady January Hoskin, and multiple representatives of the Cherokee Nation. Of more than 413,000 Cherokee citizens around the world, there are well over 23,000 Cherokee Nation citizens living in the state of California, Chief Hoskin said. It only makes sense that after more than two years of responding to and recovering from the worst public health crisis this generation has seen, we begin our cautious return to in-person fellowship with our friends and family in northern California. We had a great time catching up and sharing the amazing progress we are making in areas such as physical and mental health care, education, language perpetuation, at-large community outreach and many other matters that are important to Cherokees all over the world not the least of which is defending our inherent sovereignty as a tribal nation. I look forward to visiting with many of our other Cherokee community groups around the country as public health guidance allows this year. Members of the Cherokees of the Northern Central Valley, Cherokee Society of the Greater Bay Area, Cherokees of the Greater Central Valley, and Cherokee Community of Central California took part in the gatherings. The meetings allow citizens a chance to socialize, receive tribal updates, and register to vote in Cherokee elections. There are several at-large gatherings scheduled throughout 2022. June 4 Atlanta, Georgia July 16 Albuquerque, New Mexico July 17 Denver, Colorado August 20 Portland and Eugene, Oregon August 21 Seattle, Washington August 23 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma September 17 Austin/San Antonio, Texas September 18 Houston, Texas October 15 Riverside, Anaheim, Los Angeles, California October 16 San Diego, California November 19 Phoenix, Arizona November 20 Tucson, Arizona Story continues The Chinese megacity of Guangzhou on Thursday cancelled hundreds of flights and began testing 5.6 million people over one suspected Covid case, part of an escalating battle across the country to extinguish the virus. China is facing its worst outbreak since the peak of the first wave in early 2020, with eastern Shanghai recording dozens of daily deaths and the capital Beijing sealing off whole neighbourhoods where handfuls of cases have been detected. Under its zero-Covid policy, China has used lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions to stamp out infections. The strategy is under strain, with the highly transmissible Omicron variant punching through health controls. Rolling virus restrictions -- including a weeks-long lockdown of virtually all of Shanghai's 25 million residents -- have damaged the economy, causing backlogs at the world's busiest container port, a key node in the global supply chain. On Thursday Guangzhou, a major trade and manufacturing hub in southern China, announced mass testing for almost a third of its near 19 million residents after an "abnormal" test result was detected at its airport, where most flights have been cancelled. Meanwhile, the tech hub of Hangzhou near Shanghai late on Wednesday ordered 9.4 million downtown residents out of its 12.2 million population to get tested every 48 hours if they want to access public spaces and transportation. The aim is "that the virus has nowhere to hide or settle", the city government said in a statement, raising fears of further restrictions across a city home to some of China's biggest companies. China reported 11,367 new infections on Thursday, a small daily tally compared with most major global economies, but enough to rattle authorities in the country where the coronavirus was first detected in late 2019, but that had until recently emerged relatively unscathed by the pandemic. - Ruined holiday - The outbreaks are expected to hit tourism during next week's May national holiday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Story continues Chinese travellers are forecast to make 100 million domestic trips during the five-day holiday, down 62 percent from 2021, transport official Zhou Min told reporters. Wang Yang, a 34-year-old Beijing resident, told AFP he had cancelled his vacation plans because of the Omicron surge. "We should avoid going out and stay at home," he told AFP. "This is something that affects the whole country and not just yourself." Over 10,000 of China's cases on Thursday were detected in Shanghai, where cases are trending downwards after a weeks-long lockdown which has enraged residents and seen rare protests against a government accused of bungling the response and failing to feed people confined at home. In recent days, more housing compounds have lifted movement restrictions and authorities on Thursday said 90 percent of new infections were found in quarantined areas. National Health Commission official Wu Liangyou on Thursday warned that preventing a "rebound or spillover is difficult." Around 50 new cases were found in Beijing, the seat of government for President Xi Jinping, who has until now hailed China's virus response as an example of the superiority of the country's Communist leadership. The capital launched mass testing of nearly all its 21 million residents this week and locked down more housing compounds in its populous Chaoyang district Thursday. Residents are on high alert of a potential wider lockdown and spooked by scenes of chaos in Shanghai which have pinged across social media before censors can erase them. "I can see that some people are hesitant about the Covid policies," Xiang, a 21-year-old student in Beijing who declined to give her full name, told AFP. lxc-tjx/apj/je Universal has debuted its first look at Harvey Weinstein film She Said at CinemaCon. The movie, which is scheduled to be released on 18 November, is based on the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey as they investigated sexual misconduct claims against disgraced producer. It follows the storyline of the 2019 book She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Kantor, played by Zoe Kazan in the film. Twohey is played by Carey Mulligan. The new clip shows Kazan and Mulligan meeting with sources as they face the pressures of working around obstacles to telling the truth. It caused a domino effect, the #MeToo movement for lasting change, Mulligan said at CinemaCon on Wednesday (27 April). It was an honor to portray these woman. The other cast members of the film include Patricia Clarkson and Samantha Morton. It is directed by Maria Schrader and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. SHE SAID, which looks at the NY Times reporting that brought down Harvey Weinstein and sparked the Me Too movement, looks very powerful with Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan starring #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/ArUmTANZZR Jason Guerrasio (@JasonGuerrasio) April 28, 2022 Weinstein was convicted of sexual assault and third-degree rape in his New York City criminal trial in 2020. The 69-year-old was sentenced to 23 years in prison after he was convicted of attacks on two women. The verdict was seen as a landmark moment for the #MeToo movement. It came more than two years after allegations against the former producer were published in The New York Times and The New Yorker. You can read the timeline of how the allegations against Weinstein became public here. Apr. 28The Coast Guard and its partner agencies searched a combined 9, 521 miles since Saturday and rescued Tuesday five adults and one child aboard a 19-foot vessel near Etal Atoll in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia, Sector Guam watchstanders got a call at 6 a.m. Saturday about an overdue boat that left Namoluk Atoll Friday for a 35-mile trip, but failed to arrive in Etal Atoll as planned. The Coast Guard deployed several assets and worked with local and federal partners to search for the missing boat. The crew of the merchant vessel Navigator found the missing vessel about 14 miles from its destination after it ran out of fuel during stormy weather. The navigator crew provided fuel for the boat, allowing all the passengers to arrive safely in Etal. The Navigator is part of the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue program made up of volunteers from around the world, who assist during search-and-rescue operations. Also participating in the search were Air Station Barbers Point C-130 Hercules air crew ; Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry crew, Air Force KC-10 Extender air crew, and merchant vessel North Star crew. By Julia Symmes Cobb and Nelson Bocanegra BOGOTA (Reuters) -A Colombian judge on Wednesday dismissed a request by the attorney general's office to shelve a witness-tampering investigation against divisive former President Alvaro Uribe. The decision by Judge Carmen Helena Ortiz revives a long-running and deeply polarising investigation, which saw the attorney general's office ask last year for a hearing on curtailing the probe, after it found Uribe's conduct did not constitute a crime. "It is clear for the chambers that there exists a possible hypothesis about the material nature of the crime of bribery," Ortiz said during the hearing. "The chambers rejects the petition for preclusion of the investigation for the crimes of penal bribery and procedural fraud." Conviction in the case could mean a prison term of up to 12 years for Uribe. Uribe and several allies are being investigated over allegations of witness tampering carried out in an attempt to discredit accusations he had ties to right-wing paramilitaries. Uribe has always denied the allegations and maintained his innocence. Uribe's lawyer Jaime Granados did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The decision can be appealed, local media reported. Uribe's critics have repeatedly alleged the attorney general's office would be less rigorous in its investigation than the Supreme Court, which was originally charged with the probe. The still-influential Uribe was placed under house arrest by the court for two months in 2020. He resigned his senate seat after the order, which triggered the case's transfer to the attorney general's office. The case stems from a 2012 allegation by Uribe, who accused leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda of orchestrating a plot to tie him to paramilitaries. But in 2018 the Supreme Court said Cepeda had collected information from former fighters as part of his work and had not paid them, and that instead it was Uribe and allies who pressured witnesses. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb and Nelson Bocanegra; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Kenneth Maxwell) A Colorado man suspected in a pair of cold cases, including the 1989 killing of a young woman and the sexual assault of another, which occurred more than three decades ago in the same Arizona apartment complex has been arrested, authorities said Tuesday. Thomas Cox, 58, was taken into custody in Colorado Springs and extradited to Arizona to face charges for the death of 22-year-old Susan Amy Morse. SOUTH CAROLINA MAN CONFESSES TO MURDERING CALIFORNIA WOMAN 21 YEARS LATER He was linked to the crimes after investigators used advanced DNA and fingerprint technology. "We just constantly look for stuff. When theres new technology or new techniques on how to identify a suspect or examine evidence we buy into that, and we re-examine the evidence as the years go on and in this particular case it worked out dramatically," Mesa Police Department Sgt. Chuck Trapani told Fox affiliate KSAZ-TV. Morse was killed on October 16, 1989 and was found dead in her Mesa, Arizona apartment where she lived alone. It was later determined she died of asphyxiation. In November 1990, Cox allegedly broke into the same apartment complex and sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman, stealing her cash and VCR. She survived, police said. Cox wasn't initially identified as a suspect in either case, but investigators said his mother lived next to Morse. He is being held on $1 million bail and faces 16 criminal counts, including first-degree murder, sexual assault, burglary and kidnapping. HENDERSON, Ky. Columbia Brands USA plans to upgrade its existing distribution center in Robards with a $3.7 million investment, resulting in the creation of 175 new full-time jobs, including warehouse associate and supervisory positions. City, county and state leaders, along with representatives from Columbia, announced the move Thursday afternoon in downtown Henderson. The upgrades to the 520,000-square-foot distribution center are expected to be complete by May 2023 and will allow Columbia to move its popular line of performance fishing gear from its current location in Portland, Oregon, to Henderson County. Columbia Brands USA sells apparel and footwear throughout the U.S. under brand names Columbia, Sorel, Montrail, prAna and Mountain Hardware, with a revenue of $3.12 billion in 2021. More: How first-time Evansville homebuyers can beat the competition. (A cover letter can help!) The Robards facility went online in 2004 and currently employs about 200 people. Columbia's Vice President of Global Distribution Alonzo Plater said the move will put the company in a better position to quickly get its products into the hands of customers. The PFG line is gaining popularity in the southern U.S., Plater pointed out. "It's all about proximity to our customers," Plater said. "... When you look at what we've been able to do with the Robards facility, it's easy to see this was a unique opportunity to expand and better serve our customers." Plater said Columbia was becoming an "employer of choice" in the region due to its competitive wages and work culture. The average hourly wage for the 175 new jobs created is expected to be $24, based on an incentive agreement between Columbia and the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority that was approved Thursday. It will stretch over the next the next 10 years. More: Henderson's Tri-Fest is back after 2 years of COVID cancelations. Here's what to know Story continues "We have really enjoyed working with Columbia," Henderson County Judge Executive Brad Schneider said. "This project will truly be of regional benefit and help make our communities continue to be places people want to live and work." The Columbia project is just the most recent in a surge of economic development and job growth in Western Kentucky, with more than $1.7 billion in investments and 2,400 jobs created since 2020. State Sen. Robby Mills lauded Columbia as being a good corporate citizen and the announcement as one that may indicate the future of the area's employment base. "Everything is aligned around I-69," he said. "I think we could someday see this area become a mecca of distribution. ... Companies like Columbia do their homework. They know what they're doing when they choose to invest in an area." This article originally appeared on Henderson Gleaner: Columbia Sportswear: Upgrades, new jobs coming to Western Kentucky President Biden meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2021. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Biden likes to say that we are locked in a global battle pitting democracy against autocracy. In Seattle last week, he described a phone conversation hed had with Xi Jinping in which the Chinese leader argued that democracy doesnt work anymore. Among other things, Xi said, democracy requires consensus, and mustering a consensus takes too long in a fast-moving world. Only autocracies are equipped to meet the extraordinary challenges of modern times. Biden, as he does every time he tells the story, dismissed the idea that democracy is passe or unworkable. But Ive begun to wonder whether Xi might be on to something. We Americans often treat our liberal democracy as a national religion, and routinely assert, as if no evidence were needed, that it is the most moral, just, effective and admirable system on Earth. But few would deny that theres been some disturbing evidence to the contrary in recent years. The Jan. 6 riot, of course, was a low point. Then there was the chaotic, inefficient, politicized response to the pandemic. The continuing legislative paralysis in Washington. The strongest evidence of democracys weakness, however, has got to be the tepid U.S. response to climate change over the last 25 years. An epochal, Earth-threatening catastrophe is barreling toward us, poised to upend life as we know it. As one of the worlds wealthiest countries and greatest historic emitters of carbon, we obviously should be leading an urgent and aggressive charge to protect the planet. But were not. Why have we failed to rise to the occasion? One obvious reason is that our system allows the oil and gas industry to wield grossly disproportionate power thanks to the way money distorts our politics. The top 10 fossil fuel industry contributors alone gave $60 million to candidates in the 2019-2020 election cycle. Another reason is that in a democracy, elected officials have no incentive to support policies that require pain and sacrifice today in exchange for future gain. Pay twice as much for gas? Dont drive? Dont fly? In most cases, courageous politicians who supported such policies would be voted out of office. Story continues Whats more, too many Americans believe the climate crisis is terribly exaggerated, despite a scientific consensus that its not. This anti-intellectual strain has always existed in American political culture, but the number of science-skeptical voters seems to have grown during the Trump years. I mention climate change just as an example. It is just one small part of what ails our democratic system these days. Even post-Trump, we face a deep, bitter, partisan polarization. A dysfunctional Congress. An ongoing effort to undermine the 2020 election. An assault on voting rights. Add to that a host of long-standing structural problems. A U.S. Senate in which tiny states like Wyoming, with 582,000 people, have the same representation and voting power as big states like California, with 39 million people. A system that allows congressional district lines to be manipulated for partisan advantage. Campaign finance laws that let mega-rich Americans and giant corporations spend unlimited amounts to influence elections. An anachronistic electoral college and filibuster rules that are undermining the notion of majority rule. And good luck fixing these problems. Making reforms and passing laws in a country this divided is extremely difficult, and amending the Constitution is nearly impossible. A newly empowered conservative Supreme Court wont make it easier. In recent years, Freedom House, which rates and ranks democracies around the world, has downgraded the U.S. so that it now ranks close to Panama and Romania, and 10 points below "traditional peers" such as the United Kingdom and Germany. And its true that the United States has never lived up to its own lofty ideals. Liberty, equality, fairness, the evenhanded rule of law these are aspirations, not yet achievements. Given all this, is it any surprise that Xi and many others believe our system is dysfunctional? But heres the flip side: Despite democracys glaring flaws, autocracy isnt the answer. Those who see hope in the Orbans, the Le Pens and the Trumps, much less in the Xis and Putins, should think again. Freedom House, for the record, says China is increasingly repressive and is tightening control over all aspects of life. Describing Russia, Freedom House refers to loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition factions. These are not the conditions under which most people would choose to live. But beyond that, theres no evidence despite Xis assertions that China or any other autocratic country has a much better track record on addressing climate change or solving its domestic problems. The problems attributed to democracy, particularly regarding crises like climate change, are real and worthy of concern I lose sleep over them, says Steven Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard and co-author of How Democracies Die. But the fact that democracies are bad at responding to serious challenges that require either rapid decision-making or long-term thinking does not mean autocracies are any better. Levitsky says that history is littered with disastrous authoritarian experiments and that Xi is not the first to claim his authoritarian system is better than democracy. The Soviets and the fascists said the same. The unsatisfying reality is that democracy is difficult work. Americans need to fix the Senate. Disentangle money and campaigns. Ban gerrymandering. Restore democratic norms. To do so, citizens must understand the issues, vote their consciences, agitate for change and act cooperatively, even with opponents. We have a long distance to go (and with regard to climate change, very little time). But democracy is a long-term project. It doesnt come wrapped in bright colors with a bow around it. Youve got to fight for it. @Nick_Goldberg This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A conservative Spanish-language media network -- the first of its kind in the United States -- is hoping to take a frontline spot in the battle for Latino voters, an influential bloc that polls suggest is drifting rightwards. Launched in March, Americano had its first moment in the limelight earlier this month, securing an interview with former Republican president Donald Trump -- an important milestone for any conservative American news source in 2022. "Our commitment is to be a place that helps to promote the conservative ideology, to be able to win over the Democrats," Americano president Jorge L. Arrizurieta, who is close with former Florida governor Jeb Bush, said bluntly. According to Arrizurieta, the US media market was missing a right-of-center Spanish-speaking outlet to act as a foil to left-leaning channels such as Univision, Telemundo and CNN en Espanol. Miami-based outlet Americano is broadcast via the Sirius XM satellite radio system and the conservative social network GETTR. This summer, the transmission is set to become available via streaming platforms such as Apple TV. It hopes to be ready to cover the midterm elections in November and to be well-established by the time the 2024 presidential election rolls around. The Hispanic community is positioned to have an influential role in future votes. In 2020, Latinos represented 13.3 percent of registered voters in the United States, more than Black voters' 12.5 percent, according to Pew Research Center. And recent polls, including from the Wall Street Journal, have given conservatives a glimmer of hope that Hispanics -- who have traditionally supported Democrats -- are moving toward the Republican Party. - Against 'socialist agenda' Maria Herrera Mellado, who interviewed Trump for Americano, is aware of the role the media could play in the ideological battle facing the United States. "It's very important that we fight to save what remains of this country, because the socialist agenda is very advanced," said Mellado, a lawyer who hosts a show with Jose Aristimuno, a former press officer for the Democratic Party. Story continues "We're sure that, with solid arguments, we'll pull independents -- who will define the next elections -- toward conservatism," she added. Eduardo Gamarra, political science professor at Florida International University, gives some credit to the outfit, such as for the fact that it hired him, a Democrat, to take a survey of 1,500 Hispanics when it launched. Another element in its favor, according to Gamarra, is that Americano has turned to journalists who have appeared on Telemundo, Univision and CNN, a decision "that will give it credibility." He is still concerned, however, with the presence of some media personalities who have been known to "repeat disinformation." And Gamarra says some Americano programs seem to have misrepresented the data from his survey, which does not actually show a massive shift of Hispanics to the Republican Party. Democratic strategist Evelyn Perez-Verdia shares Gamarra's concerns about Americano. "There are programs that are about more moderate conservatism," she said. "But there are others that are focused on the people who... I would call the extreme right," said Perez Verdia, director of We Are Mas, an organization that studies Spanish-language misinformation. For Arrizurieta, Americano seeks to be a space that is open to varying voices of conservatism, able to leave internal divisions aside. A space that depends, he says, on its ability to reach all United States Hispanics -- a highly diverse community. "For our model to succeed, we have to make sure that there is an inclusive representation of the (Hispanic community) in the Western Hemisphere," Arrizurieta said. "We can't be monolithic." gma/caw/bgs Millions of workers staged a crippling strike in Sri Lanka on Thursday, adding to pressure on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his ruling family to quit over the country's worst-ever economic crisis. The island nation of 22 million people has been hit by months of acute shortages of food, fuel and medicines, prompting widespread protests. But Thursday's nationwide strike was the first time the entire country had been brought to a standstill since the demonstrations began, with both state and private sector employees taking part. Public transport was stopped, teachers quit school while shops and offices closed, police and regional officials said. Rajapaksa invited leaders of his party to discuss the crisis on Friday, but former coalition partner the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said they will not attend and instead told him to step down. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya's elder brother and a former two-term president, has said he is confident he will not be fired over the crisis. In Colombo's main commercial area of Pettah, wholesale trading shops were shut and workers joined a march chanting: "Go home Gota. Go home Gota," referring to the president. More than 100 trade unions, some even affiliated with the Rajapaksas' ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party, joined the general strike, demanding the president, prime minister and other senior officials resign. "Today is like a public holiday in the country," a police official monitoring the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP. "Hospitals are treating only emergency cases." Across the nation, vegetable markets were closed, while tea plantations, a main export earner, were also shut, residents and local media said. Tens of thousands of workers in the country's free trade zones came out of their factories and staged protests demanding the powerful Rajapaksa family step down. Most banks were closed while a few provided reduced hours of service. Story continues On the brighter side, a daily power cut that has become a feature of the crisis was not implemented Thursday as electricity employees took part in the work stoppage. The main international airport operated without interruption, officials said. Trade union leaders said they ensured the airport functioned normally as an essential service. - Deadline to resign - By afternoon, shops across the country had closed in solidarity with the trade unions, local television reported. Union leader Ravi Kumudesh said Thursday's action was a success and issued a one-week deadline to Rajapaksa to step down or face a continuous strike. "What we are asking the Rajapaksa family is to go within a week," Kumudesh said in a statement. "If they don't we are ready to launch another island-wide strike until they leave." The country's economic crisis took hold after the coronavirus pandemic hammered income from tourism and remittances from Sri Lankans abroad. Protesters also blame the Rajapaksa clan for years of mismanagement. The government has defaulted on its $51 billion external debt and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for an emergency bailout. Unable to pay for fuel imports, utilities have imposed daily blackouts to ration electricity, while long lines of people snake around service stations for diesel, petrol and kerosene. Hospitals are short of vital medicines and the government has appealed to citizens abroad for donations. Thousands of demonstrators have been camped for weeks outside the president's seafront office calling on him to resign. aj/stu/axn Good morning, Chicago. Across Illinois, police are ticketing thousands of students a year for in-school adolescent behavior once handled only by the principals office for littering, for making loud noises, for using offensive words. Unpaid fines are sometimes sent to collections or deducted from parents tax refunds. And, unlike records from juvenile court, these cases cant be expunged under state law. Ticketing students violates the intent of an Illinois law that prohibits schools from fining students as a form of discipline. Instead of issuing fines directly, school officials refer students to police, who then ticket them for municipal ordinance violations, an investigation by the Tribune and ProPublica has found. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day. COVID-19 tracker | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy | Todays eNewspaper edition Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots free gas and public transit card giveaway narrowly passed the City Council Wednesday after aldermen debated whether the measure will truly help struggling residents or simply be a political gimmick. The plan to hand out 50,000 gas cards, worth $150 each, and 100,000 Chicago Transit Authority fare cards, $50 each, passed 26-23 despite reservations from several aldermen that it was a political stunt and would be largely ineffective. Lightfoot brushed off the criticism: Am I solving every problem with this? Of course not. A coalition of news organizations convened by the Tribune is seeking to block the Chicago Park Districts efforts to seal a pending lawsuit alleging Lightfoot yelled obscenities at and defamed a Park District attorney during a call about a Christopher Columbus statue. Forty-one high schools will once again evaluate their safety plans and decide by June 15 if they will continue in Chicago Public Schools controversial school resource officer program. Story continues Last summer, 19 schools decided to retain both of their uniformed Chicago police officers; 22 schools chose to keep just one officer; and 12 schools voted to exit the SRO program. Based on the school votes, the board in September approved a one-year, $11 million agreement with the Chicago Police Department for this program. As Masud Arjmand sat in a Naperville coffee shop last week, describing the 15-year odyssey that turned his would-be dream house into a target for demolition, an excavator was already taking bites out of the unfinished Spanish-style mansion and piling the rubble into a huge heap. Informed of that by a Tribune reporter, Arjmand appeared stunned. Its being torn down? he said. How could they do that? He was apparently the last to know. Meta, the social media giant formerly known as Facebook, is expanding its massive $1 billion data center under construction in DeKalb to nearly 2.4 million square feet, putting the college town west of Chicago at the center of its metaverse. Slated to open next year, the five-building complex filled with servers and other computing equipment will create 200 jobs and power everything from Facebook posts to Instagram photos as one of 17 Meta data centers across the U.S. In other business news, ComEd customers will begin receiving a credit for about $20 per month in June, an unexpected dividend from the states bailout of three struggling nuclear power plants last fall. The Chicago Bulls season ended with an air of inevitability Wednesday night as the team crumpled against the Milwaukee Bucks in a 116-100 Game 5 loss to close their best-of-seven first-round series. Now its time for the autopsy, columnist Paul Sullivan writes: Should Bulls fans focus on the progress more than the ending? And after ending his last season under contract with the Bulls in COVID-19 isolation, the future is uncertain for guard Zach LaVine. Dr Taylor says similar arguments can be made about borderline personality disorder which she branded yet another junk diagnosis thrown at women (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Debunked psychological diagnoses of Amber Heard must be immediately discounted, a prominent psychologist has said. Dr Jessica Taylors warning comes after a psychologist hired by Johnny Depps legal team to evaluate Ms Heard, his ex-wife, testified she has borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. Mr Depp, a Hollywood actor, is currently embroiled in a high-profile defamation lawsuit against fellow actor Ms Heard in Virginia in the US. Mr Depp sued Ms Heard in March 2019, claiming a column she wrote for The Washington Post about domestic abuse was defamatory and requested $50m in damages. Ms Heard submitted a $100m countersuit. Although the article does not include any reference to Mr Depp, his legal team argues the piece contains a clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser, which they maintain is categorically and demonstrably false. Speaking to The Independent, Dr Taylor, who examines the pathologisation of women in mental health settings, said that in her view the two disorders the psychologist diagnosed Ms Heard with are "not proven medical conditions" but are instead "highly contested controversial psychiatric labels". Dr Taylor, who also specialises in sexual violence and victim-blaming, said she has not "heard anyone use the term histrionic personality disorder unironically in years, and suggested it is a debunked disorder. The psychologist, previously a senior lecturer in Forensic and Criminological Psychology at the University of Derby, said: Histrionic personality disorder was borne out of the hysteria diagnosis, which could only be given to women. Dr Taylor explained the term hysterical woman in the 1968 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder was changed to histrionic woman in a revised version of the manual in 1980 after top psychiatrists theorised that histrionic women were labile, egocentric, seductive, frigid, and childish. Story continues She added: Hysteria and histrionic personality disorder became known as the wastebasket of mental health, with many influential scholars rejecting their existence. Women could be diagnosed with these terms for not smiling enough, not giving men enough sex, being lesbian or bisexual, being too assertive, too opinionated, leaving their husbands, or even reading too many books. It is outrageous that in 2022, a psychologist would testify on the stand that a woman has histrionic personality disorder. Dr Taylor argued similar arguments could be made about borderline personality disorder, which she branded yet another junk diagnosis thrown at women, as she noted women are at least seven times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than men. She said Borderline Personality Disorder was borne from Histrionic Personality Disorder, they are overlapping constructs in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and one is borne from the other. Dr Taylor also noted Dr Shannon Curry, the psychologist hired by Mr Depp, had suggested borderline personality and histrionic personality disorder have a genetic basis, but Taylor hit out at this assertion. She added: There has never been any proof of genetic basis of any personality disorders, and so this is categorically false. No gene has been found for any mental health disorder, and the American Psychiatric Association agree that at the current time, we do not know the relationship between biology and psychiatric disorder. Dr Taylor argued a mans mental health is routinely used to position him as vulnerable and victimised, while conversely, womens mental health is wielded to cast her as being deviant and dangerous". Earlier this week, the DeKalb County School District parted ways with former Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris. The school board named Dr. Vasanne Tinsley the interim while they search for a permanent replacement. Dr. Tinsley says that after a brief stint being retired, shes ready to get back to work for the students of DeKalb County. I am thrilled. I am excited. I am happy to be back home, she told Channel 2s Tyisha Fernandes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As a 25-year veteran of DeKalb County Schools and a former deputy superintendent for the district, the school board felt she was the perfect choice to lead them through some of the major issues the district currently faces. With new leadership, many people will be expecting Dr. Tinsley to fix some of the major issue swiftly, but she says shes ready for the task. One of the things well be doing is take a thorough assessment. Were gonna start from here, the ground floor, and see whats out there and needs to be done, she explained. RELATED STORIES: During a news conference on Wednesday, Dr. Tinsley held hands with school board chair Vickie B. Turner. Both women say working together is the only way to get things back on track after Watson-Harris was fired. Harris released a statement on Wednesday that said, in her eyes, the decision to let her go came out of nowhere. I was unaware that my contract or employment would be discussed during yesterdays meeting, as I was not notified - and it was not identified on the meeting notice, the statement read. Board members who voted her out say they wish her well, but its time to move on. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] State Superintendent Richard Woods called out the district saying there is a lack of leadership and about $500 million in COVID-19 relief funds that has not been spent. This is day one, so what I can tell you is that I have research to do. But I will let you know that if there are funds out there that can be utilized to make sure we address these issues, well make sure its done, Dr. Tinsley told Fernandes. After New York state's top court this week crushed Democratic hopes of coming out ahead in this decade's redistricting cycle, the party faces an increasingly precarious legal environment in the hyper-partisan battle over drawing legislative lines. New York's Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned a map that Democrats muscled through the state legislature there, deciding that a nonpartisan expert will instead draw the lines for the state's 26 congressional districts. It was at least the fifth time this cycle a state court has ruled that maps drawn by its state legislature were too partisan, with a Democratic map in Maryland also falling and Republican-drawn ones in Kansas, North Carolina and Ohio being tossed out as well. Still, Republicans are favored to win state Supreme Court races in North Carolina and Ohio in November that'd enable those GOP-controlled legislatures to implement more partisan maps before 2024. In contrast, the 4-3 New York decision came from a court appointed entirely by Democrats, a party that now finds itself bound to a bipartisan process written into the state's constitution. Democratic judges are not really as inclined to excuse extreme partisan gerrymandering as Republican ones are, said Lakshya Jain, a lecturer at the University of California-Berkeley who writes on redistricting at the website Split Ticket. Democrats for a long time have been pushing for redistricting reform and anti-gerrymandering legislation, Jain noted, and that seeps into their judges' preferences. The biggest test of this potential legal asymmetry comes in Florida, where Democrats and civil rights groups are challenging a congressional map that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the GOP-controlled legislature there. Legislators had initially balked at the map, which aggressively favors their party, because it dismantles two plurality-Black districts in possible violation of the state's Fair Districts Amendment, which requires lawmakers to draw districts that let racial and linguistic minorities pick their chosen representatives. Story continues Republicans insist they've followed the law in Florida, though many legal experts disagree. This is not a difficult legal question, said Douglas Spencer, a law professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder. It would be a complete abdication of the rule of law if they take the most gerrymandered map in American history and let it stand. Spencer said he's optimistic Florida's state supreme court will ultimately strike down the map but notes he's in a minority among redistricting experts. That's because six of the seven members of the state supreme court were appointed by Republican governors. Democrats began the once-a-decade redistricting cycle anxiously, with Republicans in control of drawing vastly more congressional seats. That's due to a combination of GOP success in state elections and that Democrats' reform push has led them to cede line-drawing power to independent commissions in states they control, like Colorado. But Democrats were relatively successful, shifting the typical House seat close to President Joe Bidens five-point margin of victory in 2020. Until the end of the New York and Florida litigation, it's impossible to precisely evaluate how the party did, but it's likely the map will still lean more toward Democrats than after 2010, when Republicans used their statehouse dominance to try to lock in a House majority through partisan maps. But much of Democrats' gains came in New York, the most populous state where the party controlled line-drawing and one where it stood to net as many as four House seats in its partisan map. The recent flurry of state court actions are due to a legal ruling at the tail end of the last redistricting cycle. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that federal courts have no role in policing partisan gerrymanders, or maps drawn explicitly to benefit one party by contorting lines to capture enough of its voters to reliably win elections. That kicked redistricting litigation into state courts. State courts have in a lot of ways been the hero this cycle, said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Social Justice, which argues against gerrymandering and for redistricting reform. But Li noted state courts have vulnerabilities that the federal system doesn't have. The composition of many state courts change from election to election, making rulings in places like North Carolina and Ohio dependent on whichever party has the political winds at its back in November. State courts are also uneven in some states such as New York they aggressively strike down gerrymanders, while in places like Texas, the state supreme court is so conservative that civil rights groups have routinely not even bothered to ask it for help, instead going to federal courts to challenge maps drawn by the GOP-controlled legislature in recent decades. There's even more uncertainty over the legal landscape of redistricting this cycle because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated it may rewrite the rules that govern the drawing of legislative districts. In February, conservatives on the court said they may revise the standards on how to draw districts that comply with the Voting Right Act's requirement that minorities get a chance to choose their own representatives and are not simply scattered among voters of other races. And in March, four conservative justices indicated they wanted to consider Republican lawyers' arguments that only state legislatures and not state courts have the say in drawing congressional maps. Still, redistricting reformers said they remain heartened by how courts performed in this cycle so far. Suzanne Almeida of Common Cause, a frequent litigant opposing gerrymanders, noted that courts in Republican states like Ohio have joined ones in deep Democratic states like New York in striking down partisan maps. If I ran the world," Almeida said, there'd be national standards against gerrymandering to ensure skewed maps in one big state don't tilt the entire congressional map. But a Democratic proposal for just that foundered in Congress earlier this year. So, Almeida said, we are taking the wins that we can take." Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday faced fiery pushback from Republican lawmakers while defending the Biden administration's border policies, ahead of the planned termination of the Trump-era pandemic policy, Title 42, on May 23. GOP Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana said Mayorkas would be impeached if Republicans retake the House in November. "You've been called upon to resign. Next year, if we have the majority in this committee, which we shall, you'll face impeachment," Higgins said, during Wednesday's hearing. "Own this thing. Out of respect for you and the office, I ask you to reflect upon that." Mayorkas testified Wednesday in front the House homeland security committee and the House appropriations subcommittee on DHS, telling both groups of lawmakers that the Biden administration had inherited a "broken and dismantled system that is already under strain." "It is not built to manage the current levels and types of migratory flows," Mayorkas said. "Only Congress can fix this." Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations I Subcommittee Homeland Security Committee during a hearing on Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 27, 2022. / Credit: Jose Luis Magana / AP DHS is preparing for the end of the CDC's public health authority, Title 42, which permits DHS to swiftly expel certain migrants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, without processing their asylum claims. In a 20-page memo earlier this week, Mayorkas outlined a six-part strategy: surging personnel and resources to the southern border; expanding migrant processing capacity; deportating, detaining or prosecuting some migrants; securing assistance from border organizations, cracking down on human smugglers and deterring migration across the Western Hemisphere. Mayorkas confirmed for the first time that DHS consulted with CDC prior to the repeal of Title 42, as is required by law. "The bounds of my consultation that I provided data to the CDC were with respect to the number of encounters, the number of individuals that a border patrol facility can house, how many people we were housing at a particular time and data with respect to what we were experiencing at the border," Mayorkas clarified. "I am not a public health expert, nor did I provide public health advice." Story continues Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, meanwhile, took rare aim at her own party, in addition to GOP leadership, for the bipartisan failure to pass immigration reform. Slotkin, a former CIA officer and Pentagon official, called the Southwest border "the last resort to protect ourselves." "Until we get at the root of the problem, we are going to have year after year of these horrible pictures of our border officials having to be overwhelmed and of migrants seeking a better life living in bad conditions," Slotkin continued. "Two years ago, every one of us on this committee voted on a $4.5 billion supplemental. We sent active-duty military to the border, in addition to the Guard, and we put people in cages and separated them from their children in order to make border policy something different than it was," she continued, citing the Trump-era policy of separating families. "Now we allow people to come into the country, and they go off, and we have no idea whether they're ever going to show up in a courtroom again. Neither of those policies makes any sense." Mayorkas added Wednesday that he has greenlit approximately 68 border wall projects, using the $2.5 billion previously appropriated by Congress under the Trump administration to construct a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. "And we are well aware of our responsibility to spend the funds that have been appropriated to the wall," Mayorkas said at a House subcommittee hearing. "And we are undertaking an analysis of how most effectively to do so while honoring the president's commitment. We are dedicated to spending those funds in a way that enhances safety and security." Mayorkas testified for more than two hours before the House Appropriations Department of Homeland Security subcommittee hearing. His testimony continued in the afternoon. The secretary said the majority of border wall projects rest in the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers. But Mayorkas told lawmakers that the cost of discontinuing DHS-controlled border wall projects is approximately $72 million. Republican Rep. John Rutherford of Florida pressed Mayorkas about what has changed DHS policy since the announced termination of Title 42. "I think if you ask probably two-thirds of the country, they'll tell you, the border is not secure," Rutherford said. "And so my question is, now we're about to lift Title 42. And I don't hear a plan to address that. These things, you've already implemented. These things are there now. What is going to change in response to Title 42?" Mayorkas responded urgently, but without much detail: "We are preparing, and have been preparing. We are implementing our plans. We are building further. We are intensifying our efforts. We are increasing our efforts and enhancing them. We are not done." Amid reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could run out of money by July, Mayorkas told the House Appropriations Committee that DHS is preparing to reprogram funds, but has not yet requested additional resources. "We are also preparing should reprogramming not be sufficient to request the supplemental," Mayorkas told lawmakers. "We have not reached that point. We are going to try to avoid that to the best of our abilities." Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents a border district in South Texas, grilled Mayorkas on his allegations of a broken immigration system and pressed the secretary on why he has not followed the Obama administration's precedent of loudly broadcasting consequences for illegal entry. "If I take you back to Secretary Jeh Johnson and Obama, they were able to treat the migrants with respect and dignity, but at the same time, when the law said you got to send them back, they sent them back," Cuellar said. "In fact, I worked with Secretary Johnson on showing images of people being returned to Honduras and the first lady being there. Now it's like we're afraid to show images of people going back. Y'all deport hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people, but all we see is images of people coming into the United States and no images of people going back, when the law has to be enforced. And on top of that, there are over 1 million final deportation orders that have still not been executed, plus the 1.6 million people are still waiting on immigration." Mayorkas reminded the congressman that he served as Johnson's deputy, adding that he wanted to put any "misimpressions" to rest. "We are indeed communicating robustly in throughout the region in the countries of origin with respect to the removals, that we have effected and the consequence regime that we have imposed upon individuals who have crossed into our country who have been encountered at the border, who have no legal claim for relief here in the United States," said Mayorkas. "So we are very robustly communicating those removals and those consequences." Probed on efforts to vaccinate migrants entering U.S. custody, Mayorkas said DHS is "gearing forward to meet the objective of vaccinating up to 6,000 migrants a day, in more than 20 facilities across the border," but he declined to say how many asylum-seekers and detainees had been vaccinated thus far. Asked about the Biden administration's limited court-ordered implementation of the "Remain in Mexico" protocols, Mayorkas echoed his outspoken opposition to the Trump-era policy, referencing a Human Rights First report of 1,500 kidnappings, murders, instances of torture and other attacks against migrants enrolled in the program. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in a case that could determine whether the Biden administration can terminate the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which was first implemented under former President Donald Trump and requires migrants arriving at the southern border to wait outside the U.S. for their asylum hearings. According to Mayorkas, and as outlined in DHS' budget proposal, the department has requested "funding for more than 300 more border patrol agents." Mayorkas noted DHS has also "requested funding for full time case processing personnel. And we look forward to and hope for this committee's support." "We need to get [U.S. Border Patrol agents] out into the field to interdict individuals who are seeking to cross our border illegally," Mayorkas said. "And that's why we're really ramping up the case processing capabilities." Mayorkas also stressed that DHS asked to double to $360 million funding for the non-profit security grant program, in its proposed FY 2023 budget. As CBS News first reported, advocates, faith leaders and the secretary himself rallied for this in the aftermath of the Colleyville, TX hostage situation. Camilo Montoya-Galvez contributed to this report. What Moderna's kids COVID vaccine could mean for families A look at the disinformation battle being waged in Russia by Vladimir Putin Senator Tim Kaine on his experience with long COVID, federal aid he is seeking to help others By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -World Health Organization members reached a preliminary agreement this week to gradually raise their mandatory fees starting from 2024, the WHO chief confirmed on Thursday in what he described as a "pivotal moment" for global health. Reforming the 74-year old agency's funding model is a priority for Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as he aims to remodel it to respond to the risk of more pandemics. Currently, the body relies heavily on voluntary contributions from governments and private donors which are often earmarked for specific programmes, leaving it with insufficient flexibility. "(Member states') recommendation to increase assessed contributions to 50% will empower WHO and safeguard its unique expertise, mandate and legitimacy," Tedros said on Twitter, confirming information from sources about the closed-door talks earlier. "A strong WHO keeps us all safer," he added. Germany, which is the body's top donor and whose national Bjorn Kummel chairs the talks, also confirmed the outcome on Twitter. The agreement comes in the form of a recommendation that still needs to be formally approved by governments at the World Health Assembly next month. REFORM HEADWINDS The compromise reached late on Wednesday envisages mandatory fees reaching 50% of the budget by 2028-2029, or possibly 2030-31, the sources said. The funding reforms have been discussed over the past year and a half and the compromise deal, which is contingent on certain conditions such as transparency measures, was watered down due to opposition from some members. "The WHO was facing headwinds on funding not just from the U.S., but from Russia, Brazil, and a range of others on the assessed contributions," said Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C. One of the sources following the talks said that U.S. support had been a "turning point" in the negotiations. Washington, historically the main donor to the agency and now its number two contributor, this year reversed former President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw from the body and has pledged more funding. (Additional reporting by Jennifer Rigbyin London; Editing by Catherine Evans, Raissa Kasolowsky and Tomasz Janowski) An early morning crash downed powerlines and traffic lights on Thursday in south Charlotte. ALSO READ: No injuries reported at 2-alarm apartment fire in south Charlotte Woodlawn Road remains closed east of Park Road near the Park Road Shopping Center as of 5 a.m. Channel 9 crews were on the scene before 2:30 a.m. after the crash occurred. UPDATE: @DukeEnergy has finished work on lines but now @NCDOT_Charlotte is fixing the signals that are still laying in the street. Woodlawn remains CLOSED at the Park Rd. Shopping Center east of Park Rd. #clt #clttraffic #cltraffic pic.twitter.com/CbHKai4ato Traffic Team 9 (@TrafficTeam9) April 28, 2022 Channel 9 has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to see when the road will reopen. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. (WATCH BELOW: Police close Park Road while clearing a crash involving a power pole) Global drone maker DJI has become the first Chinese company to openly cease operations in Russia and Ukraine, citing current hostilities as its reason for doing so. In a statement posted on Tuesday, the Shenzhen-based firm said it is internally reassessing compliance requirements in various jurisdictions and would thus temporarily suspend all business activities in both countries. Ride-sharing giant Didi was reportedly the first Chinese company to announce a Russian exit, but it backpedaled days later without explanation. Ahead of its announcement, DJI, which is currently the worlds top drone manufacturer, has been accused by Ukrainian authorities of helping Russia wage its war. In an open letter published last month, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged DJI founder and CEO Frank Wang to exit Russia because it was using DJI products in order to navigate their missile [sic]. Others also questioned reported failures of DJIs AeroScope system in revealing the locations of Russian drones and their pilots, raising suspicions that the remote ID program was being deliberately tampered with. DJI has rejected these allegations, maintaining that its products are not designed for military use and denying any intentional decisions to downgrade AeroScope in Ukraine. Additionally, the company offered geofencing to block all DJI drones from entering Ukraine. In a separate statement on Wednesday, a DJI spokesperson said their decision to halt business with Russia and Ukraine was not to make a statement about any country, but to make a statement about our principles. DJI abhors any use of our drones to cause harm, and we are temporarily suspending sales in these countries in order to help ensure no one uses our drones in combat, the spokesperson said. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow describes as a special military operation, enters its ninth week today. DJI said it is now engaging with customers, partners and other stakeholders regarding the temporary suspension of business operations in the affected territories. Featured Image via DJI Story continues Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Report: Chinas state-run outlets promote pro-Russian narrative of Russia's invasion of Ukraine Chinas richest woman missing for years suddenly reemerges in threatening phone calls to family Chinese professor who pressured Taiwanese student to change his country of origin faces investigation 66-year-old man in China transforms his terrace into ice rink to play hockey with grandson A longtime Tri-Cities, Washington doctor was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for her role in a pill mill based in her Richland medical office. Dr. Janet Arnold owned Desert Wind Family Practice on Wellsian Way in Richland, where she hired addicts and then gave them blank prescription scripts she had signed until her office was raided by Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Defendant, despite being a licensed medical provider, was acting as nothing more than a drug dealer in a white coat, said George Jacobs III, assistant U.S. attorney, in a court document. Arnolds receptionist/office manager would fill out prescription orders for highly addictive drugs, including fentanyl and oxycodone, both for fake patients and also for Arnolds patients on the frequent days when she didnt come to work. Sometimes the receptionist would increase the dosage or amount of pills for patients that Arnold had previously seen, with Arnold not necessarily knowing for which patients or what drugs the prescriptions were being written. She pre-signed hundreds of blank prescription scripts, sometimes meeting her staff at a pizza restaurant or one of their homes, when they told her they needed more. Arnold pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. But her attorneys argued that she was manipulated by others, including her office manager, who was an addict and drug dealer, according to court documents. Arnold was not fully aware of the scope and extent of the actions of her co-defendants in the case, including her office manager and a volunteer in her office, her attorneys argued. She was willfully blind to the drug dealing with her prescription scripts, rather than willfully participating, said her attorney Paul Shelton. Doctor flouted rules But U.S. District Court Senior Judge Edward Shea said Arnolds actions were calculated and that she was no unknowing dupe. The Federal Building at 825 Jadwin Ave. in Richland includes a U.S. courthouse. He was baffled by why she had a Washington state license to practice as a physician before her practice was raided in 2017, Shea said. Story continues In 2004 she had been accused of prescribing large quantities of narcotics to patients, including 500 to 750 tablets of oxycodone at once to one patient. Her license was suspended from 2006 to late 2007 before she successfully applied for reinstatement, convincing the licensing board she had reformed, Shea said. Arnolds license was suspended again shortly after the May 2017 DEA raid of Desert Winds Family Practice and then permanently revoked. Arnold has never confronted her culpability in the distribution of narcotics, instead blaming her office manager and minimizing her role, Shea said. It was no surprise that she hired addicts and then they acted like addicts, he said. He also pointed to testimony that the man she lived with for 21 years had also handed out prescriptions to patients and worn a white coat in the office as if he were a medical professional, which he was not. That was a clear indication she flouts rules, he said. Her actions added to the tragedy of fentanyl addiction in the Tri-Cities community, and required time in prison, the judge said. He also sentenced her to three years supervised release, but issued no fine, saying she had no money to pay it. Prescriptions for undercover witness He also was influenced by the damning testimony of a medical expert witness, Dr. Leslie Enzian. She said the practice of signing blank prescription scripts was illegal and also reviewed the treatment of a cooperative witness in the case. The witness posed as a patient and told Arnold she needed oxycodone for headaches. A new study will look at three back-pain treatments without relying on medication. Arnold did not check a state database to see the new patients past opioid use or speak with her past doctor. Arnold initially prescribed an average of 15 mg of oxycodone a day but a year later had increased that to 80 mg a day and had also provided early refills when the undercover patient said she ran out, according to DEA special agent Jason Sherrell. There was no legitimate medical reason to prescribe that quantity and dosage for headache treatment, Jacobs said. Arnolds attorneys asked Shea to sentence her to five years probation, including up to two years of home confinement, rather than prison time. Arnold, 64, has no previous criminal history and cannot repeat her crime without a medical license, they said. She provides full-time care to her disabled partner. If she goes to prison he would likely end up in assisted living or a nursing home, Arnold told the judge. Her partner, who came to court in a motorized wheelchair, told the judge he had previously been sexually molested in a care home and would live on the streets instead. Arnold said when she opened Desert Winds Family Practice she wanted to treat patients in chronic pain. Doctor claims ignorance But then Danielle C. Mata, a patient, convinced Arnold to hire her as an office manager, and Mata began recruiting drug addicts and telling them what to say to get pain medicine, Arnold said. I had no idea Danielle and her cronies were selling drugs on the street, she said. She also did not realize she could be criminally prosecuted, she said. After losing her medical license and practice, she and her partner became homeless for a time and now have no car and depend on a food bank, she said. The prosecution had asked for a nine-year prison sentence for Arnold. After taking an oath to do no harm as a doctor, she was instrumental in leading several people to become addicted to her prescriptions and contributed to the epidemic of opioid abuse in Washington state, according to court documents. Her status as a well-educated, white-collar offender does not warrant any leniency given the circumstances of the case, the prosecution argued in court documents. They called for doctors to be sent a strong and clear message that hiding behind their prescription pads and blaming the addicts for this epidemic will not be tolerated. Mata, of Richland, and another patient who volunteered in Arnolds medical practice, Jennifer C. Prichard of Prosser said Arnold was an addict, during the sentencing hearing. Arnold drank alcohol at her medical office and used fentanyl patches, they said. Over time she came into her office less and less, leaving her nonmedical staff to deal with patients, they said. Her practice was chaotic and discombobulated, Prichard said. FILE - This April 26, 2006 file photo shows different brands and dosages of fentanyl patches in St. Louis. U.S. deaths linked to opioids have quadrupled since 2000 to roughly 42,000 in 2016. Although initially driven by prescription drugs, most opioid deaths now involve illicit drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. When power to her office was cut off because the electric bill was not paid, she told patients to go to Matas house to get their prescriptions and had a patient deliver a printer there. Court documents show that from March 2016 to May 2017, about 487 prescriptions with Dr. Arnolds signature and DEA registration number were issued and filled. The prescriptions distributing about 2,000 fentanyl patches; 27,000 oxycodone pills; 6,600 methadone pills; 2,000 hydromorphone pills; 600 oxymorphone pills; 1,700 methylphenidate pills; 2,000 amphetamine mixture pills; and 7,000 carisoprodol pills. 2 opioid dealers in prison Of Arnolds four co-defendants, two have been sentenced to prison. David Barnes Nay, 42, and Lisa Marie Cooper, 55, both of Prosser, distributed the opioid medications obtained with Arnolds prescriptions to other people or kept the drugs to feed their own addictions. Nay pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute eight controlled substances, and six counts of distributing fentanyl and oxycodone. He was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Cooper was sentenced to two years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess and two counts of distributing controlled substances. Prichard, 46, and Mata, 44, are awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to similar charges in the conspiracy. Elon Musk has spoken out about former President Trump's new social network. Chris Seward, Hannibal Hanschke/AP Photo Elon Musk said Twitter censoring "free speech" resulted in Donald Trump creating his own social network. Trump was banned from Twitter in January 2021 and launched Truth Social in February 2022. Musk is set to buy Twitter for $44 billion and may relax its content moderation rules. Elon Musk tweeted Wednesday saying Twitter censorship is the reason for the existence of President Trump's social media app, Truth Social. "Truth Social (terrible name) exists because Twitter censored free speech," Musk tweeted. This came after Musk appeared to lament that Truth Social appeared above Twitter in the Apple's App Store downloads chart. Twitter permanently suspended former president Trump in January 2021, following the storming of the US Capitol. Trump posted a video to Twitter in which he made a claim of election fraud and told the rioters, "Go home. We love you; you're very special." "After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," the company said at the time. Trump's Facebook and YouTube accounts were also suspended although not permanently. Trump, who during his presidency accused Big Tech companies of bias against him, launched his own social media platform Truth Social in February. Trump has only made one post on Truth Social since its launch, and Insider's Rosie Bradbury described the app as a "conservative ghost town." Musk is set to buy Twitter for $44 billion and has indicated he will relax the platform's rules on content moderation. Twitter staff asked the company's CEO, Parag Agrawal, during an all-hands meeting whether Trump's ban will be reversed under Musk. Agrawal replied: "We don't know what direction the platform will go." Trump said during a radio interview on April 14 that he "probably wouldn't have any interest" in returning to Twitter, saying it has "become very boring." Some of the former president's advisers expressed doubt over his stance in comments made to The Washington Post. Read the original article on Business Insider Elon Musk (center) with his cousins and SolarCity cofounders Lyndon Rive (left) and Peter Rive (right) in 2010. Mark Von Holden/AP Images for SolarCity Elon Musk won a shareholder lawsuit over Tesla's 2016 acquisition of solar company SolarCity. The lawsuit said Musk essentially bailed out SolarCity, which was $3 billion in debt when Tesla bought it. The judgement said although the acquisition process was "far from perfect," the price Tesla paid was fair. A judge has ruled that Elon Musk did not act unlawfully when Tesla bought solar-panel company SolarCity for $2.6 billion in 2016. The acquisition was the subject of a Tesla shareholder lawsuit first filed in 2017 which accused Musk of bailing out SolarCity, which was $3 billion in debt when Tesla bought it. SolarCity was founded by Musk's cousins Lyndon and Peter Rive. Musk sat on both the SolarCity and the Tesla boards when the acquisition went through. In a 132-page judgement Vice Chancellor Joseph Slights III said the price Tesla paid for SolarCity was fair and Musk did not breach his fiduciary duty to Tesla shareholders. Slights said Musk was "more involved in the process than a conflicted fiduciary should be" and the board's process was "far from perfect," but that ultimately the vetting process had been sufficient. "Elon did not stand in its way," Slights added. The lawsuit is a big win for Musk, who would have been on the hook for more than $2 billion if he'd lost. The lawsuit filed in 2017 originally targeted Tesla's entire board but the other board member settled out of court for $60 million in January 2020. Only Musk decided to fight the case and he took the stand in court in July 2021. Lee Rudy, the attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Wall Street Journal they were considering their options. Read the original article on Business Insider The ongoing Russian war in Ukraine continues to keep gas prices high, the European Union slams the Kremlin on gas imports and a solar panel trade group says a Biden administration probe could devastate the industry. This is Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. For The Hill, were Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Subscribe here. Gas prices stay high despite more US production U.S. oil production is on the rise but it may not have the immediate impact on gas prices that both Democrats and Republicans want. While the country is producing 300,000 more barrels of oil per day than it was in mid-March, Russias invasion of Ukraine which sparked a boycott of Russian oil and increased demand for limited supply from elsewhere is expected to keep prices high at least for the near future. Skyrocketing prices at the pump have been a political headache for the Biden administration, with the president repeatedly labeling the high prices Putins price hike while also blaming oil producers. Republicans, for their part, have hammered Biden and called for more domestic production. How we got here: Prices spiked following Russias invasion of Ukraine as the West turned away from Russian oil cutting supply by about 3 million barrels per day, according to early estimates. To ease pain at the pump, the Biden administration announced that it would release 1 million barrels per day from the countrys strategic reserves and has also called on the industry to also extract more oil. Too little, too late? Oil activity is rising in response to high prices, but the increases are not expected to fully offset increased demand. Were up 300,000 barrels a day, which isnt bad, but its small, especially when you put it in the context of a million barrels per day coming from the [strategic petroleum reserve], said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. Story continues He added that in the larger context, the production increases are a good sign, but a small cog in a very big wheel. U.S. production of oil was at 11.9 million barrels per day as of April 15, still somewhat lower than pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, the number of oil rigs a signal of future production has jumped to 695 compared to 438 just last year. However, De Haan described rig count as a lagging indicator. Read more here. VIRTUAL EVENT INVITE The Hills Sustainability ImperativeThursday, April 28 at 2 p.m. ET Sustainability is not optionalits imperative, and everyone has a role to play. On April 28, The Hill will host its second annual festival convening policy leaders and practitioners in the sustainability ecosystem, featuring interviews with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory, actress Sigourney Weaver and more. RSVP today to save your spot. Russian energy decision sparks European outrage A top European official blasted Russian state-controlled energy company Gazproms decision to shut off natural gas to two NATO member nations in Europe, calling it blackmail. The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on Wednesday. This is unjustified and unacceptable. And it shows once again the unreliability of Russia as a gas supplier. Whats next? She said they were continuing to work with international partners to get access to alternative sources of natural gas and noted that a coordinated EU response was in the process of being crafted. Europeans can trust that we stand united and in full solidarity with the Member States impacted in the face of this new challenge. Europeans can count on our full support, von der Leyen said. The development comes as Gazprom alleged in a memo that Poland and Bulgaria were refusing to use Russian rubles to pay for natural gas, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded, consequently forcing Gazprom to shut off access of fuel to the two countries, according to The Associated Press. The energy minister of Bulgaria, however, has pushed back against Gazproms claims that they had not paid for natural gas supplies since earlier this month. Last month, von der Leyen and President Biden announced that they would be setting up a task force meant to curb European reliance on fossil fuels from Russia. The U.S. and others are seeking to isolate Russia economically in rebuke of its invasion of Ukraine, now more than two months in. Read more from The Hills Caroline Vakil. SOLAR GROUP CUTS FORECASTS, BLAMES BIDEN PROBE The top solar energy industry group said Wednesday that it has cut its forecasts for deployment by nearly 50 percent, blaming the Biden administrations decision to investigate Asian manufacturers amid allegations of dodging tariffs. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said Wednesday it was dropping its installation projections 46 percent as a result of the probe. This would equate to the loss of 24 gigawatts worth of planned capacity, more than the industry has installed all last year. The Commerce Department in late March announced it would investigate whether solar panels manufactured In Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand were part of an attempt by Chinese manufacturers to skirt tariffs. The department announced the probe in response to a petition by solar manufacturer Auxin Solar. The department had initially dismissed a similar petition from the group American Solar Manufacturers Against Chinese Circumvention. If tariffs are imposed, in the blink of an eye were going to lose 100,000 American solar workers and any hope of reaching the Presidents clean energy goals, SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said in a statement Wednesday. This would be a monumental loss for our nation, which has the potential to lead our clean energy future, with the right policies. Instead, the Commerce Department is on track to wipe out nearly half of all solar jobs and force a surrender on the Presidents climate goals. Read more about the projection here. EVERYONES A SKEPTIC This weeks bipartisan discussions around climate change are being met with skepticism from both environmentalists and Republicans. It has been extremely clear throughout the last year of negotiations, especially around the scale of investments in the reconciliation package, that Republicans are not serious about supporting solutions at that scale, said Sara Chieffo, vice president of government affairs at the League of Conservation voters. I look at this effort with a lot of skepticism, Chieffo said. Jamal Raad, executive director of Evergreen Action, described the talks as a delay tactic by the Republicans to avert a climate-focused reconciliation bill, saying he didnt believe they were being held in good faith. Republicans themselves have also cast doubt as to whether the bipartisan talks will actually accomplish anything. If it starts looking like a reconciliation or Build Back Better, then obviously Republicans will be out, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who attended the meeting, was quoted as saying on Monday. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who did not attend, called a potential deal a long shot, according to Politico. Meanwhile, Melinda Pierce, legislative director at the Sierra Club, expressed concern that the bipartisan talks could lead to bad ideas being put on the table. A whole lot of bad ideas can come from that grouping on the supply side, [be] it LNG exports or pipelines, any of these supply side pieces, Pierce said. ON TAP TOMORROW Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will appear before the House Appropriations Committee for a hearing on Interiors budget Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will testify before the House Appropriations Committee about DOEs budget. Shell also appear before the House Energy & Commerce Committee. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will vote on the nomination of Kathryn Huff to be an assistant secretary of Energy for nuclear energy. It will also hold a hearing on the nominations of David Applegate to be Director of the United States Geological Survey and Carmen Cantor to be an assistant secretary, both of the Department of the Interior, and Evelyn Wang to be director of the DOEs Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy WHAT WERE READING Two million children at risk of starvation in Horn of Africa U.N. aid chief (Reuters) Investors at top US banks refuse to back climate proposals (The Financial Times) We want it back to what it was: the US village blighted by toxic waste (The Guardian) Virginia Senate panel rejects Gov. Youngkins proposal to suspend gas tax (ABC8) ICYMI Biden administration allows additional natural gas exports Democrats say they will act soon to lower gas prices And finally, something offbeat and off-beat: Be fruitful and terrify. Thats it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hills Energy & Environment page for the latest news and coverage. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Cake Box Holdings (LON:CBOX). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing. See our latest analysis for Cake Box Holdings Cake Box Holdings's Earnings Per Share Are Growing. If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. As a tree reaches steadily for the sky, Cake Box Holdings's EPS has grown 24% each year, compound, over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be smiling. One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Cake Box Holdings shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 20% to 23%, and revenue is growing. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book. In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. While we live in the present moment at all times, there's no doubt in my mind that the future matters more than the past. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Cake Box Holdings? Story continues Are Cake Box Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? It makes me feel more secure owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, thusly more closely aligning our interests. As a result, I'm encouraged by the fact that insiders own Cake Box Holdings shares worth a considerable sum. Indeed, they hold UK29m worth of its stock. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. That amounts to 35% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders. It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalizations under UK160m, like Cake Box Holdings, the median CEO pay is around UK244k. Cake Box Holdings offered total compensation worth UK191k to its CEO in the year to . That comes in below the average for similar sized companies, and seems pretty reasonable to me. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally. Does Cake Box Holdings Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist? You can't deny that Cake Box Holdings has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. If you need more convincing beyond that EPS growth rate, don't forget about the reasonable remuneration and the high insider ownership. Each to their own, but I think all this makes Cake Box Holdings look rather interesting indeed. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Cake Box Holdings . You can invest in any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for our Middle East newsletter and follow us @middleeast for news on the region. Most Read from Bloomberg Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Saudi Arabias de facto ruler, the strongest sign yet of a turnaround in relations since the 2018 murder of a prominent Saudi critic in Istanbul. Erdogan met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his father King Salman bin Abdulaziz in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Erdogans looking to bolster trade and lure investment from oil exporters as Turkeys floundering economy costs him support ahead of elections scheduled for next year. Ankara hopes the rapprochement between the two Group of Twenty economies will help restore trade to previous levels and boost Saudi investment. Its part of a broader realignment thats seen regional rivals heal rifts and step back from conflicts since U.S. President Joe Biden took office. I believe that we will carry our relations beyond the level in the past in every field, Erdogan said in a Twitter posting after meeting the crown prince, adding that his visit during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan will open the doors of a new era with our friend and brother Saudi Arabia. Speaking in Istanbul before flying to Jeddah, Erdogan said the two economies complement each other and that the visit showed joint will to start a new period of cooperation. Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been working on a rapprochement for months. Turkey this month ended its trial over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents at the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul. Its decision to transfer the case to Saudi Arabia removed a key obstacle to improved ties and Erdogans visit. Story continues Trade Trumps Tension for UAE as Dubai Leads Gulf Reset A U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that the Saudi crown prince had likely ordered the operation. The prince has denied any involvement, though hes said he accepts responsibility for the killing as Saudi Arabias de facto ruler. Erdogans visit comes a day after Turkeys Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati held online talks with his Saudi counterpart Mohammed Al-Jadaan. We exchanged ideas in the fields of economy, trade and investment in order to develop cooperation between our countries, Nebati said on Twitter. Turkey Transfers Khashoggi Case to Saudi Arabia to Improve Ties Shipments to Saudi Arabia, once a key market for Turkey, slumped in late 2020, coinciding with what Turkish exporters said was an unofficial boycott. Last year, Turkish exports were just over $200 million, down from around $3.2 billion in 2019, according to official Turkish data. The trip is part of a broader effort to mend relations with Gulf Arab countries after years of hostility fueled by Erdogans support for Islamist groups during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. A warming of relations with the United Arab Emirates last year has already unlocked billions of dollars worth of potential business. The UAE signed a $4.9 billion currency swap with Turkey in January, offering Turkeys beleaguered currency much-needed support. The UAE has outlined plans for a $10 billion fund to support investments as it seeks to at least double bilateral trade. (Updates with Erdogans remarks on his visit in fourth paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. By Natalia Zinets KYIV (Reuters) -Russia fired two missiles into Kyiv on Thursday during a visit by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow pressed an assault in the east that drew new U.S. pledges of military and humanitarian aid. The rockets shook the central Shevchenko district in Ukraine's capital and one of them struck the lower floors of a 25-storey residential building, injuring at least 10 people, Ukrainian officials said. Reuters witnesses reported hearing two explosions, but their cause could not be independently verified. There was no Russian comment on the blasts. Russia withdrew its invading forces from near Kyiv in early April after failing to capture the city, which has since hosted visits by top officials from the United States and its European allies. But Thursday's blasts, heard soon after Guterres completed talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, highlighted concerns that Kyiv still remains vulnerable to Russian heavy weaponry. "There was an attack on Kyiv ... it shocked me, not because I'm here but because Kyiv is a sacred city for Ukrainians and Russians alike," Guterres told Portuguese broadcaster RTP when asked about the blasts. Zelenskiy said the blasts "prove that we must not drop our vigilance. We must not think that the war is over." Guterres' discussions with Zelenskiy focused in part on evacuating Ukrainian fighters and civilians holed up in a steel plant in the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol, Russia's main target in the eastern Donbas region. Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to U.N. and Red Cross involvement in evacuating the plant during talks in Moscow with Guterres on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials worry Russia wants to capture those trapped inside, an allegation Moscow denies. The West believes battles for Mariupol and other eastern and southern areas may determine the war's outcome. Russian forces are now entrenched in the east, where Moscow-backed separatists have held some territory since 2014, and also hold a swathe of the south they seized in March. Story continues Ukraine's general staff said Russia was stepping up its military assault in the Donbas. "The enemy is increasing the pace of the offensive operation. The Russian occupiers are exerting intense fire in almost all directions," it said. 'NOT CHEAP' Putin calls Moscow's actions a "special military operation" to disarm Ukraine, defend Russian-speaking people from persecution and prevent the United States from using the country to threaten Russia. Ukraine dismisses Putin's claims of persecution and says it is fighting an imperial-style land grab that has flattened Ukrainian cities, forced more than 5 million to flee abroad and killed thousands. Heeding repeated Ukrainian pleas for heavier weaponry, U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday for $33 billion to support Kyiv, a massive jump in funding that includes over $20 billion for weapons, ammunition and other military aid. The package, intended to cover needs through September, builds on efforts by the United States and its allies to punish Russia for its Feb. 24 invasion. "We need this bill to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom," Biden said on Thursday. "The cost of this fight - it's not cheap - but caving to aggression is going to be more costly." Washington, which together with its allies has placed sweeping sanctions on Moscow, hopes Ukrainian forces can not only repel Russia's assault on the east but also weaken its military so that it can no longer menace neighbours. Russia says that amounts to NATO waging a "proxy war" against it, and has made a number of threats this week of unspecified retaliation. It cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday after they refused to pay in roubles, marking Moscow's toughest response yet to Western economic sanctions. CROSS-BORDER STRIKES Russia has also reported what it says have been a series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian regions that border Ukraine and has warned that such attacks risk significant escalation. On Thursday, two big explosions were heard in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine, two witnesses told Reuters. It was not clear what caused them and whether there were any casualties or damage. Ukraine has not directly accepted responsibility for strikes inside Russia but says the incidents are payback. Russia has taken umbrage at statements by NATO member Britain that it is legitimate for Ukraine to target Russian logistics. "In the West, they are openly calling on Kyiv to attack Russia including with the use of weapons received from NATO countries," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow. "I don't advise you to test our patience further." Ukraine reported blasts overnight in the southern city of Kherson, the only regional capital Russia has captured so far since the invasion. Russian troops in Kherson used tear gas and stun grenades on Wednesday to quell pro-Ukrainian crowds, and were shelling the entire surrounding region and attacking towards Mykolaiv and Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian officials said. Russian state media quoted an official from a self-styled pro-Russian "military-civilian commission" in Kherson on Thursday as saying the area would start using Russia's rouble currency from May 1. The U.S. mission to the OSCE security body said the Kremlin might attempt "sham referenda" in southern and eastern areas it had captured since the Feb. 24 invasion, using "a well-worn playbook that steals from historys darkest chapters". "These falsified, illegitimate referenda will undoubtedly be accompanied by a wave of abuses against those who seek to oppose or undermine Moscow's plans," the U.S. mission said. There was no immediate Russian comment. (Additional reporting by Reuters journalists; Writing by Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Toby Chopra and Cynthia Osterman) A ruling by the European Union's top court today is set to unblock a raft of litigation brought by consumer protection organizations seeking to apply the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standard against tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter over issues like whether they gather properly informed consent to process people's data. In a judgment today, the Court of Justice (CJEU) affirmed that consumer protection organizations can bring representative actions against infringements of the bloc's laws protecting people's data under GDPR. The referral to the CJEU came from a German court in a case brought against Meta (Facebook) by the German Federal Union of Consumer Organisations and Associations (aka the vzbv) relating to the ToS of certain free games apps running on its platform which force consent from users by not providing them with an option to decline processing if they play the game. In a brief response statement, a Meta spokesperson said: The underlying legal proceedings showed that there were some open questions, which the CJEU has now addressed. We will review the decision and assess its implications. The CJEU ruling prefigures a wider change -- coming to EU next year, when the Representative Actions Directive come into application in June -- which will further expand the ability of consumer rights groups to litigate on behalf of individuals whose rights they believe are being violated. "By todays judgment, the Court finds that the GDPR does not preclude national legislation which allows a consumer protection association to bring legal proceedings, in the absence of a mandate conferred on it for that purpose and independently of the infringement of specific rights of the data subjects, against the person allegedly responsible for an infringement of the laws protecting personal data, on the basis of the infringement of the prohibition of unfair commercial practices, a breach of a consumer protection law or the prohibition of the use of invalid general terms and conditions, where the data processing concerned is liable to affect the rights that identified or identifiable natural persons derive from that regulation," the court writes in a press release. Story continues Tech giants have typically tried to derail these kinds of privacy suits by arguing national courts do not have jurisdiction under the GDPR -- which is intended to harmonize national legislation in this area. It also contains a mechanism (the one-stop-shop; OSS), which funnels cross-border GDPR complaints through a lead data protection agency in the EU Member State where each entity locates their regional HQ (for many most tech giants that means Ireland). EU lawmakers included the OSS to simplify compliance for businesses. But its existence has supercharged the anti-consumer-rights practice of forum shopping -- whereby corporate giants flock together around 'friendly' regulators, piling on pressure at a political level -- say, by touting the local jobs and wealth their presence creates -- to encourage oversight that aligns with their commercial interests. The tactic also effectively shrinks the resources of the regulator by piling on complex case work. All these pressures can and have contributed to GDPR enforcement bottlenecks, delays in decisions and even investigations being dropped or never opened in the first place. And complaints over this recently led to an investigation being opened into the European Commission's monitoring of the GDPR's application by the EU's ombudsperson. In Facebook's case, oversight by Ireland has led to the equivalent of a total freeze on enforcement -- as the service has not been hit with a single final GDPR decision since the regulation came into application in May 2018, despite myriad complaints (some of which now date back almost four years). Ireland did finally produce a decision on a complaint against Facebook-owned WhatsApp last year. But scores more complaints continue to languish -- and only today the European privacy rights group, noyb, announced that the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) had settled with it over what it described as a "gross delay" in two cases related to Facebook-owned Instagram and WhatsApp which it also said will see Irish taxpayers footing a legal bill of several tens of thousands of euros. "Forty-seven months after the filing of the cases on Facebook's 'consent bypass,' the DPC agreed to pay tens of thousands in costs for a Judicial Review over delays," noyb wrote in a press release. "While the GDPR requires a decision 'without delay' the DPC takes the view that four years for producing a draft decision is reasonable. In most EU Member States the law requires a decision within three to 12 months." Noyb's press release offers an eye-tickling visual metaphor for forum shopping -- illustrating the latest painstaking development in the never-ending regulatory saga with a picture of a snail crawling over a pile of money. (In case it wasn't clear, the snail is Ireland's DPC; not pictured: Facebook holding everyone's data and laughing all the way to the bank.) This embarrassing GDPR enforcement bottleneck continues to take the shine off the EU's flagship data protection regulation -- making it extremely hard for individuals to exercise their rights against the most powerful tech platforms. That in turn means that any avenues which open up the possibility of more litigation against big tech -- and today's ruling is not the first such CJEU judgement -- are important to resetting the power imbalance between platform giants and individual web users. Although the pan-EU change coming next year -- via application of the Representative Actions Directive -- should unlock more actions as that legislation will not rely on the procedure in question existing at a national level. Nonetheless, in a note on its website (which we've translate from German), the vzbv calls the CJEU decision a "landmark ruling," saying it means the Federal Court of Justice is "on the train again." The consumer group has spent years trying to litigate against Facebook in areas like unfair privacy settings, while Meta's lawyers have giving it the runaround, arguing against local courts having any jurisdiction to hear the challenges. In the statement, Jutta Gurkmann, board member of the vzbv, added that today's CJEU ruling "puts an end to the tiresome debate about consumer associations' right to sue for data protection." "It is an open secret that some European data protection authorities are not quite able to cope with the escalating data collection of the big technology companies," she also said, adding: "In the past, this enforcement deficit increasingly gnawed at the acceptance of the GDPR. "Now it is clear: In addition to the supervisory authorities, civil society organizations such as the vzbv can also punish violations of the GDPR to a very large extent. The vzbv has been successfully and efficiently suing Meta, Google and Co. for a long time. Today's ECJ judgment creates legal certainty until the European Class Actions Directive to be implemented this year, which also contains such a power." Also commenting on the CJEU ruling in a statement, Ursula Pachl, deputy director general of the European consumer organization, BEUC, welcomed it as "good news," while underscoring the importance of the looming June 2023 pan-EU directive. Todays ruling is good news because it underlines that consumer groups can file collective claims against companies like Meta in case of a breach of the GDPR, as long as this procedure exists at national level. The GDPR is a crucial law that protects peoples personal data in the EU. It is essential that it is better enforced, and rulings like todays will help," she said. As of next year, new EU rules will allow consumer groups to launch representative actions, which will further improve the situation. It will then be possible for consumer associations in all EU countries, as long as they meet certain criteria, to launch injunctions or collective redress claims against companies that break the law, including under the GDPR. A new era in enforcement by consumer groups will then begin. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Jurors in the rape trial of a former Idaho lawmaker are weighing whether the case involves power in the wrong hands used to harm a 19-year-old female intern, or consensual sex after a friendly dinner date. The jury of six men and six women heard both takes during closing arguments Thursday after a dramatic three-day trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying I cant do this. Aaron von Ehlinger, 39, has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object both charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and maintains he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old legislative intern. Deliberations stretched for seven hours until nearly 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury decided to break for the evening and start again on Friday. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the woman in this case as Jane Doe at her request. Doe told her supervisors that von Ehlinger, who was then a Republican representative from Lewiston, raped her in March 2021 at his Boise apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant. Von Ehlinger resigned from the House of Representatives last year after a legislative ethics committee recommended that he be banned from the Statehouse because of his conduct with Doe. When the allegations became public largely because of the legislative ethics investigation Doe faced unrelenting harassment from some of von Ehlinger's supporters. Her name, photo and personal details about her life were repeatedly publicized in doxxing incidents. One of the people who frequently harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, but law enforcement banned the man from the floor where where case was being heard. Over the span of three days, jurors heard graphic and sometimes harrowing testimony, including from Doe, who briefly took the witness stand before abruptly standing and leaving the courtroom. Story continues Doe haltingly described the moments the alleged assault began. He laid me down ... he removed his clothes ... he climbed on top of me ... in just his boxers. White T-shirt, Doe said. He tried to put his fingers between my legs and I closed my knees. At that, she stood up. I cant do this, she said, quickly walking out of the courtroom. The judge instructed them not to consider her testimony after Doe fled before she could be questioned by the defense. During closing arguments, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley told jurors that the case was about power in the wrong hands" used to the great devastation of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and physical power over the petite intern, Farley said. He used that power to rape and forcibly penetrate her, Farley said, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she said, highlighting the testimony of law enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault. Words show lack of consent. Excuses of Why this shouldnt happen,' show lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an injury shows lack of consent, Farley said. But von Ehlinger's defense attorney Jon Cox told jurors the prosecution's case was made up of red herrings, and said von Ehlinger was a credible person who willingly took the stand to share his side of the story. Judge his credibility, that's all you can do, Cox said. For every assertion that the state has made, or any evidence ... Aaron has given you a, This is what happened. That, in and of itself, creates reasonable doubt." During his testimony, von Ehlinger often spoke in a clear, loud voice directly to jurors, telling them the sexual contact was the culmination of a first date with the intern. She was flirting with me, so I thought, 'Why not? Go out to dinner with a person? Why not?' he said. After eating at a fancy Boise restaurant, he and Doe decided to return to his apartment, where they began making out on the couch, he said. Things were going well, and I asked (Doe) if she would like to move to the bedroom, von Ehlinger said. She said Sure. We got up, held hands and walked into the bedroom. In the bedroom, things became hot and heavy, von Ehlinger said, and he stepped away to disrobe behind his closet door, carefully hanging up his suit jacket, tie and slacks, before returning to the bed. At his suggestion, Doe briefly performed oral sex, he said. He also denied carrying a gun that night, and said he seldom carries one. Very rarely, and certainly not with a suit on, von Ehlinger said. But while under questioning from Farley, he acknowledged that he described the events of that night differently in statements drafted by two different attorneys he previously hired to represent him. In those statements, he said he and Doe took each other's clothes off. He also said he generally carried concealed weapons when he did carry guns, most often a small handgun that he would place in the front pocket of his jeans or suit pants. Earlier this week, jurors heard from investigators and a nurse who performed a rape exam. They testified that Doe reported being pinned down while von Ehlinger forced her to perform oral sex, and that she knew he frequently carried a handgun and had placed it on a dresser near the bed at the time of the assault. A nurse also testified that Doe had a goose egg on the back of her head from striking the wall or a headboard while trying to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger's grip. By Gabriella Borter (Reuters) - As the U.S. Supreme Court this year weighs a rollback in nationwide protections for abortion in place since 1973, conservative states are enacting new limits while liberal states seek to protect and expand abortion rights. ABORTION RESTRICTIONS ARIZONA: Republican Governor Doug Ducey in March signed a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The measure makes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. It will take effect later this year if not blocked in court. FLORIDA: Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in April signed a 15-week abortion ban, which allows exceptions for medical emergencies or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. The exceptions do not allow for abortion past 15 weeks in case of rape, incest or human trafficking. The ban is due to take effect on July 1. IDAHO: Republican Governor Brad Little signed a six-week abortion ban in March that allows family members of the fetus to sue providers who perform abortions past that point, similar to a Texas law enacted last year. The Idaho law was due to take effect in April, but has been blocked by the state Supreme Court pending legal review. KENTUCKY: The legislature in April overrode Democratic Governor Andy Beshear's veto to enact several abortion restrictions, including a 15-week ban, a requirement that fetal remains be cremated or interred, and a requirement that a combination birth-death or stillbirth certificate be issued for each abortion. The law took immediate effect, suspending clinics' ability to provide abortions for eight days until a U.S. judge temporarily blocked its enforcement. OKLAHOMA: The Senate on Thursday passed a ban on all abortions except in cases of medical emergency, rape or incest. It relies on private citizens to sue providers and any person who "aids or abets" abortions to be enforced. The House must approve the Senate's amendments before it heads to Republican Governor Kevin Stitt for signing. With the governor's approval, it would take effect immediately. Story continues Also on Thursday, Oklahoma's House of Representatives approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which relies on the same lawsuit enforcement mechanism. It will take immediate effect if signed by Stitt. Stitt already signed a bill in April banning abortion except in medical emergencies and penalizing providers who violate the law with up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. The law is due to take effect in August if not blocked in court. SOUTH DAKOTA: Republican Governor Kristi Noem signed a bill in March requiring women to make three in-person doctor's visits to complete a medication abortion. The legislation's implementation depends on the outcome of a federal court case. ABORTION PROTECTIONS COLORADO: Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed a bill on April 4 codifying the right to have an abortion. The measure immediately took effect. MARYLAND: The legislature passed a bill that expands the definition of who can provide abortions to include any "qualified provider," establishes a state-funded abortion provider training program and requires most insurance plans to cover the cost of abortions. Republican Governor Larry Hogan vetoed the bill, but the state's Democratic-controlled legislature overrode his veto on April 9 and the law is due to take effect July 1. VERMONT: The Democratic-led legislature in February passed a constitutional amendment that guarantees the right to abortion. It will be on the ballot for voters to approve in November. (Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Daniel Wallis) The family of Cheslie Kryst honored her life Thursday on what would be her 31st birthday. [ALSO READ: Forever changed: Mother says loss of daughter, former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst has been devastating] Kryst, a Charlotte-native and former Miss USA, died by suicide in January. Her family and the community released balloons on Thursday at the Fort Mill High School Stadium. (Watch the video below: I didnt want to believe it: Friend and mentee of Cheslie Kryst expresses shock over her passing) Instead of flowers, Krysts family is asking for donations to her favorite nonprofits. Kryst volunteered at Dress for Success Charlotte. The group supports women who need help in the workforce with things, such as resume writing and putting together a wardrobe. Since Krysts death, the group created the Cheslie Kryst Womens Advancement Fund. Its been tremendous not only here in Charlotte, but around the world, because Dress for Success is an international organization, said Kerry Barr OConnor, executive director. >>Mental Health Resources OConnor said Kryst was a major loss to the organization. What she did in the time she was with us, impacted so many women, OConnor said. >>Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 get more information at SuicidePreventionLifeline.org. Here is a list of the only approved organizations that are set up to receive charitable donations in Krysts honor: Trudy Gremillion said she hit rock bottom a few years ago. Youre looking at someone who was dead on my back on the floor in 2018, the 42-year-old Galliano resident said. I come from a long line of drug addicts, and Ive been in and out of jail for over 20 years. After getting help from programs offered by the Lafourche Parish jail, Gremillion picked herself up and now holds a full-time job at GIS, a local engineering firm. She has been working for GIS for five months now. Life has been really tough, but Lafourche Parish has offered many programs that have helped me, she said. I never would have had the courage to fill out an application with GIS. Even though I struggled with addiction and followed the wrong path, I knew I had potential. I just didnt know how to bring it out. Gremillion spoke during a forum Tuesday at Fletcher Technical College in Schriever, held in conjunction with Second Chance Month, that encouraged employers to hire applicants with criminal records. Organizers held a forum Tuesday at Fletcher Technical College in Schriever to encourage local employers to hire people with criminal records. Other speakers included Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre, Terrebonne Sheriff Tim Soignet, state District Judge Juan Pickett of Houma, members of the Louisiana Workforce Commission. By giving people with criminal records a job opportunity, employers can play a key role in keeping the community safer, said Scott Peyton, state director of Right on Crime. The Texas-based organization focuses on ways to reduce crime, restore victims, reform offenders and lower taxpayer costs. Statistics show 43% of people released from prison return to prison within five years. One of the ways to reduce that number is by giving former inmates the tools they need to become productive, Peyton said. The whole purpose of this forum is to show employers and the community that theres definitely a face behind the statistics and that we all want the same thing, Peyton said. We all want to be able to provide for our family and be able to earn a living. We all want to be great role models for our children and grandchildren. Story continues GIS representative Joshua Falgout said giving people a second chance is what south Louisiana is all about. Terrebonne Sheriff Tim Soignet was one of several guest speakers during Tuesday's forum at Fletcher Technical College. Theres a stigma out there that people may be fearful to hire a convicted felon, but within our community, I think the bayou has opened up, he said. Within our culture in the South, we give people second chances and not overly judge. I can attest from the area I grew up in, we all have our faults, and if youre going to judge our company based on who we hire and not our performance, we probably dont want to do business with you. Reentry Program Manager Hester Serrano said her office supervises about 2,000 people in Terrebonne and Lafourche, most of whom want to have the same opportunities as everyone else. The vast majority are returning into our communities and are going to need employment, she said. They are looking for careers, not just jobs. There are so many of them who want to get back to work. We provide the tools for their toolboxes, but they have to build it themselves. Having employers on board willing to hire them opens the door to them and gives them the opportunity to start rebuilding their lives." 'A new start': Former jail inmates graduate from Thibodaux re-entry program Gremillion said the skills she acquired at the Lafourche Parish jail helped her find untapped potential within herself. I have to be thankful I went to jail, she said. If I hadnt gone to jail, I wouldnt have gotten a job with GIS. I want to be someone for my grandbabies to look up to. I want to show my daughters that you dont have to depend on anybody. You can do this on your own. I get very dirty at work, but I love GIS. They dont treat me any different, and my pay is just the same as the next one. Because of this program, I have confidence now. I can hold my head high and am not ashamed. Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp. This article originally appeared on The Courier: Labor shortage? Employers urged to hire people with criminal records James Cameron said his long-delayed sequel to "Avatar," the highest-earning movie of all time, would "push the limits of what cinema can do," as Disney and Universal presented first looks at their upcoming movies in Las Vegas Wednesday. Attendees at the CinemaCon movie theater industry summit were invited to don 3D glasses and return to Pandora, with first footage of "Avatar: The Way of Water" showing Na'vi characters swimming beneath the planet's oceans and soaring through its skies. The movie, which will be released in December, is the first of four planned sequels to the $2.8 billion-grossing original from 2009. "I can assure you it's been well worth the wait," said Disney distribution chief Tony Chambers, confirming the film's name. Cameron addressed CinemaCon via video from New Zealand, where finishing touches are being put in place on the film. He promised giant technological leaps forward from the original, whose main characters Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) now have a family. "We set out once again to push the limits of what cinema can do," said Cameron. To reacquaint audiences with Pandora nearly 13 years after the smash hit original, which sparked a 3D wave in Hollywood, the first "Avatar" will be re-released in theaters in September. - 'The next decade' - Movie theater bosses are gathering at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for their annual meeting, where Hollywood studios bring fresh footage and A-list stars to court the industry. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige kicked off the morning's Disney presentation, telling attendees that planning for "the next decade" of the record-grossing superhero films was well underway. Attendees also got an extended look at "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," which is out next week. Footage showed Benedict Cumberbatch's sorcerer battling an extra-terrestrial floating octopus, encountering a universe-hopping teenage girl, and attending his ex's wedding. Story continues It will be followed by two more Marvel films this year -- sequels to "Thor" and "Black Panther." Pixar showed 30 minutes of "Lightyear," an origin story for the beloved astronaut from "Toy Story," voiced by Chris Evans. The movie, out in June, finds Buzz racked with guilt after marooning his crew of space rangers on a hostile alien planet. In his bid to save them, he is forced to travel into the future -- aided by a cute robotic cat. Also on show was "Amsterdam," an "original romantic crime epic" starring Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, Margot Robbie and Chris Rock among an A-list ensemble. The 1930s period piece about three friends who "find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history," which purports to be based on true events, comes out in November. - Universal slate - Universal then took the stage at Caesars Palace to show footage from the upcoming "Jurassic World: Dominion," out in June. The film will team the franchise's recent stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard with those from Steven Spielberg's original almost 30 years ago, including Jeff Goldblum. Goldblum joked that his character's famous line that scientists "didn't stop to think if they should" bring back the dinosaurs had been "aggressively ignored throughout the course of the next several movies." Billy Eichner presented "Bros," the "first gay rom com ever made by a major studio," joking that it "only took a century." "It's about something that we can all relate to -- how hard it is to simply find another tolerable human being to go through life with," said Eichner. And Carey Mulligan discussed "She Said," based on the true story of journalists investigating Hollywood sex assault scandals who prompted the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, out November. CinemaCon concludes Thursday. amz/des The U.S. Space Force is the newest branch of the armed services, and, to fulfill its mission, thousands of new recruits will need to be trained. Some of that training is already underway at a temporary facility, but state officials want the permanent home for the Space Training Readiness Command (STARCOM) to be located on Floridas space coast. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), along with Representatives Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) and other colleagues, have sent a letter asking Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to select Florida for the new facility. Read: Space Florida works to bring U.S. Space Force training operations to Florida Patrick SFB and Cape Canaveral SFS hold a unique place in Americas history of space flight and exploration, the lawmakers wrote. The letter goes on to highlight Floridas long history in the space industry. Every crewed mission to space in our nations history has launched from Brevard County, Florida. From Apollo, to the Space Shuttle, and the future Artemis missions, Florida has served as our nations gateway to the stars. NASA and DoD formed significant bonds with the local community, private industry, and academic institutions for more than half a century. Read: Central Florida counties join the Space Force HQ race Dale Ketcham with Space Florida said leaders need to show that Brevard County and surrounding areas are uniquely situated to handle such a mission. The Florida delegation is making a concerted effort to make sure the Space Force and the Air Force, which is making this decision, (are) acutely aware of the capability, not just now, but more importantly (as) the capabilities evolve, Ketcham said. On April 4, the Department of the Air Force selected six possible locations for the U.S. Space Forces Space Training and Readiness Command Headquarters. Read: Brevard County high school JROTC program converts from Air Force to Space Force Story continues The six bases currently under consideration are Buckley, Peterson and Schriever Space Force bases in Colorado; Los Angeles Air Force Base and Vandenberg SFB in California; and Patrick SFB in Florida. The Department of the Air Force said it will begin site surveys in late April or early May of 2022. There has been no date given as to when a final decision will be made. 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. The 74 It has been obvious since his presidential campaign that President Joe Biden is not a supporter of charter schools. The reason has never been clear to me. Does he oppose the movement for philosophical reasons, or does he believe it is the most politically advantageous path to travel? No matter what his reasons are, his [] foreign direct investment Investment opportunities have expanded more and more, and globalization has enabled yet another avenue: foreign direct investment. This form of investment allows businesses to expand their operations by investing directly in foreign countries. In terms of incoming foreign investment, China and the U.S. tend to go head-to-head. In the first nine months of 2021, for instance, the U.S. had $253 billion of foreign direct investment coming in, while China had $249 billion. The United Kingdom was a distant third, with $52 billion of foreign money flowing into the country. Want help with foreign direct investment? Consider working with a financial advisor. What Is Foreign Direct Investment? Foreign direct investment (FDI) occurs when a business or investor purchases a controlling interest in a company located in a foreign country. Also known as a lasting interest, a controlling interest means the investor obtains at least 10% voting power in the company in which it invests. FDI is not to be confused with foreign portfolio investment (FPI), where investors passively hold shares in a foreign company. With FDI, the intent is to substantially influence the foreign company and take an active role in its business operations. Don't miss out on news that could impact your finances. Get news and tips to make smarter financial decisions with SmartAsset's semi-weekly email. It's 100% free and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up today. For the investor, the goal of FDI is to expand or enhance its existing business. This could mean building out new stores, acquiring complementary businesses or product lines or reinvesting profits from overseas operations. Types of Foreign Direct Investment foreign direct investment There are several distinct kinds of FDI: vertical, horizontal, platform and conglomerate. Companies can pursue any number of these forms of FDI, depending on what makes the most sense for their business model. Horizontal Horizontal foreign direct investment occurs when a business expands its existing operations into a foreign country. For example, pay a visit to downtown Tokyo and youll find several 7-Eleven locations. This is an example of horizontal FDI. Story continues Vertical Vertical FDI involves acquiring a business that complements a companys existing business operation. If a U.S.-based coffee company acquires a farm in Columbia that grows coffee beans, this would be an example of vertical FDI. Platform Platform FDI involves acquiring business operations in a foreign country for the purpose of exporting a product to a third country. For example, a Chinese company that designs electronics might buy a manufacturing plant in Europe in order to export the products to other European countries. Conglomerate Conglomerate FDI is less common because it involves purchasing an unrelated business in a foreign country. This may come in the form of a joint venture since the company making the investment may not have prior experience in the industry in which it is investing. Advantages of Foreign Direct Investment FDI can have several advantages both for the investor and for the foreign country. While this list is not all-inclusive, it draws attention to some of the highlights. Economic Growth Both the company making the investment and the foreign country can experience economic growth as a result of FDI. For instance, the company making the investment is able to expand its business footprint. Meanwhile, the new business expansion in the foreign country might use local suppliers or services as part of its business, benefiting the economy there. Market Diversification Every country has its own complex economy and geopolitical concerns. While economic downturns can be global in some cases, in others, they can be isolated to one country or continent. Thus, expanding into a new country allows a company to lower the risk of an economic downturn. Lower Labor Costs Generally speaking, lower labor costs come in the form of outsourcing. For instance, a clothing manufacturer can outsource its operations to a foreign country, where labor costs are much lower. Lower Unemployment Rates Countries attracting foreign investment may see lower unemployment rates. When a foreign company sets up a new business operation there, such as a store or manufacturing plant, it will likely need workers from the foreign country to carry out day-to-day operations. This can help reduce the foreign countrys unemployment rate. Disadvantages of FDI foreign direct investment Like all business decisions, pursuing FDI has its pros and also its own set of cons. Regulatory Issues Entering a foreign market means a company will have to deal with a foreign government and, thus, its regulations in areas such as labor and trade. As a result, FDI can increase the political risk companies face. Profit Repatriation One of the biggest potential benefits of FDI can also become a negative depending on how the company making the investment conducts its business. It may benefit the foreign country if it reinvests its profits there or if it makes use of the foreign countrys services. However, if the company making the foreign investment doesnt reinvest its profits in the foreign country, it can quickly become a drain on the foreign economy. The Bottom Line FDI allows a company or investor to buy a controlling interest in a foreign company. This is different from foreign portfolio investment, where investors passively buy stock in a foreign company. With FDI, the company making the investment is expanding the business and wants to have a controlling interest in the foreign company. This arrangement can have advantages for both the investor and the foreign company, such as economic growth. However, it can also create a drag on the foreign economy if profits are not reinvested. Foreign Investment Tips A financial advisor can help you figure out how to get into foreign direct investment. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Investing in foreign markets comes with a unique set of advantages and risks. Learn more about investing abroad. Investing in foreign markets can have tax implications. Investors should of whether they will have to pay taxes on foreign income. Photo credit: iStock.com/Motortion, iStock.com/grandriver, iStock.com/metamorworks The post Foreign Direct Investment: 2022 Guide appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. A former University of Alabama student was sentenced Wednesday to seven and a half years in prison for concealing financing to the Islamic terrorist group, al Qaeda. Alaa Mohd Abusaad, 26, was also ordered to spend 10 years on supervised release following the prison term, prosecutors said in a statement. Abusaad pleaded guilty in 2019 to a charge of concealing terrorism financing after she told an undercover FBI employee how to send money to fighters engaged in terrorism and that money "is always needed," authorities said. WHITE HOUSE SAYS TERRORIST ENCOUNTERS AT BORDER ARE UNCOMMON, TOUTS BORDER PATROL FOR DOING THEIR JOB She told the agent to use fake names and addresses when sending electronic transfers to avoid detection by police. Prosecutors said Abusaad also introduced the undercover agent to a financial facilitator who route money to "brothers that work with aq (al Qaeda)." The defense argued Abusaad's childhood and mental health issues made her vulnerable to the dangers of the internet, WBMA-TV reported. Court documents described a young girl ostracized by being the only Muslim family in housing projects in Tuscaloosa, where she faced bullying from other children and a teacher. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A former employee of a special education services provider was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a student on a Columbus school bus. On April 22, Muscogee County School District police arrested Devin Douglas, 24, on charges of public indecency, sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority, and possession of marijuana. Three days later, he also was charged with violation of probation, according to Muscogee County Jail records. Tennessee-based ChanceLight Education has been providing MCSD special education services since the school board approved a $17 million, three-year contract in June 2019. Its unclear when and where the alleged incident occurred. Wednesday night, ChanceLight released a statement that says the company became aware April 14 of the accusation against Douglas, who was one of its employees at the time. Once we learned of the allegation, we can confirm that the individual was immediately removed from his workplace, suspended while our internal investigation was conducted, terminated from employment and taken into custody by law enforcement, the company said. ChanceLight Education has cooperated fully with school and law enforcement officials since we were made aware of this allegation. MCSD didnt answer the Ledger-Enquirers questions in its response. Instead, interim communications director Kimberly Wright emailed the L-E a statement Thursday morning that confirms once an allegation was made against the individual in question, his employer, ChanceLight, removed him from the workplace and relieved him of his duties. A former U.S. ambassador is in hot water after charges were filed accusing him of illegal lobbying for a foreign government. Former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates Richard Olson has been arrested for alleged misconduct while lobbying for the Qatari government. Authorities accuse Olson of using his position to broker arrangements for himself after his tenure as ambassador. His alleged actions would break multiple "revolving door" regulations stipulations against lobbying on behalf of the same group one did business with on behalf of the nation. Revolving door regulations exist to keep government employees from compromising their work. Secretary of State John Kerry is greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson upon his arrival in Islamabad, July 31, 2013. Reuters/Jason Reed QATAR WORLD CUP ORGANIZERS ADMIT WORKERS WERE EXPLOITED Olson filed court documents earlier this month stating that he will be pleading guilty to the charges. "I, Richard Gustav Olson, have consented to the filing of an information in the above-designated case," Olson wrote. "I wish to plead guilty to the offenses charged, to waive trial in the Central District of California, and to dispose of the case in the District of Columbia in which I am present." Qatar remains a tense ally of the U.S. due in no small part to the increasingly unstable situation in Ukraine and the resulting price spikes for gas. Defense Secretary Robert Gates walks with U.S. Ambassador to the UAE Richard Olson and others at the Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, March 11, 2010. Reuters/Jim Watson/Pool As the second-biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world, Qatar stands poised to be an important asset as Russian troops continue the onslaught against neighbor Ukraine. Russia supplies roughly 40% of Europe's natural gas , and Moscow has used these energy markets against NATO. President Biden met with Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, at the White House earlier this month. Biden told him he's strengthening the U.S. alliance with the kingdom as the West faces an energy crisis due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Qatar is a good friend and reliable partner," Biden said. "And I'm notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally to reflect the importance of our relationship." A woman who authorities say stole more than $100,000 from Yale New Haven Health Systems by adding fake entries to payroll records pleaded guilty Wednesday to a theft charge, a U.S. Attorneys spokesman said. Lorita Fair, 51, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, formerly of New Haven, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of theft in connection with health care, Tom Carson said. According to court documents, Fair began working in Yale New Havens payroll department in January 2020 as a temporary worker and was hired as a full-time employee in May 2020. A short time later, she began embezzling money by creating false entries in the payroll system that resulted in her and two others getting payments to which they were not entitled. The two other individuals kicked back to Fair part of the fraudulent payroll funds they received, the documents said. In all, Fair was responsible for $116,260 fraudulent payroll payments between June and December 2020, they said. She faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 27, Carson said. Christine Dempsey may be reached at cdempsey@courant.com. Landunn Richardson has spent the last four of his 50 years in a Johnson County jail cell without ever going on trial. Hes still there because he cant pay his $500,000 bond and wont plead guilty to a crime that he says he didnt commit. They dont know my brother if they think hell ever plead guilty, says Bridget Chatmon. Hell sit there for the rest of his life before he does that. Richardson, whose long pretrial detention only came to my attention because he wrote to me from jail, sold used tires in Kansas City, Kansas, before his December 2017 arrest in connection with an August 2016 traffic fatality. He was finally supposed to go on trial this August. But after I contacted his court-appointed attorney, Jason Billam, to ask why his client had been behind bars so long already, Billam decided to withdraw from the case. So now, Richardsons court date will be put off even further. If Richardson were to plead guilty, hes been told, hed be sentenced to 14 to 16 years. He says Billam, who would not speak to me, told me if I dont take the plea, theyre going to double that. In other words, theyll double that sentence if he insists on going to trial and is found guilty. Its only if youre poor, without financial or social capital, that you can essentially be held hostage in this way, sending up flares like notes to journalists you dont know. Four years is a crazy long time to be awaiting trial, said John Raphling, a Human Rights Watch senior researcher who studies the pretrial detentions that as he says are a major driver of people pleading guilty, whether they are guilty or not. Pickups tie rod broke, leading to fatal accident So how did Landunn Richarson wind up in Johnson Countys New Century Adult Detention Center in the first place? At 7:27 p.m. on Aug. 26, 2016, which was a Friday, Richardson and his pickup came flying across the median in the 5200 block of Metcalf Avenue in Mission. As the tires that had been in the back of his 94 GMC Sierra spilled all over the road, his southbound truck hit 50-year-old Vickie Taylors northbound Nissan Pathfinder nearly head-on. Story continues Richardson, who had to be cut out of his seat belt, suffered a concussion and some cuts on his shin, heels, and above his left eye. He wasnt seriously injured, but spent days on suicide watch at KU Med Center after learning that Taylor had not survived. A nursing student who hadnt seen the crash, but had stopped to see if she could help, crawled in through the broken back window of Taylors overturned SUV and held her hand as she took her final breaths. I just let her know that she wasnt alone, the woman testified in a preliminary hearing in 2018. Taylor was pronounced dead almost immediately, at 7:45 p.m., but it took until 10:27 p.m., a police report said, to extricate her body. A prosecution summary says that Richardson reported hearing a pop and losing all braking and steering ability right before the collision. At that point, Richardson told me when I visited him in jail recently, I just laid down in the seat and held on. An autopsy of his pickup, a vehicle that police later destroyed, showed that his left front tie rod had broken. Tie rods control steering. All the same, 16 months after the collision, Richardson was charged with reckless second degree murder or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter. Either charge requires a finding of reckless and extreme indifference to human life. Police and prosecutors insist that he was reckless that night, and that the crash happened not because the rod broke but because hed been driving under the influence. That isnt exactly implausible: Richardson has had a string of DUI arrests, and was driving on a suspended license when his truck hit Taylors car. But the evidence doesnt prove that he was drunk or high that night, either: His alcohol level was .03, well under the legal limit of .08. He did test positive for PCP and cocaine, but there are no levels listed on the labs that were done at KU Med the night of the accident. At the pretrial hearing, one witness for the prosecution acknowledged that such tests can show drug use from the previous 30 days. Another witness said PCP can stay in the system for a week. Richardson did lie in his initial statements; according to one supplemental police report, he stated the last time he used pills or marijuana was about a month and a half ago. Now he says hed used a couple of days before the crash. Whether it was a day or a year, though, the question is what proof there is that he was high that night, and the record shows none. Our legal system is not supposed to punish defendants for crimes other than the ones for which theyre charged. Woman who died beloved by police officers Richardson says that his first defense lawyer, who had the case before Billam did, put his situation to him this way: Accident or not, youre a Black man that killed a white woman in Johnson County and somebodys got to be held accountable. There wasnt even sitting room at her funeral; she was well liked in this community. Should he insist on going to trial anyway, Richardson says that lawyer told him, he should know that I just had a murder trial and not one person of color was on the jury; were going to lose. According to Richardson, his first defense attorney also told him that the woman whod died that night was beloved by local police officers, who knew her because she dry cleaned their uniforms. Richardson asked for a new attorney after that, but I dont know that anything that he remembers his initial counsel saying was untrue: Some 500 people attended a memorial service for Taylor, who was a greeter at her church. On the GoFundMe to raise money for her funeral expenses, her son-in-law Steve McCleary wrote, The police who helped her on her final night were the same ones she helped with their dry cleaning. The support from all of the officers has been truly appreciated. Is that why Richardson was overcharged? Insha Rahman, a former public defender who is now a vice president of the New York-based Vera Institute, which since 1961 has been working to end policies that coerce the poor into guilty pleas, called the murder charge absurd: Theres no intent here; its at best a maybe negligent homicide. Yet Richardsons situation happens all the time, she said. If he had $500,000 for bail, he wouldnt be there and we wouldnt be talking. And what kind of justice is that? Our system is not supposed to value some victims and defendants more than others, either, even though statistics show pretty clearly who we do and do not value: Women serve far longer for killing their male partners than men serve for killing their female partners. Black men serve 20% longer sentences than white men with similar histories serve for the same crimes. A massive, 2013 review of 50 years of studies of racial disparities in bail, published in the New York University Journal of Legislative and Public Policy, showed that Black people are subject to pretrial detention more frequently and have bail set at higher amounts than white people with similar criminal histories facing similar charges. That Richardsons predicament is far from unique can be no comfort to him. And as for his supposed indifference to human life, his family says that until after his arrest so many months after the accident, when he at last learned through discovery about the broken tie rod, hed been so paralyzed with guilt that he barely left the house. In horror that never really faded, he went over and over how the accident could have happened. For two years, his sister told me, all he could say was, I cant believe I killed someone. A supplemental police report filed by Mission Police Department detective Dennis Davis notes that when he interviewed Richardson in his hospital room on Aug. 29, Richardson cried as he stated that he did not want to take nobodys life and asked me to tell the family that he was sorry. Was he reckless on the night of the crash, though? The accident reconstruction did not show that he had been speeding. Weslie Clark, the retired Olathe police officer who did the autopsy on Richardsons truck, testified at the hearing that in my opinion, (the tie rod) broke from the crash rather than causing it. But he also said under cross-examination that yes, you could lose control if you tried to correct after a tie rod broke. And yes, he said, you could end up going off the road. Kansas Legislature suspended right to speedy trial I could go on and on about how flimsy the case against Richardson is. But the larger issue is how he, or anyone, could be in jail this long without being found guilty of anything. Its true that the defense has repeatedly asked for delays, according to Richardson while looking for funding to hire experts. Only in one instance that I see in the court record has the prosecution asked for a continuance. Chris McMullin, the chief deputy district attorney, told me that while he cant talk about any specific case, in general we have an interest in moving things along. Were ready, willing and able to put this to rest. Both defense and prosecution have a duty to make sure that happens. But if it doesnt, theres no system in place to flag the case. Occasionally, such a situation does get public attention: In 2016, the Kansas Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of Todd Ellison of Wichita, who had been held for more than four years while awaiting a hearing on whether he should be committed to the sexual predator program at Larned State Hospital. But this is one more issue that COVID-19 has made worse: Last year, the Kansas Legislature suspended the right to a speedy trial because of the pandemic. Richardson, of course, had already been in jail for years when that happened. Sharon Brett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas, said that its wrong on its face for him to be held in this limbo while the state attempts to coerce a plea out of him. The solution is not to have him sit in jail without any due process because he refuses to plead. It does not have to be this way: The state could and should eliminate cash bail, expand home monitoring and fast-track the case of anyone whos been in Richardsons situation for a year, or even six months. But since its only the poor who are stuck in this way, wheres the political will to make that happen? We dont even know how many Landunn Richardsons there are in county jails around the country. We do know this: The accused are not supposed to be jailed indefinitely before trial in the United States of America; thats what they do in Russia, China and Myanmar. But its also whats happening in Johnson County, Kansas. By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) - Georgia on Thursday joined a growing number of Republican-led U.S. states to ban schools from teaching "divisive" academic concepts about racism. The measures are part of movement among conservatives targeting the teaching of critical race theory, an academic theory that looks at structural racism in U.S. institutions that is not generally taught at the elementary or high school level. "Here in Georgia, our classrooms will not be pawns to those who indoctrinate our kids with their partisan political agendas," Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said at a bill-signing ceremony in Cumming, Georgia, on Thursday. The package of bills "protects the fundamental right of moms and dads across this state to direct the education of their child." The bills prohibit any instruction that asserts that the United States is "fundamentally racist" or that says individuals "should feel anguish, guilt or any other form of discomfort or stress" because of their race. Several states, including Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma, have passed similar bans. Most don't mention critical race theory by name. The once-obscure academic concept has sparked school board protests and is largely misunderstood among the general public, according to a July 2021 Reuters/Ipsos poll. Conservatives have invoked the term in schools and statehouses nationwide to denounce curricula and policies they consider too liberal, while liberals have said the bans are tantamount to academic censorship. "This morning, after Brian Kemp signed a slew of anti-education bills into law, Georgia parents and educators let him know that they CONDEMN this legislation," Georgia Democrats tweeted Thursday afternoon with pictures of a rally with signs reading "No banning books." "We wont stand by quietly as Kemp attacks teachers, censors what's taught in classrooms, and politicizes our schools." Story continues Kemp is seeking re-election this year. Ahead of a May 24 primary, polls have shown him holding a comfortable lead over Trump's preferred candidate, former U.S. Senator David Perdue, despite Trump's frequent criticisms of the incumbent governor. In Georgia, the same bill that bans "divisive concepts" when teaching about race or history also sets up a commission to oversee school sports, opening the door to prohibiting transgender students participation. It was opposed by many Democrats in the state. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Aurora Ellis) A federal judge on Thursday ruled that a special committee associated with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp must suspend raising campaign money for his re-election bid until after the GOP primary, according to a report. Judge Mark Cohen ruled that the leadership committee, Georgians First, cannot raise money until a GOP gubernatorial candidate is decided, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The law allows the governor and lieutenant governor, opposing major party nominees, and both party caucuses in the state House and Senate to form leadership committees. Donors can give as much as they want, while they can't directly give candidates for statewide office more than $7,600 for a primary or general election and $4,500 for a runoff election. Kemps leadership committee allowed the governor to bypass laws that dictate how much an individual or business can donate to a candidate. His GOP challenger, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, and his Democratic challenger, Stacey Abrams, whom he faced in 2018, have BOTH criticized the leadership committee system, saying it unfairly helps Kemp. TRUMP ENDORSES JOE LOMBARDO IN CROWDED GOP PRIMARY FOR NEVADA GOVERNOR Abrams' campaign asked the judge last week to shut down unlimited contributions to Kemps committee. Cohen had earlier denied Abrams request to start taking unlimited amounts before she is all but expected to clinch the Democratic nomination on May 24. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp looks on during the celebration honoring the Georgia Bulldogs national championship victory on Jan. 15, 2022, in Athens, Georgia. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images Cohen told her lawyers during an April 11 hearing that the right route to challenge the Georgia law was to go after Kemp's Georgians First committee. Days later, Cohen rejected the campaign's request to allow Abrams to raise unlimited money through her One Georgia committee before the May 24 primary even though Abrams is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. PROMINENT REPUBLICANS BACK SENATE CANDIDATE ADAM LAXALT IN THE MIDTERMS: NEVADA IS TURNING RED Perdue already sued over the law, saying it was unfair that Kemp could raise and spend unlimited sums in the Republican primary while Perdue could not. Because there are additional candidates, the Republicans might not determine a nominee until after a June runoff. Story continues Cohen ruled in February that Kemp could not spend any more money from the committee on his primary campaign. But he said the committee could continue to receive contributions and spend money in support of other public officials per campaign finance laws. Kemp has appealed the ruling. At a hearing Thursday, Cohen said that the rules had unfairly tipped the balance in Kemps favor, as no other candidate could have a leadership committee, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Stacey Abrams, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia, during a 'One Georgia Tour' campaign event in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on Monday, March 14, 2022. Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images "We are pleased the Court both recognized and offered a remedy today for the unconstitutional fundraising advantage Brian Kemp signed into law benefiting himself," Abrams campaign said in a statement sent to Fox News. "After months and months of Brian Kemp having exclusive ability to raise unlimited funds as a result of the bill he signed, Kemp will no longer be able to raise these funds while Stacey Abrams and One Georgia are denied equal ability to operate under the same rules." Fox News reached out to Georgians First and the governors office for comment. The U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia does not comment on cases as a policy. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Georgias President Salome Zourabichvili said on Thursday that statements from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticizing NATOs expansion as provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin laughable and that the senator was repeating Russian propaganda. Thats the usual Russian line, Zourabichvili said in an interview with The Hill on Capitol Hill, where she is meeting with lawmakers. Anything that touches to reinforce the security of its neighbors, its something that is a provocation and a threat for Russia and its quite laughable. Paul, in a hearing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, sought to criticize U.S. support for Ukraines aspirations to join NATO as crossing a red line set by Putin a notion rejected by Blinken, who said it undermines sovereign nations right to decide their own foreign policy. Paul, while specifying he was not justifying the invasion, noted Ukraine was part of a pattern of Russia attacking former Soviet states, adding that Russias invasion and occupation of territory in Moldova and Georgia were also because they were part of the Soviet Union since the 1920s. Blinken rejected Pauls proposition, saying it is the fundamental right of these countries to decide their own future and their own destiny. Zourabichvili said she has not reached out to Paul for a meeting, but invited the Kentucky senator to visit Georgia, and see what we have to say. Zourabichvili is in Washington D.C. meeting with lawmakers in an effort to get Washington to show more political support for Georgia in the midst of Russias war on Ukraine. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and occupies two of its territories on the northern border. A meeting with Vice President Harris was canceled because the vice president tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Zourabichvili met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday and was also meeting with senators, including Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who visited Tbilisi last week. Story continues Zourabichvili raised warnings that Russia is capable of fostering destabilization in Georgia and Moldova while it is fighting in Ukraine, and called for Washington and European allies to be more vocal with their support for the eastern European nations. Its very important that our partners at this time pay attention to whats happening in both countries, despite the fact that of course, the prioritythat the support to Ukraine should continue and be reinforced, she said. Zourabichvili highlighted a proposal for a referendum, from the separatist leader in the Russian-backed and occupied Georgian territory of South Ossetia, as a threat that Russia will seek to annex this territory, like it did following a staged-referendum in Ukraines Crimea Peninsula in 2014. She further pointed to recent explosions in neighboring Moldovas separatist Transnistria region, which is backed by Russia, as important for the U.S. and Europe to show support for Chisinau. We are the two countries that are closest to Russia with occupied territories and where Russia can play games, she said. There should be attention to these two other points where there could be attempts by Russia to create a sense of destabilization. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Apr. 28HENDERSON Workers at an Ardagh Group plant at 620 Facet Road just outside Henderson demonstrated outside the plant in a "show of solidarity" amid union contract negotiations between the company and United Steelworkers Local 222M, which represents those workers. "We're just going through negotiations with the company, with Ardagh Group," local Vice President Alexander White said, "and we're fighting for a fair contract." White and others, including recording secretary Audrey Williams, wore red shirts and held signs that read, "Essential workers deserve a fair contract." Drivers passing the union members along Facet showed their support by honking. "Anyone can't just go in our plant and do the jobs that we do," Williams said. "We actually are trained to do our specific jobs. Not anyone off the street can come in and do it." Ardagh has a contract with Local 222M that expired this year. Negotiations for a new contract started in Texas last month. Williams, the local's recording secretary, said leadership had to walk out of negotiations because Ardagh "was not giving us a fair contract." Williams said Ardagh is trying to "take away our holiday pay, raise our insurance premiums and raise our deductibles. They are not offering a substantial raise for the actual jobs we do." "We won't stand for it. We are prepared to strike," Tricia Perry said. "We got to do what we have to do to survive. It's called survival. Our friends, family and loved ones need us and this county needs us." Perry said she is the lone mechanic at the plant. She repairs the equipment necessary to manufacture glass goods. "We were essential workers when we were going through COVID," she said. "We're essential workers now. Pay us like that." "We're out here standing in solidarity, trying to show support for our union and let the company we mean business," Lead Furnace Operator Justin Burr said. "They're trying to take away some of the things that make this job what it is and we're not gonna stand for it." Story continues Local 55 represents mold makers, who create the molds used in the manufacture of glass goods. Members of that local attended to show "support for our brothers and sisters at Local 222," as member Jim Rotello said. "Our contract is due at the end of August," Rotello said. "If things go south for us, we hope we get the same support." "Our contract is up this year too," Local 55 President Shane Ferguson said. "We're out here in support of our brothers and sisters for a fair contract." While Local 222M members were gathered outside the plant their leadership were conducting further negotiations in Pennsylvania. The union granted Ardagh an extension on the expired contract. The deadline to create a new contract is this Friday. If another extension is not granted, "then we strike," White said. Ardagh Group could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Local 222M represents 242 workers at the plant. Six employees are not represented. North Carolina is what's called a "right-to-work" state. That means there are laws on the books that make it illegal to require an employee to join a union in order to take or keep any particular job. North Carolina's right-to-work law was ratified in 1947. Thirteen other locals in the country have contracts with Ardagh, such as Local 226M in Burlington, Wisconsin. Earlier this month, the Journal Times of Racine, Wisconsin reported that leaders of USW Local 226M threatened to strike if wages at the factory didn't keep up with the rate of inflation. Ardagh has hit financial headlines recently. In February, the Irish Times, reporting on the company's annual financial report, noted that Ardagh recorded a $766 million loss in 2021, down from a $35 million profit in 2020. The Luxembourg-based company wrote off part of the value of its glass-container business in North America, accounting for $395 million of the loss. It reported that the write-off came after weighing its ability to pass cost increases to its customers. Ardagh makes glass and metal packaging bottles and cans. The Henderson plant which is on a frontage road off U.S. 1 near the Walmart distribution center is part of its glass business. Paul Colson is the global company's CEO. Ardagh operates 109 locations in Europe and the Americas, including three in North Carolina. (Bloomberg) -- Most Read from Bloomberg Glencore Plcs trading business is headed for another year of bumper profits as the company cashes in on soaring prices and market volatility. Fresh from record earnings last year, Glencores forecast highlights how the commodity trading industry is enjoying one of its most profitable periods ever, as Russias invasion of Ukraine spreads turmoil in markets that were already at or near record highs even before the war started. Based on the first-quarter performance, trading profits this year would be comfortably above the top end of its guidance range of $2.2 billion to $3.2 billion, Glencore said Thursday. That would make it the third straight year the company has exceeded the range, as first the pandemic and now the war in Ukraine have whipsawed markets. Our marketing activities were supported during the quarter by tight physical market conditions and periods of extreme volatility, Glencore said. The Bloomberg Commodity Spot Index has surged by about a third this year to fresh records as prices for everything from natural gas to coal and aluminum rallied. In a particularly extreme example, nickel spiked 250% in less than two days last month before the London Metal Exchange suspended the market and canceled billions of dollars of trades at the highest prices. The volatile markets have helped boost earnings for commodities traders, with merchants including Mercuria Energy Group Ltd. and Gunvor Group earning windfall profits last year. However, surging prices have also created liquidity pressures for traders that dont have Glencores cash flows from mining to fall back on, as they face massive margin calls on derivative hedging positions. Story continues Read more: Commodity Traders Thrust Into the Spotlight as War Exposes Risks Still, like several other big miners, Glencore has had problems operationally. The company cut its zinc production goal for the year by 100,000 tons and also said it would produce 40,000 tons less copper tons than forecast. Glencore has been struggling with ramping up zinc processing capacity at its operations in Kazakhstan, while its copper business was impacted by geotechnial issues at the Katanga mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last week, Anglo American Plc and Freeport-McMoRan Inc. both tumbled after forecasting steep cost rises, while other miners such as BHP Group disappointed as Covid-19 absenteeism and operational missteps curb output across the sector. Glencore slightly increased its nickel and ferrochrome output targets. (Updates with details from fifth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. STORY: Peanut, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' dog, which he adopted in 2021, stole the show when he came out to greet Marin on the steps of Mitsotakis' office, and then posed with the two prime ministers for the official greeting photo. Marin and Mitsotakis patted Peanut as he sat upright between the two as photographers cameras snapped away. Since making the Greek prime minister's office his new home, Peanut, a stray Mitsotakis adopted from an animal shelter, has met many leaders in the halls of the official building, and has been heard barking in the background during news conferences. The separatist group behind the recent suicide bombing of a school in Karachi, Pakistan, has threatened China with more deadly attacks if the country continues with its Belt and Road Initiative in the Balochistan province. In a statement published in English, Jeeyand Baloch, a spokesperson of The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), warned Beijing of even harsher attacks unless China stopped its exploitation projects in the Balochistan province, as part of the countrys Belt and Road Initiative, and occupying of the Pakistani state. Hundreds of highly trained male and female members of the Baloch Liberation Armys Majeed Brigade are ready to carry out deadly attacks in any part of Balochistan and Pakistan, Baloch said. The separatist group claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attack in which a woman suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside China's Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi. The incident reportedly killed four people, including three Chinese teachers, drawing condemnation from Beijing. The separatist group later revealed the identity of the suicide bomber as Shaari Baloch, a 30-year-old mother of an 8-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy, who was a science teacher studying for a masters degree at the university. Only four suicide attacks in Pakistan over recent years have been carried out by women, and the BLA noted Tuesdays deadly event marked their first. A university official had previously raised concerns over the safety of the 15 Chinese teachers working there. An unnamed source also told Agence France-Presse that there were reports in February that suggested an attack might be carried out on campus. When asked if the recent attack would affect Chinas relationship with Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, The ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan is unbreakable. Any attempt to undermine the two countries' mutual trust and cooperation, as well as the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will fail. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said authorities have already begun their full-scale investigation in Sindh and Karachi. Featured Image via South China Morning Post Story continues Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! China tennis star Peng Shuai denies she made sexual assault allegations in new video China denies using Uyghur torchbearer to deflect alleged abuses, says accusations part of 'smear campaign' Tennis stars ask #WhereIsPengShuai, WTA threatens to pull out of China over her disappearance Chinese 'chubby' idols Produce Pandas gain fans looking for relatable celebrities Halyna Hutchins husband Matthew is fuming over the trove of investigative materials the Santa Fe County Sheriff released this week that showed his dying wife after she was shot by Alec Baldwin while working as a cinematographer last year on the set of "Rust." An email obtained by Fox News Digital Wednesday indicates attorneys for Matthew Hutchins feel the sheriffs office "trampled on the constitutional rights" of the Hutchins family and that it reneged on a "promise" Matthew would be able to review materials early Monday morning before law enforcement publicly released it. "This was a wholly inadequate amount of time given the sheer volume of material and failed to give the Hutchins [family] the dignity and privacy the New Mexico constitution affords them, including the right to request that discretion be exercised and sensitive material be redacted," the email obtained by a source close to the family states. HALYNA HUTCHINS' HUSBAND REVEALS MOMENT HE LEARNED 'RUST' CINEMATOGRAPHER WAS SHOT, KILLED ON ALEC BALDWIN SET Panish further states in his email to the sheriff's department that the footage of Hutchins clinging to life as medics tend to her bleeding gunshot wound will greatly impact their young son Andros, 9. 'RUST' SHOOTING INVESTIGATOR SAYS 'DEGREE OF NEGLIGENCE' FOUND ON SET, CRIMINAL CHARGES WILL BE UP TO DA "We fear, for example, that this shocking footage of Andros' mother dying may be material used by bullies to emotionally abuse him in the future," Panish wrote. "The damage your office has done is irreparable. "We demand that your office respect Matthew, Halyna and Andros Hutchins' constitutional rights of dignity, privacy, respect and fairness going forward. We also demand that your office take down the video footage of Halyna Hutchins dying on the church floor. While the damage of publishing that video is irreparable, taking down the video will end your office's complicity in causing future harm." Story continues Baldwin's attorney claimed the evidence released by the sheriff's department showed that the actor "acted responsibly." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "Mr. Baldwin welcomes this investigation," Luke Nikas told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The information that has been revealed by the authorities demonstrates, once again, that Mr. Baldwin acted responsibly and did not have control over any production issues that were identified in the OSHA report. "Additionally, the interviews and affidavits disclosed today continue to corroborate Mr. Baldwins description of the events including an affidavit from the detective stating that the cameraman, who was standing next to Ms. Hutchins and Mr. Souza at the time of the accident, confirmed that Mr. Baldwin was very careful with guns on the set." The sheriff said Alec Baldwin's level of responsibility in the shooting would also be determined by the district attorney . Reps for the sheriff did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment. Fox News' Mariah Haas and Lauryn Overhultz contribute to this report. Apr. 28In a court filing Wednesday, an attorney representing Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler called Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh's suit against him an "unwarranted escalation" of their debate over how fatal police shootings in Maryland should be investigated. The pair's monthslong disagreement over a 2021 law that requires Frosh's office to investigate civilian deaths involving police came into the spotlight over the weekend, when two Harford County sheriff's deputies shot and killed 53-year-old John Raymond Fauver near a Forest Hill shopping center, following reports that the man was carrying a gun and expressing suicidal thoughts. The Maryland Attorney General's Office has since maintained that access to evidence in the case is being limited by the sheriff. The sheriff has asserted his office has a duty to investigate the incident in case any criminal activity led up to the shooting, and therefore had the right to collect evidence on the scene of Saturday's shooting, and retain the digital versions of items like body camera footage. The two parties will meet Thursday morning in Harford County Circuit Court for an emergency hearing, the results of which could shape the future of one piece of Maryland's recent police reform efforts, experts say. Frosh's decision to litigate the dispute could carry some risk. Were the judge to decide that local law enforcement agencies can choose whether they would like to collect and retain the original evidence in a police-involved fatality, the attorney general's office may need to craft agreements with each jurisdiction in Maryland, said David Gray, who teaches criminal law at the University of Maryland's Francis King Carey School of Law. The office likely will argue that is excessively onerous, Gray said. But perhaps the greater risk, Gray said, is allowing challenges like Gahler's to persist without resolution, creating confusion statewide. Story continues "The real risk is having a persistent ambiguity and being on the scene of one of these incidents and not knowing who has primary authority," he said. Gray said the new law certainly requires the attorney general's office to investigate in matters like Fauver's death and requires local law enforcement to "cooperate," but its language is unclear about whether the attorney general has exclusive authority and what kind of cooperation is required. That could compromise chains of evidence in such investigations, among other things, Gray said. "If you have two agencies that are on the scene trying to do the same thing that can have deleterious effects," he said. "That just needs to be resolved." This year, the Maryland General Assembly passed an updated bill stating the attorney general's Independent Investigations Division is "the primary investigative unit" for such cases. The bill also stated that local law enforcement agencies "shall provide any requested evidence" to the division. It does not take effect until July 1, but the judge may consider it while assessing the intent of the legislature, Gray said. In his filing Wednesday, Gahler's attorney David Wyand said that Maryland State Police crime scene technicians did not arrive to the scene of the shooting until 6:45 p.m., roughly two hours after the sheriff's forensics team. State officials already on the scene were invited to observe and photograph evidence collection, and observe any interviews conducted. A filing from Frosh indicated investigators from the attorney general's office first arrived at the scene at about 5:30 p.m. The Aegis: Top stories "They were not denied access to any evidence they wanted to see," Wyand wrote. Gahler's attorney also expressed concerns with the Maryland State Police crime lab, which he said "has historically been very slow in returning results" for firearm-related investigations. As a result, in September 2019, the sheriff's office switched to using Frederick County's crime lab, according to a supporting affidavit from Harford County Cpl. Brad Ghaner. "At times evidence analysis results from MSP took as much as eight months," Ghaner wrote. "Using the Frederick County lab, [Harford County Sheriff's Office] can typically produce analysis results in less than a week." If the court forced Harford to hand its evidence from Saturday's shooting over to the state police crime lab, the filing read, it would "introduce unnecessary chain of custody issues" and "cause significant delay in the investigations." With regard to the video evidence, which all parties have been able to view, Gahler's attorney argued that the county's state's attorney has the authority over whether to share it with the attorney general's office, which has a policy of releasing body camera footage publicly within two weeks, at least in most instances. "The Harford County State's Attorney has specifically instructed the Sheriff not to release the video without his consent while the investigation is ongoing, asserting that the public release of the video could compromise his investigation," the filing stated. "Neither the Sheriff nor the Harford County State's Attorney has received assurances that they will be consulted prior to such a public release." Baltimore Sun reporter Alex Mann contributed to this article. Harriet Tubman was barely 5 feet tall and didnt have a dime to her name. What she did have was a deep faith and powerful passion for justice that was fueled by a network of Black and white abolitionists determined to end slavery in America. I had reasoned this out in my mind, Tubman once told an interviewer. There was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death. If I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive. Though Tubman is most famous for her successes along the Underground Railroad, her activities as a Civil War spy are less well known. As a biographer of Tubman, I think this is a shame. Her devotion to America and its promise of freedom endured despite suffering decades of enslavement and second class citizenship. It is only in modern times that her life is receiving the renown it deserves, most notably her likeness appearing on a US$20 bill in 2030. The Harriet Tubman $20 bill will replace the current one featuring a portrait of U.S. President Andrew Jackson. In another recognition, Tubman was accepted in June 2021 to the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. She is one of 278 members, 17 of whom are women, honored for their special operations leadership and intelligence work. Though traditional accolades escaped Tubman for most of her life, she did achieve an honor usually reserved for white officers on the Civil War battlefield. After she led a successful raid of a Confederate outpost in South Carolina that saw 750 Black people rescued from slavery, a white commanding officer fetched a pitcher of water for Tubman as she remained seated at a table. A different education Believed to have been born in March 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was named Araminta by her enslaved parents, Rit and Ben Ross. Minty was the fifth of nine Ross children. She was frequently separated from her family by her white enslaver, Edward Brodess, who started leasing her to white neighbors when she was just 6 years old. Story continues At their hands, she endured physical abuse, harsh labor, poor nutrition and intense loneliness. As I learned during my research into Tubmans life, her education did not happen in a traditional classroom, but instead was crafted from the dirt. She learned to read the natural world forests and fields, rivers and marshes, the clouds and stars. She learned to walk silently across fields and through the woods at night with no lights to guide her. She foraged for food and learned a botanists and chemists knowledge of edible and poisonous plants and those most useful for ingredients in medical treatments. She could not swim, and that forced her to learn the ways of rivers and streams their depths, currents and traps. She studied people, learned their habits, watched their movements all without being noticed. Most important, she also figured out how to distinguish character. Her survival depended on her ability to remember every detail. After a brain injury left her with recurring seizures, she was still able to work at jobs often reserved for men. She toiled on the shipping docks and learned the secret communication and transportation networks of Black mariners. Known as Black Jacks, these men traveled throughout the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic seaboard. With them, she studied the night sky and the placement and movement of the constellations. She used all those skills to navigate on the water and land. and I prayed to God, she told one friend, to make me strong and able to fight, and thats what Ive always prayed for ever since. Tubman was clear on her mission. I should fight for my liberty, she told an admirer, as long as my strength lasted. The Moses of the Underground Railroad In the fall of 1849, when she was about to be sold away from her family and free husband John Tubman, she fled Maryland to freedom in Philadelphia. Between 1850 and 1860, she returned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 13 times and successfully rescued nearly 70 friends and family members, all of whom were enslaved. It was an extraordinary feat given the perils of the 1850 Slave Fugitive Act, which enabled anyone to capture and return any Black man or woman, regardless of legal status, to slavery. Those leadership qualities and survival skills earned her the nickname Moses because of her work on the Underground Railroad, the interracial network of abolitionists who enabled Black people to escape from slavery in the South to freedom in the North and Canada. As a result, she attracted influential abolitionists and politicians who were struck by her courage and resolve men like William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown and Frederick Douglass. Susan B. Anthony, one of the worlds leading activists for womens equal rights, also knew of Tubman, as did abolitionist Lucretia Mott and womens rights activist Amy Post. I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, Tubman once said. and I can say what most conductors cant say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger. Battlefield soldier When the Civil War started in the spring of 1861, Tubman put aside her fight against slavery to conduct combat as a soldier and spy for the United States Army. She offered her services to a powerful politician. Known for his campaign to form the all-Black 54th and 55th regiments, Massachusetts Gov. John Andrew admired Tubman and thought she would be a great intelligence asset for the Union forces. He arranged for her to go to Beaufort, South Carolina, to work with Army officers in charge of the recently captured Hilton Head District. There, she provided nursing care to soldiers and hundreds of newly liberated people who crowded Union camps. Tubmans skill curing soldiers stricken by a variety of diseases became legendary. [Like what youve read? Want more? Sign up for The Conversations daily newsletter.] But it was her military service of spying and scouting behind Confederate lines that earned her the highest praise. She recruited eight men and together they skillfully infiltrated enemy territory. Tubman made contact with local enslaved people who secretly shared their knowledge of Confederate movements and plans. Wary of white Union soldiers, many local African Americans trusted and respected Tubman. According to George Garrison, a second lieutenant with the 55th Massachusetts Regiment, Tubman secured more intelligence from them than anybody else. In early June 1863, she became the first woman in U.S. history to command an armed military raid when she guided Col. James Montgomery and his 2nd South Carolina Colored Volunteers Regiment along the Combahee River. While there, they routed Confederate outposts, destroyed stores of cotton, food and weapons and liberated over 750 enslaved people. The Union victory was widely celebrated. Newspapers from Boston to Wisconsin reported on the river assault by Montgomery and his Black regiment, noting Tubmans important role as the Black she Moses who led the raid, and under whose inspiration it was originated and conducted. Ten days after the successful attack, radical abolitionist and soldier Francis Jackson Merriam witnessed Maj. Gen. David Hunter, commander of the Hilton Head district, go and fetch a pitcher of water and stand waiting with it in his hand while a black woman drank, as if he had been one of his own servants. In that letter to Gov. Andrew, Merriam added, that woman was Harriet Tubman. Lifelong struggle Despite earning commendations as a valuable scout and soldier, Tubman still faced the racism and sexism of America after the Civil War. When she sought payment for her service as a spy, the U.S. Congress denied her claim. It paid the eight Black male scouts, but not her. Unlike the Union officers who knew her, the congressmen did not believe they could not imagine that she had served her country like the men under her command, because she was a woman. Gen. Rufus Saxton wrote that he bore witness to the value of her services She was employed in the Hospitals and as a spy [and] made many a raid inside the enemys lines displaying remarkable courage, zeal and fidelity. Thirty years later, in 1899, Congress awarded her a pension for her service as a Civil War nurse, but not as a soldier spy. When she died from pneumonia on March 10, 1913, she was believed to have been 91 years old and had been fighting for gender equality and the right to vote as a free Black woman for more than 50 years after her work during the Civil War. Surrounded by friends and family, the deeply religious Tubman showed one last sign of leadership, telling them: I go to prepare a place for you. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Kate Clifford Larson, Brandeis University. Read more: Kate Clifford Larson received funding from the National Park Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Department of Tourism On April 22, General Rustam Minnekayev, of Russias Central Military District, stated that the second phase of the war is to expand beyond the Donbas and create a land bridge to Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that shares a land border with Ukraine. Specifically, General Minnekayev said that control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there is oppression of the Russian-speaking population. An attempt to legitimize control of occupied territories in Ukraine is to have referendums on independence in these oblasts, of which the outcomes are already known. Transnistria is de facto independent from Moldova and willing to be absorbed; Russian peacekeepers have also been present there since the Transnistrian War ended in 1992 with a ceasefire. Overall, this points towards more brutal fighting ahead. Matthew Becker Russia will not stop at Transnistria if Moscow is successful and the Western world loses interest in Ukraine as the war drags on. The potential third phase would be a drive to connect the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania. This action would entail the Russian military seizing the Suwalki Gap, which is the border between Poland and Lithuania with Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus on the two endpoints. The Suwalki Gap is a mere 65 miles end-to-end. Those 65 miles between the exclave and Belarus (which Moscow is using as a staging area for its invasion of Ukraine) is NATO territory. More: Stop Putin or Baltics may be next 'I didn't want to leave my motherland': Amid bombs, chaos, daughter helps mom flee Ukraine On April 25, U.S Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated after a visit to Kyiv that the U.S. goal in Ukraine is to see Russia weakened to the degree that it cant do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine. For me, this statement is a tacit recognition that we are in a proxy war in the defense of the Baltic States and Poland. Story continues We must provide everything the Ukrainians ask for including tanks, additional heavy artillery, and fighter aircraft. If we do not, we truly do risk a wider European war specifically an attack on two NATO member-states, plus drawing in non-member Moldova. As part of the defense of the Suwalki Gap, we must also heed the calls of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who has advocated for the U.S. to establish a permanent military base in her country. Estonia shares a land border with Russia and has a minority Russian-speaking population that may need liberation if Russia is not expelled from Ukraine. I ask readers to contact your representatives to express your continued support to arm Ukraine, as well as support of our eastern flank NATO allies. Lets provide the Ukrainians with the tools they need to defend the free world and expel Russia. Matthew Becker teaches on politics and security issues in Eastern Europe at the University of Mississippi. The views expressed do not reflect those of the university. He has a doctorate in Political Science from Ole Miss and a masters in International Affairs from Florida State University. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Russia already aiming for NATO nations' borders after Ukraine Six months after actor and producer Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the western "Rust," the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office released hundreds of documents and dozens of videos from its investigation. Dash-cam footage from deputies and detectives arriving at the Bonanza Creek Ranch movie set minutes after the shooting, set videos, crime-scene photos, lengthy witness interviews and a 204-page case report summarizing the investigation were included in the trove of evidence. Deputies' lapel cameras captured footage from the scene, depicting Baldwin and others struggling to make sense of what they had just witnessed. The records and videos, released earlier this week, shed more light on the roles of Baldwin, the film's assistant director and safety officer Dave Halls, and Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who was working on just her second project as head armorer. No charges have been filed so far in the case, though local authorities have been scrutinizing the actions of the three individuals who had handled the gun: Baldwin, Halls and Gutierrez Reed. The sheriffs offices investigation into the shooting, which also wounded director Joel Souza, remains open. Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Monday that his office is waiting for the completion of an FBI analysis and data from Baldwin's cellphone before wrapping up its investigation. New Mexico's First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies will decide whether criminal charges are filed. As armorer, Gutierrez Reed, who was 24 at the time of the accident, was responsible for the guns, ammunition and gun safety. The videos released depict a young woman, at first, struggling to grasp the enormity of the incident and her potential liability. A later video shows Gutierrez Reed cooperating with sheriff's office investigators in a lengthy interview nearly three weeks after the shooting. "I heard this shot" Story continues Santa Fe Sheriff's deputies interviewed Gutierrez Reed Oct. 21, just a few hours after the fatal shooting, at the department's offices. Gutierrez Reed, who at the time didn't have an attorney, agreed to answer questions about the weapons and the events that had just transpired at the ranch. Nearly three weeks after the shooting, on Nov. 9, Gutierrez Reed returns to the sheriff's office for her second interview, which spanned more than three hours. During this session, the armorer is represented by Jason Bowles, an Albuquerque attorney. The primary investigator on the case, Det. Alexandria Hancock, questions Gutierrez Reed. Hancock is immediately struck that the armorer is no longer sporting light green and purple hair. Gutierrez Reed said she has endured "a lot of hatred" since the shooting. "I was told I wasn't pulling my weight in props" Gutierrez Reed told sheriff's investigators she was pulled in two directions while working on "Rust." As armorer, she was responsible for guns and gun safety, but she also was filling the role of key props assistant. She said that after the first week, a production manager criticized her for focusing too much on her armorer role and said she needed to spend more time handling the film's props. New Mexico Environment Departments Occupational Health and Safety Bureau earlier this month released a scathing report, faulting the film's producers Rust Movie Productions LLC for the tragedy, and imposed the maximum fine, saying production managers "demonstrated plain indifference" to employee safety. Producers knew that firearm safety procedures were not being followed, and they failed to investigate earlier incidents or take corrective action, the report said. "Who provides the ammo?" Gutierrez Reed told the investigator how she and the film's property master, Sarah Zachry, met the weapons provider, Seth Kenney, at his Albuquerque shop days before the film began production. The two young women collected guns and ammunition from the production, and Gutierrez Reed was told to bring some rounds from an earlier production. "I grabbed some dummies from that box" Before lunch on the day of the shooting, Gutierrez Reed said she loaded Baldwins weapon with five dummy rounds but she was unable to load a sixth round in the cylinder because of an obstruction in the chamber. After lunch, as Baldwin, the director and others were gathering in the old wooden church, Gutierrez Reed said she cleaned the chamber. She loaded the gun with dummies she found in a box in the prop truck, and some rounds that she had been carrying in her pants pocket. "He might honestly shoot himself in the arm" The armorer describes how she "fought" for training days to work with actors handling their guns but was told by higher-ups on the "Rust" production that the performers didn't need it because they were all "trained people." Still, she got time with Baldwin, although she said he was "distracted" and on his phone throughout their training session. She fretted "he might honestly shoot himself in the arm" if he didn't practice more with his holster, and reached out to the actor's assistant to set up further training. However, Baldwin did not show up for a second training session, she said. Baldwin has said that he followed safety protocols, trusted the professionals to do their jobs and had no idea that the gun he fired contained live rounds. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Kicking off the Hots Docs 2022 festival, Into the Weeds: Dewayne "Lee" Johnson vs. Monsanto Company from Jennifer Baichwal (Anthropocene: The Human Epoch) gives us the David vs. Goliath story of the fight for justice against Monsanto (now Bayer after buying Monsanto 2018), the manufacturer of weed killer Roundup, with research linking the product's active ingredient, glyphosate, to cancer. Leading the story in Into The Weeds is California groundskeeper Dewayne "Lee" Johnson. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans and a year later Johnson filed a lawsuit claiming that Ranger Pro, a commercial-grade version of Roundup, was a contributing factor causing his Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. This was the first case in a mass tort against Monsanto. Knowing that it was an important story to tell,...we needed to create a historical document of this moment, a record of this David vs. Goliath moment, that actually, David overcomes Goliath, filmmaker Baichwal told Yahoo Canada. And its not over. Lee is not an outgoing person, he doesn't want to be in the spotlight, but he knew he had to for the sake of all of the other people coming behind him and for the sake of the public knowing the dangers of using this product. Into The Weeds shifts between following Johnsons personal journey and accumulating proven statistics, trial footage and documented information and correspondence related to the link between glyphosate and cancer. Between 1974 and 2014, an estimated 8.6 billion kilograms of glyphosate were applied worldwide, and Into The Weeds reveals that 114 million pounds of this spray is used for non-agricultural purposes every year, including but not limited to roadways, ditches, parking areas, pipelines, athletics fields, campgrounds and forests. Dewayne Lee Johnson reflecting in his car, Vallejo, California. (Photo courtesy of Disappearing Insects Productions Inc.) In 2014, Johnson found a lesion on his knee, he didnt know what it was but it kept spreading. In October, with lesions all over his body, he was diagnosed with cancer. The first thing he did was contact Monsanto about Ranger Pro, but no one responded him and he kept using the product at his job. Story continues Baichwal admits that some moments in Into The Weeds with Johnson were particularly hard to film, especially footage used to show what it looks like and feels like to have these lesions all over your body. The filmmaker stressed that while theyre difficult to look at, Johnson wanted those moments caught on camera so people could see what he has to do just to get up every morning. That's the spine, in a way, of the film, and figuring out the science and the complexity of the arguments, and also being really careful that every claim made in the film was a claim made in court that is backed up by evidence, Baichwal said. As of 2021, Bayer had allocated about $16 billion to Roundup litigation in the U.S., but Baichwal stressed that no amount of money can compensate for illness. That's one of the problems with mass tort as a tool of justice, she said. You have to work within that system and it's a flawed system." Its a flawed system when regulatory agencies are not doing their job and it's a flawed system where there are not criminal charges against people who harm others. If I went out and punched my neighbour, I'd be taken down to the police station. I don't understand why there's not some form of that in the transnational corporate world. Director Jennifer Baichwal of INTO THE WEEDS. (Photo courtesy of Mongrel Media) Farmers are not villains As we watch the trial unfold in the documentary, we see the Monsanto Papers, which were controversially released to the public, confirm that the company had been examining glyphosates possible link to cancer for decades. This leads to revelations of agency capture, meaning the company was influencing its regulatory agencies, and evidence of targeted attacks on scientists, in addition to ghostwriting and falsifying studies. As the film highlights, there have been some victories in terms of individuals being publicly compensated, countries banning the use of glyphosate and phasing out Roundup for residential use, but it still continues to be used by the agriculture sector. I didn't even know that forests were sprayedbut that's systemic, that's affecting everything in that ecosystem, Jennifer Baichwal said. It happens all over Canada, it happens all over the world. How do we advance that argument as well? That hasn't been resolved yet. Into The Weeds takes us to Canadian farms to see how glyphosate is used in the agriculture sector, with farmers stressing that to maximize their yield, they have to minimize their weed infestation, while also confirming that the plant does in fact need to absorb the spray to die, leading to questions about residue in our food. Industrial farming is a massive conundrum, there are people who make arguments that we need this kind of farming to feed the world, Baichwal said. More proponents of regenerative and organic farming make very strong arguments for why we do not need this kind of pesticide use and that it's a cycle where the weeds get bigger, the super-weeds get resistant and the microbiota is destroyed. The filmmaker stressed that farmers using this kind of pesticide are not villains but rather, people who want to do their best to grow our food. Its beyond time that we think about other ways of growing food that don't require that level of interference, but it's not a slam dunk, it's not an easy answer, Baichwal said. I'm very grateful to those farmers for sharing that perspective because they're in a difficult position. Into The Weeds highlights that as of February 2022, 28 Canadian lawsuits relating to Roundup have been served upon Bayer. Into The Weeds is screening as part of the Hot Docs 2022 festival on April 28, April 29 and May 7, and available for online streaming for five days starting on April 29. The film opens theatrically May 20 in Toronto and Vancouver, and throughout the spring/summer in other cities. Three years ago, the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival drew nearly 230,000 attendees to venues across Toronto. It was a record-breaking turnout, and a hopeful harbinger that even amid the growing disruption of streaming platforms, audiences were flocking more than ever before to North Americas largest documentary festival. It has not returned to cinemas since. More from Variety After the coronavirus pandemic prompted a last-minute online pivot in 2020, Hot Docs was again forced to host a virtual fest last year. Now, as the curtain is set to rise on its 29th edition, the festivals director of programming, Shane Smith, admits to a case of nerves after the long absence. Some of us havent been on stage for a while, he tells Variety. But its going to be great to get back into the groove, get that muscle memory reactivated. This years edition will offer a reminder not only of how much has changed in the past two years, but of what has remained constant. Like other festivals forced to adapt during the pandemic, mounting back-to-back virtual events has taught the organizing team some valuable lessons about how Hot Docs can evolve in an increasingly online world. But it has also underscored what makes in-person screenings so vital to the Hot Docs community. Programming the festival online, and presenting it online the last couple of years, has really shown us what we love about what we do, and that is connecting filmmakers to audiences, says Smith. That has happened online, but it hasnt happened with the sort of electricity that you get in a cinema, when a filmmaker is able to see in real time the audience response to that film, and we are able to helpstart a conversation between audience and filmmaker. Story continues The response so far has exceeded expectations: despite lingering wariness about pandemic travel, as well as the logistical challenges involved for many international filmmakers, Smith reports that roughly 90% of the directors presenting films at Hot Docs will attend the festival a figure thats almost in line with pre-pandemic attendance. The organizers have nevertheless been forced to make some concessions. As the world slowly begins to emerge from the pandemic, at a pace that often varies from one country to the next, industry programs such as Forum, Dealmaker, and Distribution Rendezvous which bring together hundreds of filmmakers and decision-makers from across the globe will again be held virtually this year. We just didnt know what the setup would be and how could you plan to have 20 pitches with all those buyers in person, and still have travel restrictions and still have testing restrictions and still have so many barriers to movement, says Hot Docs industry program director Elizabeth Radshaw. This is a transition year. And so to offer the greatest respect to that market [we decided] to keep it online. The festival opens April 28 with the world premiere of Jennifer Baichwals Into the Weeds, about a former groundskeeper who battles an agrochemical corporation after his cancer diagnosis. Its the second time that Baichwal is opening Hot Docs, after 2009s Act of God, something Smith describes as a great testament to the longevity to her work, to her career. In the depth and breadth of this years selection which features more than 200 documentaries, including 63 world and 47 international premieres the veteran programmer sees a diverse range of filmmakers grappling with both the past and its impact on the world today, often in very different ways. What weve seen in the programming is really a sort of excavation a deep vein of investigation and unearthing or excavating events and examining events from the past, he says. Some of that work bears out in an intimate personal context, as with Jasmin Mara Lopezs exploration of her own sexual abuse in Silent Beauty, which world premieres in the festivals Persister section, or Reed Harkness Sam Now, an emotional portrait of a mother and sons relationship after she leaves the 14-year-old to start a new life. That film will have its world premiere in the International Spectrum competition section. Other films use a wide-angle lens to investigate political and systemic fractures. Jose Joffilys A Symphony for a Common Man, which has its international premiere in the Special Presentations program, offers a revisionist look at the 2002 ousting of Brazilian diplomat and head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Jose Bustani, as America marched to war with Iraq. In The Killing of a Journalist, which world premieres in the International Spectrum, director Matt Sarnecki digs into the failed, corrupt investigation into the murder of a Slovakian journalist. Across the program, Smith sees filmmakers pursuing a deep investigation of the systems surrounding us, something he attributes to the lingering influence of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our societies. The reckoning that happened in the last couple of years, people are really looking at the world and asking questions in a way that they may not have been before the pandemic hit us, he says. Among the anticipated titles having world premieres in Toronto are Cody Sheehys Make People Better (pictured), which tells the inside story of the disappearance of the Chinese biophysicist who secretly created the first genetically designed babies; The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, a lurid look into the story of infamous Toronto con man Albert Rosenberg, directed by Barry Avrich; Million Dollar Pigeons, Gavin FitzGeralds charming introduction to the wildly competitive world of pigeon racing; and The Quiet Epidemic, Lindsay Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdochs investigation into Lyme disease that reveals why ticks, and the diseases they carry, have been allowed to spread globally. Notable international premieres include Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Exiles, which follows Chinese-American documentarian Christine Choy as she explores the unseen footage of a documentary she began working on soon after the Tiananmen massacre; Reid Davenports I Didnt See You There, a first-person account of living with disability shot from the directors wheelchair, which won the best director award in Park City; Chase Joynts dual Sundance prize winner Framing Agnes, which tells the story of a young trans woman who entered a sex disorders study in 1958 seeking gender-affirming care; and Ron Howards We Feed People, a chronicle of chef and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Jose Andres and his work providing healthy food to those affected in disaster zones. Andres will be joining the festival for a virtual conversation with audiences. Hot Docs will also give its Outstanding Achievement Award to Anand Patwardhan and screen a selection of documentaries shot over the course of the Indian filmmakers prolific 40-year career. The timeliness of [his work] is incredible, says Smith, pointing to Patwardhans explorations of political division, religious fundamentalism, disinformation, and the crisis of masculinity. These themes are just so incredibly resonant today. Hes a seer, really. And what hes seen in India has played out in other countries around the world. Like other festivals to unspool since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Hot Docs has marshalled its resources to show support for Ukrainian filmmakers, curating a selection of Ukrainian documentaries that are available to Canadian audiences through the festivals VOD platform, while programming three films either made in Ukraine or by Ukrainian filmmakers. Among them is Outside, by Olha Zhurba, which will have its international premiere in the International Spectrum competition section. More than just an act of solidarity with Ukrainian colleagues many of whom are on the frontlines fighting against the Russians Smith says the programming is a response to audience demand. And it underlies, too, the unique role played by documentary film in the world today. [It] is just indicative of the importance and necessity of documentary storytelling in helping explain our world to ourselves, in showing us different perspectives and different insights into our world, Smith said. Thats especially the case, he adds, in the wake of massive disruptive world events. It makes sense that people are looking for answers, or looking for information, at the very least. And this is the power of documentary. The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs April 28 May 8. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Were going to seize their yachts and other ill-begotten gains, President Joe Biden said during a live televised newscast today, referring to Russian tycoons associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Biden said he was sending legislation to Congress, as part of a $33 billion Ukrainian aid package, that would include a new, expedited procedure for forfeiture and seizure of yachts, jets and other assets belonging to Russian oligarchs on the USs sanctions list. The president said the new procedures are aimed at Russias kleptocracythese are bad guys, he saidthat have enabled Putins invasion of Ukraine. The sold-off funds will be used to directly remedy the harm that Russia caused and help rebuild Ukraine, Biden added. More from Robb Report Officials said that current US laws need to be streamlined to make the seizure of property more effective. The New York Times reported that the proposal would create a new criminal offense for individuals to gain from corrupt dealings with the Russian government. It would also add the crime of sanctions evasion to racketeering activity, which is part of RICO, or the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, often used against organized crime. The superyacht Tango was impounded by the US in Spain by Spanish authorities working with the FBI. It will remain the responsibility of the US government. - Credit: Courtesy AP/Francisco Ubilla Courtesy AP/Francisco Ubilla Todays address follows non-binding legislation passed yesterday by the US House of Representatives that called on Biden to expedite the sale of seized yachts, private jets and other assets owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs. The proceeds, similar to the Biden plan, would provide military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It was passed after Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Tuesday told a Senate panel that the Biden administration wanted expanded authority to confiscate and liquidate Russian property. Story continues The US seized the $90-million superyacht Tango with authorities in Spain earlier this month, while Italian, French, German, UK, Dutch and Finnish authorities have confiscated dozens of other yachts in the last six weeks. The largest yacht among the oligarchs is Dilbar, which was officially impounded in Hamburg on April 13. Its estimated value is between $600 and $700 million. But the concept of seizing and immediately selling the yachts and other assets met with challenges from the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and others. The ACLU said the move could run counter to legal protections for individuals by depriving the Russians who owned the items any chance of challenging the actions and possibly regaining their property. Most of the superyachts are in Europe, so they will be the responsibility of the countries that confiscated them. - Credit: Courtesy AP Courtesy AP The problem with the bill as introduced was that the complete absence of any due process protections would likely have resulted in a court handing Russia a propaganda win by having an American court invalidate both the sanctions law and the sanctions themselves, Christopher Anders, the federal policy director at the ACLU, told the Times. It remains to be seen whether Bidens expedited seizure proposals will be accepted as part of the $33 billion aid package for Ukraine. Despite political in-fighting, the pro-Ukraine mood among the executive and congressional branches remains one of its strongest common areas, with the Russian oligarchs being a clear target as a path to Putin. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) was one of the Congressional representatives who sponsored the non-binding legislation. Can we imagine giving all of Russias wealththe yachts, the bank accounts, the villas, the planesback to Putin and his cronies as Ukraine lies in ruin, as the Ukrainians bury their dead? We cannot imagine doing that. We will not do that, Malinowski said Tuesday on the House floor. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. As Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias detailed what the next 12 to 18 months look like for left-hander John Means, another part of him looks toward the rest of the rotation, too. By the time Means returns from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery Elias hopes Means will be ready in the first half of the 2023 season the rotation around him will look different. There are arms currently in the rotation still developing, such as left-hander Bruce Zimmermann. But with a crop of prospects on the way to Baltimore and bullpen pieces who might still find their way into starting roles, Elias expressed hope for Means and the pitching staff, even if it takes a full year. I feel like the talents there, Elias said Wednesday on a video conference. Weve just got to get luck and keep all these guys together and get them performing, and it would be very special, I think, to have any three, four, five of these guys clicking at the same time in an Orioles rotation. And were doing our damnedest to try to get that to be the case, but its never easy. Means, who underwent his elbow reconstruction surgery Wednesday morning in Dallas, will return to Baltimore to begin his rehabilitation with Dr. Sean Curtin and head athletic trainer Brian Ebel. Once he progresses, Means will likely report to Sarasota, Florida, to continue his workouts at the spring training facility there. In the future, Means will be a centerpiece to a rotation that includes prospects Grayson Rodriguez, DL Hall and Kyle Bradish. Those three pitchers have yet to make their major league debuts, although that could change this season and for Bradish, it could be sooner rather than later. The right-hander holds a 1.20 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Norfolk, and while he was initially scheduled to start Wednesday for the Tides, Bradish was moved to Fridays probable starter. After right-hander Chris Ellis landed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Tuesday, the Orioles have yet to determine who will start in Ellis place this weekend against the Boston Red Sox. With Bradish moved to Friday, he could be in line to start in Baltimore, instead. Story continues I think anybody in our Triple-A [staff] whos pitching long and pitching as well as Kyle has put themselves in good contention for joining this rotation, Elias said. Up until the Ellis injury, we had five starters that were going pretty good. Were in a situation right now this week where our focus is on the next couple of games here versus the Yankees, which is kind of an all-hands-on-deck approach from the pitching staff, and I think once we get through these next couple of games, well take a look at whos rested on the major league roster and see what we do with that fifth rotation spot going forward. But certainly, he and other people have put themselves on the radar for helping the staff this year. Hall, ranked as the No. 3 prospect in Baltimores pipeline per Baseball America, is further off from joining the Orioles. Hes set to make his first start of the season for High-A Aberdeen on Friday. Hall had remained in Florida for extended spring training as he recovered from a stress reaction in his left elbow that cut short his 2021 season. Now hes beginning to ramp up, throwing four-plus innings in simulated games in Florida. He should reach about that length for Aberdeen on Friday, too. Its just about covering innings, throwing strikes, not having any injury setbacks, Elias said. The stuff and the velocity are certainly there, and I think were gonna see that on display on Friday. And, look, once hes back to being himself in Bowie the guys on the 40-man roster. Hes got major league stuff. Double-A Bowie is as high as Hall has reached thus far. A successful outing in High-A Aberdeen could propel him onward to Double-A before another stop at Triple-A Norfolk. That timeline slows how soon Hall could reach the majors. But there are other options Baltimore could turn toward, apart from Bradish, Hall and Rodriguez. Right-hander Matt Harvey rejoined the organization on a minor league deal earlier this month and will throw an extended spring game in Florida on Thursday. The prospects for Harvey are muddled, however, with the possibility of a suspension from Major League Baseball for violating the leagues drug policy. Elias said Harvey will report to a minor league affiliate once hes ramped up in an extended spring training. Other options include right-hander Mike Baumann, who currently holds a bullpen role. Left-hander Keegan Akin also has starting experience. So while theres uncertainty regarding what the rotation might look like this weekend against the Red Sox, theres more hope from Elias about what itll look like in a year once Means returns. As Johns injury demonstrated, pitching is a very fragile thing and you might even make the argument its more of a numbers game, Elias said. But I cant complain about the fact that we have a guy like John, who will be coming back from surgery. Adley Rutschmans development Catcher Adley Rutschman, the top prospect in baseball, made his first rehab start for High-A Aberdeen on Tuesday, working back from a right tricep strain suffered just as major league spring training got underway. Rutschman doubled and walked in Tuesdays start, catching the first five innings. He returned to the IronBirds lineup Wednesday as the designated hitter. Before Rutschmans injury, Elias said the 24-year-old showed in minor league camp in February that hes one of the best talents in the organization, if not the sport. If he puts himself back to that point in time, I cant see a whole lot more that he probably needs to prove in the minor leagues other than he is himself, Elias said. So well take it one day at a time. You hear him talk. Thats his mindset. I think thats part of what makes him such a great athlete is the ability to keep that mindset and were only on Day 2 of his minor league rehab assignment today. PC Joseph Demir appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court earier this monrth after he was charged with sexually assaulting colleague on duty. (PA) A serving Metropolitan Police officer is set to stand trial accused of sexually assaulting a male colleague. PC Joseph Demir, of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with one count of sexual assault towards a man at Hendon Training School in March 2020. Demir, who was a student officer at the time of the alleged assault, is accused of touching the complainants groin over his clothing. The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reported the offence in July 2020. Joseph Demir was a student officer at the time of the alleged assault. (PA) Demir, 24, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth, and to indicate a plea of not guilty. He is due to stand trial at Harrow Crown Court on 26 May. Demir, who has been placed on restricted duties, was released on bail with the condition not to contact the alleged victim. He will face misconduct proceedings at a tribunal if found guilty. Eighteen-year-old Marcelles Heart said he hears gunshots almost every night near his house in Kansas City. Its a sound the senior at Northeast High School has gotten used to in the nearly two years hes lived in Kansas City. And he knows hes not the only young person in the city exposed to violence. That is not something that they should be desensitized and used to, Heart said Wednesday at panel made up of area teenagers held at Artstech in downtown KC. Just the sound of gun fire is not something that our children need to know. The forum included about a dozen teenagers who discussed how violence impacts youth and what steps can be taken to address the problem. The conversation came a few weeks after Manuel Guzman, 14, was fatally stabbed at Northeast Middle School. Another 14-year-old student has been charged in his death. Across the Kansas City metro area, 77 people have been killed this year, according to data tracked by The Star. Of that total, 18 of the victims were ages 24 and younger. A new study from The New England Journal of Medicine found firearm injuries are now the most common cause of death for people ages 1 to 24 in the U.S., surpassing motor vehicle crashes. Emeil Humphrey, a 15-year-old at DeLaSalle Education Center, said part of the problem with violence that young people face is access to guns. Where are these little kids getting guns from? Humphrey asked. The killing needs to stop. Tatyiana Johnney, a student at Paseo Academy, wants to bring attention to the violence women and girls in Kansas City face. The 15-year-old said that in the two blocks she walks from her bus stop to her house, shes been followed. Thats really, really scary, as a woman, no matter how you dress, no matter what age you are, Johnney said. Several members of the panel also talked about the distrust they have with the Kansas City Police Department. A few speakers said they believe police officers discriminate against Black people in the metro area. Story continues Earlier this year, The Star reported on police data showing officers in Kansas City use a disproportionate amount of violence on people of color: In a city that is 28% Black, more than 57% of the departments use of force incidents from 2019 to July 2021 were against Black people. And earlier this month, The Star published a year-long investigation that showed racism within the Kansas City Police Department does not spare its own members, driving many Black officers to leave the department. Heart, however, disagreed with some of the statements. He believes police have been demonized in society. The fact that people feel that way and cannot trust police is also a reason people will result to violence, he said. Theyll think, The police cant help me, I have to do it myself. I cant rely on anybody else. Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Alberto Carvalho at a press conference Thursday announcing his recommendation. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) The Los Angeles Unified School District should delay its requirement that students be vaccinated against COVID-19 until next year, its superintendent recommended Thursday, given the system's already high vaccination rates among older students as well as low transmission rates in schools. Supt. Alberto M. Carvalho said that, after consulting with experts, he will ask the district's board to hold off on enforcing the mandate until July 1, 2023, at the earliest. Doing so would align California's largest school district with the expected timeline of a statewide student vaccination requirement. At a news conference, Carvalho pointed to the high level of vaccinations among students 12 and older, the district's employee vaccination mandate and aggressive COVID testing as protocols that set L.A. Unified up for this moment. He added that the district also needed to consider the consequences of not bringing forward the recommendation. We should be lifting in a reasonable, respectful and intelligent way the barriers that may exist, that are preventing, maybe, some students from coming to school, Carvalho said. There are many students, thousands of students, who are not making adequate progress because they're being taught in a modality that does not necessarily match their needs. Those students absolutely need face-to-face instruction. If the scientific conditions are what they are, we ought to remove the barriers and invite them back to the schoolhouse. Carvalho said the school board is set to vote May 10. The district's employee vaccine mandate will remain in place. L.A. Unified was the first of the nation's large school systems to institute a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for students. However, the district opted in December to delay enforcing the rule until this fall citing both an already high rate of compliance and the desire to prevent potentially massive disruptions for students. The landscape shifted further when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this month that California would not move ahead with its planned statewide requirement for schoolchildren to be immunized for COVID-19 before the next academic year. The California Department of Public Health has said the timeline will be pushed back to at least July 1, 2023. Story continues That change threw the school district's mandate into question, with at least one board member expressing interest in aligning with the state's new timeline. At the time, Nick Melvoin called the state's postponement a sign of good policymaking as districts attempt to navigate the largest educational disruption in a century without a playbook. On Thursday, Melvoin said he continues to advocate for the district to align with public health guidance. "We need to be able to adapt to the latest recommendations from county and state public health entities," he said. "We also know that the districts high vaccination rates played a crucial role in keeping kids in school throughout the year and we will continue providing access and encouraging families to get vaccinated. School board President Kelly Gonez said she supported the move, a shift from her previous position. It was really the testimony of health experts, Gonez said, who were quite clear that the conditions are the safest that we have seen in a long time, and that the protocols that we have now are part of why it is so safe and what enabled us to make this shift. Still, some parents were not in favor of the proposed delay. Monica Arrazola, a parent of three LAUSD students, said her youngest a fifth-grader did not go back to school until he was vaccinated. We're still living through a pandemic, we all need to get vaccinated, said Arrazola, whose children ages 16, 14 and 11 have all had their shots. Other parents, such as Joe Mardesic, whose daughter is a sixth-grader, said the district shouldn't have a role in their children's inoculations at all. "It's great that they're pushing it back, better if they stop and get out of it all together," Mardesic said. "Its none of their business. Gonez acknowledged that not everyone would agree with the proposal. I know that there are diverse opinions among families, she said. We will never satisfy everyone, but as a district, we have always been willing to make the hard calls in pursuit of student health and safety, and based on the recommendations of scientists and that's what we're doing today. Thursday's announcement came a day after the L.A. County Department of Public Health released data showing that coronavirus cases among students and staff in the county's schools have doubled during April a trend officials say should reemphasize the importance of taking precautions, even as the overall number of campus-documented infections remains low. For the school week prior to spring break April 4-8 844 students and staff tested positive for the coronavirus countywide, according to data from the health department. But over the week that classes resumed, April 18-22, there were 1,842 positive test results. However, many cases may have been discovered not necessarily because a student or staffer fell ill, but because Los Angeles Unified requires all pupils and personnel participating in in-person instruction to undergo weekly testing. Countywide, 529,000 tests were administered for the week ending April 22, which adds up to a test positivity rate of 0.35%, health figures show. About 450,000 tests were given during the week ending April 8, resulting in a weekly test positivity rate of 0.19%. In the first week of classroom instruction after spring break, there were 13 outbreaks at schools in L.A. County, with six of them in elementary schools, one in a middle school, two in high schools and four associated with youth sports. That's up from 11 outbreaks the week before spring break. Of those, seven were in elementary schools, one was in a middle school and three were in high schools. Carvalho said the district was not considering returning to previous measures, such as a districtwide mask mandate, even after the current increase in cases. Despite that slight increase, well below any level of alarm, of the positivity rate, we still didn't see an increase in transmission rate, which means schools are not the places where the virus is being transmitted, he said. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday that she recognizes its sensible for LAUSD to align with the timeline that the state has laid out. State health officials said they will implement the vaccination requirement in a phased approach following a Food and Drug Administration decision to fully approve the vaccination for younger ages. Its not clear when that will happen. Once the FDA acts to fully approve a COVID-19 vaccine for those age 12 to 15, the state would begin a rule-making process including the chance for public comment to require vaccinations as a condition of attending grades seven through 12 in public or private school. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is available to children ages 5 to 15 under an emergency-use authorization, and has not been fully approved. After the FDA acts to fully approve a COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11, the state would begin a similar process to require vaccinations for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. In general, Im supportive of when you have that full approval from the FDA adding COVID vaccines to the long list of vaccinations that are required for students attending our schools, Ferrer said during a briefing. But, she added, while were we back to sort of our pre-vaccine days or we have what we had during Omicron overwhelming numbers of people getting sick and requiring a lot of care we might need to revisit what to do with our vaccination mandates, she said. Only 32% of children ages 5 to 11 have completed their primary vaccination series in L.A. County, compared to 78% of adolescents age 12 to 17, health data show. COVID-19 vaccines are still unavailable for the youngest children. However, Moderna on Thursday submitted an application to the FDA to expand eligibility to those younger than 6. Among people of all ages, L.A. County is averaging nearly 1,800 new coronavirus cases a day, or 122 cases a week for every 100,000 residents. A rate of 100 or more is considered high the worst level in a four-tier scale defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronavirus-positive hospitalizations also began to rise this week, but overall remain at some of the lowest levels of the pandemic. Scientists have said they would not be surprised if cases increase further in the summer; or in the late fall and early winter, as has happened each of the past two years. Officials still urge those who have survived a coronavirus infection to get up to date on vaccinations and boosters, noting that natural immunity wanes over time and isn't necessarily protective against a future variant. "People with risk factors are at increased risk for severe disease from reinfection," CDC scientist Dr. Kristie Clarke said at a briefing Tuesday. "We encourage people to stay up to date completely on their vaccination, regardless of their history of infection." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The New York Times On a rainy Thursday evening last spring, a 15-year-old girl was rushed by her parents to the emergency department at Boston Childrens Hospital. She had marks on both wrists from self-harm and a recent suicide attempt, and earlier that day she confided to her pediatrician that she planned to try again. At the ER, a doctor examined her and explained to her parents that she was not safe to go home. But I need to be honest with you about whats likely to unfold, the doctor added. The best place f The Islamic State group claimed two bomb blasts aboard minibuses that killed at least nine people Thursday in Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif, a week after a deadly explosion at a Shiite mosque in the northern city. The number of violent public attacks across Afghanistan has fallen since the Taliban returned to power last August, but the Sunni Islamic State group has continued to target Shiites, whom they view as heretics. A string of deadly bombings targeting minority communities has convulsed the country in the past two weeks during the fasting month of Ramadan. Thursday's blasts occurred within minutes of each other in different districts of Mazar-i-Sharif as commuters were heading home to break their dawn-to-dusk fast, Balkh provincial police spokesman Asif Waziri told AFP. "The targets appear to be Shiite passengers," he said, adding 13 people were wounded in the blasts. The regional Islamic State chapter, ISKP, took credit for the bombings, which it said inflicted 30 casualties. Images posted on social media showed one minibus engulfed in fire, while the other was mangled, with Taliban fighters seen transporting victims from the vehicle to hospitals. The blasts came one week after an attack on a Shiite mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif killed at least 12 worshippers and wounded scores more. That explosion was followed a day later by the bombing of another mosque in Kunduz targeting the minority Sufi community. It killed at least 36 people during Friday prayers. In Kabul, another attack also targeted Shiites, with two bombs detonated at a school, killing six students. The jihadist IS claimed the mosque attack in Mazar-i-Sharif, but no group has so far taken responsibility for the bombing in Kunduz or at the Kabul school. Shiite Afghans, who are mostly from the Hazara community, make up between 10 to 20 percent of Afghanistan's population of 38 million. The regional branch of IS in Sunni-majority Afghanistan has repeatedly targeted Shiites and minorities such as Sufis, who follow a mystical branch of Islam. Story continues IS is a Sunni Islamist group, like the Taliban, but the two are bitter rivals. The biggest ideological difference is that the Taliban pursued an Afghanistan free of foreign forces, whereas IS wants an Islamic caliphate stretching from Turkey to Pakistan and beyond. Taliban officials insist their forces have defeated IS, but analysts say the jihadist group remains a key security challenge. Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP earlier Thursday that several arrests had been made in connection with the string of recent attacks. "These attacks targeted places that did not have enough security like mosques and a school, but now we have stepped up security in such places," he said. bur-jd/lb/jfx Leon Lee Jones was sentenced on Tuesday to 18 years in prison for a 2018 murder. U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi also sentenced Jones, who is from the Navajo Nation, to five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced. Jones, 38, previously pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Jones was arrested after his partner was shot and killed on July 11, 2018, near Klagetoh, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Reach breaking news reporter Adam Terro at adam.terro@arizonarepublic.com. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man sentenced to 18 years in prison after shooting partner ANNAPOLIS, MD Marylanders should get their COVID-19 booster shot by Monday, May 2, for a chance to win the final prize of $1 million in the promotion offered by the state, Gov. Larry Hogan said. Residents must get boosted between now and Monday to qualify for next weeks VaxCash 2.0 $1 million grand prize drawing. Launched in February as part of a booster action plan, Vax Cash 2.0 is awarding $2 million in cash prizes to a total of 12 Maryland residents. After a special initial drawing of $500,000, the state has been holding weekly $50,000 drawings leading up to next weeks grand prize drawing. Tuesdays winner was from Bowie. Getting fully protected with a booster shot continues to be the single most important thing you can do to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and its variants, Hogan said in a news release. If you havent gotten around to it yet, getting boosted this week gives you a chance to enter our grand prize drawing. To date, the state has administered more than 11.7 million vaccinations, including 2.3 million booster shots. Hundreds of locations across the state continue to offer free COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. Find a provider at covidvax.maryland.gov. Vax Cash 2.0 Promotion. To be eligible for the promotion, you must be a Maryland resident, at least 18 years old, and you must have received an initial dose and booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at non-federal facilities in Maryland. Maryland residents who were vaccinated at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs locations in Maryland are eligible. All eligible Marylanders are entered into the drawings. Detailed information is available here. COVID-19 Booster Eligibility. Marylanders ages 12 and older are eligible for a booster after completing their primary vaccine series. Residents ages 50 and older are eligible for a second booster four months after their first booster, as are people ages 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. Visit COVIDlink.maryland.gov for more information. Story continues Maryland Ranked as Safest State During COVID-19. A national survey recently ranked Maryland as the safest state during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maryland Lottery handles the drawings, which are all random. The Maryland Department of Health contacts the winners. Related: MD COVID: Hogan Announces $2M In Booster Shot Lottery Prizes MD COVID: $1M Prize Left In Booster Shot Lottery originally appeared on the Across Maryland Patch AURORA, IL Metea Valley High School was ranked the 26th top high school in Illinois and first among high schools located in Aurora by U.S. News and World Report. This year's list of best high schools evaluated more than 17,800 schools nationwide, including 673 in Illinois. The approximately 3,000-student high school, part of Indian Prairie School District 204, has an Advanced Placement participation rate of 67 percent, with 55 percent of students passing at least one AP exam, according to U.S. News. Mathematics proficiency is 61 percent, reading proficiency is 59 percent, and science proficiency is 58 percent. The school's graduation rate is 96 percent, which U.S. News classified as "well above state median." Nationwide, Metea Valley High School ranks No. 627. Here is where other Aurora high schools rank in the state. Waubonsie Valley High School: No. 53 West Aurora High School: No. 332 Within District 204, Neuqua Valley High School outranks Metea Valley for first place and also places 17th best statewide. The report is intended to show how well the nation's public schools serve all students, regardless of achievement level, by teaching them basic skills and preparing them for college-level work, according to a news release from U.S. News. The 2022 rankings used data from the 2019-20 school year, which was adjusted to compensate for the effects of COVID-19, according to U.S. News. Most schools closed before state testing in the spring of 2020, and federal education officials granted a waiver to skip testing that year, so U.S. News used assessment data from the prior three years. The rankings aim to compare how well public schools prepare students for college-level work and teach students basic skills, according to the group. In Illinois, the top five schools in the rankings were selective enrollment high schools in Chicago Public Schools, with the No. 6 school a selective enrollment suburban school Proviso Math and Science Academy. Among suburban public high schools that accept all residents, Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire was top-ranked, followed by Vernon Hills High School, Hinsdale Central High School, New Trier Township High School and Lake Forest High School. Metea Valley Ranks Highest Among High Schools In Aurora, 26th In State originally appeared on the Aurora Patch Kimberly Neptune (Photo/Courtesy) UPDATE - Friday April 29, 7:10 P.M. - EDT: Native News Online has learned Kailie A. Brackett, 38, who spoke with our news team two days ago, has been taken into custody by local police. This is a developing story. According to a local media report, police said Brackett and 38-year-old Donnell J. Dana were arrested around 4:45 p.m. Friday during a traffic stop. Both are facing murder charges, according to the report by WGME television. Both Brackett and Dana are tribal citizens of the Passamaquoddy at Sipayik. Passamaquoddy at Sipayik Tribal Chief Elizabeth Dana told Native News Online on Friday afternoon the Passamaquoddy tribal community has been devastated by the events of the past week. We just buried Kim today and now we found out about the arrests, Chief Dana said. Its tough because there several tribal families involved. This is our community. The Passamaquoddy at Sipayik tribal offices are in Pleasant Point, Maine, 110 miles east of Bangor. The tribe has approximately 2,200 tribal citizens on the tribal census. Some 750 live on the reservation in some 300 households. The Maine State Police is taking the lead in this investigation. As previously reported on Thursday, April 28, 2022, the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Maine is mourning the death of tribal citizen Kimberly Kim Neptune, 43, who whose body was discovered in her apartment in Perry, Maine on Thursday, April 21. An autopsy conducted the next day revealed her death was the result of a homicide. Local law enforcement and the Maine State Police are investigating the homicide. Passamaquoddy Tribal leaders met with law enforcement on Monday to discuss the case and are hopeful for a fast apprehension of the person responsible for Neptunes death. This tragedy has hit our community so hard, there really arent any words for the loss felt by Kims family, all who loved her, and our whole community, Passamaquoddy Tribal Chief Elizabeth Dana said in a statement. Thats why we were so thankful to meet and be on the same page with all the departments investigating this terrible crime, who have all affirmed their determination to bring justice to the suspect, and for Kims family. Story continues Law enforcement in Maine are seeking the public assistance in identifying the person in this image captured on a security camera. (Photo/Maine State Police) Law enforcement in Maine are seeking the public assistance in identifying the person in this image captured on a security camera. (Photo/Maine State Police) Kailie Brackett, also a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, told Native News Online earlier this week that she and Neptune, who she called Kimba, were best friends for the past 24 years. She was the closest person to me on this planet, besides my son, Brackett said. Even my father called her his other daughter. Kimba was such a great person with a heart of gold. Brackett said the community of Perry has been impacted by the Neptunes death. Our entire community is broken and in fear, Brackett said. The cops are working hard to solve this, which we all appreciate because our community will never be the same without Kimba. Maine State Police released a photo captured from a neighbors surveillance camera with an image of a person walking by apartment building where Neptune lived and are seeking anyone with information to come forward. Anyone with information about the death of Kimberly Neptune is asked to contact the Maine State Police at 207-973-3700 and leave a message for Detective Larry Anderson. About the Author: "" Contact: office@nativenewsonline.net Ainoa Cerdeira Gonzalez let strangers write on her body for a school project. (Photo: Lidia Sarmiento Arguelles) When Parsons School of Design freshman Ainoa Cerdeira Gonzalez was tasked with creating a final project for her Mental Health by Design class, she knew she wanted to create something impactful. "I started off by working on doing some posters," Cerdeira Gonzalez tells Yahoo Life. "I was doing different sketches. I was thinking about maybe doing a short film in which I would be like interacting with different people." But then, she says she realized,"I just wanted to take it to the next level." That's when the interior-design major decided to use her body as the canvas, turning her personal struggles with body shaming into an opportunity to raise awareness about the issue. Strangers were encouraged to write the mean phrases they have heard about their own bodies onto Cerdeira Gonzalez's. (Photo: Lidia Sarmiento Arguelles) "Body shaming is something that is affecting the mental health of many individuals," says the New Yorkbased student and model. "As it becomes more severe, it can cause anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in those who get judged on their physical appearance, and I personally struggled with body shaming in the past comments like, 'Do you eat' or 'You're way too skinny, or 'You look anorexic,' 'You're as flat as a table.'" She says she decided to provide a visual representation of the real-world ways in which body shaming can manifest itself. "I did this sign that said, 'College girls, if you've ever been body shamed, what were you told? Feel free to write it on my body!'" She then held the sign above her head as she stood out in public in bustling Washington Square Park, to be exact in shorts and a bandeau top, allowing young women to write the comments onto her skin. Her project gained further attention on Instagram, where photographer and fashion editor Scott Schuman posted an image of Cerdeira Gonzalez to his 1.1 million followers, drawing both praise and criticism and over 8,600 likes. At some point during her three hours in the park, she opened up her invitation to young men, as well. Story continues "As I was standing there, this guy came up to me, he was like, 'You know, we get body-shamed, too,' and I was like, 'That's true,'" she explains. "I did some research, but I was also a little scared of boys writing on my body, but after I heard that comment, I was like, you know what? I might open up this project to like, everyone." That's when she folded down the portion of her poster that said "college girls," drawing even more responses. "More boys started coming up and writing, so that was very impactful to see that it's not only the girls," the student says. "Sometimes, on social media, it seems that it's just the girls who get body shamed, but in reality, it's not. It applies to both genders." As courageous as the endeavor was, she was admittedly worried about how it would all go down. The student wanted the message to be shared through her body. (Photo: Lidia Sarmiento Arguelles) "I was very nervous about doing this project, because I didn't know how people were going to react or if people were actually going to interact with me," Cerdeira Gonzalez says. She was also wary of putting her insecurities on display in front of a large audience. "I was like, it's gonna be very tough to do this, because I struggle with my body image. But at the same time, I was like, it's going to be so powerful if I let other people express themselves about their bodies on my body. I just wanted to give it more importance, but at the same time, approach it in a different manner in which people could be able to express freely." Her reservations were eased as people began to confide in her and write some of the harmful phrases they'd heard. Soon, she says, "This project literally got me in tears." The three-hour project took place in Washington Square Park in New York City. (Photo: Lidia Sarmiento Arguelles) Though she is a model, Cerdeira Gonzalez says she struggles with seeing herself in the positive light that others do. "I was looking through the [social media] comments, and I saw that some people were saying, like, 'Oh, she's a model, how can she be portraying feelings of being body shamed?' and, 'She's probably never been body-shamed before,'" she says, stressing that it's just not the case. "I was body-shamed by people from my personal life my family members, closest friends, even my ex-boyfriend," Cerdeira Gonzalez says, adding that the hurtful words had lingering effects that she is still working through today. "It really affected me in a way in which I feel like I have a very unhealthy relationship with food." Now she's working on a short film about her experience of doing the project. "There are some clips of girls hugging me and thanking me, and there are others where I'm crying, because it was very emotional," she says. "I believe that this topic really needs to be addressed." Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Reuters TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) -Firefighters in New Mexico begged holdout residents of a mountain village to evacuate on Sunday, before the United States' largest active wildfire races up a valley that is their only way out. Many have ignored requests to leave as they stayed on to defend centuries-old homes and ranches in Chacon, the village about 45 miles (72 km) northeast of Santa Fe, with a population of around 200. As the fire rapidly burned through forest 8 miles (13 km) away, firefighters and police warned people they would not be able to see or breathe once the blaze was upon them. By Stevo Vasiljevic CETINJE, Montenegro (Reuters) - Montenegro's parliament on Thursday approved a new government, comprising moderate parties that are both pro-European and pro-Serb, led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, who said its key goal will be to unblock reforms needed to join the European Union. The new minority government secured the support of 46 deputies in the 81-seat parliament, which means it may face difficulties in pushing through key laws that must be backed by a two-third majority. "The new government will rest on two main pillars, the rule of law and economic development," Abazovic said. "Montenegro needs political and social stability above all." The new government replaces the cabinet of former prime minister Zdravko Krivokapic following a no-confidence motion. Montenegro, a NATO member which began accession negotiations with the EU in 2012, is deeply divided between conservative pro-Serb and pro-Russian parties with links to the powerful Serbian Orthodox Church, and civic-oriented pro-EU parties. The conservative pro-Serb parties boycotted the vote on the new government. Abazovic, whose civic party URA was a member of the former ruling coalition, was among critics of the former government over its sluggish handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, poor record in attracting investment and a slowdown in European integration. He told lawmakers the new government's main focus will be the reforms required by the EU so that Montenegro can ask to speed up its accession process in the light of the new situation created by the war in Ukraine. Montenegro has joined EU sanctions against the Russian invasion, which Moscow calls a "special military operation". Abazovic said that five government priorities will be the fight against corruption, more sustainable investments and development, protection of environment and better care for children and the youth. (Reporting by Stevo Vasiljevic, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) Sen. Lisa Murkowskis (R-Alaska) said in a new interview it is possible she loses her reelection bid to a rubber-stamp Republican. I may be the last man standing. I may not be re-elected, the senator told The New York Times. It may be that Alaskans say, Nope, we want to go with an absolute, down-the-line, always, always, 100-percent, never-question, rubber-stamp Republican. And if they say that thats the way that Alaska has gone kind of the same direction that so many other parts of the country have gone I have to accept that, she added. But Im going to give them the option. Murkowski, who represents a historically independent state, has been known to split with Republicans on important votes, most recently including her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the bench. She has relied on her bipartisanship and willingness to break from the Republican Party as an asset, the Times noted, but her vote to impeach former President Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot sparked pushback from his supporters. In response, Trump has put his endorsement and support behind a challenger to Murkowski, former Alaska Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka. Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski and she will, Trump wrote last year. Murkowski has got to go! Murkowski, meanwhile, has received support from more establishment Republicans, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Youve got to demonstrate that there are other possibilities, that there is a different reality and maybe it wont work, Murkowski told the Times. Maybe I am just completely politically naive, and this ship has sailed. But I wont know unless we unless I stay out there and give Alaskans the opportunity to weigh in. In her first quarter in 2022, Murkowski raised $1.5 million, leaving her with $5.2 million in cash on hand. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on the country's military to "bolster up their strength in every way to annihilate the enemy", state media reported on Friday, as new satellite imagery showed increased preparations for a possible nuclear test. Kim made the remarks during photo sessions with troops, state media broadcasters, and others involved in a massive military parade staged on Monday, which marked the 90th anniversary of the army's founding. Photos released by state media showed Kim perched on a white horse and wearing a white, military-style tunic with gold trim as he reviewed the troops. Monday's parade had featured several of the North's latest missiles, including its largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-17, and a recently tested hypersonic missile. The display demonstrated the "modernity, heroism and radical development of the armed forces of the Republic and their matchless military and technological superiority," Kim told troops at the photo session, state news agency KCNA reported. North Korea says it opposes war and that its weapons are for self-defence, but at Monday's parade Kim said the mission of its nuclear force goes beyond deterring war to also include defending the nation's "fundamental interests." Last month North Korea resumed testing its largest ICBMs, and there are signs it could soon test a nuclear weapon for the first time since 2017. "Current satellite imagery indicates that preparations are well underway and should not be discounted as insignificant activity," the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report on Thursday. Analysts and South Korean and U.S. officials have said that the North appears to be restoring Tunnel No. 3 at its Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, used for underground nuclear blasts before it was closed in 2018 amid denuclearisation talks with Washington and Seoul. Story continues Kim has since said the country is no longer bound by that self-imposed moratorium on tests, but North Korea has not commented on the work or confirmed its purpose. Commercial satellite imagery from Monday shows construction of new buildings, movement of lumber, and an increase in equipment and supplies immediately outside the new entrance to Tunnel No. 3, CSIS said. "The date of a seventh nuclear test will undoubtedly depend exclusively upon the personal decision of Kim Jong Un," the report said. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Sandra Maler) NEW JERSEY Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities have received more than $12 million in fines during the pandemic. With more than 8,000 COVID deaths of residents and staff in longterm-care facilities, public documents and testimony reveal the state's early-pandemic struggles and how officials hope to prevent future outbreaks. The Assembly Budget Committee held a 2-1/2-hour hearing Monday with State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. The state's top health official outlined and defended the New Jersey Department of Health's pandemic response, especially when it came to nursing homes. "We got hit hard and fast by a novel virus, never before seen in humans, and we were building the plane as we were flying it, as the governor has said," Persichilli said. "Decisions were made based on prior viruses that were far more predictable." Nearly 30 percent of New Jersey's confirmed COVID deaths link to longterm-care facilities, with 8,559 residents and 149 employees dying from the virus. Here's what Persichilli's testimony and the Office of Legislative Service's budget analysis revealed about the health department's response: 1. $12.1 million in fines. Noncompliant New Jersey nursing homes received a combined $12.1 million in fines from fiscal year 2020-22. The federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services imposed $11.9 million of those fines, while $250,000 came from the state. That's because the state doesn't impose a double fine after a nursing home gets federally fined. Officials have not revealed which nursing homes were fined. But federal regulators fined a nursing home Andover Subacute & Rehab Center Two in Sussex County $220,235 in May 2020 after more than a dozen bodies were removed from a "makeshift morgue." Read more: 'Makeshift Morgue' Nursing Home In NJ Fined $220K 2. Most deaths came early in the pandemic. Seventy-eight percent of nursing home deaths from the virus occurred in March and April 2020, according to Persichilli. Story continues 3. Keeping up with complaints. The health department conducted 5,211 inspections of longterm-care facilities from March 2020-22, with more than 1,600 triggered by complaints. The remainder involved routine surveys and inspections focused on infection-control practices, according to officials. Inspections have become more frequent, coming at a higher cost. In 2017, the health department conducted 2,305 inspections of health facilities, including 821 in longterm-care facilities, costing $11 million. Last year, the department conducted 3,696 inspections, including 1,293 in longterm-care centers, costing $16.6 million. 4. Outbreak response plans. All but 34 facilities have provided the state with outbreak-response plans. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued notices to noncomplying facilities to take back a percentage of each home's COVID-related 10 percent Medicaid-rate increase. 5. 'Mission Critical Teams' Gov. Phil Murphy's budget proposed $500,000 to create Mission Critical Teams within the health department to intervene when longterm-care facilities show signs of distress, including declining quality of care. The team would likely consist of four people with expertise in the matter who would get discharged to facilities "to assess, evaluate, and recalibrate before a crisis ensues," according to the budget analysis. 6. Vaccine numbers, mandates and lost jobs. Longterm-care facilities are among the few workplaces with a COVID vaccine mandate for employees in New Jersey. Workers had until March 30 to submit proof that they at least completed their initial vaccination series. They must also receive a booster shot during a timeframe in which they become eligible. As of April 11, 93.6 percent of employees were fully vaccinated, with 77.9 percent receiving a booster shot. The health department is "not aware" of the number of longterm-care facility employees who resigned or got fired for noncompliance with the vaccine regulation and does not track that number, according to the budget analysis. The health department also "does not have any specific information on staffing shortages due to the vaccine mandate." As far as longterm-care facility residents go, 91.6 percent completed their primary vaccination series, with 85.5 percent boosted. NJ Nursing Homes Fined $12M During Pandemic: What We Know originally appeared on the Parsippany Patch A senator from Rep. Madison Cawthorn's home state has called for the congressman to be investigated for his undeclared crypto purchases. Chris Seward/AP Republican Senator Thom Tillis has called for Rep. Madison Cawthorn to be investigated. Tillis said that Cawthorn "owes North Carolinians an explanation" about his crypto investments. Tillis previously chastised Cawthorn for embarrassing the state with "juvenile behavior." Republican Senator Thom Tillis has called for Congress to conduct a bipartisan investigation of his House colleague, Rep. Madison Cawthorn, over the latter's undeclared cryptocurrency purchases. Tillis, who also represents North Carolina, said on Wednesday that Cawthorn's possible violation of congressional insider-trading laws needs to be looked into by the House Ethics Committee. "Insider trading by a member of Congress is a serious betrayal of their oath, and Congressman Cawthorn owes North Carolinians an explanation," Tillis tweeted. Cawthorn is suspected of possibly violating a federal conflict-of-interest law called the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (STOCK). Congress members must, by law, publicly declare their cryptocurrency trades worth more than $1,000 in their transaction reports. The Washington Examiner reported on Tuesday that Cawthorn publicly declared that he had purchased a meme coin called "Let's Go Brandon," named after an anti-Biden chant. On December 29, Cawthorn was seen at an event with James Koutoulas, one of the people behind the crypto coin, per the outlet. The following day, Brandon Brown, the NASCAR driver for whom the coin was named, said that the cryptocurrency would sponsor him, causing its value to skyrocket. However, Cawthorn did not disclose his purchase of the cryptocurrency to Congress. Despite representing the same party in the same state, Tillis has come out strongly to oppose Cawthorn. For one, a super PAC tied to Tillis spent $300,000 on an advertising campaign against Cawthorn, pushing the message that the Cawthorn "lies for the limelight." Tillis was also one of the Republican leaders who chastised Cawthorn after the lawmaker claimed he had witnessed "sexual perversion" and drug use among his Congress colleagues. Story continues Responding to Cawthorn's allegations, Tillis said the congressman had demonstrated "a consistent pattern of juvenile behavior, outlandish statements, and untruthfulness." In the same statement, Tillis threw his weight behind Cawthorn's primary challenger, Chuck Edwards. Cawthorn has been the subject of a series of scandals. Besides his orgy claims, he was also the subject of a recent Politico article that ran photos showing him decked out in lingerie, which he dismissed as "goofy vacation photos." Cawthorn was also cited this week for bringing a loaded gun into the Charlotte airport. This was the second time Cawthorn had been found with a gun in his carry-on luggage, having also been cited at the Asheville Regional Airport in February last year. Read the original article on Business Insider Abortion-rights activists supporting legal access to abortion protest outside the US Supreme Court on March 4, 2020. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images Ohio's legislature is considering a "trigger law" that would ban abortion if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The bill makes performing an abortion a fourth degree felony and imposes new restrictions on doctors. An Ohio legislator said that a pregnancy resulting from rape could be an "opportunity" for the victim. An Ohio state legislator said that a pregnancy resulting from rape could be an "opportunity" for the person who was assaulted during a hearing on a bill that would ban abortion in the state should the US Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade this summer. In a legislative hearing on Wednesday, the bill's sponsor, Republican State Rep. Jean Schmidt, defended the legislation's lack of an exception for victims of rape. "It is a shame that it happens, but there's an opportunity for that woman, no matter how young or old she is, to make a determination about what she's going to do to help that life be a productive human being," Schmidt said. The lawmaker was responding to a question by Democratic State Rep. Richard Brown, who asked Schmidt about a hypothetical scenario in which a 13-year-old girl became pregnant due to rape. "If a 13-year-old girl was raped by a serial rapist ... this bill would require this 13-year-old to carry this felon's fetus to term, regardless of any emotional or psychological damage or trauma that may be inflicted upon this 13-year-old girl," Brown said. In response, Schmidt said, "rape is a difficult issue," but continued that "if a baby is created, it is a human life, and whether that mother ends that pregnancy or not, the scars will not go away, period." The longstanding federal precedent established by Roe v. Wade guarantees a constitutional right to an abortion until the point of fetal viability, or about 23-25 weeks of pregnancy. Both supporters and opponents of abortion are closely watching a case before the conservative-controlled Supreme Court that defies this standard, and whether the justices will undermine or overturn the precedent set by Roe. Story continues Should HB 598, which has yet to pass either chamber of the Ohio legislature, become law it would not go into effect unless the Supreme Court overturns the precedent set by Roe v. Wade. The bill makes performing an abortion a fourth degree felony, and criminalizes the use of medication abortions. The proposed legislation also states that two doctors who don't work together must sign off on an abortion, unless it is determined that the mother is at risk of death and injury. Doctors may perform abortions only in the case where a mother's life is at risk, but the bill does not define these circumstances, prompting concerns from Democrats that the language would lead to confusion about when a doctor could provide life-saving care. Democratic State Rep. Beth Liston asked Schmidt if the bill would prevent doctors from providing care for dangerous pregnancy-related conditions, such as an ectopic pregnancy, a condition in which a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. "When you are looking at ectopic pregnancies or other issues, it generally is not immediate in that you can't have a 24-hour notice to prep for it, because the individual has to be emotionally ready for losing their child, the possibility of losing their child," Schmidt says. Ectopic pregnancies do not result in a viable pregnancy, and if they rupture, the potential hemorrhaging can lead to injury or death to a pregnant person if not immediately treated. In 2019, a different Republican state lawmaker in Ohio introduced a now-defunct bill that required doctors to "reimplant" ectopic pregnancies. The bill came under intense criticism from medical professionals, and the treatments it claimed to require were "science fiction," Daniel Grossman, an OB/GYN and director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California at San Francisco, told the Washington Post. That same year, Ohio passed an unconstitutional "heartbeat bill," which banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The law was quickly blocked by a federal judge. Schmidt's office did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Xi congratulates first innovation exchange conference for craftsmen Xinhua) 08:13, April 28, 2022 BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the First Innovation Exchange Conference for Craftsmen of the Nation, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for contributing wisdom and strength to high-quality development and the implementation of the strategy to build the country into a leader in manufacturing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi extended sincere greetings to skilled workers, model workers and general workers ahead of the International Labor Day. Xi stressed that skilled workers are a significant force to shore up China's manufacturing and innovation. Encouraging workers to strive to meet the needs of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation in today's world, Xi called on them to continuously enhance technical skills and contribute wisdom and strength to promoting high-quality development, implementing the strategy of making China a leader in manufacturing, and building a modern socialist country in all respects. Party committees and governments at all levels should deepen reforms in the cultivation of industrial workers and attach importance to giving play to the roles of skilled workers to fully stimulate their innovation capacity, Xi said. Held by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the conference showcases the superb skills and innovation outcomes of Chinese workers, and serves as an exchange platform for highly-skilled workers. Let craftsmanship and innovation prevail Full text of Xi Jinping's letter to the First Innovation Exchange Conference for Craftsmen of the Nation (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A woman has been sentenced to 180 days in jail after she dragged a puppy behind a vehicle for at least a mile last year in Ross County. According to a social media post from the the Ross County Humane Society, Cynthia Temple-Colburn of Waverly was found guilty of felony animal cruelty on Monday. >> I just want them back; Springfield dry cleaning customers left high and dry after store closes Temple-Colburn was indicted and found guilty after reports that she knowingly dragged a puppy on a leash behind her vehicle for one mile on a county road on July 6, 2021, the humane society said. The female puppy, known as Blake by the humane society staff, died as a result of the trauma. The Ross County Dog Warden and the humane society took her to the North Folk Animal Clinic, our news partners at WBNS in Columbus reported. According to doctors, the dog sustained multiple severe injuries, including a large open wound on the abdomen and damage to her toes and paw pads to the point that they were missing, WBNS reported. >> Man who killed 3 people in Dayton homicides convicted; sentencing next month The dog was then taken to the Ohio State University Veterinary Clinic for further treatment. She later died due to the severity of her injuries, the station reported. The humane society said the judge handed down the maximum sentence, which also included restitution for medical bills in the amount of $775.37, completing 200 hours of community service, a $2,500 fine and prohibited from ever owning a companion animal again. While we wish the circumstances had never occurred, its good to see the message sent that animal abuse will not be tolerated in our community, said Jenn Thomas, Executive Director of the Ross County Humane Society. Thomas also encouraged the community to continue to report any cases of animal abuse or neglect. The Oklahoma Senate approved a near-total ban on abortions Thursday, while the state House passed a bill that will ban all abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Both bills are modeled after a similar law passed in Texas last year that bans abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in the fetus, which is around six weeks, and allows private citizens to sue anyone who "aids and abets" an abortion. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who said earlier this month that "he wants to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma," could sign both bills in the coming days. The bill passed by the Senate on Thursday will ban all abortions except for in cases of rape, incest, or a medical emergency. It also allows private individuals to "bring a civil action against any person who aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion." The bill passed by the House also allows civil action to be taken. OKLAHOMA HOUSE PASSES NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN The U.S. 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed challenges to Texas's law this week and the U.S. Supreme Court has so far declined to intervene. It's the second and third anti-abortion bills to clear the Oklahoma legislature after Gov. Stitt signed a bill earlier this month that makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to a decade in prison. "I promised Oklahomans that I would sign every pro-life bill that hits my desk, and thats what were doing here today," Stitt said at the time. The bill passed in early April won't go into effect until this summer and could be struck down by a legal challenge, but both bills passed Thursday have an "emergency" provision that will allow them to take effect immediately. DESANTIS SIGNS 15-WEEK ABORTION BAN INTO LAW Planned Parenthood said Thursday that they "are going to court to stop this ban." "We have been in the middle of a crisis for the last seven months as Texans have been forced to leave their home states for care and now Oklahomans may have to do the same," Emily Wales, the interim president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said in a statement earlier this month. "Its unconscionable." Story continues Idaho passed its own Texas-style abortion ban in March, but the state Supreme Court temporarily blocked it before it went into effect. Pro-life protesters stand near the gate of the Texas state capitol at a protest outside the Texas state capitol on May 29, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Sergio Flores/Getty Images The law in Texas led to a dramatic decrease in abortions in the state last year and an increase in Texans going across the border to Oklahoma. Before the Texas law took effect, about 40 women from Texas had abortions in Oklahoma each year, but that number rose to more 200 a month in September and October, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Manchester PFL featherweight Brendan Loughnane (Getty Images) Sometimes youre sat in the back, thinking: Im actually about to go out there and do this again. And the higher level the opponent is, the more scary it gets. Mate, its wild. Its wild. Its rare to hear a fighter speak so candidly about the nerves fear, even that can accompany a fight night and the entire build-up to a bout. But Brendan Loughnanes honesty rivals his in-ring qualities. The Manchester featherweight has compiled a 21-4 record in his 12 years as a professional mixed martial artist, with 13 of his wins coming via stoppage and three of his four defeats going down as split decisions. In June 2019, Loughnane achieved a comprehensive points victory on the UFCs Contender Series show but was denied a contract with the promotion by president Dana White despite viewers falling in love with Loughnanes dynamic, versatile striking and impressive range management. The 32-year-old had established himself as one of the sports hottest prospects, however, and soon signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), which utilises a unique play-off format and offers each of its champions a $1million winners cheque. Loughnane won his first two fights in the American promotion before the Covid pandemic disrupted the 2020 season, forcing the Briton to wait until 2021 for his first real shot at gold and glory in the PFL. Loughnane followed a first-round KO win with a decision victory to reach the featherweight semi-finals, where he suffered the narrowest of points defeats by undefeated Dagestani Movlid Khaybulaev the eventual champion. Its hard when the fights are so close together, Loughnane tells The Independent ahead of his season-opening clash with Ryoji Kudo in Texas this Thursday. I broke my hand in the play-off, right, and I had surgery and two double-plates put in there. I had five weeks until the next fight. Loughnane lands a knee en route to outpointing Tyler Diamond last year (Getty Images) The [doctor] said: Thats unheard of; its three months before you can even do any impact [training]. I said: Ive got four weeks. Thats what I had to go through mentally and physically. I had to fight a 19-0 Dagestani killer with one hand. Its the hardest thing Ive ever done, and its gonna be again this year. Im nervous about doing it again but Im excited. Story continues While the PFL season is unforgiving in its scheduling, it is offset by an off-season that provides its own benefits including time to heal both injuries and personal relationships. I took a good month or two of doing nothing, then got back into slow training, Loughnane says. And I patched up all my friendships and relationships as well because youre away [in the US] for six months of the year, and youre very emotionally and physically invested in the task at hand. Do Loughnanes friends and family understand the reality of what he is undertaking could any of them ever truly comprehend it? People will never, ever understand how hard it is until theyve actually done it, he stresses. Cutting 15-20lbs in the space of one or two weeks, doing that four times in the space of five months, fighting world-class fighters so frequently, being away from your family, the diet, the anxiety around your opponent... People dont see that, they just see a product on TV. They just say, Oh, he doesnt look good tonight, or, He lost that one. In 2021, Loughnane returned to the ring five weeks after breaking his hand (Getty Images) You can speak to people about it, but... The guy I last fought, I went for dinner with him in Dubai. He said: Its the hardest thing Ive ever done in my life, I had to leave my family. Thats someone I can talk to about it. But if I talk to my mum about it and say, It's really hard this, yes, shell feel sorry for me and shell help me through the journey, but its only me who truly knows the cost physically, mentally, emotionally. Your friendships, too it gets hard... Youre away for six months, I havent got kids for that reason, but there are fighters in this tournament who have kids and families. Its exceptionally difficult for them, so fair play to them for getting through it. I ask whether Loughnane, at 32, ever sees himself having children, and whether his fight dream has distorted any dreams he had for his life when he was younger. I just take every day as it comes, he says. I dont think: I want kids... I dont want kids... Of course I want kids eventually, but I dont think: This is the year. Im so obsessed with my profession that women dont get in the way, lifestyle doesnt get in the way; everything is so focused on singularity. I missed the title barely last year, I will not be missing it this year. The 2022 PFL season began on 20 April. Channel 4 will be the exclusive UK broadcaster ofthe PFLs inaugural Challenger Series, along with the 2022 PFL regular season, play-offs and world championship. In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:PAG) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Penske Automotive Group The calculation We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$1.22b US$168.9m US$573.0m US$779.0m US$896.9m US$983.4m US$1.06b US$1.12b US$1.17b US$1.21b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 9.64% Est @ 7.33% Est @ 5.7% Est @ 4.57% Est @ 3.77% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.4% US$1.1k US$144 US$450 US$565 US$600 US$607 US$602 US$587 US$566 US$542 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$5.8b Story continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.9%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 8.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2031 (1 + g) (r g) = US$1.2b (1 + 1.9%) (8.4% 1.9%) = US$19b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$19b ( 1 + 8.4%)10= US$8.6b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$14b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$98.9, the company appears quite good value at a 47% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. dcf Important assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Penske Automotive Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.520. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Penske Automotive Group, we've put together three further items you should explore: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Penske Automotive Group (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does PAG's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every American stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. On Wednesday evening, the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of Directors approved changes to the districts state-required Health and Safety Plan, making masking in schools optional. The district originally planned to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions current guidelines, which state that masking is no longer recommended for schools in communities with low to medium risk of COVID-19 spread. However, during the meeting, a board member proposed an amendment that when COVID levels rise to medium transmission risk, masking will go back into place. That amendment was passed. So, when will PPS switch to mask optional? Originally, the change was proposed to start on Thursday, but a board member raised concern that it wouldnt give families enough time, especially those that have a student with disabilities, to make accommodations. Now, the start date for mask optional has been moved to next week. According to the district, changes to the plan also include updates to the Districts Decision Tree, which will decrease the number of days of isolation from 10 days to at least a full five days until symptoms improve and no fever is present for at least 24 hours, without fever-reducing medication. Students and staff who end isolation may return to school with the strict use of a well-fitting mask on days six to 10. It is preferred that individuals do rapid antigen testing upon return on day six, if possible, especially if they cannot wear a well-fitted mask. The district announced to staff and families that the changes to the Health and Safety Plan and COVID-19 Decision Tree will be shared this week. TRENDING NOW: Here are the top high schools in the Pittsburgh area, according to new 2022 rankings Pittsburgh man sentenced after violating supervised release by attempting a trip to Jamaica A new taco restaurant is set to open at the Ross Park Mall VIDEO: Man shot inside home when someone fired through basement window DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak Read also: 64th day of Putin's war. U.S. passes Lend-Lease for Ukraine, Russian missiles strike Kyiv during UN visit The current intensity of conflict will continue on Russias outskirts, said Podolyak. Panic will grow and spread there, conflicts will flare up, warehouses and depots will continue to explode; all this will only intensify, he said. Podolyak added that Russias demilitarization will only ramp up in the coming weeks, especially in areas close to the Ukrainian border. Those fuel depots that will keep exploding will be Russia starting to make its war debt payments. Read also: Ammo depot near Russias Belgorod is on fire Russia has in recent weeks suffered a series of explosions and fires at oil depots and military arms depots in its Belgorod and Bryansk oblasts, which neighbor Ukrainian territory. Ukraine is widely thought to be responsible for the accidents, and is believed to have attacked them with helicopters and missiles, but Kyiv has not said it was behind the incidents so far. A New Smyrna Beach caregiver was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexually assaulting an elderly patient in his care. Police said they were called to Timberlane Lodge Assisted Living Facility in New Smyrna Beach just after 4:30 p.m., after getting a report of a caretaker assaulting a patient in the home. Detectives said a caretaker told them that they saw 51-year-old Billy J. Bunn assaulting an elderly dementia patient whom he was caring for. Read: Deputies: Man shoots, injures 2 young people during car break-in After being caught by the other caretaker, Bunn ran from the home and was later found in Daytona Beach. Read: Man shot, killed by deputies in Target parking lot Bunn was arrested and booked into the Volusia County Jail on a $5,000 bond. In a statement, Bunns employer VITAS Healthcare, said they were assisting authorities with the investigation. Read full statement below: We take any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously. We are working closely with local authorities investigation, while we conduct our own internal review. Our patients health and well-being are at the heart of everything we do. Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time. 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. The Daily Beast Lauderdale County SheriffAlabama jail guard Vicky White fatally shot herself as she and escaped murder suspect Casey White were being chased by law enforcement in Indiana on Monday, ending an extraordinary 11 days on the run that captivated the nation.Weve captured them, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding said in Evansville, Indiana, a five-hour drive from the Florence, Alabama, lockup the pair had vanished from.Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton, Vicky Whites former boss, told re Prima Facie marks Comer's second theatre role, and first in the West End Critics have hailed Jodie Comer's West End debut, describing her performance in Prima Facie as "phenomenal". The Liverpool-born actress was widely praised, but many critics were less positive about the play itself. "What a truly stunning debut it is," said Deadline. "Comer is phenomenal and commands the stage." But Time Out added: "It's just a bummer the play's not better. For all Comer's charisma, the text is stodgy, and the drama ponderous and lacking nuance." Prima Facie is a one-woman show focusing on Tessa (Comer), a barrister who specialises in defending people accused of sexual assault. But when she is date-raped by a colleague, Tessa begins questioning the legal system as she becomes the plaintiff in a trial herself. The play was a pre-pandemic hit in Australia before transferring to London's Harold Pinter Theatre "West End debuts don't come much more astonishing than this solo tour de force by Jodie Comer," said The Telegraph's Dominic Cavendish in his four-star review. "In the face of Comer's triumphant leap into the live acting arena, I was mainly left wanting to see her on stage more; she's in her element, and can work wonders." The play, by Australian-British writer Suzie Miller, was a hit when it opened down under before the pandemic. For its transfer to London's Harold Pinter Theatre, the character of Tessa has been tweaked so she is from a working-class Liverpudlian background. "I'd wondered if the famously good-with-accents actor would 'go Australian' but Miller has probably wisely tweaked the script," noted Time Out's Andrzej Lukowski in a three-star review. "Here, Comer speaks in an affectedly sanded-down version of her own Scouse accent, like Tessa has deliberately smoothed out her vowels in the name of blending in with her posher peers." Story continues He continued: "It's understandable that Comer wanted to kick off her stage career with a meaty 100-minute monologue about something she feels passionate about. If all famous actors simply went for the best play possible, we'd be stuck with even more Hamlet. With Prima Facie, Jodie Comer had something to prove about herself, and something she wanted to say about the world, and she's done both." Jodie Comer has appeared in four seasons of Killing Eve, alongside Sandra Oh The play, directed by Justin Martin, is sold out for its two-month run in the West End but will be broadcast in cinemas around the UK in June. In a four-star review, The Evening Standard's Nick Curtis said Comer "absolutely storms the West End". "Her commitment made the production happen and kept it alive through delays. We all wanted to know if she's as good live on stage as she is on screen. And the answer is no: she's better." "Suzie Miller's script is a great vehicle rather than a truly great play, however - shrewd and economical in its analysis of how the system treats assault survivors, but schematic in its plotting." Sam Marlowe of iNews was slightly less positive , awarding the show three stars, but still praised Comer's "terrifically tough, supple performance". "If the play, for all its conviction, sheds little new light on an egregious - and worsening - issue, she blazes," she said. "Tension and a growing dread and anger are ramped up by music by Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem, her snagging, staticky beats, vibrating harmonies and defiant lyrics infusing Miller's somewhat pedestrian writing with a pulsing urgency." Comer is usually known for her film and TV credits, such as Killing Eve, The Last Duel, Help, Doctor Foster and Free Guy. Prima Facie marks her West End debut and only her second theatre role, after performing in The Price of Everything in 2010. Comer won an Emmy in 2019 for her performance in Killing Eve as Russian assassin Villanelle The Daily Mail's Patrick Marmion wrote: "Comer blows us away in a ferocious yet forensic performance that's related in a blizzard of quickly shifting perspectives. "In the end, however, Miller's play is kicking down an open door. It's a rightly furious polemic designed to ignite anger and outrage. "But questions remain. Is it really more important to give plaintiffs the benefit of a doubt, or to carefully examine their evidence? And what does 'a male-defined system of truth' really mean? How we break the deadlock of claim and counter-claim isn't considered." In a four-star review. The Times' Dominic Maxwell said: "Nothing can quite prepare you for the range, energy, resilience, emotional clarity and sheer presence [Comer] offers. "If it's a great case study rather than a great play exactly, the cumulative effect is still quite something. Comer brings it to life in a way that suggests she has it in her to be a true stage great." The play's two-month run has sold out but it will be released in cinemas in June Sarah Crompton of WhatsOnStage also awarded the show four stars, writing: "With Comer as its protagonist, blazing away, it is impossible to avert your gaze. She brings its arguments to forceful life and in the process creates an unforgettable moment of theatre. "She has the ability to communicate many conflicting emotions simultaneously: she is funny when she is vomiting down a loo, but also utterly vulnerable and terrified; when she describes her mother she is both loving and ashamed. Each thought and emotion registers not only in her face, but in her body. "She seems to imprint things onto herself before speaking. By the end of the play, she doesn't even look like the woman who began it." Deadline's Baz Bamigboye noted the actress has received standing ovations during preview performances. "What a truly stunning debut it is. Comer is phenomenal and commands the stage... giving a fearless, faultless performance as Tessa." "She roars through Suzie Miller's script," agreed The Guardian's Arifa Akbar. "The play roars, too, sometimes too loudly in its polemic, but Comer works overtime to elevate these moments. "Comer's performance compensates for the clompy-footed parts of Miller's script, which falls into a loudly lecturing tone at the end. But Prima Facie's final messages are urgent in highlighting who our laws fail to protect." Edgewater developer Fred Daibes, whose projects helped transform the borough into Bergen Countys piece of the Hudson River Gold Coast, pleaded guilty on Wednesday before a federal judge to federal banking crimes. Daibes appeared via Zoom to submit his plea agreement with the United States attorney for the District of New Jersey, despite denying any wrongdoing in May 2019. Daibes was indicted on multiple counts in 2018 for alleged conspiracy to circumvent lending limits set by Mariner's Bank, which he founded in 2001. He and Michael McManus, the chief financial officer of Daibes Enterprises, allegedly used others not named in the indictment to secure millions of dollars in loans which were used for Daibes' benefit without the knowledge of the bank or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The scheme ran from 2008 through 2013. Daibes admitted to receiving more than $1 million in gross receipts from Mariner's Bank, pleading guilty to making false entries in a loan memorandum. Daibes' guilty plea was to a single count of the original indictment, which charges that the 2008 memo for a $1.8 million nominee loan falsely stated the borrower and the source of repayment when the line of credit was actually for Daibes, who funded the repayment. Lawrence Lustberg, attorney for Daibes, said his client will be sentenced to probation and the rest of the charges against him are being dismissed. Lustberg called the plea agreement "favorable." According to the agreement, the charge to which Daibes pleaded carries a maximum penalty of 30 years and a fine of at least $1 million. Lustberg said Daibes "is very happy that he is putting this matter, which has gone on for so many years, behind him." He said Daibes regretted allowing the loan application to go before Mariner's Bank without saying he would receive the money from the line of credit. "And as Mr. Daibes told the Court, he especially regrets that he did not recuse himself from voting on it, as he did, in fact, do with respect to the loan extensions thereafter," Lustberg said. "As the majority owner of the Bank, he always wanted to do right by it and believes that he did so for many years; he is sorry to have broken the rules in this case but believes that the punishment that is being imposed fits the offense and thankfully brings finality to this matter." Story continues The plea is a major step in bringing the long-running criminal matter to a close, years after it thrust the high-profile developer and the bank he founded into scandal. McManus case is pending, but in 2019, prominent Gold Coast developer James Demetrakis a business partner of Daibes was sentenced to two years' probation for his part in the loan scheme. He was also assessed a $75,000 fine. Demetrakis had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to deceive a financial institution and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Daibes is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 7 before United States District Judge Susan D. Wigenton. Mariners Bank, meanwhile, has been sold, merging last year with Spencer Savings Bank. Daibes served as chairman of Mariner's Bancorp, the parent company of Mariner's Bank, until resigning early in 2019. That same year, Daibes expressed confidence that he would prevail against the federal bank charges. "We will be vindicated," Daibes said in a 2019 interview. "I'm being accused of trying to defraud the bank I owned over 90 percent of." At the time, he attributed Demetrakis plea in the matter to his age, 79 at the time: "I believe he's older and just didn't have the fight in him," Daibes said in the interview. The successful waterfront developer said at the time that the indictment initially hurt his standing with banks but that Daibes Enterprises was "working it out." Daibes is perhaps best known for his role in reshaping once-sleepy Edgewater where he worked early-on as a dishwasher and bartender at the old Binghamton ferryboat restaurant with his many construction projects. That included the upscale St. Moritz, which he sold for $120 million in 2014. The year before the sale, he was the victim of an armed home invasion robbery in his luxury penthouse in the building, a multimillion-dollar heist of cash, jewelry and other valuables. Daibes' reach also extends to residential and other projects outside of Edgewater, including the Mahwah municipal building. In 2001, the Mariner's Bank headquarters opened across from Edgewater's old borough hall. It grew during the real estate boom, adding branches and attracting the business of many noteworthy borrowers, including mayors, state judges, labor leaders and builders. But in 2012 Mariner's fell under the scrutiny of state and federal regulators. It was ordered to address a wide range of financial safety and soundness concerns, including issues with asset quality, internal controls and deals with insiders. The following year, James Cockinos, a former CEO of Mariners Bank, was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay almost $514,000 in restitution after admitting that he conspired to commit bank fraud to obtain a $1.48 million mortgage for a client. Kaitlyn Kanzler covers courts for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from criminal trials to local lawsuits and insightful analysis, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: kanzler@northjersey.com Twitter: @KaitlynKanzler8 This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Fred Daibes, Edgewater NJ developer, pleads guilty to banking crimes A member of the far-right Proud Boys gang has pleaded guilty to obstructing police officers during the 2021 Capitol attack. Louis Enrique Colon, 45, pleaded guilty to the felony charge of obstructing police and will cooperate with prosecutors in their cases against other members of the violent extremist group, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Louis Enrique Colon, 45, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing police officers during the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. (Photo: Department of Justice) Louis Enrique Colon, 45, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of obstructing police officers during the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack. (Photo: Department of Justice) Prosecutors say Colon traveled from Blue Springs, Missouri, to the U.S. Capitol with other Kansas City Proud Boys members ahead of Jan. 6, 2021, to disrupt the certification of Joe Bidens victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Hundreds of Trump supporters rioted and stormed the Capitol. Five people died and more than a hundred officers were injured. The day of the attack, Colon and several other Kansas City Proud Boys members made their way inside the Capitol and were captured on video preventing police from creating barriers to keep out the rioters, according to a criminal affidavit filed by the FBI. Colon could be seen on security video placing a chair in the path of a closing gate to the Capitol. He and his cohort intended to and did serve to prevent law enforcement from securing areas of the Capitol from unlawful entrants, the affidavit says. At least 820 people have been charged in the Capitol attack so far, including severalProud Boys members and leaders. Colon faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... If you buy and hold a stock for many years, you'd hope to be making a profit. But more than that, you probably want to see it rise more than the market average. Unfortunately for shareholders, while the Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) share price is up 38% in the last five years, that's less than the market return. Over the last twelve months the stock price has risen a very respectable 19%. While the stock has fallen 3.9% this week, it's worth focusing on the longer term and seeing if the stocks historical returns have been driven by the underlying fundamentals. See our latest analysis for Essex Property Trust To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. Essex Property Trust's earnings per share are down 5.7% per year, despite strong share price performance over five years. Essentially, it doesn't seem likely that investors are focused on EPS. Because earnings per share don't seem to match up with the share price, we'll take a look at other metrics instead. We are not particularly impressed by the annual compound revenue growth of 2.6% over five years. So it seems one might have to take closer look at earnings and revenue trends to see how they might influence the share price. The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think Essex Property Trust will earn in the future (free profit forecasts). Story continues What About Dividends? When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Essex Property Trust's TSR for the last 5 years was 60%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. A Different Perspective It's good to see that Essex Property Trust has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 22% in the last twelve months. That's including the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 10% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Essex Property Trust better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Essex Property Trust (at least 1 which is significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned of a lightning fast response if any nation interferes in its war in Ukraine, according to multiple reports. Putin made the threat against any country that creates strategic threats for Russia, CNBC reports. If someone intends to intervene on what is happening from the outside and creates unacceptable strategic threats for us, then they should know that our response to oncoming strikes will be swift, lightning fast, Putin added while speaking in Saint Petersburg, reports CNN. We have all the tools for this, ones that no one can brag about, and we wont brag we will use them if needed and I want everyone to know this. All the decisions have been made in this regard, said Putin. A mention in his remarks of instruments [to respond] that no one can brag about is reportedly speculated to be a reference to the Russias supply of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. Russia cut off natural gas suddenly to two NATO countries, Bulgaria and Poland, on Wednesday, in what is believed to be an attempt to punish and divide the West for its support of Ukraine. This maneuver could push Poland and Bulgaria to ration their gas supplies and further damage their economies. However, it may also hurt Russias ability to fund the costly war on Ukraine. Poland, for example, has been working to store other supplies of gas and is not in immediate trouble. The Russian state-owned company Gazprom said it shut off Polish supply because the country refused to pay in rubles, as Putin demanded. The Kremlin has warned that other countries unfriendly to Russia could be next, causing European Union countries to worry, especially Germany and Italy, which buy large supplies of Russian energy. However, the EU countries have been working to reduce their dependence on Russian energy and bolster other gas supplies. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. IPO Edge and the Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association hosted a fireside chat with the Founder & CEO of Brivo Systems LLC and the CEO of Crown Proptech Acquisitions (NYSE: CPTK) to discuss the origins and rationale behind the business combination between Brivo and Crown Proptech, an overview of the Brivo business, and post-merger growth strategy. The live event featured Brivo Founder & CEO Steve Van Till and Crown Proptech CEO Richard Ricky Chera. They were joined by IPO Edge Editor-in-Chief John Jannarone and Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks in a moderated video session lasting approximately 60 minutes and including a Q&A with the audience. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL REPLAY About Brivo: Brivo, Inc., created the cloud-based access control and smart spaces technology category over 20 years ago and remains the global leader serving commercial real estate, multifamily residential and large distributed enterprises. The companys comprehensive product ecosystem and open API provide businesses with powerful digital tools to increase security automation, elevate employee and tenant experience, and improve the safety of all people and assets in the built environment. Brivos building access platform is now the digital foundation for the largest collection of customer facilities in the world, occupying over 300 million square feet across 42 countries. On November 10, 2021, Brivo entered into a definitive merger agreement with Crown PropTech Acquisitions (NYSE: CPTK) that will result in Brivo becoming a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol BRVS. Additional information about the transaction can be viewed here: www.brivo.com/about/investor-relations. Legal Disclaimer: https://www.brivo.com/about/investor-relations/legal-disclaimer/. Messrs. Van Till and Chera discussed: Origins and rationale behind the business combination Brivo business overview Post-merger growth strategy post-merger M&A/adjacent products and services Ability for Brivo to integrate with other systems to create more powerful customer value Story continues About the Speakers: Steve Van Till is the Founder of Brivo and has served as Brivos Chief Executive Officer since 2008. Mr. Van Till currently serves as Chairman of the Standards Committee for the Security Industry Association (SIA) and holds numerous patents in the field of physical security. Prior to founding Brivo, Mr. Van Till served as Director of Internet Consulting at Publicis Sapient, led Internet strategy at healthcare analytics provider HCIA and developed satellite communications products at Comsat and Geostar. Mr. Van Till holds a B.A. from Calvin University. Richard Chera is Chief Executive Officer of Crown Proptech Acquisitions and has over 20 years of experience in leading large real estate transactions and retail development, branding assets and integrated technologies. He is a co-founder and serves as senior managing director of Crown Acquisitions Inc., or Crown, a New York-based holding company with extensive holdings in real estate and branding assets. At Crown, Mr. Chera has executed several marquee transactions, including the acquisition of 650 Madison Avenue from the Carlyle Group, the sale of the retail portion of 666 Fifth Avenue, the acquisition of the Olympic Tower at 641 Fifth Avenue and the adjacent Versace and Cartier mansions from an affiliate of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. Demonstrating relationships and strategic partnerships, Crown, co-led by Mr. Chera, has acquired an interest in the successful retail portion of the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Mr. Chera and the team at Crown remain active in all aspects of executing the business plans on all of its acquisitions, ensuring to foster long-term and sustainable growth. Most recently, Crown has acquired a significant portfolio of assets on New Bond Street in London and interests in Vornado Realtys New York retail portfolio. In addition to his duties at Crown, Mr. Chera co-founded ReWyre, a technology aggregator and intelligent city master planner based in New York City. By way of his holdings in Crown Star, a U.K.-based company, ReWyre collaborates on projects in the U.S. and Canada with design and engineering firms based in Europe and Asia to design smart cities for the future. Furthermore, Mr. Chera serves on the boards of various non-profit organizations that focus on public health, childrens and seniors services, as well as business growth opportunities for entrepreneurs. Mr. Chera attended New York Universitys Stern School of Business and The Sanno Institute in Tokyo, Japan. Contact: Alan Hatfield, Director of Research ah@capmarketsmedia.com Twitter: @IPOEdge Instagram: @IPOEdge Photograph: Sue Ogrocki/AP A state Republican lawmaker who wanted to refer to himself as The Patriot on the ballot cant use that nickname, the Oklahoma Election Board has ruled. Sean Roberts can still run for Oklahoma labor commissioner, but he cant refer to himself using that nickname on the ballot, the board decided Monday. Oklahoma election rules allow a candidate to use a nickname if its a name the candidate is generally known by or if the candidate does business using the nickname. Roberts opponent, the Republican labor commissioner, Leslie Osborn, said there was no evidence Roberts was known as The Patriot. She pointed out in her petition to the board that Roberts had appeared on the ballot in seven successive elections as Kevin Sean Roberts or Sean Roberts. Roberts also struggled at one point in the proceedings to spell patriot, according to NonDoc.com, which the state representative Chris Kannady suggested was evidence that he was not, in fact, called The Patriot. When asked to spell patriot, Representative Roberts had issues with spelling. Probably because hes not used to spelling it out or writing it out as part of his legal name, Kannady said. Robertss website describes himself as Sean The Patriot Roberts, without quotation marks, and says he is a husband, father, Christian, small business owner, healthcare provider, former 2016 Trump delegate, and 12-year Oklahoma State Legislator. It also says he has promoted economically sound policies while defending Oklahomans freedom and liberties presumably referring to multiple people, rather than to one Oklahoman. Using a campaign slogan as part of your name is inconsistent with ballot integrity, said the former Oklahoma attorney general Mike Hunter, who is representing Osborn. You dont want a cascade of cases like this one in future elections. When asked how many people know him as The Patriot, Roberts said roughly 200 to 600 people. His attorney cited evidence including a plaque naming him a patriot and a 46th birthday card which stated: Thank you for picking up the torch of freedom and finally getting constitutional carry across the finish line. You truly are The Patriot. After the verdict Roberts released a statement saying he was considering an appeal. A Texas man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that he was fired for complaining about his co-workers racist behavior. Christoper Vickers supervisor at Bison Speciality Services openly made jokes about Black people and bragged about being affiliated with a white supremacist gang. When Vickers complained to his superiors, the company fired him, a lawsuit obtained by The Atlanta Black Star alleges. Vickers attorneys said what his employer did was retaliation after violating his civil rights by making him stay in a hostile and discriminatory environment, where his supervisor would fling around racist slurs. Former employee Christopher Vickers and his attorneys said he endured years of racial discrimination at Bison Specialty Services in Beaumont, Texas. (Photo via Google Images) Its the environment that he had to walk into every day in order to earn a living, said Rochelle Owens, one of the lawyers representing Vickers in the case. I dont think that theres anyone in the United States or anywhere that would appreciate having to realize that your race is the reason why youre being treated in a certain manner, and its going to continue as long as those employees are there. During the two-and-a-half years Vickers worked at the industrial maintenance company in Beaumont, Texas, he was supervised by a man who reportedly boasted about having friends in the Aryan Brotherhood gang, the lawsuit alleges. The Aryan Brotherhood is the oldest and most notorious racist prison gang in the nation, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Albert Leblanc often described Black people as lazy blue gum n-words and sent racist texts in group messages with other employees, the lawsuit reads. He also had called Black employees at Bison Speciality the N-word, the complaints says. In one instance, LeBlanc sent a video of a Black man dancing on the freeway to a song with the lyrics, Go back to Africa, the lawsuit alleges. LeBlanc also allegedly sent a video where one of two Black men turned white and told the other man, Naw, N-word, go get a job! Months after the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd, LeBlanc reportedly sent a group message with a photo of a Black man captured in a mousetrap. A large bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken was placed on the trap as bait. Story continues Christopher Vickers said his former supervisor sent a group text to employees mocking the police killing of George Floyd. (Screen Shot of court documents) The photo had the caption, I cant breath. The words I cant breathe were some of the final words of Floyd in the heavily publicized case. The phrase also has been the final plea of other Black men killed in police custody, including Eric Garner and Manuel Ellis. The lawsuit also alleges that the company allowed white employees to park in the front of the building and carry firearms, but not Black employees. Vickers complained to human resources and the general foreman, Josh Hall, and company president Chad Luhan also received Vickers complaints about the discrimination. Mr. Halls response was that he understood that Mr. Leblancs racist behavior was an issue but that he could not do anything about him, Vickers attorney wrote. The lawsuit alleges that when Vickers and his family contracted COVID-19 in March 2021, Luhan told him he had to come to work despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention isolation protocols. His attorneys claim the company used the opportunity to fire Vickers. He was terminated right after his last complaint, they said. While Mr. Vickers and his family were recovering from COVID-19 and following his complaints of racial discrimination and hostile work environment, Bison Specialty terminated him, the lawsuit alleges. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Atlanta Black Star. Vickers is suing Bison Speciality for back pay, front pay, damages, emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and fringe benefits, along with other losses. Vickers, whos married with two children, recently started a new job, where Owens said he makes less income. She said its tough for Vickers and his family. He would have loved to be able to stay and make the kind of money that he was making, but unfortunately, these things happen when theres the opposing side that behaves in that manner and treats you in that way, and they retaliate against you. The lawsuit is an example of the harsh reality some Black people face in America, Owens pointed out. People do not appreciate the fact that people of color have to put an extra suit of armor on when they walk outside and when they go to work because it is certainly a game-changer when you walk in the door versus when youre at home or when youre with your family and friends and people that care about you, she said. Its different when you walk outside, and you have to have that extra suit of armor on to protect yourself, even if its nothing more than to simply ignore. RUMSON, NJ Maddy Massabni, a Rumson teen, was home from college to celebrate her 19th birthday when she began experiencing flu-like symptoms. What appeared to be a normal stomach bug turned out to be toxic shock syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal complication of certain types of bacterial infections. Following Maddy's death in 2017, her mother, Dawn Massabni, founded the Maddy Massabni Foundation for Toxic Shock Awareness, which is based in Rumson and works to raise awareness of menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS). I never in my worst nightmares imagined losing my daughter, especially to something so preventable. Something, that if it had been taken care of decades ago by our healthcare, educational, and governmental agencies, Maddy, along with many others, would be here with us today, living out their hopes and dreams, Massabni said on the foundation's blog. Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome often results from toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria, but the condition may also be caused by toxins produced by group A streptococcus (strep) bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of mTSS progress quickly and often include a sudden high fever, a rash resembling a sunburn, particularly on your palms and soles, seizures and vomiting. Massabni stated that her daughter's health quickly deteriorated, going from feeling like she had a stomach bug to having a seizure in just 24 hours. All I can remember was crying and screaming 'please dont leave me, I love you' over and over again. I could not understand what just happened. My daughter was strong and healthy. They revived her numerous times, placed her on a ventilator as well as dialysis at the hospital. So much was happening so fast. It was the doctor's words 'the situation is grave', that sent me to my knees. Maddy was in a coma and would not recover, Massabni said in a letter. Massabni and her son George have since dedicated their lives to spreading awareness and creating impactful, legislative change around menstrual toxic shock awareness education in New Jersey. Story continues The Maddy Massabni Foundation for Toxic Shock Awareness is hosting its second large-scale fundraiser, a fashion show entitled, Butterflies For Maddy. The fundraiser is being held on May 18, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Surfrider Beach Club in Sea Bright. To purchase tickets for the fundraiser, click here. All the selected clothing for the fundraiser's fashion show was designed by Brookdale Community College fashion students. Maddy was attending Lynn University studying fashion with the hopes and dreams of working in the industry. With the world's eyes on health issues due to Covid-19 and Maddy's love and passion for fashion, we thought a fashion show in her honor would for sure have her smiling on us from above, said Jessica Weltz, a friend of Maddy's. Thank you for reading! Have a news tip, correction or comment? Email vianella.burns@patch.com. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter here. A Rumson Mother's Plea For Change After Teen Daughter's Death originally appeared on the Rumson-Fair Haven Patch The occupiers in the Krasnoyarsk Territory Read also: 64th day of Putin's war. U.S. passes Lend-Lease for Ukraine, Russian missiles strike Kyiv during UN visit Almost unanimously, the deputies supported a decision to bring in grain from Kherson Oblast, which is partially controlled by the Russian Armed Forces, the message reads. (As) shortages of vegetables and grain caused by foreign sanctions are acutely felt in Krasnoyarsk Oblast and Russia as a whole, expropriating the agricultural surplus from the farmers of Kherson Oblast will be a way to provide relief to (Russian) small businesses. On April 25, Russian occupation forces took over the building of Kherson City Council, taking down the Ukrainian flag. Hennadiy Lahuta, the head of the regional administration, said this had been expected, but that local officials would never accept either the Russian or the Soviet flag. Read also: Local journalist talks about occupation and resistance in Kherson Following the seizure of the council building, during a special session of the council, Russia and its collaborators appointed Volodymyr Saldo as the new head of the city and oblast of Kherson. Khersons Mayor, Ihor Kolykhaev, remains in the city and refuses to cooperate with occupational administration. LONDON (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that Western arms supplies to Ukraine, including heavy weapons, posed a threat to the security of the European continent. The comment from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added to a pattern of escalating rhetoric on both sides as the West has stepped up weapons supplies to Ukraine and Moscow has accused it of waging a proxy war against Russia. "In itself, the tendency to pump weapons, including heavy weapons, to Ukraine and other countries are actions that threaten the security of the continent and provoke instability," Peskov told reporters. He was responding a question about remarks by British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said on Wednesday that countries opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine must double down on their support, including by supplying heavy weapons, tanks and planes. Russia, whose invasion of Ukraine has killed many thousands of people and displaced millions, has consistently portrayed NATO and the West as aggressors who have forced it into defending its own security. President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday: "If someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside, and create strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast." (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) LONDON As Russias invasion of Ukraine hits its 64th day, a former NATO commander urged the West to prepare for a worst case scenario: war with Russia. Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday visited areas around Kyiv that were formerly held by Russian forces. The war is evil, he said while standing beside destroyed apartment blocks in the town of Borodyanka. Worst case is war with Russia Former NATO commander Richard Shirreff in 2016. (Omar Marques/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) In response to comments made by the U.K. foreign secretary over the West's needing to double down on its support for Ukraine, former NATO commander Richard Shirreff told BBC Radio 4s Today program it was absolutely the right approach and that its got to be followed through with significant resources, and its got to be done right across the alliance as a whole. Shirreff, formerly a NATO deputy strategic commander for Europe, went on to caution that the Kremlin is likely to respond to this aggressively and that the West should be prepared for a worst-case scenario. The worst case is war with Russia, he said. By gearing itself up for the worst case, it is most likely to deter [Russian President Vladimir] Putin because ultimately Putin respects strength. U.N. chief visits Ukraine U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres views the destruction at an apartment complex in Irpin, Ukraine, on Thursday. (John Moore/Getty Images) Standing outside burned-out apartment blocks in Borodyanka on Thursday, Guterres said: When I see those destroyed buildings ... I imagine my family in one of those houses that is now destroyed and black. I see my granddaughters running away in panic. He added: The war is an absurdity in the 21st century. The war is evil. And when you see these situations, our heart of course stays with the victims, our condolences to their families. But our emotions are ... there is no way a war can be acceptable in the 21st century. Later in the morning, Guterres visited the site of a mass grave in Bucha, telling reporters he fully supports the International Criminal Courts investigation of Russias alleged war crimes. When we see this horrendous site, it makes me feel how important it is [to have] a thorough investigation and accountability, he said. But when we talk of war crimes, we cannot forget that the worst of crimes is war itself. Story continues Alleged war crimes being probed Ukraines prosecutor general, Iryna Venediktova, visits a mass grave in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on April 13. (Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images) Thousands of alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops are under investigation by the Ukrainian prosecutor generals office. A total of 8,653 crimes have been registered with the office, and 620 suspects have been accused of the aggression, the office revealed on Thursday. The office also reported that 217 children have been killed and 393 others have been injured during the war. Russia is blackmailing Europe with energy, says Zelensky Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of engaging in energy blackmail against Europe after Moscow halted natural gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria. In his nightly address to the nation on Wednesday, Zelensky said the Kremlin considers not only energy but trade as weapons to use against European countries. [Russia] is just waiting for the moment when one or another trade area can be used to blackmail Europeans politically, or to strengthen Russias military machine, which sees a united Europe as a target, he said. Hence, the sooner everyone in Europe admits that it is inadmissible to depend on Russia in trade, the sooner it will be possible to guarantee stability in European markets. Europe relies on Moscow for more than a third of its gas needs, and Russian state energy company Gazprom holds a monopoly on the pipeline supplies. _____ What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. The superyacht, "Tango" docked in Marmaris, Mugla, Turkey on April 19, 2014. Levent Kisi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The White House unveiled a new plan Thursday to sell seized Russian assets to fund Ukraine. The $90 million superyacht owned by sanctioned oligarch Viktor Vekselberg could be the first asset sold. It's the only Russian yacht the US has seized so far but European allies have seized a dozen more. Under a new White House plan unveiled Thursday, a $90 million superyacht belonging to sanctioned oligarch Viktor Vekselberg could be the first asset sold to fund Ukraine's defense against Russia. The 255-foot yacht named "Tango" was seized by Spanish law enforcement at the request of the US during the first week of April. Its billionaire owner and founder of the Russian conglomerate Renova Group was sanctioned by the US in March for maintaining a network close to the Kremlin, per the US Treasury. If President Biden's proposal is approved, it would expedite and streamline the complicated legal process surrounding the forfeiture of seized Russian assets. Since "Tango" is the only oligarch-linked yacht the US has successfully seized thus far, it would likely be one of the first assets put through the new system potentially generating millions in aid to Ukraine. The US Department of Justice declined to comment on this possibility. Civil Guards accompany US FBI agents and a US Homeland Security agents from the superyacht "Tango" in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Monday April 4, 2022. AP Photo/Francisco Ubilla The new plan would also "improve the United States' ability to work with international partners to recover assets linked to foreign corruption," the White House said. This amendment could open up the US' proposed forfeiture system to over a dozen yachts seized and identified for seizure by European allies. In total, the yachts are worth more than $2.5 billion, as Axios has reported. However, Benjamin Maltby, a partner at Keystone Law in the UK and an expert in yacht and luxury asset law, told Insider that conducting a sale through the US Department of Justice would "only add another layer of unnecessary administrative expense and delay" if the yachts were located in a separate jurisdiction. Story continues On top of the legal amendments, the plan would establish a way to transfer the proceeds of forfeited kleptocracy property to Ukraine's defenses. Shane Riedel, CEO of financial crime risk quantification platform Elucidate, told Insider that there's "no precedent" in liquidating seized assets and directing the money elsewhere. For example, when the US sanctioned Iran and froze around $2 billion, the funds sat in frozen accounts for around 35 years due to a lack of legal framework, Riedel said. "Under the proposal, the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and State will work together to use forfeited funds related to corruption, sanctions and export control violations, and other specified offenses to remediate harms of Russian aggression toward Ukraine," the White House said in a statement. Read the original article on Business Insider LONDON (Reuters) -Russia's foreign spy chief accused the United States and Poland on Thursday of plotting to gain a sphere of influence in Ukraine, a claim denied by Warsaw as disinformation aimed at sowing distrust among Kyiv's supporters. Sergei Naryshkin, the chief of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), cited unpublished intelligence that he said showed the United States and Poland, NATO allies, were plotting to restore Polish control over part of western Ukraine. "According to the intelligence received by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Washington and Warsaw are working on plans to establish Poland's tight military and political control over its historical possessions in Ukraine," Naryshkin said in a rare statement released by the SVR. Poland denied the claim and said it was disinformation spread by Moscow. "The lies about Poland's alleged plans to attack western Ukraine have been repeated for several years," said Stanislaw Zaryn, spokesman for Poland's special services coordinator. "The aim of Russian propaganda is to foster distrust between Ukraine and Poland, to undermine PL-UA cooperation." Poland has ruled some territories that are now part of Ukraine at different times in the past, most recently between the two world wars. Western Ukraine, including the city of Lviv, were absorbed into the Soviet Union at the end of World War Two. The SVR said the United States was discussing with Poland a plan under which Polish "peacekeeping" forces without a NATO mandate would enter parts of western Ukraine where the chance of a confrontation with Russian forces was low. The SVR, which after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union took on most of the Soviet-era KGB's foreign spying responsibilities, did not publish its evidence, and Reuters was unable to verify the accusation. Poland is one of Ukraine's strongest supporters in its resistance to Russia's invasion, sending weapons across the border and taking in around three million Ukrainian refugees. Story continues A senior Russian lawmaker, Senator Andrei Klimov, deputy chair of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, also said on Thursday that Poland was planning to establish control over part of Ukraine. He gave no evidence for the claim. Russia has been signaling for days that the conflict could end with a forced partition of Ukraine. One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies said this week that Ukraine was spiraling toward a collapse into several states because of what he cast as a U.S. attempt to use Kyiv to undermine Russia. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West says this a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression by Putin. (Reporting by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Gareth Jones and Bill Berkrot) LONDON (Reuters) - Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov, who last week criticized Russia's war in Ukraine, has sold his 35% stake in the company he founded to a firm controlled by Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, the companies said on Thursday. The assets of Tinkov-founded TCS Group Holding include Russia's second-biggest credit card issuer, Tinkoff Bank, which a few days after Tinkov's anti-war statement said it had decided to rebrand and drop its founder's name. Potanin's Interros Holding did not say how much it paid for the stake in TCS but the latter's share price has plummeted since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, triggering sweeping Western sanctions on Russia. It was the second deal this month in which Potanin has snapped up banking assets, having previously bought Rosbank from Societe Generale when the French lender exited the Russian market. Cyprus-based TCS' stable of companies under the Tinkoff brand span sectors from banking and insurance to mobile phones. Potanin, 61, is the head of mining giant Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel), which has benefited from high metals prices in recent months. He is Russia's second-richest man with a fortune of $17.3 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Tinkov, 54, stepped down as chairman of Tinkoff Bank in 2020 after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia. In 2021 he ceded control of the TCS Group. TCS quoted him as saying on Thursday that now was "the perfect time for me to retire and devote more of my time to looking after my health and my beloved family." Last week, he condemned what he called Moscow's "crazy war" in Ukraine and said 90% of his countrymen did not support it. In announcing its rebranding after Tinkov's criticism of the Ukraine invasion, Tinkoff Bank said: "The company has long prepared for this. Recent events have made the decision more relevant." President Vladimir Putin calls Russian actions in Ukraine a "special military operation" to defend Russian-speaking inhabitants from persecution. Ukraine says it is fighting an imperial-style land grab and that Putin's claims of persecution are nonsense. (Reporting by Peter Hobson, editing by Mark Trevelyan and Cynthia Osterman) The SportsCenter anchor has sued the network and its parent, Walt Disney Co., for what she calls selective enforcement of a rule. Sage Steele, an anchor for SportsCenter on ESPN, is suing her network and its parent company, Walt Disney Co., for what she calls selective enforcement of a rule established in 2017 forbidding employees from commenting publicly on political issues without a tie to sports, according to reporting from Sports Illustrated. Steele famously appeared last year on a podcast hosted by former quarterback Jay Cutler, on which she opined about former President Barack Obama choosing to identify as Black versus biracial, knocked COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates, and made other controversial comments. She was forced to apologize for her errant comments. ESPN personality Sage Steele enjoys a moment onstage at a tailgate event in Los Angeles earlier this year. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images) At the time, Steele maintained, I know my recent comments created controversy for the company, and I apologize. We are in the midst of an extremely challenging time that impacts all of us, and its more critical than ever that we communicate constructively and thoughtfully. Steele now claims she has been sidelined for major projects and events and says the company violated her First Amendment rights and breached her contract. The host of the networks noon-hour broadcast also alleges that ESPN failed to stop other colleagues from bullying and harassing her, according to The Wall Street Journal. The suit was filed in Connecticut, where the network is based. ESPN has violated Connecticut law and Steeles rights to free speech based upon a faulty understanding of her comments and a nonexistent, unenforced workplace policy that serves as nothing more than pretext, according to the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, per The Journal. In response, ESPN officials said in a statement: Sage remains a valued contributor on some of ESPNs highest-profile content, including the recent Masters telecasts and anchoring our noon SportsCenter. As a point of fact, she was never suspended. Story continues Steeles lawyer, Bryan Freedman, also released a statement, insisting that his client is standing up to corporate America to ensure employees dont get their rights trampled on or their opinions silenced. In Connecticut, it is illegal for companies to discipline employees for exercising their First Amendment rights if the comments do not directly impact their work performance or the company itself. TheGrio is now on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Sage Steele sues ESPN over free speech claims, report says appeared first on TheGrio. South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted a near 60 percent rise in first-quarter net profits on Thursday, largely driven by steady memory chip demand and brisk smartphone sales. The world's biggest memory-chip maker is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung group, by far the largest of the family-controlled empires known as chaebols that dominate business in South Korea, Asia's fourth largest economy. The conglomerate is crucial to the South's economic health -- its overall turnover is equivalent to a fifth of the national gross domestic product. The firm said net profit in January-March was 11.32 trillion won ($8.9 billion) -- up 58.6 percent on-year, beating expectations according to Bloomberg News. The tech industry has been hit hard by a shortage of components for chipmaking, blamed on a boom in global demand for electronic products and disruption to supply chains caused by the pandemic. But analysts say this has largely been benefitting Samsung. Last year saw a surge in chip prices thanks to strong demand for those used in personal devices and data centres, helping the firm hit record annual sales. Samsung's performance "continues to be lifted by the semiconductor segment, supported by memory chip -- both DRAM and NAND -- demand from data centers", Gloria Tsuen, vice president of Moody's Investors Service, told AFP. Tsuen added that a disruption at a rival NAND flash chip plant -- owned by American firm Western Digital and Japan's Kioxia -- has also benefited Samsung "due to reduced market supply". The firm's operating profit rose 50.5 percent to 14.12 trillion won, while revenue was also up 19 percent at 77.78 trillion won. - Keeping capacity high - Samsung Electronics said it had "posted a record consolidated revenue for the third straight quarter". Samsung shares closed down 0.3 percent in Seoul on Thursday. Samsung has aggressively stepped up investment in its semiconductor business as the world battles chip shortages. Story continues In November, it announced the building of a $17 billion microchip factory in Texas, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2024. The firm is also investing in the development of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and 5G/6G communications. "Memory chip makers generally need to keep capacity high to support technology migration," Tsuen said. "Samsung is also in the foundry segment, and the new fab in Texas is an example of increased investment in that area as well," she said, referring to a semiconductor fabrication plant. Samsung Electronics said its "memory business achieved a record-high in quarterly sales for servers amid solid demand". In smartphones, the firm's new flagship lineup -- the Galaxy S22 series -- sold 60 percent more than the S21 in its first three weeks in the United States, according to research firm Counterpoint. "Strong sales of the Galaxy S22 series since its launch in Q1 helped drive the revenue growth, on the back of Galaxy S22 Ultra with S-Pen garnering positive feedback from the existing Galaxy Note customers," Samsung said in a statement. - 'Customer loyalty' - More than half of the Galaxy S22 series sold in the first quarter were the flagship S22 Ultra models -- released after the Galaxy Note was discontinued, Sujeong Lim, a Counterpoint researcher, told AFP. "The Galaxy Note is a model series with higher level of customer loyalty among Samsung's models, and the S22 Ultra was able to respond to the waiting demand of these customers," Lim said. "The price freeze, recovery from Covid, and the fact that it is the first Galaxy smartphone to be equipped with a 4nm processor appealed to customers." But the firm is not without any challenges, analysts said. Its "strong performance of semiconductors stems largely from external factors" such as the pandemic, Lim told AFP. "Considering inflation, the rise in interest rates and changes in consumption patterns post-Covid, it is difficult to bet that DRAM demand growth will continue through next year." But despite other major risks in the macro environment -- Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai -- Tsuen said Samsung's credit profile is likely to "remain very strong". The firm is supported by "its large net cash and leading market positions in key products," she told AFP. South Korea's second largest electronics maker LG Electronics said Thursday that its first-quarter net profit rose 19.8 percent on-year to 1.4 trillion won. cdl/dan Officials in San Francisco voted to approve a mask mandate on Thursday for people using its public transportation system. The Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors approved the mask mandate during a board of directors meeting, and it comes just a over a week after a federal judge tossed out the national mask mandate for public transportation that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Fox affiliate KTVU in San Francisco. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS MASK MANDATE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Riders depart the BART station in Antioch, Calif., on Monday, March 22, 2021. This is the first time the station will have a BART agent on staff since its grand opening in May 2018. Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images Rebecca Saltzman, board president of the Bay Area Rapid Transit, said that she believes masks should be included in the system's code of conduct. "I strongly support requiring a mask to ride BART to keep all our riders safe," Saltzman said. "Im especially concerned for our riders who are immunocompromised, people with underlying health conditions, and children under the age of five who are not yet eligible for vaccination." Riders and employees are now required to wear masks in paid areas within the system and limited exceptions are in place. A train waits to depart at the BART station in Antioch, Calif., on Monday, March 22, 2021. This is the first time the station will have a BART agent on staff since its grand opening in May 2018. Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images The mandate will not apply to people who are unable to wear a face mask due to a disability or medical condition, and children 2 and under. The renewed mask mandate will be in place until at least July 18. Washington Post When her partner tested positive for the coronavirus two days before Christmas, Michelle Green worried she, too, would become ill. She was two months pregnant with their second child. He was a bartender at the time, and some of his co-workers were infected with the virus. "I told him to get in the guest bedroom and don't leave," said Green, a 40-year-old project manager at a retail technology start-up in the District of Columbia. The couple, who were both vaccinated, and their toddler postponed Unified Sports is relatively new at East Providence High School but its become a part of the Townie Pride thats synonymous with the school. On Thursday, that pride grew even more. East Providence has been showing off a new gym all season long and it had the chance on Thursday to hang its first and most meaningful banner as it was honored by the Special Olympics as a Unified Champion School. Several schools throughout the country earn the honor annually. East Providence was the second Rhode Island school to be honored this academic year after Coventry unveiled its banner this month. In 2017, Ponaganset was the states first school to receive the award and Bishop Hendricken was honored the following year. Earlier this year: Longtime head of Special Olympics RI Dennis DeJesus announces retirement Unified Sports are team sports played by students with disabilities alongside their student-body partners. The Rhode Island Interscholastic League introduced Unified Volleyball and Unified Basketball in 2010. East Providence began playing Unified Sports in 2016. From 2017 to 2019, the Townies won six championships in the two sports. But titles arent what the sports are about inclusion is. The sports provide students with and without disabilities an opportunity to have social relationships and promote a socially-inclusive atmosphere in the school. In Providence: Parents and teachers are livid over which students the city targeted for summer school To be honored, schools must meet certain criteria that demonstrate a commitment to inclusion through 10 standards of excellence. The schools also must demonstrate those standards are self-sustainable and must have a plan in place to keep the sports going in the future. More than 150 schools from different grades in Rhode Island participate in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools programming. Currently, 30 schools compete in the RIILs Unified Basketball league and 22 participate in Unified Volleyball. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: East Providence High is honored by the Special Olympics Jeremy Jerry Reynolds, the now-deceased suspect in four slayings Wednesday, has an extensive criminal history and was in and out of police custody routinely over the past six years, records show. Since 2015, Reynolds, 32, had been arrested at least 10 times by police for offenses such as drug possession and armed robbery. Among his priors was an arrest on Nov. 22, 2018, for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and domestic disturbance of family or by explosions, noises or other offensive conduct. He was released from custody on all charges the same day. He was also arrested for a domestic violence offense earlier that year on Jan. 30, 2018. He paid a fine for the crime, records show. On Dec. 7, 2018, he was arrested for a domestic simple assault by threat. He was released on probation on Dec. 23, 2020. Three days later, on Dec. 26, 2020, he was arrested for armed robbery, possession of spice and probation violation. He was released on Sept. 2, 2021. His most recent run in with law enforcement occurred Oct. 25, 2021, when he was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing, receiving, retaining, acquiring or disposing of stolen firearm in Harrison County. He was released on his own recognizance on bond. On Wednesday, police believe Reynolds shot two men and one woman at a Biloxi hotel before killing a fourth person involved in a carjacking with him. Reynolds barricaded himself in a grocery store and was found dead when police entered. MEXICO CITY (AP) Suspected drug cartel gunmen abducted two off-duty female soldiers at gunpoint for several hours Thursday, the Mexican army said. The commander of the army headquarters in the Pacific coast resort of Puerto Vallarta said the two women were vacationing there when they were kidnapped just after midnight. They were kidnapped for the simple reason that they belonged to the army, Gen. Vicente Perez Lopez said. They had nothing to do with any operational issues. The army said in a statement that the two were freed later Thursday, after about 15 hours in captivity. The statement did not say how the release took place. The two had rented a property in Puerto Vallarta and were enjoying the beach ... on vacation, Perez Lopez said, calling it a cowardly act. He said the kidnappers were believed to be members of a drug gang because of the way in which they operated. He said a search was launched by the army, navy and National Guard, including the use of helicopters. Perez Lopez identified the two as a sergeant posted as an office worker and a second lieutenant who teaches at an army school. The army employs very few civilians or outside contractors, and it staffs most services from hospitals and schools to weapons factories with its own personnel. Puerto Vallarta is dominated by the violent Jalisco drug cartel, which has often openly clashed with the military. In another incident Wednesday, a member of the quasi-military National Guard opened fire on a vehicle, killing one university student and wounding another. The shooting occurred in the violence-plagued state of Guanajuato, where authorities have been fighting drug cartels and thefts from government-owned fuel pipelines for years. The National Guard is controlled by and largely recruited from the army, though it is supposed to be a civilian force. The Guard said in a statement that one of its patrols was conducting a routine mission to protect pipelines, when they happened upon two vehicles that sought to drive off. The force said one guard member unilaterally got out of his vehicle and fired on one of the vehicles, killing a male student and severely wounding a female student. It said the guard member had been turned over to civilian prosecutors. Guanajuato Gov. Diego Sinhue wrote in his social media accounts that he condemned the shooting and called it an excessive use of force. BEIRUT (AP) Islamic State group militants attacked a Ramadan gathering hosted by a former official of a U.S.-backed group in eastern Syria, killing seven people and wounding four, opposition activists said Thursday. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for the attack on Wednesday night in the Abu Khashab area in Deir el-Zour province. IS targeted the home of a former spokesman with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Euphrates Post news website. The Euphrates Post website said the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and opened fire as the group was having an iftar the fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the home of former SDF spokesman Nouri Hameesh, who was among those killed. Three years after the Sunni extremist Islamic State group lost the last sliver of territory it controlled in Syria, its sleeper cells have stepped up attacks in recent months, mainly targeting the Kurdish-led SDF but also forces from the Syrian government. The militant groups self-styled caliphate at its height covered a third of both of Iraq and Syria. The ensuing war against IS lasted several years, killed thousands, and left large parts of the two neighboring countries in ruins. In another development, President Bashar Assad named a new defense minister on Thursday, replacing Gen. Ali Ayoub who had held the post since 2018. State news agency SANA said Assad name Maj. Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas as the new defense minister. The presidential decree published by SANA gave no reason for Ayoub's removal or why Abbas was chosen as the new defense minister. Syrias civil war, which began in March 2011, has waned down recently after Syrian government forces gained control of much of the country with the help of Assads allies Russia and Iran. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee lawmakers closed out their annual legislative session Thursday, striking a deal that would let a politically appointed panel remove books from public school libraries statewide through a new veto power over local school board decisions. The Republican-supermajority Legislature also worked out last differences on an education funding formula overhaul sought by Gov. Bill Lee and tougher campaign finance and ethics rules amid a federal investigation that has already seen one House Republican plead guilty and resign. Those proposals and others head to the Republican governor, concluding a session in which lawmakers pushed further on conservative hot-button issues targeting transgender athletes, imposing scrutiny over school libraries and blocking COVID-19 safety requirements. The election-year session began in January. Advocates of strict scrutiny of the materials in public school libraries said changes were necessary to boost transparency, their calls coming amid a national spike in book challenges and bans. School librarians in particular have become the target of scorn from Republican lawmakers in a push for more oversight of those contents provided to children especially those touching on racism and LGBTQ issues. The final bill would give the states textbook commission all political appointees ultimate say in an appeals process over whether a book can or can't stay in school libraries. When someone challenges a book, the elected school board makes a ruling. Under the bill, if a parent, student or school worker doesn't like the decision, they could appeal to the textbook commission, whose choice will apply to school libraries statewide. Republican bill sponsor Rep. Jerry Sexton drew criticism after saying before Wednesday's House passage that any inappropriate book should be burned. He later noted he isn't on the textbook commission and didnt think any book-burning was likely to occur. Story continues Lawmakers negotiated the bill Thursday, backing off from the House's proposed requirement that schools provide the commission a list of library materials to review for possible removals, and settling on putting the commission atop the appeals process. Several Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the negotiated bill Thursday. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro noted that it doesn't specify how long a removed book stays out of libraries, or becomes eligible for reinstatement. These are permanent bans on books," Yarbro said. If this had been the law when we started school libraries, our libraries would have about 150 books in them. Already, the governor proposed and signed legislation that requires school libraries to post their contents online and regularly review their policies to make sure the materials are age-appropriate and suitable for the children. Librarians have countered that schools already have policies for parents and educators to review school library books. They stress the need for better resources and possibly adding a state library coordinator to promote literacy and education statewide. Lawmakers also agreed on terms for new campaign finance and ethics requirements. Politically active nonprofits, ranging from the National Rifle Association to Americans for Prosperity, have been monitoring the proposal closely, concerned it could require revealing their donors. The backlash drew a response recently from Senate Speaker Randy McNally, who assured that the bill sheds light on spending without censoring free speech or requiring disclosing nonprofit donors. The version approved Thursday says certain nonprofits must disclose spending totaling at least $5,000 within 60 days of an election on communications that contain a state candidate's name or likeness. Exceptions exist for activities such as lobbying, or communicating with members of their organization or people who register to receive updates. The wide-ranging bill also requires leaders of political committees to submit proof of identification; makes candidates and officeholders sign disclosures of financial interest under penalty of perjury; and increases reporting requirements in the 10 days before an election for candidates and political committee contributions and spending, due by the next business day. The changes come after GOP Rep. Robin Smith resigned and then pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in an alleged political consulting kickback scheme, which implicated former House Speaker Glen Casada and his former chief of staff Cade Cothren. Federal prosecutors allege that three claimed the political firm, Phoenix Solutions, was run by a certain Matthew Phoenix," but in reality it was Cothren under an alias. Casada, who is not seeking reelection, and Cothren also have been subpoenaed in a state investigation into a separate shadowy political committee. Its treasurer told state regulators she is Cothrens former girlfriend and opened the PAC at Cothrens request, but took no additional action. Lawmakers also finished work on a new K-12 education funding plan, which would add Tennessee to nearly 40 other states that attach a set amount of money per student. A high school track star in Texas was fatally shot during a prom party this week, officials said. Rashard Guinyard, a senior at Crowley High School, was killed in the Sunday shooting, according to the Crowley Independent School District. Guinyard signed a track letter of intent to Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, according to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. The shooting occurred shortly after midnight Sunday, according to Fort Worth police. The victim had at least one gunshot wound, police said. Detectives learned that there was a large gathering location and unknown suspect(s) began firing weapons striking the victim as he and others attempted to flee the area on foot, police said in a statement. A second victim was shot multiple times, according to the statement. That person was in critical condition, police said. Police on Thursday did not say if they have identified a suspect or suspects. Guinyards relatives could not be immediately reached for comment. The Crowley Independent School District said in a statement: Rashard was a standout scholar and student-athlete with a bright future ahead of him. For the past four years, Guinyard competed with the Fort Worth Flyers Track Club, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported. His coaches, Gary Lane and Sorento Griggs, called him a leader. Lane described him as somebody thats got energy, somebody thats got work ethic, somebody to take charge." SCHWERTNER, Texas (KXAN) One central Texas rancher wants Elon Musk to move his newest venture to the area, and hes offering his own property as bait. Jim Schwertner is president and CEO of Schwertner Farms Inc., which runs Capitol Land & Livestock east of Jarrell, Texas. Schwertner said the company is one of the largest livestock brokers in the United States and he wants some of the land to become the new headquarters for Twitter. Elon, Move twitter to Schwertner, TX , 38 miles North of Austin and we will give you 100 Acres for FREE, Schwertner tweeted on Tuesday. With over 20,000 acres across both Bell and Williamson counties, Schwertner said Musk could have his pick of which 100 acres to plant Twitter. We think this is a place to have new technology, Schwertner said. This has always been a rural area for agriculture, but its changing fast. And so we thought why not let Elon Musk be the catalyst to make it happen? Schwertner thinks the move would be a mutual win. We have a lot of land. This area is really growing. We have affordable housing, and I thought itd be an excellent opportunity for him and for us, Schwertner said. Hes also a big fan of Musks. Elon Musk is the greatest thing that ever happened to Texas and central Texas, Schwertner said. When he came here from California and brought SpaceX and Tesla, and then The Boring Company, its a big boom for Texas and central Texas. Precinct 4 Williamson County Comissioner Russ Boles said Schwertner is more than just a rancher. Jim is a successful businessman and someone who can deliver on his 100-acre offer, he said Boles said the county can give them a good business environment, pointing to their recent deal with Samsung. Twitters current headquarters is in San Francisco, California, but Musks purchase of the social media platform on Monday has prompted a wave of support to move to Texas. Bring Twitter to Texas to join Tesla, SpaceX and the Boring Company, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted from his campaign account on Monday. Story continues Musk has recently dubbed Texas home for some of his other companies, including Tesla in Travis County and The Boring Company in Pflugerville. Its no surprise that there is speculation about Elon Musk moving Twitters headquarters to one of, if not the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, especially after having already announced relocating Tesla here, Laura Huffman, president and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, told KXAN earlier this week. Huffman cited the areas talent pipeline and education system and a dynamic live/work culture as reasons why companies have been looking to expand or relocate offices to the Austin area. Economist Matt Patton agrees. Over the last few years, weve obviously demonstrated that this is a good place to be in the tech world, said Patton, executive vice president of Angelou Economics. He said while most of Twitters employees are still working from home or in a hybrid-model and may not necessarily move to central Texas if the HQ does, the move would trigger other companies to the Austin metro area. Some of those downstream suppliers that might want to come with Twitter, he said. From Apple to Oracle Dell obviously in Round Rock thats just another big name out there saying, Yes, this is where we call home. Patton and Boles acknowledge some change will be needed, such as more infrastructure, but Boles said it would be no more challenges than normal. Were always working on infrastucture. Thats one of the big issues in central Texas, if not the state, he said. Were ready for some diversity in our community, and I think the time is right, Schwertner said. Still, Schwertner has received no word yet on whether his 76-year-old farm will be shepherded toward tech. No phone call yet, but Im standing by, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. South Korean cinema technology firm CJ 4DPlex has struck a deal with Thailands Major Cineplex, to open a ScreenX Premium Large Format auditorium at Majors multiplex at Siam Paragon in Bangkok. ScreenX is a multi-projection cinema with an immersive 270-degree field of view, created by using the side walls of the theater. Some 363 ScreenX auditoriums have been installed at cinemas in 38 countries. The new ScreenX Premium Large Format auditorium in Bangkok will have 336 seats and a 20-meter-wide screen, the largest ScreenX in the country. More from Variety The announcement was made during the 2022 CinemaCon conference in Las Vegas, where Major Cineplex also renewed and expanded an agreement with another giant screen company, Imax. Major Cineplex has more than 177 locations with 828 screens in Thailand and abroad. The companys first ScreenX was launched in 2015 at the Majors Quartier Cineart location. We first brought the 4DX concept to Thailand over a decade ago and are following that success by expanding the ScreenX experience, said JongRyul Kim, CEO, CJ 4DPLEX. 4DX is a multi-sensory cinema experience that includes moving seats, water and air effects. Both technologies are developed by CJ 4DPlex, a company within the CJ Group of companies and a sister company to CJ-CGV, which claims to be the worlds fifth largest cinema operator and has outposts in Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey. Major Cineplex now has ten 4DX locations across Thailand in Siam Paragon, Ratchayothin, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Central Westgate, Promenade, Central Festival Eastville, Korat, Mega Bangna and Icon Siam. Including Thailand, there are over 777 4DX auditoriums around the world, spanning 67 countries. Story continues L-R: Vichaya Poolvaraluk, Vice President, Major Group Cineplex / Khun Vicha Poolvaraluck, Chairman & CEO, Major Group Cineplex / JongRyul Kim, CEO, CJ 4DPLEX / Don Savant, Chief Business Officer, CJ 4DPLEX Korea. - Credit: ScreenX ScreenX Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed has been freed after Russia and the U.S. agreed to a prisoner swap. The U.S. State Department has hinted over the last few days that an agreement was close, his parents said, and early Wednesday morning, they got the call that it was a done deal. He arrived back in the U.S. early Thursday. "He's doing better," Reed's father, Joey Reed, told "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell on Wednesday afternoon. Joey and Paula Reed spoke to their son after he boarded a plane in Turkey following his release in exchange for Russian national Konstantin Yaroshenko, who in 2011 was sentenced in the U.S. to 20 years in prison on cocaine smuggling charges. Reed was "a little subdued" during the call, his father said. "Maybe in shock, but then we spoke to him about an hour ago and [he] sounded much better and got some fluids and food into him." To Joey and Paula Reed's knowledge, Reed had not been tortured while imprisoned but, Joey Reed described "horrible, dungeon-type of conditions" that his son had endured. "If you saw the video of him getting out of the FSB van today, you can see he's very thin. To us, he looked frail," Joey Reed said. Three weeks before his release, Reed's parents demanded Russian authorities provide evidence that he was still alive, citing Reed's "rapidly declining health." "Our son is out of time," Joey and Paula Reed said on April 6, while also calling on the Biden administration to help bring their son home. Reed's parents were able to "re-establish indirect contact" a few days later. Joey and Paula Reed previously told CBS News they believed their son was suffering from tuberculosis as well as a rib injury and claimed that he was not receiving the necessary medical care. The couple protested outside the White House on March 30 to bring attention to their son's case and were invited inside for a meeting with the president. Story continues "I heard in the voices of Trevor's parents how much they've worried about his health and missed his presence. And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor's freedom," President Biden said in a statement Wednesday. The Reeds said that meeting helped save their son's life, though the White House has said the exchange has been months in the making. "We think President Biden saved our son's life today," Joey Reed told O'Donnell. "My son was probably never going to let up. And he had made it his mission to, you know, try and not go along with anything [the Russians] said. And he was paying the price for it. And we feared that his body would give out before his mind would." The couple spoke with Mr. Biden on Wednesday morning and thanked him. "He said he's looking forward to having the four of us back at the White House. And we told him when we saw him we'd like to give him some big hugs. And he said that he would give us big hugs back," Paula Reed told O'Donnell. In 2020, Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted of assaulting two Russian police officers during a drunken night out the previous year. Reed has said he does not recall the incident and pleaded not guilty. The U.S. government also raised concerns about the fairness of his trial. The White House also said Wednesday that it was committed to bringing home Paul Whelan, another former U.S. Marine imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges that the U.S. and his family say are fabricated, "and others." Professional basketball player Brittney Griner has also been held in Russia since mid-February on drug charges. "Our hearts go out to the Whelan family because we had hoped all along that Trevor and Paul would be brought home together," Paula Reed told O'Donnell. "We kind of had hoped for that and it didn't happen and so our hearts are breaking for them. But we're going to still continue to advocate for them and try to bring them home." Are the Kids All Right?: Racism | CBS Reports Biden to speak on U.S. backing Ukraine: CBS News Flash April 28, 2022 Green Hydrogen: Electrolysis Technology 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 [] SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A group of unidentified individuals on Thursday set fire to two dozen trucks and machinery in Chile's southern Araucania region that for years has been marked by conflicts between the government and the Mapuche ethnic group. The incident occurred at Empresa de Camiones y Aridos Transa, a firm that provides services to the forestry industry and extracts aggregates for construction. It was the second time the firm had been the victim of an attack. Arauco provincial delegate Humberto Toro told local radio Cooperativa that more than 25 of the company's machines and trucks were burned. Last month, Interior Minister Izkia Siches's visit to the restive region of Araucania was interrupted by gunshots near her motorcade, forcing her to temporarily take shelter in a police station. Siches's visit was to start a dialogue to address conflicts in Araucania between authorities and local Mapuche indigenous groups in the southern region. The Mapuche have for years demanded the return of their ancestral lands, which were handed over to the private sector that exploits the land in the lucrative forestry sector. In recent years, attacks that include the burning of houses, trucks and machinery have intensified in the area. "The attack in Los Alamos, Los Rios sector, shows that the province of Arauco is a lawless land," the Chilean National Confederation of Truck Owners (CNDC) said in a statement. The CNDC argued authorities are "completely overwhelmed." The perpetrators left slogans at the site of the latest attack demanding freedom for "Mapuche political prisoners," local radio reported. Reuters could not independently verify the claim. (Reporting by Fabian Andres Cambero; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Sandra Maler) The Daily Beast OANThe right-wing cable network One America News Network on Monday ran a pre-recorded 30-second segment acknowledging that there was no widespread voter fraud by Georgia election workers in the 2020 presidential election. The segment appears to be part of a recent settlement relating to a defamation lawsuit brought against the network by two such workers.The segment notes that an investigation by state officials into unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud made by ex-President Donald anti-war poster in Moldova Posters outside the Eugene Ionesco National Theater in Chisinau, Moldova, urge Russia to end its war in Ukraine.Charles Davis/Insider In March, authorities in Moldova banned news broadcasts from Russia. The parliament also prohibited the public display of the "Z" symbol used by Russian forces in Ukraine. In the capital, experts told Insider that Moldova was fighting a flood of propaganda from Moscow. CHISINAU, Moldova Moldova is not at war, but it is surrounded by it on three sides: Ukraine lies to the east, north, and south. Nearly 100,000 people have sought refuge from bombings in this small country of 3 million, but the peace here is tenuous. Moldova is not a member of NATO or the European Union, and 10% of the population lives in a breakaway region backed by the Russian government. According to its constitution, Moldova is neutral. Effectively, it has to be, having a tiny and poorly equipped military that even members of parliament admit would be incapable of putting up a fight. But the government here, newly elected in November 2021, is adamant that it stands not with the Kremlin but with its invaded neighbor. Since the war began, it has also taken steps that reflect the feeling that Moldova faces an existential threat. In March, the government's Commission for Emergency Situations prohibited news broadcasts from Russia, which had dominated the airwaves. The government is also requiring balance, with typically pro-Moscow broadcasts needing to present both sides. "I'll say simply: Tucker Carlson, in Moldova, would be prohibited," Valeriu Pasa, an expert on disinformation at WatchDog.MD, an anti-corruption campaign organization, said of the prime-time Fox News anchor in an interview at his office in Chisinau. Carlson has previously parroted Russian talking points about Russia's justification for aggression against Ukraine even as far back as 2019. Fox News did not respond to a request for comment. Story continues Moldova is a bilingual nation. The official tongue, since independence, is Romanian; under the Soviet Union, it was Russian. While most people speak both, more understand the latter, Pasa said, which is why it is so important to regulate broadcasts. It's not a simple matter of free speech versus censorship, he argued, but a matter of leveling the playing field between truly independent (and usually underfunded) news media and media outlets backed by the full might of a foreign government and not being naive in the face of an invasion. Russian state "news" is not news at all: broadcasters deny war crimes and deny that there's really even a war at all ("special military operation" is the nomenclature). Legitimate, independent journalism in Moscow is punishable with jail time and worse. "It's important to give people the right to access anything, but when it is a limited market you at least have to make sure that the conditions are fair," Pasa said. "Now there's a war. Russia is an aggressor," he continued, and its media "just an extension of Russia's military force." Valeriu Pasa, program manager at WatchDog.MD, said state-sponsored propaganda has an unfair advantage over independent media. Charles Davis/Insider Nadine Gogu, executive director of the Independent Journalism Center in Chisinau, said limits on any expression must of course be narrow and critically examined. But these are also not normal times in a country where, even in the best times, popular media is highly partisan and propagandistic. "If we didn't have the war, and we didn't see these images from Bucha, maybe we could be having a different discussion," she said. Still, the impact of prohibiting Russian broadcasts may be less than expected. In the first days of the war self-censorship had achieved largely the same effect if not on official Russian broadcasts, at least at outlets associated with the Socialist opposition, which typically rebroadcast content from Moscow. "It was so strange to see in the newscasts how they were talking about refugees from Ukraine but not reporting about what is happening, really," Gogu said. "It was all about how local authorities are dealing with this crisis and nothing about what was going on in Ukraine." Moldova, which became an independent country with the collapse of the Soviet Union, has for the past three decades been divided on the question of Russia. Every couple of years, the government alternates from Communist to Socialist to pro-West each getting thrown out over corruption. But the war in Ukraine made the issue less abstract, and the presence of so many Ukrainians not only united Moldovan society, which has rallied to welcome refugees, but made it impossible to deny the savagery of the war they fled. The typically outspoken have opted for silence, at least on the most important issue of the day. It's a fight they can't win, at least not right now. But there are adjacent arguments to be made. On April 19, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, elected in a 2020 landslide, signed a law prohibiting another form of propaganda: displays of the pro-war "Z" and "V" symbols used by the Russian military and its supporters. That comes ahead of May 9 Victory Day in Russia and Eastern Europe, the fear being that an event to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany could be used to antagonize refugees and lend support to the war in Ukraine. In a statement, Russia's embassy in Chisinau accused Moldovan officials of falling prey to the "cancel culture phenomenon being promoted by Western society," according to Interfax, a Russian news agency, saying it "complicates movement toward peace and friendship." Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry, went further, calling the prohibition "a real betrayal" that would result in "painful" consequences for Moldova, comments that led the government in Chisinau to summon the Russian ambassador. Moldova's parliament recently approved a law banning the display of the pro-Russian "Z" symbol. Charles Davis/Insider Radu Marian, a member of parliament and vice president of the governing Party of Action and Solidarity, conceded that the move which includes banning a symbol, the St. George's ribbon, that is used not just to celebrate contemporary Russian actions but, traditionally, victory over the Nazis would aid the Kremlin's propaganda campaign against his government. "This was a complicated decision," he said in an interview at his office in Moldova's parliament building, one that could well have "the inverse effect of what we aim." Russia, of course, is already waging a war in Ukraine that it falsely claims is intended to eliminate fascism. But he argued that banning the display of the symbol is consistent, and indeed required, by a democracy in a time of war. "In any free society, any sign, any message, that promotes violence and war is absolutely unacceptable, especially in a peaceful country like Moldova," Marian said. "I think it's a logical decision. We are more vulnerable because we have Russian agents we have some people who are supporting the invasion," he said, and there are fears across the country that, with a breakaway region supported by Russia, it could be next. "We just cannot allow war-promoting messages." Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com Read the original article on Business Insider ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey on Thursday rejected accusations that its warplanes conducted unauthorized military flights over Greek islands, pointing the finger at fellow NATO-member Greece instead. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said accusations made by Greece do not reflect the truth and insisted that it was Greeces air force that carried out provocative flights near Turkeys coast, allegedly violating its airspace repeatedly over the southwestern towns of Didim, Datca and Dalaman. While Greece is the party which started and escalated the tension accusing our country of unfounded allegations is incompatible with the recent positive agenda and good neighborly relations between the two countries, the Turkish statement read. Turkey and Greece have long-standing sea and air boundary disputes that intensified with moves to explore potential undersea natural gas reserves. The disagreement has resulted in near-daily air force patrols and interception missions, mostly in disputed airspace around Greek islands that are near Turkeys coastline. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Thursday he contacted NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to report the alleged airspace violations by Turkey that he said included unauthorized flights over several large Greek islands. I made it clear to Secretary-General Stoltenberg that this type of behavior by a NATO ally in the southeast flank of the alliance is simply unacceptable. It undermines European security as well as the unity of purpose of NATO, Mitsotakis said. Mitsotakis made the comments at a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. On Wednesday, Turkeys ambassador to Athens was summoned to Greeces Foreign Ministry to receive a complaint about the unauthorized military flights. Turkey's Foreign Ministry called on Greece to stop provocative actions and rhetoric and to support recently-resumed talks that aim to build confidence between the two countries. There is no change in Turkeys attitude toward resolving all Aegean disputes, including the width of the airspace, within the framework of a sincere dialog, in accordance with international law, the ministry statement read. Nicola Sturgeon and Angus Robertson - Jane Barlow/PA Wire A senior minister in Nicola Sturgeons government has suggested that Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine is partly to blame for the pitiful response rate to the Scottish census. Angus Robertson provoked ridicule from opponents on Thursday when he claimed that public anxiety caused by recent world events had contributed to the survey descending into disarray. More than a fifth of households have so far refused to complete the census ahead of an original deadline of Sunday, after it was delayed by a year by SNP ministers who blamed Covid. In the rest of the UK, where the census went ahead last year as planned, the census was a major success with 97 per cent of households responding. Mr Robertson claimed that a 77.2 per cent response rate in Scotland was in fact a substantial figure in light of everything happening in the world right now. He confirmed a report in The Telegraph that the window for completing forms would be extended by a further four weeks, beyond the original deadline of Sunday, as more than 600,000 households are yet to respond. The unprecedented extension will cost an additional 9.7 million, on top of the 21.6 million cost of delaying the census from last year. The increased costs mean that the botched census is now expected to cost taxpayers 148.3 million in total. The Scottish census - Andrew Milligan/PA Wire I understand that many people may be dealing with other concerns. Recent world events have caused anxiety for many and have remained the focus of the media, quite rightly, in recent weeks, Mr Robertson said. Closer to home, people are still dealing with the impacts of Covid-19 and the cost of living crisis and given these challenges, I appreciate another ask of people is difficult. However, I cannot stress enough how important it is for the [Scottish] Government to hear the voices of the remaining 604,000 households who are still to return [forms]. Mr Robertson insisted the decision to put off the census for 12 months had been correct, despite experts believing it was a major factor in the far lower response rate. Story continues A high proportion of census returns well over 90 per cent - are usually needed to ensure that data, vital in deciding government funding and policies, is robust. Mr Roberson said that research would be commissioned to find out why so few people have completed the census despite being sent multiple reminders. Concerns over nationalist bias Some have complained that the survey has a nationalist bias, with respondents unable to record their nationality as English. Guidance informing people they can record themselves as male or female based on their gender identity, rather than biological sex, has also proved controversial. Others have said they have found it difficult to obtain paper forms, whilst roughly 68,000 people started filling in the census online but abandoned the process without completing it. Asked what new tactics would be used to drive up response rates over the coming weeks, Mr Robertson urged Conservative MSPs to write newspaper columns encouraging readers to return census forms. He also offered a fulsome apology for this newspaper obtaining details of his statement before they were announced at Holyrood, after he was rebuked by the Presiding Officer. He promised that an internal leak inquiry would be carried out. Disastrous handling of census Donald Cameron, a Scottish Tory MSP, said that the SNPs handling of the census had been nothing short of disastrous. It was needlessly delayed by a year and has ended up costing taxpayers an extra 30 million, he said. If the SNP had stuck to the same timetable as the rest of the UK for the census, it would have been completed long before the tragic events in Ukraine unfolded. They would have clearly benefited from a UK-wide publicity campaign, which delivered an extremely high response rate elsewhere. Despite those warnings, the SNP insisted on going it alone and claimed this would ensure the highest possible response rate. Now we see the exact opposite has occurred. A Ukrainian soldier speaks on his smartphone outside a residential building damaged by a missile on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Pierre Crom/Getty Images Elon Musk's Starlink system has been active in Ukraine since the early days of Russia's invasion. A Ukrainian soldier told a British reporter that the satellite system has proven helpful. The soldier, identified only as Dima, said that it "changed the war in Ukraine's favor." A Ukrainian soldier said that Elon Musk's Starlink satellites "changed the war in Ukraine's favor" because they were helping troops stay online amid Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. The soldier's comments were reported by the British freelance journalist David Patrikarakos, who was reporting from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. "I want to say one thing: Elon Musk's Starlink is what changed the war in Ukraine's favor," said Dima, who said he had been fighting alongside Ukrainian forces since March, according to Patrikarakos. "Russia went out of its way to blow up all our comms. Now they can't. Starlink works under Katyusha fire, under artillery fire. It even works in Mariupol," Dima said, per Patrikarakos. Starlink is the satellite-based internet division of SpaceX, Musk's space-exploration firm. On February 27 three days after Russia invaded Ukraine Musk announced that Starlink was activated in Ukraine and that terminals were on their way to the country. His announcement came after Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov asked the billionaire on Twitter to send the terminals. At the time, internet flows across the country were deteriorating due to Russian attacks. As of last month, more than 5,000 Starlink internet terminals have been active in the country, The Washington Post reported. Fedorov told The Post that Starlink has proved "very effective" for Ukraine amid the invasion. The satellites have directly assisted Ukrainian forces in combat. The Times of London reported last month that an elite Ukrainian drone unit is using Starlink to destroy dozens of Russian targets in the night time. "If we use a drone with thermal vision at night, the drone must connect through Starlink to the artillery guy and create target acquisition," the leader of the unit told The Times. Read the original article on Business Insider ROME (AP) With a round of Happy Birthday in Italian and English, the U.S. Army toasted an Italian woman with a birthday cake Thursday to replace the one that U.S. soldiers ate as they entered her hometown during one of the final battles of World War II. Meri Mion, who turns 90 on Friday, wiped away tears as she was presented with the cake during a ceremony in Vicenza, northwest of Venice. The event marked the anniversary of the day the 88th Infantry Division fought its way into the city on April 28, 1945. According to the U.S. Army, Mion spent that night with her mother hiding in the attic of their farm in the nearby village of San Pietro in Gu. Retreating German soldiers had fired on the house, but when Mion awoke on the morning of her 13th birthday, American soldiers were nearby. In a statement, the U.S. Army Garrison Italy said Mions mother baked her a birthday cake and left it on the windowsill to cool. But it disappeared apparently nicked by hungry American soldiers who had already been feted by grateful Italians with wine and bread as they entered Vicenza along its main thoroughfare. Mion seemed genuinely surprised that U.S. soldiers had returned the cake 77 years later. She marveled Mama mia and Grazie as a small crowd featuring U.S. commanders and Italian officials sang Happy Birthday. Tomorrow, we will eat that dessert, with all my family remembering this wonderful day that I will never forget, Mion said, according to the U.S. Army. Smoke is seen on the horizon after Russian missiles struck the area on April 18, 2022 in Lviv, western Ukraine. The city is located near the Polish border. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Top Western officials fear the Ukraine war could spread, The New York Times reported. Officials said the war could last for several years and other nations could be dragged in. In recent days Russia has cut gas to Poland and Bulgaria, and Russian cities have been hit by explosions. There is growing concern among US and European officials that the war in Ukraine could spill beyond its borders and engulf other countries, The New York Times reported. Officials from Western countries allied with Ukraine in the war against Russia fear a possible spread of the conflict in three ways, the report claims. They fear it could physically spread into neighbouring states, spread into cyberspace through hacking and other cyber attacks, and spread into NATO countries facing a cutoff of Russian oil or gas. According to the NYT, the concerns are founded on the belief that the war could drag on for several years. It could result in a more direct, Cold War-style confrontation between Russia and the US as the superpowers seek to reduce each others strength, according to the report. In recent weeks, the conflict has impacted several nations near Ukraine. Russia has cut gas supplies to NATO states Poland and Bulgaria, there have been a series of mysterious explosions in cities in Russia, and Russia has menaced Finland and Sweden after the Nordic states said they were seeking to join NATO. There have also been explosions this week in Transnistria, a Russian-controlled region in Ukraine's southern neighbor Moldova, raising concerns the conflict may spread to the state. Russian President Vladimir Putin in a speech Wednesday warned against Western intervention in Ukraine, saying that "if someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside, and create strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast." Seth Jones, director of the European Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Times that "the risk of a widening war is serious right now." Story continues Russia had expected a swift victory in Ukraine, but with its forces repelled from the Kyiv region by the Ukrainian military, it has refocused its campaign in eastern Ukraine that is advancing slowly. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday said that the US aimed to weaken Russia so that it would be unable to launch another invasion, marking an abrupt shift in US military strategy and signalling that the US did not expect an end to the conflict in the near future. Read the original article on Business Insider Pro-Russian separatists gather in the separatist-controlled settlement of Mykolaivka in the Donetsk region (DPR) of Ukraine, on March 1, 2022. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images An official said the US has "credible information" of Russians killing Ukrainians trying to surrender. The US ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice told the UN about the claims. This reveals a "disturbing pattern of systematic abuse" by Russian forces, the official said. The US has evidence that Russian troops in eastern Ukraine have executed people who are trying to surrender, a top US official told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. "We now have credible information that a Russian military unit operating in the vicinity of Donetsk executed Ukrainians who were attempting to surrender, rather than take them into custody," Beth Van Schaack, the US ambassador-at-large for Global Criminal Justice, said in the meeting. "If true, this would be in violation of a core principle of the law of war: the prohibition against the summary execution of civilians and of combatants who are hors de combat by virtue of surrender, injury, or other forms of incapacitation." Hors de combat is a French term used in international law to refer to someone in war who has clearly expressed an intention to surrender or who is injured and incapable of defending themselves. Van Schaack continued: "These ... reports suggest that atrocities are not the result of rogue units or individuals; they rather reveal a deeply disturbing pattern of systematic abuse across all areas where Russia's forces are engaged." She did not give any more detail about what reports she was referencing. Since Russia launched a full invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russian troops have shelled several cities across the country, hitting multiple civilian targets, including hospitals and schools. After failing to capture the capital city Kyiv, Russian forces have refocused their efforts in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded more than 3,400 civilian casualties in the country so far, although the number is expected to be much higher. Story continues In the besieged port city of Mariupol, at least 21,000 civilians have been killed by Russian forces, local Ukrainian officials said earlier this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of committing "genocide" and called Russian soldiers "murderers, looters, butchers." The Kremlin has repeatedly denied that it is targeting civilians. It continues to call the invasion of Ukraina a "special military operation." Read the original article on Business Insider Trevor Reed's parents give an emotional reaction to their son's release from prison in Russia. The former US Marine was arrested in Russia in 2019 and has now been released in a prisoner swap. His mother Paula Reed held back tears when she said: "It's going to really hit us when we get to put our arms around him." Russian soldiers walks along a street in Mariupol on April 12, 2022. Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images) Russia plans to dismantle local governments across Ukraine, a US official said on Thursday. In captured territories, Russia wants to set up new forms of government with its own leaders. Ukraine has warned that Russia will schedule referendums in captured areas to impose legitimacy. Russia plans to dismantle Ukraine's government and install puppet leaders to head local municipalities, a US official said on Thursday. Michael Carpenter, US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said in remarks to the agency's permanent council in Vienna that Russia seeks a "forced capitulation" of Ukraine's elected government and wants to "dissolve" all local municipal governments across the country. "Plans for a new government and new constitution are being developed by Russian officials and so-called 'separatists,'" Carpenter said. He added: "This planning includes a moratorium disallowing legitimate Ukrainian leaders and those supporting Ukraine's legitimate government from any leadership positions." Carpenter said Russia wants to set up new forms of government in territories it captures and warned it may be preparing to stage "sham" referendums in occupied regions to try and legitimize its invasion. Ukraine has previously accused Russia of scheduling referendums in the southeastern Ukrainian cities of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, however, that "pseudo-referendums" or establishment of "new pseudo-people's republics" would derail any peace negotiations with Moscow. Carpenter referred to the idea of Russian referendums as a textbook move and said the US witnessed "attempts to impose so-called 'new realities'" eight years ago in Crimea and in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Since 2014, Ukraine has fought Kremlin-backed rebels in the pro-Russia separatist-controlled Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic both in the country's eastern Donbas region. Story continues Shortly before Russian President Vladimir Putin's February 24 televised war declaration, he signed a decree recognizing the two regions as independent states. Carpenter accused Russia of using disinformation to portray legitimate Ukrainian authority as a "Western-inspired coup" to local populations. "The reality is that Russia installed puppet regimes dependent on Russian bribes, and orchestrated nebulous 'people's councils' to create phony constitutions all an attempt to lend an air of legitimacy to the sham," Carpenter said. Now, Russian forces have focused their attention on a renewed offensive in the Donbas after failing to capture Ukraine's capital city Kyiv. Despite Russian troop movement to eastern Ukraine, Western officials have warned that Putin still wants to control all of Ukraine. Read the original article on Business Insider WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A judge in Fiji is due to rule Tuesday on whether U.S. authorities can seize the luxurious superyacht Amadea worth some $325 million which has been stopped from leaving the South Pacific nation because of its links to Russia. But a vital question remains over which oligarch really owns the Amadea. Only one of the two possible candidates faces sanctions. Is the real owner Suleiman Kerimov? That's what the U.S. claims. Kerimov, an economist and former Russian politician, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 for alleged money laundering and has faced further sanctions from Canada, Europe and Britain after Russia invaded Ukraine. Kerimov made a fortune investing in Russian gold producer Polyus, with Forbes magazine putting his net worth at $14.5 billion. Or is the real owner Eduard Khudainatov? Thats what defense lawyers claim. Khudainatov is the former chairman and chief executive of Rosneft, the state-controlled Russian oil and gas company. Crucially, Khudainatov currently does not appear to face any sanctions, unlike many oligarchs and people with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin who have been sanctioned since the war began. Video: Russian oligarch Deripaska's yacht arrives in Turkish waters As with many superyachts, determining the real ownership of the Amadea is difficult due to the shadowy trail of trusts and shell companies. On paper, the superyacht is registered in the Cayman Islands and owned by Millemarin Investments Ltd., also based in the Cayman Islands. Defense lawyers have claimed in court that Millemarin Investments Ltd. (sometimes spelled Millemarine) is the legal owner of the vessel and that the company is linked to the real, or beneficial, owner, Khudainatov. But U.S. authorities have claimed that behind all the various fronts, the real owner is Kerimov. On April 19, after the yacht had sailed into Fiji from Mexico, the High Court in Suva ordered that the Amadea not leave Fiji until the merits of the U.S. warrant to seize the vessel were determined. Perhaps reflecting the question over ownership, the court later ordered Fijian prosecutors to amend an original summons which named just Kerimov to also include Millemarin Investments Ltd. as a second respondent to the case. Story continues For now, the yacht continues to sit in a Fijian harbor with its crew of about 25 rotating on and off the vessel, while a police officer remains on board to ensure it stays put. According to Boat International, the Amadea is 106 meters long and was built in 2017. It features a stainless steel albatross that extends off the bow and weighs more than 5 tons, a live lobster tank in the galley, a 10-meter (33-foot) pool, a hand-painted Pleyel piano and a large helipad. The U.S. Embassy in Suva said in a statement that the U.S. was acting with allies and partners around the world to impose costs on Russia because of its war of choice. We continue to ratchet up the pressure on Putins oligarchs and we are working with allies and partners to go after corrupt gains from some of the individuals closest to Putin, no matter where they are held around the world," the embassy said. (Bloomberg) -- When Vanguard Group Inc. made a surprise retreat from China last year, the U.S. investing giant pinned its remaining hopes on a robo-advisory joint venture with billionaire Jack Mas Ant Group Co. The road to a profitable China business is proving to be bumpier than expected. Most Read from Bloomberg The partnership booked a 25 million yuan ($3.8 million) loss last year, more than five times higher than an internal forecast made after the venture was set up in 2019, according to people familiar with the matter. The short-term prospects arent much better following a loss in January, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private matters. The loss, though tiny for a money manager that runs $8 trillion, highlights Vanguards challenges tapping into a wealth market that China International Capital Corp. expects to grow to $40 trillion in 2030. Other global firms appear to be making inroads, with BlackRock Inc. raising more than 9 billion yuan in new funds at a stand-alone business and a joint venture, while Invesco Ltd. is boosting headcount after hitting a $100 billion target for managing Chinese investors assets. The Vanguard-Ant joint venture said in an emailed statement that its honored to have served more than 3 million users, and will continue to invest in and innovate around our research, products and services to improve the user experience. Vanguard and Ant deferred to the joint venture for comment. The China firm, known as Vanguard Investment Advisors (Shanghai) Investment Consultancy Co., tripled its number of users at the end of 2021 from a year earlier, Chief Executive Officer Peter Zhang told a forum in January. The company declined to comment on its current number of users or assets under management. Bloomberg reported last year the venture managed about 6.9 billion yuan. Story continues Rising competition in the Chinese market contributed to Vanguards decision in 2021 to scrap plans for a stand-alone mutual fund business and stick with its Ant tie-up, in which it holds 49%. The partial withdrawal from China followed a pull back from Hong Kong and Japan the previous year for the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-based firm. Since Vanguard and Ant launched the BangNiTou service in 2020, the list of players in the robo space has expanded to more than 60. Vanguard is even facing competition from its own partner after Ant opened its Alipay platform to 14 rival providers, including Guotai Junan Securities Co. and Guolian Securities Co. Both firms had assets under management of more than 10 billion yuan as of Dec. 31. Ant meanwhile is dealing with a crackdown from Beijing that forced it to scrap a planned $35 billion stock sale in 2020 and ordered it to overhaul its lending, insurance and wealth management businesses so that it can be regulated like a bank. In response to the competitive threat, Vanguards joint venture reduced fees by almost half last year, impacting the bottom line. While theres nothing wrong in cutting advisory fees, its an unsustainable way to maintain clients, especially if the cuts lead to a price war, said Sun Guiping, an analyst at Shanghai Securities Co. He added that its normal for a fund advisory business to post a loss in the early stages given the resources and time needed to develop clients. Although the joint ventures revenue of almost 30 million yuan came in better than forecast, the profit targets will be more difficult to achieve as costs climb, one of the people said. Shortly after its launch, the Vanguard venture set a target of turning a profit in 2022. Last years expenses outstripped revenue by more than 70%, according to one of the people. Research and development costs doubled, while the venture has been cutting back on marketing expenses, one of the people said. While most investors are familiar with digital channels and 70% of them have investable assets of between 100,000 yuan and 500,000 yuan, theyre allocating less than 10,000 yuan with the advisers, according to a joint survey by Vanguards venture and KPMG, released in January. Satisfaction levels are low, and differentiation among providers has yet to be noticeable, the results showed. Slumping markets arent helping. Chinas benchmark stock index has dropped 21% this year, one of the worst performers among major markets. Chinas investors are experiencing a confidence crisis after repeated losses, according to a survey by Yinhua Fund Management Co. this month. (Updates with fund advisory survey in second-to-last paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the shooting death of a 12-year-old Virginia girl, authorities said Wednesday. The teen, who has not been identified, is charged with homicide, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a juvenile, obstruction of justice and providing false information to police, the Hampton Police Department said. He is being held on unrelated charges out of nearby Norfolk, police said. MURDERED UVA STUDENT YEARDLEY LOVE HAD ROCKY RELATIONSHIP WITH PARTY ANIMAL BOYFRIEND, LAWYER SAYS The girl was found dead on April 23 inside a home. Hampton police officers responded to the scene after receiving a call of a possible shooting in the 2100 block of North Roger Peed Drive just before 11:30 a.m. When they arrived, members of the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue had found the girl dead inside a home, police said. An investigation reveal she died from a gunshot injury. The death is still under investigation. Authorities have not released details of what led to the shooting or the relationship between the girl and the teenage boy. West Ham manager David Moyes admitted his side failed to show enough quality as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire) West Ham manager David Moyes admitted his side failed to show enough quality as they slipped to a 2-1 Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. It was the Hammers first European semi-final for 46 years, but they were unable to rise to the occasion in the first leg and were left to rue defensive errors. Eintracht stunned West Ham to take the lead inside the first minute through Ansgar Knauffs header, although Michail Antonio levelled the tie 20 minutes later. However, the visitors retook the lead in the second half through Daichi Kamada, with Moyes left to mull over opportunities missed, including hitting the woodwork three times. Weve got a lot to do, he said. Weve got to show a lot more quality than we did tonight. We didnt show enough quality, especially in the final third when we had moments to do so and a couple of times we turned off, obviously for the goals. So, a lot of those things will need to brighten up and be better. He added: Ultimately a disappointing result for us, but weve still got another game to play and weve given ourselves a chance still and hopefully well play better in the second leg. Eintracht currently sit ninth in the Bundesliga but started the game full of confidence having knocked LaLiga giants Barcelona out in the quarter-finals. I think Frankfurt made it difficult which, to be fair, theyre renowned for, theyre very good at it, added Moyes. We didnt start the first half so well, nor the second half. They scored the goals in those periods. We started and they scored within a minute and it was a terrible start for us, but I felt after that we grew into the game, we got a goal. If you said to me who was more likely then I felt we were at that period of the game, but we werent able to take it. Visiting manager Oliver Glasner was proud of his sides performance. I am really proud of my team, I am impressed with the way they performed, he said. We did the same in Barcelona, we scored the first goal after three minutes. Story continues Then it was as we expected it to be. It was very physical, a lot of dead-ball situations and crosses that we had to defend. As manager of course I am never 100 per cent happy and the second half, we passed back the ball too often to our goalkeeper, but we were at times beyond the halfway line and then went back to the goalkeeper. We will need better solutions and that is what we need in the second leg as well. Apr. 27The West Texas Food Bank is excited to partner with Pop Spot to bring their unique shopping experience to our facility, a press release detailed. The VIP party will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday evening at the West Texas Food Bank Midland Facility located at 1601 Westcliff Drive. It's open to the public as the Pop Spot shopping event will begin at 10 a.m. at the West Texas Food Bank Midland Facility on Saturday. Tickets are available to the VIP Party on Friday and 100% of the money raised from the ticket sales will be donated to the West Texas Food Bank. Pop Spot is a curated and high-end POP UP shopping experience designed to highlight small businesses, designers and brands; giving customers an opportunity to discover, support and shop small. Wichita Falls ISD trustees and staff members listen to an update on construction for the two new high schools during a special session Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the Education Center. Wichita Falls ISD teachers and other staff members may soon find out where the budget ax will strike to remedy a funding shortfall. The School Board might take action on staff cuts during a special meeting 9 a.m. Friday in the Education Center at 1104 Broad Street. More: Parent with school safety concerns: 'I feel like our priorities are way off' The district is facing an estimated $8 million to $9 million hole in the budget for the 2022-2023 school year. Independent consultant Gary Patterson, who is working with senior staff members, told trustees at an April 18 meeting that he expected they would provide recommendations for cuts this week. The lineup for Friday's meeting appears to bear this out. The district released an agenda Monday evening listing a closed session Friday with WFISD's legal counsel about a reduction in force for a program change. In open session, trustees might decide which areas will be affected as a result of the program change, "Which Requires the Nonrenewal of Several Employees of the District," according to the agenda. School Board members are also slated to consider taking action regarding one-year contract renewals for certified administrators and noncertified professionals on a list provided by the WFISD administration. In addition, the agenda calls for trustees to possibly take action on the renewal of one-year or probationary contracts for administrators, teachers and professionals on a list provided by the district's administration. Acting Superintendent Debbie Dipprey updated staff members about the budget situation last week after trustees heard from Patterson. "It is unlikely, knowing what we know today, that we will be able to make reductions needed to balance our budget without touching campus level staff," Dipprey said in the email sent just after 8 a.m. April 19. More: WFISD gets tough news about district's budget, campus-level cuts likely The cuts stem from WFISD's loss of about 800 students since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. Story continues WFISD went into the pandemic with about 14,000 students. On March 31 this year, there were 13,321 students enrolled. The state bases funding on projected enrollment and is taking money back from WFISD since the number of students fell, Patterson has told trustees. WFISD Agenda Special Session by Denise Nelson on Scribd 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: Wichita Falls ISD School Board to meet Friday to consider staff cuts Russian President Vladimir Putin attends Orthodox Easter mass in Moscow, Russia, on April 24, 2022. Contributor/Getty Images The White House proposed a new system for selling seized Russian assets to fund Ukraine's defense. The proposal allows for the sale of "property linked to Russian kleptocracy" seized due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's the latest step from the Biden administration to financially pressure Russia. The White House revealed plans on Thursday intended to enhance the US's ability to seize mansions and yachts owned by the wealthiest and most powerful Russians and sell them to help fund Ukraine's defense. The White House said the proposal would create new authorities that can seize "property linked to Russian kleptocracy" and "allow the government to use the proceeds to support Ukraine." The plan targets Russia's oligarchy a small group of influential and wealthy Russians, many with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets," Biden said earlier this year. "We are coming for your ill-begotten gains." The "proposal aims to streamline the process for seizure of oligarch assets, expand the assets subject to seizure, and enable the proceeds to flow to Ukraine," The White House said. And it said the plan "would improve the United States' ability to use forfeited oligarch funds to remediate harms caused to Ukraine by Russian aggression." The Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, and the State Department would work together "to use forfeited funds related to corruption, sanctions and export control violations, and other specified offenses to remediate harms of Russian aggression toward Ukraine," the White House said. Thursday's proposal is the latest step by the Biden administration to sanction Russian oligarchs in the wake of the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. The proposal appears to be the manifestation of a growing interest among American politicians to directly seize the assets of wealthy Russians and sell those assets to fund Ukraine's defense. Story continues "I think it's a good idea to seize assets of those close to Putin," Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio told Insider in March. "Other countries are doing it, including Germany yesterday. If Germany is doing it, that must mean everybody is doing it." The United States alongside allies in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Canada have frozen the assets of dozens of Russian oligarchs and banned them from doing business in their respective regions. The goal of those sanctions is to force Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine by hurting Russia's economy, isolating it from the rest of the world, and devaluing its currency. Thursday's proposal, the White House said, would "enhance the United States Government's authority to hold the Russian government and Russian oligarchs accountable for President Putin's war against Ukraine." Read the original article on Business Insider Explosion in Belgorod, Russia Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Russian media reported explosions Wednesday at an ammunition depot near Belgorod and two other storage facilities near Ukraine's eastern border, in the latest instances of "unexplained fires and explosions at strategic locations in Russia, including storage depots, a sensitive defense research site, and the country's largest chemical plant," The Washington Post reports. "All of the sites hit are likely involved in supplying fuel and ammunition to the troops engaged in Donbas and the damage may hinder Russia's efforts to sustain its offensive there," the Post reports, raising "suspicions that at least some may have been caused by sabotage or Ukrainian attacks." Local Russian officials blamed an April 1 explosion at fuel depots in Belgorod on Ukrainian attack helicopters, but as the incidents multiplied, it became "a subject which officials in Moscow prefer to avoid," BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Shevchenko writes. "Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory would be an embarrassment to the Kremlin, which had been hoping to have control of Ukraine within days of invading it in February." For their part, "Ukrainian officials have hinted at some involvement in the incidents without expressly acknowledging them," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Karma is a cruel thing," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote in Russian on Wednesday. Oleksiy Arestovych, a military adviser to Zelensky, suggested "you need to look for reasons inside Russia for example, hiding the means by which money has been stolen from the Russian defense ministry." "It is clear why Ukraine would be reluctant to admit any cross-border attacks," writes the BBC's Shevchenko: "They would amount to a major escalation in an already bitter conflict." And there are plausible explanations other than sabotage or airstrikes. Thanks largely to negligence, Russia already "suffers from self-inflicted injuries in peacetime," Russian security expert Keir Giles at London's Chatham House tells the Journal. "When put under additional strain of an offensive war, it is no surprise that the rate of natural accidents should increase." Story continues You may also like Florida can't actually dissolve Disney World's self-governance district, Disney and tax lawyers agree Biden, the Clintons eulogize Madeleine Albright during funeral service: 'I pray to God we never stop hearing you' There's a fairer way to cancel college debt (Getty Images/iStockphoto) A woman has said that running out of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) amid a supply shortage would be catastrophic for her physical and mental wellbeing. Around a million women in the UK who rely on HRT to manage and treat symptoms of menopause are facing a severe shortage of the medication, due to disruptions in the supply chain as well as manufacturers not keeping up with increased demand. Sarah Smith, 53, told the PA news agency that if she stops taking HRT abruptly, it could cause a mental and physical impact that will likely see me have to give up work. Smith, from London, said she experienced approximately 30 hot flushes each day before she started taking the medication and had intense brain fog. I forgot how to do my job. Menopause ruined my life, she added. I had completely lost my sense of identity, and all joy in life. I just existed and was, like a lot of women, considering giving up on work as I could not cope with it. Its taken me about seven years to get whats called the gold standard of HRT. This current gold standard treatment allows me to make the journey back to who I used to be. Another woman told PA that she had experienced suicidal thoughts due to menopause before she was prescribed HRT. Marion Swarbrick, 47, from West Lothian, Scotland, said: Im really worried about not being able to get HRT as menopause also affects moods. With just a weeks supply left, she said she visited a Boots store to get more but was told it was unavailable. (Without HRT) I will become an irrational monster going between laughing, crying, suicidal and angry. It will also bring back hot flushes, Swarbrick added. Women will die from this if its not sorted out. Ive also got CPTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) and my mental health has been awful lately. I really dont want to have the menopause mood swings return to add to my mental health. Menopause is a natural part of ageing and occurs when a womans oestrogen levels decline. According to the NHS, the average age for a woman to reach menopause is 51, but around one in 100 women experience it before they turn 40. Story continues Common symptoms of menopause include hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, and problems with memory or concentrating. HRT contains oestrogen and can be taken to replace the reduced level of hormones that cause symptoms of menopause. Health secretary Sajid Javid announced earlier this week that a HRT tsar will be appointed by the government to work on improving supplies of the medication in the short and long term. Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Hundreds of outraged doctors, researchers, and students staged a walkout at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine on Tuesday after reports it is considering hiring a prominent scientist who has been the subject of sexual misconduct allegations that three other prestigious institutions found credible. WTF NYU STOP PROTECTING HARASSERS HONK FOR SAFER WORK ENVIRONMENT #NO TO SABATINI, their hand-drawn signs read. A few truckers responded by honking, but likely none of the passing drivers had any idea that the signs referred to David Sabatini, a one-time star biotech researcher who resigned from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earlier this month after it revoked his tenure for having engaged in an sexual affair with a fledgling research doctor 20 years his junior. Science magazine was first to report that NYU is considering giving him a job. Dr. Deborah DeLair (r) and Dr. Esther Adler. Michael Daly/The Daily Beast Dr. Deborah DeLair was among those who gathered on the sidewalk opposite the school on First Avenue at 2 p.m. I believe that just considering hiring this individual, by doing this, NYU is sending a message that sexual harassment and coercion is acceptable, DeLair said as she stood beside Dr. Esther Adler, a fellow NYU pathologist and protester. A young MIT doctor accused Sabatini of pressuring her into sex while he was in a position to influence the course of her career as a graduate student at the time. The first sexual encounter came after he offered to take the place of her mentor, a female scientist who had fallen ill with ovarian cancer. No other women have accused Sabatini of coercing them into sex, but court papers cited a number of people who worked in his lab who confirmed her description of it as highly sexualized to the point of being toxic. They share his accusers recollections of regular whiskey tastings where the talk was, the young doctor texted to a friend, 85% sexual [and] 15% science. At some point, Sabatini told one of his male graduate students not to settle down early because, once the student becomes established and successful (like Sabatini), he could fuck whoever he wants, the accuser says in court papers. Story continues The lab was at the MIT-linked Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, which launched an internal sexual harassment survey in 2020 as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. The first allegations against Sabatini came from researchers other than the young doctor. They complained of a frat-house atmosphere in his lab. The young doctor made her charges only after an administrator asked about her experiences in the lab. Sabatini admitted to having sex with the doctor but insisted it was consensual and described her as a peer. That in itself was enough for Whitehead to fire him and for MIT to essentially shun him. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute withdrew its funding for his work. Sabatini was still held in high enough regard that he might have redeemed himself with a heartfelt apology. He instead filed a defamation suit that sought to portray him as the victim. This case involves the manipulation and abuse of laws and policies designed to ensure workplace equality to instead punish an ex-lover, the suit contends. The result has been to inflict substantial and potentially irreparable damage to the career of Dr. David M. Sabatini, a brilliant scientist. At one telling point, the suit notes the young doctors home address but not Sabatinis. The suit alleges: Even after Dr. Sabatini was fired or forced to resign, [the young doctor] has continued to inflict damage on his career by spreading lies about him to their shared professional colleagues, including by making false statements that Dr. Sabatini abused her and that he was a Harvey Weinstein. In response, the young doctor filed a counterclaim. Among other things, it notes that the brilliant scientist Sabatini told another woman at a meeting about a project trying to figure out why pubic hair is the length that it is. As recounted in the counterclaim, the young doctor was devastated upon learning in March 2018 that her mentor, MIT biology professor Angelika Amon, had cancer with a dire prognosis. [Sabatini] positioned himself as the person on whom [the young doctor} could rely as a mentor, in Amons absence, and someone who would open doors for her going forward, the counterclaim says. In early April of 2018, Sabatini offered to introduce [the young doctor] to others in his professional network at a conference in Washington, D.C. [The young doctor] was flattered. She agreed to meet Sabatini and looked forward to the visit She flew into town for the purpose of meeting with Sabatini and being introduced to his professional colleagues. Upon her arrival, Sabatini told her that he had decided not to go to the gathering. Contrary to what he had promised, there was no introduction to anyone else, let alone luminaries in her field, the counterclaim says. Sabatini invited her to join him for drinks and dinner. She agreed. They talked about science and about Amon, the counterclaim says. Sabatini seemed sympathetic but warned [the young doctor] that, of course, she could be at a distinct disadvantage if Amon passed away, because Amon would not be able to champion and vouch for [the young doctor] early on in her career, something that is essential for young scientists. Sabatini reiterated that he would step into the breach, assuring [the young doctor] that he would be there for her. After the dinner, Sabatini suggested that [the young doctor] come with him to his room to continue a scientific conversation they were having. The counterclaim continues, When they arrived, [the young doctor] stood at the door, as he lay down on his bed, instructing her to lie down next to him. When she told him she was not comfortable doing that, Sabatini started talking about how he and another established woman scientist do some of their best thinking together in this fashion. He pressed her to enter the room. The counterclaim says that the young doctor did notby word or conductindicate that she welcomed his advances. Sabatini began his advances and, realizing that she was not responsive, he told her to relax and proposed that they have a relationship where they have casual sex on the side. [The young doctor] got visibly upset. She tried to resist his advances, telling him, among many things, that Sabatini was her mentor and thus had control over her career. She told him that any sexual relationship between them would be against the rules. Sabatini brushed aside her concerns and warned [the young doctor] not to tell anyone about what he was doing. Sabatini persisted in his advances and got angry as she continued to tell him why he should not proceed. He ultimately said that he was so aroused that she either needed to submit or get out. The counterclaim reports, In the end, although she never consented, he had his way. The court papers say that the young doctor continued to feel trapped in the days ahead. Telling peopleeven her mentor, Angelika Amonof what had happened that evening was not a realistic option if she wanted to preserve her career. Sabatini had explicitly instructed her not to do so, and she feared what would happen if she did not heed that warning. [The young doctor] talked with him about why him engaging with her sexually was inappropriate. She spoke of wanting to be taken seriously as a scientist and not wanting to have her contributions diminished by any perception that he was helping her along because of a sexual relationship Sabatini dismissed her concerns and told her that their sexual encounters would be fine as long as she did not tell anyone. He told her that he was offended that she had gotten so upset during the previous sexual encounter His demands for sex did not stop. At a Whitehead Institute scientific retreat in New Hampshire in September 2018, Sabatini texted about his need to have sex because he had a raging boner That he was all revved up, and, if she would not meet up with him immediately, he would have to take matters into [his] own hand, and that he had a half-chub in [his] pants. Protesters outside NYU Medical Center demonstrating against NYU potentially hiring biologist David Sabatini. Michael Daly/The Daily Beast The counterclaim reports that the young doctor ended up having sex with him more than 10 times over a two-year period. For the first time since [the young scientist] had identified science as the endeavor in which she was most passionate and thus the prime source of meaning in her life, to which she was singularly devoted, she began to withdraw from the scientific community and experience debilitating feelings of entrapment and hopelessness, the counterclaim says. He responded by telling her she was crazy. Then came what the counterclaim describes as a sorry kind of deliverance. Finally, Sabatini secured the interest of his next sexual partner. Sabatini had tried to have another Whitehead faculty member bring this young woman on as a Visiting Scientist though she was not qualified, and, when that did not work, he brought her into his own Lab so that he could woo her. At that time, Sabatini told [the young doctor] that they should be friends. [The young doctor] reiterated the need to cut ties which Sabatini, finally, seemed to accept. That might have been that if a prominent scientist named Dr. Ruth Lehmann had not departed her position as head of the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at NYU to head the Whitehead Institute in 2019. Very serious and highly regarded scientist, strong believer in equality and fairness, but not a strident womens lib type, considered quite visionary in her research in embryonic development, a bit cold and arrogant and tough as nails, and zero sleaze factor, says a scientist who knows her. Lehmann ordered the sexual harassment survey that led to the allegations against Sabatini. She fired him on the grounds that he had broken the rules even if he had only done what he acknowledged doing. He included her in his defamation suit, describing her as party to a supposed conspiracy to destroy him. One knowledgeable source told The Daily Beast that Lehmann had a contentious relationship with Robert Grossman, the NYU School of Medicine dean and CEO of NYU Langone Health. Grossman is said by the source to have been unhappy when Lehmann suggested in the journal Cell that NYU had strayed from basic science in pursuit of specific medical problems. At the same time, Grossman has been friendly with billionaire philanthropist Bill Ackman. Science magazine has reported that Ackman spoke sympathetically of Sabatini at a recent Manhattan gathering and suggested science would suffer if the one-time star were sidelined. The knowledgeable source says Grossmans relationship with the billionaire was likely a more important factor in the decision to try and bring on Sabatini than Sabatinis father, also named David, who is a professor emeritus of cell biology at NYU. In retrospect, it seems Grossman may have been paving the way for hiring the younger Sabatini with the most recent of his monthly emails to the NYU medical community. A mob feels compelled to stridently cancel someone with different thoughts, or to baselessly attack an individual in ways that can be difficult to disprove," the April 21 missive titled Civility Rules says. This is tolerated in academia, where nameless accusers can disparage a colleagues science and lifes work, even when their claims are unfounded. Another Grossman emailaddressed to Dear Colleagues and titled An Important Messagecame after Science reported that Sabatini was being considered. Allow us to share some thoughts on the concerns we have heard in recent days about the possibility that Dr. David Sabatini could join us at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The circumstances regarding Dr. Sabatinis departure from MIT have been in the news of course and so its understandable that our community would form opinions from the coverage. Grossman went on to say that we have undertaken a careful and thorough due diligence process that includes a full examination of all available facts and evidence in this case, adding, That process is ongoing and has included a diverse set of leaders from across our community. Grossman also took a shot at Science magazines reporting even before it was published, saying, We also gather that the story may contain a number of inaccuracies. We urge you to disregard rumor and insinuation and wait for a full and fair accounting of the facts. NYU School of Medicine did not respond to a query from The Daily Beast regarding the supposed inaccuracies in the Science story. The school did offer a lengthy statement about Sabatinis possible hiring, also talking about an extensive and careful due diligence process with a broad group of stakeholders as we are working hard to ensure that our conclusions and course of action are guided by facts and evidence rather than social media or incomplete press coverage. We urge the community to not prejudge or draw unwarranted conclusions until our full evaluation has been completed. Sabatini responded through a representative with a statement of his own, saying, I am enormously proud of the many scientific achievements at my lab and thanking his supporters there as I have tried to persevere in this troubling process. The statement continues: Although I have taken full responsibility for having had a consensual personal relationship with a professional colleague, the outcome thus far has been out of all proportion to the actual, underlying facts. As I have maintained consistently from the start, I differ sharply with the way this matter has been characterized and I intend to set the record straight and stand up for my integrity. While a number of Sabatinis former lab colleagues are said to have signed an anonymous letter supporting him, one former colleague, computational biologist Anne Carpenter, took to Twitter to make clear she was not among them. I will not sign, Carpenter, now with the Broad Institute, wrote. I was not surprised to see the [MIT] investigation (which did not involve me) found issues of particular concern relating to lab climate. At other times at other schools, protesters have seemed to be mobs run amok. But the people who walked out of the NYU School of Medicine on Tuesday afternoon did so out of legitimate concern that hard-won progress for women in science was threatened. Were not shy, were not timid, they chanted. We are angry. We are livid. DeLair, the pathologist, told The Daily Beast that she had read both the defamation suit and the young doctors counterclaim. Her conclusion was written on cardboard. PROTECT TRAINEES / #NO TO SABATINI. 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. Former Wigan full-back Zak Hardaker will have to wait to make his return for Leeds after falling ill (PA Images/Richard Sellers) (PA Archive) Leeds have revealed new signing Zak Hardaker suffered a suspected seizure whilst out walking with his young son and needed the help of a nearby paramedic. Hardaker suffered the attack on Tuesday, the day his signing was announced, and was taken to Pinderfields hospital in Wakefield, where he underwent tests before being discharged. The 30-year-old England full-back, who was a free agent after being released by Wigan last Friday, was named in Leeds interim coach Jamie Jones-Buchanans initial squad for Fridays Super League match against Hull KR at Headingley but will not now play. Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington said: At this moment in time our only concern is Zaks health and we will provide him and his family with whatever support is required. The Rhinos medical staff are overseeing things and will be arranging a series of medical tests which will then give a clearer prognosis for his recovery. Leeds say Hardaker, who has signed a deal to the end of the season, trained with his new team-mates on Tuesday morning before a community team activity after lunch and returning home. I would like to say a huge thank you to the paramedic who came to my aid and administered first aid before the ambulance arrived. It does not bear to think about what might have been the outcome without her quick thinking Hardaker said: Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to the paramedic who came to my aid and administered first aid before the ambulance arrived. It does not bear to think about what might have been the outcome without her quick thinking. It is so disappointing that I will not get to play on Friday but the Rhinos have given me great support and I will make sure I complete all the tests necessary and I hope to be back on the field as soon as possible. Zoom meetings may narrow cognitive focus, study finds (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Work teams who communicate over Zoom generate fewer and less creative ideas than those who meet in the office, a new study has found. Researchers at Columbia University and Stanford University in the US have established a link between how much people look around the room while generating ideas and the quality of ideas they come up with. The findings, published in the Nature journal, were consistent across both a lab experiment and a field study in an engineering firm with offices across five countries. In the lab experiments, a group of more than 600 adults were paired up and asked to spend five minutes generating ideas for creative uses for a frisbee or bubblewrap. They were then instructed to spend one minute choosing the best idea. Pairs were randomly assigned on whether they would work together in person or virtually. Researchers found that virtual pairs generated significantly fewer total creative ideas than in-person pairs. However, they noted that not all aspects of the ideation process was hindered by video conferencing. They found no evidence that these groups were less effective when it came to selecting the best idea. Authors of the study said the results were driven by differences in the physical nature of video conferencing and in-person interactions. Video conferencing hampers idea generation because it focuses communicators on a screen, the study said, adding that the effect of this is not psychologically benign. As virtual communicators narrow their visual scope to the shared environment of a screen, their cognitive focus narrows in turn, researchers added. This narrowed focus constrains the associative process underlying idea generation, whereby thoughts branch out and activate disparate information that is then combined to form new ideas. Researchers tested this theory in another experiment, which asked 151 pairs to generate creative uses for a product, either in-person or virtually, in a room containing ten props. Story continues At the end of the experiment, participants were asked to recall the props in the room. They found that those working virtually spend more time looking at their partner and less time looking at the surrounding room and could recall fewer products. Groups who worked together in person spent more time looking around the room, could recall more props. Importantly, researchers found that both factors were significantly associated with an increased number of creative ideas. Study author Melanie Brucks, an applied psychology professor at Columbia Universitys business school, commented: They [the virtual groups] were too focused on specifically the task at hand and that made them narrower in their thinking. Adam Green, a psychology professor at Georgetown University, who wasnt part of the research, suggested this is because faces draw our focus. Faces really matter to our brains and we devote a lot of attention to looking at faces, Green said. When we are with someone in person, it is not considered polite to stare directly at their face for an extended period of time. The findings were further tested among a group of 1,409 engineers at a multinational telecommunications infrastructure company. After taking part in an idea-generation workshop for one hour, the engineers who worked on the task virtually generated fewer total ideas than in-person pairs. Additionally, in-person teams had a significantly higher top-scoring idea in their generated idea pool. [April 28, 2022] Syniti Continues Momentum with Best First Quarter for Bookings Company reports record Q1 in software & services bookings, increases in services revenue and cloud ARR nearly doubling year-over-year Continued expansion with Global2000 enterprises; new locations to attract, grow & retain talent BOSTON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Syniti, a global leader in enterprise data management, today announced its best first quarter on record for software and services bookings as well as services revenue, building on the successful momentum coming out of 2021. Software and services bookings increased when compared to Q1 2021, with annual recurring revenue from cloud nearly doubling as customers continue to accelerate and expand cloud usage. Services revenue also increased globally, year over year. More than 20 new enterprise logos were added this quarter expanding in retail and consumer, as well as continued work with long-standing customers in life sciences and manufacturing. Financial Highlights: Data migrations drove more than 60% of Syniti's bookings, with SAP Advanced Data Migration by Syniti the number one contributor to software revenue; supporting customers' continued adoption of SAP S/4HANA for business transformation. Uptick in the use of Syniti Data Replication, with change data capture (CDC) technology, to accelerate customers' artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and analytics initiatives. Continued growth with its alliance partner ecosystem, including key wins in aerospace/defense, food and beverage and retail with partners IBM, HCL Technologies (HCL), and Deloitte. 2021 acquisitions of DMR and 360Science, strengthening services capabilities and platform matching technology, paying off with strong renewals and net new business. Company Offerings & Expansion: Syniti Education Services saw a significant increase in users, achieving 71% of last year's total count of unique learners attending training in Q1 alone. Improving and refining education offerings to customers and prospects is a key part of the company's "Customer for Life" strategy as well as supporting the overall enterprise data management market. The company announced it intends to open three new offices in India , reinforcing Syniti's commitment to the country's innovative tech community. Offices in Kolkata , Gurugram and Pune are expected to open later in 2022, adding to current spaces in Hyderabad and Bangalore . The new cities were selected to offer locations across all four corners of India , particularly in major tech hubs to continue to attract best-in-class talent. , reinforcing Syniti's commitment to the country's innovative tech community. Offices in , Gurugram and are expected to open later in 2022, adding to current spaces in and . The new cities were selected to offer locations across all four corners of , particularly in major tech hubs to continue to attract best-in-class talent. The company moved its North American global delivery center in Omaha, Nebraska to a new facility to consolidate the onboarding and training of Syniti's data-focused consulting team, helping build the skills of the next-generation of data experts. Kevin Campbell, CEO, Syniti, said: "Organizations continue to turn to us as they realize that data is a fundamental part of their business decision making and the key to realizing the value of their business transformation efforts. There is no digital transformation without a data transformation. I'm proud of what we delivered in Q1 and very excited about the remainder of 2022; we have a strong product pipeline, major projects in the works and key partner alliances coming this year." You can see Syniti exhibiting and speaking at the following conferences later this year: SAP Sapphire & ASUG Accelerate Orlando: May 10-12, 2022 , Partner Plaza, booth PA716 , Partner Plaza, booth PA716 Data Summit 2022: Kevin Campbell , CEO, will be speaking on May 17 on the topic of "Every Problem is a Data Problem: How Bad Data is Killing Your Business" , CEO, will be speaking on on the topic of "Every Problem is a Data Problem: How Bad Data is Killing Your Business" WomenTech Global Conference 2022, Chief in Tech Summit: Kate Reed , CMO will be hosting a panel discussion on June 7 on Navigating the C-Suite as a Working Mom About Syniti Syniti solves the world's most complex data challenges by uniquely combining intelligent, AI-driven software and vast data expertise to yield certain and superior business outcomes. For over 25 years, Syniti has partnered with the Fortune 2000 to unlock valuable insights that ignite growth, reduce risk and increase their competitive advantage. Syniti's silo-free enterprise data management platform supports data migration, data quality, data replication, master data management, analytics, data governance, and data strategy in a single, unified solution. Syniti is a portfolio company of private equity firm Bridge Growth Partners LLC. Read more at www.Syniti.com. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syniti-continues-momentum-with-best-first-quarter-for-bookings-301535191.html SOURCE Syniti [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] Michael Nolan is the executive chef at Boxer Barbeque, located at 513 Main St. Boxer Barbeque serves traditional barbecue with a modern twist. Nolan is involved in many aspects of the business, from supply ordering, prep work, cooking, training employees, interacting with customers and much more. Nolan has worked in the restaurant industry for 23 years and started as a dishwasher when he was 15. He enjoys the family atmosphere created at Boxer and loves that every day brings a new challenge and new customers to meet. He has a passion for cooking, and when asked what his favorite menu item is, Nolan said, Oh, the burnt ends, for sure! One of his favorite community events to attend is Farmers Market Council Bluffs. Nolan enjoys meeting the vendors and members of the community while shopping for fresh local produce. Nolan believes that the Historic Haymarket District is a hidden gem and an excellent place for locals and visitors to experience all year round, especially during National Travel and Tourism Week. Between Boxer Barbeque, The Cryptic Room, Bayliss Park, the Squirrel Cage Jail and other local businesses, the Haymarket District gives you a small-town feel while being in a larger metropolitan area. To learn more about the unique, unparalleled, and unforgettable Boxer Barbeque, check out their menu online at boxerbbq.com. Nolan and his Boxer Barbeque family are joining the Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau in celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week from May 1 through 7. Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau The past two years have been far from normal. One thing that hasnt changed is that doing good is valued here. During this time where each of our resources were stretched thin, we saw families, individuals and businesses continuing to give back, sometimes in bigger ways than ever before. This was especially true during last springs Do Good campaign led by SHARE Omaha, serving both sides of the river. It was the first year without Pottawattamie Gives and we werent certain how our community would respond to this new spring giving campaign focused not only on dollars, but also item collection drives and volunteerism for dozens of southwest Iowa nonprofits. But respond you did. This community gave $2.5 million in donations to nonprofits, including matching gifts. Over 1,800 items were donated to nonprofits for Wish List Wednesday and more than 1,200 people got involved on Volun-Thursday for a combined 2,885 hours of volunteerism. Of those who donated, 25% were new donors, showing that supporting one another is valued here. Even when times are tough for each of us, we dont forget about our neighbors. We ask how we can help. This spring we are hopeful, and our good is as needed as ever. Its time for us all to come together again to support 650+ metro nonprofits in every way we can. Do Good Days, presented by FNBO, is packing the power of giving into three days May 17 to May 19. Mark your calendar to give dollars on Tuesday, buy items on Wish List Wednesday, then give your time on Volun-Thursday. No matter how, and how much, you want to give, your gifts of time, items and money are put to good use during Do Good Days. When you give cash on Tuesday, May 17, you can support organizations like Wings of Hope Cancer Support Center, where a $75 donation provides a cancer patient with one hour of counseling services (in person or online) by a licensed mental health practitioner. Wish List Wednesday on May 18 is the time to shop online wish lists and ship items directly to causes you care about, or shop locally and deliver goods in person. Of the top five reasons cited for dropping out of college, four are financial. Purchasing hygiene items from Iowa Westerns virtual wish list for Rockys Pantry can help ease the burden. Volun-Thursday on May 19 is the time when many nonprofits are hosting cant-miss volunteer opportunities. You can join Impact CB in volunteering at the Midlands Humane Society from 1 to 3 p.m., for example. Wherever you serve, your time will make an impact on the Council Bluffs metro. I encourage you to start planning how youll make a difference during Do Good Days. Consider where youll donate, what items youll collect, and where you want to volunteer. What local causes are important to you? How can you help? May 17-19 will be here before we know it. SHARE Omaha serves an eight-county region, including Pottawattamie County, connecting those who want to do good with ways to volunteer and support causes southwest Iowa. Find your fit for giving back at SHAREomaha.org/Iowa. Fourney is the marketing and communications manager for SHARE Omaha. As with many things, propaganda can be used for good or for ill, depending on who dispenses it. During World War II, American propaganda was considered a necessary tool in the pursuit of victory in a moral cause. Germany and Japan had their own propaganda machines to advance an evil agenda. 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. Morocco will be home to a 30 hectare-algae farm that is designed to pull out CO2 from the air naturally, which runs the project said. Brilliant plant has been conducting trials since 2013 in Moroccos desert using sea water to cultivate algae, a plant with potent capacities to remove carbon from the air naturally. Following four years of trials at its 3-hectare research facility in Morocco, Brilliant Planet will use the proceeds from the Series A round to prepare for the construction of a 30-hectare commercial demonstration facility while continuing its fundamental R&D program based in London, Techcrunch quoted Brilliant planet officials as saying. By using empty desert and seawater that would not have otherwise come to the surface, our solution creates new Net Primary Productivity. In other words, we employ underutilized natural resources to grow new biomass and draw down excess carbon dioxide, said Raffael Jovine, chief scientist and co-founder at Brilliant Planet. Per unit area, this approach sequesters up to 30 times more carbon per year than rainforests, while it also de-acidifies the local coastal seawater back to pre-industrial levels, he said. The company raised 12 million dollars for the project which uses seawater and replicates the perfect growth conditions for algae blooms in a low-cost carbon capturing endeavor. Morocco and Finland shared their experience in preventing and fighting extremism, part of a panel discussion held, on Wednesday in Helsinki, under the theme: Addressing the experiences of Morocco and Finland in the fight against terrorism. The event, hosted by Moroccos embassy in Helsinki, was aimed at exploring the possible interactions between two different approaches evolving in a profoundly changing global economic and security context. Terrorism is a global phenomenon. To combat it effectively international cooperation is necessary, including with the Kingdom of Morocco, said Paivi Kairamo, Ambassador for Cooperation against Terrorism at the Finnish Foreign Ministry. Stressing the importance that his country gives to effective multilateral cooperation in this area, the Finnish official commended Moroccos commitment and its action at the level of international organizations where its role is well known and recognized. Speaking about the Kingdoms strategy to prevent terrorism and fight extremism, Moroccos ambassador to Finland, Mohamed Achgalou, said that thanks to the impact of the Kingdoms multidimensional strategy, the national territory across its borders is completely safe, secure, stable and ready to welcome Finnish investors and tourists at any time. In this favorable context, the Moroccan diplomat highlighted the visionary policy of King Mohammed VI that has turned Morocco into a haven of peace and stability that extends beyond the national territory to be a major asset for regional and European security. Addressing an audience of Finnish businessmen, experts and senior officials, the Moroccan diplomat outlined the major pillars of Moroccos policy of prevention and fight against terrorism and its importance to secure and, at the same time, preserve and improve the economic and tourist attractiveness of the country. While the total security approach was at the heart of the conventional conception of the fight against terrorism in neighboring countries, Moroccos choices for the implementation of its multidimensional strategy have always been made in compliance with the principles of good governance and the rule of law, he explained. That is why, the Moroccan approach mobilizing a collective effort, public authorities, civil society and citizens, has not ceased since its inception to adapt and confirm its relevance in a particularly turbulent regional environment. Regarding cooperation, the main subject of this meeting, Achgalou highlighted the unwavering commitment of Moroccan authorities to fruitful partnerships that have prevented many tragedies in the world thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of various security services of the Kingdom. This unwavering commitment is reflected in the total mobilization against terrorism, extremism and organized crime, the diplomat said. These are transnational, interconnected and unpredictable phenomena that involve dangerous alliances among separatist groups who are sheltered and fostered by some states in our regionThese very same actors stubbornly refuse to cooperate and therefore threaten regional and international security, he warned. The South-South dimension of Moroccos international commitment is illustrated, according to the Moroccan ambassador, in the creation, in 2015, of the Mohammed VI Foundation of African Ulemas, which is consistent with the Moroccan constants in terms of faith and doctrine, values that Morocco promotes to counter religious extremism in Africa. Citing the example of the Office of the United Nations Program for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa (UNOCT) whose headquarters have been entrusted to Morocco in 2021, Achgalou stressed that through this strategic decision, the community of Nations recognizes Moroccos international role in the fight against terrorism and reinforces, thus, several other joint initiatives such as the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) or the International Coalition against Daesh. Touching on the religious dimension, the diplomat stressed that the Commandery of the Faithful guarantees the preservation of spiritual peace to citizens, which is missing in many other countries. It is a fundamental feature of the Moroccan national identity because it preserves the constants of an open Islam practiced in a society that is tolerant by nature and protective, by humanism, of the free practice of religions, he added. Morocco was among the 14 non-NATO nations that have attended a meeting convened by the US at the Ramstein US air base in Germany to discuss defense aid to Ukraine. In addition to Morocco, other Non-NATO countries include Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Israel, Tunisia, Sweden and Finland. Morocco was absent in the last three UN General Assembly votes to condemn Russias war with Ukraine. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the meeting is outside of the NATO rubric, and not all the nations that were invited are NATO members. As you know, NATO as an alliance is not providing security assistance to Ukraine, so this is not being done under the NATO umbrella at all. Now, some of the nations invited and some of the nations that will be going are, in fact, NATO allies, but theyre doing this in a sovereign unilateral way, not as a part of the alliance. Morocco maintains neutrality on this conflict, though foreign ministry said on multiple occasions that Rabat respects the territorial integrity of all UN member states and urges dialogue to resolve conflicts. The Tunisian Ministry of Justice has ordered the arrest of a public service worker accused of offending President Kais Saied in multiple social media posts, Webdo Tunis reports. The defendant, who has not been identified, lives in the city of Sidi Bouzid. The court of First Instant of the city ordered his arrest on the basis of article 67 of the penal code. He is accused of posting several contents on social media harming the President. The Tunisian government has recently tightened control on social media content to hunt down contents it judges harmful to the state and state officials. The move comes as President Saied tightens his grip on the state apparatus following his July 25 decisions which have seen him taking control of the executive power and closing the parliament. Several people have been detained and handed prison sentences for offending him and state officials. This month, Chahrazed Akacha, a journalist, was arrested following a lawsuit against her, lodged by the prosecutor of Ariana Court of First Instance on alleged charges of having harmed or disturbed the peace of mind of third parties through the public telecommunications networks, under Article 86 of the Telecommunications Code. Egypt is marshalling support around Africa to obtain the replacement of US Stephani Williams, who is acting as Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Libya, with an African figure on the grounds that the UN diplomat antagonizes Cairos vision in the Libya crisis, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports citing an informed Egyptian source. The source told the London-based Qatari media that Cairo has reached out to several African countries of international weight to lobby the international community to accept an African-nominated candidate for heading the UN mission in Libya. Relations between Williams and Egypt have been rocky over several conflicting views. Egypts frustration took another hit this month, at the recent UN-facilitated talks between members of the Libyan Parliament (HoR) and the High Council of State in Cairo, aimed at moving forward a constitutional and legislative framework for the countrys long-waited elections. Williams cut short the consultations, a move that has upset Egyptian authorities. Williams decided to end the meetings and resume a new round of talks after Eid Al-Fitr, following differences between the UN official and the Egyptians, who pressed to impose their visions for the Libyan crisis, the source said. A western diplomat in Cairo told media that Williamss came as result of Egyptian prevarication. Initially, Egypt showed goodwill about the Libyan parties conducting a free dialogue in the country before the UN mission coordinating the talks was surprised by Cairos move to organize a meeting between representatives of the HoR and officials from the Egyptian intelligence service, the western diplomat said. After the meeting, they presented a completely different perception of the dialogues line, which is consensus on a constitutional rule. Egypt, according to the diplomat, backs the Libyan parliaments choice of former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha as the Prime Minister to organize the much-awaited elections. The Tobruk-based parliament has sacked Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh on the grounds that his mandate ended on Dec. 24 after the presidential elections failed to go ahead. Williamss mandate is coming to close end of this month. Russia is also exerting pressure for her replacement. The Road 702 Fire, which has burned since April 22, is nearing containment, according to the latest report on the blaze. In a Thursday morning update, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said the blaze which has burned 43,582 acres in Kansas and Nebraska was considered 88% contained, The fire was listed at 74% contained Wednesday morning. There are two areas of uncontrolled fire edge, both just south of U.S. Highway 6 along the Republican River. The plan was for firefighters to focus on those areas Thursday, according to the update. In addition, crews will continue to patrol and mop up all portions of the fireline that have been previously contained to further secure the fire perimeter in those areas. The night shift crews, which consist of four engines and a division supervisors, patrolled the fire area mopping up any hot spots that posed a threat to the line. The crew also responded to 911 calls of smoke and flames within the fire area. The fire was listed at 41,448 acres Wednesday. The increase is due to the inclusion of unburned interior islands being absorbed within the fire perimeter. Lt. Col. Robert Darling will offer a look into the developments during 9/11 and his role in those operations at the Town Hall Lecture Series Tuesday at the North Platte Community Playhouse. The lecture will take place at 10:30 a.m. Memberships are available for this final lecture in the 2021-22 series at a cost of $75. Darling retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007 with just over 20 years of active-duty service. After an impressive early career piloting attack helicopters in Desert Shield, Desert Storm and as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One, he was handpicked in October 2000 to work for the White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. During the attack of Sept. 11, 2001, he supported the president, vice president and national security adviser in the underground Presidents Emergency Operations Center. Darling chronicles these developments in his book, 24 Hours Inside the Presidents Bunker: 9/11/01:The White House. In his lectures, he shares the principles of crisis leadership and decision-making with his audiences in an edge of your seat presentation thatll take you from the moment the attack was realized, to the courageous decisions made to stop it, to the safeguards and policies our country now has in place in an attempt to prevent such an attack from ever happening again, according to a press release. A question-and-answer period will follow the lecture at the North Platte Community Playhouse, after a brief intermission. New memberships are being sold for the 2022-23 season. More information on upcoming speakers may be found at nptownhall.com. Tickets for the new season may be purchased online or by contacting Kathleen Keenan at 308-530-4463. Through nearly the first four months of 2021, the North Platte area had received 6.27 inches of precipitation. As of Wednesday, 2022s number is at 1.46 inches about 2.42 inches below average for the area. To say its been dry definitely is an understatement, said Caleb Brown, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at Lee Bird Field. Brown said the numbers could get a slight boost as a developing system has the potential to produce three-quarters to an inch of rain along the Interstate 80 corridor at the end of this week. Brown said the northern part of west central Nebraska, near Valentine, could get closer to 2 inches. He added that the southwestern portion of the state, where crews are battling the Road 702 wildfire, could receive a quarter- to half-inch of rain. The system is developing over the Pacific Ocean and Brown said it is tracking to reach land over the Pacific Northwest before it dips down through the Rockies. It could result in spotty rainfall Thursday afternoon or evening, The brunt of the storm is expected to hit Friday afternoon and evening and possibly linger into Saturday morning and early afternoon. There is the potential for thunderstorms producing strong winds and hail, but Brown said the strongest chance for severe weather is in southeast Nebraska. The winds could be strong over the weekend as well, especially Saturday Brown said, as gusts could exceed 50 mph. The area received a touch of rain last weekend that measured just under two-tenths of an inch at the North Platte Regional Airport. There is a chance for additional precipitation early next week. We will have another weaker system passing through, but its a little tough to tell what we could get for precipitation, Brown said. Some forecast models kick it off to the south, so there is the potential we could miss out on anything too significant. 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 young lilac tree and two lilac bushes became the latest additions to the landscape in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon. But the planting was done more for just the scenery. It will be a constant reminder of crime victims rights and awareness. Part of it is the color, Cindy Korf, the director of the countys victim witness unit, said of wood plant selection. They (also) bloom every spring. So its a rebirth. Were always coming back to life. Weve survived. Victims have rights. Victims become survivors, Korf said. Theyre not forgotten and with the tree they never will be. The tree and bushes, purchased with grant funds from a U.S. Department of Justice grant, was part of a short ceremony on the courthouse lawn as part of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. The week, which began on April 24 and runs through Saturday, has the theme of Rights, Access, Equity for all victims. The Lincoln County victim witness unit was one of 40 agencies selected from 240 applicants for the grant program and the only one in Nebraska. The funds comes from fines collected from offenders convicted of federal crimes, and are geared toward promoting community awareness of crime victims rights and the services available to them. The application process began this past fall and the agency found out it was selected in late February. Korf said she felt compelled to apply for the program because of the input she received from victims. Their comments about how much they appreciate the police, the sheriffs office and the county attorneys office, said Korf, who headed Wednesdays program along with Cynthia Rucker and Cindy Swanson. I think often times (those individuals) dont realize what good they do. She added there was another incentive. I want Washington, D.C., to know that were out here in Lincoln County and were doing things, Korf said. The countys victim witness unit provided support to 1,200 individuals over the past year, said Korf, who has headed the program for the past decade. The unit provides support for victims of all crimes. Whether it be leaving the scene of a crash or assaults or homicide cases, the unit assists as proceedings play out, from the initial hearing through a sentence. The agency also attends hearings in both county and district court as a representative and reminder of the victims. We are there for them, Korf 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. MSNBCs Rachel Maddow performed a dramatic reading of Donald Trumps sworn testimony about dangerous fruit Wednesday as she detailed the latest bananas revelation about the former president. Im going to jump right in here tonight, Maddow began on her broadcast Wednesday night. I do not think there is any way to ease into this. I dont think there is any setup I can give you that would make this any more normal. No context I can provide you that would make this less weird. It is what it is, and it stands on its own terms. She then read from the transcript of an October 2021 deposition that was filed in court Tuesday and first reported on by The Daily Beast. In it, the former president testified under oath that he was afraid of being hit by very dangerous and potentially lethal fruit thrown by detractors. With the release of this deposition in this past day, we now know a whole new thing we didnt know before about former President Trump, which is that he is apparently desperately afraid of a flying tomato, Maddow commented. Trump was testifying in a civil lawsuit filed by five activists who alleged they were violently attacked by Trumps security guards in September 2015 outside Trump Tower in Manhattan. They say that Trumps security team, led by his longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller, ripped away their signs and punched and briefly choked one protester. Trump brought up his concerns about airborne produce when questioned for the deposition by the plaintiffs lawyer about a 2016 rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Trump told the crowd to knock the crap out of protesters who might throw tomatoes at him and vowed to pay the legal fees of anyone who did so. Its very dangerous stuff. You can get killed with those things, Trump told the lawyer in the deposition, adding that security needs to be aggressive in stopping people from throwing pineapples, bananas, tomatoes, stuff like that. Watch Maddows segment below, courtesy of Raw Story. Story continues This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Why the hell should they be exempt--if they don't have to do it, military enlistment shouldn't be compulsory for ANYONE. Reply Thread Link I mean, there have been exemptions for other people, generally Olympic gold medalists and like award winning classical musicians. The debate is kind of like 'ok so what is the difference between an award winning classical musician and an award winning pop group'? But yes, I agree that military enlistment shouldn't be compulsory for anyone. Reply Parent Thread Link I agree with your last sentence so much. It should not be compulsory for anyone. In the entire world. Reply Parent Thread Link They used to have a celebrity sector for these people back in the day in the military. Until Se7en and a bunch of them got caught soliciting prostitutes and shit. Thats why the got rid of it and never brought it back. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I love BTS but they really should just go and enlist, all 7 at once. ARMY is so large and devoted that I doubt their fan base will take that much of a hit, especially because HYBE has loads of footage in the vault. I know some people think that domestic opinion wont matter for them but I really do think that the backlash would cause irreparable damage to them as a group and brand. They already look like draft dodgers and its getting sketchy. Literally no Korean man wants to enlist, but everyone has to. And the new Twitter army are so fucking obnoxious that they wont shut up if this happens. That COO should have kept his mouth shut tho, what a fucking moron Edited at 2022-04-28 03:48 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Damn your icon is taking me back to wasting my life on ontd_twatlight lol Reply Parent Thread Link Right I never put my birthday in so it still gives me the 18+ warning when Im 30 LMAO Reply Parent Thread Link It was a better time lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The compromise will probably be like what happened with Son Heung-mi where BTS goes and does the basic training and calls it a day. It's not like the SK government really wants BTS to go and BTS is like 'no!'. BTS brings in a ton of money and I suspect the conflict is more the government is trying to figure out how to keep that gravy train flowing without the other major companies making a fuss about why their groups don't get exemptions. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not to mention their comeback would be HUGE if all seven enlisted at the same time. It really is the best case scenario. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, and I just find it weird that it seems like the principal reason for them maybe not enlisting is that theyre popular in the west? Kpop and Kdramas have been bringing in money to Korea for years now. Many male kpop acts have conquered Japan and China (two huge markets) but because BTS is getting more mainstream western media attention theyre more deserving of not enlisting somehow? I truly do not understand. Reply Parent Thread Link That "fam tour" shit is the same thing that got Netflix in trouble over that whole Emily in Paris mess so it doesn't surprise me that there's an investigation going on. Also, how much is health insurance in S. Korea? Because 22k for health insurance premiums sounds like a bit much. Reply Thread Link They have a universal healthcare system that covers the majority of a persons medical costs. You usually have to basically cover the copay or service fee. A percentage of your income is taxed to cover the insurance so thats why he owes a lot. Reply Parent Thread Link OK, that makes sense. Thank you! Reply Parent Thread Link I am only speculating, but what is the costs were related to his emergency surgery and Covid? I had to go to the emergency room recently and the insurance company is figuring out how much of the $14k for 4 hours I am going to have to pay. (I am in America, for clarity.) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Bless you, this post is doing the most. Anyway, comeback June 10th!! Mark your calendars! Edited at 2022-04-28 03:49 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link this is a pretty standard post for a celebrity news site Reply Parent Thread Link But not for BTS on this site. It was, actually, an interesting objective post. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah this user is a little annoying when it comes to their BTS standom. You can enjoy a musical act while allowing not-all-positive conversations to happen around them Im assuming were all adults here so Im not getting it Edited at 2022-04-28 05:50 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link The celebrities are disposable. The gossip is priceless. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm trying hard to think of valid critiques of draft dodging and unless it's someone who is publicly "pro-war/invasion" etc, i dont see it as a problem Reply Thread Link The point is that it's something that every male in S. Korea has to do and the fact that they are a popular group means nothing to me when there's been popular groups in the past where the members had to leave the group to serve. Why should BTS get a pass when others have not? Reply Parent Thread Link "Why should BTS get a pass when others have not?" that's fair. as someone who will likely never be part of any draft for a variety of reasons, I feel like it's not my place to criticize ppl who are coerced to serve the state in that way. even if they aren't doing it bc for "anti war" reasons. But if anyone has any good reading on any push within SK to end the draft, I would appreciate any tips Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because there has never been a group like them? I like them, I am not a crazy stan, but there has never been a Kpop group that broke through like this Unless you count SuperM... oh wait. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My favorite actor is Korean and recently returned from enlistment. It was awful. From seeing him sob while saying goodbye at the height of his career to missing out on everything for the next 2 years. And even now that he's back, the setbacks have been unreal because filming takes time, so it's now been 3 full years of a stalled-out career. But this is just the way it is. This is what they all have to do. Until BTS, I guess. This is why so many people are against them getting special treatment. Why should every other actor/singer/group and their fans have to go through this struggle while the most famous (and most capable of bouncing back) group in the world flips them off as they skate by? There are so many young acts who are forced to leave their careers and struggle to find their way back once it's over. ETA: And don't get me started on the ignorant take Army has about South Korea going down in flames without BTS to keep them financially comfortable and culturally relevant. Edited at 2022-04-28 04:54 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I see it as problem if poor people have to do it Reply Parent Thread Link eta: Psy posted this teaser That That prod.&ft. and Starring SUGA of BTS 2022.04.29 (Fri) 6PM KST#PSY # #ThatThat#9 #PSY9th #220429_6pmKST#PNATION # pic.twitter.com/ERMXIi8m1x PSY (@psy_oppa) April 28, 2022 Edited at 2022-04-28 04:07 am (UTC) Also, Psy's new album comes out April 29th and Suga produced and featured on the title track.eta: Psy posted this teaser Reply Thread Link Min PD did that! Gotta give it to him. Reply Parent Thread Link I unironically love Psy. Reply Parent Thread Link Less deserving public figures means ppl with a touch more sane fanbase lmao? Ultimately I support them getting exempted because a) nobody needs to be forced into the military, especially during their peak/youth and b) kpop landscape will change if they get an exemption (I personally think other groups fans will start artificially generating the same achievements the way Armys did). Its wild to see armys downplaying Jimin not paying his taxes tho. They keep mentioning hes too rich to not pay taxes as if most of not all tax dodgers are the rich. Reply Thread Link It wasn't taxes? It was health insurance premiums? Which isn't like amazing, but it's also not tax evading. eta: ok I phrased this badly because the health insurance is based on income and so it is kind of like taxes, but idk. I'm skeptical that it was intentional on his part because I don't think he's managing his own finances like that. Edited at 2022-04-28 04:01 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I'm still confused over that like was he not getting text messages about his bill like.... they said they sent him msgs unless he's like me and deletes said msgs and then forgets to pay... so many questions Reply Parent Thread Link It's same as taxes, but it should be handled by his employer tbh. It is paid 50/50 with the employer and you literally get your salary after national health insurance, income and local taxes, pension, and other fees are deducted and submitted to the related instances by the employer. Plus they do recalculation of the national health insurance and long-term care insurance every year based on the change of income (literally had this last week wasn't happy at the April paycheck at all after all deductions). Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The original article said "celebrities", I changed it because one of the arguments is that the sons of rich families regularly bend the rules to do alternative service and that too is perceived as unfair. Edited at 2022-04-28 04:16 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Theres no way kpop landscape will change, thats some wishful thinking. If anything, itll only help groups from bigger companies while the majority will just have to join the military. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't think any group has what BTS has. I don't know why, is it serendipity when a phenomenon occurs? Like the Beatles, Backstreet Boys, NSync, One Direction, Nirvana, Foo Fighters? What makes one group doing essentially the same thing explode and another just make a blip? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link this post is bait. Jimin wasnt dodging paying his health insurance premiums (not taxes) the company was in charge of paying them and didnt pay them. They've even admitted it was their fault. everything in this post is either fully incorrect or twisted to seem bad when its not Reply Parent Thread Link Also also... I REALLY wanted the New Era x BTS merch, specifically the Dodgers hat but lmao I was sleeping when it was released and when I woke up, it was sold out. oops. Reply Thread Link damn girl, I wish I was as invested as you are to flood any post regarding my faves Sadly, I don't have faves Keeping your tactics in mind for future use though Reply Parent Thread Link This isn't any post? this is post about BTS? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link DRAFT HA! Reply Thread Link The only that does raise a side eye is the journalists one. He paid off his insurance and his personal information shouldn't have been leaked. Don't understand the real estate one since rich people always invest in properties....I can't blame them for not wanting to waste 2 years of their life in the stupid ass military. They probably should serve though or else their career in Korea is probably over. I don't know why they didn't serve during the pandemic, so dumb on their part. Reply Thread Link The journalists thing is kind of eyebrow raising. But I got a good laugh at Dispatch coming out and confirming they booked their hotel tickets for the Vegas trip themselves and before Hybe offered this up. Like even dispatch is like not us, man. I think itll be more sketch if its just dropped. Like a violation or not, it needs to be looked into. And while youre absolutely right about Jimins personal info leaking being really bad, I what does hybe think its doing? Not telling the guy he owed taxes? Like I get him being overseas, but no one out a reminder in their phone? Four times? Ive seen a good handful of people losing a lot of faith in hybe lately (more knetz than I fans) and then this came out Reply Parent Thread Link Reiterate.... it was not taxes. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link They should never have had faith in publicly owned corporation that is very far away from being the struggling underdog in Kpop and is now a super rich, politically connected octopus. BTS is one group in what was always an agency, not a social movement, despite any marketing or good intentions. The rest of this stuff is trying very hard to make a "scandal". Reply Parent Thread Link Hybe has been giving Disney vibes for a long time now. No one should trust a corporation of that size, regardless how much someone might love bts. Reply Parent Thread Link Hybe/Big Hit went public and BTS was their only true motivation for their stock price. They needed them available for two online concerts and a self-produced pandemic variety show as well, that all were the primary revenue sources for the company, which had just swallowed a bunch of other agencies and that was, at that time, making a play for recently available SM Entertainment (they got blocked later from that). So while you are totally right, Hybe couldn't afford to let them enlist and actually still can't. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I don't get how speculative investing can be suspicious? I looked it up and its just... Property investment? I wasn't clear on what was suspicious about it, the article just drops thay word in and doesn't provide any details at all lol Maybe I don't know enough bout it? Reply Parent Thread Link Sounds like Jimin should have asked his BFF Model Taxpayer Taemin for some advice lol Reply Thread Link STOPPPP LMAO Reply Parent Thread Link waitttttt whats the tea on taemin and taxes?? Reply Parent Thread Link https://www.koreaboo.com/news/shinee-taemin-receives-2021-model-taxpayer-award/ Nothing bad. He really got a model taxpayer award last year. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link there's no tea, he's just awarded as a model taxpayer lol Reply Parent Thread Link Gosh, I wish that exempted Taemin! My heart hurts for him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Most of the Korean people support BTS doing alternate service by the way according to Guardian Reply Thread Link They should just make them ambassadors and have them do what theyre doing with the UN stuff but on a 18 month long term. They can be the rep for Korea while serving. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, thats much better than my military band idea! I dont support drafts or stan BTS, but its a sticky situation if their peers are going while they continue to defer Reply Parent Thread Link Highly doubt them being a military ambassador will b good given the controversies surrounding the South Korean military right now. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ive see posts that have 10k+ saying it was bullshit they were possibly getting exempt. I dont think the guardian knows what theyre talking about because there is a significant division of this topic. theyre going to be met with backlash from those that served and their families. its not at all a win for them. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link male idols from other companies already get breaks by enrolling in some questionable online degree programs to delay things when it comes to when they enlist, and then a lot of them either go into the military band or end up doing non-active duty social work placements. ppl like Minho from SHINee who end up going to the Marines are the rarest of cases lol i understand that BTS practically prints money but as long as everyone isn't in at the same time and do their enlistments in 2 legs where the older half of the group goes first and then the younger half does their time, there's no reason why they can't make subunits and have the members who are out keep working and making money? Reply Thread Link tbh, I think if they have to go, they're going together. their co-dependent asses were already being dramatic about Jin's hand surgery meaning he couldn't fully do the choreo in Las Vegas. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao "their co-dependent asses" even more reason for them to enlist together!! Reply Parent Thread Link i mean, can jin ever do full choreo lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Doing subunits is not a part of their brand. They're so attached at the dicks they'll all go together. Reply Parent Thread Link The purpose of the study might have been shady, but people who defer because of studying were just doing that: deferring. They still had to enlist eventually. Some kpop stars become public service officers, which covers stuff from being a police officer, to admin work, to caring for disabled children and the elderly etc, and while becoming a marine might be rare, active service isn't. Reply Parent Thread Link Bribing journalists for positive press wow Id be absolutely shocked!! Not. Reply Thread Link in kpop? Never Reply Parent Thread Link i'm shocked the army haven't started raising funds to try this Reply Parent Thread Link Make them enlist so a new group can have a chance. The stan wars when they finish their service will be epic. Reply Thread Link My bets are on Ateez or stray kids blowing up, maybe nct if one of their units stays together to consistently release music Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I really dont want Ateez to go big like BTS, so I hope not. Tho getting more recognition I think its ok. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Itll be stray kids probably but itd be nice if it were some random ass group like kingdom. Reply Parent Thread Link Id wager ATEEZ or Stray Kids for fourth gen blowing up, too. And NCT is a complicated group to walk into. Like, hi, hello, here are our 20+ members, but they do pretty decently internationally. Like someone posted they hoped every group announced their tours before NCT and Im like YES, then I may have a chance because then everyone will be broke! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i dealt with being a debut army and couldn't handle the annoying ass people and clout chasers that came into the fandom as bts grew, i don't think i would ever get into another kpop group if the same happened with ateez or even skz Reply Parent Thread Link Well stray kids I could see happening, like bts they have plenty of their own controversies and racist shit they've said and done and stays are just as annoying as army so Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you so much for your thorough and informative posts on this case. I actually missed a lot of yesterday's trial because I've been so exhausted, so I'll be catching up with your help. I hope you're feeling better! Reply Thread Link I havent thought about Christian Carino since he and Gaga ended their engagement. Didnt expect him to testify in this. Reply Thread Link omg this is one of her ex fiances? Wow Reply Parent Thread Link The police being used as a 'gotcha' against Amber feels particularly grotesque. My mind cannot help but go to the recordings of Gabby Petito and her murderer. After the police reviewed their actions, they said they should have arrested her. After getting reports of him hitting her from concerned citizens, after she had literally been brutally murdered by this man, the police STILL maintain they should have punished Gabby with an humiliating arrest and criminal record. They will not ever act to protect women. Reply Thread Link Police were always useless when me and my mom when through domestic violence. 20 years later and nothing has changed. Reply Parent Thread Link My ex/abuser was a cop(10 years ago) and I called the cops(was young and didn't know what I know now) on one of the nights his violence was at its worst(he was drunk, and he never drank), they came, he flashed his badge, they left. As not only me, but also my sister who lived with us were both fucking terrified. Edited at 2022-04-28 01:34 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link god this just triggered me to remember that i was friends with a girl at school who lived with her sister and abusive mother. police did nothing to help, they were both underage at the time as well and didnt show any signs of injury, so the police thought nothing of it. they were both murdered by their mum Reply Parent Thread Expand Link also doesnt it even take hours to days for bruises to actually show? was the picture taken the same day? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm still baffled by the fact they sent not one but two male officers It should be mandatory for at least one female officer to be present for such call Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I keep thinking about how many other DV calls these cops have responded to and didn't think anything happened :( Reply Parent Thread Link 40% of officers are abusive Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I still have trauma from the one time the police showed up during an argument between my mom and my ex-stepdad because those dumbfucks didn't think sending a lone male police officer to question a teen girl in her nightgown, alone, in her bedroom, at 2am, was a bad idea. cops are fucking useless and absolute idiots Reply Parent Thread Link If I'm not mistaken, there have been leaked messages between him and Depp where Depp says some pretty disturbing things about Elon Musk, and while idgaf about musk, I remember finding it nauseating. It's pretty weird when people talk about how "waaaah the litigation has a bad impact" k, so tell depp to stop suing people for literally nothing. Reply Thread Link Woah I wonder if what he said could cause friction between the Depp stans and the Musk stans if what Depp said was that bad. #TeamNoOne in that fight, lets hope it's mutually assured destruction. Reply Parent Thread Link [ mention of genital mutilation ] slice Mollusk's (Elon Musk's) dick I just checked the court documents from the UK trial and he threatens toso... pretty bad Reply Parent Thread Link He's testifying for Heard isn't he? Reddit bros are gonna lose their shit seeing their nasty idols up against each other Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'll make popcorn Reply Parent Thread Link Adding to the Musk stuff: I'm confused about how her not loving Musk is relevant at all to this case. She dated a guy after her marriage ended that she didn't love. Isn't that pretty standard? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Rich of Depp to chuckle when the guy said he just wanted this to end, when he's the one dragging this out. Reply Thread Link This is honestly the stuff that drives me the craziest. His fans keep promoting this narrative that Johnny is being so brave while he's being "forced" to endure this. I've never before seen gaslighting on such a global level. It's honestly making me feel insane. Reply Parent Thread Link his lack of self awareness is so amazing Reply Parent Thread Link he's so fucking coked out in that elevator video and has the gall to say he doesn't have a drug problem (!!!!!!). Im aware of him being tardy but hes been tardy for everything his entire life. oh well if he ALWAYS does it then it's ok i guess. "I just want him to know I loved him and that I am sorry." it's such a classic cycle of abuse. :( everything about her being a victim of his abuse is so crystal clear and it makes me feel crazy that no one's seeing it. i just snapped at a coworker I really liked bc she just saw me reading this post and said "they're both terrible". Reply Thread Link The second they read that second text my heart dropped. I know that, for anyone familiar with abuse, it's almost added proof that this was the dynamic, but the vast majority of people just don't understand the psychology of it and think it's proof she's lying. Fucking awful. Reply Parent Thread Link I understand not everyone is educated or experienced with abuse and trauma but I just have zero patience for anyone who isnt fully at my level at this stage. Like if you are not a survivor or a dedicated professional in the field who applies a victim-centred trauma-informed lens to their approach, do not speak about this trial or GBV/SA around me. Ever. All these woke-ass, let me list the ways Im victimized and traumatized on a daily level in my carrd folks cant even keep up the performance of giving a shit about anything beyond themselves when an actual abused woman speaks out in her own defence. Reply Parent Thread Link 100%. It took all of my strength and work Id done in therapy not to reach out to my ex this last time with texts like this - apologizing even though Id done nothing wrong but at the time believing I was a pos and nothing without him. And I just know some people will take this as like, well no way she was actually abused if she wanted to go back with him!!! Edited at 2022-04-28 05:10 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I love that he describes it as 'tardy' like... If you're consistently 8-9 hours late, i think that's more than a lil tardy. At that point you may as well just not show up lol Reply Parent Thread Link how you can be 9 hours late and put an entire crew out is amazingly selfish and should tell you immediately depp has no regard for anyone else but himself Edited at 2022-04-29 09:53 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link one of my closest friends is getting dangerously close to me snapping at them to not discuss this trial whatsoever around me bc it's actually fucking triggering Reply Parent Thread Link I am so mentally exhausted by this trial so I cant imagine how Amber is keeping it together. And though its unsurprising, all her peers keeping silent and not showing her public support is vile. Care says, Im aware of him being tardy but hes been tardy for everything his entire life. He says that while it does cause problems for studios and people on set, people have learned how to deal with it. Only (white) men can get away with this level of unprofessionalism. Reply Thread Link her peers know itll damage them and that theyll be attacked for showing any sort of support or affection towards her. its so horrible but its been happening since the allegations began. i think their agencies stop them too Reply Parent Thread Link i can't believe people just accept his unprofessionalism. meanwhile i was 2 minutes late to join a meeting and it's the end of the world Reply Parent Thread Link well, sis, look at it this way youre beyonce and thus more important Reply Parent Thread Expand Link no no he's the utmost professional!!!! he doesnt fall in love with his co stars!! or well, if he does... him and vanessa's relationship was over anyway!! he doesnt show up late!! or well, if he does, it's okay bc it's johnny babyyyyy its what he doesssssss he knows his lines!! or well, if he doesn't, we can feed them to him in his ear! the mental gymnastics people do to support this fucking piece of shit is amazing, especially considering he already lost a court case about this in the uk. just. what. Reply Parent Thread Link apparently emma roberts liked one of amber's instagram posts and it was such a gotcha! moment for the deppford wives since emma abused evan peters, therefore this is proof that amber is the abuser in this scenario rme the others tho... crickets tho i can't say i'm entirely surprised tbh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That statement about learning to deal with it is stupid and a lie. It costs studios millions of dollars. I highly doubt they want to deal with that big of a waste of money. Which is why he isnt getting much work. It wont change even if he pulls of an undeserved win here. Reply Parent Thread Link i remember amanda de cadenet throwing amber under the bus after those out of context tapes were leaked by johnny's team. they were friends, too. Reply Parent Thread Link I had not actually watched any of this shitbag's testimony because he doesn't deserve an ounce of the attention he's so fucking desperate for but I was somewhere that was playing Inside Edition the day before yesterday and watching this loser attempt to outsmart the lawyer questioning him, realize a few seconds too late (bc his brain is fucking TOAST) that he had failed and then try and joke/charm his way past the moment was truly something. The loser can't even do it anymore, even his little band of sycophants in the courtroom couldn't muster up more than a couple of small laughs. Absolutely pathetic, the world is a worse place because he's in it and I can only hope that problem is rectified soon cause god knows what state his organs are in from decades of abuse. Edited at 2022-04-28 12:27 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Any time he tries to demand a date for audio, it's like... bro, this isn't how it works. If your counsel is concerned, they'll speak up, but you're not cross-examining her lawyers. Answer the question. Reply Parent Thread Link I think you refer to Carino as both Care and Carey in a few parts of the text, OP! Unless you meant to, in which case ignore me. Reply Thread Link thank you! i got confused at one point when writing up my notes and must've forgotten to correct all the times i wrote the incorrect name. fixed now! Reply Parent Thread Link The Guardian is generally my go to for factual news, but their reporting of this trial has been pretty dismal so far - theyre reporting all the bullshit without questioning it or making any attempt to show that its bullshit. Its really disappointing and infuriating. OP, you are truly a shining light in this cesspit of a trial. Edited at 2022-04-28 12:40 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Same, and it's extremely disappointing. They are considered to be one of the least biased major news sources here, but most of the articles I've seen on this subject have been very thinly veiled pro-Depp pieces. Reply Parent Thread Link The one about the psychiatrists testimony a couple of days ago was a bloody disgrace. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The Guardian also spews a lot of transmisogyny. They featured a piece about how trans lesbians are supposedly "pressuring" cis lesbians for sex and the only woman named in the article used the example of being asked to do a scene (in a porn movie) with a trans woman and turning it down. Then it turned out she's actually a well-known serial sexual assaulter. Everything there needs to be taken individually by author. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link op you deserve a pulitzer for these! it's some of the most balanced reporting i've seen Reply Thread Link I am so tired of seeing pro-Depp sentiments everywhere, I hope the tide turns and everyone can at least agree that the two of them are incredibly toxic to each other all of this is so messed up I wouldn't be surprised if somehow they end up together again within a year Reply Thread Link I wouldn't be surprised if somehow they end up together again within a year It's awful, but I had the same thought. You can tell Depp is still in love with her and that's a huge part of what this is about. He's even jealous of her male lawyer. I guarantee you that he goes home and texts friends vile comments about how she's probably f*cking him. I don't even blame Amber for still likely being in love with him. Abuse is such a mindf*ck. Reply Parent Thread Link I wouldn't say he is "in love with her", feels icky given he's her abuser. obsessed, that I see, Reply Parent Thread Expand Link can at least agree that the two of them are incredibly toxic to each other i actually genuinely fucking loathe this line of thinking, it is SO clear that amber is the victim here Reply Parent Thread Expand Link someone a few posts back said i wonder if in 10 years the tide will change like the britney situation and everyone will talk about how wrong it was that no one backed amber. i could 100% see that happening Reply Parent Thread Link Im pretty sure Amber would never get back with him, shes worked hard to move on. But abusive is a head fuck. My abusive ex, for the year after we broke up would come in and out of my life. It made me sick and would take all my strength not to respond. Once we started talking again the cycle was in full swing, and before I knew it things were heading towards romance. I knew it wasnt healthy, my therapist knew I was talking to her, but none of my friends because I knew they would flip. It wasnt like I was happy I was a mess! I had daily panic attacks like I was a mess and couldnt eat and when it was finally over for good it was like everything came crashing down, again. Its been 2 years, she is blocked on every social media site, my phone, all my emails. And yet still she reaches out at least because she misses me and wants to be friend. A mutual told me shes in a relationship and I hope that her current gf is okay. That shes worked on herself too. A codependent trauma bond with your abuser is so so hard to break and Ive worked damn hard to break it, I cant imagine what it would have been like if wed gotten married. Reply Parent Thread Link Speaking on violence against women, I'm so pissed off because earlier today on a Qanon subreddit (for making fun of it mostly) someone posted how their Qanon believing neighbor shot their wife. This led to other people sharing their stories of knowing men who hurt or even killed their wives, including someone whose teacher beat the shit out of his wife when she wanted a divorce. But the poster made excuses saying he 'snapped' and how they tracked him down and now send him letters in prison, which people applauded. Someone finally spoke up how fucked up the discussion was and of course got downvoted. I thanked them for their comment and they're being upvoted now, but not as much as the fucked up comments. Reply Thread Link Fucking Reddit. Reply Parent Thread Link my friend tried to share a clip from reddit supposedly where heards lawyer objects to their own question and looks SO FOOLISH! but in reality depps team objects to it? like is this kind of misinformation everywhere? Reply Parent Thread Link well yeah, of course qanon reddit is gonna be full of psychos and freaks. who else would go there lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i've been reading these posts everyday and appreciate them so much op!! side note: learning more about what 'mutual abuse' really means has been vv educational. the way it seems the majority of ppl love to overuse it seems, if ascribed to a political context, centrist af. (sooo you can pretty much disregard those ppl is what i'm saying) Reply Thread Link Thank you so much, OP. I'm pretty disgusted by social media, making tiktoks and memes- this is a fucking defamation trial about domestic violence, you ghouls. And people cheering on Depp being snide and snarky with his lawyers- the lawyers are just doing their jobs and if it were anyone else, they would have already been criticized and reprimanded for contempt of court. It's like a fucking bizarro world. Reply Thread Link i've been told on twitter, that places like tiktok see "not interested" as engagement so it will continue to show you videos of that nature (so f*cking stupid if you ask me). best thing is to swipe as quickly as possible, or just block the accounts you do come across. i've found in the last 24 hours i've been seeing slightly less of him Reply Parent Thread Link This is VALUABLE info Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you! Reply Parent Thread Link Same with Instagram. If you report the videos then the algorithm doesnt show them (or shows them less) Reply Parent Thread Link The absolutely PSYCHOTIC recommendations on YouTube have been something else They really think hes their sassy sarcastic king and I want to scream and vomit. I want to scromit. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I hate that in literally every single group I'm in on FB, there's someone making a meme about it, and it's always pro-Johnny. The meme will mention Amber in some way, someone well intentioned who doesn't know who Amber is asks for it to be explained, and a "Deppwife" will rush in and spew their bullshit. It's in my dog groups, it's in my Pokemon groups, it's everywhere. Reply Parent Thread Link I remember I was staying pretty close to Hollywood Boulevard, near these really tacky vintage shops, and I started to buy these '60s and '70s, very feminine articles of clothing. So it's actually tied to fashionthat's how it began. "Marina referenced this movie by Wim Wenders called Paris, Texas where the protagonist had this wig on and was in a process of changing her personality, visually. "I literally created [the album] via Tumblr, that's no exaggeration... At that time, it was kind of coming towards its peak as this subversive platform that underground kids or non-mainstream kids would go on. I utilized that hugely, because I thought it was so interesting that I had access to essentially what other people are thinking about. I was also obsessed with how the zeitgeist has informed pop culture for so many years, so it really was an Internet album, to the highest degree." "I think of the album very joyfully and it's really my fan base, old and new, that have changed that for me. Move the cut up, please. Reply Thread Link done! hope it's okay now Reply Parent Thread Link Insatiable turned out SO MUCH BETTER than they had us believing. Still so mad they canceled it. Shocked to see it in this article. I just finished another rewatch of both seasons lol Reply Thread Link It never recovered from the initial trailer, tbh. I never watched it until after season 2 came out because I also assumed it was going to be an offensive mess. Reply Parent Thread Link YUP! I only watched it because I love Debby Ryan and I'm glad I did but the damage was done. Reply Parent Thread Link I discovered it a couple of months ago, waaay after its demise. I thought it had a decent cast and was a fun watch. People with an ed might feel different tho Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It really did. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I remember the reviews, I decided to check it out (season 2 had already premiered) and I liked it. I really wanted to see what they were gonna do with Patty's character. Reply Parent Thread Link Between Holland leaving and Bozoma Saint-John leaving after what less than a year, being a higher up at Netflix seems like hell if you're a woman. I've never watched more than one episode of their live action shows besides, of all things, Waffles and Mochi. I'm excited for Avatar, but with how quickly they're cancelling animated projects, if they cancel Redwall I STG Reply Thread Link they're doing redwall Reply Parent Thread Link tbf, Bozoma is always leaving some place. Reply Parent Thread Link Love to see karma at work Reply Thread Link I know for sure that its shut down, a union source told Deadline. Theyd rather shut down than sign a union contract. Theyre notoriously nonunion. sounds like cheaping out came to bite them in the ass ie: https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/122859488.html I know for sure that its shut down, a union source told Deadline. Theyd rather shut down than sign a union contract. Theyre notoriously nonunion. Reply Thread Link yeah, the article didn't address this but it seems like they were throwing all of their money at individual showrunners (in all those giant "first look" deals they made) and into awards campaigns, while cutting corners when it came to below-the-line crew members (surprise surprise) Reply Parent Thread Link Well, whoever canceled Santa Clarita Diet should have been fired.... out of a cannon into the sun. Reply Thread Link I will always be angry about this. We are least deserved a movie wrap up damn Reply Parent Thread Link I read on reddit that Drew Barrymore's production company wanted to buy the show and find another network for it but Netflix said no. Reply Parent Thread Link They were doing well, Netflix just didn't want to pay for the pay bumps for everyone for season 4! It's why so many Netflix shows are canceled after the 3rd season. Or, more recently, the 1st they just don't give a fuck anymore about quality, they just want quantity. Reply Parent Thread Link I'll always be bitter about that. Reply Parent Thread Link Futurama reference Reply Parent Thread Link anecdotally i barely watch any netflix originals anymore meanwhile hbo max is my new daddy Reply Thread Link i love hbo max i signed up with a $7.99 deal and they were like "just because, we're extending that $7.99 deal and you don't have to anything babe" Reply Parent Thread Link Nice! Meanwhile Netflix is gauging everybody. I still use my exs HBO though lmao. At least he was good for something! Reply Parent Thread Link HBO Max is 100% coming for their asses. Reply Parent Thread Link This. HBO's shows are quality. You can turn any of their big programs on and know you are getting a good ride. Meanwhile Netflix has thousands of things but its 99% shit. There are very few good shows and when they are they cancel them. The things they keep going like Stranger Things have honestly gone to shit. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link this is backed up with the article about their animation department from last week with projects not moving forward and the motto going from we want to be the home of your favorite show to we make things our subscribers want to see for their content fillers rather than quality material Reply Thread Link do you have a link? Reply Parent Thread Link I always wondered why no one has done a deep investigation of Netflix's messiness from the inside. Reply Thread Link This good content, thank you Reply Thread Link https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/netflix-just-cancelled-its-fourth-one-season-show-of-2022 Also, Netflix cancelled another show today Reply Thread Link The show is called Pretty Smart, for those who don't feel like clicking. Reply Parent Thread Link noooo it was so stupid I loved it Reply Parent Thread Link that's so sad for Emily Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I know it shouldn't, but I'm always surprised when people who deal with hundreds upon hundreds of people's careers and millions upon millions of dollars are just as big morons as your tiny office. Reply Thread Link Its funny but also sad. Like money is just set on fire as more and more people fall under the poverty line. Reply Parent Thread Link Yea there's incompetence at every level. Honestly no one who is even somewhat capable should have imposter syndrome, because that's still more capable than a lot of other people. Reply Parent Thread Link It took me way too long to come to the realization that big corps. are just like the small ones too. I witnessed too many incompetent people move up the ranks in small, medium and eventually big companies all because it was easier to promote from within than to spend the time, money and energy to either fire the person or hire an outsider. Reply Parent Thread Link justice for tuca & bertie Reply Thread Link FUCK YES. Reply Parent Thread Link didnt it get onto another network? Reply Parent Thread Link Yes and it's been renewed for s3! Still fuck netflix lol Reply Parent Thread Link even tho netflix should be more discerning with the content they churn out, I still pretty much live there. hulu, hbo and disney really don't have much to watch on there. I even have a year free of paramount and I've maybe watched it once. Reply Thread Link omg how did you get a free year? there's stuff on there i want to watch but i don't wanna pay lmao ETA and i'm too lazy to pirate Edited at 2022-04-28 08:05 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Same, honestly between the Real World and Reno 911 I'd be set for a while with Paramount Reply Parent Thread Link https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/paramount-plus-deal if you have t-mobile or sprint Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yeah I got a trial of paramount plus when I bought a new Roku recently and I watched some of the icarly reboot which was actually lowkey cute, but haven't been impressed with their offerings enough to keep it. I also have Hulu and they still have a couple of my old favorite shows and a handful of good originals, but I'm thinking of switching. Reply Parent Thread Link National COSH Announces Dirty Dozen Employers Amazon, Starbucks and Dollar General among National Council for Occupational Safety and Healths list. Yesterday, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) announced this years dirty dozen employers, companies who have unsafe work practices. According to a press release, the 12 employers are: Amazon (an Alabama site and nationwide) Atlantic Coast Utilities/Laurence Moloney (Boston, Massachusetts) Daikin America (Alabama) Dollar General (Nationwide) Ernst Nursery and Farms (Oregon) Foundation Food Group/Gold Creek Foods (Georgia) Hilton Hotels (Nationwide) Kingspan Light and Air (California) Liox Cleaners/Wash Supply Laundromat (New York) Mayfield Consumer Products (Kentucky) Refresco (New Jersey) Starbucks (Nationwide) This is Amazons third time on the list. Amazon is on the list because of an incident at a Bessemer, Alabama facility where six workers died and because of the higher-than-average injury rate. Some of the employers, such as Liox Cleaners/Wash Supply Laundromat, Refresco and Starbucks, are listed because they put workers at risk for COVID-19. Others made the list because employees died while on the job, such as at Ernst Nursery and Farms. Here, a worker died during a heat wave. At Mayfield Consumer Products, nine workers died after they were told to stay on site during a tornado. According to National COSH, in 2020, more than 4,700 workers died because of workplace incidents. It estimates that more than 95,000 workers die every year from long-term exposure to hazards and toxins. National COSH announced this during Workers Memorial Week, a week to remember those who lost their lives on the job, and one day before Workers Memorial Day. To learn more about the dirty dozen, read the press release. A rally in fuel prices that has mirrored the strong performance of crude since the start of the year is set to push U.S. refiners' profits high this year as demand continues to outpace supply. The first data is already in: Valero reported a twofold increase in its refining margin for the first quarter, which helped it book income that beat analyst expectations. The strong performance of one of the largest U.S. refiners was supported by tightening refining capacity, Reuters reported, on top of the already tight global supply of fuels. Strong performance reports are likely to continue, and not only for the first quarter, Reuters noted in a report on the U.S. refining industry. One reason for this was the oil price rally that began last year as global demand rebounded from pandemic lockdowns faster than most expected. Yet another big reason for the benefits that are still being reaped by U.S. refiners specifically was the gas crunch in Europe. With soaring prices for the commodity, which is used in refining processes, many European refiners had to cut their run rates, which meant a decline in the supply of products made with the participation of natural gas, notably distillates. U.S. refiners, on the other hand, had no such constraints thanks to ample domestic gas supply and enjoyed greater revenues from distillate production. In fact, distillate fundamentals have been so much in their favor that, Reuters reported earlier this month, refiners were planning to ramp up jet fuel and diesel fuel production this summer at the expense of gasoline. Related: Four Buyers In Europe Have Paid In Rubles For Russias Gas This may aggravate pain at the pump for drivers, but it will be in keeping with what businesses normally do when a product is in short supply and its price is higher: produce more of it. "Geopolitical dynamics should support U.S. refiners on wide natural gas spreads, though some impacts may be less visible with first-quarter earnings than in future quarters," a refining analyst with Cowen told Reuters. It is worth noting that the prices of natural gas in the United States are also on the rise because of the strong increase in exports of liquefied natural gas. However, even with a more than twofold increase in the benchmark price since November last year, natural gas remains a lot more affordable for U.S. refiners than it is for their European counterparts. The divide may yet deepen further after news broke this week that Gazprom has started suspending natural gas shipments to Europe, with Poland and Bulgaria the first to feel the pain. The news is bound to push up natural gas prices even further, affecting refiners' production. At the same time, it may boost the share of U.S. fuel marketers in Europe further as well. The U.S. is already exporting a lot more diesel to Europe than it used to, thanks to the industry tremors amid the war in Ukraine. With European refiners likely to remain under strong pressure from gas prices, these may increase substantially, especially in light of U.S. refiners' plans to boost diesel and jet fuel output this summer. "The U.S. is now acting as the barrel of last resort for an Atlantic Basin that scrambles to find alternatives to shunned Russian crude oil and petroleum products," Citi analysts said last week in a note. Meanwhile, the Energy Information Administration reported that exports of distillate fuels over the last two weeks had reached the highest since the middle of 2019, at more than 1.6 million bpd. Related: Bearish Momentum Grows, But Traders Remain Bullish On Crude What this means for Europe is that it is deepening its energy dependence on the United States, turning to its biggest ally for both gas, in the form of LNG, and oil, crude, and in the form of fuels. What it means for the U.S. is a huge new market for refiners' output at a time when prices for local consumers are already elevated because of crude oil's fundamentals. Eventually, these high prices may begin to cut into refiners' margins, especially as they combine with regular spring maintenance, Reuters noted in its report on the refining industry. High crude oil prices mean high refinery feedstock costs, and at some point, these may offset the cheaper natural gas used in the production of distillates. "Actual price outcomes will depend on the degree to which existing sanctions imposed on Russia, any potential future sanctions, and independent corporate actions affect Russia's oil production or the sale of Russia's oil in the global market," the EIA wrote in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook on the topic. In the same report, however, the EIA said it expected Brent crude to average $108 per barrel in the second quarter of the year, falling to $102 per barrel during the second half of the year. Yet, with the EU considering an embargo on Russian oil and Russian oil production falling more sharply than expected, prices may turn out to exceed this projection, dragging with the fuel prices as well. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPEC+ will most likely continue boosting oil production at the current rate of around 400,000 bpd at its next meeting. Citing unnamed sources close to the extended cartel, Reuters reported that OPEC will likely shake hands on expanding total output by some 432,000 bpd when it meet on Friday, May 6, with the increase to take effect in June. The production increase plan has been in place since last year when OPEC and its non-member partners, led by Russia, agreed to gradually restore their combined oil production to pre-pandemic levels. However, many group members have consistently failed to deliver the agreed production increases for various reasons, chief among them underinvestment and political trouble. Last month, for example, OPEC alone increased its combined production by just 57,000 bpd, of which 54,000 bpd came from Saudi Arabia. The UAE also increased its production but the African members of the cartel saw their output decline during the month. Nigeria, one of the bigger producers in OPEC, has a quota of 1.718 million bpd, but in March, it only pumped 1.354 million bpd. The total production of OPEC+ for March was 1.45 million bpd below the agreed level, on the back of Western sanctions against Russia, whose output during the month was 300,000 bpd below its quota at 10.018 million bpd. Russia expects its oil production to shrink by 17 percent this year because of the sanctions, Reuters reported earlier this week, citing a document produced by the countrys economy ministry. That would mean an average daily production rate of between 8.68 million bpd and 9.5 million bpd. There are only two members of the OPEC+ group that could potentially fill the gap: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Both, however, have refused to heed calls from large importers to boost production by more than their OPEC+ quotas. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Some of the biggest crude oil exporters in the Middle East are significantly raising their diesel exports to Europe, which is scrambling for fuel amid a massive crunch after Russia invaded Ukraine. The diesel crunch in Europe due to the sanctions on Russia has upended the oil product markets globally. Diesel refining margins have quadrupled since the beginning of the year as major buyers of diesel are either shunning all energy products coming from Russia or expecting some kind of embargo on Russian oil. In a very tight market for distillates, Middle Eastern crude producers are ramping up diesel exports, which would alleviate the crunch and offset the loss of supply from Russia. Diesel volumes from the Middle East to Europe in April are expected to more than double to 379,000 barrels a day (bpd), offsetting an expected loss of 166,000 bpd of Russian diesel supply, according to loading schedules and tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The Arab Gulfs diesel exports to Europe are set this month for their highest level since October 2020, per Bloomberg estimates. Russia is still expected to be the single biggest supplier of diesel to Europe in April, with more than 600,000 bpd. Yet, the sanctions, self-sanctioning, and the threat of an embargo could further reduce Russian supply, exacerbating the diesel crunch in Europe. Diesel exports out of Primorsk, Russias key fuel shipments port on the Baltic Sea, are likely to slump by as much as 30 percent in May, a loading plan seen by Bloomberg showed on Thursday. Meanwhile, 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. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: President Xi calls for advancing infrastructure development Xinhua) 08:20, April 28, 2022 BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and director of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs (CCFEA), presided over the 11th meeting of the CCFEA on Tuesday to discuss matters on comprehensively advancing infrastructure development and implementing decisions and plans made by the CCFEA since the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017. Infrastructure is the bedrock for economic and social development. It is essential to coordinate development and security and optimize the layout, structure, function and development mode of infrastructure to develop a modern infrastructure system, thus laying a solid foundation for fully building a modern socialist country, Xi stressed. The CCFEA is an important institution for the CPC Central Committee to exercise leadership over economic work. All regions and departments must fully understand the commission's decisions and plans and take concerted efforts to put them into practice. Premier Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, and deputy director of the CCFEA, Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and also a member of the CCFEA, Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, and also a member of the CCFEA, attended the meeting. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources delivered reports on advancing infrastructure development. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the People's Bank of China delivered reports on the implementation of the CCFEA's decisions and plans since 2017. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, China has made a series of world leading achievements in major sci-tech facilities, water conservancy projects, transportation hubs, information infrastructure and national strategic reserves, witnessing leapfrog progress in its overall infrastructure development, according to the meeting. But it's important to note that China's infrastructure development still falls short of the needs of the national development and security. Advancing infrastructure development is of great significance to ensuring national security, facilitating economic flows, promoting positive interplay between domestic circulation and international circulation, expanding domestic demand and promoting high-quality development. The commission stressed that at present and for some time to come, we must stick to the people-centered development philosophy and stay focused on solving problems and achieving goals. We also need to balance development and security imperatives, ensure systematic planning and overall coordination, and shore up weak links in a targeted way. It called for improving the layout, structure, function and development mode of infrastructure, and mobilizing all of society to build a modern infrastructure network, which should ensure not only economic benefits, but also social, ecological and security benefits. All these will serve major national strategies, support economic and social development and lay a solid foundation for building a modern socialist country in all respects. The commission underlined the need to stay future-oriented while advancing infrastructure development. We will increase support for development and protection of territorial space, distribution of productive forces and major national strategies, and speed up the construction of new types of infrastructure while upgrading traditional ones. It is necessary to act proactively, it said. Plans will be made for building infrastructure that helps drive industrial development and safeguard national security, but the pace of forward planning should be kept appropriate. Sound plans should be made. Following the new development philosophy, we will proceed from a full lifecycle perspective to balance the layout of all types of infrastructure and promote interconnectivity, shared growth through collaboration, coordination and interaction, said the commission. A multi-pronged approach should be taken to advance infrastructure development at different levels on a categorized basis by fully leveraging the roles of government and market, central and regional authorities, as well as public and private capital. Benefits count. We will consider economic benefits over a broad horizon, and improve the comprehensive returns of infrastructure projects throughout their entire lifecycle. We must improve all types of networks as part of China's infrastructure, such as those for transportation, energy and water conservancy, with a focus on increasing their interconnectivity, shoring up weak links and consolidating strong links, so as to increase their benefits, the commission noted. We will build the framework for national integrated multidimensional transportation networks at a faster pace. We will improve the planning and construction of coastal and inland harbors and waterways to upgrade the national water transportation system. We will develop distributed smart grids, build a series of new green, low-carbon energy bases, and improve the oil and gas pipelines quickly. We will accelerate the building of the framework and arteries of national waterways, with a focus on developing and modernizing major water sources, irrigated areas and flood detention basins. Infrastructure for information, science and technology, and logistics industries needs to be upgraded. Plans will be made to build facilities for a new generation of supercomputing, cloud computing, AI platforms, and broadband networks. The planning and construction of major sci-tech infrastructure will be advanced. We will build comprehensive transportation hubs as well as related collection, distribution, and transportation systems. We will also formulate plans to build a host of regional, general, and freight transport airports. Urban infrastructure will be improved to create high-quality living spaces in cities. It requires efforts to promote integrated transportation in city clusters, build convenient and highly efficient intercity rail networks, develop intra-city railways and urban rail transit systems, and build comprehensive road traffic systems. It is also important to construct underground utility tunnels in an orderly manner and develop the systems for urban flood control, drainage, as well as sewage and garbage collection and disposal. Moreover, efforts will be redoubled to build disaster prevention and mitigation infrastructure, public health emergency facilities, and smart infrastructure of road, power supply, public transportation. Agricultural and rural infrastructure will also be improved so that modernized infrastructure will advance agricultural and rural modernization. We will improve farmland irrigation and water conservancy, build high-standard cropland, and ensure rural roads are well built, managed, maintained, and operated to upgrade rural transportation systems. We will also speed up construction of urban and rural cold-chain logistics facilities, launch large-scale water supply projects, and further build rural sewage and garbage collection and treatment facilities. In addition, we must strengthen the national security infrastructure and move faster to enhance our ability to respond to extreme situations. The commission stressed the need to increase support for infrastructure development. Under the unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we will establish a coordination mechanism for major infrastructure development, to coordinate infrastructure planning and development in various sectors and regions and ensure the supply of land, sea, energy and other resources and factors of production. To meet the financing needs for infrastructure development, we will expand long-term financing channels, increase fiscal input, and better secure the fund for the development of major national infrastructure projects. We will also standardize the public-private partnership (PPP) model to ensure its development in transparency, and guide private capital into the operation of municipal utilities. We must pursue innovation-driven growth, increase research and development in core technologies, and make sure our infrastructure-related technologies are self-supporting and their risks are better controlled. It is necessary to cultivate a host of scientists and researchers, expand the team of skilled workers, and train a large number of outstanding engineers. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, the CCFEA has carried out in-depth studies on a number of major issues of fundamental and far-reaching significance and provided strategic guidance, the commission noted. To strengthen the leadership of the CPC Central Committee over economic work, we need to emphasize political guidance and adopt a holistic approach. We also need to coordinate development and security, formulate sound strategies, and advance innovation in practice and theory. Moreover, both short-term and long-term needs must be taken into account, both symptoms and root causes addressed, and all policies implemented to the letter. The commission stressed the need to coordinate development and security and bear firmly in mind the possibility of worst scenarios. It is important to strengthen the capacity to forecast and preempt major risks and draw up feasible contingency plans and measures. All regions and departments should grasp the essence of the commission's decisions and plans, take on responsibilities, act proactively, and work together to put into practice these decisions and plans. Evaluation and supervision should be tightened to properly balance efforts in all sectors so that problems will be addressed as soon as they arise. Evaluations should be based on practical results to ensure decisions and plans are fully implemented. It is essential to appropriately guide market expectations, clarify the orientation and principles of policy, and maintain market confidence. Inspections should also be strengthened and follow-up oversight be carried out to ensure effectiveness in policy implementation. Other members of the commission attended the meeting and leading officials of relevant central departments were also present. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) While the government has moved to shut down as many illegal refineries as they can, critics claim that they need to focus on providing alternatives for those people who have been pushed to steal oil. Illegal refineries have been plaguing Nigeria for years. The government has repeatedly tried to curb clandestine refining activities and has reduced the number of operations substantially in recent years. But several clandestine refineries still exist, presenting a clear danger to those working informally in the oil industry. Nigeria drew global attention this month as 100 people died because of an explosion at an illegal refinery in the Abaezi forest in the southeast of the country. In addition, many of the vehicles waiting to purchase the fuel were burnt. This is just the most recent of incidents. In October, around 25 people were killed at a different illegal refinery in the region. Due to high unemployment and poverty rates across the Niger Delta, illegal refining activities have become commonplace. Locals tap the crude oil from pipelines of oil majors running through the region to refine and sell. This has had the twofold impact of causing many deaths, due to the dangerous nature of the activities, and polluting the environment across the region. The crude is highly flammable, meaning the slightest spark can cause a huge explosion and widespread devastation. The scale of the issue is clear, with Nigeria losing approximately 200,000 bpd, or 10 percent of its daily output, due to vandalism and the tapping of oil pipelines. In 2019, it is estimated that Nigeria lost around 40 million barrels of crude, equivalent to around $2.77 billion. In addition to the structural problems in the country, many locals are simply fed up with international companies coming in and taking national resources, while they see little of the profits being reinvested in the region. Many believe that if Big Oil comes in and pollutes the land, then they should be able to do the same, earning revenue from Nigerias natural resources. Illegal oil bunkering, as it is known, is viewed as Nigerias most profitable private business. The crude being siphoned from pipelines can earn locals $15 to $20 per barrel. In addition, there are few costs involved as the government and oil majors have already invested in largescale oil infrastructure across the Niger Delta. Nigerias oil industry has existed for over 60 years, with international energy firms investing heavily in developing the sector over that time. It currently has 18 operational pipelines and is the worlds 11th biggest producer. The petroleum industry contributes around 9 percent of Nigerias GDP. With an industry this big, its no wonder that communities living in poverty are dissatisfied with the reinvestment seen in the country over the last decades, leading them to take the situation into their own hands. The Nigerian government has been working hard to curb this major criminal industry. Earlier this year, the government attempted to curb the trend of illegal refining, particularly as the impact of the activities on air pollution is worsening across the Rivers state region. The government succeeded in halting operations at 128 of 142 illegal refining locations identified by destroying the sites. The next month, reports suggested that the military had deactivated 30 more sites across the Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Abia States. Related: U.S. Recession Fears May Be Overblown It's clear the government is cracking down on illegal operations, but it doesnt seem to be enough to put a stop to these types of activities. With such widespread poverty, many simply move from one illegal refinery to the next, well aware that they can make a decent living from tapping oil pipelines despite the high risk involved. Some environmental groups are now pressuring the government to open small-scale refineries to create jobs and encourage locals to find formal work in the oil industry. They believe that simply destroying illegal refineries will not put an end to illegal operations without replacing them with better working opportunities. At the beginning of the year, Governor Nyesom Wike provided around $1.1 million in funding to support 23 local governments in fighting oil bunkering. He suggested that destroying the sites was the only way to stop operations. But little effort has been made to create new opportunities across the oil regions. While Nigeria presents perhaps the worst case of oil bunkering, similar issues are faced by several governments around the world. In Mexico, for example, oil theft has been on the rise as oil prices have increased. Oil theft or huachicoleo supports violent crime in Mexico as it is often driven by criminal gangs due to the lucrative nature of the activities. The situation led President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to make curbing huachicoleo a core pledge of his 2018 election campaign. Meanwhile, oil theft in Colombia increased last year as supplies of Venezuelan gasoline were halted. Nigeria has the most widespread activities of illegal oil refining worldwide, causing the government to lose billions of dollars every year as well as wreaking havoc on the environment. While the government attempts to tackle the crime, the failure to reinvest oil revenues into the Niger Delta region or offer formal job opportunities continues to encourage locals to seek informal work in illegal refining, no matter the cost. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. Department of Energy has just authorized additional LNG exports from the planned Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Texas and Magnolia LNG Terminal in Louisiana. Over the last couple of years, natural gas has been viewed as a critical bridge in the transition to renewable energy, thanks to its more favorable emissions profile. Five years after the United States became a net exporter of natural gas on an annual basis, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that the United States is on track, for the first time ever, to become the world's top exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG) this year, with exports hitting a whopping 12.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) average to surpass Australia and Qatar for the top spot. Russia's war on Ukraine has supercharged the American LNG boom. Europe's natural gas demand has skyrocketed as the EU tries to lower its reliance on Russian natural gas following its invasion of Ukraine. Europe has displaced Asia as the top destination for the U.S. LNG, receiving 65% of total exports for the fourth straight month in April. The EU has pledged to reduce its consumption of Russian natural gas by nearly two-thirds before the year's end, while Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have vowed to eliminate Russian gas imports outright. The crisis has only deepened after Russia recently cut off the gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria, ostensibly for failing to pay for gas in roubles, sending European gas prices up more than 15%. The move marks a ratcheting up of tensions and could reduce supplies to Europe, as many pipelines pass through Poland en route to the rest of the continent. "The sooner everyone in Europe recognises that they cannot depend on Russia for trade, the sooner it will be possible to guarantee stability in European markets," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Energy has just authorized additional LNG exports from the planned Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Texas and Magnolia LNG Terminal in Louisiana as the U.S. seeks to boost LNG exports to Europe. Jointly owned by Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) and Qatar Petroleum, the $10B Golden Pass LNG export project is expected to become operational in 2024, while Magnolia LNG, owned by Glenfarne Group, will come online by 2026. The two terminals are expected to produce more than 3B cf/day of natural gas, although Magnolia is yet to sign contracts with customers. Related: Germany No Longer Opposed To Russian Oil Embargo Previously, American LNG developers were unwilling to construct self-financed liquefaction facilities that are not secured by long-term contracts from European countries. However, the Ukraine war has exposed Europe's soft underbelly and the harsh reality is forcing a rethink of their energy systems. To wit, Germany, Finland, Latvia, and Estonia recently expressed the desire to move forward with new LNG import terminals. Here are the top 3 LNG companies that are best placed to cash-in on the LNG boom. #1. Cheniere Energy Market Cap: $33.4B YTD Returns: 36.8% Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG) is an energy infrastructure company that primarily engages in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) related businesses in the United States. Cheniere is one of the few pure-play LNG companies in the United States; the company owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and the Corpus Christi LNG terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company also owns the Creole Trail pipeline, a 94-mile pipeline interconnecting the Sabine Pass LNG terminal with various interstate pipelines; and operates Corpus Christi pipeline, a 21.5-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG terminal with various interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines. Last month, the DoE approved expanded permits for Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana and its Corpus Christi plant in Texas. The approvals allow the terminals to export the equivalent of 0.72 billion cubic feet of LNG per day to any country with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement, including all of Europe. Cheniere says the facilities already are making more gas than is covered by previous export permits. #2. EQT Corp. Market Cap: $15.0B YTD Returns: 81.4% EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) operates as a natural gas production company in the United States. The company produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), including ethane, propane, isobutane, butane, and natural gasoline. As of December 31, 2021, EQT had 25.0 trillion cubic feet of proved natural gas, NGLs, and crude oil reserves across approximately 2.0 million gross acres, including 1.7 million gross acres in the Marcellus play. Last month, EQT Corp. unveiled a plan centered on producing more liquified natural gas by dramatically increasing natural gas drilling in Appalachia and around the country's shale basins, as well as pipeline and export terminal capacity, which it said would not only boost United States energy security, but also help break the global reliance on coal and on countries like Russia and Iran. #3. Tellurian Market Cap: $2.6B YTD Returns: 55.8% Tellurian Inc. (NYSE:TELL) is a Houston, Texas-based energy company that engages in the natural gas business worldwide. The company is currently developing a portfolio of natural gas production, liquefied natural gas (LNG) marketing, and infrastructure assets that includes an approximately 27.6 million tons per annum LNG export facility and an associated pipeline. Founded in 2016, Tellurian owns interests in 11,060 net acres of natural gas assets and 78 producing wells located in the Haynesville Shale trend of northern Louisiana. TELL is one of Jim Cramer's top LNG picks, but he says to wait for a better entry point given the stock's massive run-up. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Germany's power utility Uniperone of Germany's largest gas importerswill pay for Russian gas deliveries in rubles in accordance with the new payment procedure announced by Russia last month. "The plan is to make our payments in euros to an account in Russia," a company spokesperson told German media, as cited by Reuters. Per the procedure, any buyer of Russian gas from any unfriendly country needs to open two accounts in Gazprombank: one in the foreign currency it wants to pay in and one in rubles. When a gas payment is due, the buyer deposits the necessary sum in dollars or euros in its first Gazprombank account. The bank then converts the sum into rubles under Russian central bank exchange rates and deposits it in the second account, from which the actual payment is made. Uniper said earlier this week it was prepared to begin paying in rubles for Russian gas, soon after Gazprom informed Poland and Bulgaria that it would suspend gas deliveries to them following their refusal to pay for the gas in rubles. The Bulgarian state gas company said that it had found problems in the terms of the new procedure that put the security of gas deliveries in doubt. Uniper, on the other hand, does not seem to have such misgivings. It also does not share EU officials' concern about the switch to rubles possibly breaching sanctions. "We consider that the amendment of the payment process complies with the sanctions law and so the payments are possible," said the chief financial officer of the energy company, Tiina Tuomela, this week. Uniper's move comes despite calls from the European Commission to EU energy buyers to not pay for Russian gas in rubles. "Companies with such contracts should not accede to the Russian demands," EC president von der Leyen said this week, as quoted by Al Jazeera. "This would be a breach of the sanctions so a high risk for the companies." By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In the week when Gazprom finally did what Europe was afraid it would do and started cutting off gas supplies to countries unwilling to pay for them in rubles, Russian gas reliance has really hit the spotlight. And at least one country in Europe believes it can eliminate its dependence on it sooner than previously believed. Bloomberg reported earlier this week that the UK could stop importing Russian natural gas before this years end. Citing an unnamed source familiar with the governments plans, the report noted that Russian gas exports to the UK were already a slim enough portion of total gas imports to make the phase-out possible. Details on how exactly the government planned to eliminate these imports were not divulged, but given the fact that Russian gas last year accounted for just 4 percent of total UK gas imports, replacing Russia with another supplier will be nowhere near as challenging as the same exercise would be for Germany. Whats more, Russian LNG cargosthe only form of Russian gas that the UK importsarriving in the country have fallen further since the start of this year, reinforcing Downing Streets conviction that the UK can get rid of Russian gas with almost no hassle. This puts the UK in a comfortable enough virtue-signaling position, from which it can urge its EU allies to reduce their own reliance on Russian gas. These allies, however, will have a harder time following in the UKs footsteps, with Germany being the most notoriously gas-dependent European economy. Related: U.S. Recession Fears May Be Overblown The EU has been discussing energy embargos on Russia for weeks now and has so far only managed to agree on a coal import ban, which will enter into effect from August. This will allow utilities to stock up on the fossil fuel in the meantime. A gas embargo has also been on the table, but several EU members have voiced strong opposition to the idea. In Germany, businesses and trade unions have joined forces to advise against such an embargo, noting it would devastate the energy-intensive German economy. An oil embargo is an equally hard sell for Germany. Europe, as a whole, imports some 40 percent of the gas it consumes from Russia. Last year, this amounted to around 155 billion cubic meters. This year, because of the war in Ukraine, the EU has stated it will aim to reduce its intake of Russian gas by two-thirds by the end of the year, using a variety of measures, including a switch to LNG, energy conservation, a buildout in renewables, and increasing the use of coal for power generation. Meanwhile, however, gas prices soared again this week after Gazprom cut off gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has called on European energy traders not to pay for Russian gas in rubles. Germanys Uniper, however, has said it had no problem doing just that. Hungary and Austria have also said they would pay for Russian gas in rubles. The asynchrony between Brussels and the business world has once again highlighted the drawbacks of energy dependence and the importance of local supply. The UKs relative ease of reducing Russian oil imports also speaks to the latter. This doesnt mean that the UK is problem-free and an example for the EU to follow, however. Last month, energy industry association Offshore Energies UK warned that the countrys gas producers were struggling to increase output, which could threaten the security of supply. This, the association said, could result in the UK becoming dependent on imports for as much as 70-80 percent of its consumption in the future. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Turkish neutrality may be economically expedient, but it has also served to raise the countrys profile by positing it as the ideal mediator. Turkey is highly-dependant on Russian natural gas, though also dependant on imports from Ukraine. Turkey has remained fairly neutral throughout Russias war in Ukraine, condemning the act but not sanctioning Moscow as other NATO allies have. Turkey has proven adept at maintaining neutrality in regards to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. While Ankara has condemned Russias special military operation, it has also declined to follow the lead of its NATO allies in supporting US-led sanctions on Moscow. According to local experts, its reasons for doing so are both economic and political, and reflect Turkeys varied approach to its relations with Russia. Turkey is a neighbor to both countries, with whom it has intense economic relations, Halil Akinci, who served as Turkeys ambassador to Russia from 2008 to 2010, told The Epoch Times. So its in Ankaras interest to stay on good terms with them both. Neutrality, he added, also left Turkey in the perfect position to mediatethus raising its international profilesince were the only ones acceptable to both sides. Condemnation Without Sanctions When the Russian operation first began on Feb. 24, Turkish officials condemned it as unacceptable and a violation of international law. They were also quick to stress, however, that Ankaraunlike its NATO allieshad no intention of enforcing US-led sanctions on Russia. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, a political analyst and head of the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy, an independent think-tank, said Turkey had reasonable grounds for declining to support sanctions. Turkey is positioning itself as a mediator by keeping communication channels open with Russia, Erol told The Epoch Times. He went on to assert that Ankara and Moscow were closely engaged on a broad range of issues based on principles of cooperation and competition. Akinci, when asked if Turkey was subject to pressure by NATO to adopt a harder line against Russia, said no one could reasonably expect Ankara to enforce sanctions especially given current economic realities. Because of its massive trade dependence on Russia, Turkey isnt in a position to do this [i.e., enforce sanctions], he said. Like the rest of the world, Turkey simply cannot ignore Russias vast natural resources. Indeed, an estimated 45 percent of Turkeys natural gas imports currently derive from Russia, along with more than 75 percent of its imported wheat. This represents a dire situation for a country that has seen its currency lose more than 80 percent of its value year-on-year, causing the prices of many staple commoditiesincluding breadto skyrocket. At the same time, Turkey has significant trade relations with Ukraine, which supplies it with another 10 to 15 percent of its total wheat imports. Ankara and Kyiv also cooperate in the defense-industries field, including the joint manufacture of aerial drones. Constructive Mediation Efforts Turkish neutrality may be economically expedient, but it has also served to raise the countrys profile by positing it as the ideal mediatora role it has assumed with gusto. On March 10, the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers met in Turkeys resort city of Antalya; and on March 29, delegations from both countries held talks in Istanbul. Although hailed by all sides as constructive, the talks failed to produce any tangible breakthroughs. Russia, for its part, which appears to have the upper hand militarily, demands guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO. It also demands Kyivs recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea (annexed by Russia in 2014), and recognition of two Russian-speaking territories in Ukraines eastern Donbas region (Donetsk and Luhasnk) as independent republics. Based on recent signals from both camps, Erol believes it is likely that Ukraine will give up on NATO membership first, and Moscow will accept Ukraines European Union membership in return. The main sticking point, he believes, is the Donbas region. Russia demands recognition of the so-called republics, but the Kyiv administration and the international community do not seem to accept this, he said. Because it involves major power players like Russia and NATO, the conflict could become a long-simmering proxy war lasting months or even years, Erol warned, citing past Russian entanglements in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Akinci agreed that reaching a negotiated settlement could take a long time. He added, however, that if the military equation were to change significantly on the ground, [diplomatic] positions could change as well. In the meantime, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended an open invitation to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet in Istanbul for further talks. I wholeheartedly believe that a peaceful solution can be found through dialogue, he said on April 18. Three days later, Russian forces reportedly captured the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Ties With Russia: Not Black and White Historical rivals, the Ottoman (i.e., Turkish) and Russian empires fought at least a dozen major conflicts over four centuries, ending with the First World War. But today, Turkey, despite its 70-year-old membership in NATO, is keen to remain on good terms with Russia, with which it shares a substantial maritime border in the Black Sea. That being said, the two have implacable foreign-policy differences, especially in the post-Arab Spring Middle East. In Syria, for example, Turkey supports anti-Assad armed groups, while Russia backs the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The two countries also support diametrically-opposing forces in war-ravaged Libya. Related: Libya May Reach Full Oil Production Within Days Turkey-Russia relations bottomed out in late 2015, when a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian Sukhoi fighter near Turkeys tense border with Syria. But relations quickly recovered the following year, especially after a failed coup attempt against Erdogans government, for which Ankara blamed Fetullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish-Muslim preacher who claims to have an international following. Washingtons refusal to extradite Gulen to Turkey then led to a rupture in US-Turkey ties and a concurrent improvement in Ankaras relations with Moscow. Because Gulen resides in the US, Turkey implicitly accused Washington of supporting the coup attempt, Dr. Ilhan Uzgel, a prominent Turkish political analyst, told The Epoch Times. This, in turn, led [Erdogans] ruling Justice and Development Party to ally itself with nationalist and Eurasianist elements who favor closer ties with Russia, China and Iran, Uzgel, a former professor of international relations, added. This combination of external and domestic factors prompted Ankaras subsequent tilt towards Moscow. In 2017, Turkey went so far as to announce the purchase of an advanced S-400 missile-defense system from Russia. The move infuriated Turkeys NATO allies and eventually resulted in limited US sanctions being imposed on Turkey itself. In explaining Ankaras eclectic approach to Moscow, Akinci stressed that, at least with respect to the Middle East, Turkeys differences with the US are actually deeper than those with Russia. For example, our American allies have nurtured, and continue to support, an organization opposed to Turkeys territorial integrity, he said. Here he was referring to the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Syrian branch of which the US has backed in its war against Assad, but which Ankara views as a terrorist group. In this case, US policy actually poses a greater danger to Turkey than anything the Russians are doing, Akinci asserted. He added: Every state has its differences with Russia and every state has interests in common with Russia. In some areas, the US and Russia get along quite well; in others, they do not. Geopolitics is never black and white. By Zerohedge.cm More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Africas top natural gas exporter, Algeria, has warned Spain that it would consider Madrid sending Algerian deliveries to third countries a breach of contract, as Spain plans to send gas to Morocco. Algeria and Morocco are in a diplomatic rift over Western Sahara. Because of the spat, Algeria halted late last year gas supply to Morocco via the MaghrebEurope Gas Pipeline that runs from Algeria through Morocco onto Andalusia, Spain. Spain, for its part, has said it would supply gas to Morocco in a reverse flow of the MaghrebEurope, which has apparently angered Algeria. In a statement carried by Algerias state news agency APS, the Algerian Ministry of Energy and Mines said late on Wednesday: Any conveyance of the Algerian natural gas delivered to Spain, whose destination is other than that specified in the contracts, will be considered as a breach of the contractual commitments, and consequently may lead to the termination of the agreement between Sonatrach and its Spanish customers. Algerias state energy firm Sonatrach delivered more than 40 percent of Spains gas imports last year, according to AFP. It was not immediately clear whether Algeria would terminate supply agreements if Spain sends non-Algerian natural gas to Morocco. The threat of yet another supply disruption in Europe and the Mediterranean region comes amid growing tensions between Russia and the EU over gas supplies and Vladimir Putins rubles-for-gas payment scheme. On Wednesday, Russias state gas major Gazprom suspended gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria, citing their unwillingness to pay in rubles. At the same time, EU countries in southern Europe have been looking at African gas suppliers, including Algeria, to reduce their exposure to Russian gas. Italy, for example, which depends for 40 percent of its gas demand on Russia, signed a deal with Algeria earlier this month to receive 40 percent more gas from the African gas exporter via the existing pipeline in the Mediterranean. Italys Eni will increase the quantities of gas imported through the TransMed / Enrico Mattei pipeline under the long-term gas supply contract in place with Sonatrach starting from the autumn. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Democrats said on Thursday that they would propose legislation to allow state and federal agencies to go after oil companies over what Democratic lawmakers continue to describe as market manipulation and price gouging at the pump that is ripping off Americans. In a news conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Big Oil has profiteered and exploited the marketplace. They are hoarding the windfall while keeping prices high at the pump, Pelosi added. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, for his part, said that the COVID crisis and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have left American consumers vulnerable to market manipulation and price gouging. Big Oil companies are using both these issues for price gouging and market manipulation to cash in, Schumer said, comparing oil companies to vultures that booked record profits last year and used the COVID and Ukraine tragedies for market manipulation. Democratic leaders did not say when the legislation could be ready or put to a vote in Congress. Gasoline prices in the United States are at an eight-year high, as international crude prices jumped above $100 a barrel following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Since gasoline prices started rising at the end of last year, Democrats began pointing the finger at Big Oil, blaming oil firms for ripping off Americans at the pump while lining their own pockets. The Biden Administrations insistence that oil companies are manipulating the market led to a hearing at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce earlier this month, at which CEOs at the biggest oil corporations in America were grilled about their role in setting the gasoline prices. While Democrats continued to accuse oil companies of price gouging, the top executives of Exxon, Chevron, BP America, Shell USA, Devon Energy, and Pioneer Natural Resources found themselves explaining the basics of economics and how crude oil production and fuel distribution work in a free market. I have seen statements in the press suggesting that Chevron and other oil and gas companies are responsible for the increase in fuel prices. I want to be absolutely clear: we do not control the market price of crude oil or natural gas, nor of refined products like gasoline and diesel fuel, and we have no tolerance for price gouging, Chevrons CEO Michael Wirth told the hearing in early April. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Germany, the main opponent of a full embargo on Russian oil imports into the European Union so far, has dropped its opposition to a ban, if given time to procure alternatives, government officials told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The EU started earlier this month tentative discussions on imposing an embargo on Russian oil, but the bloc was split on a ban on Russian energy imports. The biggest European economyGermanyresisted an immediate oil embargo, saying an oil ban would plunge Germany, and Europe, into a deep recession. Germany, Hungary, and Austria, as well as some other EU members, opposed an immediate outright ban on Russian oil, although Germany signaled earlier this month that it could end its dependence on Russian oil and stop importing Moscows oil entirely by the end of this year. In a major shift in position, German representatives to the EU signaled on Wednesday that Germany is dropping its opposition to a full embargo on Russian oil on the condition that it is given time to find a replacement to the Russian oil supply, the Journal reported, citing two officials. The German policy shift comes after the government announced it would send heavy weaponry to Ukraine for the first time, after weeks of pressure on Berlin to provide military assistance to Kyiv. The shift in Germanys position on a Russian oil embargo could encourage other still hesitant EU members to support a ban on Russian oil imports, analysts say. Earlier this week, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said that a full embargo is now manageable for Germany and that the country hoped to find a replacement for Russian oil within days. According to Habeck, Germany is now very, very close to making a full Russian oil embargo a reality. Germany has dropped Russian oil imports to around 12% of its total oil imports, down from 35% prior to Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine in late February. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Irans oil exports jumped by 30 percent from last year to 870,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first quarter of 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing data from commodity data provider Kpler, as the main Iranian crude buyer, China, is cutting back on imports of Russian oil. The jump in Irans oil exports in Q1 was the fastest among all producers in the Middle East, while the volume of exports is estimated to be the highest since former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the so-called Iranian nuclear deal in 2018, Kpler says, as carried by the Journal. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has upended global oil trade flows and has emboldened Iran to boost its exportsdespite the fact that it is still under U.S. sanctions with no imminent nuclear deal in sightto its key customer, China. The worlds top crude oil importer China, for its part, has not rushed to buy cheap Russian oil. Iran sells its crude oil almost exclusively to China and has never stopped those sales since former President Trump re-imposed the sanctions against Tehran in 2018. Currently, China is also emboldened to import more Iranian crude, not expecting to be hit by secondary sanctions by the U.S. for dealing with Iran because Washington has its plate full with Russia, a Kpler analyst told the Journal. During the Iranian year that ended on March 20, 2022, Irans oil exports rose by over 40 percent, Irans Minister of Petroleum Javad Owji said earlier this month, as carried by the oil ministrys news service Shana. He further said that the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum would never disclose the methods and destinations of its oil exports, the agency reported in early April. Meanwhile, Chinese refiners are not rushing to purchase heavily discounted Russian crude on the spot market, avoiding being singled out as buyers of Moscows oil amid tightening Western sanctions on Russia. China, which has grown increasingly closer ties with Russia in the energy sector of late, has not officially condemned Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine, but its government has recently appeared cautious about new spot deals. China hasnt yet shown too much appetite for Russian crude because of several factors, according to energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. These include expensive freight for Russian cargoes due to the sanctions, challenges with payments and tanker insurance, the fact that a Urals voyage takes double the time compared to Middle Eastern grades going to China, and Chinese refiners long-term contracts with oil exporters from the Middle East. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices continued to tick higher to close on Thursday, as Russian airstrikes hit the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as the UN Secretary General was visiting. In the first Russian missile strikes on Kyiv in two weeks, Russia made a show of heavy-handed air attacks to coincide with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrival in the Ukrainian capital, just 48 hours after he had held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Three people have been wounded in the attacks, one of which struck a residential building, according to the Kyiv mayor, cited by AFP. Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery hit $105.36 per barrel, up $3.34. Brent crude for June delivery gained $2.27, hitting $107.59 a barrel. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba condemned the Russian attacks as a heinous act of barbarism, while Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, writing on Twitter, said this was an attack on the security of the Secretary General and on world security. Oil prices closed higher amid Russias attack after trending higher all day following bullish sentiment sparked by the notion that Germany has dropped opposition to a total Russian oil ban. The improved prospects for Germany to agree with other members of the European Union to implement a total ban on Russian oil suggests an even tighter supply situation for crude oil markets, somewhat dulling concerns of a reduction in demand coming out of Chinas COVID lockdowns. The Russian airstrikes on Kyiv come as NATO vowed to continue support for Ukraine for years, with a particular focus on helping it modernize its weapons systems. Also on Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress for $33 billion to support Ukraine. In another jolt to markets, a top media chief for the Kremlin-controlled RT broadcaster has issued an indirect threat on public television, stating that Putin is more likely to launch a nuclear attack than to concede defeat to Ukraine. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: French TotalEnergies will include a $4.1-million impairment on its balance sheet over Russia sanctions that have led to difficulties with its massive Arctic LNG2 project, the company said on Wednesday. TotalEnergies SE has decided to no longer book proved reserves for the Arctic LNG 2 project, given the uncertainty created by the technological and financial sanctions on the ability to carry out the Arctic LNG 2 project currently under construction and their probable tightening with the worsening conflict, the company said in a press release. The company also noted additional risks that emerged on April 8th withg new sanctions from the European Union prohibiting export from EU countries of goods and technology for use in the liquefaction of natural gas benefitting a Russian company. As a result, TotalEnergies has decided to record in its accounts, as of March 31, 2022, an impairment of 4.1 B$, concerning notably Arctic LNG 2, TotalEnergies stated. TotalEnergies partner in Arctic LNG 2 is Russian Novatek, with TotalEnergies accounting for a 10% stake. The final investment decision for this project was made in 2019. The project would have had a production capacity of 19.8 million tons per year and was expected to export its first LNG cargo by 2023, with a second train in 2024 and a third in 2026. TotalEnergies refused to withdraw from Russia-affiliated projects while supergiants BP, Exxon and Shell bowed to Western pressure and sanctions. However, it is now clear with the impairment that the Arctic LNG 2 has a very uncertain future, affecting the French oil giant. Earlier this week, Technip Energies, the European engineering contractor for Arctic LNG 2, told investors in an earnings call that sanctions are affecting the pace of work on the project but that Technip remained committed. Technip said it still expects the balance sheet position of the project and contract protections to be sufficient to fulfill contractual obligations in compliance with sanctions, he added. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Frances supermajor TotalEnergies plans to sell its minority stake in an onshore oil-producing joint venture in Nigeria in what will be the latest divestment of Nigerian oil assets by an international major. TotalEnergies will put up for sale its 10-percent interest in a company operating 20 licenses onshore Nigeria and in shallow waters, the French firms chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said at an earnings conference call on Thursday. Disruption of local communities are sources of great concerns, Pouyanne said on the call, as carried by Bloomberg. The licenses are being operated by another supermajor, Shell, which is also looking to divest Nigerian assets. The sale of Shells stake in the joint venture attracted bids from four Nigeria-based companies, Bloomberg reported early this year, quoting sources with knowledge of the sales process. As early as in the spring of 2021, Shells chief executive Ben van Beurden said the supermajor does not see its upstream oil operations in Nigeria as compatible with its strategy to become a net-zero energy business. We cannot solve community problems in the Niger Delta, said the top executive at Shell, which has encountered numerous problems in Nigerias onshore in recent years, including oil theft and pipeline sabotage, as well as lawsuits brought up by local communities over oil spills. In February 2021, The Hague Court of Appeal ordered Shell to compensate Nigerian farmers for two oil spills in the country 13 years ago, in the first lawsuit in which a company had been held liable in the Netherlands for its actions abroad. The ruling of the Dutch court set a precedent for future lawsuits brought against oil firms in the countries where they are based, instead of the countries where oil spills or oil pollution has allegedly taken place. Shell and TotalEnergies are not the only companies divesting from Nigerias upstream. ExxonMobil agreed earlier this year to sell its equity interest in Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to Nigerian company Seplat Energy. The sale includes ExxonMobils shallow-water affiliate, while the U.S. supermajor will retain its deepwater assets. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) A tornado-stricken county in western Kentucky will receive $8.5 million in additional support, signaling the start of a new round of assistance for a region working to recover from the devastating storms last December, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday. Hopkins County is the first county to receive support from the new West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies fund, Beshear said. State lawmakers appropriated more than $120.8 million to support the fund, and more awards are expected to be announced in coming weeks, he said. These funds will help Hopkins County cover services that are not eligible for FEMA support and will ease some of the financial strain they have endured as so many of their resources have been directed toward restoration," the governor said. Eligible cities, counties, utilities and school districts can apply for financial support from the fund as the cleanup and rebuilding continue, he said at his weekly news conference. Hopkins County Judge-Executive Jack Whitfield Jr., in a video message, praised the bipartisan work of state leaders in providing the crucial funding to support rebuilding efforts. The Hopkins County town of Dawson Springs was devastated by a tornado. In a day when all too often politics gets in the way of getting work done, I am pleased that our state has come together to assist all of the counties that have seen so much devastation, he said. Beshear, a Democrat, credited Republican state Sen. Robby Mills for his work in getting the tornado-relief legislation passed. Eighty-one people died in Kentucky from the tornadoes that ripped through parts of the state last December. In the hard-hit city of Mayfield in Graves County, a candle factory, a nursing home and government buildings were destroyed. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. NEW ORLEANS (AP) A federal judge ordered a two-week halt Wednesday on the phasing out of pandemic-related restrictions on seeking asylum and raised doubts about the Biden administration's plan to fully lift those restrictions on May 23. For now, the decision is only a temporary setback for the administration. But the judge staked out a position that is highly sympathetic with Louisiana, Arizona and 19 other states that sued to preserve so-called Title 42 authority, which denies migrants a chance at asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. (The states) have established a substantial threat of immediate and irreparable injury resulting from the early implementation of Title 42, including unrecoverable costs on healthcare, law enforcement, detention, education, and other services for migrants," wrote U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays in Lafayette, Louisiana. Summerhays, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, said states were likely to succeed with their argument that the administration failed to adhere to federal procedures when it announced April 1 that it was ending Title 42 authority. The judge has scheduled a critical hearing on May 13 in Lafayette to hear arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Texas filed a similar lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Victoria, Texas. The decision to end Title 42 authority was made by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has come under growing criticism from elected officials in Biden's Democratic Party who contend the administration is unprepared for an anticipated increase in asylum-seekers. The Justice Department declined to comment on the order but the administration has said it will comply, while contending it will hamper preparations for Title 42 to end on May 23. About 14% of single adults from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were processed under immigration laws during a seven-day period ending last Thursday. That's up from only 5% in March, according to government figures. Summerhays' order requires the Homeland Security Department to return to policies and practices in place before it announced plans to end Title 42 and to submit weekly reports that demonstrate it is acting in good faith. Migrants have been expelled more than 1.8 million times under the rule invoked in March 2020 by the Trump administration. Migrants were stopped more than 221,000 times at the Mexico border in March, a 22-year-high that has raised concerns about the government's ability to handle even larger numbers when Title 42 is lifted. Advocates for asylum-seekers say the restrictions endanger people fleeing persecution back home and violates rights to seek protection under U.S. law and international treaty. As the CDC acknowledged, the public health justification for the order has weakened as the threat of COVID-19 has waned. At two often-contentious hearings Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sought to defend the administrations handling of an increase of migrants at the Southwest border and its plans to deal with the prospect of more with the potential end of Title 42. Mayorkas sought to push back on Republican accusations that the Biden administration has encouraged irregular migration by allowing some people to seek asylum, blaming economic and political turmoil and violence throughout Latin America and the world. Some of the causes of irregular migration have only been heightened by years of distress preceding this administration, he said. Mayorkas testified one day after Homeland Security released a plan with more details about how it was preparing for the end of Title 42 authority. ___= Associated Press reporter Ben Fox in Washington contributed to this story. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) A former Massachusetts mayor convicted of corruption charges has reported to federal prison after a judge rejected his latest request for a delay. The federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia entered the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, on Friday as required in order to begin a six-year sentence. The medium security prison, located in the state's northern region that includes the White Mountains, houses nearly 800 male inmates. Correias date of imprisonment had been put off several times before a federal appellate court refused his request for a delay on Wednesday. The former mayor was convicted last year of 21 counts for defrauding investors in a smartphone app and for extorting money from marijuana companies. A judge ultimately dismissed 10 charges, leaving 11 convictions to stand. Correia is appealing the verdict, and his lawyers argue he should be allowed to stay out of prison pending his appeal. They've been able to stave off his prison term for some 20 weeks after his initial report date, to the frustration of some in the former manufacturing center south of Boston, where he was seen as a rising political star when first elected mayor in 2015 at age 23. Hopefully, this is the end of a long saga for the city and we can move on from that and let people move on to make Fall River a better place to live, Mayor Paul Coogan, who defeated Correia in an election in 2019, told the Fall River Herald earlier this week. This has been going on for a long time. Correia, who has maintained his innocence, was initially granted a reprieve to help out in his in-laws restaurant over the Christmas holiday. He was granted subsequent delays because of an outbreak of COVID-19 at FCI Berlin and for his attorneys to file his appeal. Correia's attorneys didn't respond to an email seeking comment Friday. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Coming up with $44 billion to buy Twitter was the easy part for Elon Musk. Next comes the real challenge for the worlds richest person: fulfilling his promise to make Twitter better than ever as a lightly regulated haven for free speech. His vision for improving the 16-year-old company leans heavily on a pledge to make speech as free as reasonably possible on the platform -- a commitment thats been celebrated on the political right and among followers of former President Donald Trump, whose account last year was permanently banned. And for others who worry that Musk will open the floodgates to agitators who spew hate, lies and other harmful content, making the platform too toxic for advertisers and average users Musk has offered few assurances. The extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all, he tweeted Tuesday. Many of Musks proposed changes reflect his own experience as a high-profile and outspoken Twitter user with more than 85 million followers and a swarm of pesky impersonator accounts that use his name and photo to promote cryptocurrency schemes. For example, he has highlighted the need to defeat spambots that mimic real users. But what about Twitters more than 200 million other users who arent getting banned or flooded with spam? Theres still a lot of uncertainty about whether his ideas are technologically possible and how well know if these changes would benefit most regular users, or serve some other purpose. Hes made it pretty clear hes not interested in making Twitter a profitable enterprise," said Joan Donovan, who studies misinformation at Harvard University. Its about the power and the influence of Twitter itself and its importance in our culture." Experts who have studied content moderation and researched Twitter for years have expressed doubt that Musk knows exactly what he is getting into. And some of the problems he has identified aren't felt by most users. The spambots, for him, are highly visible and somewhat personal, said Donovan. Most people dont see a lot of these spammy accounts. And for those unhappy with the company's crackdown on hate, harassment and misinformation, there are plenty of fledgling examples of free speech focused platforms that have been launched in the past few years as Twitter antidotes, largely by conservatives. Many have struggled to deal with toxic content, and at least one has been cut off by its own technology providers in protest. This move just shows how effective (moderation features) have been to annoy those in power, said Kirsten Martin, a professor of technology ethics at the University of Notre Dame. I would be worried as to how this would change Twitters values. The fact that no other bidders emerged in public before Musks deal was a sign that other would-be acquirers might find Twitter too difficult to improve, said Third Bridge analyst Scott Kessler. This platform is pretty much the same one weve had over the last decade or so," Kessler said. "Youve had a lot of smart people trying to figure out what they should do, and theyve had trouble. Its probably going to be tough to make a lot of headway. Musk received some effusive, if highly abstract, praise from an unexpected quarter Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, who praised Musk's decision to take Twitter back from Wall Street and tweeted that he trusts Musk's mission to extend the light of consciousness a reference to Dorsey's notion that Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness. But others familiar with Twitter say they're still dismayed at Musk's successful bid for the company. Twitter is going to let a man-child essentially take over their platform, said Leslie Miley, a former Twitter employee who has also worked for Google and Apple. Miley, who was the only Black engineer at Twitter in a leadership position when he left the company in 2015, echoed doubts about Musk's grasp of the platform's complexities. I am not sure if Elon knows what he is getting, Miley said. He may just find that having Twitter is a lot different than wanting Twitter. The more hands-off approach to content moderation that Musk envisions has many users concerned that the platform will become more of a safe place for disinformation, hate speech and bullying, something it has worked hard in recent years to mitigate. Wall Street analysts said if he goes too far, it could also alienate advertisers. In Europe, officials reminded Musk about a new law, the Digital Services Act, that will force tech companies to step up policing of their online platforms. Be it cars or social media, any company operating in Europe needs to comply with our rules regardless of their shareholding, tweeted Thierry Breton, the European Union commissioner in charge of the blocs internal market. Mr. Musk knows this well. He is familiar with European rules on automotive, and will quickly adapt to the Digital Services Act. Musk's takeover is not yet a done deal and still awaits stockholder approval. Twitter previously scheduled its annual shareholders meeting for May 25, but a vote on the takeover is not yet on the agenda. It will take six-to-eight months for the purchase to go through, and while there are likely to be some bumps along the way, there don't appear to be serious enough obstacles to stop the deal, according to Charles Elson, director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, sees as serious enough to stop the deal. Normally when companies go private, dissenting shareholders are forcibly cashed out. Some could challenge the stock price in court, contending that Musk should pay more, but that probably wont hold up the sale, Elson said. Its likely that Musk would dissolve the current board and replace it with a new one that would agree with his management direction. And once Twitter is private, Musk will face fewer gripes from shareholders that often bring lawsuits, Elson said. Private companies also dont face as much scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has been a finger in Musks eye for years, often because of statements he's made on Twitter. On Tuesday, shares of Twitter traded around $50, a touch below the $54.20 purchase price. Twitter will offer a glimpse into the health of its business when it reports its quarterly financial results Thursday. An annual shareholder meeting is set for May. Twitter's constituents aren't the only ones anxious about Musk's $44 billion investment. Shares of Musk's electric car company, Tesla, have lost about 17% of their value since Musk announced his stake in Twitter, including about a 10% decline on Tuesday. Analysts say investors are fearful that Musk will be distracted by the social media company and less engaged in running Tesla. Hes going to be spending more time with another venture, Edward Jones Senior Equity Analyst Jeff Windau said of Musk, who also runs SpaceX, The Boring Co., which digs tunnels, and Neuralink, a computer-brain interface company. Theres a potential limit on the amount of bandwidth that you can apply to each of these companies, Windau said. Krisher reported from Detroit. O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. AP Business Writers Marcy Gordon in Washington, Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, California, Kelvin Chan in London and Sam Petrequin in Brussels contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Jurors in the rape trial of a former Idaho lawmaker are weighing whether the case involves power in the wrong hands used to harm a 19-year-old female intern, or consensual sex after a friendly dinner date. The jury of six men and six women heard both takes during closing arguments Thursday after a dramatic three-day trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying I cant do this. Aaron von Ehlinger, 39, has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object both charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and maintains he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old legislative intern. Deliberations stretched for seven hours until nearly 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury decided to break for the evening and start again on Friday. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the woman in this case as Jane Doe at her request. Doe told her supervisors that von Ehlinger, who was then a Republican representative from Lewiston, raped her in March 2021 at his Boise apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant. Von Ehlinger resigned from the House of Representatives last year after a legislative ethics committee recommended that he be banned from the Statehouse because of his conduct with Doe. When the allegations became public largely because of the legislative ethics investigation Doe faced unrelenting harassment from some of von Ehlinger's supporters. Her name, photo and personal details about her life were repeatedly publicized in doxxing incidents. One of the people who frequently harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, but law enforcement banned the man from the floor where where case was being heard. Over the span of three days, jurors heard graphic and sometimes harrowing testimony, including from Doe, who briefly took the witness stand before abruptly standing and leaving the courtroom. Doe haltingly described the moments the alleged assault began. He laid me down ... he removed his clothes ... he climbed on top of me ... in just his boxers. White T-shirt, Doe said. He tried to put his fingers between my legs and I closed my knees. At that, she stood up. I cant do this, she said, quickly walking out of the courtroom. The judge instructed them not to consider her testimony after Doe fled before she could be questioned by the defense. During closing arguments, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley told jurors that the case was about power in the wrong hands" used to the great devastation of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and physical power over the petite intern, Farley said. He used that power to rape and forcibly penetrate her, Farley said, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she said, highlighting the testimony of law enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault. Words show lack of consent. Excuses of Why this shouldnt happen,' show lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an injury shows lack of consent, Farley said. But von Ehlinger's defense attorney Jon Cox told jurors the prosecution's case was made up of red herrings, and said von Ehlinger was a credible person who willingly took the stand to share his side of the story. Judge his credibility, that's all you can do, Cox said. For every assertion that the state has made, or any evidence ... Aaron has given you a, This is what happened. That, in and of itself, creates reasonable doubt." During his testimony, von Ehlinger often spoke in a clear, loud voice directly to jurors, telling them the sexual contact was the culmination of a first date with the intern. She was flirting with me, so I thought, 'Why not? Go out to dinner with a person? Why not?' he said. After eating at a fancy Boise restaurant, he and Doe decided to return to his apartment, where they began making out on the couch, he said. Things were going well, and I asked (Doe) if she would like to move to the bedroom, von Ehlinger said. She said Sure. We got up, held hands and walked into the bedroom. In the bedroom, things became hot and heavy, von Ehlinger said, and he stepped away to disrobe behind his closet door, carefully hanging up his suit jacket, tie and slacks, before returning to the bed. At his suggestion, Doe briefly performed oral sex, he said. He also denied carrying a gun that night, and said he seldom carries one. Very rarely, and certainly not with a suit on, von Ehlinger said. But while under questioning from Farley, he acknowledged that he described the events of that night differently in statements drafted by two different attorneys he previously hired to represent him. In those statements, he said he and Doe took each other's clothes off. He also said he generally carried concealed weapons when he did carry guns, most often a small handgun that he would place in the front pocket of his jeans or suit pants. Earlier this week, jurors heard from investigators and a nurse who performed a rape exam. They testified that Doe reported being pinned down while von Ehlinger forced her to perform oral sex, and that she knew he frequently carried a handgun and had placed it on a dresser near the bed at the time of the assault. A nurse also testified that Doe had a goose egg on the back of her head from striking the wall or a headboard while trying to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger's grip. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Her voice trembling but clear, 14-year-old Aiyauna Young shared the immense grief she has experienced since the night in April 2018 when her mother died at the hands of her father. A Douglas County courtroom Thursday fell pin-drop silent save for those who were crying for about 13 minutes as Aiyauna told of her difficult childhood with her abusive father, Marvin L. Young. She and her two younger sisters werent allowed to speak to one another, play outside or eat much food. Their mother, Camisha Hollis, worked two jobs to pay the bills, but Young mercilessly beat her. Aiyauna recalled that she wasnt able to see her mother very much because of how busy Hollis was, but she would catch her in the mornings and the two would cook breakfast together. Now, those moments are the memories Aiyauna clings to as she remembers her sweet mom. I really thought she would be able to teach me everything that Ive learned now. I thought she would be able to hold my hand and guide me through things that were tough, and thats hard, thats hard ... she said as she broke down in tears. I miss my mother to death. I want her to see me grow, I really do, because she missed the majority of those opportunities trying to take care of us and keep a roof over our head. As she spoke, Young stared straight ahead, not looking at his daughter the one he took out for ice cream in the middle of the night before dumping Hollis body in the Missouri River, authorities said. Young was sentenced Thursday by Douglas County District Judge Horacio Wheelock to 23 to 31 years in prison, a term that will be cut in half under state sentencing guidelines. Young will get credit for a little more than four years already served, meaning he could be released as soon as about seven years and must be discharged after roughly 11 years. Young, 40, faced a maximum of 31 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to manslaughter, three intentional child abuse charges and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of Hollis, who was 34. Young initially was booked into jail in the days after Hollis went missing in connection with allegations of child neglect and resisting arrest. Meanwhile, local and federal authorities were searching for Hollis along the Missouri River near Schilling Wildlife Management Area, which is near Plattsmouth. Young was charged with first-degree murder a little over a year later. Hollis body has never been found, and Young has not shared any pertinent information with police. Authorities think Young killed Hollis possibly by striking her with a steel-toed boot, strangling her or shooting her before he put her body in the backseat of her car, drove her body to the river and dumped it in. Omaha police recovered the GPS location from Youngs phone as he drove around, information that matches video footage of Hollis car coming and going from the wildlife area. Young then left Hollis car at a downtown hotel. Detectives found the car and reviewed security video of Young putting Hollis purse in the trunk before he walked away, wearing slippers. Officials obtained a sonar image of what looked to be a body in the river, and police dogs indicated Hollis scent was near the riverbank, said Brenda Beadle, chief deputy Douglas County attorney. The backseat of Hollis car was soaked after Young washed it at a carwash, but authorities found traces of her blood in the car. Despite that evidence and without a body, investigators couldnt find any proof of how Hollis died. We know where Camisha is, and I know that the family is distraught not hearing it from his mouth. But all the evidence points to what he did with her, Beadle said. Prosecutors then reduced the first-degree murder charge to manslaughter, meaning Young would face a maximum of only 31 years in prison. Martha Hollis, the mother of Camisha Hollis, delivered an impassioned speech to the judge, explaining that she viewed Thursday as Camisha Justice Day. Before she spoke, Martha Hollis set up a framed photo of her daughter from when she was about 20 years old. On the top of the frame, Martha Hollis affixed the words I believe in miracles with Mark 11:24 from the Bible noted. Camishas legacy will always be remembered. My daughter who was made of love, caring, peace, a great daughter, but was with the wrong person, she said. Your honor, Marvin has no remorse for killing my daughter. It was all about him. ... I can accept that Camisha is gone, because whats done I cant undo. But I cant accept that she was thrown away like garbage or trash. Investigators said Hollis had been trying to break free from Young, who had physically abused her for years. She had told her mother that she had given Young a deadline of April 1, 2018, to move out of her home and left that night after visiting her mother, saying the two were breaking up and Young was leaving the next day. He doesnt know the cry of a mother. He doesnt know my pain. He doesnt know that Im petitioning the heavens day and night that he does not rest until he tells the truth, Martha Hollis said. I dont understand how could he hurt us like that. What did he get out of hurting her? Why couldnt he be a man and just walk away? Martha Hollis called Omaha police about noon April 2, 2018, to report that her daughter was in danger. Camisha Hollis had not shown up for work, and calls to her cellphone went unanswered. Martha Hollis and officers went to the couples home near 57th and Hartman Avenues and found their three daughters, then ages 10, 8 and 6, home alone on a school day. Aiyaunna told authorities that Young had given them cough medicine to sleep the night before, but she spat hers out and stayed awake. In the early-morning hours, she said, she heard scuffling and thought she heard her father hit her mother with a steel-toed boot. She also heard her mother yell Ouch and plead for Young to stop. Youngs attorney, Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley, said Young has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia and, at one point, was deemed incompetent for trial. Riley said Young is doing well after taking medication. Beadle said the mental illness was no excuse. The daughters, now ages 14, 12 and 10, are in counseling, which may never end because of what they have experienced, Beadle said. The youngest daughter, she said, still believes her mother is alive and could come home. And thats a tragedy because she can never start to heal, ever, Beadle said. Unfortunately, because of his actions and his decision not to tell, not to take responsibility, not to be accountable, those kids will never have that peace and Martha will never have that peace. Aiyauna told Judge Wheelock she doesnt want to be like her father and struggles with the thought that she could have done more to protect her mother. Martha Hollis cares for the children, all of whom are doing well in school and are involved in sports and activities. Aiyauna especially reminds Martha Hollis of Camisha shes left-handed, smart, gets As and Bs and is on the honor roll like her mother. But the emptiness in knowing that their mother wont see them finish high school and cant accompany them on fun trips as they grow still pains Aiyauna. Me and my sisters have family who love us half to death and I think thats enough, but thats just not the same as losing your mother, she said. Everybody else gets to grow up with their mother and then I have to explain why I dont have mine, and its just not right. 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. Fifty-nine years ago today, a tornado three miles west of Auburn, Nebraska, hurled a car more than 200 yards and killed a 14-year-old girl who was inside. Nine members of the Schilling family from Vandalia, Illinois, were thrown from the station wagon. Dianne Schilling was killed, and her seven siblings and mother were injured. The children ranged in age from 16 months to 16 years old. Nemaha County Sheriff George Kelley, who was the first person on site, described the scene after the tornado swept the car off the highway, saying that "clothing and auto parts were strung out all the way from the highway to the car." The children were unconscious and lying on the ground, Kelley said. The car had been lifted into the air and bounced through power lines into a farm field. The tornado hit about 2:45 p.m., when the Schilling car was about three miles west of Auburn on Nebraska Highway 136. The tornado also devastated two farms north of Auburn. Henry Lee Rohrs' farm was left in tatters with a destroyed barn, a damaged car and windows blown out of the home. Guy Guilliatt's farm lost all its outbuildings, the house was badly damaged, and a cow was killed. Guilliatt said he had to shoot several other cows that were injured. The tornado moved slowly along the ground, spinning over about a quarter-mile area. It moved toward the northeast and missed Auburn by three miles. Kelley had the fire whistle blown to warn residents. 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. Russia cuts off gas to 2 NATO nations in bid to divide West POKROVSK, Ukraine (AP) Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria and threatened to do the same to other countries, using its most essential export as an attempt to punish and divide the West for its united support of Ukraine. The move was condemned by European leaders as blackmail. It marked a dramatic escalation in the economic war of sanctions and countersanctions that has unfolded parallel to the fighting on the battlefield, where fighting continues in Ukraine's east. One person was killed and at least two injured when rockets hit a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv. The commander of a marine unit inside the last stronghold in the gutted city of Mariupol said the situation there was very difficult. Twitter abuse victims fear Musk's plans, but may not quit Perhaps no group of people is more alarmed about Elon Musks apparent plan to make Twitter a free speech free-for-all than those most likely to be targeted for harassment: women, racial minorities and other marginalized groups. They fear that a more hands-off approach to policing the platform will embolden purveyors of hate speech, bullying and disinformation to ratchet up their bad behavior a possibility Musk has done little to dispel. Yet even those who have faced extreme harassment on Twitter say they are unlikely to quit the platform. Despite the negative psychological toll, they still place a high value on Twitter as a place to express their views and engage with others. EXPLAINER: Will a Russian prisoner exchange impact Griner? Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia and its unclear how an unexpected prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia that freed marine veteran Trevor Reed will affect the status of the WNBA star. Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February. The deal announced by both countries involving Reed, an American imprisoned for nearly three years, would have been a notable diplomatic maneuver even in times of peace. It was all the more surprising because it was done as Russias war with Ukraine has driven relations with the U.S. to their lowest point in decades. Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was arrested in Russia for allegedly possessing a cannabis derivative legal in much of the world. The offense can mean up to 10 years in prison. Dem lawmaker: Biden suggests he'll ease student loan burden WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden has signaled he might forgive some student loan debt and further extend the federal moratorium on repayments. That's according to California Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas. He's a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Cardenas said Wednesday that during a White House meeting, Biden told the group that they're going to like what he does about both proposals. That meeting was Monday. The White House was notably more measured about what Biden might do. But any move in that direction would be a boon to many of what federal figures show are 43 million Americans carrying student loans worth $1.6 trillion. Federal judge halts preparations for end of US asylum limit NEW ORLEANS (AP) A judge has ordered a two-week halt on phasing out pandemic-related restrictions on seeking asylum as the Biden administration prepares for the restrictions to be fully lifted on May 23. Wednesday's decision is only a temporary setback for the administration but the federal judge appeared highly sympathetic with Louisiana and other states that sued to keep Title 42 authority. That restriction denies migrants a chance at asylum on grounds of preventing spread of COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays has scheduled a hearing May 13 in Lafayette, Louisiana, for arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Microsoft: Russian hacks often accompany Ukraine attacks BOSTON (AP) Microsoft says cyberattacks by state-backed Russian hackers have destroyed data across dozens of organizations in Ukraine and produced a chaotic information environment. The company said in a report released Wednesday that Russia-aligned threat groups were preparing long before the Feb. 24 invasion. It said they were pre-positioning for the conflict" as early as a year ago, hacking into networks to obtain footholds they could later use to collect strategic and battlefield intelligence or to facilitate future destructive attacks. State report details bias in Minneapolis Police Department ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A Minnesota state agency says it will work with the city of Minneapolis to negotiate solutions to resolve the pattern of race discrimination uncovered by a two-year investigation. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights says former and current city and police leaders have failed to act, effectively allowing an aggressive police culture to fester. The report details disparities in how officers use force, stop, search, arrest and cite people of color, particularly Black people, compared to white people in similar circumstances. And the state agency says the city and police department need not wait to start making necessary changes. EXPLAINER: Brazil's Bolsonaro, top court on collision course SAO PAULO (AP) Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro is once again at odds with the countrys Supreme Court. He has pardoned a congressman who had just been convicted by high court justices for urging violence against one of them. Justices may review that pardon, and the case threatens to become an institutional crisis at a moment when Bolsonaro is gearing up to seek a second term. At the center of the dispute is freshman lawmaker Daniel Silveira, who was sentenced to almost nine years in prison. He had said that one justice should be seized, shaken and thrown in a garbage can. Bolsonaro issued a decree pardoning him, citing the right to free speech. Once dead, twice billed: GAO questions COVID funeral awards The Federal Emergency Management Agency may have been double-billed for the funerals of hundreds of people who died of COVID-19, the Government Accountability Office said in a new report Wednesday. The GAO identified 374 people who died and were listed on more than one application that received an award from the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance fund. That amounts to about $4.8 million in assistance that could have been improper or potentially fraudulent payments, the report said. FEMA says this wasn't an example of large-scale fraud and the amount of funeral assistance identified as at-risk was relatively small, with FEMAs multi-layered controls resulting in improper payments of less than 1%. Shares of Facebook parent Meta soar despite growth slowdown Facebook parent Metas first quarter profit jumped past Wall Streets expectations despite slower revenue growth, sending shares up sharply in after-hours trading. The company earned $7.47 billion, or $2.72 per share, in the January-March period. Thats down 21% from $9.5 billion, or $3.30 per share, in the same period a year earlier. Meta cut a sharp contrast with Google parent Alphabet, which on Monday reported what analysts called disappointing earnings, with profit below Wall Streets expectations and revenue growth slower than in previous quarters. Shares rose more than 18% to $207 in after-hours trading. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Will Musks hands-off ideal for Twitter have broad appeal? Coming up with $44 billion to buy Twitter was the easy part for Elon Musk. Next comes the real challenge for the worlds richest person: fulfilling his promise to make Twitter better than ever as a lightly regulated haven for free speech. Many of Musks proposed changes reflect his own experience as a high-profile and outspoken Twitter user with more than 85 million followers and a swarm of pesky impersonator accounts. But a key question is how the changes he is prioritizing will be received by the more than 200 million other users who arent getting banned or flooded with spam. US urges more arms for Ukraine amid fears of expanding war TORETSK, Ukraine (AP) The U.S. is pressing its allies to move heaven and earth to keep Kyiv well-supplied with the weapons it needs to repel Russian forces, as Moscow rains fire on eastern and southern Ukraine. In other developments, Poland and Bulgaria say the Kremlin is cutting off natural gas supplies to the two NATO countries starting Wednesday, the first such actions of the war. Moscow has warned that the flow of weapons could trigger a wider war. Those concerns grew in Moldova, where explosions hit the separatist region of Trans-Dniester for a second straight day. Russian forces also hit a strategic railroad bridge in the south. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says that more help for Ukraine is on the way and that the West wants to ensure Russia won't be able to bully its neighbors. Poland, Bulgaria say Russia suspending natural gas supplies WARSAW, Poland (AP) Officials in Poland and Bulgaria say Russia is suspending deliveries of natural gas to their countries starting Wednesday. The cutoffs would be the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last month that unfriendly foreign buyers would have to pay in rubles instead of dollars and euros. That demand came after sanctions were levied against Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine. Europe imports large amounts of Russian natural gas for residential heating, electricity generation and the fuel industry. The imports so far have continued despite the war. Polish and Bulgarian authorities say they don't anticipate restrictions on domestic gas consumption due to the cutoffs. CDC estimates 3 in 4 kids have had coronavirus infections NEW YORK (AP) Government researchers say three out of every four U.S. children have been infected with the coronavirus. Among Americans of all ages, more than half had signs of previous infection. The figures come from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released Tuesday. It looked in the blood of more than 200,000 Americans for virus-fighting antibodies made from infections, not vaccines. They found that signs of past infection rose dramatically between December and February, when the omicron variant surged. CDC officials stress that the previously infected should still get COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC report came out the same day one vaccine manufacturer, Pfizer, sought permission to offer a booster dose to kids ages 5 to 11 just like people 12 and older can get. What Musk's past tweets reveal about Twitter's next owner PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Brash, outspoken and sometimes juvenile, Elon Musk has long been a prolific user of Twitter, the social media platform he now hopes to buy. Musks past tweets show how the worlds richest man has used social media to craft his public image as a billionaire unafraid to offend people. They could also provide a glimpse into how Musk might run the platform. For Musk, Twitter has been a tool to promote his enterprises and punch back at critics. His tweeting has also gotten him in trouble with government regulators and led to big fines for Musk and his company Tesla. Deputies protect school killer after potential juror threat FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Deputies protecting Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz had to pull him aside and surround him after members of a jury pool became potentially threatening. Judge Elizabeth Scherer said a potential juror had to be removed by bailiffs after he began mouthing possible threats toward Cruz. Others also started acting threatening, so deputies moved in to protect Cruz. The entire 70-person panel was then dismissed. Scherer said they became belligerent in the hallway. Cruz is facing a possible death sentence for murdering 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland four years ago. Oklahoma governor signs ban on nonbinary birth certificates OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a bill prohibiting the use of nonbinary gender markers on state birth certificates. The first-term Republican signed the bill Tuesday. Experts say some states only offer male or female gender options on birth certificates, but Oklahoma is the first to write the prohibition into law. It follows a flap last year over the state health agencys agreement in a civil case to allow a nonbinary gender option. The birth certificate in that case was issued to an Oklahoma-born Oregon resident. People who are nonbinary do not identify with traditional male or female gender assignments. TSA: Airport security finds loaded gun in Cawthorn's bag Officials say a loaded gun was found in North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorns carry-on bag at an airport security checkpoint. It's the second time in a little more than a year that a weapon has been found in his possession at an airport in his home state. Transportation Security Administration spokesperson R. Carter Langston said that when Cawthorn went through a Charlotte Douglas International Airport checkpoint with the gun Tuesday morning, TSA officers notified Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. Police say Cawthorn acknowledged that the gun was his and he was issued a citation for possession of a dangerous weapon on city property. Harris positive for COVID-19, Biden not a 'close contact' WASHINGTON (AP) Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House says. It's a sharp new reminder of the persistence of the highly contagious virus even as the U.S. eases restrictions in a bid to revert to pre-pandemic normalcy. Neither President Joe Biden nor first lady Jill Biden was considered a close contact of Harris in recent days. The White House says Harris has exhibited no symptoms. After consulting with her physicians, Harris is taking Paxlovid, the Pfizer antiviral pill. Harris will isolate at her residence but continue to work remotely, and will only return to the White House once she tests negative for the virus. Delta to begin paying flight attendants during boarding Delta Air Lines will start paying flight attendants during the time that passengers are boarding. That's a first for a major U.S. airline. Flight attendants in the U.S. generally don't begin getting paid by the hour until the doors close after boarding. Delta said Tuesday that the change will take effect in June, and it comes on top of pay raises for flight attendants. The pay increase comes as Delta faces another attempt by unions to organize its non-union flight attendants. Delta said the new boarding pay would be on top of 4% raises that it granted to flight attendants last month. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will ask Congress for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, two administration officials said Thursday, a big boost in U.S. efforts to bolster Kyiv in an intensifying war that's showing no signs of ending anytime soon. Biden's latest proposal which the officials said was expected to last for five months has more than $20 billion in military assistance for Ukraine and for bolstering defenses in nearby countries. There is also $8.5 billion in economic aid to help keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government functioning and $3 billion for food and humanitarian programs to help civilians and other spending, said the officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. The proposal would more than double the initial $13.6 billion package of defense and economic aid for Ukraine and Western allies that Congress enacted last month. It seemed to signal a long-term U.S. commitment to staving off Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to expand his nation's control of its neighbor, and perhaps beyond. The request comes with the fighting, now in its ninth week, sharpening in eastern and southern parts of the country and international tensions growing as Russia cuts off gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria. There is wide, bipartisan support in Congress for giving Ukraine all the assistance it needs to fight the Russians, and its eventual approval seems certain. But Biden and congressional Democrats also want lawmakers to approve billions more to battle the pandemic, and that along with a Republican push to entangle the measure with an extension of some Trump-era immigration restrictions leaves the proposal's pathway to enactment unclear. Biden was also asking Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs. Full story and Russia-Ukraine coverage here: *** PHOTO GALLERY Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sherry Fonseka joined millions in 2019 in electing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a military strategist whose brutal campaign helped end Sri Lankas 30-year civil war 10 years earlier. Now he is one of thousands who, for weeks, have protested outside the presidents office, calling on Rajapaksa and his brother, Mahinda, who is prime minister, to resign for leading the country into its worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain in 1948. With the island teetering near bankruptcy, Fonseka, who owns a small garment business in the capital, Colombo, has resorted to spending his own savings to pay the salaries of his 30 employees. But he knows he will soon have to let them go and is clear about who is to blame. All of us thought we made the correct decision (to elect Rajapaksa), but weve realized we were wrong. We should have the backbone to tell people, and the world, that we made a mistake, he said. In recent weeks, protests have erupted across the country demanding that Rajapaksa quit. The protests highlight the dramatic fall of the Rajapaksas from Sri Lanka's most powerful political dynasty in decades to a family grasping to retain power. Despite accusations of atrocities during the civil war, Gotabaya and Mahinda, who was previously president, remained heroes to many of the island's Buddhist-Sinhalese majority and were firmly entrenched at the top of Sri Lankan politics before the revolt by previous supporters like Fonseka. The pendulum has swung from its all about the Rajapaksas, they are the people who saved this country, to it is because of the Rajapaksas that the country is now ruined, said Harsha de Silva, an economist and opposition lawmaker. The unravelling of Sri Lankas economy has been swift and painful. Imports of everything from milk to fuel have plunged, spawning dire food shortages and rolling power cuts. People have been forced to queue for hours every day to buy essentials. Doctors have warned of a crippling shortage of life-saving drugs in hospitals, and the government has suspended payments on $7 billion in foreign debts due this year alone. The Rajapaksas, like an octopus, have held on to every aspect of public life in Sri Lanka, de Silva said. They have been running it as if it was their kingdom. They wished and they did - thats how it was and people were with them. President Rajapaksa has defended his government, partly blaming the pandemic and Russias war in Ukraine. This crisis was not created by me, he said in a speech last month, adding that his government was working hard on solutions. They include approaching the International Monetary Fund and World Bank for assistance, after repeated calls to do so. But as protesters seethed, the president and prime minister have changed tact in recent weeks. They have admitted to mistakes they made that exacerbated the crisis, such as implementing a short-lived ban last year on importing chemical fertilizers that badly hurt farmers and conceding that they should have sought a bailout sooner. Influential Buddhist monks have urged Rajapaksa to form an interim government under a new prime minister, signaling a further decline in the familys image as protectors of the countrys 70% Buddhist-Sinhalese majority. Some observers say its too soon to measure how much support for the Rajapaksas has fallen among their hardcore base, but for many their response has been too little and too late. There is now recognition across the government of several missteps, but its one thats come at a huge cost to the people, said Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at the Colombo-based Center for Policy Alternatives. The Rajapaksas were a powerful land-owning family which for decades dominated local elections in their rural southern district, before rising to the helm of national politics in 2005 when Mahinda was elected president. He remained in power until 2015, overseeing the end of the civil war against ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009, before losing to the opposition led by his former aide. Suicide bombings that killed 290 people on Easter Sunday in 2019 paved the way for the Rajapaksas return, this time as Gotabaya launched a high-pitched nationalist campaign that tapped outrage and disillusionment with the previous government over the attacks. He vowed a return to the muscular nationalism that had made his family popular with the Buddhist majority, and also to bring the country out of an economic slump with a message of stability and development. Tourism had dropped sharply after the bomb attacks and Sri Lanka needed badly to boost revenue to service a slew of foreign loans for splashy infrastructure projects. Some involved Chinese money and were commissioned under his brothers presidency, but had failed to create profits, instead collecting debt. Just days into his presidency, Rajapaksa pushed through the largest tax cuts in Sri Lankas history to spur spending even as critics warned that it would shrink the governments finances. According to Nishan de Mel, executive director of Verite Research, Sri Lankas tax base fell by 30%. When you do something like that, you have some kind of internal analysis or document that shows why these cuts could help the economy. There was nothing of that sort, de Mel said. The move triggered immediate punishment from the global market as creditors downgraded Sri Lankas ratings, making it impossible for it to borrow more money as its foreign exchange reserves continued to dwindle. Then the coronavirus hit, further crushing tourism as debts snowballed. Analysts say the Rajapaksas response to the economic challenges underscored the limitations of their strongman politics and their familys near-monopoly on decision making, heavily relying on the military to enforce policy and passing laws to weaken independent institutions. Three other Rajapaksa family members were in the Cabinet until early April, when the Cabinet resigned en masse in response to the protests. Their entire political ideology and credibility is in serious crisis, said Jayadeva Uyangoda, a veteran political scientist. But many fear that things will only get worse before improving. A divided and weak opposition without a majority in Parliament has kept the Rajapaksas in power. An IMF bailout could see austere measures intensifying hardships for people before there is relief. Meanwhile, the focus remains on the protests, which are drawing people across ethnicities, religion and class. For the first time, middle-class Sri Lankans have taken to the streets in large numbers, Uyangoda said. They include Wijaya Nanda Chandradewa, who joined the crowd outside the presidents office on Saturday. A retired government employee, Chandradewa said he fell for Rajapaksas promise to rebuild a Sri Lanka scarred by the 2019 bombings. He said there will be one country and one law -- now there is neither the law nor the country, Chandradewa said, adding that the only option now is for Rajapaksa to quit. He showed us a fairyland and cheated us and misled us, he said. We have to fix our mistakes and build a system to bring in the right leader. Pathi reported from New Delhi. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. LINCOLN Lt. Gov. Mike Foley will plant a red oak tree on the Capitol lawn Friday to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, a holiday that originated in Nebraska. The ceremony, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the northeast lawn of the Capitol, will include Foley reading Gov. Pete Ricketts' proclamation celebrating Arbor Day, along with remarks from several other state officials, according to a press release. After the remarks, Foley will plant the tree. State government offices also will be closed Friday in observance of the holiday. Nebraskans broke ground on the current Capitol building 100 years ago, in 1922. Some of the original trees planted on the Capitol grounds in 1934 are still alive. The 2022 Capitol Arbor Day ceremony will replace original red oak trees recently removed due to age. 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. State Sen. Justin Wayne said he had fun working to pass Legislative Bill 1024 to fund recovery efforts in underserved areas of Omaha. Now that the bill has passed, hes a bit nervous. The real work begins now, Wayne said at a press conference Thursday. The Omaha senator, along with Gov. Pete Ricketts, several other lawmakers and dozens of local officials, gathered at Metropolitan Community Colleges Fort Omaha campus to celebrate the passage of LB 1024. Ricketts described the bill as landmark legislation that will have a generational impact in the years to come. The bill devotes $335 million to underserved areas of the state, particularly in North and South Omaha, but also to some low-income communities in Lincoln and rural Nebraska. Ricketts said some of the recovery efforts will include affordable housing, infrastructure investments, crime prevention, financial literacy and education. Wayne said this is the first time in state history that North and South Omaha have had this level of funding dedicated to them and now the pressure is on to produce results. Well never get an opportunity like this again if we dont use these dollars wisely, Wayne said. A committee of seven lawmakers has already formed to plan the recovery efforts. On the committee is Wayne, along with Sens. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, Terrell McKinney of Omaha, Tony Vargas of Omaha, Mike McDonnell of Omaha, Brett Lindstrom of Omaha and Anna Wishart of Lincoln. A legislative staffer confirmed the committee has already met once near the end of the legislative session, but they havent approved anything yet. First on the committees to-do list is to approve a request for proposal, or RFP, which will allocate about $135 million of the funding outlined in LB 1024, according to the staffer. Although no specific projects have been solidified so far, Wayne previously said a top priority will be hiring a master developer, which will likely take the form of a contractor who oversees the major development projects in the area. Adm. Osie Combs, president of the manufacturing company Pacific Engineering Inc., said he plans to contribute to the recovery efforts by expanding a business park in North Omaha to house a facility for his business. Pacific Engineering currently operates out of a 75,000-square-foot facility in Lincoln, with about 30 employees. Combs said he hopes to bring on 50 to 100 new employees through this expansion, primarily hiring people from the Omaha area. We take it to the people, Combs said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pacific Engineering built pods that served as temporary testing sites. Combs said those pods can be repurposed to serve different recovery effort needs , such emergency shelters or affordable housing. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The cruel news must have hit hard in Ethel Penticos household during that bleak Christmas season of 1941. The Lexington, Nebraska, widow had lost her husband, Sherman, the previous year at age 66. Now, the Navy Department regretted to inform her that her youngest son, Seaman 2nd Class Walter Ray Pentico, had gone missing from the battleship USS Oklahoma in the shocking Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7. He was 17. The Navy declared him dead several months later, but his remains were never identified, like those of 394 of the 429 USS Oklahoma sailors who died at Pearl Harbor. Their commingled bones, recovered from the battleships hull during salvage operations, were buried for decades in graves marked Unknowns, USS Oklahoma, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 at Honolulus National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Now, more than 80 years later, Penticos remains have been identified through the efforts of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at its Offutt Air Force Base laboratory. His descendants have decided to return his bones to a grave in the same Hawaii cemetery this time, with his name on the headstone. The burial service, with long-delayed military honors, will take place Friday. Penticos relatives requested privacy through a Navy casualty assistance officer. As a result, the Navy will not livestream the event. Pentico was born March 31, 1924, in Overton, the youngest of four children. His family moved to nearby Lexington when he was 2. Growing up, he attended Lexington public schools and was a member of the Southern Mission Church, according to an obituary in the Lexington Herald-Clipper. Just a few days after his 17th birthday, Pentico joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era program in which young men were hired to provide manual labor on public infrastructure projects. He enlisted in the Navy July 7, 1941, and was assigned that fall to the Oklahoma, a World War I-era battleship, just as the ship was leaving drydock on the West Coast to return to duty in Hawaii. The Oklahoma was moored on Pearl Harbors Battleship Row when Japanese bombers launched the surprise attack on Dec. 7, a Sunday morning. At least five torpedoes, and possibly as many as eight, struck the ship on the port side. It rolled and capsized in minutes, trapping about one-third of its crew below decks. The Oklahoma was salvaged in 1942-43, and the oil-soaked remains buried in two local Hawaiian cemeteries. After the war, the remains were exhumed and efforts were made to identify them. Those efforts failed, and they were reburied. In 2015, after years of lobbying by USS Oklahoma survivors, the remains were disinterred and shipped to the accounting agencys then-new lab at Offutt. Over the next six years, the labs anthropologists, working with the Armed Forces DNA Laboratory in Delaware, accounted for 361 of the 394 previously unidentified Oklahoma sailors. The project wrapped up in June 2021 with a ceremony at the Lincoln Airport. The unidentifiable remains were reburied in Hawaii on the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Pentico was among the last to be identified in February 2021, but none of his close relatives survived. Ethel Pentico had died in 1944. His two brothers, George and Charles, both served in the Army during World War II. George died in 1980, at age 72, and Charles died in 1997, at 74. A sister, Blanche Richardson, born in 1916, also is deceased. Two more recently identified USS Oklahoma sailors from Iowa will be buried in their hometowns next month. Petty Officer 3rd Class Harry Nichols, 21, of Sioux City will be buried May 13. Navy Seaman 1st Class David F. Tidball, 20, of Independence will be laid to rest May 14. 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. OGDEN DUNES The waiting is over for the family of a 22-year-old Indianapolis man who has been missing since falling through ice Feb. 21 along the West Beach shoreline of Lake Michigan. Bryce Dunfee's body was found Thursday morning on the nearby Ogden Dunes beach by a local resident, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. "His body was found approximately a half-mile from where he went missing on Feb. 21," the DNR said in a prepared release. The Ogden Dunes resident notified authorities shortly before 7 a.m. after spotting the man's body along the nearby shoreline, DNR Conservation Officer Alex Neel said. Those responding to the 100 block of Shoreline Drive included the DNR; police officers from Ogden Dunes, Portage and Gary; National Park rangers; and the Porter County coroners office. Dunfee was visiting the West Beach section of the Indiana Dunes National Park site at about 5:30 p.m. Feb. 21 with four friends when he fell into the frigid lake waters after venturing onto the shelf ice, DNR Public Information Officer Nicole Baumann said at the time. A search began immediately and was curtailed the following day by deteriorating weather conditions and melting shelf ice, officials said. The search was complicated further in that the frigid water temperature is known to keep a body submerged, Neel had said. In addition, the low temperatures could result in the shelf ice rebuilding along the shoreline. "The shelf ice is elevated," Baumann had said. "They had to climb up a little hill onto the snow. A little piece of the shelf ice broke off, and he tripped and fell into the lake." The friends were believed to be in their 20s, officials said. The others were local, hailing from Portage and Lake Station. The four other people who walked out onto the shelf ice tried to rescue their friend, but the lake reportedly pulled him in. They called 911 and were able to return to shore safely, Baumann said. "Shelf ice is beautiful to look at, but it's just that, it's a sight to see," Neel said. "It is extremely dangerous and no one should venture out on it." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots controversial free gas and public transit card giveaway narrowly passed the City Council Wednesday after aldermen debated whether the measure will truly help struggling residents or simply be a political gimmick. The plan to hand out 50,000 gas cards, worth $150 each, and 100,000 Chicago Transit Authority fare cards, $50 each, passed 26-23 despite reservations from several aldermen that it was a political stunt and would be largely ineffective. Lightfoots program, dubbed Chicago Moves, followed mayoral candidate Willie Wilsons self-funded $2.2 million gas giveaways to drivers who camped out at gas stations. Some of our neighborhoods have intentionally been starved for no other reason than systemic racism, Lightfoot said Wednesday before the City Council vote. Should we not address that problem, solve it? We are a city. A city of neighbors. Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, who has also declared his candidacy for mayor in the 2023 election, dismissed Lightfoots plan before the vote: To say it comes off as a gimmick would be an understatement. Ald. Andre Vasquez Jr., 40th, cried foul over the timing of Lightfoot putting tax dollars into gas cards all of a sudden when a political rival, Wilson, concluded multiple gas giveaways. Wilson has announced hell run for mayor in February. Lightfoot has not formally declared but is widely expected to seek a second term. Other aldermen expressed concern about the city subsidizing gas purchases, which they said was environmentally unfriendly, and argued that the money would be better spent on affordable housing or other needs. Lightfoot brushed off the criticism that her program is a political stunt as nonsense. At one point, she brandished two $1 bills to emphasize that people are struggling financially. Lightfoot also tried to shoot down hang-ups over the environment and public transit by saying the city was doing everything in its power to keep the CTA safe with more police and cameras, and that back on planet reality, many residents live in public transit deserts and need a car to get around. Am I solving every problem with this? Of course not, Lightfoot said. With Lightfoot expected to announce her campaign for a second term in the near future, her proposal called for spending $12.5 million in city money for the gas and public transit cards. Facing pushback, Lightfoot amended her initial plan to direct the cards to lower-income households, dropping the income threshold to qualify from $140,000 to $93,200 for a family of four, and to ensure three-fourths of the $7.5 million in gas cards go to people from mobility-challenged neighborhoods. The cards will be distributed via lottery if more eligible households apply than the number of cards that are available. For those who receive them, the cards will be distributed monthly from May through September. Applications opened immediately following the passage and can be found online at chicago.gov/city/en/sites/chicago-moves/home.html. The measure passed with the support of three aldermen Gilbert Villegas, 36th; Debra Silverstein, 50th; and Derrick Curtis, 18th who voted against the ordinance in committee. Lightfoot made changes to her bill so more residents would be eligible. In other action Wednesday, aldermen approved a tax break for a large residential building slated for just east of OHare International Airport, under a recent state law that grants incentives to housing developments that meet certain affordability requirements. The sole no vote came from the alderman whose 41st Ward contains the project, Anthony Napolitano, who has expressed qualms about the neighborhood becoming too congested. Also, Lightfoots nominee for inspector general, Deborah Witzburg, was confirmed Wednesday after the previous head watchdog, Joe Ferguson, stepped down in 2021 and the seat was left vacant for months. Additionally, a series of proposed ethics reforms was submitted by 43rd Ward Ald. Michele Smith and shipped to the councils rules committee. They aim to strengthen the ethics rules that govern council members and would increase penalties for violations. The proposals arrive months after former 11th Ward Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson was forced to give up his seat after he was convicted of felony tax fraud. Two other council members, 34th Ward Ald. Carrie Austin and 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke, await trials on separate federal corruption indictments to which both have pleaded not guilty. New legislation on Wednesday included an ordinance submitted by Ald. Matthew OShea that would offer a death benefit to spouses of Chicago first responders who died by suicide. The provisions would include one years salary and a one-time payment ranging from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on family size. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JOLIET - One year ago, Phillip Hanks was enduring the first of two surgeries. One was almost eight hours to give him a new intestine, stomach, liver and pancreas. The following day, Hanks was back on the operating table to get a kidney. Hanks, a father of six, received a multivisceral transplant a simultaneous transplant of multiple organs at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis in April 2021. Since then, Hanks, of Joliet, said he doesnt want to say its been easy, but his health has been smooth sailing. No hiccups on the health front, no drama. In fact, Hanks celebrated birthday 51 on Aug. 23. Hes still driving to Indianapolis for hospital checkups, but not as frequently. I feel great. Im back in the gym slightly, trying to get more strength, he said. On Tuesday, the end of National Donate Life Month, Hanks was celebrating the transplant milestone in Illinois Secretary of State Jesse Whites office, surrounded by family. White read the Chicago Tribune story about Hanks journey in 2021, and recruited him to be a spokesperson for the secretary of states Organ/Tissue Donor Life Goes On program and registry. As one of 12 spokespeople, Hanks has been talking to youth in schools and at secretary of state facilities in the area. He said hes averaging a couple dozen talks every two weeks, and even shot a public service announcement. White calls it a perfect match. Hes been there, done that and now hes able to tell his story and spread the news of this wonderful program. White presented Hanks with a commemorative framed license plate with 5ALIVE on it. A family friend made a replica of his dream car (a 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7) in cake form to commemorate the occasion of his second chance at life through organ donation. Phil has been so incredibly instrumental and inspiring to the program. Our mission is to strengthen the Illinois organ and tissue donor registry through outreach and registration initiatives and one of the ways we are able to do that is partnering with individuals, organizations, faith-based institutions, learning institutions ... we have coordinators go out and lead the charge and serve as advocates to help us with that mission, said Connie Boatman, director of Life Goes On. Phil hit the floor running. Its been incredible to have him on board. As you know so many minorities believe that organ and tissue donation doesnt work or they have questions about it and were constantly working to debunk those myths. Hes a prime example that organ and tissue donation does save lives and it doesnt matter your race, ethnicity or gender. Boatman said since Whites tenure in office, which began in 1998, Life Goes On has registered 7.3 million people for the donor program. Hanks still gets teary-eyed when reliving April 26. He was on the transplant list by Dec. 31, 2020, and received his organs four months later, from two donors. Hanks wife, Tiva, calls it a miracle. Im feeling very blessed, she said. We were reminiscing about the actual day: He was asking me questions about what was I feeling? How did it go? How long did it take? It was a mind-blowing experience. I was there by myself in the middle of COVID and it was scary, I spent a lot of the time on the phone with my auntie. My family was really my rock. I spent all that time in the waiting room, just talking on the phone, texting the family, giving them updates on where they were in the procedure and then afterward, she and I talked to the doctors and were felling very grateful that everything went so well. It was an out of body experience to say the least. Hanks was beaming from ear to ear about his supportive family getting him through it all, sister, aunt, sons and daughter. Tuesday, his 4-month old granddaughter (Gianna Guyton ) was by his side, serving as motivation We dont realize how close we are to it until it happens to us, thats why its important for us to get involved, Boatman said. Thats why what Phillip does is so important because you have to have representation. He is an awesome representation that it does work. Black people do get organs and you dont have to be rich, you dont have to be a celebrity. Its important that we educate ourselves and we exercise our due diligence to share our positions with our families to let them know what our wishes are. Illinoisans can register with the secretary of states Organ/Tissue Donor Registry at LifeGoesOn.com, by calling 800-210-2106 or by visiting a driver services facility. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court decisively rejected the principle of equality under the law when it comes to Puerto Rico. While seemingly limited in scope, we must not minimize the far-reaching implications of the courts 8-1 decision in United States v. Vaello Madero. The case challenged Congress exclusion of Puerto Rico residents from the Supplemental Security Income program. This federal program provides crucial aid to individuals with the least access to financial security in our communities older adults, those with diverse ability needs and those living in extreme poverty. A 2011 estimate suggested that over 300,000 Puerto Rican residents would be eligible for SSI. This systematic lack of funding fundamentally limits a peoples struggle for self-determination and self-actualization. The Supreme Court advanced a fallacious argument to justify this discrimination by appealing to Puerto Ricos unique tax status, claiming that contributing less is compatible with receiving less. However, such reasoning is not applied to states that consistently contribute far less than others. Should states that pay very little in federal taxes be denied some or all access to the program? Under this logic, the SSI program, which is specifically designed to offer relief to financially insecure households, would pay less to the citizens that need it the most. On the contrary, the SSI program continues to help those most in need, precisely because they are in no position to contribute. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the only dissenter, plainly laid out this irrational logic, pointing out that SSI is a program the federal government administers to its citizens directly not through states or jurisdictions, whatever their tax burden may be. How then, can the court decide to force people like Jose Vaello-Madero to give up their SSI benefits if they move from one jurisdiction to another, even if theyve already qualified? Sotomayors compelling arguments center on constitutional protections and tests of rationality standing in stark contrast with the majoritys use of unequal reasoning and misapplied precedents. The end result is that, under these precedents, the Supreme Court is allowed to advance arguments that could only be deemed reasonable when applied to colonies, especially when it comes to federal benefits, self-government and legal protections. The court could have taken this opportunity to overrule this legal framework. They instead reinforce it. The decision once again affirms that the Constitution and its protections apply only partially to territories and confirms that a government that rules without consent or principle has a name colonial. If the U.S. government cannot be persuaded to follow its own Constitution when it comes to the territories, it should not hold any territories at all. Full stop. To continue this state of affairs is to perpetuate legally sanctioned colonialism. How can Puerto Rican advocates continue their fight for fair treatment? The highest court in the land has just told them that as long as Puerto Rico is a colony, its people have only very limited claims to the inalienable rights endowed upon them by their Creator, among these life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does so while the U.S. government continues to deny them a meaningful decolonization process. Puerto Ricans are now left with no claims to justice within the colony and no just way out of the colony. I hope we, across the state of Illinois and the rest of the 50 states, can join in the prescient call of Illinois Sen. William E. Mason, who drafted a resolution a year after Puerto Rico was invaded by the U.S. declaring: Whereas all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed: Therefore be it RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, That the Government of the United States of America will not attempt to govern the people of any other country in the world without the consent of the people themselves, or subject them by force to our dominion against their will. State Sen. Omar Aquino represents Illinois 2nd District. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas, also a state senator, represents the 20th District. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 QNET, a prominent e-commerce based direct selling company held the first of its flagship bi-annual virtual convention this year, the V-Convention Connect (VCC2022), streamed live to over half a million distributors and customers in approximately 50 countries. This was the fourth event in the virtual edition of the flagship convention since the pivot to virtual due to the global pandemic. "With virtual events now a global norm, we had to find new ways to keep our convention exciting and engaging for our participants. The main advantage of virtual events is it allows us to reach a much wider audience than ever before since the cost of participation is much lower. We strive to give our audience interesting and engaging content and an immersive experience that allows them to experience the magic and energy of being in a stadium surrounded by thousands of others. Fortunately, technology has allowed us to experiment and innovate with the virtual experience we give our audience, including a glimpse of QNET in the metaverse." says Malou Caluza, CEO of QNET. Utilising technological tools such as Unreal Engine and a virtual production suite, QNET transported audience members through different settings ranging from mesmerising city skylines to a dazzling centre stage inside a virtual stadium in a 3D environment. QNET INTRODUCES A REVOLUTIONARY PERSONAL CARE LINE QNET launched a new addition to its Swiss-made skincare brand Physio Radiance called the Physio Radiance Expert series, a revolutionary personal care line that addresses the most prominent signs of ageing around the eyes, face, and neck. The Physio Radiance Expert series taps into the explosive growth in the global skincare market valued at approximately USD140 billion in 2020 as consumers have been moving their dollars from cosmetics to skincare and other self-care rituals as they spend more time at home as a result of the global pandemic. The Physio Radiance Expert products include Instant Youth for Eyes and Instant Youth for Face. These new products use a breakthrough dermo-cosmetic formula that incorporate science-backed and clinically-tested active ingredients and are devised from a patented blend of natural extracts. "Personal care is becoming increasingly essential to our daily routines. As more people explore their options and learn about the science behind a product, the demand for products that have demonstrable results is on an upwards trend," says Caluza. "Our goal with Physio Radiance Expert is to respond to that demand and bring high-quality, efficacious products for our customers across the globe." QNETS BERNHARD H. MAYER MODERN SWISS WATCH AND JEWELLERY REDEFINES LUXURY Bernhard H. Mayer, QNET's luxury Swiss watch and jewellery brand, proudly showed off its newest Empire collection at VCC2022 beautifully finished Swiss-Made timepieces for him and her. Crafted with precision engineering, the Empire collection combines a classic style with a contemporary, sophisticated design aesthetic. Both gender variants come in two designs: stainless steel and rose gold, each embodying the sleek elegance and classic refinement befitting the collections title. The brand also showcased its latest accessory for men, the Classe bangle, a statement piece in 18K gold-lined cuff, that also serves as a versatile accessory that effortlessly matches any outfit or occasion. The Swiss luxury industry is known to be traditional with relatively rigid retail habits. Yet Bernhard H. Mayer embraced e-commerce as its primary channel of distribution early on and charted new growth as online retail surged throughout the pandemic. Now, the brand is ready for the next phase of growth: the metaverse, an immersive virtual reality space where customers can engage in a highly curated physical-to-digital reality where they can see, touch, and experience Bernhard H. Mayer's Swiss-Made luxury watches and jewellery. A preview of Bernhard H. Mayers upcoming metaverse destination, in partnership with virtual-world platform Decentraland, was one of the highlights of the convention. Referring to how Bernhard H. Mayer aims to explore new avenues to bring its luxury offerings to a broader audience, Caluza says, "Bernhard H. Mayer's unique blend of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer strategy has seen the brand experience great success over the past few years. We're embracing the convergence of our physical and digital worlds via metaverse platforms as an opportunity for growth in the luxury watch and jewellery industry." Alongside Bernhard H. Mayer's mission to drive a new path to accessibility in the luxury industry through e-commerce and the metaverse, the brand is firmly holding onto its promise of sustainability. All Bernhard H. Mayer's fine jewellery products use ethically-sourced recycled gold from members of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the leading ethical standard within the jewellery industry. 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 GROHE has joined WorldSkills International, a global platform to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, as its newest Global Partner. GROHE first supported the skill competition, Plumbing and Heating, in WorldSkills Kazan 2019. Now as a Global Partner, GROHE will extend its support to WorldSkills Shanghai 2022 and as a Global Industry Partner. We are delighted to strengthen our collaboration with WorldSkills. Professional skills are critical for the sanitary industry. Together we can demonstrate what impact skilled professionals can have today and for the more sustainable future that we all strive for, said Jonas Brennwald, Leader, LIXIL EMENA. GROHE is joining the global skills community of industry, education, and government partners to raise the profile of young skilled professionals around the world, said David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International. You are supporting the increase in abilities, status, and economic prospects of young people. With you, our Global Partners, we are creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative future through skills. After three years since the first contact with WorldSkills, we are more than happy to join forces internationally and support young people with our expertise and in-depth knowledge of the sanitary industry, said Timo Kurz, Leader GIVE Program and WorldSkills, LIXIL EMENA. This new partnership is part of GROHEs efforts to address the shortage of skilled installers in the sanitary industry. Its GROHE Installer Vocational Training and Education (GIVE) Program is collaborating with over 40 institutions offering plumbing training across the EMENA region. To help improve training facilities, GROHE sets up a fully functioning training environment where students can benefit from the brands vast expertise. GIVE supports schools in creating a uniform approach with modern equipment, training material and a written examination that sets new industry standards. Even after students have completed their GROHE training, they will receive assistance with job placements or even a work experience program at one of GROHEs industry partners. WorldSkills builds confidence, empowers communities and helps to fuel economies. They inspire young people to develop a passion for skills and pursuing excellence, through competitions and promotions. Furthermore, they help develop skills through global training standards, benchmarking systems, and enhancing industry engagement. They influence industry, government, and educators through cooperation and research building a global platform of skills for all. GROHE joins 23 other WorldSkills Global Partners and 85 Member countries and regions committed to helping young people change their lives, and the fortunes of their communities and countries through skills. Learn more about WorldSkills. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Upper West Regional President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mr Ubeidu Siddique, has advised persons desiring to pursue career opportunities in law not to allow material things to be their motivation. He said lawyers must exhibit high personal integrity and discipline to serve saying, If money is your motivation, you will be exiting just as you are entering. Mr Siddique gave the advice at the Law Express Per-Season Forum at the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) in Wa on Tuesday. The event was organized by the Law Express in collaboration with the SDD-UBIDS to encourage people to consider taking up career prospects in the field of law as well as to create a platform for stakeholders to discuss the introduction of a law programme at the University, It was on the theme: Educational and Career Prospects in the Law, and brought together legal persons in the region to share their experiences in the law profession with the participants. Mr Siddique, who is also the Upper West Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice said As a lawyer you have to be diligent, skillful, ethical, honest and hardworking. If you want to become a lawyer and you are lazy, forget it. Talking on the prospects in law, the Regional GBA President observed that there were many opportunities in the study of law saying, One thing good about law is that you can work in any setting. Every setting needs a lawyer. He, therefore pledged the support of the association to the SDD-UBIDS in its quest to commence a law programme at the university to propel the growth of the faculty. Professor Philip Duku Osei, the Vice Chancellor of the SDD-UBIDS, said plans were far advanced for the commencement of the law programme and urged for support of the stakeholders to let it come to fruition. He commended the organisers of the forum for creating the platform for discussion on the introduction of the programme and said it was part of fulfilling their mandate as a university. On her part, Madam Nuhela Seidu, the convener of the forum and host of the Law Express, said the initiative was among other objectives, aimed to educate the public on their rights and responsibilities to enable them seek justice when the need arose. Madam Seidu, a legal practitioner, said the forum would transcend from supporting the introduction of the law programme at the SDD-UBIDS to ensuring that the department thrives to become one of the best in the country. Some of the participants expressed the hope that a law faculty would be established in the northern part of the country in the near future to bring the study of the profession to the doorsteps of the people. Mr Clement Eledi, the Supervising High Court Judge in Wa, and a former President of the Upper West Regional GBA, among other dignitaries attended the event. 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 Democratic Republic of Congo has kicked off Ebola vaccinations to stem an outbreak in the northwest city of Mbandaka, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Two people are known to have died so far in the city of over one million inhabitants where people live in close proximity to road, water and air links to the capital Kinshasa. The first death occurred on April 21 and the second on Tuesday, marking the central African country's 14th Ebola outbreak. Around 200 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine have been shipped to Mbandaka from the eastern city of Goma, with more to be delivered in coming days, the WHO said in a statement. So far 233 contacts have been identified and are being monitored, it added. Three vaccination teams are on the ground and will focus on reaching all people at high risk. "With effective vaccines at hand and the experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo health workers in Ebola response, we can quickly change the course of this outbreak for the better," WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti said in the statement. Congo's equatorial forests are a natural reservoir for the Ebola virus, which was discovered near the Ebola River in northern Congo in 1976. The country has seen 13 previous Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2018-2020 in the east that killed nearly 2,300 people, the second highest toll recorded in the history of the hemorrhagic fever. The most recent ended in December in the east and caused six deaths. Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur province, has also contended with outbreaks in 2018 and in 2020. Genetic testing has shown that the current outbreak was a new "spillover event", meaning it was transmitted from infected animals rather than linked to previous events. Source: REUTERS 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 Electricity and water tariffs are likely to go up in July this year, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has projected. Nana Amoasi VIII, Energy Analyst and Executive Director of the Institute said from all indications, there will be an upward review of the current tariff. He said: We must brace ourselves for electricity tariff increment so we can save both the distribution and transmission grid from collapsing and have some reliable power supply. He added: Its quite unfortunate that it has become a pressing issue to bite at this time when Ghanaians are going through tough times, but its still necessary to pay a little more for the utilities to invest to save the grid from collapsing. The Energy Analyst noted that Ghana had not seen any major tariff increases in the last seven years, yet the operational cost of electricity continued to rise, hampering the work of utilities. He was of the view that if electricity consumers were not made to pay a little more to enable the service provider to invest, ... the power system may collapse... He said: Between 2015 and now, electricity tariff has not seen any significant rise. Meanwhile, the operational cost of the utilities has been rising year on year partly due to foreign exchange losses through obsolete equipment and power lines, and increasing cost of borrowing to finance their operations. The IES Executive Director called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) to be prepared to work more to stop the increasing commercial losses they incurred. He said: They should make sure that the sacrifices that Ghanaians are being asked to make by paying more for electricity in such a challenging time reflect an increased reliability in power supply within the shortest possible time. Dr Ishmeal Ackah, Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulation Commission (PURC), told the Ghana News Agency that the Commission, together with key stakeholders were reviewing the countrys electricity and water tariffs. He said as to the current tariff being increased, reduced or maintained: Were all asking the same question. 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 Seasoned Journalist, Kweku Baako has jumped to the defence of CLOGSAG over their demand for neutrality allowance. The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) is calling to be paid neutrality allowance as a compensation for them not directly participating in partisan politics or being allowed to pursue a political career. Some Ghanaians have bashed CLOGSAG saying payment of such allowance is a waste of money; other critics also find it extremely ridiculous that the civil servants would made such a demand. But Kweku Baako thinks otherwise as he argued that the living conditions of civil servants in the country is very poor, so believed they meant no harm by their request for the neutrality allowance. To him, it is the use of the word "neutrality" that is "creating the problems, otherwise they may be justified in asking for something extra so to motivate and incentivize to work harder and to ensure that partisanship doesn't infiltrate their work". Satirically asking "what animal is that (neutrality allowance)?", Mr. Baako was of a the view that the agitations of the civil servants should be appropriately addressed. He made these comments on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo''. 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 []B(200017):2022 20220428 18:56:26 : : B :2022 Stock code: 000017, 200017 Notice No.: 2022-005 short form of the stock: Zhonghua-A, Zhonghua-B Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited The First Quarterly Report of 2022 The Company and whole members of the BOD guarantee that the information disclosed is true, accurate and complete, and there are no any fictitious records, misleading statements or important omissions.Important content reminder: 1. Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee, all directors, supervisors and senior executives of Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited (hereinafter referred to as the Company) hereby confirm that there are no any fictitious statements, misleading statements, or important omissions carried in this report, and shall take all responsibilities, individual and/or joint, for the reality, accuracy and completion of the whole contents. 2. Principal of the Company, Person in Charge of Accounting Works and Person in Charge of Accounting Organ (Accounting Officer) hereby confirm that the Financial Report of the First Quarterly Report is authentic, accurate and complete. 3. Whether the First Quarterly Report has been audited or not Yes No I. Main financial data (i) Main accounting data and financial indexes Whether it has retroactive adjustment or re-statement on previous accounting data or not Yes No Current Period Same period of last year Changes of this period over same period of last year Operating income (RMB) 50,246,951.40 23,163,329.56 116.92% Net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company (RMB) -903,991.16 -211,535.36 -327.35% Net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company after deducting non-recurring gains and losses (RMB) -1,190,923.81 -211,535.36 -462.99% Net cash flow arising from operating activities (RMB) -8,930,326.51 1,399,162.83 -738.26% Basic earnings per share (RMB/Share) -0.0016 -0.0004 -300.00% Diluted earnings per share (RMB/Share) -0.0016 -0.0004 -300.00% Weighted average ROE -10.68% -1.96% -8.72% End of this period End of last period Changes of this period-end over same period-end of last year Total assets (RMB) 101,914,520.44 97,363,437.22 4.67% Owners equity attributable to shareholders of listed company (RMB) 8,014,547.00 8,918,538.16 -10.14% (ii) Items and amounts of non-recurring profit (gains)/losses Applicable Not applicable Unit: RMB/CNY Item Current amount Note Governmental subsidy calculated into current gains and losses(while closely related with the normal business of the Company, the government subsidy that accord with the provision of national policies and are continuously enjoyed in line with a certain standard quota or quantity are excluded) 103,369.17 Reversal of the account receivable depreciation reserves subject to separate impairment test 60,000.00 Other non-operating income and expenses other than the above 221,131.50 Less: impact on income tax 3,316.97 Impact on minority shareholders equity (post-tax) 94,251.05 Total 286,932.65 -- Other gain/loss items that qualified the definition of non-recurring profit (gains)/losses: Applicable Not applicable The Company does not have other gain/loss items that qualified the definition of non-recurring profit (gains)/losses Explanation on those non-recurring gain/loss listed in the Q&A Announcement No.1 on Information Disclosure for Companies Offering Their Securities to the Public --- Extraordinary Profit/loss defined as recurring gain/loss Applicable Not applicable The Company does not have the non-recurring gain/loss listed in the Q&A Announcement No.1 on Information Disclosure for Companies Offering Their Securities to the Public --- Extraordinary Profit/loss defined as recurring gain/loss (iii) Particulars about changes in items of main accounting data and financial index and explanations of reasons Applicable Not applicable Item Period-end/current period Period-begin/last period Y-o-y changes (+,-) Cause of change Monetary fund 24,173,752.51 33,246,957.92 -27.29% Purchase of jewelry and gold by subsidiary Account paid in advance 2,670,412.70 1,300,408.57 105.35% The account paid in advance for lithium battery materials increased Inventory 19,655,197.38 8,248,573.77 138.29% The inventory of jewelry and gold increased from the subsidiary Other current assets 3,222,011.94 1,814,200.53 77.60% The item of input to be deducted by subsidiary increased Account payable 14,462,510.97 8,297,306.34 74.30% Payments to suppliers during the period Operation revenue 50,246,951.40 23,163,329.56 116.92% Income from jewelry and gold business increased Operation cost 47,249,406.26 20,752,454.71 127.68% Costs of the jewelry and gold business increased Sales expenses 1,251,815.38 425,618.74 194.12% Expenses increased due to the growth of income R&D expenses 1,215,439.84 856,296.32 41.94% Expenses on R&D increased Net cash flow arising from operation activities -8,930,326.51 1,399,162.83 -738.26% Purchase of jewelry and gold by subsidiary II. Shareholders (i) Total number of common shareholders and preference shareholders with voting rights recovered and top ten shareholders Unit: Share Total number of common shareholders at the end of report period 40,730 Total preference shareholders with voting rights recovered at end of reporting period (if applicable) 0 Top ten shareholders Shareholders name Nature of shareholder Proportion of shares held Amount of shares held Amount of lock-up shares held Information of shares pledged, tagged or frozen State of share Amount Shenzhen Guosheng Energy Investment Development Co., Ltd. Domestic non-state-owned legal person 11.52% 63,508,747 0 - - UOB Koy Hian (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. Foreign legal person 2.89% 15,907,850 0 - - Guosen Securities (Hong Kong) brokerage Co., Ltd. Foreign legal person 2.52% 13,909,425 0 - - Shenwan Hongyuan Securities (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. Foreign legal person 1.50% 8,281,156 0 - - Lhasa Xingqing Network Technology Co., Ltd. Domestic non-state-owned legal person 0.83% 4,600,255 0 - - Li Huili Domestic nature person 0.71% 3,891,124 0 - - Ge Zhiqiong Domestic nature person 0.56% 3,112,052 0 - - Xu Hongbo Domestic nature person 0.53% 2,927,319 0 - - China Merchants Securities Hong Kong Co., Ltd. State-owned legal person 0.52% 2,894,135 0 - - Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited -Special account for property disposal of bankrupt enterprise Domestic non-state-owned legal person 0.47% 2,602,402 0 - - Top ten shareholders with unrestricted shares held Shareholders name Amount of unrestricted shares held Type of shares Type Amount Shenzhen Guosheng Energy Investment Development Co., Ltd. 63,508,747 RMB common shares 63,508,747 UOB Koy Hian (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. 15,907,850 Domestically listed foreign shares 15,907,850 Guosen Securities (Hong Kong) brokerage Co., Ltd. 13,909,425 Domestically listed foreign shares 13,909,425 Shenwan Hongyuan Securities (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. 8,281,156 Domestically listed foreign shares 8,281,156 Lhasa Xingqing Network Technology Co., Ltd. 4,600,255 RMB common shares 4,600,255 Li Huili 3,891,124 Domestically listed foreign shares 3,891,124 Ge Zhiqiong 3,112,052 RMB common shares 198,400 Domestically listed foreign 2,913,652 shares Xu Hongbo 2,927,319 Domestically listed foreign shares 2,927,319 China Merchants Securities Hong Kong Co., Ltd. 2,894,135 Domestically listed foreign shares 2,894,135 Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited -Special account for property disposal of bankrupt enterprise 2,602,402 RMB common shares 1,383,313 Domestically listed foreign shares 1,219,089 Explanation on associated relationship among the aforesaid shareholders Li Huili, spouse of the Ji Hanfei, the actual controller of he Company- Shenzhen Guosheng Energy Investment Development Co., Ltd., holding B-share of the Company on behalf of Shenzhen Guosheng Energy Investment Development Co., Ltd., beyond that, the Company has no idea of whether other circulated shareholders belong to concerted action persons ruled in the Administration Norms for Information Disclosure of Change on Shareholding of Shareholders of Listed Companies. Explanation on top 10 shareholders involving margin business (if applicable) N/A (ii) Total shareholders with preferred stock held and shares held by top ten shareholders with preferred stock held Applicable Not applicable III. Other important matters Applicable Not applicable 1. Planning for non-public offering of shares On December 30, 2020, the company held the third extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in 2020, reviewed and approved the new plan for non-public issuance of A shares, and planned to raise funds from Wansheng Industry Company through non-public issuance of shares of total amount not exceeding 293.6 million yuan, which would be used to replenish working capital after deducting the issuance expenses, and this issuance will lead to changes in the companys control. On October 25, 2021, the companys application for the non-public issuance of A shares was reviewed and approved by the Issuance Examination Commission of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the CSRC). On November 11, 2021, the company received the Approval for the Non-public Issuance of Shares by Shenzhen China Bicycle (Group) Co., Ltd. (ZJXK [2021] No. 3552) issued by the CSRC, and the validity period of the approval is 12 months from the date of approval for the issuance. Relevant work is currently in progress. 2. About the company litigation matters On February 23, 2022, the company received the Subpoena (2022) Yue 0303 Min Chu No. 3787, Complaint, Notice of Response, Civil Ruling Paper (2020) Yue 0303 Zhi Bao No. 498 and other legal documents from Shenzhen Luohu District Peoples Court, which has accepted the lawsuit brought by the plaintiff Shenzhen Jianzhi Industrial Development Co., Ltd. against the company on the grounds of joint venture and cooperative development of real estate contract disputes, the amount involved was 30.859 million yuan. On March 12, 2022, the company received a notice from the Shenzhen Luohu District Peoples Court that the court trial originally scheduled for March 18, 2022 has been rescheduled due to the pandemic, and the specific trial time will be notified later. As of the date of this announcement, the company has not received the notice from the Luohu Court, and the matter has not yet been heard. The company will actively respond to the lawsuit, safeguard the interests of the company and all shareholders through legal means. According to the Analysis of Jianzhi Company sued CBC issued by Guangdong Asia Laws Firm on March 28, 2022, the evidence submitted by Jianzhi Company could not support its litigation request, and the CBC had completed the conditions of the return revenue as agreed in the Cooperation Contract, termination of the Contract was in accordance with the legal provision. The CBC believes that they has completed part of the works agreed in Cooperation Contract, and should get 6 million yuan as agreed in the Contract. Currently, the Company has filed a counter-suit against Shenzhen Jianzhi Industrial Development Co., Ltd for payment of 6 million yuan in return proceeds from the project. The Company will perform the corresponding information disclosure obligations in a timely manner according to the progress of the lawsuit. Investors are advised to pay attention to investment risks. IV. Quarterly financial statements (i) Financial statement 1. Consolidate Balance Sheet Prepared by Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited March 31, 2022 Unit: RMB/CNY Item Ending balance Opening balance Current assets: Monetary fund 24,173,752.51 33,246,957.92 Settlement provisions Capital lent Trading financial assets Derivative financial assets Note receivable Account receivable 46,242,685.55 46,850,083.59 Receivable financing Account paid in advance 2,670,412.70 1,300,408.57 Insurance receivable Reinsurance receivables Contract reserve of reinsurance receivable Other account receivable 740,422.93 494,695.27 Including: Interest receivable Dividend receivable Buying back the sale of financial assets Inventory 19,655,197.38 8,248,573.77 Contract assets Assets held for sale Non-current asset due within one year Other current assets 3,222,011.94 1,814,200.53 Total current assets 96,704,483.01 91,954,919.65 Non-current assets: Loans and payments on behalf Debt investment Other debt investment Long-term account receivable Long-term equity investment Investment in other equity instrument Other non-current financial assets Investment real estate Fixed assets 3,358,563.88 3,439,212.00 Construction in progress Productive biological asset Oil and gas asset Right-of-use assets 1,387,426.88 1,505,258.90 Intangible assets Expense on research and development Goodwill Long-term expenses to be apportioned Deferred income tax asset 64,046.67 64,046.67 Other non-current assets 400,000.00 400,000.00 Total non-current asset 5,210,037.43 5,408,517.57 Total assets 101,914,520.44 97,363,437.22 Current liabilities: Short-term loans Loan from central bank Capital borrowed Trading financial liability Derivative financial liability Note payable Account payable 14,462,510.97 8,297,306.34 Accounts received in advance Contract liabilities 589,518.63 124,328.07 Selling financial asset of repurchase Absorbing deposit and interbank deposit Security trading of agency Security sales of agency Wage payable 910,492.99 923,477.10 Taxes payable 734,270.18 911,506.52 Other account payable 60,358,930.43 61,407,301.04 Including: Interest payable Dividend payable Commission charge and commission payable Reinsurance payable Liability held for sale Non-current liabilities due within one year 1,483,130.07 1,456,782.04 Other current liabilities 11,700.06 11,700.06 Total current liabilities 78,550,553.33 73,132,401.17 Non-current liabilities: Insurance contract reserve Long-term loans Bonds payable Including: Preferred stock Perpetual capital securities Lease liability 86,293.59 228,302.37 Long-term account payable Long-term wages payable Accrual liability Deferred income Deferred income tax liabilities Other non-current liabilities Total non-current liabilities 86,293.59 228,302.37 Total liabilities 78,636,846.92 73,360,703.54 Owners equity: Share capital 551,347,947.00 551,347,947.00 Other equity instrument Including: Preferred stock Perpetual capital securities Capital public reserve 627,834,297.85 627,834,297.85 Less: Treasury shares Other comprehensive income Reasonable reserve Surplus public reserve 32,673,227.01 32,673,227.01 Provision of general risk Retained profit -1,203,840,924.86 -1,202,936,933.70 Total owner s equity attributable to parent company 8,014,547.00 8,918,538.16 Minority interests 15,263,126.52 15,084,195.52 Total owner s equity 23,277,673.52 24,002,733.68 Total liabilities and owner s equity 101,914,520.44 97,363,437.22 Legal Representative: Li Hai Person in charge of Accounting Works: Sun Longlong Person in charge of Accounting Institution: Zhong Xiaojin 2. Consolidated Profit Statement Unit: RMB/CNY Item Current period Last period I. Total operating income 50,246,951.40 23,163,329.56 Including: Operating income 50,246,951.40 23,163,329.56 Interest income Insurance gained Commission charge and commission income II. Total operating cost 51,348,242.22 23,368,934.41 Including: Operating cost 47,249,406.26 20,752,454.71 Interest expense Commission charge and commission expense Cash surrender value Net amount of expense of compensation Net amount of withdrawal of insurance contract reserve Bonus expense of guarantee slip Reinsurance expense Tax and extras 35,537.87 30,648.14 Sales expense 1,251,815.38 425,618.74 Administrative expense 1,603,942.40 1,328,263.03 R&D expense 1,215,439.84 856,296.32 Financial expenses -7,899.53 -24,346.53 Including: Interest expenses Interest income 20,245.44 35,896.85 Add: other income 103,369.17 2,516.00 Investment income (Loss is listed with -) Including: Investment income on affiliated company and joint venture The termination of income recognition for financial assets measured by amortized cost Exchange income (Loss is listed with -) Net exposure hedging income (Loss is listed with -) Income from change of fair value (Loss is listed with -) Loss of credit impairment (Loss is listed with -) 60,000.00 468.00 Losses of devaluation of asset (Loss is listed with -) Income from assets disposal (Loss is listed with -) III. Operating profit (Loss is listed with -937,921.65 -202,620.85 -) Add: Non-operating income 221,131.50 Less: Non-operating expense IV. Total profit (Loss is listed with -) -716,790.15 -202,620.85 Less: Income tax expense 8,270.01 8,863.55 V. Net profit (Net loss is listed with -) -725,060.16 -211,484.40 (i) Classify by business continuity 1. Net profit from continuing operations (net loss listed with -) -725,060.16 -211,484.40 2. Net profit from termination of operations (net loss listed with -) (ii) Classify by ownership 1.Net profit attributable to owners of parent company -903,991.16 -211,535.36 2.Minority shareholders gains and losses 178,931.00 50.96 VI. Net after-tax of other comprehensive income Net after-tax of other comprehensive income attributable to owners of parent company (i) Other comprehensive income items which will not be reclassified subsequently to profit of loss 1.Changes of the defined benefit plans that re-measured 2.Other comprehensive income under equity method that cannot be transfer to gain/loss 3.Change of fair value of investment in other equity instrument 4.Fair value change of enterprise's credit risk 5. Other (ii) Other comprehensive income items which will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss 1.Other comprehensive income under equity method that can transfer to gain/loss 2.Change of fair value of other debt investment 3.Amount of financial assets re-classify to other comprehensive income 4.Credit impairment provision for other debt investment 5.Cash flow hedging reserve 6.Translation differences arising on translation of foreign currency financial statements 7.Other Net after-tax of other comprehensive income attributable to minority shareholders VII. Total comprehensive income -725,060.16 -211,484.40 Total comprehensive income attributable to owners of parent Company -903,991.16 -211,535.36 Total comprehensive income attributable to minority shareholders 178,931.00 50.96 VIII. Earnings per share: (i) Basic earnings per share -0.0016 -0.0004 (ii) Diluted earnings per share -0.0016 -0.0004 Enterprise combine under the same control in the Period, the combined party realized net profit of 0.00 Yuan before combination, and realized 0.00 Yuan at last period for combined party Legal Representative: Li Hai Person in charge of Accounting Works: Sun Longlong Person in charge of Accounting Institution: Zhong Xiaojin 3. Consolidated Cash Flow Statement Unit: RMB/CNY Item Current period Last period I. Cash flows arising from operating activities: Cash received from selling commodities and providing labor services 55,844,910.44 31,191,247.05 Net increase of customer deposit and interbank deposit Net increase of loan from central bank Net increase of capital borrowed from other financial institution Cash received from original insurance contract fee Net cash received from reinsurance business Net increase of insured savings and investment Cash received from interest, commission charge and commission Net increase of capital borrowed Net increase of returned business capital Net cash received by agents in sale and purchase of securities Write-back of tax received 3,529.86 2,652.02 Other cash received concerning operating activities 7,532,827.46 7,188,346.22 Subtotal of cash inflow arising from operating activities 63,381,267.76 38,382,245.29 Cash paid for purchasing commodities and receiving labor service 60,349,320.00 28,648,220.66 Net increase of customer loans and advances Net increase of deposits in central bank and interbank Cash paid for original insurance contract compensation Net increase of capital lent Cash paid for interest, commission charge and commission Cash paid for bonus of guarantee slip Cash paid to/for staff and workers 2,086,036.96 2,644,266.76 Taxes paid 431,259.14 335,366.77 Other cash paid concerning operating activities 9,444,978.17 5,355,228.27 Subtotal of cash outflow arising from operating activities 72,311,594.27 36,983,082.46 Net cash flows arising from operating activities -8,930,326.51 1,399,162.83 II. Cash flows arising from investing activities: Cash received from recovering investment Cash received from investment income Net cash received from disposal of fixed, intangible and other long-term assets Net cash received from disposal of subsidiaries and other units Other cash received concerning investing activities Subtotal of cash inflow from investing activities Cash paid for purchasing fixed, intangible and other long-term assets 5,957.99 Cash paid for investment Net increase of mortgaged loans Net cash received from subsidiaries and other units obtained Other cash paid concerning investing activities Subtotal of cash outflow from investing activities 5,957.99 Net cash flows arising from investing activities -5,957.99 III. Cash flows arising from financing activities Cash received from absorbing investment Including: Cash received from absorbing minority shareholders investment by subsidiaries Cash received from loans Other cash received concerning financing activities Subtotal of cash inflow from financing activities Cash paid for settling debts Cash paid for dividend and profit distributing or interest paying Including: Dividend and profit of minority shareholder paid by subsidiaries Other cash paid concerning financing activities 142,878.90 Subtotal of cash outflow from financing activities 142,878.90 Net cash flows arising from financing activities -142,878.90 IV. Influence on cash and cash equivalents due to fluctuation in exchange rate V. Net increase of cash and cash equivalents -9,073,205.41 1,393,204.84 Add: Balance of cash and cash equivalents at the period-begin 33,246,957.92 19,887,978.05 VI. Balance of cash and cash equivalents at the period-end 24,173,752.51 21,281,182.89 (ii) Audit report st Whether the 1 quarterly report has been audited or not Yes No st The 1 quarterly report of the Company has not been audited. Board of Directors of Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited April 28, 2022 Stock code: 000017, 200017 Notice No.: 2022-005 short form of the stock: Zhonghua-A, Zhonghua-BShenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) LimitedThe First Quarterly Report of 2022The Company and whole members of the BOD guarantee that the information disclosed is true, accurate and complete, and there are no any fictitious records, misleading statements or important omissions.Important content reminder:1. Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee, all directors, supervisors and senior executives of Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited (hereinafter referred to as the Company) hereby confirm that there are no any fictitious statements, misleading statements, or important omissions carried in this report, and shall take all responsibilities, individual and/or joint, for thereality, accuracy and completion of the whole contents.2. Principal of the Company, Person in Charge of Accounting Works and Person in Charge of Accounting Organ (Accounting Officer) hereby confirm that the Financial Report of the First Quarterly Report is authentic, accurate and complete.3. Whether the First Quarterly Report has been audited or not Yes NoI. Main financial data(i) Main accounting data and financial indexesWhether it has retroactive adjustment or re-statement on previous accounting data or not Yes No(ii) Items and amounts of non-recurring profit (gains)/losses Applicable Not applicableUnit: RMB/CNYOther gain/loss items that qualified the definition of non-recurring profit (gains)/losses: Applicable Not applicableThe Company does not have other gain/loss items that qualified the definition of non-recurring profit (gains)/lossesExplanation on those non-recurring gain/loss listed in the Q&A Announcement No.1 on Information Disclosure for CompaniesOffering Their Securities to the Public --- Extraordinary Profit/loss defined as recurring gain/loss Applicable Not applicableThe Company does not have the non-recurring gain/loss listed in the Q&A Announcement No.1 on Information Disclosure forCompanies Offering Their Securities to the Public --- Extraordinary Profit/loss defined as recurring gain/loss(iii) Particulars about changes in items of main accounting data and financial index and explanations ofreasons Applicable Not applicableII. Shareholders(i) Total number of common shareholders and preference shareholders with voting rights recovered andtop ten shareholdersUnit: Share(ii) Total shareholders with preferred stock held and shares held by top ten shareholders with preferredstock held Applicable Not applicableIII. Other important mattersApplicable Not applicable1. Planning for non-public offering of sharesOn December 30, 2020, the company held the third extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in 2020, reviewed and approvedthe new plan for non-public issuance of A shares, and planned to raise funds from Wansheng Industry Company through non-publicissuance of shares of total amount not exceeding 293.6 million yuan, which would be used to replenish working capital afterdeducting the issuance expenses, and this issuance will lead to changes in the companys control. On October 25, 2021, thecompanys application for the non-public issuance of A shares was reviewed and approved by the Issuance Examination Commissionof the China Securities Regulatory Commission (hereinafter referred to as the CSRC). On November 11, 2021, the company receivedthe Approval for the Non-public Issuance of Shares by Shenzhen China Bicycle (Group) Co., Ltd. (ZJXK [2021] No. 3552) issued bythe CSRC, and the validity period of the approval is 12 months from the date of approval for the issuance. Relevant work is currentlyin progress.2. About the company litigation mattersOn February 23, 2022, the company received the Subpoena (2022) Yue 0303 Min Chu No. 3787, Complaint, Notice of Response,Civil Ruling Paper (2020) Yue 0303 Zhi Bao No. 498 and other legal documents from Shenzhen Luohu District Peoples Court,which has accepted the lawsuit brought by the plaintiff Shenzhen Jianzhi Industrial Development Co., Ltd. against the company onthe grounds of joint venture and cooperative development of real estate contract disputes, the amount involved was 30.859 millionyuan. On March 12, 2022, the company received a notice from the Shenzhen Luohu District Peoples Court that the court trialoriginally scheduled for March 18, 2022 has been rescheduled due to the pandemic, and the specific trial time will be notified later.As of the date of this announcement, the company has not received the notice from the Luohu Court, and the matter has not yet beenheard. The company will actively respond to the lawsuit, safeguard the interests of the company and all shareholders through legalmeans. According to the Analysis of Jianzhi Company sued CBC issued by Guangdong Asia Laws Firm on March 28, 2022, theevidence submitted by Jianzhi Company could not support its litigation request, and the CBC had completed the conditions of thereturn revenue as agreed in the Cooperation Contract, termination of the Contract was in accordance with the legal provision. TheCBC believes that they has completed part of the works agreed in Cooperation Contract, and should get 6 million yuan as agreed inthe Contract. Currently, the Company has filed a counter-suit against Shenzhen Jianzhi Industrial Development Co., Ltd for paymentof 6 million yuan in return proceeds from the project. The Company will perform the corresponding information disclosureobligations in a timely manner according to the progress of the lawsuit. Investors are advised to pay attention to investment risks.IV. Quarterly financial statements(i) Financial statement1. Consolidate Balance SheetPrepared by Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) Limited March 31, 2022Unit: RMB/CNYLegal Representative: Li HaiPerson in charge of Accounting Works: Sun Longlong Person in charge of Accounting Institution: Zhong Xiaojin2. Consolidated Profit StatementUnit: RMB/CNYEnterprise combine under the same control in the Period, the combined party realized net profit of 0.00 Yuan before combination, andrealized 0.00 Yuan at last period for combined partyLegal Representative: Li HaiPerson in charge of Accounting Works: Sun Longlong Person in charge of Accounting Institution: Zhong Xiaojin3. Consolidated Cash Flow StatementUnit: RMB/CNY(ii) Audit reportstWhether the 1 quarterly report has been audited or notYes NostThe 1 quarterly report of the Company has not been audited.Board of Directors of Shenzhen China Bicycle Company (Holdings) LimitedApril 28, 2022 Management of the Ghana Institue of Journalism says it cannot be blamed for occurrence during its 1st session of its 15th congregation. A session of its graduands during its 15th congregation blamed management of the school for its poor planning when the event which was expected to be their joyous moment was disrupted by heavy rains. But in a statement signed by the Assistant Registrar of the Institute, Mr Daniel Machator, he explained that the institute did due diligence before the final day and that its events cannot be blamed on them. The Congregation Planning Committee on the eve of the event, confirmed from the Ghana Meteorological Agency the weather forecast for the period of the event (10:00am - 12:00 noon) as clear. There was, however, a 40% chance of slight rains after 1:00pm. The Committee despite this assurance planned to move the event to the Institutes ultra-modern auditorium, which is just about 20 metres from the event ground, in the event of forecast failure. The event, in such a circumstance, was to be held in two sessions: first, for Journalism and then, for Public Relations graduands, the statement added. He noted that the second half of graduands, together with parents and acquaintances, were to move to four lecture halls on the 1st floor, where the event would be screened live for viewing as the auditorium had a maximum seating capacity of four hundred. Read Full Statement Below GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM DETAILS OF OCCURRENCE DURING THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 15TH CONGREGATION AT GIJ Following the minor occurrence during the 1st Session of the 15th Congregation of the Ghana Institute of Journalism held on the 21st of April 2022, Management wishes to dispel threads of wrong reportage in sections of the media and set the records straight as follows: 1. The Forecourt of the North Dzorwulu Campus has, until this year, hosted four successful Congregations beginning with one in 2018. 2. The Congregation Planning Committee on the eve of the event, confirmed from the Ghana Meteorological Agency the weather forecast for the period of the event (10:00am - 12:00 noon) as clear. There was, however, a 40% chance of slight rains after 1:00pm. 3. The Committee despite this assurance planned to move the event to the Institutes ultra-modern auditorium, which is just about 20 meters from the event ground, in the event of forecast failure. The event, in such a circumstance, was to be held in two sessions: first, for Journalism and then, for Public Relations graduands. The second half of graduands, together with parents and acquaintances, were to move to four lecture halls on the 1st floor, where the event would be screened live for viewing as the auditorium had a maximum seating capacity of four hundred. 4. About forty-five minutes into the event, it started raining. The Registrar announced that the programme had to be moved to the Auditorium due to the weather. She, additionally, announced the agreed location for parents and acquaintances of graduands. 5. The programme had barely resumed after the movements when a group of graduands entered from the rear of the auditorium amidst chanting and noise making disrupting the smooth flow of the event. The group, numbering about fifteen, insisted that their parents be allowed into the auditorium to witness the rest of the event, or the Rector and other dignitaries relocate to the outdoor event ground. 6. Calm was restored after about fifteen minutes of disturbances, allowing for continuation of the programme. 7. Any twisted reportage seeking to portray the Institute in a negative light is not only mischievous but shameful. The general public is assured that Management of the Institute will continue to work with our student body and the Institutes publics to deliver on its mandates as it has done over the years. DANIEL MACHATOR ASSISTANT REGISTRAR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS 25TH APRIL, 2022 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 Professor Kwesi Aning, Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC), cannot comprehend the seriousness given to the United States report on human rights standards in Ghana as against that given to the voice of activists in the country. Describing the report as a rehash of concerns raised over the years by local activists, Prof Aning indicated that the US human rights report should not be treated as a novelty. Speaking on JoyNews PM Express, Wednesday, April 27, Prof Aning noted that he was disappointed that it has taken the US State Departments report for such issues to become prominent among Ghanaians. He said, this implies that the works of the various activists in the country are not appreciated. But weve raised these concerns before that of the United States so, what is the big deal here? Every single example cited in this report. And therein lays my disappointment with the way this report is being handled. People have raised their voices about the way the judiciary works, about corruption, about police brutality, about the use of weapons and firearms in situations where they ought not to use, so are we saying that when Ghanaian activists raise their voices and point to the gap and weaknesses in our politics it is not important until Uncle Sam and his agents have written?" he quizzed. Prof Kwesi Aning further questioned, is that what we are saying? That when activists and those who are fighting for rule of law, the respect of human rights, accountability, transparency in the way our financial resources are used, that those voices and those struggles dont matter? He urged Ghanaians that some keen attention must be paid to activists in the country who have dedicated their time and energy to exposing rot and corruption in the various spheres of the country. My argument is that they do matter, and that we need to place more emphasis on internal struggle and make this external reportage ancillary to what is happening here; because no one is going to bring improvement or changes apart from the people of Ghana themselves. And I think we need to recognize those who are placing their lives on the line, those who are being brutalized for whatever reason and recognize those struggles, Prof Aning explained. 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the United States Department of State. The report highlight issues including; denial of a fair public trial, corruption and lack of transparency in government, arbitrary deprivation of life and other unlawful or politically motivated killings. The others are freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media and elections and political participation. 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 On February 24, 1966, while Ghanas first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was on a peacemaking trip over the Vietnam War in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, his government was overthrown. Launched by the National Liberation Council, the coup d'etat was code-named Operation Cold Chop. Kwame Nkrumah had left a 3-person presidential commission in charge of the country but that was when the new Ghana took a bite at its first experience of what became common practice in the country in later years; a coup detat. Not even the fact that Nkrumah was only out of the country at the time executing an assignment on behalf of Ghana was enough to save him from that embarrassment. In an audio clip visualized into a video and shared by a group called Fighters on Facebook, Kwame Nkrumah is heard speaking about the coup detat and how detrimental it was to the progress and development of the country, considering everything that had been achieved after independence. Transcript of Kwame Nkrumah's speech about his overthrow: Fellow countrymen, my heart is heavy as I witness the damage which this click of neo-colonialist conspirators are doing to our country at the bidding of their overseas neo-colonialist masters, theyre dismantling the works of 50 years. Theyre telling you that Ghana is bankrupt; theyre telling you that our country is in debt to the extent of some 240 million pounds. What fools they are! How ignorant for them to think that you believe these stupid lies. Open your eyes and look around you. See for yourself; see the splendid new Tema Harbour, see the mighty Volta Dam, see the fine roads we have built under the leadership of the Convention Peoples Party and its government. See the schools, the colleges and universities. See the hospitals and the facilities which we have created. See the factories which are already springing up. These are not debts; they are investments in our future as an independent nation. These are the physical guarantees of the bright, new future which I have promised you and I have been working for. Together, we can put our Ghana firmly and squarely on its own feet. Together, we can create the things we need ourselves instead of going cup in hand for charity handouts from foreign powers whose only wish is to exploit us and make us vassals to their interests. I know these are hard and trying days for you and Ive never tried to conceal from you that real independence, that is to say economic independence, does not come without hard struggles and sacrifice, unlike the cheats deceive us, the liars and traitors who are now trying to lord it over you, I have never promised you any easy road. I have respected your good sense, your capacity for work, your pride in yourself, and your sense of national dignity. Why do you think these traitors, these agents and (sic) of colonialism and of international intrigue to restore the independence of Ghana, chose this moment to perform their dastardly act? I will tell you. Less than one month before they struck to destroy all our hard work we had inaugurated, only three days before this treachery, we had signed a new agreement to irrigate the mighty Accra Drains. At last, we were on a threshold of a new victory; we had in 1957 won our political independence after years of struggle. Now in 1966, we were on the threshold of winning our economic independence. The same people who tried to sabotage our winning of political independence nine years ago, have now struck to sabotage our political independence and are systematically dismantling our socialist gains and achievements. Before the traitors and the rebellious National Liberation Council tried to shut power during my absence from Ghana, Ghana was a heaven to which the oppressed from all parts of Africa, could come to carry on their struggle. It was a heaven for freedom fighters, for independence and against colonialism. The name of Ghana was revered all over the African continent as a staunch friend of the oppressed. African brothers from South Africa, from Rudisha, from Mozambique and Angola, from the so-called Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde Islands, and other oppressed colonial areas were given hospitality among us. Do you think this is something of which we needed to be ashamed? Not at all. On the contrary, it was something of which we should be justly proud, he said. Kwame Nkrumahs Overthrow: Ahead of the coup, by the National Liberation Council in 1966, Nkrumahs popularity had declined substantially, especially in mid-1961 when he instituted a wage freeze, tax increases, and a compulsory savings system to halt a serious drain on foreign exchange reserves without reducing development and prestige expenditures. That September, rail and dock workers, and some civil servants struck in protest, a demonstration unprecedented since the countrys independence. Some strikers demanded release of political prisoners and the holding of new elections, as well as satisfaction of their economic grievances. A week-long strike action was embarked upon by Ghanaian workers in the three main towns of Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi in protest against the governments compulsory saving scheme and reflected the growing discontent of the Ghanaian public. Numerous assassination attempts traceable to outside intervention dotted Nkrumahs years in power. In one instance, by unintentionally arriving a few minutes late for a dedication ceremony at Kulungugu, he avoided being killed by a time-bomb planted in a bouquet of flowers that had been given to a small child to present to him. The aftermath of this assassination attempt against Nkrumah in August 1962 at Kulungugu, a town he was visiting on the Upper Volta border, rekindled opposition at his center of power. In the following months, a series of bombing attacks in Accra killed at least 20 persons and injured nearly 400 more. The bombers and planners of the attempted assassination at Kulungugu are unknown but were probably part of a small terrorist group with little following. Their objective appears to have been the creation of civil disturbances which would force Nkrumah to step down, portion of a document titled, [The United States and the Overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah] from the Fort Hays State University, said. Following the toppling of Kwame Nkrumahs government, many people took to the streets in jubilation. Author: Etsey Atisu Source: ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The pressure mounted on the government to settle the debts of Fertilizer Suppliers keeps growing as stakeholders are demanding that government, as a matter of urgency, provide fertilizers for farmers under Planting for Food and Jobs. The recent major stakeholder to have added his voice to the call is a Former National Best Farmer in 2014. Mr George Asamoah -Amankwaa is urging the government to make provision fertilizers to farmers since the farming season is already close. In an exclusive Interview with Sampson Kwame Nyamekye, He said if this problem continues without any stringent measures the probability of experiencing famine in the country is high since the populace will be depending on the few crops available. For him, currently, farmers are in dire need of fertilizers and contractors are also not providing due to the debts by the government which he said has made many contractors go bankrupt. Mr Asamoah recalled how the previous government from 2014 to 2016 made fertilizers available to the farmers without payments in view of increasing yield however the subsidy by the current government is still making farmers not have access to fertilizer; a situation he said is affecting farming businesses. The Past National Farmer is hereby pleading with the government to discuss the issue with Fertilizer contractors to address the shortage of fertilizers. GOVT ADMITS OWING FERTILIZER SUPPLIERS FROM 2020, 2021 The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has openly admitted owing Fertilizer Suppliers after these contractors distributed fertilizers to farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme. According to a Deputy Minister for Agric, Hon Yaw Frimpong Addo, he said the government still has arrears to be cleared in 2020 after paying part of the money to these contractors but for 2021 nothing was paid to the suppliers. In an interview on Hellofms Boho Biom hosted by Sampson Kwame Nyamekye, the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia in the Ashanti Region said currently Ghana Government likewise any other government is facing financial challenges hence the cut-off government expenditure at Ministries, agencies and Departments. Government is aware and much effort is being done to find fertilizers for our farmers, he told Sampson. Fertilizers Suppliers who have been contracted by the government to distribute fertilizers to farmers under the governments flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs over some period now have been complaining bitterly over the delay in the government paying their monies Source: Sampson Kwame Nyamekye/ Hello FM/Kumasi Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A security analyst, Adam Bonaa says the United States of America (USA) should be the least among countries to access Ghana on human rights issues. If we want a country to access us [Ghana], not the U.S, he responded harshly to the demining report issued by the United States Department on human rights in Ghana. The U.S.A in its 2021 Human Rights Report on Ghana issued on April 26, 2022, accused the government of Ghana and agencies of the state of engaging in arbitrary human rights abuses including unlawful and extrajudicial killings. But, Adam Bonaa in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, Ghana Montie rubbished the report after describing it as bogus'. I am safe with the Ghana Police than the U.S Police. How many people are killed by the police compared to the U.S? he questioned rhetorically. Adding that, this report shouldnt be coming from the U.S. Read the full 2021 US State Department Report on Human Rights in Ghana below: Your browser does not support iframes. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Bank of Africa, on Tuesday 26th April, 2022, organized Iftar for some of its Muslim Customers at Bosphorus Restaurant in Accra. Iftar is a meal taken by Muslims at sundown to break the daily fast during Ramadam. In his remark, the MD of Bank of Africa, Mr Kobby Andah expressed appreciation to the customers for staying loyal and doing business with the Bank. He said, this gathering is an avenue created by the Bank to join our Muslim Customers and Staff embark on this very important spiritual journey. It is an opportunity for all of us to bond and interact in a relaxed environment outside the working space. Mr. Youssef Benrhafiane, the DMD of the Bank encouraged the customers to take advantage of the program to fraternize and build business networks. The Maghrib and Ishaa prayers were led by Sheikh Shuaib Aremeyaw, a Senior Islamic Cleric and the Official Spokesperson to the National Chief Imam. In his Sermon, Sheikh Aremeyaw advised all Muslims to continue living a Holy and peaceful life even after Ramadan. He admonished the Staff of the Bank of Africa to use the Laylatul Qadr period (the last 10 days of Ramadan) to fervently pray for the growth of the Bank. Management of the Bank later paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu at his residence in Accra and made a donation of an undisclosed amount of money, bags of rice, sugar, dates, gallons of oils, bottles of water and BOA branded prayer mats. The MD, Mr Kobby Andah was accompanied by Mr Youssef Benrhafiane the Deputy Managing Director of Business Development and Mrs Fatoumata Gakou, the Managing Director of Credit and Control. Also part of the delegation was Mr Muctar M. Abbas, Head of Legal and Company Secretary, Mr Musah Abdul-Rahman, Head, Cross Border Trade and Business Synergy, Mr Abu Hanan, Regional Manager for Accra Region 1 and representatives from the Marketing and Corporate Communications Department. The Chief Imam acknowledged the yearly visits and donations Bank of Africa makes to the Muslim Community, especially during the Ramadan season and expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation. He seized the opportunity to inform the delegation of the importance of Ramadan and admonished all Muslims to be dedicated and committed to the Holy season and live at peace with everybody. He prayed for the Management and Staff of the Bank and encouraged them to continue to work hard for the development of the country. 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 Dr Donald Agumenu, a Leadership and Project Management Expert, has urged the Togolese Government to open its border with Ghana to allow free movement of goods to facilitate trade as the country marks 62 years of independence today, April 27. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 25, announced the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, including the reopening of land borders. However, Togo is yet to open its border to allow the free movement of goods between the two countries. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Agumemu said trade between the two countries would be affected greatly should Togo continue to close its border to Ghana. He noted that Covid-19 had created deeper political, trade, public health and technological barriers within member states, regional blocks and on the global front and stressed the need for a deeper bilateral engagement between the two countries as they shared values and culture. Dr Agumenu urged Togo to re-examine the security situation and public health protocols at the entry points with Ghana and ease the movement of people and goods, especially traders along the axis. Free movement of people, goods and services should be entrenched on the continent notwithstanding existing barriers, he said. Dr Agumenu congratulated Togo on its independence celebration and appealed to leaders of the country to, take stock of the journey thus far and demystify what separates us as a continent and what joins us together as a people. He also asked them to use the Day to reawaken the spirit of "grand family reunion of distinct families whose blood ties straddle between Togo and Ghana." Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Tony Blair, has described Ghana as a country with a bright future and the potential to become one of the greatest countries in the world. The other thing I want to say is that this relationship between Britain and Ghana is one we are proud of and want to deepen. We believe in this country; we believe in its future; we believe in the people and we know that Ghana is not only going to be one of the greatest African countries but the world in the future, he added. Mr Blair, who was on a working visit to the country, was speaking at a party held at the British High Commissioners residence in Accra last Tuesday to mark the 96th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The event was attended by a host of dignitaries, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, traditional and religious leaders, chief executives, Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers of State. On display was the latest Land Rover vehicle and an e-motorbike. Queen Elizabeth has travelled more than any monarch in the world 271 official visits, including two of such visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999. Increase presence Mr Blair, who was Prime Minister of the UK from 1997 to 2007, said Britain would increase its presence in the country. I love Ghana; it is a great country. I love the culture; I love the people; I love the energy of the place; and what is amazing is that everywhere you go in the world, you meet Ghanaians, he said, adding that Ghanaians were smart and intelligent people who were full of optimism and hope. He explained how he first met Queen Elizabeth after the general election in Britain in 1997 when he had to go through the Kissing hands ceremony, a British tradition for new PMs. Partnership The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, also said the strong partnership between her country and Ghana had led to strides in the fields of health, investment, job creation, security, education, among others, adding: We would not have been able to do it without you. She said having been in Ghana for the past eight months, she had come to love the culture, music, natural beauty and history of Ghana. Ms Thompson said she would work to deepen the relationship between the two countries for mutual benefit. Significance The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Awal, said the event was significant, not because of the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions but also the fact that the Queen was celebrating her 70th anniversary on the throne, the first British monarch to reach such a milestone. We in Ghana happily recall two moments in her reign when she visited the country in November 1961 and November 1999 and their impact on Ghanas political landscape, as well as the Commonwealth, which has been transformed, he said. Dr Awal said the relationship between Ghana and the UK dated back to 1867 when the then Gold Coast became a British Colony, adding that since March 1957, the relationship had been anchored on history, bilateral cooperation, as well as multilateral agreements. Our bilateral relations have also been characterised by high-level visits, during which issues of mutual interest have been discussed, he said, adding: Ghana cherishes its relationship with the UK and welcomes the efforts the two countries are making to deepen cooperation in various fields, including health, education, trade, security and defence. 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 Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America (GPSF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana (MDC) to ease the certifying process of its members in Ghana. The historic signing was at the 19th Annual GPSF conference held in Washington DC comes after years of lobbying and negotiations between the foundation and the council. For our special guest interview today, WADRs Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson has been speaking to president of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America, Dr Bertha Serwa Ayi about what this all means for the countrys healthcare delivery system. GPSF, MDC Sign historic MoU to facilitate Licensing Process for US-based Ghanaian Physicians Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America (GPSF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana (MDC) to ease the certifying process of its members in Ghana. The historic signing was at the 19th Annual GPSF conference held in America, Washington DC, over the weekend. The MDC registrar, Dr. Divine Ndonbi Banyubala, and the president of GPSF, Dr. Bertha Serwa Ayi signed the agreement respectively. In the statement issued by the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America, it indicated that the memorandum of understanding seeks to make easier the Credentialing and licensing process for US-based Ghanaian physicians as well as other physicians with a vested interest in the post-graduate medical education in Ghana after years of discussion. According to the statement, the MOU will also expedite the process and reduce the cost by fifty per cent. Adding that, Another provision is a waiver of examination in certain special situations for select US-based physicians. This expedited process will be provided through membership with GPSF. The GPSF, however, assured to provide educational and faculty support to the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. Present at the signing was the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, and the Ranking Member, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh. 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 A former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has bemoaned the lack of living wage policies in the country especially for salaried workers. According to him, the governments fight against corruption may become difficult as most workers do not live on their current salaries. Speaking during the launch of the Professor Mike Oquaye Centre for Constitutional Studies at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Prof. Oquaye called for enhanced programs that would see to the computerization of all aspects of administration. The e-governance program which should cover the computerization of all aspects of administration should be brought to a logical conclusion. Customs, fraud persist because duties are partly veiled in allegory. When Dr. Busia sent passport forms to post offices to be sold there, attendant corruption relating to passport forms ceased. Time frames should be set for all public duties and penalties prescribed for non-compliance. Our contorted bureaucratic procedures create room for corruption, where public duties cannot be discharged timeously, through well-laid procedures, the public servant adopts the tactic of go-come, go-come, come tomorrow, come tomorrow, till money changes hands, he explained. He further called for living wage policies to be implemented in order to curb the incidents of corruption in the country. Steal fines and penalties should be promulgated to deal with the offences that we know so well of. Living wage policies should be pursued and its rather funny to speak of corruption in a nation where most workers do not live on their wages, and this is well-known. Ask all officials in the ministries and elsewhere, So, what do you live on? Nobody knows what he lives on. A study done by the African Public Policy Institute in 2014, led by this writer, showed that some 90% of respondents boldly stated that no one lives on his or her pay in Ghana. This is an ostrich approach which will never solve any problem, Prof. Oquaye added. 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 El Milagro committed flagrant violations of state labor law for allegedly denying employees proper meal breaks and has been referred to the Illinois attorney generals office, according to the Illinois Department of Labor. In a notice of noncompliance dated March 23, the agency found the Chicago tortilla maker had violated the Illinois One Day Rest in Seven Act because employees regularly worked over 7.5 hours without required meal breaks. The Department of Labor found 112 meal break violations between Jan. 1 and July 31, 2021, and was fined $11,200 in total for those violations, according to the document. Advertisement [ Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui ] The findings, which were released to the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request, come after workers at El Milagro filed a complaint with the Department of Labor in late October 2021. Advertisement Because El Milagro has not paid these penalties or demonstrated that it has come in to compliance, this matter has been referred to the office of the Illinois attorney general for enforcement, department spokesperson Paul Cicchini said in an email to the Tribune Wednesday. El Milagro production workers and supporters rally outside an El Milagro store in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood during a temporary walk-out to protest working conditions on Sept. 24, 2021. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Drew Hill, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office, said Wednesday the office had received the referral and would review it. We do not have any further updates at this time, Hill said. In a statement, El Milagro spokesperson Alejandra Moran said the company had not yet received communication from the attorney generals office. She said should an action be filed based on prior discussions with the Illinois Department of Labor, the company disputes the allegations and intends to vigorously defend the matter in court. The company is confident its ongoing commitment and dedication to employees, including fair wages, regular meal and rest breaks, and days off, will prevail, Moran said. El Milagro welcomes an unbiased review of the evidence, including facts that should have been considered as part of a fair and reasonable investigation. When asked what facts she was referring to and whether the company had paid the fine, Moran said the company could not comment further on open legal matters. Advertisement In a statement, Arise Chicago, the nonprofit workers rights group organizing with the El Milagro workers, said the departments findings were sadly, not surprising based on what workers have reported to Arise Chicago. This is just more evidence that El Milagro has systematically violated its workers rights. And it amplifies how courageous the workers have been to stand up to exploitation, Arise said. We applaud IDOL for its investigation and look to the Illinois attorney general to fully enforce IDOLs ruling. Last September, employees at El Milagro staged a brief walkout, alleging low pay and unjust working conditions. After the walkout, workers were locked out of the facility, a practice Arise Chicago alleged was illegal. Earlier this month, workers said they had secured a slate of wage and workplace improvements after months of organizing. Employees said they were no longer required to work seven days in a row and had seen improvements like anti-sexual harassment training for managers and air conditioning in lunch rooms. Workers also saw two rounds of raises last year, which brought starting wages up to about $16.50 per hour, with most other workers now earning between $17 and $20 per hour, according to Arise Chicago. El Milagro disputed the wage increases were the result of worker activism. Workers said earlier this month that despite improvements, other changes were still necessary. They pointed to increases in the speed of work machines, which they described in a letter to company management as creating hazardous and untenable working conditions. Advertisement They also alleged the company had not followed through on a verbal commitment to provide Sundays off and that third-shift workers at the companys 31st Street location were regularly sent home early in possible violation of Chicagos Fair Workweek Ordinance. Shelly Ruzicka, communications and development director for Arise Chicago, said Wednesday workers were no longer reporting lost hours at the companys 31st Street location. However, she said, they believed machine speeds were still dangerously high, and are still calling on the company to close on Sundays and to sit down with them to discuss their concerns. El Milagro will not comment further on open legal matters, the company said in a statement. As it has for 70 years as a family-owned, local business, El Milagro continues to respect the rights of every employee, provides fair wages and attractive benefits, and operates with integrity. Workers at El Milagro have also filed complaints with Chicagos Office of Labor Standards and with the National Labor Relations Board. Representatives from each agency said investigations into those complaints were ongoing. Chicago Tribunes Laura Rodriguez Presa contributed. tasoglin@chicagotribune.com A former UN senior governance advisor, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has described the neutrality allowance demanded by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghanas (CLOGSAG) as ridiculous. According to him, there are codes and ethics for every job therefore an association cannot make demands of something that has been stated in the institution's code of ethics. This is the most ridiculous proposal Ive ever heard. The so-called neutrality allowance that theyre claiming thats why earlier I made reference to the fact that the deputy minister of finance has retracted, saying that this is not the title they gave. But if it were to be that the civil servants are asking for allowance just because they are made to be neutral in politics, itll be the most ridiculous demand I ever heard. You take a job and every job has its code of conduct or what you may call code of ethics, and if you sign and go in, you dont turn around and demand something that the code of ethics has clearly laid out, Asaaseradio.com reported. Meanwhile, the Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. John Kumah, has refuted suggestions that the Neutrality Allowance being demanded by CLOGSAG is compensation for them not engaging in political activities. According to him, Neutrality Allowance is a term a committee set up by the government came up with to address the demands of the association in 2019. He said that the public should not focus on the name of the allowance but on its purpose which is to address the salary disparity CLOGSAG members faced compared to other workers. the name Neutrality Allowance is not something that CLOGSAG demanded, it was a term. To be fair to CLOGSAG this negotiation started in 2019, it ended in the early part of 2021. I think the agreement was signed in early part of January with effective date of February, so this is about two years of engagement led by the Senior Presidential Advisor, Fair Wages Commission and the sector minister (Ministry of Employment) as well as the Ministry of Finance. CLOGSAG did not come on the negotiation table with Neutrality Allowance, they come with all kinds of allowances and demands which they justified if the government accepted those demands that could triple what they are getting at the moment. So, the government and the negotiation team said something had to be done for CLOGSAG because CLOGSAG was the lowest-paid group on the single spine salary structure, he said. 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 Dr Stella Agyemang Duah, a Research Scientist at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and her team has partnered with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to mark this year's Food Wastage Day. This is the first time Ghana is holding such an event. Since 2017, USA through Compass Group Holdings, one of its global food service leaders found it necessary to mark this day to accelerate the awareness campaign against food wastage. Through these advocacy, USA has saved about 40% of food that go waste. Speaking on the theme "Educating and igniting change in the Ghanaian for National Development", she explained that "We've adopted it and will continue to remind every Ghanaian to be intentional about reducing food waste. It is attitudinal, everyone must be encouraged to be positively involved in cutting down waste. She added that they are checking wastage at the farmers level as well. The target of sustainable development goal 12 count postharvest losses and we are ready to secure losses along the production and supply chains as well. We will channel them into compost to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers. These inorganic fertilizers have prolonged health issues on consumer. Even farmers are at risk spraying these fertilizers. At the policy level, we will encourage the Government to consider SDG 12 targets and indicators, implement and monitor them. At any point, we are available to assist the ministries or government to achieve this goal by 2030. Aside attitudinal, solving food waste is political. Everyone must be involved. She further stated that unavoidable waste can be channeled into organic fertilizers or compost. She also appealed to waste management companies to come on board to design robust bin segregation materials which can ease the effect of carbon emissions on our landfill sites and promote a clean Ghana. The day was also commemorated with stakeholders engagement at KMA conference room where recommendations and suggestions were made to foodservices and vendors, university students from various institutions in Ashanti region, waste management team at the Assembly and the general public on food waste. They proceeded to the Bantama and Racecourse markets to sensitize and educate the market women on how to reduce food waste at their level. The stop food wastage day is the first time of it kind in Ghana and was very successful. Dr. Stella Agyemang Duah who is a Research Scientist at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission encouraged all stakeholders at these levels to be conscious on reducing food waste. The team had earlier engaged the media in Greater Accra region on findings on the situation of food waste in Ghana. The next phase of the project is expected to be in the Eastern Region. 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 Professors and Lecturers in civil and mechanical engineering, have been urged to continuously build their professional competence so as to be able to cope with the advancement of technology in the field. The acquisition of practical knowledge would help them to provide the needed hands-on training to their students. Professor Zhao Kunming, a resource person in Mechanical Engineering, from the China Education Association for International Exchange, who made the call, said the increasing technological advancement in the fields of civil and mechanical engineering, calls for intensified practical training for practitioners and teachers to equip students well for the world of work. He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a two-day training workshop organized for lecturers at the Departments of Civil and Mechanical Engineering of the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU). The on-site training aims at improving the professional and technical capabilities of teachers through practical training and strengthened communication. Participants were taken through the performance of hydraulic systems, programming the computer numerical control for lathe and milling machine among others. It was jointly organized by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA), as well as the China Aviation Technology International Holdings Co., Ltd (AVIC International). The training was one of the sub-projects under the "Future of Africa, China - Africa TVET Cooperation Program". The training program targeted leaders of participating African technical universities and institutes, their curriculum directors and top instructors of related majors. Its contents included theoretical knowledge, cutting-edge professional technology, educational concepts and teaching methods, as well as curriculum design and evaluation. This on-site training also aims to improve the professional and technical capabilities of management staff and teachers in African TVET institutes through practical training, strengthen communication between Chinese and African teachers, and help cultivate African technical and skilled talents. Mr. Joseph Kwame Lewballah, a lecturer at the Mechanical Engineering Department, KsTU, told the GNA that, the in-depth training received would sharpen members practical skills, to be able to take students through more hands-on teaching in the field. Most universities in Ghana are teaching theories in mechanical engineering and leaving the practical sides, but looking at the new modules in autotronics, mechanical, welding, and civil laboratories, it required exposing students to the practical aspects, he stated. 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 Beatings and public humiliation of suspected LGBTQ+ persons are commonplace in Ghana, the U.S. Department of States 2021 Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released on 12 April 2022 has said. On acts of violence, criminalisation, and other abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the document noted: Beatings and public humiliation of LGBTQI+ persons by community members were common and growing in number. The attacks were sometimes shared on social media in an effort to further humiliate and ostracise LGBTQI+ persons, it added. There were some reports of police violence against LGBTQI+ persons, adding: LGBTQI+ persons faced police harassment and extortion attempts. It said there were reports that police officers were reluctant to investigate claims of assault or violence against LGBTQI+ persons. Stigma, intimidation, and the perceived negative attitude of some police toward LGBTQI+ persons were factors in preventing survivors from reporting incidents of abuse, the report observed. It indicated: LGBTQI+ activists also reported widespread attempts to blackmail LGBTQI+ individuals, with prosecution difficult due to police inaction. Also, the report said: LGBTQI+ persons in prison were vulnerable to sexual and other physical abuse, which authorities generally did not investigate. The US Department of State said there was a notable increase in anti-LGBTQI+ statements by political, religious, and community leaders, and media coverage of these statements. Ghanas law criminalises the act of unnatural carnal knowledge, which is defined as sexual intercourse with a person in an unnatural manner or with an animal. The offence covers only persons engaged in same-sex male relationships and those in heterosexual relationships. The report, however, noted: There were no reports of adults prosecuted or convicted for consensual same-sex sexual conduct. The law, it noted, does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTQI+ persons faced widespread discrimination in education and employment. It said activists working to promote the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons noted great difficulty in engaging officials on LGBTQI+ problems because of social and political sensitivity. Furthermore, it said media coverage regarding homosexuality and related topics was almost always negative. On 2 February 2021, a local NGO, LGBT+ Rights Ghana, inaugurated its new office space in the Ashongman area of Accra. After anti-LGBTQI+ activists complained of their activities in the local media, the police, on February 15, raided the centre and closed it. Also, on March 27, the police arrested 22 persons in Kwahu-Obomeng, Eastern Region, for participating in an alleged lesbian wedding. The police arrived at a popular community location in response to reports that two women planned to be married. The police justified the arrests on the grounds that the venues owner complained that the participants were violating COVID-19 protocols, the report recalled. However, the authorities released them due to a lack of evidence. On May 20, the police arrested 21 LGBTQI+ activists attending a conference in the city of Ho, Volta Region. On its official Twitter account, the police acknowledged making the arrests because the suspects were believed to be pro-LGBTQI+. The authorities charged the Ho 21 with unlawful assembly, conspiracy to commit a crime, and acts of unnatural carnal knowledge. After multiple requests, on June 11, the authorities released them on bail. On August 5, a court dropped all charges, for lack of evidence, and ordered the return of the defendants confiscated property, including laptops and smartphones. The LGBTQI+ activists reported harassment and humiliation by police during their detention, the report indicated. They also reported their inability to return to their previous lives, since they were suspended from work and banned from their communities after their identities were broadcast by police, it added. Source: class fm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, former Director General, Ghana Health Service, says the country can be developed through national cohesion and leadership and not only on politics. There is no opportunity in the country to build national leadership for the youth because everything revolves around politics, but the county cannot only be developed by the politicians but also through national cohesion and leadership. Prof Akosa, speaking at the inauguration of the Board of Mobilizing Old Students for Educational Support (MOSES) Foundation in Accra, said building a national cohesion based on old students solidarity for sustainable educational support would ensure global excellence in Ghanaian leadership. The Foundation, he stressed, was also to inspire global leadership excellence in schools in the country. Professor Akosa, who is also the Board member of MOSES Foundation, said harnessing the energy and potential of old students associations would help advance the countrys educational sector. The initiatives of the old students association, the Professor said, helped in building national cohesion because they contributed towards the development of their Alma Mater. He said the establishment of math and science quiz had ignited healthy competition among the second cycle institutions, stressing that, we need to use that energy for national cohesion and support the education sector. The Professor announced that the Foundation in pursuit of its objectives, had instituted the national and regional competitive Best Old Students-School (BOSS) awards in November 2022, the MOSES Generational Leadership legends awards and old students Funding for educational support. He stated that the objective of the award was to recognise and reward not only old student contribution to schools, but schools and old student associations that demonstrated sterling leadership in attracting and mobilizing their respective old students for educational support. All awardees, he said, would be ambassadors of national cohesion, mobilizing for educational development and promoting global excellence in the Ghanaian leadership space. That, he explained, would enable Ghanaians across the globe to be united to support educational development and to shape the next generation of Ghanaian leadership. He urged the public to support the initiative and contribute to nation development. Mr Nyaaba-Aweeba Azongo, the President, MOSES Foundation, said the old students institution, the signpost of national identity and solidarity, had been a major development partner and pillar of support for schools over the years. He said the absence of a common podium to mobilize, recognize and reward old students' individual and collective support in a competitive manner had been a missing link in bridging infrastructure deficits and other needs. Mr Azongo, also a board member of the Foundation, stated that the Foundation had been established to provide the critical missing link to champion old students' support for schools, and offer a national platform to recognise their selfless interest. The rest of the board members are Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director General of National Development Planning Commission, Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Mr Ismael Agyekumhene, Executive Director of Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment. 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 Social Workers and NGOs Ghana in collaboration with law enforcement officer in 2021 rescued 842 victims of human trafficking in the country. The comprehensive Trauma Informed Care Unit of the Gender Ministry reintegrated 812 out of the 842 victims rescued. On the 1st February 2019, the adult shelter was operationalised and 178 adult female victims of trafficking were cared for. The shelter is still receiving and caring for victims while the children shelter fully operationalised in August, 2020 has also cared for 98 child victims. These were disclosed by the deputy minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hajia Lariba Abudu at the opening of the Human Trafficking Secretariat and Trauma Informed Care Center at the Human Trafficking Secretariat in Accra, today, Thursday, 28 April 2022. In her keynote address, Hajia Abudu noted that in all 108 cases were reported and investigated; 42 cases being sex trafficking, 60 for labour trafficking and six being other related cases that started as human trafficking offenses. Thirty-four cases were sent to court for prosecution, out of those 22 cases were prosecuted involving 37 defendants and we have gained 17 convictions for the country, she added. The Human Trafficking Secretariat and Trauma Informed Care Center was constructed in collaboration with Expertise France with funding from the European Union. The Centre is to enable victims of Human Trafficking report cases for prompt action or response. This initiative forms part of the Social Protection drive of the Ministry, to ensure effective and efficient protection of the Ghanaian citizens. Below is Hajia Abudus full address: KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF GENDER, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL PROTECTION, HON. HAJIA LARIBA ABUDU DURING THE COMMISSIONING OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SECRETARIAT AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE CENTER ON 28TH APRIL, 2022 AT 10:00AM AT THE HT SECRETARIAT, OSU. The Head of the European Union Delegation, His Excellency Irchad R. Razaaly The French Ambassador, Her Excellency, Anne Sophie Ave The Director, Jeremie Pellet, Expertise France from the France Office Radhia Oudjani, Director of Governance, Justice and Human Rights Department at Expertise France Office, France Matiada Ngalikpima, the Project Coordinator, Expertise France Headquarters in France The Regional Director for the Expertise France Project in Abidjan, Allessandro Rabiossi and The team from Abidjan The representatives from the Australian High Commission and the US Embassy The various Country Representative from the UNFPA, USAID and UNICEF The Chief of Mission for, IOM Representatives from our Ministries and Departments Members of the Human Trafficking Management Board The Country Director, ICMPD Our Dear partners from NGOs and CSOs Friends from the media Ladies and Gentlemen I bring you warm greetings from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana. I must say I am highly delighted to join you here for the official Commissioning of the Human Trafficking Secretariat and the Trauma Informed Care Center. Let me express my profound gratitude to the European Union, the French Embassy and Expertise France for funding the project and collaborating with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in the fight against human trafficking in Ghana. As many of the speakers have already reiterated, the project has four components and seeks to support 6 countries within the Gulf of Guinea. I remember a discussion with my Board members as to whether we are launching this edifice or commissioning it. We chose Commissioning for all it stands for since this building has come at the right time when victim care is central to combating human trafficking. Distinguished Guest, issues of human trafficking continuous to be a human right violation and a canker in our society that must be eliminated. Ghana is a receiving, transit and a destination country for victims of human trafficking. Likewise, the Gulf of Guinea is characterized by a pattern of cross-border and irregular migration, human trafficking, child exploitation and many more. Trafficking is multifaceted and covers several situations from debt bondage, exploitation, organized crimes and many more. Ghana has responded to the issues of human trafficking in diverse ways and I will take the opportunity to briefly summarize some strides made in the last year. The Human Trafficking Act, 2005 Act 694 was enacted towards prevention, reduction and punishment of human trafficking offenses, for the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked persons and its related matters. The Ministry together with our partners embarked on many community advocacy and engagements to educate the public on the dangers associated with human trafficking. In collaboration with our law enforcement officers, Social Workers and NGOs Ghana in 2021 rescued 842 victims, gave comprehensive trauma informed care and has reintegrated 812 of them. On the 1st of February 2019, the adult shelter was operationalized and 178 adult female victims of trafficking has been cared for, and we are still receiving and caring for victims at the shelter even as at this moment. The Children Shelter also was fully operationalized in August, 2020 and has cared for 98 child victims. In all 108 cases were reported and investigated; 42 cases being sex trafficking, 60 for labour trafficking and 6 being other related cases that started as human trafficking offenses. Thirty four (34) cases were sent to court for prosecution, out of those 22 cases were prosecuted involving 37 defendants and we have gained 17 convictions for the country. Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guest, issues of Gender Based Violence and Human Trafficking are intertwined and is by no accident the two support centers are at the same place. Let me extent our appreciation to the UNFPA for the Orange Support Center and the Boame App. It is pleasing to know that, as at February, through the center two (2) victims of trafficking were rescued all the way from Bolga after they called the center for help. The Trauma Informed Care Center is also to ensure cases are handled in a timely manner and victims get a comprehensive care as much as possible. Our distinguished team from Expertise France, the staff numbers at the Human Trafficking Secretariat has risen from 2 in 2018 to 26 as at 2022. This is part of the reason we made the request to Expertise France towards refurbishing the HT Secretariat to enable the staff work under better conditions to deliver. Apart from this support, a number of activities have been implemented so far under the project where over 300 law enforcement officers have seen their capacities built to identify and prosecute offences of human trafficking. We are also refurbishing a victim transit shelter at Aflao to support rescues and interceptions at the border. Again, the Children Shelter will see more upliftment with play grounds and isolation centers to improve the wellbeing of victims. We have also had exchange programs with our Ivorian Counter part with the other 5 countries joining for a regional conference to discuss the project. Despite the COVID pandemic, the Ministry through the Human Trafficking Secretariat, the Board and key stakeholders has worked assiduously to counter human trafficking. However, as you can see even though a lot has been done in the area of human trafficking it is still not enough. We believe this partnership will go a long way to reduce the incidence, strengthen government institutions and increase public knowledge on the issues. Before I conclude for us to sign the MOU and further commission the building, let me express our appreciation to the EU, the French Government and Expertise France for the support. We are grateful and hope the rest of the activities will be done faster as we approach the end of the project. Thank you. 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 Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana have indicated they will meet with the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, in May over the controversial Electronic Transfer levy (E-Levy). According to the President of the Association, Dela Dunstan Abotsi, the meeting with the president will address some of their concerns with regards to E-Levy, which is set to take off on May 1. The president has given us an invitation to come for a meeting next month, hence our hands are tied on making any move until we meet with him. We wouldnt want to do anything that we will be sorry for later. Imagine taking a decision and after meeting with the president, everything goes well. Citineswroom.com quoted Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has assented to the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) bill to officially make it a law on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Beginning May 1, 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will start collecting the levy. Following the latest development, the implementation of the levy will take off on May 1, 2022, as disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta. Source: ghannaweb.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 In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court dismissed a case filed by private legal practitioner, Justice Abdulai asking the court to review its March 9 judgement. On March 9, 2022, in a unanimous decision, a seven-member panel of the Apex Court held that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament presiding over proceedings in the House has the right to vote on matters for determination, and also be counted as part of the quorum for decision-making. Lawyer Abdulai after this ruling subsequently filed a review application insisting the ruling contained errors of laws which have occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice on the people of Ghana. However, in a unanimous ruling, the nine-panel Court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse ruled that the Deputy Speaker of Parliament's participation in voting was constitutional. The application is accordingly dismissed, Justice Dotse said. Ace Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr was left bemused after it was announced during Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'. In a voice tinged with incredulity, he questioned "unanimous again????" 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 Nana Akomea's proposal for a ticket involving Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into election 2024 has been a topic for discussion within the ruling party recently. Many including a former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpiani are not in support of his proposal they want a contest [presidential primary] to happen. Nonetheless, others also believe letting Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen lead the party will save the party its primary stress and rather focus on Breaking the 8. But the big question as to who becomes the presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate betweewn the supposed leading contenders remain unanswered. Nana Akomea who is championing the Alan-Bawumia ticket is even unsure of who should lead the NPP in the 2024 presidential election. When asked in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie' to pick his preferred presidential candidate among the two he was taciturn on deciding. "For me because they are the leading contenders and as well satisfy the North and South sector, they should both be on the ballot. As to who should be the flagbearer and vice, I cant tell, he said. Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen are the two supposed frontrunners to succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United States Department of State has released a report on Ghana aimed at revealing human rights violations in the country and, in attempt, establish some facts about the nation. The lengthy report titled "2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Ghana" painted a negative picture of Ghana's judiciary as it alleged the Judicial officials tend to be corrupt. US Department Of State Report The report read; "While the constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, the judiciary was subject to unlawful influence and corruption. Judicial officials reportedly accepted bribes to expedite or postpone cases, lose records, or issue favorable rulings for the payer of the bribe. A judicial complaints unit within the Ministry of Justice headed by a retired Supreme Court justice addressed complaints from the public, such as unfair treatment by a court or judge, unlawful arrest or detention, missing trial dockets, delayed trials and rendering of judgments, and bribery of judges. The government generally respected court orders." It also touched on other areas of Ghana's economy, one of such is respect for integrity of persons. The US report stated that "there were a few reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Offices charged with investigating security force killings include the Special Investigations Branch of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police Professional Standards Bureau. On June 26, unidentified perpetrators beat #FixTheCountry movement supporter and social activist Ibrahim Kaaka Muhammed in Ejura, Ashanti Region. On June 28, he died in the hospital from his injuries. "Muhammed, who was also a member of the Economic Fighters League (EFL), was a vocal anticorruption activist, and #FixThe Country had protested against restrictions on freedom of assembly (see section 2.b., Freedom of Assembly). EFL reported that Muhammed had received threats due to his activism, and police had warned him prior to his beating and death against disturbing the peace. An investigation into Muhammeds death continued. On June 29, during protests in the wake of his death, security forces shot and killed two persons (see section 2.b., Freedom of Assembly)". Political Twist The report has taken a political twist as some political opponents of the incumbent government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo argue the contents are reflective of the government's actions and how the President is steering the country's affairs. A publication by The Herald newspaper on Wednesday, April 27, captioned "US Human Rights Report Indicts Akufo-Addo's Ghana" said "for a country in the hands of a human rights lawyer, Nana Akufo-Addo, many had expectd an impressive "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" from the United States Department of State but that is not the case with the 2021 report. The Americans, have poorly rated Ghana's human rights constitutional democracy, there are "significant human rights issues" including "credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings by the government or its agents; cases of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by the government or on behalf of the government". Template But seasoned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has exposed the template of the US report, while also cautioning against politicizing issues raised. Making shocking revelations about the report during Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' Wednesday morning, Kweku Baako noted that the US Department of State has been duplicating the report almost every year, therefore no matter how the economy is going, they reproduce the same results for Ghana. According to him, the Americans have made a template of their report and this template keeps featuring in all other reports conducted about Ghana. Mr. Baako pulled records from archives, juxtaposed the 2021 report with previous ones, to expose the United States. He somehow stated the US have been doing ''copy and paste'' as he read a portion of the 2021 report under the section "Denial of Fair Public Trial'' which says "while the constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, the judiciary was subject to unlawful influence and corruption. Judicial officials reportedly accepted bribes to expedite or postpone cases, lose records, or issue favorable rulings for the payer of the bribe" and pointed out this sentence has been running through the US reports from 2012 till 2021. He revealed, in 2012, the US Department wrote; "While the constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, the judiciary was inefficient and subject to influence and corruption." In 2014, they wrote again "while the constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, the judiciary was subject to influence and corruption. Judicial officials reportedly accepted bribes to expedite or postpone cases or to lose records" and in 2015, also said "while the constitution and law provide for independent judiciary, it was subject to unlawful influence and corruption. Judicial officials reportedly accepted bribes to expedite or postpone cases or to lose records". The report produced the same thing in 2016, Kweku Baako further disclosed with evidence from the 2016 report which also read that "while the constitution and law provide for independent judiciary, it was subject to unlawful influence and corruption. Judicial officials reportedly accepted bribes to expedite or postpone cases or to lose records". Under another section of the 2021 report subtitled "Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful Or Politically Motivated Killings" which stated that "there were a few reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. Offices charged with investigating security force killings include the Special Investigations Branch of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police Professional Standards Bureau", Mr. Baako also highlighted similar wording in the US Department of State's 2016 report which said "there were a few reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. For example, in May, Police in Kumasi allegedly beat a suspect to death". "You see, in all, government is mentioned and they will say government or its agents. Now, when you read the report into details, the specifics they give are either Police, Military or other security services killing civilians but of course, they still use the word 'government'. My understanding is that government agents", he expatiated. This, therefore, proves that portions of the report are photocopied and reproduced each year on Ghana's economy. This notwithstanding, Mr. Baako cautioned that the report shouldn't be rubbished as, to him, "it's wake-up call that we should do something about our systems, about our institutions''. "So, to be honest, I will not attack the Americans because of this report. This report has been here for a long time. Some of us have used it as basis for political agitation, mobilization and conscientization. It will be unfair to ourselves if we turn around and say because this report is unfavorable to Ghana today, it's bogus. It's a negative attitude...", he emphasized. 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 The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has suspended an Evergreen Park pharmacys ability to dispense certain controlled substance medications, after it allegedly gave patients dangerous amounts and combinations of drugs. The DEA issued an order to Evergreen Park Pharmacy on Wednesday immediately suspending the pharmacys ability to give patients certain medications including oxycodone, morphine, codeine and Valium. Certain drugs are labeled as controlled substance medications because of their potential for abuse and risk. Advertisement The order came after a DEA investigation revealed alleged regulatory violations and an Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program review showed that excessive opioids and dangerous drug combinations were allegedly given to three patients. A pharmacy expert who reviewed records found that the quantities and combinations of drugs dispensed to the three patients allegedly were not for legitimate medical purposes, and could have led to respiratory failure and death, the DEA Chicago division said in a news release. Hani Abdallah, a pharmacist and the pharmacys owner, said Thursday when contacted by the Tribune that the pharmacy did nothing wrong and plans to fight the suspension. The pharmacy is still dispensing other types of medications not covered by the suspension. Advertisement Abdallah said he knows the three patients well, and they were all using the medications for legitimate purposes. He said they started on high amounts of the medications, but he was able to lower them. I think I did a good job at bringing them down, and for the DEA to come in and do that, its just not right, Abdallah said. When suspensions are issued, pharmacies have the right to administrative hearings before an administrative law judge renders a final decision about whether to revoke a pharmacys registration to legally dispense controlled substance medications. State-licensed pharmacies must be registered with the DEA to legally dispense controlled substance medications. In recent years, doctors and pharmacies have come under scrutiny for how they prescribe and dispense certain medications, such as opioids, which can be addictive and lead to death when people overdose on them. The state and nation have been dealing with an epidemic of opioid addiction, exacerbated by the pandemic. In 2020, the number of opioid deaths in Illinois rose 33% compared with 2019, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office. In March, Pritzker announced a statewide Overdose Action Plan to help address the issue in some of the states hardest-hit areas. Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament, has called for reforms in the appointment and removal of judges in the 1992 Constitution to strengthen the countrys judicial system. Prof Oquaye recommended the appointment of two retired Supreme Court Judges nominated by the Roll of Retired Supreme Court Judges, two Senior Lawyers nominated by the Ghana Bar Association, three other persons nominated from the Christian Council, the Catholic Secretariat and the Muslim Council. These appointments, he explained, would do a better neutral job than the current structure in the 1992 Constitution. The former Speaker of Parliament was speaking at the launch of Professor Michael Oquaye Centre for Constitutional Studies in Accra organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs, Ghana. The Centre, established within the Institute will help address the deficit in the countrys Constitution. The Centre will assist to bring constitutionalism in all the country does, translate the Constitution to the simplest terms and local languages with illustrations. It will be taught in schools, churches, mosques and civil society generally, to live by the tenets of the Constitution. Regarding the removal of Judges, Prof Oquaye said the case of Justice Amua Sekyi gave the country the lesson that where the Executive was bent on removing a Judge, it was easier to do so than meets the eye. If under Article 146 of the Constitution, the President receives a petition for the removal of a Judge, the President should refer the matter to the Chief Justice (CJ). If the CJ is of the view that there is a Prima Facie case, the CJ sets up a committee to investigate the complaint. Three Supreme Court Judges, two other persons (not Lawyers nor from Council of State or parliament), should make a recommendation to the Chief Justice for the suspension of the judge and forwarded to the President for action, "he said. On decentralization, the former Speaker of Parliament recommended that one-third of appointments by the President should be left to women, and that political parties should operate at the local level. He said all Chief Executives of Districts, Municipality and Metropolis should be elected to wean them off executive control and that District Assemblies elections should be two years away from national elections. On appointment of Council of State members, he suggested the need to introduce institutional and representation and not allow the President to choose his advisors, because the 1992 Constitution gave the President too much power in the appointment of the members. We need to adopt the Recommendation of the Committee of Experts which provided that the Council of State shall aid and counsel the President, the Council of Ministers, Parliament and other organs of State in the performance of their functions under the Constitution or under any other law (Section 3(i)), he said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will, from today 28th April, 2022 to 2nd May 2022, hold its annual delegates conference to elect executives in its 250 constituency branches. Each constituency is expected to choose a suitable date within the given period to conduct the conference and hold the elections under the supervision of the Electoral Commission of Ghana per the partys rules and regulations. About 25 constituencies cannot partake in the elections, following petitions and court cases levelled against the party by some aggrieved members including Manhyia North and Kumawu Constituencies. Speaking on the Neat FM, the partys Director of Elections, Evans Nimako stated; The conferences at Kumawu and Manhyia constituencies in the Ashanti Region are on hold due to petitions and court cases brought by some aggrieved members of the party. Manhyia North, for instance after court settlement, they will also have the opportunity to cast their vote in the constituency. He urged members of the party to abide by the rules and regulations governing the elections for successful conference. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Convention People's Party (CPP) has called on the leadership, rank and file of the party to imbibe the tenets of democracy, rule of law, freedom and justice that have been the ideals and principles of the founding father of the party, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. The party said the ideals and principles of the founding father to liberate the ordinary Ghanaian from the shackles of poverty, hunger and deprivation were still relevant in the current political dispensation of the country and must not be let down. At a ceremony held in Accra on April 27, 2022, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who was also Ghanas First President and Prime Minister, the General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, described Dr Nkrumah as a great Pan-Africanist whose ideals still stood tall and relevant in the present times. A leading member of the party, Bright Akwetey laid a wreath on the tomb of Dr Nkrumah to mark the anniversary. Glowing tributes Paying glowing tribute to Dr Nkrumah, she said he used his experience, knowledge and expertise gained from abroad to improve and further the lot of the people of Ghana and Africans as a whole. She said his ideals of promoting Pan-Africanism and his vision of developing and liberating the people of the African race from the claws of colonialism and imperialism were par excellence. "Let us all at the CPP imbibe the tenets of democracy, rule of law, freedom and justice while resisting the rule of the oppressor," she said. "Today as we celebrate 50 years of Osagyefo Dr Nkrumahs death, we also remember his dark days in exile in Guinea, the cold and lonely nights on his hospital bed in Bucharest Romania, she added. Request Ms Jantuah also used the occasion to make a request for the return of all the partys assets from government as a move to deepen comradeship and promote reparation. Among the assets the party wanted returned were the Ministry of Information building, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) headquarters. She expressed the hope that the President would oblige to the request. Funeral The CPP general secretary disclosed that plans were in place for the party to give Dr Nkrumah a befitting funeral which would take place in November, this year. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Media, Brands and Culture Specialist, King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah has stated that if any Ghanaian leader cannot honour their own, they are fools. He made this statement on the GTVs Breakfast Show. Kwame Nkrumah was the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, having led the Gold Coast to independence from Britain in 1957. In remembering him 50 years since he died in 1952 at Romania after a short illness, King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah stated that Kwame Nkrumah was a shepherd who chose not to be a shepherd for a small country like Ghana but for black people all around the world which is why he made a conscious effort to create synergies with great thinkers of the time. He added that nobody has done everything legitimately correctly but having two bombs directed at you will lead you to protect yourself from harm. He indicated that Kwame Nkrumah is studied all around the world so much so that Europe formed a union based on the principles that he had envisioned for Africa. He concluded by reiterating that Kwame Nkrumah is the greatest that ever lived and it saddens me to see people in leadership in Ghana travel around the world and go and say somebody else in the world elsewhere was the greater that ever lived. Source: gbc 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 Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels and resorts in Phuket, Phang Nga, and Surat Thani in collaboration with Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) and Living Waters Phuket (LWP), a registered charitable foundation, to support an emergency food relief program. The collaboration will kick off with a donation of 1,600 Life Bags for communities in Thailands southern provinces. Demand for short-term emergency food aid is at an all-time high due to the pandemic and thousands of people are required to live in community quarantine for extended periods of time. Living Waters Phuket has been helping local communities through The Life Bag Project for almost two years. When we learned about the amazing project that Living Waters Phuket has been running and how much our local communities need immediate attention, we wanted to offer our support right away, said Mr. Brad Edman, Multi-Property Vice President Phuket and General Manager at Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa. Marriot hotels and resorts in Phuket have always supported the communities in which we operate, especially during the pandemic. Our collaboration with LWP will help to further support communities in need. All 16 Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts in Phuket, Phang Nga, and Koh Samui worked with Living Waters Phuket to organize two Life Bag Project events: one in Koh Samui April 2-5, 2022 and one in Phuket April 19-20, 2022. 1,600 Life Bags have been distributed with the goal of helping over 6,400 people in desperate need. According to Living Waters Phuket, one Life Bag can feed a family of four people for up to four days. Serving our world is one of Marriotts core values and giving back to the communities where we operate is one of our main commitments. Business Council, General Managers, and NextGen team of associates work together closely to support local communities through various activities and initiatives. Phuket has been a major focus for us during the pandemic. We are very happy that were now able to extend our support to Phang Nga and Koh Samui in Surat Thani through our collaboration with Phuket Hotels Association and Living Waters Phuket. said Mr. Daryn Hudson, Co-Chairman Thailand Marriott Business Council and General Manager at Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort. Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels and resorts taking part in this initiative include Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa Merlin Beach, Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa Nai Yang Beach, The Naka Island Resort & Spa, Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort, Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, Le Meridien Khao Lak Resort & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, W Koh Samui, Vana Belle a Luxury Collection Resort Koh Samui, Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa, and Sheraton Samui Resort. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Bird species that live in wooded areas are under stress from human-caused changes to forest composition, according to new research led by Oregon State University that quantifies the effects of forest "degradation" on bird habitat. "Reducing forest loss has been the main focus of conservation policy to date, which is well justified because it has a strong negative effect on biodiversity," said Matt Betts of the OSU College of Forestry. "But the effects of changing the composition and age of forest via timber management have traditionally been very difficult to measure at large scales and thus have been largely ignored. Our work shows population declines in many bird species in eastern Canada are due to habitat loss caused by forestry activities." Findings by the international collaboration led by Betts were published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution. The scientists looked at the degree to which forest degradationthe reduction or loss of biological complexityin the form of clearcutting and then thinning or replanting single tree species affected bird habitat and long-term trends in bird populations. The study area was the Acadian Forest in Canada's maritime provinces. Breeding habitat loss occurred for 66% of the forest's 54 most common bird species from 1985 to 2020 and was strongly associated with the loss of older forests, the researchers found. Species experiencing the greatest decreases in habitat were the golden-crowned kinglet and Blackburnian warbler, with seven species in all showing habitat declines of greater than 25%. Habitat loss was strongly linked to long-term bird population declines, particularly for species living in old forest. The researchers estimate that between 33 and 104 million birds were lost due to forest degradation over the 35 years of the study. Nine bird species in the study area have declined at rates exceeding 30% over the past 10 years, which meets criteria for listing as threatened under Canadian endangered species legislation, the scientists found. "Due to increased global demand for wood, more and more of the Earth's surface is being used for timber extraction," said Betts, the lead scientist for the HJ Andrews Long-term Ecological Research Program. "This shows up on remote sensing as both forest loss and forest gain, but unfortunately the 'gain' is often vastly simplified, young forest. Our paper presents a new way to quantify these sorts of changes." Betts and collaborators from Cornell University, the University of Rhode Island, the University of New Brunswick, Google and multiple Canadian and U.S. agencies combined satellite imagery and breeding bird survey data along with species distribution modeling to examine forest and bird population trends. The Acadian Forest, known for its tree species diversity, has shown pervasive signs of degradation over the last three-plus decades, Betts said. Since 1985, more than 3 million hectares of the Acadian Forest have been clearcut, and much of that area is now dominated by single tree species or a mix of early successional species. "Old forest declined by 39% over the period we observed," Betts said. "Over the same period, forest cover actually increased by a net 6.5%. That pattern of extensive harvest of old forest, followed by rapid regeneration of young forest and then subsequent harvest before maturity is attained, seems to be common in many forest regions of North America and northern Europe." Managed forests, he said, tend to be dominated by one or two merchantable tree species, and they also tend to be younger than those that would occur under a natural disturbance regimefor example, with fires or windstorms. That carries potential implications for species associated with mature or old-growth forests. Quantifying the effects of forest degradation effects is particularly important in light of recent findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services that indicate the planet is facing a biodiversity crisis, said Betts, who also points to research published in Science that shows bird populations have been showing severe declines across North America. "Clearly the research by Betts and collaborators identifies one of the critical smoking guns of avian declines," said Peter Marra, the director for Georgetown University's Institute for Environment and Sustainability and a co-author of the recent Science paper on bird declines. "We've assumed once a natural forest is cut down, as long as you plant more trees all the rest of the plants and animals will fill back in. The new research shows that's not the case." In the Acadian Forest, deforestationpermanent conversion to another land-cover typewas not a primary driver of habitat loss, Betts said, as it accounted for less than 2% of all habitat loss across the 54 bird species examined. "Overall, our findings indicate broad-scale declines in forest birds of the Acadian Forest, and for most species, abundance is strongly associated with habitat amount," he said. "We expect that similar consequences for biodiversity are in place for intensively managed forests in other parts of the world as well. If all you look at is forest cover, you'll miss the more subtle but critically important role of forest age and type in maintaining biodiversity." The collaboration included scientists from the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development; Canada's National Wildlife Research Centre; the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry; and Google Earth Engine. Explore further Potential impacts of emerald ash borer on wildlife in black ash wetlands More information: Matthew Betts, Forest degradation drives widespread avian habitat and population declines, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01737-8 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Matthew Betts, Forest degradation drives widespread avian habitat and population declines,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01737-8 Canada is amending its laws to allow for the prosecution of crimes on the Moon and orbiting lunar stations, by astronauts such as these pictured in a SpaceX capsule on a launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April 2021. Canadian lawmakers on Thursday passed an amendment to the nation's Criminal Code to allow for the prosecution of crimes committed on the moon. The change to the lawwhich MPs voted 181 to 144 in favorwas described in a 443-page budget implementation bill presented to Parliament this week. Ottawa has already extended its jurisdiction over criminal acts committed by Canadian astronauts during space travel to the International Space Station. They are treated the same as crimes committed in Canada. The update comes as the number of space flights are increasing, and ahead of the first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years set to launch in May 2024, with a Canadian astronaut expected to be on board the Artemis II lunar flyby. Under the subheading Lunar Gateway, the Criminal Code amendment reads: "A Canadian crew member who, during a space flight, commits an act or omission outside Canada that if committed in Canada would constitute an indictable offense is deemed to have committed that act or omission in Canada." This would include crimes en route to or on the Lunar Gateway station currently in the works to orbit the moon, and also "on the surface of the moon," the document states. Foreign astronauts who "threaten the life or security of a Canadian crew member" on a Canadian-supported space mission could also be prosecuted, according to the ways and means motion. The Canadian Space Agency is participating in the NASA-led Lunar Gateway project, along with the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Starting as early as 2026, the outpost will act as a staging point for robotic and crewed exploration of the lunar surface, as well as travel to Mars. Explore further Canadian will join Moon mission for first time in 2023 2022 AFP Recent research has found that CEOs with significant power discourage LGBTQ+ initiatives in the workplace. Credit: Shutterstock Global acceptance of homosexuality has risen over the past two decades to 72 percent in 2019 from 51 percent in 2002. Despite this, a report from last year found that majority of American LGBTQ+ workers have faced job discrimination. This echoes an earlier report, published by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion in 2015, that found many Canadians were uncomfortable disclosing their sexual orientation at work. Just last month, The Canadian Press published an article that found 65 percent of LGBTQ+ employees in Quebec have faced discrimination in the past five years. There is a clear disconnect between the increased tolerance toward LGBTQ+ people in broader society compared to the experience of LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. As major stakeholders with significant power, corporations have the responsibility to bridge this equality gap and be leaders in making the workplace inclusive and welcoming for their LGBTQ+ employees. The LGBT Purge One of the longest, most devastating examples of workplace discrimination in Canada is known as the LGBT Purge. Between the 1950s and mid-1990s, the Canadian government embarked on a purge of LGBTQ+ workers from federal public service and the Canadian Armed Forces. An estimated 9,000 LGBTQ+ Canadians experienced abuse and violence at the whims of the government that investigated, interrogated and traumatized them. The LGBT Purge was driven by anticommunist sentiment during the Cold War. Socially stigmatized people, like members of the LGBTQ+ community, were seen as targets for blackmail by the Soviet Union for classified information. There is no record of any Canadian government employees or members of the Armed Forces turning over evidence to the Soviet Union out of fear their sexual orientation would be exposed. In 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized for the "state-sponsored, systematic oppression and rejection" of the LGBT Purge. A settlement was reached the following year that included up to $110 million in compensation for survivors of the purge. The Purge resulted in psychological trauma, material hardship, financial ruin, self-harm and suicide among survivors. The legacy of the Purge, still felt to this day, reminds us that there is still much to be done in the fight for equality. Survivors of the LGBT Purge take part in the 2019 Pride Parade in Ottawa. Credit: Shutterstock CEO power and workplace equality My colleagues and I recently published a research paper investigating if and how chief executive officer's (CEO) power affects corporate LGBTQ+ equality. To measure corporate LGBTQ+ equality, we used the Corporate Equality Index rating system provided by the Human Rights Campaign. We decided to study CEO power because CEOs play a key role in investing in corporate LGBTQ+ equality initiatives. They normally set the strategic directions and initiate major decisions in their companies and can influence what initiatives receive funding. Studies have shown that CEOs improve sustainability because they have higher job security and can focus on long-term initiatives, such as sustainability. A similar argument could be made for LGBTQ+ employee equal rights initiatives. CEOs, who are in the most secure position in their companies, have the ability and flexibility to invest in corporate LGBTQ+ equality. How power comes into play Our research found that powerful CEOs discouraged corporate LGBTQ+ equality initiatives. This could be for a number of reasons, including CEOs catering to shareholders who don't think corporate LGBTQ+ equality initiatives should be invested in, either because it clashes with their beliefs, or they don't think it's a worthy investment. Additionally, we found that powerful CEOs were more likely to discourage corporate LGBTQ+ equality initiatives when corporations lacked external monitoring (lower level of institutional ownership), information transparency (higher tendency to manipulate their earnings) or were headquartered in a state that had a majority religious population. Surprisingly, CEOs did not suffer any consequences for suppressing LGBTQ+ employee equality initiatives. Instead, some enjoyed better stock market returns and higher long-term firm market values. But there are greater benefits for investing in LGBTQ+ initiatives. They aren't just the morally correct thing to do, but can also be good for companies in the long run by improving employee morale, productivity, firm performance and future firm valuation. It's time for change Our findings reinforce previous reports that we have a long way to go in achieving equal rights for LGBTQ+ people, especially in the workplace. It is clear that corporations will not alter their course unless they are forced to or their bottom line is at stake. It is time for regulators and policy-makers to enact affirmative action regulations to encourage corporations to create equitable and fair workplace environments for their LGBTQ+ employees. There are a variety of ways this could be accomplished. Activist-investors could motivate their corporations to invest in corporate LGBTQ+ equality initiatives, like they do for environmental causes. The Canadian Securities Administrators, an umbrella organization of Canada's provincial and territorial securities regulators, could propose regulations that would require boards of directors to have LGBTQ+ representation, which in turn may influence more LGBTQ+ friendly policies and initiatives by corporations more broadly. Explore further Google suspended from LGBTQ equality index after failing to remove controversial app More information: Jennifer Brodmann et al, Chief Executive Officer power and Corporate Sexual Orientation Equality, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance (2021). Jennifer Brodmann et al, Chief Executive Officer power and Corporate Sexual Orientation Equality,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100543 This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. In 2070, human population centers in equatorial Africa, south China, India, and southeast Asia will overlap with projected hotspots of cross-species viral transmission in wildlife. Credit: Colin Carlson/Georgetown University As the earth's climate continues to warm, researchers predict wild animals will be forced to relocate their habitatslikely to regions with large human populationsdramatically increasing the risk of a viral jump to humans that could lead to the next pandemic. This link between climate change and viral transmission is described by an international research team led by scientists at Georgetown University and is published April 28 in Nature. In their study, the scientists conducted the first comprehensive assessment of how climate change will restructure the global mammalian virome. The work focuses on geographic range shiftsthe journeys that species will undertake as they follow their habitats into new areas. As they encounter other mammals for the first time, the study projects they will share thousands of viruses. They say these shifts bring greater opportunities for viruses like Ebola or coronaviruses to emerge in new areas, making them harder to track, and into new types of animals, making it easier for viruses to jump across a "stepping stone" species into humans. "The closest analogy is actually the risks we see in the wildlife trade," says the study's lead author Colin Carlson, Ph.D., an assistant research professor at the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. "We worry about markets because bringing unhealthy animals together in unnatural combinations creates opportunities for this stepwise process of emergencelike how SARS jumped from bats to civets, then civets to people. But markets aren't special anymore; in a changing climate, that kind of process will be the reality in nature just about everywhere." Of concern is that animal habitats will move disproportionately in the same places as human settlements, creating new hotspots of spillover risk. Much of this process may already be underway in today's 1.2 degrees warmer world, and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions may not stop these events from unfolding. An additional important finding is the impact rising temperatures will have on bats, which account for the majority of novel viral sharing. Their ability to fly will allow them to travel long distances, and share the most viruses. Because of their central role in viral emergence, the greatest impacts are projected in southeast Asia, a global hotspot of bat diversity. "At every step," said Carlson, "our simulations have taken us by surprise. We've spent years double-checking those results, with different data and different assumptions, but the models always lead us to these conclusions. It's a really stunning example of just how well we can, actually, predict the future if we try." As viruses start to jump between host species at unprecedented rates, the authors say that the impacts on conservation and human health could be stunning. "This mechanism adds yet another layer to how climate change will threaten human and animal health," says the study's co-lead author Gregory Albery, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology in the Georgetown University College of Arts and Sciences. "It's unclear exactly how these new viruses might affect the species involved, but it's likely that many of them will translate to new conservation risks and fuel the emergence of novel outbreaks in humans." Altogether, the study suggests that climate change will become the biggest upstream risk factor for disease emergenceexceeding higher-profile issues like deforestation, wildlife trade, and industrial agriculture. The authors say the solution is to pair wildlife disease surveillance with real-time studies of environmental change. "When a Brazilian free-tailed bat makes it all the way to Appalachia, we should be invested in knowing what viruses are tagging along," says Carlson. "Trying to spot these host jumps in real-time is the only way we'll be able to prevent this process from leading to more spillovers and more pandemics." "We're closer to predicting and preventing the next pandemic than ever," says Carlson. "This is a big step towards predictionnow we have to start working on the harder half of the problem." "The COVID-19 pandemic, and the previous spread of SARS, Ebola, and Zika, show how a virus jumping from animals to humans can have massive effects. To predict their jump to humans, we need to know about their spread among other animals," said Sam Scheiner, a program director with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which funded the research. "This research shows how animal movements and interactions due to a warming climate might increase the number of viruses jumping between species." Explore further Researchers find humans have given wild animals their diseases nearly 100 times More information: Colin Carlson, Climate change increases cross-species viral transmission risk, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04788-w Journal information: Nature Colin Carlson, Climate change increases cross-species viral transmission risk,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04788-w Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain There has been serious discussion about COVID-19 misinfomation. That misinformation has most likely cost many people their lives, driven by messages from those with a hidden agenda to drive everyday people away from science-based medical advice. The question remains as to what is the best way to counter the stream of misinfomation and fake news. Might the mainstream, mass media be able to correct false perceptions about the pandemic and our response to it? Alternatively, is it that many people would respond and engage more fully with corrective information if that reaches them through social media? Writing in the International Journal of Web Based Communities, a team from Japan has investigated what impact mass media and social media can have on public perception regarding COVID-19 misinfomation. Their model suggests that the way in which people respond to corrective information depends on their level of literacy and the sources that they trust the most. Tsukasa Tanihara and Hidetaka Oshima of Keio University in Tokyo and Shinichi Yamaguchi and Tomoaki Watanabe of the International University of Japan, also in Tokyo, found that people with an interest and understanding of COVID-19 who saw misinfomation about the disease were more likely to respond to corrective information from the mass media. By contrast, those people with a lower level of literacy regarding the pandemic would more commonly be persuaded to shift their stance if the corrective information came from their social media networks instead. This latter finding, the team says, suggests that those who rely entirely on social media for corrective information may well not have the capacity to distinguish between the facts and the fake. The findings could have important implications for the education of citizens in the present, ongoing pandemic and in future pandemics as well as in other spheres, such as political elections. The team concludes that it is better to utilize mass media to broadcast corrective information. Secondly, authorized corrections in social media need to be flagged to give them greater prominence so that they reach more people. Thirdly, corrective information must be engaging; if people are disinterested in a topic, they need to be persuaded to assimilate the corrective information before they will accept. Explore further What makes COVID-19 misinformation so tough to stop on social media More information: Tsukasa Tanihara et al, Effects of corrections on COVID-19-related misinformation: cross-media empirical analyses in Japan, International Journal of Web Based Communities (2022). Tsukasa Tanihara et al, Effects of corrections on COVID-19-related misinformation: cross-media empirical analyses in Japan,(2022). DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2022.122392 Higher U.S. menu prices and easing COVID-19 restrictions elsewhere helped McDonalds offset troubled markets like China and Russia in the first quarter. Revenue rose 11% to $5.66 billion in the January-March period, topping Wall Street expectations of $5.57 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Advertisement The Chicago burger giant announced in early March that it would temporarily close 850 stores in Russia. It continues to pay its 62,000 employees in the country. It also closed 108 restaurants in Ukraine in February and is paying its employees there as well. McDonalds has said it expects to lose $50 million per month in sales from the Russian store closures alone. Advertisement McDonalds spent $27 million on salaries, leases and supplier payments in Russia and Ukraine during the quarter. The company also said it has $100 million worth of inventory it will probably dispose of since its restaurants are closed. Excluding costs in Russia and Ukraine and other one-time items, McDonalds earned $2.28 per share for the quarter, well ahead of analyst forecasts of $2.17 per share. Global same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, rose nearly 12% for the quarter. The easing of COVID restrictions in many markets, including the United Kingdom, France and Brazil, boosted sales, McDonalds said. In the U.S., same-store sales rose 3.5%. China reported negative same-stores sales as it struggled with a COVID resurgence and new restrictions. Shares of McDonalds Corp. edged higher before the opening bell Thursday. Anaxyrus baxteri, the Wyoming toad. Credit: North Carolina State University A new study from North Carolina State University examines immune system diversity in the critically endangered Wyoming toad and finds that genetic bottlenecks could impact a species' ability to respond to new pathogens. The findings could inform captive breeding strategies for endangered animal populations. The Wyoming toad, Anaxyrus baxteri, suffered a severe population decline throughout the latter part of the 20th century due to factors including habitat destruction and fungal infection. The toad was brought into a captive breeding program in the 1990s in order to save the species. Scientists estimate a current wild population of only 400 to 1,500 animals, meaning that the toad is considered critically endangered. "Population reduction in this species created a genetic bottleneck to begin with, meaning the level of genetic diversity is already very small," says Jeff Yoder, professor of comparative immunology at NC State and co-corresponding author of a paper describing the work. "This is the first study to look specifically at genetic diversity in the immune systems of these toads and how it could impact them as a population." Yoder, with co-corresponding author Alex Dornburg of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, performed RNA sequencing on immune tissues from three healthy, retired Wyoming toad breeders. Study co-author Michael Stoskopf, who was on the Wyoming Toad Recovery Implementation Team established in 2008, obtained the samples. "We were focused specifically on sequences encoding toll-like receptorsTLRsand the proteins of the major histocompatibility complex, or MHC, expressed in these tissues," says Kara Carlson, first author of the study and current Ph.D. candidate at NC State. "These sets of genes are major components of the immune system." TLRs are the first responders of the immune system, and are similar, or well-conserved, between species. The MHC, on the other hand, is a large and diverse group of genes that varies between species and individuals. It can determine why one group is more resistant to a particular pathogen than another. "MHC genes are some of the most rapidly evolving sequences in the genome," Carlson says. "So in a healthy population there's a lot of variety that gets passed along to descendants, enabling the species at large to adapt to different pathogens. However, if disease survivors do so because of their MHC, then that group would have a similar MHC. "The Wyoming toads that were brought into captivity to save the species were all able to resist the fungus that had decimated the population, but that could mean that their immune diversity is reduced." The researchers compared the TLR and MHC of the three Wyoming toads to each other, as well as to samples from a common toad and a cane toad. Both the common toad and the cane toad showed more MHC diversity than the Wyoming toad, even though the cane toad underwent a similar genetic bottleneck. "The small sample size in this studywhich was unavoidable due to the endangered status of the toadnevertheless lays an important framework for conservation," Carlson says. "Amphibians in general don't have as many genomic resources as other organisms," Yoder says. "And captive breeding from a small population further decreases genetic diversity. But while these toads may be better protected against the fungal infection that nearly wiped them out, they may not be equipped to deal with new pathogens down the road." "While we weren't necessarily surprised by the lack of immunogenic diversity in the Wyoming toad, it does spark an important question," Dornburg says. "How equipped are other species of conservation concern for a battle with an emergent pathogen?" "By understanding the genetic diversity of the immune system we can inform captive breeding to increase the chance of a species to resist disease in the wild," Yoder adds. "Studies like this one are invaluable for captive breeding practices going forward." The research appears in Conservation Genetics. Explore further Researchers release hundreds of endangered toads in Wyoming (Update) More information: Kara B. Carlson et al, Transcriptome annotation reveals minimal immunogenetic diversity among Wyoming toads, Anaxyrus baxteri, Conservation Genetics (2022). Journal information: Conservation Genetics Kara B. Carlson et al, Transcriptome annotation reveals minimal immunogenetic diversity among Wyoming toads, Anaxyrus baxteri,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10592-022-01444-8 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new research brief from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research has found that English learners have the most success when they stick with a single programregardless of program typeand skills from their home language are incorporated in their education. The research comes as the number of long-term English learners (LTELs) in Texas has increased by 90% in the last decade. LTELs are students who have not reclassified as English-proficient after five years in school. The research was published online today by the Kinder Institute's Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC). It utilizes data from 10 public school districts in the Houston area and builds on several of its previous studies examining English learners and LTELs. "English learners are a diverse group of students. Many English learners reclassify as English proficient early in their educational careers and go on to achieve academic success," said Lizzy Cashiola, the brief's lead author. "Long-term English learners, on the other hand, are at risk for negative educational outcomes in middle and high school. The fact that the percent of these students has risen so much over the past decade is something that we should be concerned about." Texas has three different types of programs for English learners, and each of them utilizes different teaching techniques. The researchers found that students who participated in a single program throughout elementary schoolregardless of which typehad the greatest success. But English learners who participated in two or more different types of programs, or switched programs during elementary school, had a greater risk of becoming long-term English learners. For English learners involved in a single program, courses supporting the student's home language (such as a bilingual or dual-immersion programs) did a better job of preparing students to become proficient at English than English-only programs. "We hope that these findings help point to ways to support English learners," Cashiola said. "Next, we will focus our research on the middle- and high-school outcomes of long-term English learners. We'll also look at early warning indicators to help school districts identify which students are most at risk for becoming long-term English learners, with the goal of intervening with these students early on." "What factors are associated with the likelihood of an English learner becoming a long-term English learner?" was co-authored by researchers Camila Cigarroa Kennedy, Hao Ma, Dylan Nguyen and Daniel Potter. Explore further Study says when to identify students who take longer to be English proficient More information: What factors are associated with the likelihood of an English learner becoming a long-term English learner? What factors are associated with the likelihood of an English learner becoming a long-term English learner? rice.app.box.com/s/labknqaqlky 2amht5i435j78ekvmyrf Impact of climate change and fisheries management on the production of seafood from marine fisheries. Credit: Nature (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04674-5 Scientists believe expanding marine aquaculture (or mariculture) will be a vital step in feeding the billions of extra people expected to populate the globe by the end of the century. Reniel Cabral, a Senior Lecturer in Fisheries at JCU, is the co-author of a new study published in the journal Nature. He said the ocean's ability to supply food in the future will be challenged by the expected increase in seafood demand. "The human population is expected to increase by three billion by the end of the century, with a rise in affluence and demand for meat. Climate change will further challenge the ability of the ocean to provide food," said Dr. Cabral. He said fixing overfishing and transforming wild fisheries management to account for climate change will be necessarybut won't in itself be sufficient to feed the extra people. "But cultivating finfish and shellfish may just be the answer to this looming food security challenge. Our study suggests that by reforming fisheries and expanding sustainable mariculture, current per capita seafood production can be maintained or increased up to the end of the century, except under the most severe climate change scenario," said Dr. Cabral He said it was still vital to highlight the importance of reforming wild fisheries to allow mariculture expansion. "Some mariculture species still depend on wild capture fisheries for feed and seedlings. Ensuring that wild fisheries are healthy will not only allow mariculture to expand but will minimize the gap mariculture would have to fill in seafood production," said Dr. Cabral. He said fisheries in tropical countries will be disproportionately negatively impacted by ocean warming and acidification. "Supporting mariculture in these countries would mean addressing several of the bottlenecks from governance, ensuring equitable access, conflicting ocean uses, and infrastructure challenges such as developing fish cages that can withstand typhoons," said Dr. Cabral. Christopher Free, a researcher at the University of California Santa Barbara and lead author of the study, said that "besides fixing overfishing and supporting innovations in mariculture, it's essential to aggressively cut down greenhouse gas emissions so as to reduce inequities, increase fisheries and mariculture reform efficacy, and mitigate risks unaccounted for in our analysis." The scientists said potential environmental threats from mariculture can be minimized by proper planning and siting. "The small space requirement for mariculture (<1% of the global ocean area) leaves ample room for careful planning to minimize environmental impacts and conflicts with other ocean uses," said Steven Gaines, Dean and Professor based at the University of California Santa Barbara and a co-author of the study. Dr. Cabral said for mariculture to truly benefit people and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals, it must benefit developing countries. "Investments in mariculture innovation in developing tropical countries is a priority and JCU, being strategically located in the tropics and at the forefront of innovation in aquaculture, will play a key role." Explore further Farmed seafood supply at risk if we don't act on climate change More information: Christopher M. Free et al, Expanding ocean food production under climate change, Nature (2022). Journal information: Nature Christopher M. Free et al, Expanding ocean food production under climate change,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04674-5 The habitat and animals that were found together with the giant ichthyosaurs. Credit: Heinz Furrer Paleontologists have discovered sets of fossils representing three new ichthyosaurs that may have been among the largest animals to have ever lived, reports a new paper in the peer-reviewed Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Unearthed in the Swiss Alps between 1976 and 1990, the discovery includes the largest ichthyosaur tooth ever found. The width of the tooth root is twice as large as any aquatic reptile known, the previous largest belonging to a 15-meter-long ichthyosaur. Other incomplete skeletal remains include the largest trunk vertebra in Europe that demonstrates another ichthyosaur rivaling the largest marine reptile fossil known today, the 21-meter long Shastasaurus sikkanniensis from British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Heinz Furrer, who co-authors this study, was among a team who recovered the fossils during geological mapping in the Kossen Formation of the Alps. More than 200 million years before, the rock layers still covered the seafloor. With the folding of the Alps, however, they had ended up at an altitude of 2,800 meters. Now a retired curator at the University of Zurich's Paleontological Institute and Museum, Dr. Furrer said he was delighted to have uncovered "the world's longest ichthyosaur; with the thickest tooth found to date and the largest trunk vertebra in Europe." And lead author P. Martin Sandler, of the University of Bonn, hopes "maybe there are more remains of the giant sea creatures hidden beneath the glaciers." "Bigger is always better," he says. "There are distinct selective advantages to large body size. Life will go there if it can. There were only three animal groups that had masses greater than 10-20 metric tons: long-necked dinosaurs (sauropods); whales; and the giant ichthyosaurs of the Triassic." These monstrous, 80-ton reptiles patrolled Panthalassa, the world's ocean surrounding the supercontinent Pangaea during the Late Triassic, about 205 million years ago. They also made forays into the shallow seas of the Tethys on the eastern side of Pangaea, as shown by the new finds. Ichthyosaurs first emerged in the wake of the Permian extinction some 250 million years ago, when some 95 percent of marine species died out. The group reached its greatest diversity in the Middle Triassic and a few species persisted into the Cretaceous. Most were much smaller than S. sikanniensis and the similarly-sized species described in the paper. Roughly the shape of contemporary whales, ichthyosaurs had elongated bodies and erect tail fins. Fossils are concentrated in North America and Europe, but ichthyosaurs have also been found in South America, Asia, and Australia. Giant species have mostly been unearthed in North America, with scanty finds from the Himalaya and New Caledonia, so the discovery of further behemoths in Switzerland represents an expansion of their known range. Heinz Furrer with the largest ichthyosaur vertebra. Credit: Heinz Furrer However, so little is known about these giants that there are mere ghosts. Tantalizing evidence from the UK, consisting of an enormous toothless jaw bone, and from New Zealand suggest that some of them were the size of blue whales. An 1878 paper credibly describes an ichthyosaur vertebrae 45 cm in diameter from there, but the fossil never made it to London and may have been lost at sea. Sander notes that "it amounts to a major embarrassment for paleontology that we know so little about these giant ichthyosaurs despite the extraordinary size of their fossils. We hope to rise to this challenge and find new and better fossils soon." These new specimens probably represent the last of the leviathans. "In Nevada, we see the beginnings of true giants, and in the Alps the end," says Sander, who also co-authored a paper last year about an early giant ichthyosaur from Nevada's Fossil Hill. "Only the medium-to-large-sized dolphin- and orca-like forms survived into the Jurassic." While the smaller ichthyosaurs typically had teeth, most of the known gigantic species appear to have been toothless. One hypothesis suggests that rather than grasping their prey, they fed by suction. "The bulk feeders among the giants must have fed on cephalopods. The ones with teeth likely feed on smaller ichthyosaurs and large fish," Sander suggests. Martin Sander and Michael Hautmann look over the discovery layers on the southern slope of Schesaplana, on the Graubunden/Vorarlberg border. Credit: Jelle Heijne/University of Bonn The tooth described by the paper is only the second instance of a giant ichthyosaur with teeththe other being the 15-meter-long Himalayasaurus. These species likely occupied similar ecological roles to modern sperm whales and killer whales. Indeed, the teeth are curved inwards like those of their mammalian successors, indicating a grasping mode of feeding conducive to capturing prey such as giant squid. "It is hard to say if the tooth is from a large ichthyosaur with giant teeth or from a giant ichthyosaur with average-sized teeth," Sander wryly acknowledges. Because the tooth described in the paper was broken off at the crown, the authors were not able to confidently assign it to a particular taxon. Still, a peculiarity of dental anatomy allowed the researchers to identify it as belonging to an ichthyosaur. "Ichthyosaurs have a feature in their teeth that is nearly unique among reptiles: the infolding of the dentin in the roots of their teeth," explains Sander. "The only other group to show this are monitor lizards." The root of the tooth found has a diameter of 60 Millimeters. This makes it the thickest ichthyosaur tooth found so far. Credit: Rosi Roth/University of Zurich The two sets of skeletal remains, which consist of a vertebrae and ten rib fragments, and seven asssociated vertebrae, have been assigned to the family Shastasauridae, which contains the giants Shastasaurus, Shonisaurus, and Himalayasaurus. Comparison of the vertebrae from one set suggests that they may have been the same size or slightly smaller than those of S. sikkanniensis. These measurements are slightly skewed by the fact that the fossils have been tectonically deformedthat is, they have literally been squashed by the movements of the tectonic plates whose collision led to their movement from a former sea floor to the top of a mountain. Known as the Kossen Formation, the rocks from which these fossils derive were once at the bottom of a shallow coastal areaa very wide lagoon or shallow basin. This adds to the uncertainty surrounding the habits of these animals, whose size indicates their suitability to deeper reaches of the ocean. "We think that the big ichthyosaurs followed schools of fish into the lagoon. The fossils may also derive from strays that died there," suggests Furrer. "You have to be kind of a mountain goat to access the relevant beds," Sander laughs. "They have the vexing property of not occurring below about 8,000 feet, way above the treeline." "At 95 million years ago, the northeastern part of Gondwana, the African plate (which the Kossen Formation was part of), started to push against the European plate, ending with the formation of the very complex piles of different rock units (called 'nappes') in the Alpine orogeny at about 30-40 million years ago," relates Furrer. So it is that these intrepid researchers found themselves picking through the frozen rocks of the Alps and hauling pieces of ancient marine monsters nearly down to sea level once again for entry into the scientific record. Explore further Fish-like marine reptile buried in its own blubber in southern Germany 150 million years ago More information: Giant Late Triassic ichthyosaurs from the Kossen Formation of the Swiss Alps and their paleobiological implications, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2022). Journal information: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Giant Late Triassic ichthyosaurs from the Kossen Formation of the Swiss Alps and their paleobiological implications,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2021.2046017 3D models of aquatic tetrapods. Credit: S. Gutarra Diaz Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that body size is more important than body shape in determining the energy economy of swimming for aquatic animals. This study, published today in Communications Biology, shows that big bodies help overcome the excess drag produced by extreme morphology, debunking a long-standing idea that there is an optimal body shape for low drag. One important finding of this research is that the large necks of extinct elasmosaurs did add extra drag, but this was compensated by the evolution of large bodies. Tetrapods or 'four-limbed vertebrates', have repeatedly returned to the oceans over the last 250 million years, and they come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from streamlined modern whales over 25 meters in length, to extinct plesiosaurs, with four flippers and extraordinarily long necks, and even extinct fish-shaped ichthyosaurs. Dolphins and ichthyosaurs have similar body shapes, adapted for moving fast through water producing low resistance or drag. On the other hand, plesiosaurs, who lived side by side with the ichthyosaurs in the Mesozoic Era, had entirely different bodies. Their enormous four flippers which they used to fly underwater, and variable neck lengths, have no parallel amongst living animals. Some elasmosaurs had really extreme proportions, with necks up to 20 feet (6 meters) long. These necks likely helped them to snap up quick-moving fish, but were also believed to make them slower. Computer simulation of flow over the 3D model of an elasmosaur (plesiosaur). Credit: S. Gutarra Diaz Until now, it has not been clear how shape and size influenced the energy demands of swimming in these diverse marine animals. Palaeobiologist Dr. Susana Gutarra Diaz of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences and the National History Museum of London who led the research, explained: "To test our hypotheses, we created various 3D models and performed computer flow simulations of plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs and cetaceans. These experiments are performed on the computer, but they are like water tank experiments." Dr. Colin Palmer, an engineer involved in the project said: "We showed that although plesiosaurs did experience more drag than ichthyosaurs or whales of equal mass because of their unique body shape, these differences were relatively minor. We found that when size is taken into account, the differences between groups became much less than the shape differences. We also show that the ratio of body length to diameter, which is widely used to classify these aquatic animals as more or less efficient, is not a good indicator of low drag." Dr. Gutarra Diaz said, "We were also particularly interested in the necks of elasmosaurs and so, we created hypothetical 3D models of plesiosaurs with various lengths of necks. Simulations of these models reveal that past a certain point, the neck adds extra drag, which potentially would make swimming costly. This 'optimal' neck limit lies around twice the length of the trunk of the animal." Dr. Benjamin Moon, another collaborator and expert on marine reptiles, continued: "When we examined a large sample of plesiosaurs modeled on really well preserved fossils at their real sizes, it turns out that most plesiosaurs had necks below this high-drag threshold, within which neck can get longer or shorter without increasing drag. But more interestingly, we showed that plesiosaurs with extremely long necks also had evolved very large torsos, and this compensated for the extra drag!" Dr. Tom Stubbs, another co-author summarized: "This study shows that, in contrast with prevailing popular knowledge, very long necked plesiosaurs were not necessarily slower swimmers than ichthyosaurs and whales, and this is in part thanks to their large bodies. We found that in elasmosaurs, neck proportions changed really fast. This confirms that long necks were advantageous for elasmosaurs in hunting, but they could not exploit this adaptation until they became large enough to offset the cost of high drag on their bodies." Professor Mike Benton, also part of the research, commented: "Our research suggests that large aquatic animals can afford to have crazy shapes, as in the elasmosaurs. But there are limits: body sizes cannot get indefinitely large, as there are some constraints to very large sizes as well. The maximum neck lengths we observe, seem to balance benefits in hunting versus the costs of growing and maintaining such a long neck. In other words, the necks of these extraordinary creatures evolved in balance with the overall body size to keep friction to a minimum." More information: Large size in aquatic tetrapods compensates for high drag caused by extreme body proportions', Communications Biology (2022). Journal information: Communications Biology Large size in aquatic tetrapods compensates for high drag caused by extreme body proportions',(2022). A map of Borneo from the research publication shows the nation of Brunei where the fossils were located. Credit: Peter Wilf, Penn State The first study of leaf fossils conducted in the nation of Brunei on the island of Borneo has revealed that the current dominant tree group, the dipterocarps, has dominated the rainforests for at least 4 million years, according to an international research team led by Penn State in partnership with Universiti Brunei Darussalam. The findings, published in the journal PeerJ, suggest that the current landscape is similar to what was present during the Pliocene Epoch, 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago, and may provide additional justification for conservation of these forests that support many critically endangered species. "This is the first demonstration that the characteristic dominant life form of Borneo and the entire Asian wet tropics, the dipterocarp trees, was not only present but actually dominant. We found many more fossils of dipterocarps than any other plant group," said Peter Wilf, professor of geosciences in the Penn State College Earth and Mineral Sciences and a co-funded faculty member in the Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE). The dipterocarps are the world's tallest tropical trees, and the largest of them can reach 100 meters (328 feet) in height, approximately the height of a 22-story building. Wilf said the dipterocarps include hundreds of keystone species that support tropical Asia's critically endangered biodiversity by structuring rainforests and providing enormous food resources through pollination and their nutritious seeds. Borneo has almost 270 dipterocarp species, more than half the world's total. "Fossil leaves in the wet tropics are very rare because of extensive forest cover and deeply weathered soils that obscure rock exposures," Wilf said. Past studies of the island's plant life generally involved fossil pollen, which is very resistant to decay. However, because dipterocarp pollen often does not preserve well, that data does not provide complete information on ancient plant landscapes in the Asian tropics, according to Wilf. This study provided ample fossil evidence from both leaves and pollen, at two sites that the team discovered after intensive reconnaissance in Brunei, that supports the idea that the current landscape's diverse, well-structured vegetation is similar to what was present during the Pliocene Epoch, 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago. Sample of dipterocarp pollen fossils (B, C) with other specimens. Credit: Peter Wilf, Penn State "From the same rocks that the dipterocarp leaf fossils are coming from in great numbers, there's hardly any dipterocarp pollen," he said. "The pollen and spores represent many other plant groups, including huge numbers of ferns, but barely any dipterocarps. So that validates the idea that there's a bias against the dipterocarp pollen." Ferry Slik, a professor at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam who studies tropical forest ecology and is a co-author on the paper, said this is an extremely important study of the country's fossil flora. "There are very few fossil studies from the Asian tropics," Slik said. "I hope this study will stimulate more research efforts on fossils in the tropics as they will tell us a lot about the natural history of the region." Wilf and his team unearthed a wide variety of fossil leaves and fruits, including many plant groups that are native today but had not been found before as fossils in the Malay Archipelago. These included three different genera of dipterocarps, such as Dryobalanops, whose species are nearly all threatened; understory plants such as the jujube Ziziphus and melastomes; and a climbing aroid plant, Rhaphidophora, that is related to the popular house plant Monstera. Slik said the team reconstructed an ancient ecosystem almost exactly like what is found in Brunei today. "With the pollen included, we're getting a fairly complete representation of mangrove and swamp environments, bordered by tropical lowland dipterocarp rainforests with very diverse fern understories and lots of climbing plants, including more ferns, jujubes and aroids. So we're getting to actually seeing what the environment was like millions of years ago," Wilf said. "It was very much like what you can find there now, although those habitats have been cut down across much of tropical Asia." A fragment fossil of an enormous dipterocarp leaf (estimated size 16,000 mm squared or 2 feet squared) is an exemplar specimen and is already one of the largest fossils in the collection. Credit: Peter Wilf, Penn State Wilf said one of the motivations for doing this study was to encourage conservation of these areas. "The tropical rainforests are where biodiversity is. Brunei is about the size of Delaware, but it has more than seven times the plant diversity of all of Pennsylvania," he said. "This area has an ever-wet climate similar to the Amazon or the central African rainforests. It is home to spectacular animal life such as proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, rhinoceros hornbills, clouded leopards, sun bears, flying lizards, bearded pigs and slow lorises." Although Borneo is one of the great biodiversity hotspots on Earth and its rainforests are ancient, its biodiversity is shrinking due to logging, agricultural conversion, and climate change. The dipterocarp trees are highly sought after by the logging industry, and Borneo suffers from high deforestation rates, said Slik, who is working to improve Asia's tropical ecosystems. "Borneo, and much of the Asian rainforests, are ground zero of the biodiversity crisis," Wilf said. "However, Brunei is a jewel in the system because it is one of very few countries in the region that still preserves more than half of its old growth rainforests." According to Wilf, each paleontological discovery highlights the importance of history and provides foundational support for setting up conservation areas and educating the public. "If a living group has a known paleo history, it has added preservation and educational value, and it's less likely to be destroyed," he said. "Paleontology provides the primary evidence for how and why life on Earth is distributed the way it is and when different groups of plants and animals arrived." Explore further Bushfires damaged Australian rainforest that is home to Earth's only living specimens of ancient species More information: Peter Wilf et al, First fossil-leaf floras from Brunei Darussalam show dipterocarp dominance in Borneo by the Pliocene, PeerJ (2022). Journal information: PeerJ Peter Wilf et al, First fossil-leaf floras from Brunei Darussalam show dipterocarp dominance in Borneo by the Pliocene,(2022). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12949 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Jack Russell Terriers and Yorkshire Terriers have the highest life expectancies of dog breeds in the UK, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. However, flat-faced breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs have some of the lowest life expectancies. Kendy Tzu-yun Teng, Dan O'Neill and colleagues analyzed 30,563 records of dog deaths from veterinary practices across the UK between 2016 and 2020 using the VetCompass database, categorized into 18 dog breeds recognized by the Kennel Club and also a group of crossbreed dogs. They created life tables which calculate life expectancy throughout the life cycle, starting at birth (0 years). Jack Russell Terriers had the highest life expectancy at birth (12.72 years), followed by Yorkshire Terriers (12.54 years), Border Collies (12.10 years), and Springer Spaniels (11.92 years). In contrast, French Bulldogs had the lowest life expectancy at birth (4.53 years). This is approximately three years less than other flat-faced breeds that showed low life expectancies at birth including English Bulldogs (7.39 years) and Pugs (7.65 years). The authors propose that these short life expectancies could result from the high health risks known to occur in these flat-faced breeds. Across all dog breeds, the average life expectancy at age 0 for male dogs was 11.1 years, four months shorter than the estimate for female dogs. Dogs that had been neutered had a higher life expectancy (11.98 years for females and 11.49 years for males) than those that were not neutered (10.50 years for females and 10.58 years for males). The authors discuss the potential benefits of neutering and associated increased life expectancy and whether neutering could possibly reflect more responsible dog owners and better care. The authors conclude their work now enables dog life expectancies to be tracked at different ages, similarly to humans, and may improve predictions for different breeds in the UK. There could also be other practical benefits such as helping dog shelters to provide accurate estimates of a dog's remaining life expectancy during rehoming. Explore further French bulldogs have higher risk of 20 common health disorders More information: Kendy Tzu-yun Teng, Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom, Scientific Reports (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10341-6 Journal information: Scientific Reports Kendy Tzu-yun Teng, Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10341-6 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Russia's invasion of Ukraine kicked up a maelstrom of misinformationsome produced by strategic Russian propaganda campaigns, and some by anonymous websites or nefarious think tanks. This new wave of misinformation comes at a time when people in the United States and around the world are still sorting through rampant mis- and disinformation about COVID-19; indeed the World Health Organization defined the last few years as an "infodemic" of false and misleading information. With so much bad information swirling like chum in the water, can people sort out what's true and what's not? Researchers at Northeastern University and several partner institutions found that, yes, by and large people in the U.S. can sift out misinformation about COVID-19 and Ukraine. However, they also found a strong link between believing false information about one issue and believing it about the other. Researchers with the COVID States Project, a collaboration among Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern, and Rutgers universities, found that relatively few (14%) people believed false claims about Ukrainefewer than those who believe false claims about COVID-19 vaccines (18%). Importantly, they also found that misperceptions about COVID-19 are by far the strongest predictormore so than political affiliation, age, gender, or education levelof holding misperceptions about Ukraine. Almost half (45%) of people who hold at least one misperception of Ukraine also hold misperceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. The researchers surveyed 22,234 people across all 50 states in the U.S. between March 2 and April 4. They published their latest findings this month. "The question was really whether misperception and misinformation is segmentedin issues that are highly politicized, do we see increasing alignment?" says David Lazer, university distinguished professor of political science and computer sciences at Northeastern, and the lead author of the study. Lazer and his colleagues found that the politics of the issue seem to make a difference: Republicans are 5 percentage points more likely than Democrats to believe false claims about Ukraine, but 15 percentage points more likely to believe misinformation about COVID-19. The results would seem to align with the political responses to each issue. Politicians from both parties have shown a unified front in support of Ukraine and a rebuke of Russia. By contrast, views about COVID-19, including views on vaccines, boosters, and public-health mitigation efforts, are highly split by political party. "We've seen that claims about Ukraine seem to be less politically polarized than claims about COVID-19, which makes sense," Lazer says. "We've seen public opinion on both the [political] right and the left rally around Ukraine." Explore further Nearly half of Americans still unsure about popular vaccine misinformation Credit: Emerald Publishing Limited Birmingham City Council is currently consulting on a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to prevent anti-abortion activists from standing outside an abortion clinic in Kings Norton. Research by Dr. Pam Lowe and Dr. Sarah-Jane Page1, whose latest book, "Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK" has just been published, shows that the anti-abortion activism around clinics causes considerable distress to those seeking services, and it is experienced as a specific form of street harassment. They say it draws unwelcome public attention to those entering and leaving abortion clinics and involves strangers asking personal questions about a private healthcare decision on the street. Even when they have been told that they do not want a conversation, anti-abortion activists sometimes persist in trying to persuade women not to go ahead with the procedure. The no-protest zones already in existence, such as Ealing, have not reduced the ability of those opposed to abortion to make their voices heard; they have moved their protest down the road as a proportionate response2. Dr. Pam Lowe, a senior lecturer in sociology and policy at Aston University, said: "No-protest zones allow women to seek advice and treatment from healthcare professionals without harassment. It is experienced as unwanted surveillance and an invasion of healthcare privacy for those seeking abortion. No one should be accosted and asked to discuss private issues by strangers in public." Dr. Sarah-Jane Page, a senior lecturer in sociology and policy at Aston University, said: "Alongside the harassment of those attending the abortion clinic, the loud prayers and hymns frequently disrupt the lives of those living in the neighborhood, as well as bringing the issue of abortion to the attention of younger children. "Anti-abortion activists in Kings Norton have also approached children as they walk to and from school." Local resident, Liz Bates, said: "Since coming together with my neighbors to end the harassment outside of the clinic we have been overwhelmed by the support for the PSPO. "The overall sentiment is relief 'someone is doing something' as everyone is so disgusted by the protestwe need to stop the harassment that is happening at the heart of our neighborhood and let the clinic go back to the discreet provision it has always been." Explore further History of spontaneous abortion tied to gestational diabetes risk Patagonian sheepdog herding sheep. Credit: Rodrigo Munoz (CC-BY 4.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Modern day Patagonian sheepdogs are the closest living relative to now-extinct varieties of herding dogs of Victorian era Britain, according to a study publishing April 28th in the open-access journal PLOS Genetics by Natasha Barrios at the Universidad Austral de Chile, Elaine Ostrander at the National Institutes of Health, US, and colleagues. European settlers colonizing new lands often took their working dogs with them, and this shared history is reflected in the genome of modern dog breeds. The Patagonian sheepdog is a distinct variety from southern Chile and Argentina, thought to have been introduced by European colonists in the late 1800s. But it is not recognized as a formal breed and its relationship to modern herding dogs is poorly understood. Researchers genotyped 159 Patagonian sheepdogs from Chile and the Chubut province in Argentina and used published data for 175 recognized domestic dog breeds and two wild dog species to create a phylogenetic tree. They found that Patagonian Sheepdogs are most closely related to Border collies and Australian kelpies and share a common ancestor with modern herding breeds from the UK around 150 years ago. They identified distinct populations in the north and south of Patagonia, separated by the Patagonian ice fields. Northern populations are more genetically similar to Border collies, while southern populations are more closely related to the Australian kelpie. This population structure mirrors the pattern and timing of European colonization of the region, in which Scottish settlers first migrated from the Falkland Islands to southern Chile in 1877, before later moving north into the Aysen region and Argentina. The first sheepdogs were likely introduced to Patagonia before the formalization of dog breeds in the late 1800s, suggesting that modern Patagonian sheepdogs are the closest living representatives of the foundational sheepdogthe ancestor of modern herding breeds from the UKand probably look and behave quite similarly, the authors say. Patagonian sheepdog in the field. Credit: Rodrigo Munoz (CC-BY 4.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Barrios adds, "Using a variety of genomic approaches, we ascertain the relationship between this dog population and modern herding breeds. We propose that the Patagonian sheepdog is the closest living representative of the common ancestor of modern UK herding breeds. These findings, in turn, increase our understanding of human migratory events at the time." More information: Patagonian sheepdog: Genomic analyses trace the footprints of extinct UK herding dogs to South America, PLoS Genetics (2022). Journal information: PLoS Genetics Patagonian sheepdog: Genomic analyses trace the footprints of extinct UK herding dogs to South America,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010160 Narrative fabrications arent the problem with The Offer, Paramount Pluss fawning, fancy-free account of how fledgling producer Al Ruddy barely broke a sweat while steering The Godfather into movie history. The quality of series creator Michael Tolkins narrative inventions is the problem. And if it werent for Matthew Goodes quicksilver portrayal of Paramount mogul and party boy Robert Evans, the roughly 10 hours of The Offer would feel like 90. Advertisement Quick public service reminder: This is not a documentary. Like all docudramas or dramas based on true stories, this one has every right to invent, conflate, rearrange and argue with the often-disputed historical record of its subject. For better or worse, The Offer takes a path-of-least-resistance approach to the man its about. Ruddy, an executive producer on this festival of narrative self-congratulation, is depicted as a friction-free, genius-instinct Mr. Lucky, played by Miles Teller with unflappable as the dominant character trait. You know whats very hard to dramatize across 10 episodes? Unflappability. Advertisement Mixing it up with mobsters, real and fictional; wrangling with studio second-guessers, real and fictional; nothing fazes this version of Ruddy, whos essentially Steve McQueen but cooler. And precious little in this belabored account of producing a beloved hit on the fly, under pressure, feels as if its happening on the fly or under pressure. Its more like: All in good time, folks. Were longer than all three Godfather movies put together! Miles Teller as Al Ruddy, Juno Temple as Bettye McCartt and Dan Fogler as Francis Ford Coppola in the Paramount Plus series "The Offer." (Nicole Wilder/Paramount+) Undeniably, Ruddys success in Hollywood was the stuff of nerve, bluff and acumen plus crazy amounts of luck. The Offer ticks through his improbable benchmarks: his initial break with a funny-Nazis TV hit Hogans Heroes; his relationship and marriage to the owner of Hollywoods fabled hot spot Chateau Marmont, Francoise Glazer (Nora Arnezeder); and, crucially to the movie life of Mario Puzos bestseller The Godfather, Ruddys brash introduction to Paramount hotshot Evans, who would go on to launch several of the biggest studio films of the 1970s, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II among them. The Offer toggles between secretive societies. Episodes veer in and out of the offices of Paramount and its Gulf + Western overlords, chiefly the short-fused tyrant Charles Bluhdorn (Burn Gorman, going to 11, drolly, though as written his characters a one-note fraud). We get to know the social club and favored trattorias of known Mafioso figurehead Joe Columbo (Giovanni Ribisi, head lowered, voice even lower), initially a Godfather hater but eventually an influential champion of the project, thanks to Ruddys friendship. Once Coppola (Dan Folger, very good) joins Puzo in the adaptation process, the stage is set for an arduous series of casting and production near-fiascos. Al Pacino as Michael? Too short! Unknown! Cant we make The Godfather as a quick-and-dirty gangster movie? Anyone but Brando for the title role! (The actor hadnt had a hit in years.) Matthew Goode as Paramount studio head Robert Evans in 'The Offer.' (Nicole Wilder/AP) Some things you never outgrow. Temperamentally and sentimentally, Im a sucker for artistic David vs. corporate Goliath stories. In one blatantly hissable moment, Colin Hanks, as a sniveling fictional combination of various bean-counters, has had it with the production budget overages and the whining of the creatives. We should be making what the people want to see, he seethes. Clearly theres a job at Netflix for this fellow. Coppola and Evans view things differently; theyre in the business of creating what audiences dont yet know theyll crave. Theres more than one school of thought on The Godfathers greatness. The Offer sees it, as many do, as the greatest film in history. (Im more in line with Roger Eberts initial review, which was a rave, but he settled for calling it a really good movie squeezed from a bestseller.) Tolkins primary notion in the Paramount Plus series is to treat each episode and power play as a scene out of, or cut from, a Godfather movie. In the silliest fabrication, somehow mobster Joey Gallo the one murdered in Umbertos Clam House, as recently depicted in The Irishman gets mixed up with the narrative, to the benefit of nothing. The actors periodically save it. Goode captures enough of the real-life Evans vocal rhythms to keep every one of his scenes cooking, and he makes him a delightful, then scuzzy satyr of unpredictable moods and unerring pacing. Juno Temple, as Ruddys secretary / protege Bettye McCartt, is a tonic, and even periodically breaks top-billed Teller out of his shell. There are many glaring misjudgments, such as a 10th and final episode as interested in Ruddys follow-up project The Longest Yard as anything to do with The Godfather. Deploying various screenwriters, the dialogue throughout is too full of cute in-jokes and references to Coppolas film, and hindered by anachronistic phrasing and language that did not exist conversationally in the 1970s. Such things undercut the series unsteady tone and watery sense of authenticity. (Even the espresso served to one of the underworld capos in episode one looks watery.) My colleague Nina Metz disagrees, but judging from The Offer heres what producer Al Ruddy did for a living on The Godfather: He waited around his office, doing not much of anything, until someone walked in and said We have a problem so he could reply Ill handle it. Advertisement The Offer 2 stars (out of 4) Content rating: TV-MA Running time: 10 episodes, approx. 10 hours How to watch: Streaming on Paramount+. First three episodes available April 28. New episodes each Thursday. 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. Ice forming on an aluminum plate in a weather chamber as seen with the approach proposed in the study (left) and with the naked eye (right). Credit: Viktor Grishaev et al./Cold Regions Science and Technology Researchers from Skoltech, MIPT, Russia's State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, the University of North Texas, and York University have simplified and automated the lab procedure used to test anti-icing fluids that ensure safe aircraft takeoff. The findings of the study, which was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, are reported in the journal Cold Regions Science and Technology. Frost, snow, and ice accumulation on an aircraft adversely affects its handling properties and increases the risk of accidents by distorting the flow of air over the wings, reducing lift, and creating additional drag. To prevent hazardous icing, the aircraft is treated before takeoff with deicing fluids that melt away any ice or snow that have stuck to the metal, and with anti-icing fluids that form a protective film on the plating to prevent further ice formation. Since anti-icing treatment is so important for ensuring flight safety and there are many factors at playfluid dilution, ambient temperature and humidity, wind, precipitation, aircraft skin material, etc.anti-icing agents are frequently tested in labs so as to know their properties in every detail. This is a tedious process that involves a specialist visually inspecting a piece of aluminum plating treated with an anti-icing fluid in a climate chamber that reproduces the necessary weather conditions. "For example, a lab assistant might need to gauge how long it takes before 10% of the metal surface is covered with ice. Now, this is fairly difficult and subjective, because ice does not necessarily expand from a single origin on the sheet but rather it could form and grow in many places, in an insular fashion. In that case, determining when the 10% mark is reached is a judgment call for the assistant," said Viktor Grishaev, who is a senior research scientist at Skoltech and the principal investigator of the study. "This is exacerbated by the fact that it is actually quite challenging to distinguish visually between bare aluminum and iced areas, to the point that people sometimes resort to poking the plate with a toothpick to make sure," the researcher went on. "It has to do with the very low contrast of ice on aluminum, and this is precisely the problem we have addressed." In their paper, Grishaev and his colleagues suggest that plates in the chamber be illuminated with a polarized light source and observed through a polaroid film. That way icy areas are much easier to discern, the team shows (see image). Since such a light source and a polaroid are readily available and inexpensive, the trick promises to make the life of lab assistants testing anti-icing fluid performance way easier at next to no cost and with little additional hassle involved. The polarization trick enabled researchers to do even more than that, though. While the current standards approved by regulatory bodies prescribe tests carried out by human experts, soon this job could be done by computerswith greater accuracy, reliability, and consistency. Low ice contrast has been among the main obstacles preventing automation. Now, Grishaev and his co-author have used a simple algorithm and a camera with a polarizing filter lens to detect ice by analyzing footage from the weather chamber. "In a laboratory setting, even with that simple algorithm, computers could outperform humans in this task already today. But perhaps someday we would have cameras in airports that detect ice forming on airplanes preparing for takeoff in real time and alert the crew when additional anti-icing fluid treatment is in order," Grishaev concluded. Explore further Smooth hydrophobic coatings may be more effective for aircraft de-icing More information: Viktor G. Grishaev et al, Ice imaging in aircraft anti-icing fluid films using polarized light, Cold Regions Science and Technology (2021). Viktor G. Grishaev et al, Ice imaging in aircraft anti-icing fluid films using polarized light,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2021.103459 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Working from home during the pandemic has significantly impacted the economy in both the UK and internationally, but it certainly didn't dent one sub-sector: the Opinion Factories. These have been working overtime, either in support of, or opposed to, the idea that working from home (WFH) or hybrid working, as experienced during the pandemic, should become a permanent feature of our economic system. Proponents of decentralized working argue that the city center and mass commuting model is not a universal norm to which we will speedily return post-pandemic. Rather, it should be seen as the last gasp of an outdated, 18th and 19th century model of industrialization, unsuited to today's knowledge-driven advanced economies. For most of human history, work took place in the home, rather than in a separate location that workers had to travel to. Better ways can, and must, be found for today's and tomorrow's workers to balance the demands of work and home, and policymakers and business leaders should be at the forefront of promoting individual and community well-being alongside a productive economy. Ranged against these "new paradigm" advocates are the skeptics. Their arguments are an interesting mix. First, that the benefits of "agglomeration economies"connectivity, proximity, serendipityhave not disappeared and the economic success of big cities in particular depend upon them. Secondly, that a WFH model, if universally adopted, would act to the dis-benefit of younger workers, who would no longer learn in situ from their more experienced peers. Third, it could create new inequalities, including on a gender or ethnic basis, around a division of labor between those who are able regularly to attend the workplace being seen by, and interacting with, senior management, and those toiling alone on their laptops at home. Fourth, that a permanent reduction in the daytime population of central business districts would deal a heavy, perhaps fatal, blow to sectors such as hospitality and retail which rely strongly on commuters. And finallyexpressed more sotto vocethat a distributed model makes management control and hierarchical organization more complex, more difficult, and more expensive. Can independent research shed any light on this noisy trading of opinions? As part of a new project at King's College London, Work/Place: London Returning, we have reviewed the existing literature on one very important facet of this debatethe impact of remote working on productivity. What did we find? First, the research studies we looked at applied different practical approaches to capture the impact of COVID-19 on labor productivity, mainly considering the shift to WFH during the pandemic. We found three main approaches: (i) productivity determined on the basis of accounting data; (ii) productivity determined on the basis of systems for monitoring the activities and hours worked by employees; and (iii) productivity determined on the basis of self-assessment by workers. The first two approaches show a mainly negative relationship between WFH and labor productivity during the pandemic, while the self-assessment approach reports mixed results. Hence, the results seem to imply that a return to the workplace is necessary to recover economic performance. This is consistent with other evidence about the impact of epidemics. Indeed, the World Bank estimated that the epidemics since 2000 (SARS, MERS, Ebola and Zika) reduced labor productivity by a cumulative 4 percent over three years. However, if we look beyond productivity, the shift to WFH has had an impact not just on labor outputs but also on workers' well-being, particularly with regard to work-life balance. At least some of these workers, who have actual (not theoretical) experience of WFH or hybrid working as an alternative to the office-based model, will be reluctant to return to the pre-pandemic norm. Thus, the preferences and perceptions of employees, as well as the investments made by organizations during the pandemic, suggest that WFH is here to stay as a permanent option in the work dynamic. At the same time, we need always to remember that for large numbers of workersalmost certainly the majorityWFH or hybrid working is irrelevant, as the nature of their work requires them to be at the workplace. What does this mean for policymakers and business leaders? First, they should be skeptical of general claims being made about the impact of WFH on productivity, either in a negative or positive direction. Rather, they should evaluate carefully the desirability or otherwise of encouraging or mandating either a "return to the office" or the permanent adoption of distributed (hybrid or WFH) practices. Second, they should accept that this will be, in management-speak, an iterative processthere will be a lot of trial-and-error in finding out what works for specific sectors, and for individual firms. And thirdly, and more broadly, the challenge of hybrid working needs to move out of the domain of opinion trading, and into the world of practical policymaking and workplace practice, balancing the needs of businesses and shareholders with the well-being, motivation and autonomy of workers. The pandemic caught us all by surprise. There is no reason for the return (or otherwise) to the office to do likewise. More information: The review "How did working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic impact productivity?" is available online: The review "How did working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic impact productivity?" is available online: www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute act-productivity.pdf SSA-based transgene elimination triggered by plasmid DNA expressing a homing endonuclease, ISceI. (A) Schematic workflow representation of evaluating the SSA-based transgene removal system engineered in the kmoRG strain. (B) Distinct DNA repair-associated phenotypes in eye pigmentation and marker fluorescence of G1 larvae in the SSA test. The insert is a magnified image of black-colored eyes restored by SSA-driven transgene elimination from the targeted kmo gene. (C) Summary of the SSA test using a plasmid-based SSA trigger. G0 embryos that were not microinjected served as negative controls. Credit: PNAS Nexus (2022). DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac037 Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists have tested a technology to make temporary genetic modifications in mosquitoes. The modifications self-delete over time. The mechanism to make temporary genetic changes could be important for scientists hoping to modify mosquitoes in ways that help manage populations and prevent vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus without permanently altering wild populations' genetic makeup. An article detailing their test results, "Engineering a self-eliminating transgene in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti," was published in PNAS Nexus. The authors, Zach Adelman, Ph.D., and Kevin Myles, Ph.D., both professors in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, describe a method for programming the removal of edited genes within populations of mosquitoes over multiple generations. The method is a first step toward building safeguards for genetic modifications developed to control populations of mosquitoes and the vector-borne diseases they carry. The idea is to test proposed changes without making the changes permanent and without the risk of transmitting them to wild populations, Adelman said. "There are lots of ecological questions we don't know the answers to, and when you are testing technology, you don't want to get into a situation where you have to tell a regulatory agency or the public that 'if something bad happens, we're just out of luck,'" Adelman said. "This mechanism is about how we get back to normal whether the experiment does or doesn't come out the way we expect." Adelman and Myles are co-directing a team of scientists who received a five-year, $3.9 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to test and fine-tune the self-eliminating transgene technology. Back to normal in a few generations To prevent mosquito-transmitted diseases, approaches based on genetic control of insect populations are being developed, Adelman said. However, many of these strategies are based on highly invasive, self-propagating transgenes that can rapidly spread the trait into other populations of mosquitoes. Keun Chae, Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher in Adelman's group, led the experiments in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are known vectors of diseases. Taking advantage of a form of DNA repair, Chae engineered a duplicated genetic code region along with two genes for fluorescent proteins into the middle of a gene important for eye pigment. The result was a white-eyed mosquito, and also red and green fluorescence in the eyes and body. When combined with a site-specific nuclease, which is essential for many aspects of DNA repair, they acted as a precise set of molecular scissors that could cut the transgene sequences. Over several generations, mosquitoes regained their normal eye pigment and lost the modified genes. Adelman said the work is proof of principle that scientists can do two important thingsremove transgenes placed in mosquitoes and repair disrupted genes. "Many groups are developing genetic methods for mosquito population control," Adelman said. "Our method provides a braking system that can restore sequences in the wild." Self-editing transgenes could be leap for genetic research Myles said creating this self-editing transgene is the first step in a longer process. The mosquito genome is not easy to manipulate, and the breakthrough is the culmination of around six years of experimental work. But this first publication starts to address concerns about genetic modification in wild populations, he said. As genetic modification technology advances, Adelman and Myles believe this mechanism will allow researchers to evaluate the effects of changes more safely within the environment and on animals other than mosquitoes. "These are highly conserved genetic pathways, and there is every reason to believe this method could be applied to a diverse range of organisms," Myles said. Both scientists are looking forward to expanding the application of their discovery in the context of highly active gene drive. They hope their method will be useful for geneticists and in pushing the boundaries of genetic research. Explore further Team makes strides in fight against Zika More information: Keun Chae et al, Engineering a self-eliminating transgene in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, PNAS Nexus (2022). Keun Chae et al, Engineering a self-eliminating transgene in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac037 Physicists Caoxiang Zhu, at left, and Nicola Lonigro with computer-generated images of magnets used to confine plasma in fusion facilities known as stellarators. Credit: Kiran Sudarsanan / PPPL Office of Communications Harnessing the power that makes the sun and stars shine could be made easier by powerful magnets with straighter shapes than have been made before. Researchers linked to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have found a way to create such magnets for fusion facilities known as stellarators. Such facilities have complex twisted magnetic coils, compared with the straight up-and-down coils in more widely used tokamak facilities, and can produce fusion reactions without the risk of disruptions that tokamaks face. This advantage makes stellarators a candidate to serve as the model for a next-generation fusion pilot plant. Now, by adding sections to the stellarator coils that are relatively straight, researchers could both reduce the manufacturing cost and make it easier to install openings that would allow technicians to repair the device's interior. Both innovations could aid the development of a stellarator power plant, replicating fusion on Earth for a virtually inexhaustible supply of power to generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases or long-lived radioactive waste. "In the future, people will have to replace components within stellarators as they wear out, which requires large openings between the coils of the magnets," said physicist Caoxiang Zhu, an author of the paper reporting the results in Nuclear Fusion who completed the research when he was on staff at PPPL. He is now on staff at the University of Science and Technology of China. "But it's hard to have large openings in stellarators because the electromagnetic coils zig and zag and are really complex." But by using a mathematical technique known as "spline representation," Zhu and the other collaborators were able to design magnets with straighter sections than before while still creating magnetic fields that can confine plasma. Those straight sections could provide good locations for windows. Invented by astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer, PPPL's first director, stellarators are fusion facility concepts that use high-powered magnets to create interweaving magnetic fields that confine plasma, hot gas consisting of electrons and bare atomic nuclei. Stellarators have advantages over tokamaks, doughnut-shaped devices that are currently the most popular fusion facility concept worldwide, but their fantastically complicated magnets have made design and construction challenging. Zhu and the researchers added the spline capability to Zhu's FOCUS computer code. To test the concept, the team designed magnets that could fit on the Helically Symmetric eXperiment (HSX), a stellarator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The updated code showed that researchers could create straighter magnets than before while preserving their strength and accuracy. "In principle, you can always make straighter coils, but the trade-off is that their magnetic fields might not confine the plasma as well as those produced by twistier coils," said Nicola Lonigro, a student in the DOE's Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program at the time of the research, lead author of the paper, and now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of York in Britain. "But our research showed that you could make a simpler coil with straighter sections that makes the same magnetic field shape and strength as conventional ones do." Creating simpler magnets could aid the development of a stellarator fusion power plant. "In the long term, this work is a contribution to the larger effort trying to make stellarators commercially viable," Lonigro said. Explore further Breakthrough brings a fusion energy device closer to realization More information: Nicola Lonigro et al, Stellarator coil design using cubic splines for improved access on the outboard side, Nuclear Fusion (2021). Nicola Lonigro et al, Stellarator coil design using cubic splines for improved access on the outboard side,(2021). DOI: 10.1088/1741-4326/ac2ff3 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have found an alternative explanation for a mysterious gamma-ray signal coming from the center of the galaxy, which was long claimed as a signature of dark matter. Gamma-rays are the form of electromagnetic radiation with the shortest wavelength and highest energy. Co-author of the study Associate Professor Roland Crocker said this particular gamma-ray signalknown as the Galactic Center Excessmay actually come from a specific type of rapidly-rotating neutron star, the super-dense stellar remnants of some stars much more massive than our sun. The Galactic Center Excess is an unexpected concentration of gamma-rays emerging from the center of our galaxy that has long puzzled astronomers. "Our work does not throw any doubt on the existence of the signal, but offers another potential source," Associate Professor Crocker said. "It is based on millisecond pulsarsneutron stars that spin really quicklyaround 100 times a second. "Scientists have previously detected gamma-ray emissions from individual millisecond pulsars in the neighborhood of the solar system, so we know these objects emit gamma-rays. Our model demonstrates that the integrated emission from a whole population of such stars, around 100,000 in number, would produce a signal entirely compatible with the Galactic Center Excess." The discovery may mean scientists have to re-think where they look for clues about dark matter. "The nature of dark matter is entirely unknown, so any potential clues garner a lot of excitement," Associate Professor Crocker said. "But our results point to another important source of gamma-ray production. "For instance, the gamma-ray signal from Andromeda, the next closest large galaxy to our own may be mostly due to millisecond pulsars." ANU Masters student Anuj Gautam led the research, which also involved scientists from The Australian Defense Force Academy, University of Canterbury, and University of Tokyo. The research has been published in Nature Astronomy. More information: Roland Crocker, Millisecond pulsars from accretion-induced collapse as the origin of the Galactic Centre gamma-ray excess signal, Nature Astronomy (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41550-022-01658-3 Journal information: Nature Astronomy Roland Crocker, Millisecond pulsars from accretion-induced collapse as the origin of the Galactic Centre gamma-ray excess signal,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-022-01658-3 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Ecologists have developed powerful modeling tools to predict the distributions of individual species, especially those of conservation importance. In one of the first studies of its kind, scientists from Newcastle University used Community Distribution Models (CDMs) to predict upland vegetation communities from published data at a national scale. Lead author Dr. Liam Butler developed novel approaches to mapping upland vegetation via CDMs in the UK, using publicly available and open-access NVC records and environmental data. Rainfall and temperature were key predictor variables, with models based on random forests (a type of machine learning classifier) being the most accurate. Publishing their findings in the Journal of Applied Ecology, the team have shown that this technique could be used in any country where maps of vegetation communities have been created. Dr. Butler conducted the study as a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Roy Sanderson at Newcastle University's School of Natural and Environmental Sciences. He says that "one advantage of the CDM approach is that it is generalizable and can easily be adopted for other countries that have their own vegetation community classifications. Another is that it can aid field ecologists conducting targeted surveys for endangered species. "For example, in the UK the distribution of the English sundew, Drosera anglicans, has greatly declined in the last 100 years due to drainage and eutrophication and is now on the British Red Data List of endangered species. It has been recorded in over 20% of surveyed quadrats for the M17 Scirpus cespitosus-Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire NVC community, whose distribution was predicted accurately via the new CDM methods. Thus, M17 hotspots could indicate areas where D. anglicans is more likely to occur, and where CS surveys and potential conservation efforts should be focused." Study co-author, Dr. Roy Sanderson, Senior Lecturer in Biological Modeling at Newcastle University's School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, added that "these models can also take advantage of the large number of publicly available-species records from, for example, historical collections, or more recently citizen science (CS) surveys. "In most habitats, a plant species does not grow in isolation, but instead co-occurs with other plants to form a characteristic assemblage or 'community', and Community Distribution Models provide a method to create predictive maps these assemblages, and hence their constituent individual plant species, across wide areas. "There have, however, been few attempts to map vegetation communities, i.e. groups of plant species that often co-occur under certain environmental conditions, to create characteristic assemblages. Many countries have developed standardized methods to survey and record the occurrence of vegetation communities, for example the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) in the United Kingdom, which could be used to build such maps." Explore further Machine learning helps identify climatic thresholds that shape the distribution of natural vegetation More information: Liam Butler et al, Nationalscale predictions of plant assemblages via community distribution models: Leveraging published data to guide future surveys, Journal of Applied Ecology (2022). Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology Liam Butler et al, Nationalscale predictions of plant assemblages via community distribution models: Leveraging published data to guide future surveys,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14166 Ulysses S. Grants 200th birthday was on Wednesday, and in honor of it, Friends of Grant Cottage announced that it is one step closer to completing its master plan of improvements and expansion to the historic site. The announcement came on Wednesday at a ceremonial gathering outside of the former presidents historic cottage, where he lived out the final weeks of his life while finishing his memoirs. Friends of Grant Cottage, the group that runs the historic site on land in both Wilton and Moreau in collaboration with four state organizations, has acquired the adjacent 4.25-acre plot of land that used to be Mount McGregor Correctional Facilitys exercise yard. The state prison closed in 2014, and while it is under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Corrections, Empire State Development has been looking for a potential company that would be interested in repurposing the property. A Post-Star story in March noted that paranormal expert Steven Brodt of South Glens Falls and investor Mark Erskine of Chicago have been in talks with the state to purchase the old prison for a local tourism attraction with a range of activities. The Friends of Grant Cottage board of trustees had lobbied to try to annex the property throughout the years. The two state organizations, along with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the state Office of General Services, were able in early April to finalize the official transfer of the property to Grant Cottage, which is under the auspices of the regional arm of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation office. We knew it was going to happen. We picked Grants 200th birthday to announce it, and this also launches our 2022 season this Friday, said Tim Welch, president of the board of Friends of Grant Cottage. Friends of Grant Cottage plans on building a 125-seat pavilion on the new property, which will extend to an overlook that pours over an expansive view of the Hudson Valley, the Saratoga Battlefield, Fort Edward and the Green Mountains of Vermont. When Grant was here, he said, Well, this is American history. Theres the Revolutionary War, the French and Indian War and then, of course, the Civil War. In many ways, a lot of American history can be seen from here, Welch said. The master plan also includes more open space for reenactments and additional parking spots that, according to cottage representatives, is needed, especially if there will be more programming. The board will also remove the razor wire fencing that has remained intact, surrounding the old exercise yard. They said they want to find a place to recycle it. Plans for these new additions are not final, however, as they still need to get approved by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. We will have to raise money for this, and it is subject to change, Welch said. The trustees will most likely apply for grants for the renovations, which is easier to do as the site is now recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a designation that came in January 2021. Welch said that when he became president of the board in 2009, he made it his priority to get the designation, and that it took about six years for it to happen. When Donald Trump became president in 2017, many National Parks Committee members quit (perhaps in protest) and it wasnt until 2020 that they reorganized the committee and I made my pitch to the panel via Zoom, Welch said. In 2021, Friends of Grant Cottage completed a $50,000 feasibility study by the LA Group engineering firm to draw out a plan for the expansion. We were very impressed by their preliminary plan on the new expansion, but we will work closely with the board to get it finalized, said Alane Ball Chinian, director of the regional Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The trustees said that in addition to government grants, they will still need to rely on fundraising. Friends of Grant Cottage will host a Grant 200th anniversary gala on Oct. 16 to kick off the fundraising. Drew Wardle is a reporter for The Post-Star. You can contact him at 518-681-7343 or email him at dwardle@poststar.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A local Democratic leader said the state Court of Appeals decision on Wednesday to throw out the states congressional and state Senate redistricting maps and, likely, delay the primary election to August, creates more hurdles to unseating U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville. As if a confusing year couldnt get more confusing, said Washington County Democratic Chairman Alan Stern in a telephone interview. A later primary delays the point where the party can unify behind a nominee, and increases the cost that candidates spend on their primary campaigns, particularly if a new petition process is required, he said. Often, political contributors wait until after a primary is decided to contribute. Furthermore, he said, August is a harder time to get out voters than in June. Thats a time when things really slow down. A lot of people take vacations in August, he said. It changes the election landscape. Stern said he was surprised at the decision, but area Republicans said it was the decision they expected all along. The decision rendered by the highest court in New York state, the Court of Appeals is a win for all New Yorkers and confirms what we have been saying all along: New York Democrats illegally drew gerrymandered congressional lines to protect themselves and hurt all New Yorkers, Stefanik said in a statement. The courts have spoken and they agree with what I said when the Majority first passed these redistricting maps, said state Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, in a statement. This was never really a redistricting; it was a savage attack on our democracy where the Majority used the nuclear option to ignore the will of voters who wanted an independent redistricting process. Democrats said it doesnt change the importance of this years election. The lines may change, but the mission remains the same. I am in this race to defeat Elise Stefanik, said Matt Putorti, a lawyer from Whitehall who is one of two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Stefanik. For voters sake, we hope this process is finalized soon. The other candidate is Matt Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official from the town of Saratoga. No matter where the lines are drawn, one thing remains clear: we need a candidate who can unite a broad coalition of voters of all backgrounds someone who has national security experience, someone who understands the values of working families in this district, and someone who is willing to put in the work to deliver real results for NY-21, the Castelli campaign said in a statement. Maury Thompson covered local government and politics for The Post-Star for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He continues to follow regional politics as a freelance writer. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 1 Dear Savvy Senior: My wife and I planning to travel much more frequently in retirement and are very interested in educational trips and adventures. Can you recommend any groups or firms that specialize in this type of travel geared towards retirees? Love to Learn Dear Love: Educational travel, which combines travel with in-depth learning opportunities has become a very popular way of travel among retirees. Here are a few good places to turn to find these types of trips in the U.S. and abroad. Tour organizations One of the best places to start is with Road Scholar (RoadScholar.org), which invented the idea of educational travel for older adults in the mid 1970s. The Boston-based organization offers 5,500 learning adventures in all 50 states and 150 countries. You can search for learning adventures by location, interest, activity level and price. Road Scholar also offers Choose Your Pace senior travel tours that allow participants to adjust their level of challenge on a daily basis. And for skip-gen vacations, they offer tours designed specifically for grandparents traveling with their grandkids. Another excellent option is Smithsonian Journeys (SmithsonianJourneys.org), a nonprofit travel group affiliated with the Smithsonian Museum. They lead 350 educational trips a year on every continent that are led by experts from a variety of fields academia, the diplomatic corps, scientists and curators, among others. If youre seeking more adventure, you may want to consider ElderTreks (www.ElderTreks.com), which offers 50-plus travelers small-group adventures by both land and sea in more than 100 countries. Their trips center on adventure, culture and nature, letting you get up close and personal with the locals. Academic travel Another good source for educational trips is colleges and universities. Some of my favorites include Cornell Universitys Adult University (SCE.Cornell.edu/travel), which offers a half-dozen educational trips and courses in the U.S. and abroad, each lasting a few days to a week or more. And Stanford Travel/Study (Alumni.Stanford.edu) that offers educational travel journeys to more than 80 countries each year. Most college/university trips are led by faculty who share their expertise, along with regional experts and local guides, and you dont need to be an alumnus to participate. Also check out the Traveling Professor (TravelingProfessor.com), a small-group touring company led by Steve Solosky, formerly a professor at the State University of New York. They offer a dozen or so tours abroad each year and take between 8 and 16 people. Cruising options If you enjoy cruising, consider Grand Circle Travel (GCT.com), which offers educational travel aboard small ships, and Naturalist Journeys (NaturalistJourneys.com), which specializes in nature and birding tours. American Cruise Lines (AmericanCruiseLines.com) also offers more than 35 river and coastal itineraries in the Northeast, Southeast, Pacific Northwest and along the Mississippi River. And it has themed cruises (Lewis and Clark, Mark Twain, Civil War, etc.) for people with specific historical, literary or other interests. And Viking River Cruises (VikingRiverCruises.com), which is geared to older travelers, focuses on European art, history and culture. Each cruise makes one to two port stops a day as the ship winds its way up or down Europes most famous rivers like the Rhine, Seine, Danube and Douro. A free sightseeing tour is included at all stops, and special-interest excursions are available for additional fees. Viking offers tours in the United States too. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. A Burlington County police chief has been placed on restricted duty after being arrested Friday for allegedly driving drunk on a residential street, knocking down a mailbox and stop sign, and fleeing the scene. Bordentown Township police Chief Brian Pesce, who has been with the department for 23 years and has served as chief since 2018, was charged with five crimes as a result of the crash in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, just before 10:30 p.m. Friday. After crashing his pickup truck near Bruin Drive and Terrapin Lane, police said, Pesce drove away and was arrested a short time later. In addition to DUI, Pesce was charged with reckless and careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage and failing to report an accident. Pesce has been placed on restricted duty while an investigation continues, said Bordentown Administrator Michael Theokas. He declined further comment. Burlington County man sentenced for attempted robbery at Bally's Atlantic City A Marlton man will spend eight years in prison after pleading guilty to threatening an Atlan Attempts to reach Pesces lawyer, John Hartmann, of Princeton, were unsuccessful. Pesce was promoted to acting chief in 2017 after the townships then-chief, Frank Nucera, was charged with federal hate crimes for allegedly attacking a handcuffed Black teen in 2016. Two juries deadlocked on those charges, but Nucera was convicted of lying to FBI agents during the investigation. In May of last year, he was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison. After Pesce took over as acting chief, he met with members of the local NAACP branch to assure them Nuceras misdeeds were not a reflection of the department as a whole. As chief, Pesce worked to instill a culture of inclusion with a focus on community policing, greater transparency and increased diversity, according to the townships website. But first, a school. Words mythically attributed to Georgiy Balanchivadze George Balanchine upon coming to the United States to build what would become an American empire of ballet. Some think it was actually Balanchines lesser-known co-conspirator, the impresario Lincoln Kirstein, who was more enthusiastic about their first venture forming the School of American Ballet. In any case, the school would eventually support the launch of New York City Ballet. In so doing, this very Russian import would grab hold on this side of the Atlantic. Yes, America loves the ballet. And Balanchine is credited with a uniquely American style, practically divorced from his Russian heritage. Yet it is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovskys Serenade for Strings in C major that swells from the orchestra pit in Balanchines first ballet created on American soil, Serenade. Advertisement The Lyric Opera House curtain rose Wednesday on the long-awaited Joffrey Ballet premiere of Serenade, revealing a sea of quasi-anonymous sylphs in powder blue leotards and long, gauzy skirts. Through May 8, Serenade is paired with the world premiere of Cathy Marstons Of Mice and Men. Advertisement Serenade was created for Balanchines pupils in 1935. These Joffrey dancers may have waited their whole lives for that first moment: right arm extended on the diagonal with a delicately broken wrist, a crisp transition to both arms en bas and a tendu to first position. Balanchine famously used Serenade not just for the audiences benefit but as a primer for developing dancers. Recall, ballet wasnt really a thing in America; dancers had to be taught the technique from scratch. As the plotless ballet escalates, it becomes increasingly difficult. Dancers fumbles and falls in the studio were left in. Look hard enough and you might see lessons from Romanticism. Those frothy, feminine sylphs, joined occasionally by a handful of men in ridiculous purply blue unitards (as mandated by the Balanchine Trust), flit across the stage with recognizable images extracted from Giselle and Swan Lake. These are Balanchines wilis. Serenade is a relic, important to the history of American ballet and a rite of passage for this great American ballet company. Their performance, though not perfect, was pretty darn close. Soloists Victoria Jaiani, Gayeon Jung and Valeria Chaykina give commanding performances. And, of course, Tchaikovskys score pierces to the core, a salve for our souls so beautiful its almost hard to keep your eyes open. "Serenade" with choreography by George Balanchine, performed by the Joffrey Ballet. (Cheryl Mann / HANDOUT) That said, Serenade is an odd overture for Of Mice and Men, British choreographer Marstons latest literary ballet based on the John Steinbeck novella. Made just two years apart (Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men in 1937) I suppose the pairing says something about the interwar period or the Great Depression. Balanchines perspective captures the immigrant experience and cultural diplomacy. Steinbeck centered his Depression-era and midcentury novels on the hardship and strife of bootstrapping everymen trying to make it in the American West namely central California. Marston has long lusted after the British literary canon. She created ballets from Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, the latter performed by Joffrey in 2019. The shift to American literature marks her first original ballet for Joffrey, with exquisite, though perhaps underutilized, new music by Thomas Newman (the first ballet by this celebrated movie composer, whose scores include American Beauty and Shawshank Redemption). Lorenzo Savoini created an extraordinary minimalist set and lighting design alluding to Salinas Valleys dusty landscapes. Wooden benches become dance partners, architecture and furniture, their wood tones echoed by shifting wood plank panels hung in lieu of a back drop that lend a saloon or ranch-type feel to the setting. Costume designer Bregje van Balens overalls and sweat-stained work shirts seal the deal. Of Mice and Men tells the story of Lennie Small (Dylan Gutierrez) and George Milton, danced by Xavier Nunez and Alberto Velazquez at the same time. Marston borrows a convention she employed in Jane Eyre, using two dancers to fracture the lead role. The implication here is likely that Velazquez, who is frequently backgrounded, is Georges shadow, or conscience the angel on his shoulder when he faces a moral dilemma. George and Lennie are two transient men in search of work and a better life. They dream of owning a parcel of land (evidenced here by a bizarre and frequently repeated gesture drawing walls and a roof with their arms). Lennies cognitive disability complicates matters; he loves rabbits so hard he accidentally kills them (in this case a rag wrapped around Gutierrez hand to form bunny ears). It gets worse when his misdirected affection and unrestrained aggression are aimed at two women, saddling the two pals with problems. Lennie inadvertently kills the otherwise nameless character Curleys Wife, the flirtatious and boisterous beau (danced by Amanda Assucena) of the browbeating son of a ranch owner, named Curley (Fernando Duarte). Advertisement A challenge, though, is that I had to look most of that up on Wikipedia. Like her Jane Eyre, this ballet is tough to follow if you dont know the book to begin with. Im not convinced this story is worth working that hard. Let me be clear, Of Mice and Men features rich, wonderful performances, most notably from Gutierrez, Nunez and Velazquez. Unlike most story ballets, which give the men about 45 seconds to showcase their skills, Marstons terrific choreography is a spectacular blend of rough and tumble Americana and elegant ballet technique. But those whove studied Steinbeck know how this story ends. Attempting some greater good by murdering Lennie before a rifle-toting Curley and an angry mob got to him first, Steinbecks ethical dilemma, as portrayed on stage here, suggests that the best way to deal with cognitive disability is to eliminate people with cognitive disabilities. It is clear through the struggle between George and the other George that his actions are not arrived upon easily and are more merciful than what would have happened had he decided differently. Gutierrez sensitivity to his character as a multilayered, honestly lovable, but not wholly childlike Lennie makes it hard to understand why it turned out this way. Or why we need this ballet in the first place. Review: Serenade and Of Mice and Men by Joffrey Ballet When: Through May 8 Where: Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive Advertisement Running time: Two hours Tickets: $35-$199 at 312-386-8905 and Joffrey.org MAYS LANDING Construction is underway on the new Innovation Center at Atlantic Cape Community College, a $5.3 million facility for esports and cybersecurity programs at the Mays Landing campus. The center will replace Boyer Hall, one of the oldest buildings at the college. It will be reconfigured with an esports lounge and new computer labs; Richards Hall with new classrooms; and Morse Hall with faculty offices. The buildings will become a smart hub for forward-thinking, technology-laden curriculum, the college said in a news release. Funding for the project was provided through a $4 million New Jerseys Securing Our Childrens Future Bond Act grant and $1.33 million from Atlantic County. Atlantic Cape Community College will transform a dated facility into a state-of-the-art building for instruction in the fast-growing industries of esports and cybersecurity, positioning Atlantic Cape as the regions leading resource for esports and cybersecurity career advancement, said Josette Katz, senior vice president of academics at Atlantic Cape. Our students will have a significant advantage in two of the most in-demand fields currently. The Atlantic County Economic Alliance has highlighted the growth potential of esports in partnership with the Atlantic City casino and hospitality industries. Cybersecurity is one of the nations highest in-demand fields, Atlantic Cape said, and the Atlantic County cohort of the South Jersey STEM & Innovation Partnership has emphasized the need for career and technical education training capacity for cybersecurity. Professor Otto Hernandez is developing the esports and cybersecurity technical programming, working with Associate Professor Karl Giulian, who is developing business programming specifically related to esports, Atlantic Cape said. Employers are looking to fill cybersecurity positions everywhere in the world. Students trained in this field can work for private companies, they can work for the government; any place that has computer systems with data that needs to be protected has a demand for cybersecurity professionals, Hernandez said. In the fall, Atlantic Cape students who enroll in these programs will learn how to create computer games, obtain business skills for success in the esports industry, learn information technology skills focused on computer forensics and more. Students will be able to earn an associates degree in computer programming with a game design and development option, Atlantic Cape said. Students working toward an associates degree in business administration can add an esports option as well. Students also can select a cybersecurity option for an associates degree in computer systems support. After completing their coursework, students who choose the cybersecurity option will be able to sit for industry certifications including CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Linux+, TestOut Ethical Hacker Pro and CompTIA SySA+. Atlantic City tour showcases LGBTQ communities, opportunities ATLANTIC CITY The Chelsea Economic Development Corp.s first LGBTQ Pride in Homeownership Atlantic Cape also is in the midst of building a Wind Training Center at the Worthington Atlantic City campus. The 1,700-square-foot addition is funded through a nearly $3 million New Jersey Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge grant, awarded to the college in July 2021 and administered by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education with the support of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. The Wind Training Center will house a Global Wind Organization safety training program and facility to prepare New Jersey workers for jobs in the states growing offshore wind industry, as well as establish a sea survival module at Gardners Basin. The Wind Training Center is also expected to open in the fall. For more information, visit atlantic.edu. 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. MAYS LANDING Michael Hazard, whose parents, Shirley and Richard Hazard, were murdered in 2001, says he and his surviving family members remain grateful to law enforcement years later for their compassion and hard work in bringing the killer to justice. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office on Wednesday recognized National Crime Victims Rights Week by hearing from Hazard. Hazard spoke about his parents murders alongside several of his family members outside the Atlantic County Superior Courthouse. Members of the county law enforcement agency were also there, as was Lt. Stacey Schlachter, representing the Pleasantville Police Department. His words echoed those of thousands of lives affected by homicides nationwide. National Crime Victims Rights Week, recognized in April since 1981, pays tribute to homicide victims families and advocates for victims rights while helping them commemorate the loss of their loved ones to violence. Hazard still gets emotional recounting the phone call from police about his parents murder, he said while standing next to a board of photos the family assembled to remember them. But what he also remembers is the outpouring of support his family received from the Crime Victims Rights Group, which provides grieving families support in helping rebuild their lives. They were immediately there for us, Hazard said. They supported us mentally and emotionally. Any kind of way we needed support, they were there for us, and we cant forget that. But, more importantly, he remembers his two loving parents at the time of their death, having instilled important life lessons in their childrens lives, such as mentorship. They wanted us (family members) to be there for the next generation, Hazard said. He said his father was working in the yard of their Pleasantville home on Wellington Avenue and his mother had returned home shortly before they were both brutally attacked by an intruder Jan. 18, 2001. Both Shirley and Richard Hazard were stabbed and thrown down the basement staircase before being set on fire along with their home. Brian Wakefield, formerly of Absecon, was convicted of the murders March 4, 2004. He would be the last person to be sentenced to death in New Jersey for the killings. Wakefields sentence was commuted following New Jersey outlawing the death penalty in 2007. Hes serving a life sentence with no parole, according to the Prosecutors Office. In 2015, Wakefield tried unsuccessfully to obtain a lesser sentence through an appeal, arguing his attorney gave ineffective assistance on whether he would face the death penalty if he pleaded guilty. Brian Wakefield, who brutally murdered Pleasantville couple, loses appeal Brian Wakefield, who is serving a parole-ineligible life sentence and who once faced the dea In 2009, the family sued Wakefield for damages caused by his crime. A jury awarded them more than $100 million. At the time, Ben Folkman, the familys attorney, said getting the money from Wakefield would be unlikely, given hes an inmate. But Folkman said winning the lawsuit would enable the family to receive money from him in another way, such as if it were inherited. Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill said since he had handled the case, he had close ties to the Hazard family. We worked day and night on this case, said Shill. I did not want to disappoint the family. They wanted justice in the murders of their parents, and they deserved justice. The couples daughter, Sharon Hazard Johnson, said she remains grateful to the Prosecutors Offices for its work as well as its caring in helping her family cope. The fact that you all worked with us and let us know what was going on, on a daily basis, we are indebted to the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, Hazard Johnson said. Being thorough in explaining investigative and legal procedures is key to building relationships with victims families, said Chief of County Investigators Bruce DeShields. The Hazard family was a big family and their parents are murdered and I could see how painful it was for all of them, DeShields said. I kept telling the Hazard family to trust the system, to trust us and let us do our job to get justice. DeShields said the law enforcement agency takes pride in using all means to thoroughly investigate homicides in an attempt to convict those whove caused harm to the victims and their families. What I hope that they (families) all take away from this is that the men and women of the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office truly embrace our mission, and that we try to do our best every day, DeShields said. Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin 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. Three separate investigations are looking for answers regarding COVID-19 outbreaks in New Jersey veterans homes. Brig. Gen. Lisa Hou, commissioner and adjunct general of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, spoke before the state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. While answering questions, Hou said there were three separate, ongoing investigations into the departments handling of COVID-19 outbreaks in the states three Veterans Memorial Homes in the first few months of the pandemic in 2020. While she could not recall an exact date, she said investigators began looking into the situation over a year ago. The three homes, located in the Menlo Park section of Edison Township, Middlesex County; Paramus, Bergen County; and Vineland, have collectively seen more than 200 of their residents die over the course of the pandemic. The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office and the state Commission of Investigation are each conducting one of the investigations. The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting the third. State Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, asked Hou about the status of the investigations. He attributed the deaths to gross negligence and incompetence on the part of veterans home administrators and asked that people be held to account. To put it simply, we deserve to know how this disaster occurred and why certain decisions were made and who made them, Testa said. Accordingly we must ensure that those responsible are held fully accountable, for our nations heroes should have never been placed in harms way needlessly. Gov. Phil Murphy in January deployed the National Guard to nursing homes as they experienced COVID-19 surges and staffing shortages driven by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. About 150 Guard troops were expected to bolster staffing at more than a dozen facilities in the state, including the Vineland Veterans Memorial Home. In September, the governor signed a law requiring the veterans homes to hire resident advocates to communicate residents complaints. The Murphy administration also agreed in December to a $53 million settlement with the families of 119 residents at the Paramus and Menlo Park veterans homes over COVID-19 deaths. Hou said the department has fully complied with the investigations and produced all the materials investigators have requested. She added she did not know when the investigations would close. The Justice Department did send out interim recommendations, which Hou said her department subsequently addressed. Testa, citing actions taken by Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, said Murphy should commission another, independent authority to investigate what happened at the veterans homes. Sweeney Center to push for five-year budget forecasts as first project TRENTON In the midst of unprecedented state revenues and state spending, along with fear o Hou responded that the three investigations already ongoing would hopefully uncover all the information of interest to state legislators. Sen. Paul Sarlo, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, said it was important to make sure the states veterans homes were prepared for future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other diseases. While he noted some hospitals and nursing homes also struggled to contain coronavirus outbreaks, he said the state needed to mount a collaborative effort to make sure what happened in the state veterans homes never happens again. I dont want you to think were here to criticize, but at the same time, we have to answer to constituents as well, and we have to be responsive to our constituents, said Sarlo, D-Bergen, Passaic. Earlier in the hearing, Hou drew attention to innovations her department was making to keep track of risks and infection and to implement a new electronic medical record system. She also cited the departments vaccination program, which has fully inoculated 96% of veterans home residents against COVID-19 and has seen 91% of residents receive a booster shot. Ninety-nine percent of veterans home staff and contractors are fully vaccinated, and the remaining 1% was granted exemptions, putting the homes in compliance with relevant government vaccine policies for health care workers. Hou said the veterans homes had a strong COVID-19 testing regimen, something she said was necessitated by the threat that new variants of the coronavirus could emerge. Were still in the fight to keep our COVID-19 infections at zero and ensure continuous improvement, Hou said. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ATLANTIC CITY One organizer of this years national NAACP convention was here when the resort last hosted the civil rights organization in 1955, and she remembers a disturbing event. Someone let loose white rats in the dining room of the groups annual awards dinner, she said, in a hateful effort to ruin it. The FBI was there, said Hazel Dukes, who is co-chairing the convention planning group, at a news conference in which national, state and local NAACP officials celebrated coming to Atlantic City from July 14 to 21. They must have known something was going to happen. No one responsible was ever caught, Dukes said. Dukes attended in 1955 as a youth member. Now, many NAACP leaders and Gov. Phil Murphy, who is a former board member for the national group, consider her a mentor. The nation has come a long way since then, said Derrick Johnson, NAACPs national president and CEO, but not far enough. Despite enormous wins for representation, our civil rights remain under attack, Johnson said. The convention will tackle some of the toughest issues, he said, with a theme of #ThisIsPower. What is the definition of power? asked Johnson. The capacity to make things happen or prevent things from happening. Thats power. Attendees will seek solutions to pressing issues like educational and health inequities, and the need to improve policing so Black neighborhoods are safe and not victimized by police. And the convention will determine the NAACPs policy agenda priorities for 2022-23, organizers said. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been invited to attend, organizers said, and U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn of South Carolina will be on hand to receive the NAACPs highest award. Big name speakers are expected but will be announced later, they said. Asked whether the city is concerned that national attention could harm it, like it did in 1964 when the Democratic National Convention came to town and publicity centered on its crumbling hotels and poverty, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said the city is ready. That was then, this is now, Small said. We are a town that thrives on the hospitality industry, we do big events like no one else ... we are going to be prepared. Small said the city is working with others to secure big name entertainment acts for the week. We want to show the world what Atlantic City is. We can show you better than we tell you. Atlantic City celebrates NAACP's 113th anniversary, preps for national convention ATLANTIC CITY Mayor Marty Small Sr. and members of the local NAACP chapter held a news con The convention will be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, and there will be events around the city and at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, according to organizers. Registration will be open to all, not just NAACP members, they said. New Jersey has a rich history in the fight for equality, and we are honored to build on our legacy and host this years convention, said Murphy, who stopped in briefly. He was also in town to attend an offshore wind conference. Murphy cited South Jerseys historical ties to Harriet Tubman, who worked as a cook for a time in Cape May and brought enslaved people north to freedom; and Fannie Lou Hamer making her famous speech about Black people being sick and tired of being sick and tired at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, where she fought for the right of Black Mississippians to be seated at the convention. National Board Chair Leon Russell said its been three years since the NAACP met in person due to COVID-19. Those three years have quite frankly changed this nation, Russell said, adding its time for the Black community to realize its power and take action. One of the things most important for us to lift up is health care, Russell said, especially after the pandemic highlighted inequities as it hit Black communities hardest. We have to talk about the negative impacts of racism on the delivery of health care in this nation. The Black community exercised its power by getting out the vote for Democrats in the 2020 election that put Biden in office, Johnson said, and made something else important happen. Just three short weeks ago a sister was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Johnson said. That wouldnt have happened without turning out the vote in 2020, despite efforts to suffocate our voices. He does not want the NAACP to get caught up in distracting debates about the value of critical race theory or the operations of the Black Lives Matter movement, Johnson said. Im excited to see young people take to the street, Johnson said. We dont have time for us vs. us. The power is in us standing together. But he said the answer is not defunding the police, calling that idea foolhardy. At the same time the police should be accountable and not preying on our communities, Johnson said. Thank you all for believing in Atlantic City, said City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, who is also the president of the local NAACP chapter. We do conventions in Atlantic City thats what we do. In the next 73 days, we are continuing to be prepared and united in making sure this convention is outstanding. Shabazz said the local chapter set a goal of getting 300 local youth registered to participate, and has asked the mayor and business leaders to help raise funds for their fees. We want local youth to see leadership, to see power and get excited, Shabazz said. The local chapter is also preparing a brochure of Black businesses to be distributed to attendees, so you know where to go and shop, to barber shops, beauty parlors, restaurants and others. The NAACP was founded Feb. 12, 1909, in New York City. It now has 2 million members and 2,200 branches across the U.S., said Trovon Williams, senior vice president of marketing and communications for the national organization. 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. MAURICE RIVER TOWNSHIP Southern State Prison is set to close this year, state and local officials confirmed Wednesday. The state Department of Corrections is using the word consolidation. Southern State Correctional Facility Compound A and Compound B are being consolidated into Bayside, Maurice River Township Mayor Ken Whildin said. A Department of Corrections spokesman said the department did not expect any job losses from the consolidation. A drop in the number of inmates in New Jersey and the deteriorating condition of the prison were both cited as reasons for the planned closure. Southern State and Bayside State Prison are next to each other, forming a sprawling prison complex off Route 47. Southern State is in the Delmont section of the township, with Bayside in the adjoining Leesburg section. There is also a minimum security section known as the farm, where prisoners work on a dairy, which Whildin said will also be consolidated. Southern State can hold more than 2,000 inmates. The two prisons combined employ about 1,500 people, including guards and civilian employees, Whildin said, a big number in this mostly rural community. Its going to have a significant impact on the few small businesses that we have, Whildin said, with fewer prison employees grabbing morning coffee or lunch from a nearby diner. We have very few jobs here other than the prison. Whildin is a retired corrections officer who worked at both Southern State and Bayside. He said the consolidation is set to be completed by summer. New Jersey Department of Corrections spokesman Dan Sperrazza confirmed that consolidation is under consideration. "Department of Corrections is currently evaluating the possible consolidation of units at Southern State Correctional Facility and Bayside State Prison," he said Thursday in an emailed response to a request for comment. "This potential consolidation is due to a number of factors including the decline in the incarcerated population, the deteriorating infrastructure at both facilities, and a staffing shortage in the southern region. "We do not anticipate the elimination of any jobs resulting from any consolidations," Sperrazza continued. The state Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon, but state Sen. Michael Testa confirmed the consolidation plans. Southern State is going to be consolidated, mostly with Bayside, and some of the pods are going to close completely, Testa said Wednesday. He said he has been getting information in dribs and drabs but confirmed Whildins account. Im very concerned about potential job loss, Testa said. He said he has sought to make sure corrections officers are offered positions either at Bayside or at South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton. Army Corps dredging could make a big difference on Maurice River MAURICE RIVER TOWNSHIP On a sunny Sunday morning at Anchor Marina on the Maurice River, Bo Both men, and other sources, said the facilities at Southern State are in dire need of repairs. Testa said he did not have an exact estimate but said the facility needs tens of millions of dollars worth of work. They have trailers there that are essentially falling apart. There are structural and infrastructure issues at the current Southern State facility, Testa said. At one point, the prisons used not only temporary trailers to house inmates but also canvas tents lined up on fields, surrounded by tall fences. The tents are long gone, Whildin said, but the trailers remain. A report from the Department of Corrections indicates there are 1,878 prisoners in Southern State, with a little more than 2,000 at Bayside, including at the farm. But those numbers are down, according to Testa and Whildin. There simply, from what Im being told, arent enough prisoners to keep them open, Testa said. He cited an early release program enacted by Gov. Phil Murphys administration, in which more than 6,600 people were released in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the prison population. The move won praise from some quarters. The Prison Policy Initiative, a nonprofit advocacy group, reported that New Jersey prisons were operating over capacity and had the largest reduction in prison population of all 50 states in response to the pandemic, with the second highest vaccination rate. The Public Health Emergency Credits Law took effect in November 2020, allowing someone with less than a year left in prison to get out up to eight months early. Representatives of the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union stated that before the releases, New Jersey had the worst death rate from COVID-19 in prisons. At its heart, the Public Health Emergency Credits Law is not a pandemic policy, its a policy about humanity, Amol Sinha, the state ACLUs executive director, said in a statement in March. Its a policy recognizing that no one, including incarcerated people and their families, deserves gratuitous suffering. Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, believes it was bad policy and blames the Murphy administration for making New Jersey less safe, comparing the early releases to throwing gasoline on a blazing fire. He said his constituents want to see a plan to reduce crime. State officials report 2 additional South Jersey prison inmate COVID-19 deaths BRIDGETON Two more inmates at a South Jersey prison have died from COVID-19 as cases at fa In March, while the ACLU praised the early release, Testa suggested it could be part of a larger plan to permanently reduce New Jerseys prison capacity. Weve already seen the proof that it was a tragic mistake for Governor Murphy to free masses of dangerous prisoners back into our communities, Testa said in a statement released at the time. It would be another mistake for the Murphy administration to permanently eliminate the cells and prisons well need when Murphys misfits are incarcerated again, which is inevitable. Union leaders at the prisons have been informed of the consolidation plan, Testa said. He added that Victoria Kuhn, acting commissioner of the Department of Corrections, has been responsive to his questions. Some of what she tells me, Im not happy with, he said. Whildin said it took him several attempts to finally speak with someone at the Department of Corrections. When he did, he said, the person was sympathetic to his concerns and informative, but made it sound like there was little chance of changing the plan. But he said there has been no official communication with the township. We were contacted by folks who worked there. The Department of Corrections has never reached out to the local officials to have any conversation about this, Whildin said. Southern State was built in 1983. Bayside is the older of the two, dating to 1977. According to Whildin, the township welcomed the prisons because of the jobs they would bring. "Department of Corrections is currently evaluating the possible consolidation of units at Southern State Correctional Facility and Bayside State Prison. This potential consolidation is due to a number of factors including the decline in the incarcerated population, the deteriorating infrastructure at both facilities, and a staffing shortage in the southern region. We do not anticipate the elimination of any jobs resulting from any consolidations." Dan Sperrazza, Executive Director 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. ATLANTIC CITY rsted, the Danish wind power developer, signed an agreement Thursday with New Jersey officials to use a state-financed manufacturing port to build the components of the states first offshore wind farm. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the agreement during an international wind energy conference in Atlantic City, from whose coast the projects turbines should be visible on the distant horizon. rsted, which is partnering with Newark-based PSEG to build the project, will lease the New Jersey Wind Port in Salem County for two years starting in April 2024. Murphy did not reveal how much the developers will pay for the lease. The parties signed the letter of intent Thursday, but binding agreements are to be submitted to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority by June. The pact marks the first return on the states investment of up to $500 million in the wind port, designed to help the state attract companies interested in building wind power projects here as it seeks to become the East Coast hub of the offshore wind industry. This is a huge moment: Today is a vision turning into reality, Murphy said at the conference, sponsored by the Business Network for Offshore Wind. This is truly New Jerseys If you build it, they will come moment. Ocean Wind is to be built off the states southern coastline and will provide 1,100 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 500,000 homes. It is one of three wind farms approved thus far by New Jersey regulators, with many more to come. US: Ukraine war 'screams' need to reject Russian energy Hours after Russia cut off natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria, the energy secretaries from the U.S. and the European Commission called for a rapid acceleration of wind power to help countries stop using Russian energy. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said at a wind energy conference Wednesday in Atlantic City that the Ukraine war screams out the need for countries to stop using Russian fuel. And European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said offshore wind is a part of the continent's move to wean itself off Russian energy imports. The U.S. has a goal of generating enough wind energy to power 10 million homes by 2030. In February, six companies bid a combined $4.37 billion for the right to build wind energy projects on the ocean floor off New Jersey and New York in the U.S. governments largest such auction in history. New Jersey plans another round of project solicitations later this year. Officials broke ground on the wind port, in Lower Alloways Creek Township, last September. The facility is designed to provide a place to manufacture giant blades and other components for offshore wind energy projects. The turbines to be built there are nearly as large as the Eiffel Tower and weigh thousands of tons. Because of that, they need to be built and prepared for transport in a place free from bridges or other obstacles that they must pass under on their way out to sea. The port was designed with this and other technical considerations in mind. The state also is planning a second related facility in Paulsboro on the Delaware River in Gloucester County to build the huge poles supporting wind turbines. When the Ocean Wind 1 project was approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in June 2019, the approval was based on the project using an existing out-of-state port to marshal the project. The developers have since decided to use the state wind port instead, officials said Thursday. Wind power, public safety building top issues at Ocean City Council debate OCEAN CITY For some questions put to the six candidates for three at-large seats on City C Murphy said the lease is expected to create at least 200 pre-assembly, stevedoring and other jobs in a region badly in need of them. New Jersey is on the forefront of wind energy technology, and through our partnership, the Ocean Wind 1 project will deliver hundreds of jobs, clean energy and transformative infrastructure to the region, said David Hardy, CEO of rsted Offshore North America. ATLANTIC CITY U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday that Russias war on Ukraine screams that the world needs to stop importing oil and gas from Russia and instead move toward other forms of energy. At an international forum on offshore wind energy in the resort, Granholm said the U.S. and its energy industries are on a war footing and called for a rapid acceleration of renewable energy, including offshore wind power. Her comments were echoed by Kadri Simson, the European commissioner for energy, who noted that Europe recently committed itself to a large-scale move away from Russian fossil fuel imports, and considers wind energy an important part of that transition. Their comments came as Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday and threatened to do the same to other countries, dramatically escalating its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine. European leaders decried the move as blackmail. Germany and Italy are among Europes biggest consumers of Russian natural gas but have already been taking steps to reduce their dependence on Moscow. Russia is waging a war in Ukraine, and the imperative to move away from Russian oil and gas, for the world to move away from Russian oil and gas, screams that there is an imperative that we electrify, said Granholm, the former Michigan governor. Offshore wind is just a huge component in that. Wind power, public safety building top issues at Ocean City Council debate OCEAN CITY For some questions put to the six candidates for three at-large seats on City C This is a time to accelerate because we are on a war footing, because you are the army we need, because this is the battle for our nations, she told a conference room filled with offshore wind developers and suppliers. This is a war of good against evil, and we are all enlisted. Simson cited a plan adopted last month called REPowerEU that calls for more liquid natural gas and traditional pipeline imports from nations other than Russia; doubling sustainable production of biomethane; and increasing the production and import of renewable hydrogen. That policy is to work in tandem with existing renewable energy industries including solar and wind. It aims to replace two-thirds of the amount of natural gas the European Union imports from Russia by the end of the year. It is clear now more than ever that Europe needs to reshape our energy system and bring our dependence on Russian energy to an end as soon as possible, Simson said. Offshore wind is an important part of that plan. The U.S. has set a goal of generating 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes. In February, six companies bid a combined $4.37 billion for the right to build wind energy projects on the ocean floor off New Jersey and New York in the U.S. governments largest such auction in history. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said when fully developed, these sites could provide enough energy to power 2 million homes, and additional auctions are expected in the future. Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Interior Department announced it is looking at areas for additional wind energy leases in the central Atlantic coast and off the coast of Oregon totaling more than 4 million acres. A public comment period on the proposal will end June 28. Wind power developers and energy regulators speaking at Wednesdays conference said much work remains to be done to accommodate the surging U.S. offshore wind industry. They particularly cited the need to expand and modernize an electrical grid that was built around fossil fuels. Transmission projects will be crucial to the success and affordability of the wind power industry, and companies are already flooding regulators with proposals. Joseph Fiordaliso, president of New Jerseys Board of Public Utilities, said his agency has already received 80 proposals from 13 energy transmission developers. The worst dream I have is that were generating energy in the ocean and we have no place to plug it in, he said. The grid has to be updated. Companies and regulators also stressed that the rapidly growing industry has to be affordable to its end users: the electric customers. There are real, working-class folks out there who pay these bills, said Clint Plummer, CEO of Rise Light & Power, which repurposes former fossil fuel facilities as clean energy hubs. We need to do this in a way thats affordable. COVID-19 news from across the United States offered plenty of hope as Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser for President Joe Biden, told PBS NewsHour the country is out "out of the pandemic phase." Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the comment Tuesday. The World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic March 11, 2020 and the WHO has not removed the virus' pandemic designation. There is plenty of reason for hope and caution at the local level. The COVID-19 numbers coming out of Rock Island and Scott counties remain low but there has been a slow climb in the number of cases and the positivity rates in Rock Island County. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's county-wide COVID-19 statistics showed an increase of 111 new cases during the seven-day period ending Monday. That's just an average of 15.9 cases per day but also translates to a seven-day positivity rate of 4.42%. That's a significant increase in the positivity rate over the last month and close to a moderate-to-high rate of community spread. On the Iowa side of the Quad-Cities, Scott County added 52 new COVID-19 cases during the seven-day period ending Monday. Because of a lack of reporting by the state of Iowa, the Scott County's positivity rate is not known. Rock Island County Health Department Public Information Officer Janet Hill explained the limitations of the statistics reported by the CDC. "We can't accurately give numbers because of the rise of at-home testing. We are looking closely at hospitalizations, which has remained low, with our own check-ins with UnityPoint and Genesis and CDC metrics," Hill said. "We are seeing a growing positivity rate, but we're more concerned with the stagnant vaccination rate. "We are seeing more counties in Illinois move to a medium COVID-19 Community Level, and we are warily watching high transmission rates in the Northeast." According to the CDC, 82,966 Rock Island County residents are fully vaccinated 58.5% of the county's total population. In terms of those residents with at least one booster shot, the CDC said 34,721 of those fully vaccinated have had at least one booster jab. That's just 41.8% of those vaccinated. Rock Island County Health Department Administrator Nita Ludwig said vaccinations are now the number one priority in public health's battle against the virus. "We saw an uptick in vaccinations as second booster became available. They are still continuing to be fairly popular. We are doing around 70 to 100 each clinic day," Ludwig said. "The Illinois Department of Public Health asks that we continue to provide vaccinations to as many as possible to get and keep everyone up to date. "We continue to message through our website and Facebook all information and opportunities to get vaccinated. We are working on billboards in varied languages as an additional outreach effort. They will start sometime in May." Scott County has fared a bit better in terms of vaccination numbers. According to the CDC, a total of 105,397 residents are fully vaccinated 60.9% of the county's total population. And 49,724 of the fully vaccinated have received at least one booster shot. "We are still giving some primary first and second doses and some boosters and fourth doses the second booster for those eligible. Our vaccine partners in Scott County share with us that they continue to see some demand," said Scott County Health Department Public Information Officer Brooke Barnes said. "Not much has changed in terms of our messages regarding vaccination. We join the Iowa Department of Public Health in continuing to encourage primary vaccinations as well as boosters for those eligible," Barnes added. "Although we are in a safer spot, COVID is not over and we continue to want our community to be protected." Barnes, Ludwig and Hill said what happens in the fall may depend of the levels of individual immunity in the community. "We are in a different place in the pandemic. More people have immunity right now through vaccination and previous infection. Plus, we now have post-infection medications to reduce the severity of disease, reduce hospitalizations or length of hospital stays, and prevent more death," Hill said. Hill pointed out a new CDC report showed that, by February 2022, nearly six in 10 Americans had antibodies indicating prior infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. "Evidence of infection rose among all age groups during omicron with the largest increases among children and teens," Hill said. "However, reinfections can occur. We strongly encourage people to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination and boosters. Vaccinations protect against people getting really sick and dying from COVID-19, even among those who have had COVID-19." 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. A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Davenport man to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography and other charges. Chief Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced James Anthony Rogers, 57, of Davenport, to 216 months in prison on charges of production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor, according to court records filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The acts underlying the charges happened in 2018, according to federal court records. Davenport police launched an investigation into Rogers after receiving information indicating Rogers may have been involved in the sexual solicitation of a boy. Multiple search warrants revealed Rogers tried to contact more than 50 boys and had sexually explicit conversations with them, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa. Rogers attempted to persuade the minors to send nude photographs of themselves and to meet in person to exchange money or alcohol for sex, according to the release. Investigators seized a cellphone from Rogers that contained pornographic images of children. Rogers pleaded guilty to the charges on Oct. 12, 2021. Upon completion of his sentence, Rogers must also serve seven years of supervised release, according to court records. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Department of Justices "Project Safe Childhood." The nationwide initiative started in 2006 seeks to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action and public awareness to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821. 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. EU prepared for Russian gas cut-off: von der Leyen Xinhua) 08:25, April 28, 2022 Photo taken on March 10, 2022 shows burning rings on a gas cooker in London, Britain. (Xinhua/Li Ying) In a statement reacting to Gazprom's announcement, von der Leyen called the move "another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail" in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. BRUSSELS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is ready to face the suspension of Russian gas deliveries to its member states, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday. The Russian gas supplier Gazprom announced earlier Wednesday that it was fully stopping its gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria, due to the two EU member states' "failure to pay in rubles." In a statement reacting to Gazprom's announcement, von der Leyen called the move "another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail" in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded on March 23 that Russia's current gas contracts with "unfriendly countries" should be paid in rubles. "We have been working to ensure alternative deliveries and the best possible storage levels across the EU," and the gas coordination group is meeting in order to map out a coordinated EU response, said von der Leyen. The EU, highly dependent on Russian gas and oil, has been working on finding alternative energy supplies through its REPowerEU plan launched on March 8. The bloc agreed with the United States on March 25 that it would purchase an additional at least 15 billion cubic meters of liquified natural gas (LNG) for 2022, and 50 billion cubic meters of LNG per annum until at least 2030. The bloc is also accelerating its green transition to wean itself from fossil fuels and to increase energy efficiency. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Neither the state of Illinois nor the federal government tracks how often police give tickets to students in public schools for violations of municipal ordinances. To understand how frequently and for what reasons police cited students, reporters from the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica filed more than 500 requests for public records with schools and law enforcement agencies under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Advertisement The requests were sent to 199 school districts: high school-only districts and large K-12 districts. Those districts encompass roughly 86% of the states high school students. The requests sought records that would show how many times police were involved in student incidents during the school years that ended in 2019, 2020 and 2021; how often students were arrested; and how often tickets were issued in those incidents. Reporters also asked for the race of students who had been referred to police. Some school districts said they did not track whether police issued tickets to students, so reporters then filed requests with the hundreds of law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction over high schools in those districts. The requests sought information on where each ticket was issued, the age of the ticketed person or an indication whether they were a juvenile, the race of the person ticketed, the alleged violation and the amount of the fine. Advertisement [ The Price Kids Pay: Students punished with costly tickets for minor misbehavior ] [ The Price Kids Pay: Black students far more likely to be ticketed by police for school behavior ] From those records, reporters built a database documenting more than 11,800 tickets issued by police in 141 school districts during the three school years examined. For records obtained from police, the database included tickets issued at a school address to persons younger than 18, while excluding tickets issued for traffic, parking or curfew violations. Records obtained from school officials may have included tickets issued to students 18 or older. Reporters also collected information about ticketing in the ongoing 2021-22 school year in select districts. This data was not included in statewide analyses or in our interactive database but informs reporting on some schools mentioned in the investigation. In addition to logging the number of tickets issued by each police department at each school examined, reporters documented the reasons tickets had been issued, how the tickets are adjudicated in each community, what the possible fines and fees are, and whether the community attempts to collect unpaid juvenile debts. Because the forms used to document tickets varied between districts and police departments, reporters made informed judgments to group tickets into broader categories. For example, reporters classified tickets for possession of drug paraphernalia and tickets for cannabis use into one category for drug-related tickets. A separate team then took a selection of records and spot-checked them to ensure that data had been entered consistently and to look for systemic flaws in the data entry. No widespread problems were found; any small errors that were identified were fixed. [ Do police give students tickets in your school district? Find out here ] If a school district or police department provided the race of the young people who were ticketed, that information was documented in a separate database. In all, reporters were able to compile racial data for tickets issued at schools in 68 districts. Reporters then excluded from the analysis schools where tickets were rare those where fewer than 20 citations had been issued over the three school years and schools where race information was missing for more than 25% of tickets. That left about 4,000 tickets that had been issued at schools in 42 districts. In total, those schools enroll more than one-fifth of Illinois high school students. For districts and some individual schools, reporters estimated total enrollment and enrollment by race by averaging the actual enrollment figures reported to the Illinois State Board of Education for the three school years being examined. To identify potential racial disparities in ticketing, reporters first calculated the total enrollment for the schools in the database, as well as the total enrollment for various racial groups. They then calculated how many tickets were issued for each racial group and compared those rates to those groups share of total enrollment. In a few cases, race information was omitted from the ticket or marked as unknown. These cases were included in the ticket totals to ensure that the resulting racial disparity calculations were conservative. Advertisement In some cases, the race of the student ticketed was indicated but the ethnicity was not, meaning it wasnt possible to tell the true number of Hispanic or Latino students ticketed. For example, some police departments indicated clearly if a person ticketed was Black or white but left blank the part of the record that indicates whether someone is Hispanic or Latino. That incomplete documentation meant some Latino students who received tickets likely were classified only as white. Some police departments and school districts provided detailed records for each ticket, including the reason the ticket was written and the race of the student. That allowed reporters to check whether racial disparities differed by type of violation, based on a set of roughly 3,000 tickets issued to students in 33 districts across the state. To conduct that analysis, reporters standardized the ways different police departments and schools had documented students race, then placed each ticket into a category based on the alleged violation. For example, tickets involving disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, activity constituting a public nuisance and prohibited conduct on school property were labeled as conduct-related tickets. Tickets involving tobacco, drugs or paraphernalia were labeled as substance-related tickets. Reporters calculated how many tickets in each category went to students in different racial groups, then compared those rates to the groups share of overall enrollment. Nine districts contacted by the Tribune and ProPublica did not provide records on police interactions at their schools: Belleville Township High School District 201, OFallon Township High School District 203, Streator Township High School District 40, Vienna High School District 133, Bethalto Community Unit School District 8, Collinsville Community Unit School District 10, Harlem School District 122, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 and Community Unit School District 200 in Wheaton. Twenty-three police departments either did not provide records or excluded information in ways that prevented reporters from determining whether tickets were issued to students at a school in their jurisdiction: Belvidere, Cahokia Heights, Calumet City, Channahon, Crete, Dolton, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Harvey, Kankakee, LaSalle, Lemont, Mount Prospect, North Chicago, Northbrook, Pinckneyville, Richmond, Rockton, Rolling Meadows, Streamwood, Summit, Waukegan and Wood Dale. Advertisement To understand how tickets are handled after theyre issued, reporters attended more than 50 hearings across Illinois, observing hundreds of cases. They spoke with dozens of families affected by the process; with school, police and municipal officials; with attorneys and hearing officers; and with juvenile advocates. Reporters consulted with families about how to identify family members in the story and, as a result, did not include full names of all of the young people. This story is a collaboration between the Tribune and ProPublica. Smith Richards is a Tribune reporter. Cohen is a Chicago-based reporter for ProPublica. PVHS student receives scholarship Malinali Sanchez Carmona, Pleasant Valley High School, was one of two students selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District. The scholarships are presented to Iowa high school seniors to use for their first year of education on the college level while pursuing programs of study in any field of agriculture or natural resources. Bettendorf Lions Club announces scholarship winners The Bettendorf Lions Club has announced the recipients of the Larson Scholarship Awards. Named after 48-year member Ray Larson and his partner in service, Pat, two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded this year. The first award was presented to Andrew Crocker at the Bettendorf Lions Club meeting on April 14. The second recipient, Isabella Appel, will receive her award at the next Bettendorf Lions Club meeting on April 28. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Davenport Police Department Chief Paul Sikorski plans to retire in late August, according to the city of Davenport. Sikorski's last day is scheduled for Aug. 29, a city news release issued Thursday states. Sikorski is a 34-year veteran of the Davenport police. He was hired in 1988. He became the chief in 2016. Sikorski has been part of all of the departments divisions, the release states. His jobs have included: 24 years on the Emergency Services Team. 14 years in the special operations and investigation divisions, where he served in the Detective Bureau, Gang and Vice/Narcotics units, and was a supervisor in the Covert Unit of the Tactical Operations Bureau. Serving as the departments interagency coordinator for other police agencies, including the Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Sikorski has a bachelors degree in criminology from the University of Northern Iowa and a masters degree in law enforcement justice administration from Western Illinois University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. As chief, Sikorski has advocated for partnerships between the police and community groups to address public safety issues, the release states. He has been a supporter of the Youth Assessment Program meant to help families before a youth gets involved in the judicial system, the release states. He also helped create the Scott County Law Enforcement Community Partnership, designed to support and strengthen positive relationships between police and their communities in the Iowa Quad-Cities. Replacing Sikorski will involve a national recruitment search that is scheduled to begin in May, according to the news release. Davenport hopes to have the new police chief identified before Sikorski retires. Love 1 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. When most Scott County residents call 911 for a medical emergency, a staffed ambulance from the nonprofit service MEDIC arrives to take them to a hospital for what can often be life-saving care. But as costs rise and revenues stagnate, county and city officials are debating what to do to keep the ambulance service sustainable for the long term. Costs per trip for MEDIC began outpacing revenues from insurance payments in the last several years. And more recently, MEDIC has faced challenges hiring and retaining staffers during the pandemic and has needed to raise wages in a competitive health care labor market, Executive Director Linda Frederiksen said. Frederiksen presented options this month to the Scott County Board of Supervisors and Bettendorf City Council to keep MEDIC afloat as a county-wide ambulance service. One option, she said, is to establish MEDIC as a taxing entity and another option would be to form an intergovernmental organization. A governmental designation could unlock federal EMT monies that would be a revenue stream for the ambulance service. We see a storm in the distance, Board of Supervisors Chairman Ken Beck said. And we need to be proactive how can we keep a service that has proven to be effective moving forward. MEDIC, which is governed by a 15-member board, receives an up to $200,000 annual subsidy from Scott County to cover budget shortfalls. In eight of the last 10 years, MEDIC reported losses, most of which were covered by the countys subsidy. The ambulance service finished in the black in 2020 due to pandemic-related loans forgiven through the federal paycheck protection program. Its annual losses from 2017 to 2021 ranged from $8,844 to $170,178. MEDIC is authorized at 167 employees and has 20 Advanced Life Support Ambulances. "Revenue drives budget and we have reached the point that we don't see that we can have any more expensive efficiencies and technically be fair to our employees," Frederiksen told the Scott County Board of Supervisors. "So we want to continue to work collectively, really, to try to, you know, pursue this governmental option and basically take advantage of additional revenue streams that have never been available to (nonprofits). An increasing share of ambulance users over the last several years have been low-income, elderly and disabled Iowans covered through Medicaid and Medicare. Both government-funded insurance programs reimburse at a lower cost than that of private insurance, making it more difficult for MEDIC to recoup actual transportation costs. Unfortunately, both Medicare and Medicaid have fallen well behind the cost of ambulance transportation, Fredericksen said. Iowa typically ranks in the bottom five states in the country for the share of costs reimbursed, Fredericksen said, sometimes falling 50% below other states. One option: MEDIC as a taxing body Under one proposal, the ambulance service would come under the countys umbrella as a "county essential service." This would allow MEDIC to levy a dedicated tax to pay for its services and would require 60% voter approval in a countywide election. That would allow for a local surtax up to $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value for up to 10 years. That would generate $7.5 million in fiscal year 2023. Scott County Budget Director David Farmer, however, told the Bettendorf City Council county officials would likely only need to raise a fraction of that up to $1 million from county taxpayers, depending on how MEDICs costs and revenues change. Two of Iowas 99 counties use such a system, which would require the creation of an advisory council to oversee the taxing body and MEDIC's financial operations, Farmer said. "Its very similar to the schools and their revenue purpose statements for their local option save bonds and so forth," he said. Frederiksen said this method is relatively new, and MEDICs board has not yet reviewed that option. Option 2: governments pooling resources Another option is reorganizing under a 28E, which would be an intergovernmental agreement between city governments and the county to pool money to pay costs not covered by insurance reimbursements. This option, Farmer, said has been evaluated and approved by MEDICs board. This option would allow MEDIC to unlock federal Ground Emergency Medical Transportation funds that the Iowa Legislature approved for Iowa's ambulance governmental ambulance services. Options 3 and 4: status quo or dissolve Keeping MEDIC as a nonprofit subsidized by Scott Countys budget long-term would mean MEDIC would have to rely on static and uncertain revenue streams, which down the road could threaten its existence. Asked by Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher how long it would take until MEDIC would be in "crisis mode" if city and county governments did nothing, Frederiksen said it was hard to say. But, likely within the next three to five years, some change would need to be made, she said. "Were seeing the losses continue to progress," Frederiksen said, adding the cost of ambulance service has at least doubled over the past 18 years since she became director. If MEDIC dissolves, Frederiksen said, the cost to provide ambulance service would fall back on the shoulders of local municipalities and the Scott County Board of Health. Communities would be faced with either incorporating ambulance service as part of the duties and responsibilities of their local fire department or contracting with other nonprofit or for-profit ambulance providers. A countywide service would ensure a cohesive response regardless of geographic location within Scott County, Frederiksen said. Bettendorf and Scott County elected officials seemed to favor a countywide system, with the goal to continue some kind of ambulance service. "We need to do whatever we can to continue your operation," Scott County Supervisor Brinson Kinzer. "We owe it to everybody in Scott County to show them we're not only going to continue but we're going to improve and enhance." Greg Adamson, Bettendorf's 4th Ward alderman started as a Bettendorf police officer in 1972, and called the ambulance service at the time "horrid." "I shudder to think of the people that could have been saved that weren't," he said. "...I just cannot see going back to everybody having their own ambulance. It's just crazy. It's life and death and quality of life for lots and lots of people, so I think whatever we need to do to keep doing what we're doing is so important." Davenport city council hasn't yet discussed in a public meeting the options for the county's ambulance service. "The city is actively researching the different service provision models that exist in the state of Iowa and evaluating how ambulance services may be provided in Davenport in the future," City Administrator Corri Spiegel responded in an email. "We remain in the due diligence phase of our work, and I cannot currently predict when the Council might take action." Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. Rock Island plans to use a $250,000 grant to improve three routes Denkmann Elementary School students use to walk to school. The money is from the Illinois Safe Routes to School Program and will help the city add ADA accessible ramps, paint crosswalk markings and add new sidewalks for areas without them, according to a Rock Island news release. The total cost is estimated at $387, 200. The city will provide the remaining $137,200. Rock Islands engineers have started the planning for the project, the release states. Construction will begin upon final approval of the plans by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Denkman is located at 4101 22nd Ave., the release states. The pedestrian routes are in the areas bounded by 20th to 22nd avenues and 38th to 44th streets. There were 102 applications for the pool of Safe Routes money and Rock Island was one of 57 proposals selected for funding, the release states. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Scott County Democrats attempted to pick a political fight with U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa, earlier this week after a tweet from her campaign manager showed volunteers holding signs while framing the flag of a prominent anti-government paramilitary group. The 2nd Congressional District U.S. House was decided for Miller-Meeks by a six-vote margin, suggesting the campaign rhetoric could get heated as the election season draws near. The posting and re-posting on Twitter started roughly 10 days ago when Miller-Meeks campaign manager Elliott Husbands tweeted two photos taken inside the headquarters of the Muscatine Republicans. One of those photos showed two men holding Miller-Meeks campaign signs. The men stood on each side of a Three-Percenters flag a U.S. flag with the Roman numeral III in the blue field usually reserved for the stars. A traditional Betsy Ross 1776 flag also is prominent in the background. The use of 1776 imagery on flags and window stickers was first popularized by right-wing radio host Alex Jones and has been used extensively by a range of militia groups. It was routinely seen at anti-masking and COVID-19 vaccination mandate protests across the country, as well as during the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol building. Miller-Meeks retweeted the post on her personal Twitter feed, then deleted it but not before the Scott County Democrats posted the pictures and wrote the representative " retweeted this image of flags for white supremacy & anti-government militias." The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also used the photo as the lead of a press release that attempted to link Miller-Meeks as sympathetic to the Three-Percenters cause. Scott County Democratic Chair Matt Trimble was even more explicit in his criticism of Miller-Meeks and her campaign. "(Miller-Meeks) is standing in a room of a house filled with gas and she has lit a match," Trimble said. "That's what is so concerning for her constituents. They have to be terrified that she is allowing insurrectionists to be the face of her campaign." Trimble suggested that even though Miller-Meeks deleted her repost of the tweet, she sent a message to some supporters. "She was clearly signaling to like-minded people," Trimble said. "I think this is just another example of how fringe and radical some of the Republicans have become." When reached for comment about the accusations made by the Scott County Democrats, Husbands said he " didn't really think this is a story." "We handed out 1,500 yard signs to campaign volunteers in 20 counties," Husbands added. "And that is my only comment." Fred Grunder, the chairman of the Muscatine Republicans, did react to the charges against Miller-Meeks. He said the Scott County Democrats were signaling to its base. "Every time the Democrats disagree with something or someone they use the words 'racist' and 'bigot'. It's gotten to the point where those two words don't mean anything," Grunder said. "There are a lot of fringe groups in both parties." "One of the biggest terror groups is the BLM (Black Lives Matter)," he alleged. "They destroyed this country two years ago, and no one seems to care. There were no consequences for what they did." Grunder said he "had no idea" the Three-Percenters flag was among those displayed in the offices of the Muscatine Republicans. "Look, there are a lot of flags in that room. There's probably a Trump flag, and I know there's a Blue-Line flag. There are flags from every branch of the military," Grunder said. "And I have no problem with the 1776 flag. That's about the revolution that created this country." The Three-Percenters were founded in 2008 and initially attracted a membership dominated by military veterans, as well as retired and active-duty police officers. While many joined in reaction to perceived policies aimed at limiting the Second Amendment, the Three-Percenters became vocal supporters of President Donald Trump. The Southern Poverty Law Center noted that while many Three-Percenters are not overtly white supremacist, a number of local groups across the country were involved in violence against Muslim-Americans. Most local Three-Percenter groups carry firearms to rallies and protest. Three-Percenter groups took an active role during the Jan. 6 riots. Many members have moved on to attending local school board meetings to speak out against the supposed "teaching of critical race theory" in public schools. Husbands and Grunder said Miller-Meeks had never supported any Three-Percenter group. By the end of the week, the Iowa's 2nd Congressional District had two distinct camps: those who believe Miller-Meeks was signaling to a fringe, reactionary portion of her base, and her supporters who claimed an innocent photo of campaign volunteers was being used to smear her. According to Dr. William W. Parsons, chair of the Department of Political Science and Leadership Studies at Saint Ambrose University, no one should be surprised by the Twitter fight. "Dog-whistling is nothing new in American politics. It dates back all the way to the founding. In some ways, the comments politicians said about each other back then were often worse than things said today," Parsons said. "For instance, Thomas Jefferson was maligned for mocking Christianity and people were told to hide or bury their bibles for fear the new president would confiscate them. "The difference today is the ability of these sorts of political tactics to go viral. In a matter of minutes, images reach hundreds of thousands if not millions. Today, we have a sense that such political behavior is more impactful than ever before. There is no doubt that there is less discussion going on in society today than historically." Parsons offered an image of modern political discourse. "It is also the case today that political opinion exists primarily in bubbles. People only want to talk to those who have the same opinion. The internet and social media is a major factor in perpetuating this pattern," Parsons said. "I have no solution to this phenomenon other than to tell people to actively seek out multiple sources and opinions and not be comfortable in their bubble." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Rock Island-Milan School District will host a virtual meeting about services available for families who have children that attend private schools and/or are homeschooled and live within the school district's boundary. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. Friday, May 13 via Google Meet. School district officials will discuss plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and home schools within the district for the 2022-23 school year. Parents with a home-schooled student who has been identified with a disability and who reside within the boundaries of Rock Island-Milan School District 41 are urged to attend, according to a news release. Parents can participate using the following link meet.google.com/gek-kexe-ohr and using the PIN: 825 538 692#. For more information, contact Jenny Fuhr, special education coordinator, at 309-793-5900 ext. 10287 or email jennifer.fuhr@rimsd41.org. 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. Some patients whove recently been discharged from a hospital or rehabilitation center may need further assistance. Others cant meet their medical needs on their own, but they want to avoid going to a hospital or nursing home. Home health care bridges the gap between hospitalization and life at home. It gives the patients an opportunity to recover where theyre most comfortable and already have support systems in place, said Tami Struble, a registered home health and hospice field nurse with Monument Health Home+. For families, we help them understand what the patient is going through and educate them on how to care for their loved one at home. The duties of a skilled home health care nurse can range from changing catheters, assessing symptoms and dressing wounds to providing disease education and helping with medication management. Every appointment is different, said Katie Bietsch, also a home health and hospice field nurse in the Monument Health Home+ network. You still have a schedule to keep and youre busy, but its a slower pace than working in a hospital or clinical setting. Home health care nurses may see as many as six patients during a typical day of work, fewer if detailed charting and paperwork are required. What these nurses often find most fulfilling about the job is the opportunity to build an ongoing bond with their patients. I like making people feel comfortable and forming a relationship thats meaningful, Bietsch explained. When I have a caseload of patients Im working with for a few weeks or a few months some for years I feel like I really get to know them and their families. Struble agrees. In the hospital, youre caring for patients when theyre sick and at their most vulnerable, but when theyre at home and theyre feeling better, it gives you a different perspective on who they are. Bietsch and Struble both worked in hospitals before transitioning into home health care nursing, something they strongly recommend for other nurses who may be considering the specialty. The more practice youve had in a hospital setting, the more confident youre going to be going into a persons home on your own and performing those services, said Bietsch. As the current nursing shortage continues, theres definitely a need and plenty of career opportunity for compassionate nurses in the areas of home health and hospice care. Its really quite special to be able to go into the patients homes and care for them there, Struble said. Home is where they laugh and cry, where they feel the safest. To be invited in to help them as they recover from an illness is, to me, an honor. 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 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A wit once said: Fishing: the art of jigging, casting, trolling or spinning while freezing, sweating, swatting or swearing. Obviously, a sage with considerable fishing experience. And much of that experience possibly in South Dakota judging by recent weather that continues to play havoc with angling opportunities and success in the western part of the state. While the week ahead doesnt appear short-sleeve weather by any means, the forecast does indicate temps in the low to mid-50s with the prospect of diminishing winds and much needed precipitation in the form of rain rather than snow. With that the spring spawn, if not yet done, may finally play out and fish may once again put on the feed bag. Angostura Reservoir: Fishing activity was limited last week for the reasons stated above though a few walleyeincluding a 24-inch specimen-was caught. Bite remains slow across though board though the occasional bass, catfish and perch have been showing up occasion. Belle Fourche Reservoir (Orman): Waters are extremely muddy from the combination of rain and wind making finding fish a very tough go. The same mix of weather has contributed to a stop-and-go walleye spawn though should be winding up soon. Black Hills Area Streams: Spearfish and Rapid Creekbelow Pactola--are fishing well. Nymph fishing has the best of it though dry fly fishing opportunities exist as well. Water levels remain low and trout are typically stacked up in deep holes. Nymphs remain the baits of choice. Custer State Park Lakes: Mostly wait-and-see at present due to weather. Some trout activity reported. Pactola Reservoir: Rainbow trout remain active responding to a variety of presentations. Veterans Point and south marina have been serving up trout and perch. Some pike activity in bays though remains somewhat limited. Sheridan Lake: Not much fishing activity reported as yet. Hit-and-miss bites of largemouth bass activity, perch and trout on occasion. Lake Oahe: When wind allows, pike and catfish are being caught in in creek outlets and bays. Water temps remain in low 40 degrees and continue to hamper a walleye spawn that should be going full tilt in early May. Water levels are extremely low as well and river access can be a muddy affair. Lake Sharpe: The walleye bite picked up early in the week as winds subsided. Walleye are starting to stack up as weather warms. Some action in stilling basin and below the dam though best bite is perhaps a bit farther downstream where water temps are higher. Jigging remains the recommended option though bottom bouncers will come on line as water warms. Lake Francis Case: Fishing activity has been somewhat better than farther north as water temps are slightly higher and spawn wrapping up. Some walleye activity below the dam at Ft. Thompson but best bet is farther south in the Platte area. AREA FISHING TOURNAMENTS Center of the Nation Walleye Tournament: May 7th & 8th, Belle Fourche Reservoir (Orman Dam). $7,850 in prize money. 76 two-man teams only ($200/team). Call 605-595-7982 for additional information. Angostura Spring Walleye Tournament: May 14th & 15th. Pre-registration only. Call Cal @ 605-484-1391 for additional information. Jared Roe Memorial Walleye Tournament: June 4th, Angostura. Call Jerry Roe (605-484-3494) for additional information. First Fathers Day Tournament conducted by Fall River Swim Team: Angostura Reservoir, June 17th and 18th. Three-person teams ($120). Registration is 6 p.m., Friday, June 17th at picnic shelter, Call Stacy Reetz (605-890-1484) for additional details. For State Wide Fishing Tournaments, visit South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks website: gfp.sd.gov/events/. Dakota Angler & Outfitter, 513 Seventh St., Rapid City; The Rooster, 1441 W. Main St., Rapid City; Wheel in Bait Shop, 18696 Fishermans Road, Fruitdale, and West Prairie Resort, 28354 182nd, Pierre (605-264-5303) have contributed to this report. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Beloved by her co-workers as a mental health expert at Cermak Hospital, Jennifer Hamilton had an order of protection against her estranged husband. That didnt stop him from fatally shooting her while she was on a video call with her doctor outside the Brickyard Mall on Chicagos Northwest Side, prosecutors said during his bond hearing on Friday. Alphonso W. Hamilton, 50, who is charged with murder, was denied bond during an audio-streamed hearing before Cook County Judge Kelly Marie McCarthy. Advertisement The two were in the process of separating when Hamilton, 47, was shot and killed in a Target parking lot outside the Brickyard Mall, in the 6500 block of West Diversey Avenue, about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, officials said. The attack began when Jennifer Hamilton, who had an order of protection against Alphonso Hamilton that was due to expire May 9, drove in a white Jeep Cherokee to the home the two used to share in Chicago and parked in its lot to begin a teleconference call with her doctor, prosecutors said. Advertisement Jennifer Hamilton in an undated photo. Hamilton, 47, was fatally shot outside the Brickyard Mall on April 27, 2022, in the 6500 block of West Diversey Avenue, police said. (Eric Bailey SEIU Local 73) At 9:29 a.m. she saw Alphonso Hamilton pull in and she told her doctor she had the order of protection. After driving away, he followed, according to prosecutors. At some point as she remained on the phone, the doctor asked if they should call 911 but she said she was not very worried about the defendant hurting her, prosecutors said. While at the Target lot, her estranged husband again pulled up next to her and parked as she got out and walked to the back of the Jeep and told the doctor she would be back shortly. When the husband then exited his car and approached her, the doctor saw Jennifer Hamilton make a sudden movement and go move back to the drivers door and begin to open it while telling the doctor to call 911, prosecutors said. As she tried to dart away, he shot her five times, prosecutors alleged, and then fled the scene, driving to the Schiller Park police station, where he confessed to shooting somebody, according to a Chicago police report and prosecutors. The doctor stayed on the call until police, responding to a ShotSpotter call, got to the scene, prosecutors said. After turning himself in, Hamilton told police he shot her five or six times after asking her if she was seeing anyone else and she said yes, according to prosecutors. After thinking about turning the gun on himself he called his mother, who suggested he turn himself in, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Jennifer Hamilton, who died of multiple gunshot wounds, was pronounced dead at 10:20 a.m. at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the Cook County medical examiners office, which ruled her death a homicide. Alphonso Hamilton has one felony conviction, a domestic assault from 2003 in Missouri for which he was sentenced to three years in the department of corrections, as well as two misdemeanors, both of which were domestic assaults from 2001 and 2003, prosecutors said. Hamilton, who was beloved by her co-workers, was a union steward for SEIU Local 73 and worked as a mental health specialist at Cermak Health Services, located on the campus of Cook County Jail, according to a statement from union President Dian Palmer. Our union is devastated over the tragic loss of our dear member and union steward Jennifer Hamilton, Palmer said. For the past four years, Jennifer was a staunch advocate for her patients and for her union sisters and brothers. Jennifer had a sincere passion for her work in mental health. When you spoke with her, you understood her commitment to providing the best care possible for her patients, before and throughout the pandemic, Palmer said in the statement. Her tragic death will be felt by everyone whose lives she touched. Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, who also spoke about the attack, stressed the need for the community to notify authorities if they see signs of domestic violence. Advertisement Hamilton is due back in court on May 18. rsobol@chicagotribune.com The third annual Elevate Rapid City Pro-Business scorecard tracked the votes of area legislators on 14 key bills that Elevate took a stance on during the 2022 Legislative session. The bills focused on three key areas for the organization: pro-business policy, funding and housing. "As campaign season has begun, voters are flooded with messages from candidates. Scorecards are useful fact-based accountability tools that allow voters to see how their representatives voted on issues that are important to them," said a press release from Elevate that accompanied the scorecard. Members of our community are working hard each and every day. Its difficult to invest even more time in engaging with the legislative activity happening in Pierre, said Anna Hays, Elevate's public policy director. Our scorecard is centered around the issues that had the greatest impact on our community. We believe it is a valuable resource for making informed decisions at the polls. Rep. Tim Goodwin of District 30 received the highest marks from Elevate with a 100% "pro-business" vote record and he sponsored a bill for Elevate. Reps. Becky Drury (Dist. 32), Chris Johnson (Dist. 32), and Mike Derby (Dist. 34) all also received 100% on the scorecard as did state Sens. Helene Duhamel (Dist. 32), Mike Diedrich (Dist. 34) and Jessica Castleberry (Dist 35). Sen. David Johnson (Dist. 33) scored a 92% with only a disagreement on SB 182, a bill Elevate opposed that would prohibit discriminatory actions against persons engaged with the firearm industry. Rep. Jess Olson (Dist. 34) received a score of 80% after voting against the economic development group's position on two workforce housing bills. The elected official most likely to oppose Elevate on bills was state Rep. Taffy Howard (Dist. 33), who recently announced a run for Congress. Howard only agreed with Elevate positions 40% of the time. Rep. Tony Randolph (Dist. 35) only supported Elevate positions 44% of the time. Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller (Dist. 33) and Rep. Phil Jensen (Dist. 33) were each in the 60-69% range and Reps. Tina Mulally (Dist. 35) and Trish Ladner (Dist. 30) each scored between 70-79%. Infrastructure, schools, safety and amenities all play a crucial role in creating a community people want to live in, Elevate said in a press release. Without a sound public policy to support growth and improvement in these areas, a community cannot thrive, the organization said. Elevate maintains a full-time presence in Pierre advocating for the regions business community. This is about more than politics. Elevate not only advocates for issues at the legislature but also works towards lasting and productive relationships with our area legislators," Elevate Rapid City President/CEO Tom Johnson said. "The increases in overall scores reflect a growing connection between our legislative contingent and the issues that matter to our local business community. The lowest score threshold has consistently improved over the three years the group has produced legislative scorecards. 2020 0% 2021 23% 2022 40% The bills in the Elevate Scorecard included: HOUSING SB 53 - died* Make a $200M appropriation to increase workforce housing and to declare an emergency. * Legislator votes are based on the bill text considered prior to the hoghouse through Amendment 53K. SB 65 - died HOGHOUSE BILL Delineate uses for the South Dakota housing opportunity fund. HB 1033 - passed HOGHOUSE BILL Expand the eligible projects for the local infrastructure improvement grant fund. APPROPRIATIONS HB 1049 - died Make a $5 million appropriation to the Department of Game, Fish & Parks for building a shooting range in western South Dakota. SB 175 - died HOGHOUSE BILL Make a $5 million appropriation to the Department of Game, Fish & Parks for building a shooting range in western South Dakota. SB 43 - passed Make an $8 million appropriation and authorize the Board of Regents to contract for the design, renovation, and construction of an addition for a health sciences center at Black Hills State University Rapid City. SB 62 - passed Make a $600 million appropriation for eligible water, wastewater, storm water and non-point source projects and to declare an emergency. SB 97 - passed Make a $5.25 million appropriation and authorize the Board of Regents to acquire the incubator building located on the campus of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. SB 115 - died Make a $5.4 million appropriation for quiet zone railway crossings and to declare an emergency. PUBLIC POLICY SB 80 - passed Exempt the provision of electricity through electric vehicle charging stations from the definition of electric utility. SB 114 - died Provide a refund for the contractor's excise tax for certain residential housing projects. SB 162 - passed Revise the discretionary formula for reduced taxation of new structures and residential property. SB 182 - died (Elevate opposed) Prohibit discriminatory actions against persons engaged with the firearm industry. HB 1197 - passed Include certain costs as project costs for tax increment financing districts. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Addiction and substance abuse, an inadequate number of resources available for treatment in South Dakota, poverty and social isolation are at the heart of many crimes committed in the community, Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender said Wednesday. Allender and Police Chief Don Hedrick hosted a press conference at City Hall late Wednesday morning to discuss the state of law enforcement in Rapid City following several public comments concerning a rise in crime during Rapid City Council meetings over the past few weeks. The mayor said some political groups are using misinformation and their own "radical beliefs" in an attempt to mislead the public for their own political gain. Related to (social isolation and its impact) is the division over political issues and ideologies, Allender said. This isnt science, but in all of my recollection, theres never been a time since the past two years where families are divided over politics and friendships are broken and marriages have been put in jeopardy because of political beliefs. The mayor said the pandemic has amplified all of that and created a great conflict within the nation and communities. In addition to the divide, low law enforcement staffing shortages contribute to issues on proactive activity. In an effort to be proactive and to decentralize some police resources, Hedrick said the department will open a north Rapid City substation near North Maple Street and Knollwood Drive this summer. He said the department signed the lease in April. Were excited about that because we can really focus and help a neighborhood that needs resources, needs assistance from us, he said. There were 15 homicides in Rapid City in 2021, a 25% increase over 2020s 12 homicides and a handful of which occurred in the North Maple and Knollwood area. Hedrick said the department has been asked for support in the area. He said with the substation, theyll be able to start things like a neighborhood watch and hold community meetings. He also said it would allow the department to identify community leaders who can help. I think the more good people that we can bring in to stand together against the violence in that neighborhood, the better, and thats what were gonna continue to try and do, Hedrick said. He said the substation, along with the location at the mall, is a type of test to see if a north precinct would work and to have a foothold in the area. Some of the comments during city council meetings included concern about a rise in gang activity. Hedrick said there are people the department encounters upon arrest that claim gang activity and its something they note and keep track of. Since Ive worked here, weve had individuals that claim gang affiliation and we take that into (consideration) because if somebody is saying they are and believes they are and they walk the walk, we have to treat that seriously, he said. Although the number of homicides increased in Rapid City, the number of aggravated assaults, robberies and sexual assaults decreased in the area. The city saw 453 aggravated assaults, a 9.76% decrease from 2020s 502; 76 robberies, a 28.3% decrease from 2020s 106; and 686 sexual assaults, a 6.58% decrease from 2020s 152. Hedrick said all of the cases peaked in 2020, which was a national trend. While Rapid City saw a decline in many of the crimes in 2021, major cities like Denver and Minneapolis saw an increase. Sioux Falls reported an increase in rape cases, burglary, theft and stolen vehicles, but those crimes decreased in Rapid City. He said over the past three years, the city had 29 homicides and the department was able to clear all but four of those. He said the four cases that havent been cleared are still an active work in progress. He said of those 29, 26 appear to have a tie to either alcohol or drugs, and in some situations both. Allender said a lot of treatment services for substance abuse and addiction, such as the Care Campus and Crisis Stabilization Unit that will open later this year, were established over the last 10 years and many in the last five. It is a tip of the iceberg because its still not looking globally, all of these resources many of these resources I should say are designed to deal with a problem that is occurring right now and not geared toward preventing a problem in the future, Allender said. He said the root of the issue is complicated, but many of the cases related to substance abuse can be attributed to childhood trauma and childhood experiences. He said a few years ago, the city tried to initiate a childhood education program. Allender said thats been slow to get off the starting line in South Dakota. He said the current environment, whether its policy makers or citizens, is not favorable for planning the future that way. He said the right environment can be created by accepting the data that exists on issues like early childhood education and to look at the states who have adopted programs. I think this is part of increasing your personal standard, increasing your view of these issues is important, he said. We can get by doing things just the way were doing them until were gone off this planet, but someone else is going to be stuck holding that back. Its our responsibility to make sure that were planning for the future, to lessen the burden on society. Allender said he sees an underinvestment from the state in terms of treatment facilities, and communities are manufacturing criminals. He said it has to do with parenting and the home environment. Allender said its predictable, and officers can point to a house where children are raising themselves, parents are uninvolved, where theres high incidents of sexual, physical and substance abuse, and the child is extremely disadvantaged come out into the community. He said South Dakota has the highest percentage of working mothers, which leads to putting extra pressure on day care facilities and other child support services. Allender said a common denominator for those who oppose early childhood education is so-called conservative values. There seems to be a feeling that you cannot be conservative and support early childhood education because early childhood education is socialist, or its liberal or its something else, he said. Ill tell you what it is. Its expensive. Its expensive and it takes police officers dealing with generation after generation with hordes of kids who grew up raising themselves and are now part of the system. This is unsustainable, and weve got to stop it. Allender said if people feel like they dont have time for their children, there are resources and systems available. Theres treatment for those who struggle with addiction and different environments for the children, and people can support law enforcement. He also said people need to stop politicizing crime and reject politicized conspiracies about crime. 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 1 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The subject matter discussed by the Rapid City Human Relations Commission-Mniluzahan Okolakiciyapi Ambassadors makes me uncomfortable. Maybe Noem should ban it. To the people complaining about Rapid City growing, we cannot stop people from moving to Rapid City and complaining about it does nothing. You have options. South Dakota is a rural state. There are many less populated areas to live. The two cents comment that the lady simply called out a group that thinks it's acceptable for one of them to commit murder appalled me. I am shocked the Journal would publish such a comment when I know they reject much less controversial statements. Intimidating businesses into underwriting the blatant racism of the NDN Collective is already beginning to backfire. Many who care less about having the universal used for everything label applied to them strongly agree with Tonchi Weaver and Uhre family. We see the Ukranians willing to fight to their death for freedom. This should give us pause and be a reminder of what we so flippant take for granted in our own country. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Episode 37: Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk about recent calls by former President Barack Obama for technology companies to better protect the public from polarizing falsehoods online and whether billionaire Elon Musk's plans for Twitter are helpful. Next, they discuss whether it's ethical to cancel all things Russian in the wake of that country's brutal attack on Ukraine. And in the third segment, they look at a recent study that shows why a company's culture is critical to keep its best employees. Subscribe to this podcast at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Links to stories discussed during the podcast: Obama says tech companies have made democracy more vulnerable, by Elizabeth Dwoskin and Eugene Scott of The Washington Post Obamas plans to fight disinformation are better than most, Casey Newton, Platformer '2020 changed everything': How misinformation of 2020 is shaping 2022 elections, by Amanda Seitz, The Associated Press The profound irony of canceling everything Russian, by Kevin M.F. Platt, The New York Times La Crosse City Council issues support for Ukraine, removes Russian flags from city facilities, by Olivia Herken, La Crosse Tribune Heres why the best workers leave companies, while the worst ones stay, by Jason Feifer Office frustrations more likely to cause proactive employees to leave; less proactive employees will take it, by Tom Snee, the University of Iowa About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Fresh from resolving a funding dispute with the citys school division, the Richmond City Council is entering another education policy debate that could impact where children attend school, potentially reigniting smoldering tensions between officials. At a news conference Thursday where several city leaders criticized the Richmond School Board for failing to pass a rezoning plan for River City Middle School, which is overcrowded by about 100 students, Councilwoman Ellen Robertson said she wants the city to mandate school rezoning across the district if classrooms at any school exceed a certain size. A year after the School Board voted to wrest control of school construction from the city administration, the controversy over the middle school rezoning is once again raising questions about the independence of the school divisions governing body. I charge us to make it a policy that as long as we have capacity within the school system, that no classroom will be over a certain number. And we will mandate that zoning is done to accomplish that, Robertson said. Were going to make that policy decision, she added. We will not go away until thats achieved. The School Board voted 5-4 on Monday against the rezoning plan for River City Middle. Those who opposed it said they felt that Superintendent Jason Kamras administration did not provide enough information about the operational costs and logistics of moving approximately 450 of the schools students to three different schools. School Board member Jonathan Young, who voted against the plan and also raised concerns about the reduction of open enrollment slots for specialty programs at the other middle schools, said he welcomes collaboration with the council and city administration but questioned their intentions. Some of what is materializing is not well informed, he said. Robertson said she and other officials still need to shape the specifics of her proposal and suggested that limits on classroom size could change depending on grade levels. In an interview later Thursday, Robertson tried to soften the policy she described earlier, saying that the mandate would include a requirement that the city provide enough resources for the school division to prevent overcrowded classrooms. I cant supersede the law. [The School Board] makes their own policies, she said. Our mandate would be to provide for class sizes that generate the quality of education we want in the city. The Virginia Department of Education has standards for maximum classroom sizes and teacher-student ratios. The size and ratios range depending on grade levels, but the maximum is 35 students in grades four through six. Sarah Abubaker, a spokesperson for Richmond Public Schools, said classes at River City Middle School are in line with the state guidelines, but that the total student population there exceeds the buildings capacity. Robertsons policy proposal comes after a prolonged conflict where the City Council had withheld funding for the construction of a new George Wythe High School for several months until school leaders recently agreed to a compromise regarding the size of the new school. School Board member Kenya Gibson, who championed the so-called Schools Building Schools resolution last year, challenged Robertsons policy proposal, calling it a top-down, unfunded mandate. We serve on a democratically elected school board, operating in the context of decades of defunding, she said. Its our responsibility to address rezoning in a way that meets the needs of our city, and the feverish response doesnt serve that purpose it inhibits it. Councilwoman Kristen Nye, a former School Board member, concurred. Thats a gross overreach, she said of the policy Robertson described at Thursdays news conference. We are not the parents of the School Board. And frankly, we have enough things in the city that are not working that we need to focus on. For council to start setting policy about how to run schools is ridiculous. Councilman Michael Jones, who represents the area where River City Middle School is located and called the news conference Thursday, said state law could restrict the city from passing a mandate on the school division. Still, he said he feels compelled to act because constituents have brought concerns about school overcrowding to his office, and suggested that a nonbinding resolution could be an alternative to a mandate. We want them to do their jobs better, he said of the School Board. When they neglect that, I will use whatever means are at my disposal to resolve the issue. Chesterfield Countys redistricting plan has received the green light from the Virginia Attorney Generals Office after months of back and forth. The county received a certification of no objection on April 20 from the Attorney Generals Office of Civil Rights. In mid-January, the Attorney Generals Office, then under the direction of Mark Herring, rejected the redistricting plan because of questionable changes. Chesterfield sat on the rejection until Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares took office in January and asked him to overturn the decision. The plan affects Chesterfields districts for the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. After a spate of letter swapping, including the county answering a series of questions to defend its redistricting moves, the Attorney General sent a letter of satisfaction to the county on April 20. During the redistricting process last fall, the countys NAACP branch, the county Democratic committee and residents criticized the countys map for racial and political gerrymandering. The April 20 AG letter states the countys changes do not appear to deny to abridge the right to vote based on race, color or membership in a language minority group and that the changes do not appear to result in the retrogression in the position of members of a racial or ethnic group with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise. Under these facts, we find no reason to object to the County of Chesterfields proposed changes to its voting practices, according to the letter obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. An analysis of voting patterns by The Times-Dispatch showed the countys proposal would help the boards four Republican incumbents on the Board of Supervisors and sole Democrat by adding favorable voters to their districts. Residents, the NAACP and the Democratic committee expressed concern in the fall that the county map looked to pack Black residents into the Dale District the countys single majority-minority district and where the sole Black member of the Board of Supervisors resides. In November, supervisors approved the redistricting plan in a 4-1 vote, with Dales supervisor, Jim Holland, as the sole no vote. Legally required once a decade following new census numbers, redistricting looks to cut the county into similar-sized pieces. Chesterfields population grew by nearly 50,000 in the past decade for a total of 365,000 residents. Richmond-area agencies have joined forces to create the Metro Richmond Spike Alert, which would notify residents of increases in opioid overdoses in hopes of preventing future deaths through awareness. Announced Wednesday by Richmond and Henricos health districts, the initiative would signal the presence of illegal or diverted prescription drugs in the community that are more potent or more likely to cause an overdose and put data already monitored by localities to use. For those who sign up, the alert offers life-saving education information, said Lauren Herschler, opioid outreach coordinator with Chesterfield Countys mental health support services. We want to make sure folks are informed on overdose spikes in the region, what makes a person more vulnerable to overdose, signs of an overdose, how to respond, and where to access free naloxone, Herschler continued. The COVID-19 pandemic drove opioid overdoses to record highs nationwide, fueling an already incalculable death toll as support services dwindled and people were avoiding seeking medical care. Residents across Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and Richmond experienced a 40% increase in overdose deaths between 2019 and 2020, according to local data. Thats 430 people killed because of opioids, which can include heroin, synthetics such as fentanyl or prescription pain relievers like oxycodone. When the opioid crisis was declared a statewide public health emergency in 2016, Richmond had the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in the area. By 2020, the figure was 1.6 times higher and at 43 opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, according to Virginia Department of Health data. The statewide death rate was 12.8. The highest fatality rates were among 25-to-34-year-old Virginians. Many families have experienced tragedy from an opioid overdose that could have been prevented, said Captain Michael Roth, supervisor of emergency medical services for Henrico County Division of Fire. Spike alerts provide life-saving information that can help prevent these immeasurable losses. While demographics are not available for every locality, county health rankings released on Thursday showed Black Virginians in some cities and counties are facing the highest death rates from opioid overdoses of any racial or ethnic group. In the initial years of the epidemic, the crisis was largely affecting white Americans. Potential solutions to help abate the rise in overdose deaths will likely need further action from policymakers to increase access to evidence-based care for substance use disorders, pain and harm reduction measures, read a report from the American Medical Association in a brief last updated Feb. 15. One step was taken in 2021, when Virginia became the first state in the U.S. to establish an opioid abatement fund, which allows the commonwealth to use the money secured from opioid settlements to financially support efforts aimed at preventing the misuse of opioids. Richmond and Henricos health districts also offer free training on how to recognize signs of an overdose and to respond using naloxone. The health agency also offers free fentanyl test strips to detect whether fentanyl is present in pills or other drugs. For more information, visit vdh.virginia.gov. People who are interested in receiving these alerts can sign up at rhhd.gov/spikealert. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will ask Congress for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, two administration officials said Thursday, a big boost in U.S. efforts to bolster Kyiv in an intensifying war that's showing no signs of ending anytime soon. Biden's latest proposal which the officials said was expected to last for five months has more than $20 billion in military assistance for Ukraine and for bolstering defenses in nearby countries. There is also $8.5 billion in economic aid to help keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government functioning and $3 billion for food and humanitarian programs to help civilians and other spending, said the officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. The proposal would more than double the initial $13.6 billion package of defense and economic aid for Ukraine and Western allies that Congress enacted last month. It seemed to signal a long-term U.S. commitment to staving off Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to expand his nation's control of its neighbor, and perhaps beyond. The request comes with the fighting, now in its ninth week, sharpening in eastern and southern parts of the country and international tensions growing as Russia cuts off gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria. There is wide, bipartisan support in Congress for giving Ukraine all the assistance it needs to fight the Russians, and its eventual approval seems certain. But Biden and congressional Democrats also want lawmakers to approve billions more to battle the pandemic, and that along with a Republican push to entangle the measure with an extension of some Trump-era immigration restrictions leaves the proposal's pathway to enactment unclear. Biden was also asking Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs. Full story and Russia-Ukraine coverage here: *** PHOTO GALLERY The Archdiocese of Chicago has settled sex abuse claims for $800,000 against five clergymen, including the Rev. George Clements, a well-known Catholic priest and civil rights activist who died in 2019 at 87, according to a settlement document and the lawyer handling the case. Clements was a prominent and sometimes controversial figure in Chicago, recognized for his civil rights work and social justice advocacy. He was known as the first Catholic priest to adopt a child, eventually adopting four sons. His life inspired a made-for-TV movie, The Father Clements Story, that aired in 1987. Advertisement He served as pastor at Holy Angels Parish in the Bronzeville neighborhood from 1969 to 1991, marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi and was the second Black priest to be ordained in the Chicago Archdiocese. He also served in a number of other Chicago-area parishes, including St. Ambrose Parish from July 6, 1957, to July 6, 1962; and St. Dorothy Parish from July 7, 1962, to June 19, 1969. Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, asked Clements to step aside from active ministry in 2019 due to an allegation of sex abuse of a minor that occurred in 1974 while he was pastor of Holy Angels Parish. Advertisement Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston-based attorney who represents the plaintiffs, said the settlement stemmed from an investigation and mediation. Because the claim fell outside of the statute of limitations, a lawsuit was not filed. Garabedian said the abuse claim was from about 1974 to 1979 when the child was 7 to 12 years old while Clements was assigned to Holy Angels Church. The Rev. George Clements during a service in Chicago on Jan. 28, 1991. (Fred Jewell / AP) The archdiocese did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, which was filed in February, according to the document. A spokesperson for the archdiocese said it does not comment on lawsuits, claims or settlements. The Archdiocese also settled claims against Brother Edward Courtney, the Rev. Michael Weston, the Rev. Daniel Holihan and the Rev. Joseph Fitzharris. Courtney was a teacher at Leo High School on the South Side. The settlement involved a claim of abuse of a victim of around 14 or 15 in 1970 to 1971 in the school, Garabedian said. Weston was accused of abusing a 13-year-old in 1978 while assigned to St. Julie Billiarts Church in Tinley Park, Holihan, a 6- or 7-year-old in the 1960s while assigned to St. Aloysius Church in Chicago, and Fitzharris, a 12-year-old in 1975 while assigned to St. Fidelis Church in Chicago. Holihan and Fitzharris have been named in previous settlements, according to Tribune archives. Each individual settlement claim was in the low six figures, Garabedian said. He called on Cupich to add Clements to the archdioceses public list of clergymen who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. Advertisement It is an honor and privilege to represent clergy sexual abuse victims who are changing the world for the better by reporting clergy sexual abuse, he said. mabuckley@chicagotribune.com Were now a bit more than a week past Give Roanoke, a one-day giving campaign to help some of the neediest citizens in our valley, and the organizations serving them. That occurred April 20. The event pulled in $307,337 from 2,006 donors for 105 different nonprofits. So lets give it a big round of applause. Everyone involved should feel proud, because $300,000 in one day is nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand, this years take was a fraction of the haul from similar efforts in recent years. Last years Roanoke Valley Day of Giving pulled in more than $1 million for human service and cultural organizations, and in 2020 the amount raised was more than $700,000. Those efforts were spearheaded by the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Virginia. It organized day-of-giving efforts for years, which built upon themselves year over year. But the foundation is no longer organizing the effort. When area nonprofits last fall learned there might not be a Day of Giving in 2022, they asked the nonprofit Council of Community Services to step into the breach, said council President Anne Marie Green. For whatever reason, [the foundation] decided they didnt want to continue the Day of Giving for the Roanoke Valley. It was a business decision, Green said. The council changed the event name to Give Roanoke, and set up a website, GiveRoanoke.org. They worked with GiveGab, a national fundraising company that charged no fee for its services this year, because 2022 was the councils first mass fundraising day effort. They were amazing, Green said. Ive never seen a for-profit company work that hard for free. Also helping get the word out were local sponsors, such as Freedom First Credit Union, Roanoke Valley Orthodontics, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Access Advertising and Public Relations. The result was 105 participating nonprofits were able to use a single online platform to solicit donations that could be earmarked for their particular do-gooding outfits. Below are some of the fundraising leaders from that effort: The Orchard Hills Achievement Center in Botetourt County, which runs day care, summer enrichment and homework help programs for children, raised $25,000 from 90 donors. Angels of Assisi in Roanoke, which provides health care for stray animals and helps them get adopted, pulled in $15,328. The Local Office on Aging in Roanoke, which provides nutrition and other services for low-income adults, brought in just under $14,000 from 77 donors. I learned about Give Roanoke in an email a couple of weeks ago from a friend, Tom Kennedy, who used to run a local radio station. Now hes one of the people answering phones for 211 Virginia, a statewide information and referral service that helps coordinate people in need with government agencies and nonprofits that can help. 211 Virginia (operated by the Council of Community Services) was one of fundraisers beneficiary agencies. As of Wednesday afternoon, Kennedy had fielded 533 calls this month alone from people who were desperate for one reason or another. A common theme is lack of money, he said. The ones that really bother me are families with young children, he said, terming the kids collateral victims of societys injustices. Its children who dont have an adequate place to live, even if only temporarily. Or children in need of adequate nutrition. Or kids who come home from school and find their electricitys been turned off, and they dont understand why, Kennedy said. The outfit I work for is now handling over 12,000 calls a month, Kennedy wrote in his fundraising plea. I do know the goodness in your hearts and souls. Please help, he wrote. Kennedys letter brought in $1,375 for the council, which altogether raised $7,653 from 101 donors through the fundraising platform. The money will help people make their rent (and avoid evictions), or obtain health care or counseling or other services. The need out there is tremendous, Kennedy said. 211 Virginia has just under 20 operators like Kennedy fielding calls from around the commonwealth. All of us are averaging 30 to 45 calls per day. Another top fundraiser from Give Roanoke was the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center. Its in southwest Roanoke County at the end of Coleman Road, which intersects with U.S. 221 in the Cave Spring area. Sabrina Garvin, executive director of the wildlife center, said it scored $15,000 through the online platform, counting donors who wrote old-fashioned checks on the side, rather than give online. It means a lot, she said. Right now as you know, were still in the midst of a long-running court case. The wildlife center and Roanoke County are being sued by a couple of its neighbors who believe the county illegally approved an expansion at the wildlife center. The legal battle involves multiple lawsuits that have taken different turns in various courts. The Supreme Court of Virginia recently heard one of those cases but hasnt yet issued a decision. Although legal fees have been a principal need in recent years as the cases have dragged on, the wildlife center has plenty of needs that go beyond lawyers, Garvin added. One is repairing cages that, as theyve been used, have become compromised. Another is to establish an isolation building for birds, to assess whether theyve been infected with avian influenza. A third and recent need is a new roof. No doubt, therell be other needs that arise between now and next year, both for the wildlife center and other agencies that benefited from Give Roanoke 2022. Im sure well be doing it next year, and raising even more, Green said. Contact metro columnist Dan Casey at 981-3423 or dan.casey@roanoke.com . Follow him on Twitter: @dancaseysblog Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An automobile shredding operation in Franklin County allowed wastewater to leak from its landfill, according to an enforcement action taken by environmental regulators. OmniSource will pay a $28,245 fine under an agreement with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Problems at the business on U.S. 220 south of Rocky Mount have been corrected, and there was no documentation of lasting environmental harm. A consent order posted to DEQs website states that fluff waste fabrics, plastics, foam, rubber, and leather that was removed from the interiors of the junked vehicles before they were shredded was dumped into an adjacent landfill. In January 2019, an unannounced inspection by the agency found that recent heavy rains had caused seepage and ponding of leachate, or water that has percolated through solids buried in a landfill and may contain hazardous materials. Although the leachate had not been captured by the landfills drainage system, there was no evidence that it reached a nearby stream, an unnamed tributary of the South Fork of Little Chestnut Creek, according to DEQ. The inspection found that runoff control systems were not properly maintained. Efforts to reach OmniSource officials were unsuccessful Wednesday and Thursday. It was at least the second time in recent years that the business has encountered problems with its landfill. A DEQ inspection in 2014 found that leachate was overflowing from concrete tanks and seeping from a pipe used to collect the wastewater. OmniSource agreed to pay a $13,000 fine in that case. A small group of veterans gathered Thursday outside the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center to voice their concerns over the proposed closure of the hospital. The United Black Veterans Society of Virginia staged the event and invited personnel from the hospital to address veteran questions directly. Retired U.S. Army Maj. Deborah Saunders said she worries the VA is trying to replace a full-service hospital with a smaller facility and outpatient clinics. She said some veterans in her organization are elderly, homeless or without transportation. Closing the hospital, which is on a Valley Metro bus line, could limit the access of veterans, especially minority veterans, who have no other means to access their care. We served the country, she said. We didnt serve it in bits and pieces like community based outpatient clinics and satellites. We served in full capacity, signed our life on the line with the understanding that facilities like this one here were designated for us to go to get our health care. Dr. Thomas Martin, deputy chief of staff, emphasized to the group that the proposal is only a recommendation and any changes would take decades to complete. The closure of the current hospital would only occur after services were available elsewhere, he said. It is specifically aimed at realigning resources throughout the country and throughout VA to make sure that all veterans in all areas have access to care, Martin said. This is not simply a closing of the Salem VA Medical Center as we know it. It is not a done deal. The Department of Veterans Affairs released a list of recommendations March 14 for modernizing the health care system at its facilities across the country. Because of decreasing veteran enrollment in the area and the age of the VA hospital in Salem, the department recommended building a new medical center in Roanoke and closing the existing hospital, which employs nearly 1,800 on an extensive campus of land and buildings. The new facility would provide inpatient mental health services, outpatient services, a residential rehabilitation treatment program and a community living center. Inpatient medical and surgical, emergency department and outpatient surgical services that the VA currently provides would be done through a sharing agreement or lease with another provider. If that kind of collaboration proves to be impossible, VA would utilize community providers instead. Under these recommendations, the VA Medical Center in Salem would close. The report also recommended building a new community based outpatient clinic in Bedford, where a large concentration of veterans must drive more than 30 minutes to access a VA health facility. Another veteran at the event, Randy Holman, said he supported the closure of the VA hospital. He suffered a shoulder injury and said he received inadequate care at the facility that left him with limited mobility in his arm. He said the facility has not always provided the best care for veterans and he wanted to see expanded access to civilian hospitals. Theres been nothing but lack of treatment at the VA, Holman said. They have never taken proper care of the veterans. If I could afford it, I would never step through the gates of this VA ever again. The Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission, a presidentially appointed body, will conduct public hearings and review the departments recommendations before submitting its own to President Joe Biden. The president has until the end of March 2023 to approve or disapprove of the recommendations. After that, recommendations are sent to Congress, which will have 45 days to reject them. If no action is taken, they will be considered approved. Implementation of the approved recommendations could span decades as congressional funding fluctuates and the details of the plan are implemented. 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. BOONES MILL Its been about six months since Boones Mill turned its water and wastewater utility system over to the Western Virginia Water Authority, and Town Manager B.T. Fitzpatrick said its already proven to be one of the best decisions the town council has ever made. Fitzpatrick said water and sewer bills have dropped for a majority of town residents following the systems acquisition by the water authority. It depended on whether they were sewer only, water only or water and sewer, Fitzpatrick said. ...We had in town customers and we had out of town customers and the out of town customers were paying a flat fee of $20 plus whatever they were using, because they were outside the town. Theyve seen significant reduction thats $20 off their bills automatically. That, coupled with the switch to the authoritys water and sewer rates, are the reasons customer bills may be lower. Also a factor in the acquisition was the cost incurred by the town to run its own water and wastewater systems. The town didnt have enough customers to cover the cost of operating the system. It had gotten so expensive to continue to operate we were losing money for the past five years, Fitzpatrick said at an April 20 comprehensive planning input meeting. Fitzpatrick said the town was losing between $35,000 and $40,000 annually. The water authority officially acquired the towns system on Nov. 1, but the authority had been operating the system for the town since July 2018. We immediately started receiving comments about how much better the quality of the water was, how much more dependable it was. We had I think five different sewer collapses that were fixed, Fitzpatrick said. As council got to see how well the authority was doing in maintaining and managing the system...council finally decided to sell the system. Fitzpatrick said the acquisition allowed the town to eliminate nearly $500,000 in debt service, freeing up enough money for a capital improvement budget. Weve never had that before, Fitzpatrick said. The path taken by Boones Mill may have appeal for other localities. The town of Vinton in Roanoke County is on track to hand its water system over to the authority on July 1. At its Thursday, April 21 meeting, the water authority board approved a resolution to acquire Vintons system. This is the biggest merger or acquisition weve ever done, Michael McEvoy, water authority executive director, said during the April 21 board meeting. Were increasing our customer base by 8.5%. Boones Mill and Vinton arent the first to opt for acquisition. According to information on the water authoritys website, it added Franklin and Botetourt counties in 2009 and 2015, respectively, and currently contracts to operate systems in the town of Fincastle in Botetourt County. In 2004, the city of Roanoke and Roanoke County consolidated their water and wastewater operations, forming the water authority. Based in Roanoke, the water authority is funded by ratepayers. 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 Bristol, Virginia police officer didnt need to testify on the final day of his murder trial to get the verdict he wanted. The tense, weeklong trial came to a close Wednesday when a jury found Officer Johnathan Brown not guilty nearly a year after he was indicted by a grand jury. Browns attorney Heather Howard told the jury in her closing argument that Brown shot and killed Jonathen Kohler, a Bristol, Tennessee, man, on March 30, 2021, because he had no choice when Kohler used his car to flee toward the officer. Brown, 32, was one of four Bristol, Virginia, police officers who responded to the Rodeway Inn on Euclid Avenue around 3:20 a.m. for multiple calls of shots fired and found Kohler, 31, seated in the drivers seat of his parked car. As Kohler was contacted and being questioned by officers, who testified to having reasonable suspicion Kohler was the shooter, he decided to try to flee the parking lot toward Brown, who fired his rifle six times. Kohler suffered gunshot wounds to the head and neck. He died almost immediately and crashed into a parked car. The defense claimed Brown acted in self-defense and in accordance with his training, while prosecutors argued that he was too aggressive and acted unlawfully. In Wednesdays closing arguments, Howard was critical of the governments handling of the case, stating that the commonwealth rushed to indict Brown before the investigation was complete. Howard called the prosecutors case against Brown a trial of insinuation filled with smoke and mirrors and red herrings intended to distract the jury. Howard also criticized the commonwealth for calling only six witnesses to testify, despite the prosecutor stating they subpoenaed 50 witnesses. The defense called 11 witnesses the prosecutors didnt, Howard said, including the three officers who witnessed the shooting. It was later determined by investigators that Kohler did have a loaded firearm under his seat as officers questioned him and that he was the one who fired the shots in the motel parking lot that prompted the police response. Texts revealed Kohler, who had additional magazines and rounds of ammunition in the car, threatened to shoot up the motel. Kohler also had a toxic level of methamphetamine in his blood, a toxicologist testified. Evidence showed Brown had half a second to decide to pull the trigger 5 feet from the car after it starting moving toward him. Roanoke Commonwealth Attorney Donald Caldwell served as special prosecutor in the case. One of these days Ill get back to writing about a subject other than World War II, but I couldnt let this week pass without saying a few words about Chuck Neighbor. Chuck, a quiet humble man who in his youth stormed the beaches of Normandy to face down Nazism, died this past weekend at 97. I knew the D-Day veteran and Roanoke Valley resident for probably 15 years or so, but it would be presumptuous of me to claim I was his good friend. An admirer, perhaps, but I doubt I talked to him more than a dozen times in all those years. Still, the man meant a lot to me. I first met Chuck at a dinner for World War II vets to which Id also been invited, and I recognized the name on his tag. I introduced myself and said I appreciated his role in history and wanted to hear more about his wartime service. Over the years we encountered each other periodically, pretty much always in some commemoration of WWII, and I always told him it was an honor to be with him. Because it was. Chuck was a Kansas native who was drafted to do his part and who ended up in Co. E, 116th Regiment, 29th Division. In his wartime photos, he looked like a studious bookworm; but on D-Day, he had to be a warrior. His job was to operate a flamethrower. Picture the carnage of Omaha Beach; now imagine enduring it with an 80-pound tank of flammable chemicals on your back. Somehow, the flamethrower didnt work; he never got to use it. Obviously Chuck survived that day, but the 29ers fight at St. Lo nearly got him. He got his first Purple Heart there; after recuperating he returned to his unit to earn another. He finished his time in the Army in the occupation forces, a warrior who had won. I dont know much about Chucks postwar life, but it seemed to be like so many others. He took off his uniform and got to work. He married, raised kids, paid taxes, shook his head at the 6 oclock news. Years later, he worked with his friend Bob Slaughter to get the National D-Day Memorial built and attended many events there. Compelled to tell his story and keep his buddies memories alive, he wrote a wartime biography called One Mans War Story. On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, no less than the vice president of the United States quoted Chuck as an authority on what it was like on those beaches that day. When I was a kid, I gave little thought to World War II veterans. They were everywhere; every older guy I knew had served in the war: my dad (U.S. Navy), by uncle (U.S. Army), my first boss, serious-looking gentlemen at church. As I aged (and I always say you only start to appreciate history when you get old enough to remember some of it), I realized what these men and women had accomplished, and how little credit they were willing to take for it. Allow me to use some words from the notable historian Stephen Ambrose as a requiem for Chuck, and his 16 million brothers and sisters in arms, so few of whom are still with us. Summing up his book Citizen Soldiers, Ambrose wrote: these were the men who built modern America. They had learned to work together in the armed services in World War II. They had seen enough destruction; they wanted to construct they had seen enough killing; they wanted to save lives they had learned in the army the virtues of a solid organization and teamwork, and the value of individual initiative, inventiveness, and responsibility the ex-GIs had seen enough war; they wanted peace. But they had also seen the evil of dictatorship; they wanted freedom When the GIs sailed for Europe, they were coming to the continent not as conquerors but liberators. In his Order of the Day on June 6, 1944, Eisenhower had told them their mission was: The destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. They accomplished that mission At the core, the American citizen soldiers knew the difference between right and wrong, and they didnt want to live in a world in which wrong prevailed. So they fought, and won, and we all of us, living and yet to be born, must be forever profoundly grateful. Thank you, Chuck. Long is a historian, writer and educator from Salem. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. " " Scientists believe that megamasers occur when galaxies collide, producing new stars and feeding massive black holes. NASA Goddard If there's one thing we know for sure about our universe, it's that we actually know relatively little about it. Every year, astronomers discover new objects and phenomena; sometimes these are quite close to Earth, such as a surprising asteroid that goes whizzing by, and other times they are as distant as anything we've ever observed in our few centuries of peering starward. In April 2022, astronomers made headlines for detecting a phenomenon that occurred roughly 5 billion years ago and traveled some 36 thousand billion billion miles (58 thousand billion billion kilometers) to reach the telescopes that measured it, according to a statement by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), based in Perth, Australia. The record-breaking object observed by the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa was named "Nkalakatha" (pronounced ng-kuh-la-kuh-tah) an isiZulu word meaning big boss. Best of all, the official name for these phenomena is really cool as well: megamaser. No, it's not a super villain; though it certainly sounds like one. Instead, megamasers are a fascinating fact of life in the universe. Advertisement Maser? I Hardly Know Her! Before we get into megamasers, it helps to understand what a "regular" maser is. Strictly speaking, a maser is a device that produces electromagnetic waves, much like a laser; the "m" in maser stands for microwave, as the first masers produced electromagnetic waves in the microwave region of the light spectrum. The first maser was built in 1953, and several scientists were awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in physics for the groundwork that made that first maser possible. Since then, scientists have been able to build masers outside the microwave region of the spectrum, including in the radio and infrared parts of the spectrum. This has made masers useful as microwave amplifiers in radio telescopes and deep space spacecraft communication ground stations. However, when we speak about masers and space, there's another way to define the term. An astrophysical maser is a naturally occurring emission. In short, it's a burst of "light," though not visible light, as masers are usually in the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Advertisement Herald of Galactic Collisions While you may never have heard of a megamaser, astronomers have been measuring them since the late 1970s. The first extragalactic maser (measured from outside the Milky Way) was observed in 1977. By the mid-1990s, several megamasers had been discovered, so named because of how luminous they were to observers using the right tools to spot them. Scientists continue to research megamasers, as it is believed they occur when galaxies collide events that have become less common in the history of our universe over the billions of years of its existence. "When two galaxies like the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy collide, beams of light shoot out from the collision and can be seen at cosmological distances. [M]egamasers act like bright lights that say: Here is a collision of galaxies that is making new stars and feeding massive black holes," explains Jeremy Darling, a megamaser expert and professor of astrophysical and planetary sciences at the University of Colorado. These astrophysical phenomena are unique, and astronomers continue to peer further into our universal history to find them. The oldest megamaser ever measured, estimated to have been emitted some 5-6 billion years ago, is the one observed in 2022 from the radio telescope in South Africa. While the physics behind them can be a bit challenging to wrap your head around, it's safe to say that astronomers will continue to discover these heralds of galactic collisions as our astronomical tools get better at peering further into the universe. Now That's Interesting Megamaser is a cool name, but it's more than just an adjective: Megamasers are typically 100 million times brighter than the masers we've observed within our own Milky Way. Likewise, kilomaser is used to describe masers outside the Milky Way that are thousands of times stronger and gigamaser is used to describe masers billions of times stronger than the average maser in the Milky Way. A high school student was dead on the scene when an Amtrak train hit him Thursday morning in the Logan Square neighborhood, authorities said. The boy, 17, was on train tracks near Armitage and Springfield avenues when Union Station-bound Amtrak Train 332 hit him about 9:35 a.m., according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt and Amtrak. Advertisement The boy, of Westmont, died of multiple injuries from being hit by the train and his death was ruled a suicide, according to the Cook County medical examiners office on Friday. Railroad personnel on the scene where a high school student died near Armitage and Springfield avenues when Union Station-bound Amtrak Train 332 hit him Thursday morning. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) He was trespassing on tracks operated by Metra about 5 miles west of Union Station when he came in contact with the train, which was coming from Milwaukee, according to Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman. Advertisement None of the 105 passengers or crew members were injured and Amtrak is working with police, Metra and the medical examiners office, Magliari said. The situation caused delays and cancellations to Amtrak and Metra trains. Train 332 was terminated and the passengers were taken to their destination by a Metra train, according to Magliari. Normal Amtrak service was expected to resume later Thursday afternoon, while inbound and outbound Metra trains may be operating up to 30 minutes behind schedule, according to a service alert on Metras website, which added customers should expect minor residual delays. rsobol@chicagotribune.com HARTSVILLE, S.C Bryson Caldwell said he is young in age, old at heart, wise in spirit and believes he is the new energy that has what it takes to represent the District 62 seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Caldwell, a 27-year-old Hartsville native, is a Democrat and is the president of Caldwell Insurance Consultants LLC. He is a member of the Hartsville City Council. He said his priority is to progress the state forward by investing in infrastructure, improving roads and stormwater systems, revitalizing the community through education, and more importantly, creating programs to combat the rise of crime. Caldwell said one of his main focuses is violence. He said legislators must support law enforcement officers and agencies by pushing prevention programs rather than authoring a bill after a tragedy. Caldwell said proactive measures need to be taken for the rise in crime and gun violence. Caldwell said he is qualified for the position because he has extensive knowledge as an insurance consultant and strategic marketing specialist, and has experience in business serving clientele locally, regionally, and nationally. Caldwell said he is a big advocate for technical skills and believes he can bring a spark of new energy to the workforce through technical skills and trades. Caldwell said he understands that constituents may be hesitant to elect a new face because of the longstanding history with Rep. Robert Williams. Great things have been done in the community and that is non negotiable, he said. ``But there is more that we can do. With new energy and with a new mind, I believe this is the time to take a chance with someone who is on fire for what this community can be in the years to come. Caldwell said that he will put in the time and effort. I want to show people that this is a district where you dont have to leave to be successful, he said. This district is a place where you can live, work, have an excellent education and be safe. I want to encourage others to follow suit, but it must first start at home. Caldwell said he was inspired to run because the pandemic changed his view on life. The pandemic showed me that tomorrow is not promised, he said. The tradition is to wait and when a person says they are done you try, but I knew when I lost a family member last year that was involved in my life for the past 27 years that time does not wait. I lost the person who was my last everything. Ola Mae Bishop stepped in after my mother died. When she died, it was that moment that I understood that tomorrow is not promised because I was not prepared. I realized that waiting to use talent or waiting to expose a gift is pointless. Some of the best gifts and talents are enclosed in caskets buried in graveyards. I dont want to be the story of yesterday. I dont want to be the person that could have or should have. I want to be known as the person that did. Caldwell said he wants to fight for the general welfare of all people. He said he wants to be the candidate that has something for everyone Democratic, Republican, black or white. I want to be the candidate that represents all of District 62 and I want to be known as a candidate who serves all. Far and near. I want to be somebody else for everybody else. More importantly, I want to be known as a child doing Gods will. 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. FLORENCE, S.C. The Housing Authority of Florence held a ribbon cutting and tour of the facility on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of its new location on West. Palmetto Street. Ambassadors of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce assisted with the ribbon cutting. In operation for the past 54 years, the Housing Authority moved from 400 E. Pine St. to its new location at 2640 W. Palmetto St., a property it purchased in January 2019. The agency serves people in upper Florence, Chesterfield, Dillon and Marlboro counties. In the move in October, 2021, all administrative staff members, except for community managers, were brought under one roof. Before the move, the administrative staff was housed in three or four different buildings. With the transformation of the former Food Lion purchase, the Housing Authority has turned about 15,000 square feet of the facility into office space. The majority of the staff members are now all in one location, which allows them to have meetings in-house, have more events for their residents and provide more resources for them. The Housing Authority has about 80 employees. It is just the beginning, said CEO and Executive Director Clamentine V. Elmore. She said the move means growth and change. The move also represents a more efficient way of doing things. The Housing Authority provides public housing through the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8), low-income housing tax credit, and other affordable housing, and fair market rent to the counties it serves. It manages 11 properties, 10 in Florence and one in McCall. The Housing Authority of Florence was organized in February 1968. It is operated by a board of commissioners, composed of five board members, with a purpose to adopt the policies, act on financial matters of the authority and provide direction and guidance to the executive director. Five years ago, I had a vision for this agency and in that short timeframe so much has become a reality, Elmore said, but the best is yet come. Elmore announced the plans for the Vision 10 project, which the agency will begin implementing soon. With Vision 10, Elmore said, the authority plans to renovate all the public housing under its jurisdiction in the next 10-year-period. A developer is in place to start working on the plan, she said. Details are forthcoming, Elmore said. Elmore said the agency joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce a couple of years ago to learn more about the community they serve and to spread the word about what they do. We wanted to be a resource for the community, she said. Elmore is the director of four agencies Florence, Cheraw, Marlboro and McColl and a nonprofit Palmetto Housing Corporation. She grew up in Lake City and moved away after high school. Prior to returning to the area about five and half years ago, she worked for the federal government for 26 years with the United States Army and HUD. The Housing Authority of Florence is open Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment only and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, call 843-669-4163. 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. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Near record high temperatures. High near 95F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 72F. SE winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. (AFP via Getty Images) Ralf Rangnick has confirmed that he will have the option to take another managerial job as he prepares to begin his role as a consultant to Manchester United. Reports have emerged strongly linking the German with the Austrian national team, a role which he did not comment on following Uniteds 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Thursday. However, he did outline his plans to continue at Old Trafford as he transitions from interim manager to first-team consultant when Erik ten Hag takes the reins in the summer. Rangnick told Sky Sports: I speak tonight about United and our game, I can also say I will definitely continue for the next two seasons in my consultancy role. We have agreed on the content and time of my role and so far Erik and I havent spoken but hopefully we will in the future. Im more than happy and willing to help. It would leave space for another job but thats what we agreed last year. Gianluca Mancini (C) scraps with Ademola Lookman during Leicester City's 1-1 draw with Roma in their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg (AFP/Geoff Caddick) Gianluca Mancini's second-half own goal allowed Leicester City to draw 1-1 with Jose Mourinho's Roma in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday, while Feyenoord got the better of Marseille in a five-goal thriller. Mancini got the final touch midway through the second half as he tried to stop Ademola Lookman turning in a low ball driven into the six-yard box by Harvey Barnes. That brought Leicester level in their first ever European semi-final after Lorenzo Pellegrini had given Roma an early lead at the King Power Stadium. The tie, which pits Mourinho against Brendan Rodgers, his one-time protege on the coaching staff at Chelsea, is now poised ahead of next week's return in Italy. Mourinho is hoping to add the new third-tier European trophy to his collection having won two Champions Leagues, a UEFA Cup and a Europa League during his managerial career, and Roma could not have asked for a better start. They went ahead on the quarter-hour mark when Nicola Zalewski collected the ball on the left and powered forward before playing in captain Pellegrini to fire low past Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal. Last season's FA Cup winners, who dropped into the Conference League after going out of the Europa League in the group stage, were then dealt a blow as Timothy Castagne was forced off midway through the first half. Lookman tested goalkeeper Rui Patricio from range just after the half-hour mark but it was the second-half introduction of Barnes that proved crucial in getting the Premier League side back on level terms. Barnes replaced Marc Albrighton at the same time Kelechi Iheanacho was sent on for Jamie Vardy, the veteran forward making his first start since early March following his latest injury setback. It was Barnes who drove into the box before drilling a low ball in from the left side of the area towards Nigerian international Lookman. Italian international defender Mancini ended up helping the ball over the line to make it 1-1. Story continues Rui Patricio then tipped an Iheanacho shot around the post and Leicester -- whose former striker Gary Lineker was watching from the stands -- will have to find a way of winning in Rome if they are to reach the final in the Albanian capital Tirana at the end of next month. - Dessers double fires Feyenoord - Feyenoord beat Marseille 3-2 in Rotterdam, throwing away a two-goal lead before being gifted what proved to be the winner on the night right at the start of the second half. Colombian forward Luis Sinisterra laid the ball off for Cyriel Dessers to open the scoring for the Dutch side in the 18th minute, and Sinisterra doubled their lead just two minutes later, sweeping home from a Reiss Nelson assist with his shot deflecting in off Valentin Rongier. In a remarkable game between two former European Cup winners, Marseille pulled a goal back in the 28th minute when Cedric Bakambu played a ball into the path of Bamba Dieng and the Senegal striker smashed in a shot from just outside the area. The French visitors were level five minutes before half-time when Matteo Guendouzi's low cross into the box from the right was turned out by Feyenoord goalkeeper Ofir Marciano and Brazil midfielder Gerson arrived to smash in the loose ball. Yet, in a raucous atmosphere at De Kuip, Feyenoord went back in front just 11 seconds into the second half as Duje Caleta-Car's short backpass was intercepted by Dessers and the Belgian-born Nigerian international snapped up the chance. Marseille must now overturn the deficit when the teams meet again at the Velodrome next Thursday. as/jc 742 mood 51296 60 200 544618.2% 24 59 4313 10%6% 14% 2%3.1% 3% 14% A4%H9% 13%10% H 510 12% : 13.7634.02% RUM Work SIOUX CITY -- Elected officials and local labor leaders are taking time out on Thursday to recognize workers who die or suffer serious illness or injury while on the clock. According to a press release from the Western Iowa Labor Federation, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 222 Hall is hosting a "Workers' Memorial Day" at 6 p.m. The event is open to the public and will feature stories from local union leaders Leo Kanne and Jaylee Hurst and see appearances by State Sen. Jackie Smith (D-Sioux City), State Rep. Chris Hall (D-Sioux City), Sioux City Councilmembers Dan Moore and Matthew O'Kane, and Iowa House District 1 candidate J.D. Scholten. "The labor movement has always led the charge to protect working people from workplace injury, illness, and death," the release said. "This April 28, union members, leaders and allies across the country will observe this day by coming together to organize workers and call on employers and our government for workplace protections from COVID-19, violence, and heat illness, among other hazards." The release also notes that the event will have a reading of the names of all the Iowa workers "lost on the job during 2021." According to the 2022 "Death on the Job Report" from the AFL-CIO, more than 4,700 American workers were killed on the job in 2020. About 120,000 workers died from occupational diseases. "More than one-third of workplace fatalities occurred among workers ages 55 and older," the report went on to say. "Workers 65 and older have 2.5 times the risk of dying on the job as other workers, with a fatality rate of 8.6 per 100,000 workers." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LaDon Reynolds is sworn in as the new police chief of the Oak Park Police Department during a Jan. 8, 2019, ceremony at Village Hall. The U.S. Senate confirmed Reynolds as the next U.S. marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. (Joe Kreml/Village of Oak Park) After nearly four years, Chicago finally has a new permanent U.S. marshal. The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of former Oak Park police Chief LaDon Reynolds as the next U.S. marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, one of the top federal law enforcement posts in the city. Advertisement U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer said Thursday she met with Reynolds recently and found him to be a consummate professional with an even keel necessary for the high-profile job. We are so pleased, Pallmeyer said in a telephone interview. Hes a wonderful fit. Hes down-to-earth, a devoted family person. Advertisement She said Reynolds also has a background in good police practices and has taught law enforcement and criminal justice issues in various capacities. The last person in the post, Edward Gilmore, abruptly resigned in May 2018 after he was found to have made an inappropriate comment about shooting a judge during firearms training, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice. Reynolds was selected more than two months ago after a bipartisan screening committee headed by former U.S. District Judge David Coar made the recommendation to Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. But his road to confirmation hit a snag in the politically polarized Senate Judiciary Committee, where a group of Republicans led by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton blocked all Justice Department nominees over an unrelated controversy involving federal law enforcement agents being sued over their actions during Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon, in 2020. In February, Durbin, the committees chairman, blasted Cottons obstructionist efforts, saying it put politics before the safety of the American people. Try to follow that logic, if you will, Durbin said at the time. (Cotton) is so committed to law enforcement, he is so committed to U.S. Marshals, he wont let us appoint people to fill (U.S. Marshal) vacancies. On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) asked for unanimous consent on 10 U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal nominees including Chief Reynolds and Republicans did not object, clearing the way for a voice vote that confirmed Reynolds to a four-year term. Afterward, Durbin and Duckworth released a statement calling Reynolds a seasoned law enforcement veteran who will serve with distinction in this important role. Advertisement He has the experience to succeed and help keep our communities and our federal judiciary safe, the statement read. A spokesperson for Cotton was not immediately available for comment. Pallmeyer said Thursday that she had been bracing for more delays in Washington and that Reynolds confirmation came as a pleasant surprise. Reynolds served since 2019 as the chief of police for the Oak Park Police Department before stepping down earlier this month. He began his law enforcement career in the near west suburb in 1994 rising to detective commander in 2010 and deputy police chief in 2017. His commission must still be signed by President Joe Biden before he is formally sworn in, a process that should be completed over the next several days. Among other duties, the U.S. Marshals Service is tasked with protecting federal judges, apprehending fugitives, transporting federal prisoners, selling seized assets and operating the federal Witness Security Program. Advertisement The Chicago field office is one of the organizations busiest and typically attracts high-ranking law enforcement officials from across the country. The position has been vacant since Gilmore was forced to resign. The Tribune reported that the comment was directed at then-U.S. District Chief Judge Ruben Castillo, who said in an interview that he and Gilmore had some tough exchanges over courthouse security before Gilmore made the threat. Though the comment was apparently a joke, Castillo called the situation unfortunate. This is a guy who could walk into my chambers with a weapon at any time, no problem, Castillo said at the time. What if it wasnt a joke? Since Gilmores resignation, the position has been filled by a series of acting U.S. marshals. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com BRUSSELS (AP) Cutting off natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria cost Russian President Vladimir Putin very little but it is adding stress on European countries wrestling with how to reduce the energy imports feeding the Kremlin's war chest and how to keep a united front on the war in Ukraine. European Union officials say yielding to Putin's demand to pay for gas in rubles would violate Western sanctions imposed over the invasion. Poland and Bulgaria were cut off after refusing the demand and say they will manage because they were already working to end their dependence on Russian energy supplies. Analysts say there is enough ambiguity in the European stance to allow the Kremlin to keep trying to undermine unity among the 27 member countries even if an implied threat to cut off major customers such as Germany and Italy may turn out to be an empty one because it would cost Russia heavily. The cutoff sent a chill through EU officials wondering how their utility companies will heat homes and generate electricity next winter. Putin got maximum disruption of what he regards as a hostile alliance for minimal costs because Poland and Bulgaria are relatively minor customers who were about to end their contracts at year's end anyway. Poland's entire gas import was only 10 billion cubic meters per year, out of total European imports of 155 billion from Russia. Gas in roughly that amount is already flowing to Poland from other European countries pitching in to help. Russian energy giant Gazprom has lost relatively little revenue but opened a new front in its confrontation with Europe. Putin is creating "a system where he can basically divide countries as we are seeing for the ones that don't want to comply with this new scheme will be cut off, while others will try to comply and essentially go against the European Union indication," said Simone Tagliapietra, an energy expert and senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. European payments for Russian oil and gas amount to $850 million a day even as governments condemn the war. It's the result of decades in which Russia was regarded as a reliable supplier of cheap gas despite warnings from Poland and other central and Eastern European countries that Russia could use energy as a weapon. While Europe needs the oil and gas, those sales are the main pillar of the Kremlin's budget. John Lough, an associate fellow in the Russian and Eurasia program at the Chatham House think tank, said Russias cutoff of Poland and Bulgaria was meant as a signal to major importers Germany and Italy, which both get 40% of their gas from Russia. But if they have to follow through on their threats, then they have to cut off the nose to spite their face, he said of Russian officials. And thats a big problem. So its a kind of game of chicken. A wide-ranging gas cutoff would hit industrial users that cant easily substitute other energy sources. Liberty Ostrava steel works in the Czech Republic has no short-term solution to replace natural gas because a changeover would take nine to 12 months, spokeswoman Barbora Cerna Dvorakova said. European Union countries or companies that agree to the terms of a Russian presidential decree insisting they pay their gas bills in rubles will be in breach of the blocs sanctions, senior EU officials said Thursday. Around 97% of European gas contracts with Russia are in euros or dollars. Under Putin's new payment system, the Kremlin has said importers would have to establish an account in dollars or euros at Russias third-largest bank, Gazprombank, then a second account in rubles. The importer would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars and direct the bank to exchange the money for rubles. The sanctions violation essentially comes with the use of the second bank account because the ruble conversion involves a transaction involving Russia's sanctioned central bank. The EUs executive branch, the European Commission, says companies could remain in compliance by paying in euros or dollars per their contract, then making a clear statement to Gazprombank that their payment obligations are over. That leaves an opening for the Kremlin to accept the statement or not a potential pressure point for member countries. Russia has Europe "over a barrel in the sense of making it a requirement that if they want any gas, then theyll have to break their own sanctions by paying for it in rubles, said David Elmes, an energy expert at Warwick Business School. And so theyre calling Europes bluff, if you like. Which do you want to do on the gas or do you want the sanctions? Uniper, Germanys biggest importer of Russian gas, said it has been paying in euros and will continue to do so but indicated that it would be prepared to open a second account in rubles. We believe that a change of payments which conforms to sanctions laws and the Russian decree is possible, the company said in a statement. Whats clear is that Uniper will continue to pay in euros. The company declined to say when and under what conditions it would open the ruble account. It said doing without Russian gas at short notice isnt possible, it would have dramatic consequences for our national economy. That's why EU sanctions so far have avoided Russian oil and gas. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged Thursday that any interruption would have consequences for the economic situation. Italian officials said they were waiting for further guidance from the EU on whether the payment workaround violates sanctions. Carlo Bonomi, head of Italys main business lobby Confindustria, said he didnt think Russia would cut natural gas deliveries to Italy. Obviously, its a situation in continuous evolution, but regardless, the government is working with the aim of making Italy independent in case of any escalation," he said. We are optimistic. But Putin may be playing a longer game, knowing that next winter will put more pressure on gas supplies. The European Unions executive commission has unveiled proposals to cut reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds by the end of the year through additional supplies of liquefied gas by ship, faster rollout of wind and solar, and tough conservation measures. Coordinated action on diversifying energy sources could be a victim of Putin's ruble payment demand as some countries get exemptions and other don't, Tagliapietra said. How can we have a joint energy response if different countries are doing, or not, business with Putin?" he said. Kirka contributed from London, and Jordans from Berlin. Karel Janicek in Prague and Maria Grazia Murru and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed. 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 SIOUX CENTER -- Before the semester comes to a close, Dordt University's music department is hosting three concerts over the next week. According to a press release, the slate starts with the Fourth Avenue Jazz concert held on Tuesday, May 3, at 8 p.m., in the B.J. Haan Auditorium. Then, on Friday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., the same venue will play host to the Choral Ensembles Concert. Finally, the following night, also at 7:30 p.m., Dordt instrumental ensembles are performing the final concert of the year. For the last show, the press release states: "The concert will feature the Campus-Community Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Wind Symphony. They will be joined by guest conductor Maestro Michael Johner. Maestro Johner joins us from Rottenburg, Germany where he is the principal conductor of numerous ensembles." The Friday event will include the Bella Voce women's chorus, the Dordt men's chorus, Chorale and the concert choir performing a mix of modern works, international tunes and faith songs. Tuesday night is all about jazz in its many forms. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK (AP) It started in 1948 as a society midnight supper, and it wasnt even at the Met. Not to forget, the Met Gala is still a fundraiser last year the evening earned more than a whopping $16.4 million for the Mets Costume Institute. Lets also not forget that it launches the annual spring fashion exhibit that brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the museum. But its the carpet itself (now watchable for everyone, on livestream) that draws the worlds eyes, with the guest list strategically withheld until the last minute a collection of stars from movies, music, fashion, sports, politics and elsewhere that probably makes for the highest celebrity wattage-per square foot of any party in the world. Herewith, a primer for the 2022 Met gala, which is on May 2: AGAIN, ALREADY? Yes, we just did this in the fall. The annual fundraiser for the Mets Costume Institute is traditionally held the first Monday in May, but because of the pandemic, a postponed gala was held in September. WHOS HOSTING THE 2022 MET GALA? This years hosts are Regina King, power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Of course, Vogues Anna Wintour is supervising the whole shebang as she has since the 90s. Her fellow honorary co-chairs are designer Tom Ford and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Ford, also a film director, is one of nine directors whose work is featured in the new spring exhibit. IS THERE A THEME? Of course. The Met Gala theme for this year is Gilded glamour, white-tie, guests have been told. As usual, the sartorial theme comes from the exhibit the gala launches: In America: An Anthology of Fashion, which is the second installment of star curator Andrew Boltons two-part show exploring the roots of American style. This exhibit showcases overlooked figures in fashion history, many of them women and people of color, through the talents of some top film directors, including Sofia Coppola, Martin Scorsese, host King, and last years Oscar winner Chloe Zhao. Their work will be displayed in the period rooms of the American Wing, so expect some grand fashion related to the theme like those gowns from HBOs The Gilded Age. Artfully ripped jeans, this time? Not so much. DOES EVERYONE FOLLOW THE THEME? Not really. Some eschew it and just go for big and crazy. But expect some guests to have carefully researched the theme and to come in perfect sync with the exhibit. It was hard to beat the carpet, for example, when the theme was Catholic imagination and Rihanna came as the pope, Zendaya channeled Joan of Arc, and Perry navigated the crowd with a set of enormous angel wings. HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A MET GALA TICKET? Wrong question. You cannot just buy a ticket. The right question is, IF I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost? IF I WERE FAMOUS AND POWERFUL AND GOT INVITED, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? Well, you might not pay yourself. Generally companies buy tables. A fashion label Michael Kors, for example would then host its desired celebrities, or fashion muses. But each paid seat reportedly costs around $35,000, though some guests are invited for free. SO WHO GETS INVITED TO THE MET GALA? This year, there will be 400 guests similar to the September gala, and lower than pre-pandemic highs of 500-600. Trying to predict? Take out your pen and jot down some of your favorite names, the buzzier the better. Newly minted Oscar or Grammy winners, for example, are a good bet or perennial fashion favorites like former host Timothee Chalamet, who wore white Converse shoes last year. Do the same with pop music, sports, politics, fashion of course and Broadway, a special favorite of Wintours (and remember, Miranda's a host this year). Now, cross everyone off your list except the very top. At the Met Gala, everybodys A-list. THAT MUST BE AN EXAGGERATION. Not really. Ask Tina Fey. She went in 2010 and later described walking around trying to find somebody normal, e.g. not too famous, to sit and talk with. That ended up being Barbara Walters. HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED IN THE MET GALA? Well, these days you can watch the whole carpet unfold on livestream. And really, the carpet is the party. (Ask Gaga!) If you're in New York City you can also join fans across the street from the museum on Fifth Avenue, and even further away on Madison Avenue, pressed up against police barricades. You might get lucky: Last year, Chalamet ran over to greet his admirers. DO WE KNOW WHO'S COMING? AND WHO ISN'T? Like we said, its secret. But reports slip out, often about who is not coming. Fashion favorite Zendaya has confirmed she has other plans. And Rihanna is about to give birth, so wed assume shell skip, but then again, shes Rihanna so lets not assume anything. A fair assumption would be a heavy Kardashian presence. New York's mayor, Eric Adams, will be attending very happily, according to the New York Post. Also happily, Perry has said she's going, and indicated her hamburger-chandelier days may be receding in favor of more traditional garb. Another thing remains true: Nobody can come who isn't vaccinated. In addition to vaccine proof, guests had to take a PCR test. Masks are not likely to make much of an appearance since people will be eating and drinking the whole night. WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THE MET GALA? Entering the museum, guests walk past an impossibly enormous flower arrangement in the lobby (one was over 250,000 white roses) and over to cocktails. Or, they head to view the exhibit. Two changes this year, per the museum: The dramatic lobby centerpiece will remain up for regular visitors to see for a few days. And cocktails will take place in the American Wing, making it very easy for guests to slip in and out of the exhibit. Around 8 p.m., theyre summoned to dinner perhaps by a team of buglers (Are they going to do that between every course? actor Gary Oldman asked aloud one year.) We cant personally describe anything beyond that, either dinner or the musical performance, but you can find clips of Rihanna singing on the table tops in the documentary The First Monday in May, and it looks fun. IS IT FUN FOR EVERYONE? Occasionally, someone says no. Fey, in a comic rant to David Letterman in 2015, described the gala as a jerk parade and said it included everyone youd ever want to punch, if you had millions of arms. Amy Schumer said she felt awkward and left earlier than should be allowed. But most profess to having fun. Then there was Joan Collins, who arrived channeling her imperious Dynasty character, Alexis, in 2018, ready to have a blast, but seeking liquid sustenance. Im having a great time, she told The Associated Press. Id be even better if I had a drink. 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 SIOUX CITY -- The City of Sioux City is asking residents to consider turning off the faucet when they brush their teeth, taking shorter showers and irrigating their lawns efficiently in effort to conserve water among moderate to severe drought conditions. A lack of precipitation and runoff in the Missouri River's upper basin is causing lower river levels and directly impacting the city's well water supply. "What we're seeing right now is significant lower levels in the supply wells, and we're having to valve them back a bit just to keep those wells in water," Sioux City Utilities Director Brad Puetz said Wednesday, during a news conference at City Hall. "Going into the summer months, what we're asking is voluntary water conservation from the citizens of Sioux City." Active water conservation can reduce the need for the city to implement further steps in its water conservation plan, according to Puetz. Under step 1 of the plan, which can be found on the city's website, some of the water conservation measures residents could be asked to take include watering yards only from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., minimizing or preferably stopping washing cars, refraining from filling or draining swimming pools and promptly repairing leaking plumbing fixtures. "This step does not start step 1 of the conservation plan. We're trying to head it off as early as possible, asking citizens to conserve water in the home as much as possible," said Puetz, who reiterated that the city is not holding the public to any "stringent conservation levels" at this time. Puetz doesn't expect incoming precipitation to significantly improve the situation locally or in the upper basin before the summer begins. By late May or early June, he said the city will be able to determine if step 1 or additional steps of the conservation plan need to be implemented. South Sioux City and Dakota Dunes take Sioux City's water on an as needed basis, according to Puetz. He said the city is in contact with both of those communities about the situation. He noted that City of Sioux City departments are also being encouraged to conserve water. "We're looking at reducing street cleaning and street flushing. Our hydrant flushing program will be on an as needed basis," he said. "We're going to do our part just as much as the citizens are to make sure that we do not need to implement any further steps, if possible." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- The owners of a South Sioux City RV sales company face numerous charges of theft and consumer fraud. Douglas and Shara Bras, who operate Fremont RV Center, 2405 Cornhusker Drive, were arrested Tuesday after a months-long investigation that, according to court documents, revealed a pattern of selling campers on consignment, then using the sales proceeds to pay their own bills and debts rather than pay the campers' owners. The couple, who live in rural, Hinton, Iowa, both are charged with five counts of theft by deception, five counts of selling or disposing of a motor vehicle without delivering a title or VIN number and single counts of conspiracy and aiding consummation of a felony. Douglas Bras, 61, also is charged with one count of issuing a bad check. Shara Bras, 56, faces an additional three counts of violation of the motor vehicle certificate of title act. During hearings Wednesday, Dakota County Judge Edward Matney set bond for both at $500,000. Both are to have a preliminary hearing on May 24 in Dakota County Court. Court documents show that on at least three occasions in August and at least once in November, the two sold campers ranging in price from $12,000-$18,500 on consignment. In each case, they did not pay the camper's owner or the owner's bank and never informed the owners that the campers had been sold. The owners did not learn of the sales until an investigator contacted them in January. In addition, Fremont RV Center "created false impressions" to the buyers and failed to produce a title to the campers to the buyers, who were then unable to register and title the campers. A police investigator learned that Douglas and Shara Bras used the money from the sales for payroll, rent, utility bills and vendor payments, court documents said. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Automobile enthusiasts of every kind have a chance to indulge themselves this coming week. On Wednesday, May 4, from 4 to 8 p.m., the Western Iowa Tech Community College automotive programs are hosting their 12th annual "Show and Shine Car Show" in the campus' Parking Lot 4. According to a press release, community members are encouraged to bring their car or motorcycle as well. "All makes and models are welcome," the release said. Those who attend the show can also check out what projects the WITCC automotive students have worked on over the course of the year. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY The cost to build the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center has increased by about $1.6 million due to various additions and changes to the project. Some additions by the general contractor raised costs by $1.8 million, but Law Enforcement Center Authority officials identified other changes that saved $238,337, resulting in a net increase of about $1.6 million. Authority Chair Ron Wieck said he has looked at each change thoroughly and believes all are needed to ensure the building is better than the current jail, built in 1985. "Things do come along that need to be modified to make sure they're done correctly," Wieck said. Initially, the authority approved a $58.4 million contract with Hausmann Construction, which submitted the low bid for the main phases of the project. Currently, the contract is estimated at $60 million, with overall project costs at $66 million. The total includes design fees, project management fees, land purchases, bond costs and other miscellaneous expenses. The two most recent prime contract change order approved by the authority has added $123,805.88 to the project. Some of the main additions include: - $150,864 for revised access road connection through the phase two building footprint; - $23,307 for additional street lighting; - $92,934.88 for added inmate communication devices and other electrical revisions; - $56,610 to Winkler Roofing due to unpredicted material cost increases; - $35,633 for Pauly Jail for project alternatives. The largest increase to the project was the addition of four alternatives that were approved in 2021 as the first two change orders, totaling $1.5 million. The alternatives were: - $844,200 for a space for the county attorney including offices, audio and visual room, break room, copy room, prosecutor office and city attorney office; - $97,800 for a secure parking area with an 8 foot-tall fence for judges, correctional officers and other staff; - $165,300 for extra space for future storage; -- $375,800 to changing the parking lot surface from asphalt to concrete. In March 2020, 57 percent of county voters approved a $50.3 million bond issue to finance the new jail. With interest, the 20-year bonds could cost in the range from $64 million to $68 million. To bridge the gap between actual costs and the voter approved bond, the board of supervisors allocated $10 million of the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 relief funding to the project. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. Helicopter parenting, Lindsay Rogers says, doesnt happen in the wild. Parents are too busy foraging for food to hover around their newborns. Staying close can also attract predators. Which is why people shouldnt immediately think something is wrong and try to intervene if they find a nest of baby bunnies and no parent in sight, for example, said Rogers, education administrator for the Nebraska Game and Parks. Leave those fledgling songbirds you spot on the ground alone, too. Their parents are watching and theyll soon learn to fly. Most of the time, mom and dad, they are around, Rogers said. If you love wildlife, leave it alone. Thats the best thing you can do with it. Many people do the opposite. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says from now until at least mid-June, its field offices will be inundated with hundreds of phone calls and scores of deliveries regarding "orphaned wildlife." Most calls, officials say, begin with something like, "We were walking in the park when ...," or "I looked out my window and saw ..." In nearly every instance, the scenario ends with the animal being "rescued" from its mother. Many wildlife babies die soon after capture from the stress of being handled, talked to and placed into the unfamiliar surroundings of a slick-sided cardboard box. Should the animal have the misfortune of surviving the trauma, they often succumb more slowly to starvation from improper nourishment, pneumonia or other human-caused sicknesses. Its really better off for the young to hang out and let mom and dad go out and forage for food and come back only for feeding, Rogers said. Foraging for hungry babies is why there are so many more reports of animals such as foxes being seen in the daylight, she said. If you have already intervened, dont try to care for wildlife babies on your own, Rogers said. Nebraska Wildlife Rehab is the best place to take youngsters in need. We are getting lots of them, rehab board president Phyllis Futch said. The animals have increased by a couple of hundred in the last 30 days. Spring is the best time for wildlife to bear young, Rogers said. The weather is getting nicer, the babies arent going to freeze and there is more food. Sometimes they are in need and then it's appropriate to intervene. But before removing any baby animals from the wild, visit nebraskawildliferehab.org or call 402-234-2473 to make sure it's the right thing to do. "People should never try to raise wild animals by themselves. It is illegal without a permit and often leads to very bad outcomes for the babies, including metabolic issues, not being able to be released into the wild and even death," NWR director Laura Stastny said. "NWR exists in Nebraska to help people make the right choices when it comes to wildlife." The surge at the rehab facility has also created a need for more supplies. Anyone willing to help can go to amazon.com for a list of items. Futch said they are always in need of newspapers, towels, sheets and stuffed animals. A device that stimulates a heartbeat is put inside the stuffed version. If a raccoon is the only one because a tree fell and the rest didnt survive, the one would get a little stuffed animal with a heartbeat and at least he wouldnt feel so alone, Futch said. Baby humans are used to hearing their moms heartbeat; we have integrated that into animal care. The Nebraska Humane Society used to be a first choice for wild animals in need, but Pam Wiese, vice president of public relations and marketing, said those numbers could go down now that Nebraska Wildlife Rehab has opened its facility in Omaha. Any wildlife that we get in (baby bunnies, squirrels, birds after big windstorms, sick animals, etc.) through either citizens dropping off, or our animal control officers rescuing in the field, will go to wildlife rehab. Or raptor rehab if they are birds of prey, she said. Wiese said the Humane Society is dealing with a different influx of babies lots and lots of kittens. Many people allow cats to roam, and Omaha also has a large feral population. If they are not fixed, they can end up reproducing easily. Last year, 216 foster homes cared for 1,690 fragile animals the majority of them kittens needing time to grow before they were ready for adoption. We usually get in lots of kittens and litters beginning in spring and going through fall to the colder weather, Wiese said. We currently have several litters in foster homes growing and socializing. We also have a couple of kitten groups done with foster and ready for adoption today in our adopt kennels. And we expect to see many more come in as the weather warms up. Spring isnt just a time for babies. Its a good time to see many wildlife, Rogers said, especially birds. Just make sure its from a distance, so you dont force them to alter their behavior. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LE MARS, Iowa -- A shed and three tractors were destroyed Wednesday in the latest of a string of destructive grass fires pushed by strong winds in Plymouth County. Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department firefighters were called out at 3:30 p.m. to a grass fire at 24221 190th St., about nine miles west of Le Mars. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to a shed containing the tractors and a grove of trees next to a field of corn stubble. Firefighters were able to extinguish the building fire, and a brush truck put out the fire in the trees, Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper said. A tractor and disc were used to protect the west side of the property and the field. The shed and tractors were destroyed. Firefighters were on the scene for three hours. Le Mars units were assisted by the Akron and Merrill fire departments, which brought water and personnel to the scene. The Orange City Fire Department covered Le Mars to respond to any other fire calls. Kellen Tree Service cut down trees to help firefighting efforts. The fire started when winds gusting to more than 20 mph reignited an old burn pit that was burnt last week. Schipper asked burn pit owners who have burned in the last week to cover their pits with dirt to protect against rekindling. Wednesday's call came after a windy weekend in which firefighters from Le Mars and other Plymouth County communities responded to 11 grass fires on Saturday. Winds gusting to more than 50 mph downed power lines and pushed flames across vegetation dried out from a lack of spring precipitation. One of the fires destroyed a home and outbuildings at a property in rural Merrill. A burn ban issued Monday in Plymouth County remains in effect, Schipper said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The roof of a demolished home at 7S745 Donwood Dr. in unincorporated Naperville is visible on April 26, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) As Masud Arjmand sat in a Naperville coffee shop last week, describing the 15-year odyssey that turned his would-be dream house into a target for demolition, an excavator was already taking bites out of the unfinished Spanish-style mansion and piling the rubble into a huge heap. Informed of that by a Tribune reporter, Arjmand appeared stunned. Advertisement Its being torn down? he said. How could they do that? He was apparently the last to know. Four days earlier, DuPage County had tweeted a video of the demolition in progress. That very morning, Arjmands lawyer was in front of a judge trying in vain to stop it. Advertisement A mansion at 7S745 Donwood Drive near Naperville is demolished on April 19, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Arjmands surprise was an odd twist to an unusual suburban story, in which a stucco and stone showpiece in one of the ritziest neighborhoods this side of the North Shore became an involuntary teardown. Arjmand, 69, said he came to the U.S. from Pakistan 45 years ago to attend graduate school, a mere $300 in his pocket. He went on to become a partner at the Accenture consulting firm, retiring in 2008 with millions of dollars worth of shares. Just before that, in 2007, Arjmand and his wife of six years began to build a new home on Donwood Drive, a street in unincorporated Naperville adorned with gated estates. After buying the 2-acre plot for $625,000, they designed a house fit for that grand setting, complete with five bedrooms, a two-story dining room, a rotunda and an elevator. It was both for living in and an investment, he said. ... I hoped to make a lot of money. But the marriage soured, and in 2009 Arjmand filed for divorce. According to court documents, he and his wife came to an agreement that gave her assets he estimated to be worth $1 million, while he kept the house and other real estate, as well as his Accenture shares. Two years later, his ex-wife returned to court to contest the agreement, saying she had been the victim of coercion and the fraudulent concealment of assets. After an 11-day hearing, a DuPage County judge concluded the arrangement was unconscionable and reopened the divorce. Arjmands ex-wife directed the Tribunes interview request to her attorney, who declined to comment. Advertisement Meanwhile, after sinking about $2 million into the construction of the Donwood Drive house, Arjmand paused when the financial crisis struck. He said the resulting slump put all of his real estate investments, which included two suburban strip malls, underwater. A mansion at 7S745 Donwood Drive near Naperville is demolished on April 19, 2022. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Arjmand contends in court papers that his assets were frozen during the divorce case, endangering his real estate. When it appeared he wouldnt be able to pay his property taxes, he said, banks called in $8 million of loans and forced the liquidation of much of his Accenture stock. He was also left unable to access the roughly $1 million he needed to finish the house, he said. When he tried to sell the property, he said, he received only one lowball offer. So there it sat for a decade, an earth-toned eyesore amid the many-gabled splendor of its neighbors. Dr. Andrew Korcek, who lives across the street, said the lot became an unsightly, overgrown nuisance. We had to treat our lawn with extra weedkiller because of the seeds that would come over, he said. It was always a problem. Worse than that were the trespassers who poked around the property. Teenagers with flashlights frequently wandered the house and yard, Korcek said, and some even crawled onto the tile roof during an ice storm. Advertisement Affidavits from DuPage County sheriffs deputies describe the apprehension of numerous intruders, including kids who used the house as a hideaway to smoke weed. A police report from 2020 recounts how deputies snared three young trespassers who said they were just exploring. Other kids at school had told them to come and check it out, the report says. They did not think that they were trespassing since the house is abandoned. Arjmand said he naively believed the neighborhood was immune to vandalism. When trespassers were caught, he said, he didnt have the heart to press charges. A building inspectors affidavit from 2020 outlines how dangerous the structure had become. Every door and window was broken, trash and graffiti were everywhere, 4 feet of water filled the basement, the second floor bounced under the weight of two adults, and an overhang at the front entrance was pulling away from the house. Mounds of debris are what is left of a demolished home at 7S745 Donwood Drive near Naperville. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) With that, DuPage officials sought to force Arjmand to fix or demolish the house under the countys clean and lien program, which uses grant money and liens to pay for the cleanup of blighted properties. Sam Tornatore, chair of the countys development committee, said DuPage has cleaned up or torn down a dozen properties since the program began eight years ago, though none has been as large or upscale as Arjmands. Advertisement Its been a very popular program, as you can imagine, with the (affected) neighborhoods, he said. Arjmand said he did all he could to protect the property, spending $100,000 on mitigations that included a fence, security cameras and alarms, as well as new sump pumps and basement support columns. He wanted to finish construction, he said, and in February hired a contractor to get the permits that would forestall demolition. That never happened Arjmand blamed mishaps with the countys online permitting system and in March, a judge denied his request for more time and gave the order: The teardown could begin. Arjmands lawyer, Bryan Sims, filed an appeal but that didnt halt the bulldozers. On April 18, DuPage County tweeted a video of the house and garage, their exterior walls peeled away to expose the framing and drywall. In court papers, Sims said the DuPage County states attorneys office, which is representing the county, informed him three days later that work had begun. He sought an emergency order to pause the demolition until Arjmands appeal could be heard, but the judge wouldnt grant it. Paul Darrah, a spokesman for the states attorneys office, defended the countys actions. Advertisement Everything weve done has been authorized by court order, he said. Arjmands problems wont end once the house is gone. The county plans to bill him $138,000 for the demolition and fine him $2.8 million for violating the countys public nuisance ordinance and various building regulations. A public notice is posted at the site of the demolished home. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Failing to pay could cost Arjmand the property, but the financial penalties appear to be far more than the land is worth. Real estate agent Michael LaFido, who is trying to sell a mansion listed at $6.5 million just north of Arjmands property, estimated the empty lot would fetch between $750,000 and $900,000. Hes glad to see Arjmands house go, saying it has been an elephant in the room during his showings. Korcek said he and his wife have joked about watching the demolition with lawn chairs and a bottle of Champagne. Arjmand still has his strip malls, a Chicago condo and a much smaller Naperville house. But with his shares drained, his divorce still unresolved and an IRS tax case hanging over his head, he said his finances have become precarious. As for his dream house, not a single wall remained standing Tuesday evening. By the end of the week, if the county keeps to its schedule, it will be no more than a memory. Advertisement Arjmand couldnt bear to look at the remains, but he vowed to follow through with his appeal. If the appellate court finds I should have been given (more time before the demolition), then whos responsible for my losses? he said. House or no house, the Battle of Donwood Drive goes on. jkeilman@chicagotribune.com Twitter @JohnKeilman Fully loaded with fuel, the KC-135R Stratotankers at the Nebraska Air National Guard Base can take off weighing more than 320,000 pounds and stay in the air for hours. But one of them was recently grounded and nearly sent to the scrapyard by a broken, 2-pound piece of aluminum called a rudder snubber support fitting. The bases hydraulic crew discovered a crack and a misshapen bolt hole in the part while repairing a nearby leak late last year. They were looking at different hydraulic systems, said Master Sgt. James Kenning, who runs the bases Aircraft Metals Technology Shop. And as they were cleaning up the hydraulic fluid, they noticed it was broken. The shoehorn-shaped part about 3 inches wide and 8 inches long is critical to the aircraft. It serves a role similar to a cars shock absorber mount, but on a larger, and more important scale, helping to stop the jets rudder from vibrating in flight. Kenning and his three-person crew couldnt just order a replacement; the part was forged for this Stratotanker more than 60 years ago, and there was no surplus supply of rudder snubbers. This aircraft has been asked to fly a lot longer as originally planned. It was never meant to be in the Air Force this long. The 155ths planes are flying gas stations, providing in-flight refueling to U.S. military planes around the world. When not deployed, their pilots train extensively, so the jets log ample flying time. But all eight planes were built in the early 1960s, so theyre past their prime. Which means his shop had been here before, asked to replicate an aircraft part that was no longer available. But members of his crew typically relied on drawings from the late 1950s, when the jets were introduced. They could follow directions, even if they were sometimes hand-sketched. In this case, though, nobody had expected this part to fail, so there were no specs. And the stakes were high, Kenning said: When this is broke, the plane is not allowed to fly. If we cant re-create this, the plane is scrapped. In mid-January, his shop earned approval from Air Force engineers to do something it had never done before: Reverse-engineer a component from scratch, using only the broken part as a guide for building its replacement. The process would take time, technology, patience and a special order of high-strength aluminum. Kenning started with a 3D scanner, measuring the failed fitting from all angles, scanning one side, then flipping it over to scan another. He spent nearly three weeks on that, staring at his monitor, cleaning up the data. Then he printed a plastic prototype with a 3D printer. But it wasnt quite right, so he and his crew made some changes, and printed another. The material was almost a problem. Engineers at Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City had approved the use of two types of aircraft-grade aluminum, so Kenning started working the phone. I called five different large companies to try to track down either kind. We were starting to get scared. He finally found a company willing to mix up a special batch, and ordered a 4-inch-square, 3 1/2-foot long loaf, or billet enough aluminum for four rudder snubber support fitting attempts. That was insurance, Kenning said. When youre making one-off parts, the first try often doesnt work. But after 26 hours on the CNC machine and then an ultrasound to look for irregularities this one did work. And late last month, his crews efforts were recognized by the chief of the National Guard Bureau. But more importantly, it put the 60-year-old Stratotanker back in the air, Kenning said. It hasnt fallen out of the sky yet. We essentially brought it back from the dead. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. government on Thursday released its long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, citing the toll on Black smokers and young people. "The proposed rules would help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, in a statement. He added that the ban would also be an "important step to advance health equity" by reducing disparities in tobacco use. The Food and Drug Administration said eliminating menthol cigarettes could prevent between 300,000 and 650,000 smoking deaths over 40 years. Menthol accounts for more than a third of cigarettes sold in the U.S, and the mint flavor is favored by Black smokers and young people. Menthol's cooling effect has been shown to mask the throat harshness of smoking, making it easier to start and harder to quit. The FDA has attempted several times to get rid of menthol but faced pushback from Big Tobacco, members of Congress and competing political interests under both Democratic and Republican administrations. The agency has been under legal pressure to issue a decision after anti-smoking and civil rights groups sued the FDA for "unreasonably" delaying action on earlier requests to ban menthol. The FDA will also seek to ban menthol and dozens of other flavors like grape and strawberry from cigars, which are increasingly popular with young people, especially Black teens. The agency's proposals on both cigarettes and cigars are only be initial drafts. FDA will take comments before issuing final rules, which then could face years of legal challenges from tobacco companies. Menthol is the only cigarette flavor that was not prohibited under the 2009 law that gave the FDA authority over tobacco products, an exemption negotiated by industry lobbyists. The act did, though, instruct the agency to continue to weigh a ban. Last April, the Biden administration pledged to try to ban menthol within the year, responding in part to African American groups who say menthol has led to lower quit rates and higher rates of death among Black people. Menthols are used by 85% of Black smokers. "Black folks die disproportionately of heart disease, lung cancer and stroke," said Phillip Gardiner of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. "Menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars are the main vectors of those diseases in the Black and brown communities, and have been for a long time." In 2020, Gardiner's group and several others sued to compel the FDA to make a decision on a ban. In 2019, more than 18 million Americans smoked menthol cigarettes, with higher rates among young people, African Americans and other racial groups, according to the FDA. The FDA made several efforts to begin eliminating menthol under both the Obama and Trump administrations, but has never previously released a formal roadmap of how the process would work. "This is the first time there's been support from an administration," said Mitch Zeller, who recently retired after nine years leading FDA's tobacco center. "If these rules are finalized they become the law of the land and it becomes illegal for menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars to be sold." In recent weeks, dozens of interest groups for and against the ban met with Biden administration officials to try and influence the proposed rule, which would wipe out billions in tobacco sales. For decades, tobacco companies focused menthol advertising and promotions in Black communities, sponsoring music festivals and neighborhood events. Industry documents released via litigation show companies viewed menthol cigarettes as a good "starter product" because they were more palatable to teens. Menthol's elimination would be a huge blow to tobacco companies, including Marlboro-maker Altria and Reynolds American, which sells the leading menthol brands, Newport and Kool. With the slow decline of smoking, tobacco companies have been diversifying into alternative products, including electronic cigarettes and tobacco pouches. But those ventures still account for a tiny slice of industry sales. More than 12% of Americans smoke cigarettes, with rates roughly even between white and Black populations. *** The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Californias budget surplus has more than doubled since January to a staggering $68 billion, Senate Democrats said Thursday, prompting a flurry of new spending proposals from lawmakers that include giving $8 billion back to taxpayers in a move that highlights a disagreement with Gov. Gavin Newsom. While the pandemic had prompted warnings of multibillion-dollar budget deficits in most states, those fears did not happen as tax revenues across the country increased despite coronavirus-related shutdowns on businesses that caused millions to lose their jobs. This revenue whiplash was most pronounced in California, the nation's most populous state that is home to Silicon Valley and many billionaires. Newsom warned the state would have a $54 billion deficit in 2020 after he issued the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order. Instead, revenues rose sharply as wealthy people who pay much higher taxes in California got richer throughout the pandemic. Last year, California's budget included a $47 billion surplus, which was a record at the time. Thursday's new estimate based on preliminary numbers from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office confirms California is on track to blow by that number this year. The $68 billion surplus in California's general fund would be more than double the $29 billion figure Newsom announced in January. In addition, California is projected to have a $37 billion surplus that must be spent on education an increase from the $16.1 billion Newsom announced in January. The Newsom administration will update its budget proposal by May 15. Thursday, Democrats who have a majority of seats in the state Legislature announced how they would spend that money. Their plan confirms most of what Newsom announced in January, with some new proposals. One of the biggest additions is a plan to send $200 checks to every taxpayer who makes less than $125,000 per year, or $250,000 per year for couples who file joint returns. The plan would also guarantee $200 checks for every dependent, meaning a family of five would get $1,000. That proposal puts Democrats at odds with Newsom, who wants to send checks as large as $800 to people who own cars in California to help offset record-high gas prices. Newsom says his plan will cost about $9 billion. Both Newsom and Democratic lawmakers have said they want to get this money to taxpayers as soon as possible. But so far, they havent been able to agree on how to do it. In general, Democratic lawmakers say they don't like Newsoms plan because the money would only go to people who own cars. Newsoms plan also includes $750 million to give people free rides on public transit for three months. We stand ready to act as soon as the Governor joins us in supporting a plan that provides stronger relief for California families, the Legislatures top two leaders, Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, said in a joint statement earlier this week. California's gas tax increases slightly each year because of inflation. The tax is scheduled to increase about 3 cents per gallon on July 1. Newsom had proposed a bill that would halt that increase this year, which must pass before Sunday to have enough time to take effect. But Democratic leaders in the state Legislature never called it for a vote. Republicans, meanwhile, want to temporarily suspend the state's gas tax, which at 51.1 cents per gallon is the second-highest in the country. Thursday, a small group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers revealed a plan that would suspend the entire gas tax for a year, while ordering that the savings be passed on to drivers instead of oil companies. But legislative leaders have already said they won't do that, a sign the proposal likely doesn't have the support to pass. Beyond help for individuals, the proposal from Senate Democrats would also give billions of dollars in aid to small businesses. Businesses pay a tax that pays for people's unemployment benefits when they lose their job. But so many people lost their jobs during the pandemic that the fund ran out of money. California had to borrow money from the federal government, which businesses must pay back. Senate Democrats want to give rebates to businesses with 250 employees or fewer, which would offset some of those taxes. In addition, Democrats want to give about $500 million in grants to businesses with 150 employees or fewer to help pay for a new law that requires them to give workers up to two weeks of paid sick leave because of the coronavirus. The plan wouldnt just spend money. It would also put more money into the states savings accounts, bringing the states reserves to a total of $43.1 billion the most ever. Atkins, the Senate president pro tempore, said the plan is doubling down on our priorities by reinvesting California's wealth in those who need it most, especially struggling families and small businesses. The plan would spend another $3 billion to fight homelessness, or $1 billion more than Newsom proposed in January. Senate Republicans have asked for a $10 billion Mental Health Infrastructure Fund to help pay for care of the states homeless population, which includes many people with mental illnesses. But Republicans only control nine of the Senates 40 seats, meaning they cant pass their budget priorities on their own. Weve ignored the mental health and substance abuse treatment needs of far too many Californians for far too long, mostly because we have failed to invest in the facilities and workforce necessary to provide the needed help, Republican Sen. Patricia Bates said last week. The proposal from Senate Democrats only represents one side of budget negotiations. Any budget proposal must also be approved by the Democratic-controlled state Assembly and Newsom. This story has been updated to correct the day the budget proposal was released. It was released Thursday, not Wednesday. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. After New York state's top court this week crushed Democratic hopes of coming out ahead in this decade's redistricting cycle, the party faces an increasingly precarious legal environment in the hyper-partisan battle over drawing legislative lines. New York's Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned a map that Democrats muscled through the state legislature there, deciding that a nonpartisan expert will instead draw the lines for the state's 26 congressional districts. It was at least the fifth time this cycle a state court has ruled that maps drawn by its state legislature were too partisan, with a Democratic map in Maryland also falling and Republican-drawn ones in Kansas, North Carolina and Ohio being tossed out as well. Still, Republicans are favored to win state Supreme Court races in North Carolina and Ohio in November that'd enable those GOP-controlled legislatures to implement more partisan maps before 2024. In contrast, the 4-3 New York decision came from a court appointed entirely by Democrats, a party that now finds itself bound to a bipartisan process written into the state's constitution. Democratic judges are not really as inclined to excuse extreme partisan gerrymandering as Republican ones are, said Lakshya Jain, a lecturer at the University of California-Berkeley who writes on redistricting at the website Split Ticket. Democrats for a long time have been pushing for redistricting reform and anti-gerrymandering legislation, Jain noted, and that seeps into their judges' preferences. The biggest test of this potential legal asymmetry comes in Florida, where Democrats and civil rights groups are challenging a congressional map that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the GOP-controlled legislature there. Legislators had initially balked at the map, which aggressively favors their party, because it dismantles two plurality-Black districts in possible violation of the state's Fair Districts Amendment, which requires lawmakers to draw districts that let racial and linguistic minorities pick their chosen representatives. Republicans insist they've followed the law in Florida, though many legal experts disagree. This is not a difficult legal question, said Douglas Spencer, a law professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder. It would be a complete abdication of the rule of law if they take the most gerrymandered map in American history and let it stand. Spencer said he's optimistic Florida's state supreme court will ultimately strike down the map but notes he's in a minority among redistricting experts. That's because six of the seven members of the state supreme court were appointed by Republican governors. Democrats began the once-a-decade redistricting cycle anxiously, with Republicans in control of drawing vastly more congressional seats. That's due to a combination of GOP success in state elections and that Democrats' reform push has led them to cede line-drawing power to independent commissions in states they control, like Colorado. But Democrats were relatively successful, shifting the typical House seat close to President Joe Bidens five-point margin of victory in 2020. Until the end of the New York and Florida litigation, it's impossible to precisely evaluate how the party did, but it's likely the map will still lean more toward Democrats than after 2010, when Republicans used their statehouse dominance to try to lock in a House majority through partisan maps. But much of Democrats' gains came in New York, the most populous state where the party controlled line-drawing and one where it stood to net as many as four House seats in its partisan map. The recent flurry of state court actions are due to a legal ruling at the tail end of the last redistricting cycle. In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that federal courts have no role in policing partisan gerrymanders, or maps drawn explicitly to benefit one party by contorting lines to capture enough of its voters to reliably win elections. That kicked redistricting litigation into state courts. State courts have in a lot of ways been the hero this cycle, said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Social Justice, which argues against gerrymandering and for redistricting reform. But Li noted state courts have vulnerabilities that the federal system doesn't have. The composition of many state courts change from election to election, making rulings in places like North Carolina and Ohio dependent on whichever party has the political winds at its back in November. State courts are also uneven in some states such as New York they aggressively strike down gerrymanders, while in places like Texas, the state supreme court is so conservative that civil rights groups have routinely not even bothered to ask it for help, instead going to federal courts to challenge maps drawn by the GOP-controlled legislature in recent decades. There's even more uncertainty over the legal landscape of redistricting this cycle because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated it may rewrite the rules that govern the drawing of legislative districts. In February, conservatives on the court said they may revise the standards on how to draw districts that comply with the Voting Right Act's requirement that minorities get a chance to choose their own representatives and are not simply scattered among voters of other races. And in March, four conservative justices indicated they wanted to consider Republican lawyers' arguments that only state legislatures and not state courts have the say in drawing congressional maps. Still, redistricting reformers said they remain heartened by how courts performed in this cycle so far. Suzanne Almeida of Common Cause, a frequent litigant opposing gerrymanders, noted that courts in Republican states like Ohio have joined ones in deep Democratic states like New York in striking down partisan maps. If I ran the world," Almeida said, there'd be national standards against gerrymandering to ensure skewed maps in one big state don't tilt the entire congressional map. But a Democratic proposal for just that foundered in Congress earlier this year. So, Almeida said, we are taking the wins that we can take." 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 Police are shown investigating the Feb. 2, 2008, slayings of five women in a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park. A recent podcast hopes to bring more attention to the unsolved case. (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune) More than 14 years after five women were slain inside a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park, two friends hope their podcast might bring renewed attention to the case and, more importantly, a resolution. Ashlee Tramutolo and Kristin Stewart launched their Thousand Miles of True Crime podcast toward the end of last year, and segments have focused on unsolved crimes such as the killing of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in December 1996 in her Colorado home. Advertisement The thousand miles refers to the distance separating Tramutolo, who lives in Crestwood, and Stewart, who moved from the Chicago area to Texas to be closer to family. Their podcast notes that they take turns examining the darker side of humanity. The former co-workers said they are obsessed with true crime, and Stewart and Tramutolo said they believe there is information somebody has that could crack the Lane Bryant case. Advertisement Somebody knows who that guy is, Tramutolo said in an interview Wednesday. With $100,000 on the line somebody is going to talk. Ashlee Tramutolo (Ashlee Tramutolo) Kristin Stewart (Kristin Stewart) She is referring to the reward money offered and still unclaimed, much of it put up by the parent company of Lane Bryant, that was hoped would pry loose key information that would lead to an arrest and conviction. Shortly after the Lane Bryant store opened that morning, a man posing as a delivery driver entered the store in what was an apparent robbery. After spending several minutes in the store he shot and killed five women and wounded a sixth, who survived and was able to provide police with a description of the assailant. Killed were 42-year-old store manager Rhoda McFarland of Joliet; Jennifer Bishop, 34, of South Bend, Indiana; Sarah Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; Connie Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor; and Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort. In the April 12 podcast, available on several platforms including YouTube, Tramutolo and Stewart delve into the backgrounds of the victims, and speculate about the possible motive of the killer. Tramutolo said she believes more attention being drawn to the case will help in bringing the killer to justice. It should be able to be solved, she said. I think it needs more attention and I think thats what probably at this point going to help get it solved. She and Stewart said they question whether the assailants motive was robbery, something police have questioned as well. Apart from being armed with a .40-caliber Glock pistol, he had brought a roll of duct tape which he used to bound the women in a storeroom of the store. Advertisement You came here to do something else, Stewart says in the podcast. You didnt just come here to take the cash and go. She says she believes the killer was no amateur, as far as committing a crime. This was not his first rodeo, she says. Considering the killer entered the store shortly after it opened, and the business would not necessarily do a lot of business in cash. Stewart and Tramutolo question whether the motive would have been a simple robbery. It was so early in the morning most retail stores wouldnt have a life-changing amount of money in the store, Tramutolo said Wednesday. Police had previously said their investigation didnt uncover any evidence to suggest that any of the women knew their assailant. Advertisement According to police, McFarland managed to call 911 on her cellphone, whispering her location to an operator, who told her to stay on the line. McFarland pleaded hurry before the connection was lost. An edited version of the 911 call is at the Tinley Park Police Departments website. The call was first received by the Will County sheriffs office and immediately transferred to Tinley Park, which took the call at 10:44 a.m., just about 40 minutes after the man entered the store, according to authorities. The homicides occurred in Brookside Marketplace southwest of Harlem Avenue and Interstate 80. A Tinley Park police officer was on an unrelated call in the parking lot of Super Target, a few hundred yards away, and was on the scene at the Lane Bryant store within a minute, but the gunman had already fled. Hes right there, Tramutolo says in the podcast, questioning how the gunman could have escaped so quickly. Stewart surmises the assailant might have been in the store by himself, but was not entirely alone. Advertisement There had to have been someone waiting to pick him up, she says. I feel there is no way he could have left on foot. The offer of the reward money failing to bring out a solid lead has confounded Tinley Park police, as well as the possible motive of the slayings. I find it very difficult to believe one person did this and didnt talk to somebody about it, Larry Rafferty, the departments deputy chief, said in a February interview as the 14th anniversary of the slayings approached. Tinley Park police have had investigators assigned to the case the entire time, and recently two new detectives were asked to take a fresh look and examine all of the evidence gathered since Feb. 2, 2008. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Since the slayings, police said they have processed some 7,500 leads. Speaking Wednesday, Tramutolo said that the podcast has been shared with social media on a Tinley Park community Facebook page. Advertisement The community really wants to get the word out and get the case solved, she said. In researching the case, she said she developed a strong connection with the victims. Those women all had very fulfilling lives, she said. Putting myself in their shoes made it so much more emotional for me. In the podcast, the pair note that police regularly monitor a tip line for the investigation, 708-444-5394, and an email address, lanebryant.tipline@tinleypark.org. mnolan@tribpub.com WASHINGTON (AP) A majority of U.S. adults say misinformation around Russias invasion of Ukraine is a major problem, and they largely fault the Russian government for spreading those falsehoods. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 61% of people in the United States say the spread of misinformation about the war is a major problem, with only 7% saying it's not a problem. Older adults were more likely to identify the wartime misinformation as an issue, with 44% of those under 30 calling it a problem, compared with 65% of those 30 or older. Misleading social media posts, fake pictures or videos and propagandized headlines have proliferated on websites, from TikTok to Facebook, since Russias assault on Ukraine began in February. In recent weeks, Russian state media and social media accounts have operated in lockstep to push tweets, TV reports and posts that claim photos of bombed buildings and bodies across Ukraine have been staged or faked. Even well-meaning, everyday social media users have fallen victim to the falsehoods, accidentally sharing or liking posts and images that turned out to be inaccurate. About three-quarters of the American public fault the Russian government for advancing misinformation around the war, while many also blame social media users, tech companies and the news media. Far fewer place a great deal of blame on the Ukrainian or U.S. governments. Russias falsehoods about the war are finding millions of eyeballs across social media and in state-media reports. Earlier this month, for example, a chorus of Kremlin media reports, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and Telegram channels tried to refute photographs and satellite images of bodies left by Russian soldiers in the streets of Bucha, Ukraine, by calling the images a hoax. Russias reach is broad, said Darren Linvill, a Clemson University professor who studies disinformation. They have a lot of different outlets that they use everything from state media, in Russian, English and especially Spanish. The poll shows a majority of U.S. residents, about 57%, say they think Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed Russian troops to commit war crimes, while 6% say they think he has not done so. An additional 36% say they dont know enough to say. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the AP and the PBS series Frontline have verified evidence of 178 potential war crimes. The poll shows about 6 in 10 Americans say social media users have significant responsibility for the spread of misinformation about Russias invasion of Ukraine. Roughly half also fault social media companies and the news media. Retiree Kellie Carroll, 58, who lives outside Fresno, California, said she is sometimes frustrated by social media users who share posts about the Russia-Ukraine war but dont cite the source of their information. Youll see things that people are stating as fact, like they are there, Carroll said of posts shes seen on social media around the war. Carroll, who watches local news and listens to conservative talk radio, added that she, too, finds fault with news reporting on the war. She described it as difficult to find news reports around the war that are not injected with opinion. I dont want the opinions, I just want the facts, she said. Half of Americans also blame the Chinese government, which has refused to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, for spreading misinformation around the war. Indeed, China's state-run media outlets have made at least 74 English-language Facebook posts referencing a conspiracy theory that the U.S. is running secret biological warfare labs in Ukraine that have intentionally released deadly viruses, according to a new report from NewsGuard, a technology firm that monitors misinformation. (The U.S. runs biolabs in Ukraine. It's not a secret, and they're not crafting bioweapons there.) A lot of this is definitely geared toward the United States, said Jack Brewster, an analyst for the firm. Theyre echoing the same talking points that Russia is. Somewhat fewer blame the spread of war misinformation on U.S. politicians, with 44% saying they bear significant responsibility and 32% saying the same about the U.S. government. Roger Beaulieu, a 66-year-old New Yorker, said the Russian government is responsible for much of the misinformation around the war. But hes been surprised when he reads The New York Times or watches MSNBC or CNN to see what he describes as misinformation coming from some Republican lawmakers about the war. Beaulieu specifically mentioned Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who last month said that Ukraine invited Russias invasion by poking the bear. It just seems that theres more support for Russia than I can possibly understand, Beaulieu said. Large majorities of Democrats and Republicans say Russia has a large share of responsibility for spreading misinformation, and 70% of Democrats along with 55% of Republicans say Putin has directed Russian troops to commit war crimes. About a quarter of Democrats and roughly a third of Republicans say they dont know. But Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say social media companies (63% vs. 50%), the news media (61% vs. 38%) and politicians in the U.S. (52% vs. 38%) also bear a significant amount of blame for misinformation about the war. About a quarter of Americans overall said the Ukrainian government is significantly responsible for the spread of misinformation. Republicans were more likely to say the Ukrainian government had significant blame for spreading misinformation than Democrats, 32% to 15%. About 4 in 10 Americans say the Ukrainian government has little responsibility for the spread of misinformation. The AP-NORC poll of 1,085 adults was conducted April 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. 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 MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabama officials have signed a contract to build a new state prison part of a $1.3 billion construction plan partly using pandemic relief funds but have not released many of the details. A spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey confirmed the state signed a contract with Caddell Construction Co., effective April 15 for construction of a specialized mens prison facility in Elmore County, that will provide enhanced medical and mental health services." The new facility will create a safer security environment for inmates and security personnel. Our construction timeline continues to remain on schedule, Gina Maiola, a spokeswoman for Ivey, wrote in an email. The Alabama Department of Corrections on Wednesday declined to release a copy of the contract. A spokeswoman said it needed to be redacted and that would take some time because it is a lengthy contract. The department did not immediately respond to an email seeking information about the cost or the size of the prison. Ivey's office indicated the prison system should be be able to provide a copy of the publicly available contract documents in the coming days. Alabama lawmakers this fall approved a $1.3 billion prison construction plan that will use $400 million from the states share of American Rescue Plan funds to help pay for the construction. The construction plan included a new prison in Elmore County with at least 4,000 beds and enhanced space for medical and mental health care needs. It also included another prison with at least 4,000 beds in Escambia County, a new womens prison and renovations to existing facilities. Lawmakers had expected one of the construction contracts to go to Montgomery-based Caddell Construction. The legislation specified that, instead of the normal bid process, the state instead could negotiate directly with entities that were part of development teams that qualified for the projects under a lease plan Iveys administration had pursued but abandoned. Lawmakers said that would save time and build on the work already done. Ivey in October called the construction plan, a pivotal moment for improving the states criminal justice system. Critics of the plan said it did not address the underlying problems, such as low staffing, and was not a proper use of pandemic relief funds. 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 DECATUR, Ill. Police said they arrested a Decatur automotive business employee after he had taken a shot at the car of a fleeing customer who refused to pay his bill. A sworn affidavit from Decatur police quotes the 42-year-old employee as explaining he was being dragged along by the customers car Monday night and was attempting to shoot out a rear tire to disable the vehicle. Officer K. Borders, who signed the affidavit, said the shot from the mans .40 caliber handgun missed the tire and drilled a bullet hole above the rear drivers side wheel well. (The employee) explained to officers he was being dragged by the vehicle (the customer) was driving, but could not elaborate if he was intentionally hanging on to the drivers side door or making every attempt to let go, said Borders. He explained that he never fell down and was never directly in front of the vehicle. He advised (the customer) continued driving in a large semi-circle in the gravel parking lot to take the vehicle off the lot without paying. Police arrived at the business, Bills Custom Repairs and Restorations, at 8:10 p.m. to respond to reports of shots fired. Borders said the employee immediately admitted what he had done and the officer removed the mans handgun which he was carrying in a waistband holster. The employee is quoted as saying the customer owed $300 for work done on his Cadillac but made no attempt to pay as he got ready to drive away. (The employee) stated he was standing next to the open drivers side door of the vehicle pleading with (the customer) not to drive away and work out the payment another way, said Borders. He explained that he believed (the customer) was in possession of a black pistol as it appeared he was holding a firearm in his sweatshirt front pocket. The customer didnt get far, however, abandoning the vehicle at the property fence line and then fleeing on foot. The Cadillac was back in the business garage when police arrived. While on scene and speaking with officers, (the customer) had called (the employee) about the vehicle but would not provide a statement to officers via phone or give his location, Borders added. Offices later spoke with the fiancee of (the customer) by phone and she advised that he did not wish to provide a statement or speak with police... Officers were unable to obtain the name of the fiancee or verify (the customers) full information. The employee was booked on a preliminary charge of the aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle. Macon County Jail records show he was released from custody Wednesday afternoon after paying a $500 bond on bail set at $5,000. All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state's attorneys office. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span was found guilty of murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison in one of the cases against him after an earlier mistrial. Jurors took about 45 minutes to convict Billy Chemirmir, 49, of capital murder in the March 2018 smothering of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. Prosecutors said that after Chemirmir and Harris were both at the same Walmart, he went to her home, killed her and stole her jewelry. It was Chemirmirs second trial in her death, after the first jury to hear the case deadlocked in November. Prosecutors weren't seeking the death penalty, so state District Judge Raquel Rocky Jones immediately sentenced Chemirmir to life in prison without parole. Chemirmir, who has maintained that hes innocent, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 12 other women in Dallas County and five in nearby Collin County. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot has said he plans to try Chemirmir for at least one more death. Relatives of those he's accused of killing praised Thursday's verdict at an emotional news conference. "This one conviction represents justice for all of the families, said Shannon Dion, whose 92-year-old mother, Doris Gleason, was killed in 2016. Defense attorney Kobby Warren said during closing arguments that prosecutors hadnt proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Chemirmir was ever at Harris home, calling the states case all bark, no bite. As in the first trial, the defense didn't call any witnesses and Chemirmir did not testify. Prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin told jurors that he gave them more than enough evidence to convict. This is an easy decision, mainly because we bit so much off, said Fitzmartin, who noted that when Chemirmir was arrested, he had Harris jewelry and the keys to her home. Jurors also saw surveillance video of Harris and Chemirmir at the same Walmart on the day she was found dead. Though Chemirmir was being tried this week only in Harris death, prosecutors also presented evidence to jurors about an attack that 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel survived the day before Harris was killed and the killing of 87-year-old Mary Brooks about six weeks earlier. Chemirmir was arrested the day after Bartel said a man forced his way into her apartment and held a pillow over her face. Fitzmartin said police subsequently found that a few days earlier there had been a report of a suspicious person at the independent living community where she lived. A license plate number led officers to Chemirmir. Police detectives testified about going to Chemirmirs nearby apartment complex and watching as he drove into the parking lot. Detectives said he threw items into a dumpster and then, as they got him out of his vehicle, he was holding jewelry and cash in his hand. Police have said that a large red jewelry box in the dumpster contained documents that led them to Harris home. They found her dead in her bedroom, lipstick smeared on her pillow. The number of people Chemirmir was accused of killing grew as authorities reinvestigated deaths previously thought to be natural. Most of the people were found dead in their apartments at independent living communities for older people, where Chemirmir has been accused of forcing his way into apartments or posing as a handyman. Some lived in private homes, including Harris and the widow of a man Chemirmir had cared for in his job as an at-home caregiver. M.J. Jennings, whose 83-year-old mother, Leah Corken, was killed in 2016, said she hoped the conviction would be the first step of healing for all of these families. Bartel died in 2020, but jurors heard a taped deposition of her describing opening her door the day she was attacked. She said she immediately focused on green rubber gloves the person was wearing, and tried to push the door shut but was overpowered. He said: Dont fight me, lie on the bed, Bartel said. She said her attacker slammed the pillow to her face and used all his weight to keep me from breathing. She said she couldnt remember details about the mans appearance. Bartel, who lost consciousness, later discovered she was missing her wedding band, diamond engagement ring and other jewelry. Prosecutors presented evidence that Chemirmir listed jewelry belonging to Bartel and Brooks for sale online. 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 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) After New York's highest court threw out new congressional district maps drawn by the state Legislature, the task of redrawing them has fallen to a rural judge and a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. Democrats' hopes of crafting an electoral map heavily favorable to their party suffered a big blow Wednesday when the state Court of Appeals ruled that the Legislature's maps were unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The high court handed responsibility for creating a new set of maps to state Judge Patrick McAllister the lower-court jurist who had initially declared the maps unconstitutional. Anticipating that higher courts would agree with him, McAllister had already chosen an independent expert to help him craft the maps, Jonathan Cervas, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Institute for Politics and Strategy. The pair now face a tight deadline to come up with new maps, even as state officials try to figure out what to do about the state's primary election, scheduled for June 28. The state may still to hold primaries in the contests for governor and state Assembly on that date, but primaries for congress and state Senate might be moved to August. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said the states leaders were still deciding what to do. It is a very fluid and new situation, she told reporters on Thursday. The appeals court judges yanked the responsibility for crafting the new maps away from the Legislature, ruling it had exceeded its authority by unilaterally creating its own Congressional and state Senate maps. The Legislature had taken that move after the states Independent Redistricting Commission made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats failed to produce a consensus map. Cervas, who will take the lead in crafting replacement maps, previously played a key role as a consultant who helped create legislative district maps for Pennsylvanias Legislative Reapportionment Commission. He also served as an assistant in court-supervised redistricting programs in Utah, Virginia and Georgia. He declined an interview request from The Associated Press on Thursday but said, I am thrilled to assist the New York courts in delivering constitutional maps that will provide equal representation for all New York residents for the next decade. Cervas is scheduled to hold one public hearing May 6 on a courthouse in Bath, New York. Under the judges schedule, he would have to produce a draft map by May 16. The final version would have to be done no later than May 24. On Thursday, state elections commissioners asked the judge to stick to that schedule, or even speed it up, if the state is to meet a series of legal deadlines before the November election. An August primary would allow time to adopt new maps, send correct information to voters, finish the candidate petitioning process, and comply with federal voting laws. Ballots for military and overseas voters must get mailed out at least 45 days before a primary. In past years, New York held primaries as late as September. You cant turn a statewide election around on a dime or in a month, said New York Law School professor and redistricting expert Jeffrey Wice. Lawmakers can pass legislation to delay the primary to August. A state Board of Elections spokesperson, John Conklin, said the judge could also decide a date without needing legislative approval. One potential wrinkle in rescheduling the primary could be a decade-old court order that the state's congressional primaries be held the fourth Tuesday in June. Conklin said state elections officials believed that order contained enough flexibility for the date of the vote to be moved, although the state would be consulting with the U.S. Justice Department to see if a federal court might need to review any change. Legislative leaders didn't immediately provide a response Thursday when asked if they would move to reschedule the primary. Hochul said she wasn't too concerned with the delay, or with the fact that judges had struck down maps authored by Democrats. The Democrats engaged in a process that has happened in state legislatures all across this country, sometimes it ends up in litigation, sometimes theres a different outcome. Its just part of what happens every decade, Hochul said. As for potentially appealing the Court of Appeals decision striking down the Legislature's maps, Wice said Democrats have no real option. Democrats could, he said, adopt a strategy used by Republicans in North Carolina. In February, North Carolina Republicans asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a congressional redistricting plan that state judges drew. The GOP legislative leaders argued the state judges had overstepped their authority because the U.S. Constitution gives state lawmakers the power to determine the manner of holding U.S. House elections. The Supreme Court is set to weigh that question in their fall term beginning in October. But Wice said he doesn't recommend that New York Democrats mimic a strategy that he said calls into question state courts' authority to invalidate other laws passed by lawmakers. Democrats could also sue to challenge maps adopted by the state court, according to Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault. Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in New York City 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 OMAHA -- Sen. Justin Wayne said he had fun working to pass LB1024 to fund recovery efforts in underserved areas of Omaha. Now that the bill has passed, he's a bit nervous. "The real work begins now," Wayne said at a news conference Thursday. The Omaha senator, along with Gov. Pete Ricketts, several other lawmakers and dozens of local officials, gathered at Metropolitan Community College's Fort Omaha campus to celebrate the passage of LB1024. Ricketts described the bill as "landmark legislation" that will have a "generational impact" in the years to come. The bill devotes $335 million to underserved areas of the state, particularly in North and South Omaha, but also to some low-income areas of Lincoln and rural Nebraska. Ricketts said some of the recovery efforts will include affordable housing, infrastructure investments, crime prevention, financial literacy and education. Wayne said this is the first time in state history that North and South Omaha have had this level of funding dedicated to them and now the pressure is on to produce results. "We'll never get an opportunity like this again if we don't use these dollars wisely," Wayne said. A committee of seven lawmakers has already formed to plan the recovery efforts. On the committee is Wayne, along with Sens. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, Terrell McKinney of Omaha, Tony Vargas of Omaha, Mike McDonnell of Omaha, Brett Lindstrom of Omaha and Anna Wishart of Lincoln. A legislative staffer confirmed the committee has already met once near the end of the legislative session. First on the committee's to-do list is to approve a request for proposal, or RFP, which will allocate about $135 million of the funding outlined in LB1024. Although no specific projects have been solidified so far, Wayne previously said a top priority will be hiring a master developer, which will likely take the form of a contractor who oversees the major development projects in the area. Adm. Osie Combs, president of the manufacturing company Pacific Engineering Inc., said he plans to contribute to the recovery efforts by expanding a business park in North Omaha to house a facility for his business. Pacific Engineering currently operates out of a 75,000-square-foot facility in Lincoln, with about 30 employees. Combs said he hopes to bring on 50 to 100 new employees through this expansion, primarily hiring people from the Omaha area. "We take it to the people," Combs said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pacific Engineering built pods that served as temporary testing sites. Combs said those pods can be repurposed to serve different recovery effort needs, such emergency shelters or affordable housing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The attorney for an Iowa 17-year-old accused of helping a classmate kill their high school Spanish teacher has argued that his case should be moved from adult to juvenile court. Such a move could allow Jeremy Goodale to dodge a long prison sentence; He would be released at age 18. Goodale's attorney requested the move during a hearing Thursday. Goodale and classmate Willard Miller are charged with murder in the beating death of Fairfield High School Spanish teacher Nohema Graber in November. Goodale was 16 at the time. Miller, who is 16, also wants his case to be sent to juvenile court. RACINE My daughter was scared every day." Brittany Booker's father said she would get out of her car, run until she was inside her house, then quickly lock the door. Booker, the mother to six children, was killed Sunday, the victim of violent crime. The primary suspect, Terry L. Jackson Jr., remains at large and is being sought by local authorities along with the U.S. Marshals. Jackson allegedly attacked Booker and another woman in February, but has since eluded arrest. Friends and loved ones gathered at Tyler Domer Community Center Wednesday evening to remember her. "Stop the Violence Rally and Prayer Vigil" was organized by Restoration Ministries at the request of the Booker family to bring awareness to the increase in violence, including domestic violence, to encourage victims to seek help, and to support the efforts by law enforcement to get justice for Booker. Sylvia Bennet Stone, the national director of Voices of Black Mothers United, addressed the crowd. Its going to take all of us working together to bring change. And change takes all of us. Voices of Black Mothers United is a national movement led by the Woodson Center, which is based in Washington D.C. but with a presence in 22 states with thousands of black mothers who have lost children to violence. We decided to turn our pain into purpose, and come to communities like this, to make a difference, and find some solutions, she said. Nakeyda Haymer, local representative for Voices of Black Mothers United, encouraged the black community to come together and be a model for other cities in reducing violence. Remembering Leonard Larry, Booker's father, told the Journal Times that his daughter was living in fear for her life. Booker and her friend were attacked on Feb. 22 and both were seriously injured; Jackson is the suspect in that attack, in which he allegedly used a hammer and nearly killed the two women. Bookers friend had a previous relationship with Jackson. As of Thursday, Jackson was still on the lam and three different women have been arrested for allegedly helping him elude the police. Larry said his daughter told him, I feel most safe when youre here. She knew no one would bother her if I was there, he added. Bookers six children are now living with her family. They will be taken care of, Larry said. Investigation Larry has been outspoken in his criticism of the investigation following the Feb. 22 attack on Booker and her friend. I did not get any support from the police, he said. If I did, we would not be here. He claimed the investigation was passed around to multiple detectives who did not call Bookers family and keep them in the loop as to the investigation. Quote Its going to take all of us working together to bring change. And change takes all of us. Sylvia Bennet Stone, Voices of Black Mothers United national director RPD Sgt. Kristi Wilcox told the Racine County Eye on Monday We did conduct a manhunt for a month, but we did not alert the public because doing so might have placed a number of people in harms way unnecessarily ... The situation with him is very serious and has been, and (Jacksons) efforts to escape capture made it difficult to apprehend him. When asked what justice for his daughter looked like, Larry said, Bring this dude to jail. Activism Kelly Scroggins-Powell, of the Racine Women for Racial Justice, encouraged those in attendance to become active in the community. People often become upset about issues, including how policing is carried out, but the governing policies are discussed and enacted at meetings that people do not attend. Where are we? she asked. Folks sometimes do not know who their alderman are or when meetings are taken place, Scroggins-Powell said. By becoming a member of a larger organization, they can learn about local government. She encouraged people to sign up and to get involved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A women's handicrafts exhibition kicked off Wednesday in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, which displayed a variety of traditional clothes, homemade foodstuff, and handicraft products. The five-day show is organized by the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) to mark the end of Ramadan or fasting month and the upcoming Eid-al-Fitr Festival, Roya Hafizi, acting chairman of the AWCCI, told Xinhua. According to Hafizi, more than 70 women-owned businesses from different provinces participated in the exhibition held in Shahrak-e-Aria, a residential complex near the Kabul International Airport. "There are around 50 booths and many tables where nearly all of the companies are directly introduced by the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Traditional clothes, handicrafts, jewelry as well as homemade foodstuff are among items put on display," she said. Afghanistan will celebrate the Eid-al-Fitr festival on or around May 2, depending upon moon sightings. The show will wrap up on May 1. Eastern Iowans who spoke at a public meeting Monday evening fear a Monona cattle feedlot would use more water than stated in an application to renew its water use permit. Supreme Beef wants to withdraw up to 21.9 million gallons of water a year from two wells in the Jordan aquifer near the 11,600-head facility in Clayton County. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources permitted this use back in 2017 and staff have recommended renewal, but opponents want the agency to reconsider. "I'm concerned Supreme Beef has drastically underestimated the amount of water needed for 11,600 cows," said Alicia Mullarkey, of Marquette. She was one of nine people who spoke out against the permit renewal. While the permit would allow for six gallons of water per cow per day, many experts recommend 10 to 20 gallons per day in the summer. The permit renewal application also doesn't reflect changes in the Supreme Beef operation, which was called Walz Energy in 2017 and planned to use an anaerobic digester to convert manure into digestate. The earlier permit called for 10,000 cattle, not 11,600. Tammy Thompson, the first to speak at the meeting, said the permit should be considered anew because the 2017 version omitted information, such as the existence of her nearby private well. The feedlot has met ongoing opposition from environmental groups and some neighbors for reasons that include its proximity to Bloody Run, a treasured trout stream and an Outstanding Iowa Water. The Iowa chapters of the Sierra Club and Trout Unlimited are suing the Iowa DNR over the April 2021 approval of Supreme Beef's nutrient management plan. They say manure from the feedlot, built in porous karst terrain, could easily pollute Bloody Run and nearby private wells, many of which already have high levels of nitrate, linked to blue baby syndrome and some cancers. But Noah Poppelreiter, an Iowa DNR lawyer moderating Monday's meeting, made clear the agency is just considering the water use permit. After listening to oral comments and reading written comments, the department is expected to decide on the permit renewal by mid-May, he said. Iowa law requires water drawn from underground resources to have a "beneficial use" for Iowans. In May 2020, the Iowa DNR denied Pattison Sand Co.'s request for a permit to draw millions of gallons of water from the Jordan aquifer to sell to drought-ridden western states after the company couldn't say why the project benefited Iowans. Jeff Klinge, who lives 4 miles from the Supreme Beef site, said manure from cattle operations can be used to fertilize organic farm fields like his. "There is a need for cattle," he said. "If your research will show it won't harm (the aquifer), the Walz feedlot should be allowed." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Scott County authorities charged two Davenport women for leaving their 86-year-old mother on the floor for four days without care, according to police. Beverly Jean Steen, 65, and Barbara Joan Steen, 59, both of Davenport, each face a charge of dependent adult abuse, according to Scott County court records. On about March 21, 2021, the Steens mother fell in the living room of their home in the 6000 block of Oakbrook Road in Davenport, court records state. The woman was unable to get up without help. Beverly Steen and Barbara Steen, who were responsible for her care, did not help their mother up and did not provide food, water or other care for at least four days, according to court records. They called for medical help on March 25, 2021, and arriving medical personnel found the 86-year-old incoherent and suffering from pressure ulcers on her face and body. Authorities issued warrants for both women on April 19 and Beverly and Barbara Steen were arrested on April 24, according to court records. They were still in custody Wednesday, each held on a $10,000 bond, according to the Scott County Jail website. Both women are next scheduled to appear in court on May 5, court records state. Further details about the mother were not available Wednesday, the Davenport Police Department said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Why are so many people unreasonable today? You cant swing a dead cat without hitting some yahoo spouting a half-baked conspiracy theory, threatening to shoot a government official, or canceling someone for using an ill-chosen metaphor. We have school boards firing educators for teaching controversial topics in a class about critical thinking. We have legislators calling the cops because a comedian made fun of them. What the heck is going on? You can blame unreasonableness on many things: social media algorithms, misinformation campaigns, decline in community engagement, lack of scientific knowledge, or a communist plot to sap and impurify all our precious bodily fluids. All of these (except the last) may be contributing to the problem, but something more fundamental is going on as well. Too many people seem to think reasonableness is a default, and any deviation from that norm must come from some malign influence threatening to undermine our democracy. Their solution is to force people to believe what they deem correct. Consequently, we have politicians on the left trying to curb speech on the internet and politicians on the right trying to curb speech in schools. But we cannot legislate our way into reasonableness. It is a virtue that is strengthened only within communities that value and cultivate it; wherever it is taken for granted it is lost. Nobody understood this more clearly than our second president, John Adams. He often was downright pessimistic in his predictions for the future of this country, especially in his letters to his wife, Abigail. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. The fact is, human beings natural tendency is to be unreasonable. It always has been. Thats one reason our founders insisted on protecting free speech in the Bill of Rights. But they were also wise enough to understand that legal protection of free speech is not enough; widespread tolerance of opposing viewpoints is something we must each cultivate within our own hearts. I saw an example of deep-seated unreasonableness up close several years ago when I helped organize a public debate over a controversy in our community. A group of people had filed a lawsuit demanding removal of a small Ten Commandments monument in a public park. The Freedom from Religion Foundation lent its support to the plaintiffs. The American Center for Law and Justice offered to aid the city in its legal defense. Similar disputes took place in cities and towns throughout the country. Before the lawsuit, few people were even aware of the monument, which is about the size and shape of an inconspicuous grave marker. Yet, for months it was the hot topic in all the coffee shops and taverns. Everybody had a strong opinion, but nobody really cared about the monument itself. It was a symbol of what side people were on. I invited the public relations director of the Freedom from Religion Foundation to debate the senior counsel from the American Center for Law and Justice. I also invited a political philosopher to provide some context and nuance to an issue that almost everyone seemed to regard as black and white. Inviting three participants to a debate threw people off. The day before the event, I got a phone call from someone upset that I had stacked the debate by inviting two people opposed to the monument and only one person in favor of it. As I hung up the phone, a man walked into my office holding a copy of the debate flyer. Why, he demanded, was I stacking the debate with two people in favor of the monument and only one opposed? When somebody cares deeply about a controversial issue, it can be hard for them to see that there may be more than just two sides. But the truth is, most issues have layers of complexity and understanding them adequately requires more than just being for or against. That is why it is important to debate controversial issues publicly, to actually discuss and try to understand them and not just take a position. An issue only becomes what we call controversial because a large number of people have opposing views about the subject. That alone makes it worth talking about, because people generally dont hold strong views on a topic for no reason at all. Here is a piece of advice: If the group of people you disagree with seem completely irrational, thats a pretty good clue your own understanding of the case is superficial. It is vital to the health of our society to cultivate within ourselves an attitude of broad tolerance for the public discussion of ideas, especially those ideas with which we disagree. Only fools are confident in their ability to know the truth. Richard Kyte is director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., and co-host of The Ethical Life podcast. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold." So wrote William Butler Yeats in the wake of the Great War of 1914-1918 that had ravaged the Christian civilization he had known. In France on Sunday, the center held, as President Emmanuel Macron rolled up a crushing 59% to 41% victory in the runoff election against ethno-nationalist Marine Le Pen. Four years ago, Le Pen got 34% in the runoff. And the highest vote that her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front, ever received was 18%. While Marine Le Pen lost Sunday, her positions continue to attract converts. So terrified of Le Pen was the European establishment that before Sunday's election, the leaders of Spain, Portugal and Germany intervened in France's politics by imploring the French people to vote against her. This runoff is "for us, not an election like any other," wrote German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and Spanish Premier Pedro Sanchez in Le Monde. France faces a "choice between a democratic candidate ... and a far-right candidate, who openly sides with those who attack our freedom and our democracy." More than 4 in 10 French voted for the candidate the EU leaders had described as anti-democratic. In the first round of voting, Le Pen, along with rabid leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon and the hard right's Eric Zemmour, who ran third and fourth, behind Le Pen, together carried 52%. Thus did three of the top four candidates for the presidency of France, and a majority of the French nation, show support for an idea that all three of them shared -- hostility to NATO. In ruling France for the next five years, Macron, himself a critic of U.S. leadership and NATO, will have to keep this constituency in mind. And Macron knows it. On his night of triumph, he conceded that many of those who voted for him were motivated not by an appreciation of what he had accomplished, but by a fear of Le Pen. In the East of Europe, however, change may be on the horizon. Major media -- Newsweek, the New York Post and Daily Mail -- are reporting rumors, based partly on recent videos of Russia's president, that Vladimir Putin may be suffering from cancer. Also, news that Sweden and Finland may be joining NATO as the 31st and 32nd members of the alliance has caused a sharp reaction from Moscow, which is warning of a redeployment of nuclear weapons to the Baltic. Again, have people thought through what it would mean to bring Finland, a nation the size of Germany with an 830-mile land border with Russia, into NATO? With 4% of Russia's population, Finland would need NATO ground troops to man the border bases and crossing points into that country, and some of those troops would likely have to be Americans. They would be staring across that chilly border directly at Russians, as in East and West Berlin in Cold War days. Last Friday, in a press conference, Gen. Rustam Minnekayev said Russia seeks full control of all of southern Ukraine to give it "another way out to Transnistria" -- the breakaway state internationally recognized as part of Moldova. Minnekayev charged Moldova with oppressing the Russian-speaking population of Transnistria, an echo of the claim the Kremlin used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Was this weekend's missile attack on Odessa an indicator of that Russian intent? Putin's ally in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, in his sixth term, having held the top office for three decades, is now 68, and his last election victory in 2020 was almost universally regarded as fraudulent. Would Moscow, having lost Ukraine, sit still as Sweden and Finland moved onto the threshold of NATO and accept a neutrality for Belarus that would leave Russia without two of the three critical components of his Russian Federation as allies? China's largest city, Shanghai, is today in a lockdown ordered by Xi Jinping, as China suddenly seems no longer the country that showed the world how to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic that began in Wuhan. President Joe Biden may be making trips to New Hampshire, but few believe he will be running again in 2024, as the manifestations of his cognitive decline appear more frequent and disturbing. Yet, one recalls. Woodrow Wilson suffered an incapacitating stroke during a national tour to sell the peace treaty and League of Nations he had negotiated at Paris to the country and the Senate in 1919, yet survived his successor Warren Harding, who died in office in 1923. As Macron was rolling up his election victory, Ron Klain, Biden's White House chief of staff, chortled at the outcome. "An interesting observation, just FYI," tweeted Klain. "President Macron appears to have secured a double-digit victory over LePen, at a time when his approval rating is 36%. Hmmm ... " If Macron can pull it off, why can't Biden, Klain is contending here. Unconvincingly. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1 Okie grunge! The Oklahoma City-based hard rock band Hinder is best known for such albums as "Extreme Behavior," "All American Nightmare" and "Welcome to the Freak Show." Huh, they sound like fun guys, don't you think? They'll have a 7 p.m. Friday concert at The Marquee, 1225 Fourth St. 2 Make Some Noise! Are your ready to "Check your Head" and say "Hello Nasty?" Then, you might be a Beastie Boys devotee. What's the perfect antidote? Get your body moving to see cover band My Posse in Effect at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's Anthem. Tell them that Lee Majors will ride again! 3 Twister Misters! When we were children, we confused bluegrass with crabgrass. As adults, can now tell the difference. By the way, Pretend Friend -- a bluegrass band from Wichita, Kansas -- will do an 8 p.m. Friday show at Vangarde Arts, 416 Pierce St. 4 Pop-up shopping! If you're in need of 1) a new spring wardrobe and 2) like wine, then, Babes Unite -- a pop-up spring fashion show, sponsored by five Siouxland boutiques -- might be intriguing. Head on over to Tucker Hill Vineyards, 1001 Tucker Hill Drive, Hinton, Iowa, at 3 p.m. Saturday and shop 'till you drop! 5 21st century hippies! A band made up of bikers, outlaws, troubadours and hellraisers, the Texas Hippie Coalition are expected to cause a scene by performing an 8 p.m. Friday show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St. 6 Broadway on the river! Soprano Ellen Osborn will treat audiences to a "What's New on Broadway" concert at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Betty Strong Encounter Center, 900 Larsen Park Road. So, what's new on Broadway? Go to the show and find out for yourselves! 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. Like every reality show about dating and marriage, 90 Day Fiance feeds on interpersonal conflict. Screaming fights and bouts of tears are frequent occurrences. But the showabout American citizens and the foreigners they plan to marrythrives because its underlying stakes are higher than who wins the prize or most successfully burnishes their personal brand. Because of its focus on international long-distance relationships, geopolitics inevitably intrudes on the familiar tension of will-they-or-wont-they romance. Recent seasons have confronted the increased difficulty of immigration under the Trump administration, as well as couples long periods of separation due to COVID. But while the show has always maintained a tricky balance of trashy fun with moments of empathy, it faces its biggest challenge in addressing the war in Ukraine, where many of its potential brides have hailed from. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When confronting this devastating war, the shows empathetic instincts really stand out, as do the weakness and cynicism of its desire to please all audiences. The 90 Day shows are a hit because you can see what you want to see in them. Context, editing, even zoom-ins on facial expressions can confirm suspicions that the foreigners are only in it for a green card. At the same time, they can evoke profound sympathy for them as they try to communicate with American partners who run the gamut from clueless and entitled to creepy and domineering. When confronting this devastating war, the shows empathetic instincts really stand out, as do the weakness and cynicism of its desire to please all audiences. 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine, a one-off special that aired last week on TLC, follows three Ukrainian women who have previously appeared on the show or one of its spinoffs. Characters who have already won over the audience or proved their star power have space to show aspects of their lives beyond their romantic relationships. Yara, who, like many of the franchises Ukrainian women, was originally depicted as a bossy princess, gets involved in relief aid and activism. Yara won the audience over with frank speaking and her refusal to tolerate her husband Jovis drinking and partying. She was also delightfully unimpressed with much of America (like the regular smell of vomit on New Orleans Bourbon Street) and talked of eventually returning to Ukraine to raise her daughter, Mylah. In 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine, Yara is raising her daughter with her husband in New Orleans (far from Bourbon Street). She was about to receive her green card and be able to travel home when the war broke out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of 90 Days dual logic, love of ones home country is often a double-edged sword. On the one hand, its a kind of proof that the foreigner is not looking to marry an American just as an easy way to come to the States. On the other, dwelling too much on Americas problems can be parsed as a sign of ingratitude. But the war makes Yaras patriotism, and even her bluntness, indisputably admirable. The footage of her in 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine has an almost beatific feel. She looks a bit like a Madonna as she holds Mylah in her lap, fastening yellow and blue ribbons to her hair on the way to a peace rally. Mylah toddles around as Yara packs baby blankets into aid packages, sewing little Ukrainian flags onto each one. When, in her talking head interviews, Yara speaks forcefully of her hometown pride for Kyiv and her desire to return and make it better than ever, it emphasizes that patriotism and activism are not incompatible within the prescribed roles the show has already created for her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With some of its other stories, the show has to backtrack a bit more. The war makes personality quirks that were once presented as laughable seem more justified. Natalie (a seasoned 90 Day veteran) is undeniably great television: high-strung, with big, expressive blue eyes and emotive gestures. This all made for dark comedy in 90 Days depiction of the grim breakdown of her relationship with an uncommunicative lump named Mike. But now, her melodramatic tendencies seem proportionate to the horrors of the war, and are played more sympathetically. In 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine, Natalie is separated from Mike and living in Miami. Where her previous appearances seemed edited to amp up her histrionics, the special tracks her trauma in long scenes that the show serves uncharacteristically straight. Natalies grief has caused her to isolate, and she has a long talk with the one person who can understand: her Polish friend, Jolanta. Natalie is grateful to Poland for welcoming Ukrainian refugees, and the two women share fears that Putin could invade Poland next. The most heartbreaking scene in the special is Natalies video call with her mother, who left Kyiv to stay with friends in Poland. It reveals the strange dynamics of exile; Natalie sobs while her mother tries to reassure her that she is OK. Forgive me, Mommy, Natalie cries, feeling guilty for having left her mother alone in Ukraine. Its a forceful example of a message that the shows usually indicate more subtly: Their decision to leave home is often a wrenching and painful one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The specials dual logic, however, becomes untenable as it follows Maria, still currently in Ukraine. On Before the 90 Days, Maria had an American boyfriend, Cesar, who regularly sent her money. She begged off meeting him in person; Cesar finally arranged for them to meet on a trip to Mexico, and Maria never showed up. Viewers were not even sure that Maria was real until the reunion, where she showed up via video link, coolly unrepentant. When pressed about how much money Cesar gave her, she uttered one of the seriess most famous lines: I am not accountant. Marias story was so infamous that it inspired a Saturday Night Live sketch. 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 90 Day franchise loves a redemption story, but this is a bridge too far. It cant neatly square that depiction of an unabashed gold digger with present-day Maria, stuck alone in an apartment in Kyiv. So the special glosses over the past: Title cards elliptically explain that Maria was dating Cesar and ended the relationship two years later. The special quickly moves on to harrowing footage from the streets of Kyiv, and a look at the narrow and terrifying scope of Marias life. She pads around alone in her tiny apartment; the only social contact she has is stoic phone calls with friends, where they swap tales of hearing explosions. The camera follows Maria, whos running out of food, as she risks a nighttime trip to the market. She cuts the trip short once she sees rocket fire in the sky. The shaky, handheld footage cuts out abruptly, and we see text messages between Maria and the crew as Kyiv is under lockdown. Please stay safe. We are all thinking about you, the producers respond. Its a blatant but odd little mea culpa for Marias previous portrayal, and perhaps permission for regular viewers of the franchise to view Maria with more depth. Advertisement While 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine allows the franchise to expand on its most empathetic instincts, it cant stray too far from the tried-and-true formula. A clueless American is de rigueur, a role filled by a Before the 90 Days alumnus, an eccentric millionaire (and camera-loving buffoon) who calls Ukraine his second homeapparently because hes spent years traveling there in search of girlfriends. Yaras, Natalies, and Marias stories are intercut with scenes where David, 63, prepares to volunteer as a foreign fighter in Ukraine, preening in his bulletproof vest and showing off at a shooting range. True, the American is the butt of the joke here, but his egotistical antics still pull focus from the womens stories. Apart from a brief cameo by Yaras husband, no other American speaks or acts in defense of Ukraine, making Davids presence tough to parse. Is this a particularly dark jab at Americans view of the world, or just reality TV reaching the limits of its own complexity? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portrayals of women in the 90 Day universe, however compelling they may be, are generally confined to the familiar roles of wife and mother. (Because foreign spouses need to wait for work permits, its rare to see them at a job.) 90 Day Diaries: Ukraine allows us to see these three women as international citizens and activistsones whose social media profiles, boosted by their previous appearances, have allowed them to raise funds for charities and foster public awareness for a fan base not necessarily up-to-date on the details of the war. The franchises exploitative and reductive elements dont exactly disappear, but the result is surprisingly moving, and something that might even make a difference. This week, R. Eric Thomas and Nadira Goffe discuss a Prudie letter: Bestie Budget Problems R. Eric Thomas: Hi Nadira! What did you think about our letter writers problem (and also their seemingly luxurious European lifestyle)? Nadira Goffe: Well, Im definitely jealous of the lifestyle. The friend issues? Not so much! I actually found this really frustrating. I think that there are many factors that arent being considered here, but I definitely agree with the original advice. Eric: Yeah, I try to assume the best often, but it seemed to me that the LWs benevolence about their financial planning skills was kind of short-sighted. Like, its clear theres tension with the old friends there, and Id guess that this money stuff has been an issue for a lot longer. Nadira: Yeah, absolutely! This is definitely something that has been simmering for a while now. In whose pot, it might be hard to say, but this isnt new! And I dont think the solution is to host Finances 101 for your friends? When has telling someone how to spend their money ever been the path of least resistance? I think my larger frustration is also with the lack of recognition around European and (Im assuming) American life. Capitalism in America is a very different beast. Of course, it exists in many places. But its really hard to tell your friends not to care about luxury cars when thats how the mothers in the cul-de-sac show their worth or value. Its hard not to want to Keep Up With the Joneses, as it were. And it seems like the LW has found a really great community in an area where those things are less important. Which is great! But not the reality of everyone everywhere. Eric: Thats a fantastic point. Its not so simple as prioritizing one lifestyle over the other. The LW seems to be ignoring the fact that you cant just live your Eat, Pray, Love life in the middle of an American city. Nadira: Right, exactly! I dont know where the LWs home base is, but it might not have the fantastic Metro or Bus system thats in other European cities, and so on. Of course Im speculating, but its an important frame to consider when youre evaluating someones spending. Eric: Context is the key here (and everywhere tbh). I wonder how much the LW actually knows about the specifics of their friends lives and how much theyre simply overlaying their choices and circumstances. It seems like a bad fit. Let me ask you: Have you ever gone to a friend for financial advice? Nadira: Man, Im a mid-twenty-something graduate student. My finances are between me, the powers that be, and my mom. Which is to say, no. Haha! But! I have expressed financial concerns with my friendswe all have them. Eric: LOL! I hear you on your mom being part of that cohort! Nadira: Moms know all! The thing about my friends is: Were all in the same boat. So theres much less judgement. Which leads me to another noteI would maybe prioritize finding a new circle of friends? In the country the LW actually lives in, who would be more accustomed to the culture of that place. Eric: That stuck out to me, too. I wonder how much contact this old group of friends and LW have with each other now anyway. Some of the tension may come from having a friend who is all about their European life randomly interjecting in the American group. It can be hard to start a new life, but thats essentially what the LW has already done. Nadira: Its like being that one kid who studied abroad in Rome and talked about it incessantly, thus immediately incurring eye-rolls from all of their friends. (Its me, that one kid was me.) Eric: Hahaha, I was never that kid but I sometimes turn into that adult talking about a vacation I just took. No one needs all that information. And if they want to know, theyll ask. Nadira: I had every good intention. But thats absolutely correct, if they wanted to know? They would ask. Theres nothing wrong with keeping friends from earlier, and perhaps humbler, beginnings. But theres certainly nothing wrong with branching out, either. We all do it. Theres a time and a place and an audience for certain needs, worries, and conversations. And it seems like finances might need to be a topic for a different group! And if that means that sharing your travel stories and experiences also needs to be for a different group, then so be it! Eric: So be it! Find your people! This article is part of the Free Speech Project , a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. Like pretty much any journalist who compulsively wastes too much of their life on Twitter, Ive had my fair share of unpleasant experiences with the site. In part, thats because Im Jewish, and I occasionally find my mentions flooded by antisemitic trolls who think its the height of wit to throw an echo around my nameas in we see you (((weissmann)))in response to some tweet they dont like. Its a hazard of the site that you learn to live with. Advertisement Thankfully, Twitters Nazi problem has felt a little less severe in recent years. Back during the 2016 election, when Donald Trumps first run for the White House helped turn social media into a white supremacist jamboree, having some anonymous groyper tell me to jump in an oven was just another day at the office. These days, something I say really has to go viral and reach a large swath of right-wing accounts before the bigoted shitposters start to show up in numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suffice it to say, Im feeling a little bit apprehensive about what exactly Elon Musk plans to do with Twitter, assuming he actually closes his deal to buy the company. The Tesla and Space X founder describes himself a free speech absolutist and has regularly criticized the sites content moderation practices for supposedly trampling on discourse. Theres now a widespread assumption hell try to loosen those policies. Advertisement Advertisement I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law, he recently tweeted. If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect. Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people. In practice, that would mean allowing all sorts of hate speech and grisly, violent material Twitter currently bans, a prospect that seems to be exciting the hard right. A number of banned neo-Nazis tried to set up new accounts shortly after the news of Musks deal broke, though they were quickly kicked off. How much could Musk undo? Quite a bit. In its early days, Twitter had an anything-goes attitude toward content moderation. But, spurred on by the harassment campaign unleashed by Gamergate and the toxicity of the 2016 election, it began to take a more proactive approach on issues like harassment, hate speech, and misinformation, using a combination of more stringent policies and new platform features that helped make it a leader in the industry. Advertisement Advertisement Some examples: It got more aggressive about banning accounts and booted hard-right figures like Milo Yiannopoulos and Alex Jones well before competitors like Facebook. It partnered with academics to try and measure the health of conversations on the platform, rolled out safety features to prevent harassment, and put in place policies to combat transphobia, such as banning deadnaming. In 2020, it expanded its policy against hateful conduct to bar language that dehumanizes people on the basis of race, ethnicity and national origin and permanently banned former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. It started labeling misinformation and has also worked to limit lies about COVID, barring Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes personal account for flouting those policies. And of course, it famously dumped Donald Trump from the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its hard to say objectively how much of a difference these steps have made to daily life on the platform. But experts in the field say the changes have made a serious difference. Heidi Beirich, the co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, told me shes seen a major drop in the number of hate groups operating on the platform. There are far, far, far fewer of them on Twitter today than there were before, she said. And I think those who have stayed on have been inhibited from saying more extreme things. Advertisement Advertisement Twitters regular transparency reports, which document its rules enforcement actions, also show the company has gotten more aggressive policing hate speech. In the first half of 2021, it removed more than 1.6 million pieces of content for violating its hateful conduct policies, almost 2.5 times as much as it removed in the first six months of 2018which is a bigger jump than youd expect just based on its overall user growth. Its removing 18 times more material for violating its policies regarding sensitive media, a category that includes extreme violence and sexually explicit material, but also hate symbols such as swastikas. The company is also suspending accounts more frequently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twitter today is different from 2016, Adam Conner, vice president for technology policy at the Center for American Progress, put it to me. I am not going to stand here and tell you that Twitter is a perfect place, but it is better than it was. Advertisement If Musk actually applied a First Amendment standard to Twitters content moderation, the vast majority of this material would stay up. Under the Constitution, Americans are essentially allowed to indulge in all the hate speech they like, and can advocate violence as long as it doesnt cross the line into direct threats against individuals or incitement to immediate action. (So you can talk about how great you think it is to burn churches and synagogues, as long as you dont tell a crowd to go burn down a Black church or synagogue down the street.) I would say the vast majority of the speech that is currently banned [on Twitter] could not be banned under the First Amendment, Catherine Ross, a law professor at George Washington University who studies free speech issues, told me. Advertisement With that said, it is difficult to imagine that Musk would actually try to apply a First Amendment standard to Twitters content moderation. For starters, it would turn the platform into a cesspool that would alienate a lot of users and scare away advertisers. Aside from letting the racists run wild, itd mean letting people advocate terrorism, share graphically violent content like videos of beheadings, and even trade digitally fabricated child pornography, all of which count as protected speech under the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Second, it would be wildly impractical. Laws about hate speech vary by country, and the majority of Twitters users reside outside of the United States. A European Union official has already warned that Musk will have to follow the EUs new Digital Services Act, which fines companies up to 6 percent of annual sales per violation if it fails to police hate speech and harassment. Hell also have to deal with the U.K.s own online safety laws. Unless Musk wants to impose a different set of rules for every nation, his hands are somewhat tied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, hes hinted here and there that he doesnt particularly want to make Twitter an alt-right paradise again. Musk has complained about specific policy decisions by Twitter he saw as discriminating against conservatives, such as how it handled the New York Posts reporting on Hunter Bidens laptop, and was angered by the sites decision to suspend the conservative satire site the Babylon Bee for violating its policies against anti-trans harassment. But in a tweet responding to conservative media mogul Ben Shapiro, he said: I should be clear that the right will probably be a little unhappy too. My goal is to maximize area under the curve of total human happiness, which means the ~80% of people in the middle. The point, however, is that there is plenty of room for Twitter to backslide and return to being a much less pleasant place to have a conversation. As one of its deeply addled regular users, Id find that pretty unfortunate. Personally, I prefer the place with fewer Nazis around. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. ARCHIVED - Which supermarkets in Spain are open this May Bank Holiday weekend 2022? These are the May Bank Holiday weekend supermarket opening hours in Spain Sunday May 1, 2022 is a national holiday in Spain because it is Mayday, also known as Labour Day and International Workers Day. In some regions of Spain, the bank holiday is being transferred to Monday May 2, so it will be a day off work and school for many people. The autonomous communities in Spain that will have a bank holiday on Monday May 2 are: Andalucia Madrid Murcia Aragon Castilla y Leon Asturias Extremadura Over the bank holiday weekend, the opening hours of certain supermarkets may be subject to some changes. These are the opening times of Spains main supermarkets this weekend: Mercadona Mercadonas normal opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9am to 9.30pm and they are closed on Sundays and public holidays. For this reason, Mercadona will be closed on Sunday May 1 everywhere in Spain and on Monday May 2 in the autonomous communities observing the national holiday on that day. Lidl Lidl usually opens from Monday to Saturday between 9am and 10pm, while on Sundays some shops reduce their opening hours and open only from 10am to 3pm or from 10am to 10pm. Aldi Aldi supermarkets normally open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 10pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 10am to 10pm. This means that many Aldi stores will be open all this weekend, but some supermarkets in certain locations are closed on Sundays and public holidays, so its advisable to check the opening hours of each individual shop for both May 1 and 2. Dia Dia supermarkets are usually open from 8.30am to 10pm or from 9am to 9.30pm from Monday to Saturday, while on Sundays most of them are open in the morning. On Sunday May 1 and on May 2, in those communities where it is a public holiday, the opening hours may also be reduced in most of them, or they may even remain closed, so you may want to check the opening hours of your local shop in particular. Alcampo The opening times for Alcampo supermarkets are Monday to Saturday from 9am to 10pm or from 8.30am to 9pm, depending on the shop. Most of them also usually open on Sundays and on public holidays, so Alcampo supermarkets should remain open this bank holiday weekend, both in regions where it is a public holiday and in regions where it is not. In any case, it is a good idea to double check the opening hours of each specific Alcampo shop, as these may vary depending on location. Hipercor Hipercor supermarkets normally open from Monday to Sunday from 9am or 10am to 10pm. However, on Sunday May 1, many branches of Hipercor will be closed to the public, and on Monday May 2, in areas where it is a bank holiday, they may be closed or have reduced opening hours from 11am to 9pm. Carrefour Carrefour is normally open on Sundays and public holidays, but some Carrefour supermarkets do have reduced opening hours on these days while others are closed. The best advice is to check the opening times of your local Carrefour for this May bank holiday weekend 2022. Image: Archive The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have urged two unprecedented waves of volunteering in Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled SLOVAKIA has experienced two unprecedented waves of solidarity and altruistic help in recent times. The first one was raised by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the second one by the inflow of Ukrainians fleeing the war in their home country. Whether such numbers of volunteers in Slovakia continue in the future will depend on the motivation of first-time volunteers as well as their experience while volunteering, said Zuzana Vinklerova, executive director of CARDO, the National Volunteering Centre. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The Slovak Spectator spoke with Vinklerova about what motivated people to leave their comfort zone and volunteer, their activities substituting for the state as well as whether the approach of Slovaks towards volunteering differs from abroad. With the annual Labor Day holiday around the corner, The Bad Guys produced by DreamWorks and distributed by Universal Pictures will open across the Chinese mainland on April 29, the only such Hollywood blockbuster premiering during the five-day vacation. On Tuesday, the film held a virtual premiere on multiple platforms, featuring actor Qin Hao and actress Ji Jiahe, known better by her stage name Chuinalisha, who voice a wolf and shark in the Mandarin-dubbed version tailored for domestic audiences. Set in a city where humans and anthropomorphic animals coexist, the titular characters are a gang of notorious criminal animals who pretend to become model citizens after being caught during a heist. The film marks the first time the two Chinese stars have lent their voices to an animated feature. Recalling he had spent around 10 hours in the recording room to voice the coolheaded wolf, Qin said he regarded it as an interesting job and expressed hopes it could be a gift to his 8-year-old daughter. Known for some villain roles such as a murderer in the popular Chinese online series The Bad Kids, Qin teasingly said that he was attracted to the "villainous personality" of the wolf while accepting the role. "But the role's change to a good and decent citizen is the most charming part of the movie, which will resonate with most of us and remind us of the goodness inside our hearts. That makes this story a good lesson to both adults and children," Qin added. Former prime minister and interior minister face organised crime charges. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Sworn testimonies from four top former law enforcement and tax officials, decrypted messages from the encrypted Threema application found on the phone of convicted mobster Marian Kocner, and recordings from secret meetings held at a secluded hunting cabin. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement These are some of the main pieces of evidence that were gathered by police before they decided to charge three-time former prime minister Robert Fico and three-time former interior minister Robert Kalinak, both of the Smer party. Both men last held ministerial office in 2018. Kalinak was arrested during an April 20 police raid as part of an operation codenamed Twilight. Fico, who is a sitting MP, can only be arrested if parliament approves a prosecutor's request to take him into custody. Police also arrested and charged lawyer Marek Para, as part of the so-called Caiaphas case. Para is a high-profile defence lawyer who has acted for Kocner and for Norbert Bodor, a Nitra-based businessman who is also named in the case file. Related article Related article Many findings but few convictions: Kuciak-related investigations are progressing slowly Read more The Slovak Spectator has analysed the written charges against Fico and Kalinak. The document comprises 108 pages. Police allege organised crime Recovery Plan funding no longer at risk. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The parliament okayed major changes to the map of Slovak courts at its April session, just in time for Slovakia to request the first payment from the EU for its Recovery Plan. MPs passed the law, known as the reform of the court map, on April 27. Justice Minister Maria Kolikova (SaS), the author of the reform, sees this change as a step towards a better judiciary with a working system and clear agenda in Slovakia, even though some judges seem to disapprove. Now we can establish city courts, which means that one quarter of all cases can be organised in a new way, the minister told the press conference after the vote, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The law was passed following a number of delays. Most recently, at the February session, the MPs only passed three of the four proposed laws. Since the passing of the court map is a milestone that Slovakia has pledged to reach in order to draw funding from the EU for its Recovery Plan, there were concerns that, unless the MPs passed the reform at the April session, the country could have lost access to the first payment from the fund, worth 458 million. Whom the changes concern The changes within the system will affect both the administrative and general branches of the judiciary, concerning municipal and district courts. In the updated version of the court map, the overall agenda of administrative judiciary will be reduced from district courts to three courts headquartered in western, central and eastern Slovakia Bratislava, Banska Bystrica and Kosice respectively. The reform does not put abolish district courts as such, only changes the way their agenda is handled. The borders of juridical districts should be tied to pre-existing regions of Slovakia. The Ministry of Justice explains their decision to keep the locations of the courts and slightly change the borders of their scope because of how well the existing borders work in practice. The three main courts will concentrate the issues of family and business agendas within their regions, making it easier for smaller court offices to deal with internal issues. In addition, administration will also fall under the responsibilities of three main courts. Minister wants to move forward with innovations Kolikova faced disagreement from the opposition and even her own coalition partners when first lobbying for her updated version of the court map. Boris Kollar (Sme Rodina) argued that judges needed to improve the technology they work with, first acquire modern computers to do their job effectively and properly. Kolikova explained that better technology couldnt come without bigger systemic changes and that rebuilding the judiciary from scratch is an impossible task. Steps towards its betterment were necessary and a crucial part of the EU recovery plans requirements for euro funds and grants, which could help improve the state of Slovakias justice. In other words, the court map was also a contract with the EU. Fico has been preparing his supporters for this scenario, so it may not affect his popular backing. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled MPs in parliament are debating a request by the General Prosecutors Office to allow Smer leader Robert Fico to be taken into custody, based on the serious criminal charges laid against him on April 20. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Parliaments mandate and immunity committee has recommended that MPs approve the request, but its decision is not binding on parliament. The discussion started on Thursday morning but is not expected to end on the same day. The opposition has proposed that MPs should vote on Ficos possible detention in a secret ballot, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Gabor Grendel announced. MPs will vote to decide on that, the TASR newswire reported. If parliament votes to allow Ficos arrest, it would not mean that he automatically goes into custody. A court would also have to decide that there were sufficient legal grounds for his detention. If Fico was taken into custody, he would not lose his MPs mandate but would be unable to exercise it. Observers agree that this would probably not mean a significant decrease in popular support for Smer. Hours of speeches expected Pcolinsky maintains innocence. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Zoroslav Kollar has admitted to bribing the former head of the Slovak Information Service (SIS) Vladimir Pcolinsky, nominated by the Sme Rodina party, according to a report on the Aktuality.sk news website. The daily claimed to have confirmed the information with three independent sources. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Kollar, a lawyer, wants to make a deal with prosecutors on a plea bargain, conditioned on Kollar's confession. Details as to what he has said are not known. Related article Related article Former spy boss acquitted due to procedural errors and lack of evidence Read more Three out of four plead guilty Vladimir Pcolinsky had faced criminal prosecution over his alleged acceptance of a 40,000 bribe from Kollar in August 2020. The bribe was supposed to stop SIS officials from wiretapping him. The charges against him stated that the former SIS director divided the bribe between himself and his then deputy head of SIS, Boris Bena. The bribe was allegedly delivered by Ludovit Mako. Bena and Mako have since confessed to the crime, and testified against Pcolinsky. With the most recent reported confession, of the four allegedly involved, only Pcolinsky continues to maintain his innocence. The former spy boss was detained for several months but in August last year he was acquitted due to a lack of evidence and procedural errors. However, in February 2022 he was charged again. Related article Related article His DNA has not been detected. Investigation of ex-spy head's corruption suspicions nears its end Read more No comment from investigators According to Aktuality.sk, the former SIS head is not aware of the details of Kollar's confession. Pcolinsky said that Kollar only admitted to giving money to Mako. The Special Prosecutors Office said that the investigation is not public and investigators declined to comment. Photo taken on April 5, 2022 shows the Angkor Wat Temple in the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. China has been one of the key contributors to safeguarding, preserving and developing the famed Angkor Archaeological Park in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province, officials said on Wednesday.(Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua) French Constitutional Council certifies Macron's election victory Xinhua) 08:28, April 28, 2022 Photo taken on April 24, 2022 shows the scene of French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron's rally after the presidential runoff in Paris, France. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Macron won the second round of the election held on April 24 with an absolute majority of 18,768,638 votes (58.55 percent of the valid ballots cast). PARIS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- France's Constitutional Council on Wednesday certified the results of the country's recent presidential election, confirming Emmanuel Macron as president. Of France's 48,752,339 registered voters, 35,096,478 cast their ballots, bringing the abstention rate to 28.01 percent, said Laurent Fabius, president of the council. French incumbent President Emmanuel Macron waves to supporters at a rally after the presidential runoff in Paris, France, on April 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Gao Jing Macron won the second round of the election held on April 24 with an absolute majority of 18,768,638 votes (58.55 percent of the valid ballots cast). According to law, Macron's second term must begin no later than May 14. Macron's rival, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, received 13,288,686 votes or 41.45 percent. Marine Le Pen, candidate of the far-right National Rally party, attends a rally after the presidential runoff in Paris, France, on April 24, 2022. (Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) China is expected to see notable drops in passenger traffic for the upcoming Labor Day holiday amid measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, authorities said Thursday. A total of 100 million passengers are expected to travel during the five-day holiday from April 30 to May 4, slumping 62 percent from a year earlier, said Zhou Min, an official with the Ministry of Transport. From April 28 to May 5, the country is expected to see around 32 million railway passengers, also a relatively low level, China Railway said. The railway authorities will provide support for both passenger and freight transportation to ensure safe travel and stable economic operation during the holiday, the company said. The sporadic COVID-19 resurgence since March has discouraged travel from one province to another. Citizens are required not to travel to areas designated as high-risk or medium-risk for COVID-19 during the holiday. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and director of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs (CCFEA), presided over the 11th meeting of the CCFEA on Tuesday to discuss matters on comprehensively advancing infrastructure development and implementing decisions and plans made by the CCFEA since the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017. Infrastructure is the bedrock for economic and social development. It is essential to coordinate development and security and optimize the layout, structure, function and development mode of infrastructure to develop a modern infrastructure system, thus laying a solid foundation for fully building a modern socialist country, Xi stressed. The CCFEA is an important institution for the CPC Central Committee to exercise leadership over economic work. All regions and departments must fully understand the commission's decisions and plans and take concerted efforts to put them into practice. Premier Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, and deputy director of the CCFEA, Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and also a member of the CCFEA, Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, and also a member of the CCFEA, attended the meeting. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources delivered reports on advancing infrastructure development. The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the People's Bank of China delivered reports on the implementation of the CCFEA's decisions and plans since 2017. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, China has made a series of world leading achievements in major sci-tech facilities, water conservancy projects, transportation hubs, information infrastructure and national strategic reserves, witnessing leapfrog progress in its overall infrastructure development, according to the meeting. But it's important to note that China's infrastructure development still falls short of the needs of the national development and security. Advancing infrastructure development is of great significance to ensuring national security, facilitating economic flows, promoting positive interplay between domestic circulation and international circulation, expanding domestic demand and promoting high-quality development. The commission stressed that at present and for some time to come, we must stick to the people-centered development philosophy and stay focused on solving problems and achieving goals. We also need to balance development and security imperatives, ensure systematic planning and overall coordination, and shore up weak links in a targeted way. It called for improving the layout, structure, function and development mode of infrastructure, and mobilizing all of society to build a modern infrastructure network, which should ensure not only economic benefits, but also social, ecological and security benefits. All these will serve major national strategies, support economic and social development and lay a solid foundation for building a modern socialist country in all respects. The commission underlined the need to stay future-oriented while advancing infrastructure development. We will increase support for development and protection of territorial space, distribution of productive forces and major national strategies, and speed up the construction of new types of infrastructure while upgrading traditional ones. It is necessary to act proactively, it said. Plans will be made for building infrastructure that helps drive industrial development and safeguard national security, but the pace of forward planning should be kept appropriate. Sound plans should be made. Following the new development philosophy, we will proceed from a full lifecycle perspective to balance the layout of all types of infrastructure and promote interconnectivity, shared growth through collaboration, coordination and interaction, said the commission. A multi-pronged approach should be taken to advance infrastructure development at different levels on a categorized basis by fully leveraging the roles of government and market, central and regional authorities, as well as public and private capital. Benefits count. We will consider economic benefits over a broad horizon, and improve the comprehensive returns of infrastructure projects throughout their entire lifecycle. We must improve all types of networks as part of China's infrastructure, such as those for transportation, energy and water conservancy, with a focus on increasing their interconnectivity, shoring up weak links and consolidating strong links, so as to increase their benefits, the commission noted. We will build the framework for national integrated multidimensional transportation networks at a faster pace. We will improve the planning and construction of coastal and inland harbors and waterways to upgrade the national water transportation system. We will develop distributed smart grids, build a series of new green, low-carbon energy bases, and improve the oil and gas pipelines quickly. We will accelerate the building of the framework and arteries of national waterways, with a focus on developing and modernizing major water sources, irrigated areas and flood detention basins. Infrastructure for information, science and technology, and logistics industries needs to be upgraded. Plans will be made to build facilities for a new generation of supercomputing, cloud computing, AI platforms, and broadband networks. The planning and construction of major sci-tech infrastructure will be advanced. We will build comprehensive transportation hubs as well as related collection, distribution, and transportation systems. We will also formulate plans to build a host of regional, general, and freight transport airports. Urban infrastructure will be improved to create high-quality living spaces in cities. It requires efforts to promote integrated transportation in city clusters, build convenient and highly efficient intercity rail networks, develop intra-city railways and urban rail transit systems, and build comprehensive road traffic systems. It is also important to construct underground utility tunnels in an orderly manner and develop the systems for urban flood control, drainage, as well as sewage and garbage collection and disposal. Moreover, efforts will be redoubled to build disaster prevention and mitigation infrastructure, public health emergency facilities, and smart infrastructure of road, power supply, public transportation. Agricultural and rural infrastructure will also be improved so that modernized infrastructure will advance agricultural and rural modernization. We will improve farmland irrigation and water conservancy, build high-standard cropland, and ensure rural roads are well built, managed, maintained, and operated to upgrade rural transportation systems. We will also speed up construction of urban and rural cold-chain logistics facilities, launch large-scale water supply projects, and further build rural sewage and garbage collection and treatment facilities. In addition, we must strengthen the national security infrastructure and move faster to enhance our ability to respond to extreme situations. The commission stressed the need to increase support for infrastructure development. Under the unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we will establish a coordination mechanism for major infrastructure development, to coordinate infrastructure planning and development in various sectors and regions and ensure the supply of land, sea, energy and other resources and factors of production. To meet the financing needs for infrastructure development, we will expand long-term financing channels, increase fiscal input, and better secure the fund for the development of major national infrastructure projects. We will also standardize the public-private partnership (PPP) model to ensure its development in transparency, and guide private capital into the operation of municipal utilities. We must pursue innovation-driven growth, increase research and development in core technologies, and make sure our infrastructure-related technologies are self-supporting and their risks are better controlled. It is necessary to cultivate a host of scientists and researchers, expand the team of skilled workers, and train a large number of outstanding engineers. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, the CCFEA has carried out in-depth studies on a number of major issues of fundamental and far-reaching significance and provided strategic guidance, the commission noted. To strengthen the leadership of the CPC Central Committee over economic work, we need to emphasize political guidance and adopt a holistic approach. We also need to coordinate development and security, formulate sound strategies, and advance innovation in practice and theory. Moreover, both short-term and long-term needs must be taken into account, both symptoms and root causes addressed, and all policies implemented to the letter. The commission stressed the need to coordinate development and security and bear firmly in mind the possibility of worst scenarios. It is important to strengthen the capacity to forecast and preempt major risks and draw up feasible contingency plans and measures. All regions and departments should grasp the essence of the commission's decisions and plans, take on responsibilities, act proactively, and work together to put into practice these decisions and plans. Evaluation and supervision should be tightened to properly balance efforts in all sectors so that problems will be addressed as soon as they arise. Evaluations should be based on practical results to ensure decisions and plans are fully implemented. It is essential to appropriately guide market expectations, clarify the orientation and principles of policy, and maintain market confidence. Inspections should also be strengthened and follow-up oversight be carried out to ensure effectiveness in policy implementation. Other members of the commission attended the meeting and leading officials of relevant central departments were also present. It might take a code breaker to decipher numerous intelligence insider references contained in local author Vic Socotras newest, readable tale of military secrets and intrigue, Cocktails With the Admiral. Subtitled Drinks, Espionage and the History of the American Century, the 337-page book by Socotra, aka J.R. Reddig, CAPT, USN-Retired, who lives in Culpeper County, recalls his 15-year relationship with Adm. Mac Showers (1919-2012), a World War II-era codebreaker. Politics and Prose of Washington, D.C. is the publisher for this print edition, available at politics-prose.com/book/9781624293955 With his own Cold War intelligence background spanning more than half-a-century, Reddig, aka Socotra, writes with humor, candor and realism, not shying from criticizing the system. He highlights history and the intelligence heroes and traitors, often hidden, behind those decisive moments. The setting for the meetings between Rear Admiral Donald McCollister Mac Showers, from Iowa, and the author was the old Willow Bar in Arlington, now closed. Theres talk of mixed drinks and a cast of characters of regulars, savory pork spring rolls from the bar, named servers, bottles of Bud beer, nameless faces and people, the news of the day, beltway hustle-bustle. In between, Socotra weaves his own story with Macs narrative, together spanning numerous wars around the globe, the atom bomb, presidents, generals and foreign leaders alike. The topic of his book is espionage in the American Century, said Socotra, former editor of a quarterly publication for Naval Intelligence Professionals, in an email to the Star-Exponent I was a career Spook with 27 years government service and a couple decades as Beltway Bandit, or what we preferred to call, Parkway Patriots, he stated. VicSocotra.com, a self-described purveyor of glib words to the world, is a self-published prolific writer with at least seven novels through a small home press here in Culpeper. Socotra maintains an active blog as well. He befriended Adm. Showers in the early 2000s during his stint as an editor of the naval publication. Socotra occasionally took shots at Gen. MacArthurs reputation due to his grandfather being one of the Doughboys expelled from Washington during the Depression. Mac called to complain. I was surprised to get a call from one of our retired Admirals for violating a rule he had on his staff in the Pacific War: Dont disparage Doug. Apparently doing so caused too much trouble. The Admiral turned out to be Mac Showers, who became one of my best friends. He was in his early 80s then, and we spent a regular weekly meeting working through some of the events in which he participated, Socotra wrote in the email. Among the most captivating stories of the admirals long naval career were from his early days working under Adm. Nimitz in a basement office deciphering Japanese code after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was just OPINTEL, Mac said in one of many interviews with Socotra about the acronym representing the system they used to decipher numerically coded messages from the enemy. It was brute force analysis supported by cross indexing and a massive filing system, the admiral allowed. In other words, code breaking involved a fusion of methodologies and an all-source approach to integrate communications intercept that incorporated code breaking, photographic, open source information, topographic, hydrographic and human intelligence all cooked up by the Combat Intelligence Unit in the basement of building one in the shipyard in Pearl, the book states. No one told us how to do it. We did it as a matter of vital necessity to try to win a war, Mac said for the book. The riddle was wrapped in an enigma, as is common, Socotra writes of Pearl Harbor. The Big Surprise on Dec. 7 was naturally a shockWashington would not admit that it was the bitter rivalry between Army and Navy, and within the Navy itself that exacerbated the blind spot that permitted the Japanese to land a near knock-out blow on the Pacific Fleet, he writes. The new book contains an image of The Bomb Plota decrypted message Sept. 24, 1941, marked Strictly Secret, from Tokyo to the Japanese Consulate in Honolulu ordering daily surveillance of the American fleet in Pearl Harbor. It should have been a warning but was missed. The author frequently capitalizes certain words and terms, presumably for emphasis, a pattern throughout Cocktails With Admiral. The book hints at myriad inside cypher system references, hundreds of historic suggestions and facts, observations on current events and an entire alphabet of acronyms designating secret government functions and offices. For example, COMINT, FRUMEL, USCINCPAC, CINCNELM, HYPO, PARPRO and NAVINTCOM. The book is not chronological and it reads like an ongoing conversationbetween Mac and the author, the author and himself and the author and the reader. Mac and the other codebreakers provided Adm. Nimitz with enough information to enable him and his forces to defeat the Japanese in the battle of Midway, leading to the surrender of the Japanese forces, the Midway Miracle, describes Socotra. Then his team members came up with the idea that let us figure out the target of the last big Japanese offensive at Midway. After that, we went on the attack and never looked back. Oklahoma and Arizona were still on the bottom of the harborHer rusting hulk is still bleeding drops of fuel into Pearls placid watersstill bleeding just like she did when we worked in the basement of the Admin Building. Jap Fleet Smashed by 2 U.S. Carriers Sunk at Midway Navy Had Word of Jap Plan to Strike at Sea, Chicago Tribune reported June 7, 1942, states the new book, containing photographs and copies of original documents. With Mac, it was as fresh as if it happened yesterday. The years fall away, and you can feel the presence of others, dead now, crowd around holding glasses of whiskey and nodding. The Admiral is their emissary, their guide between the worlds, Socotra writes. The Japanese changed its codebook following all the publicity from Midway, he writes. A few months later, the Marines landed blindly at Guadalcanal. How many died as a result of internal intelligence wars? Socotra asks. Those are bold statements, I know, and the heavy secrecy that wrapped the ULTRA program enabled those who won the staff war and lost a Fleet on Dec. 7 to pin their mistakes on others. Creation of Cocktails with the Admiral, aka the Mac Showers Project, spanned three decades, the author said, noting 2022 is the 10th anniversary of the admirals passing and 80th anniversary of the epic naval battle off Midway Atoll on which he cut his analytic teeth. Mac saw all the episodes compiled in this book and approved them, the author said. I lived and worked in buildings that survived the Day of Infamy, Socotra writes in the book. I found myself happy to have been a drinking buddy and tipsy Boswell to Mac Showers, the last living member of the JN-25 code breakers at Station HYPO in Pearl. My stories were sincere, but never intended to be documentary history. I always liked to get to the loopy aspects of historylike, what was the party like at the quarters of chief code breaker Joe Rochefort after the amazing results of the Battle of Midway became known? (Answer: it was a good one). With plenty of cocktails. 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. Words have power. When words are muted, that power is defused. This is why libraries are being dragged into the nations culture wars. Public school libraries are most directly in the line of fire at the moment. According to the American Library Association, there were 330 instances nationally in three months of 2021 (Sept. 1 to the end of Nov. 30) in which a parent made a formal complaint to a school about a book. There usually are just 300 to 400 challenges in a year. Weve seen this play out in Spotsylvania, where school board members last November expressed support for banning and burning sexually explicit books. But now, the battle lines are expanding, and more and more public libraries are being drawn into the battle. The American Library Association says 37 percent of book challenges last year were in public libraries. Around the country, library governing bodies have been thrown out, censorship protection has been weakened or deleted, and books have been banned. To date, the Central Rappahannock Regional Library hasnt faced the kind of aggressive onslaught that has been seen in places like Florida and Texas. CRRL Library Director Martha Hutzel credits the diversity within our community, as well as the strong support of the local library board and elected officials, for heading off these types of dust-ups to date. She also knows, however, that its a good idea to be prepared to defend democracy. From the time the first public libraries were established in the early 1700s, long before we were even a nation, they have been a cornerstone of our democracy, enhancing social mobility and freedom. Sometimes, their biggest boosters have been unlikely heroes. Andrew Carnegie, who in the 19th century richly deserved the epithet robber baron, donated a considerable portion of his personal fortune to fund nearly 1,700 public libraries across the country. Today, there are more than 9,000. So why are parents attacking what is arguably the most democratizing of all American public institutions? The challenges are most often over books that parents dont want their kids reading, but things can get out of hand in a hurry. Progressives, long bothered by racial language and stereotypes in such classic works as To Kill a Mockingbird, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Handmaids Tale, have fought to remove these works. Its a wrongheaded approach. Shutting off such works merely suppresses an open window into life as it once was, and denies readers of works that have shaped American thought, for good and for ill, for generations. Of late, conservatives are on the march against books that have LGBTQ themes, or include the hard-to-define Critical Race Theory. And theyre especially aggressive against anything of a sexual nature. Letting a few individuals with agendas decide what were allowed to read in public libraries is disturbing to say the least. Last year, an individual took it upon themselves to deface CRRL property by affixing homemade stickers to books warning of dangerous content. Fortunately, Hutzel says, the staff caught it, removed the stickers, and put a stop to it. In a world where the Internet, cable TV and streaming services leave nothing to the imagination, where the 6 oclock TV news is Ground Zero for sexual-enhancement commercials, is it really worth suppressing the written word to ensure that no kid is ever exposed to a disturbing idea? The book-bashing is of questionable value in public schools and in constant danger of taking us to a fantasy world where slavery didnt happen, everyone is straight, and sex is for married folks only. When it seeps into public libraries, it moves from questionable to deeply troubling. Thats because attacks on our public libraries are direct assaults on the very heart of American democracy. From the time the first public libraries were established in the early 1700s, long before we were even a nation, they have been a cornerstone of our democracy, enhancing social mobility and freedom. Sometimes, their biggest boosters have been unlikely heroes. Andrew Carnegie, who in the 19-century richly deserved the epithet robber baron, donated a considerable portion of his personal fortune to fund nearly 1,700 public libraries across the country. Today, there are more than 9,000. The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star Three local citizens were honored Wednesday for rescuing a Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs deputy from a burning vehicle. Representatives of the Nebraska State Patrol and Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Office presented three local men, Keagan Shifflett, Robert Regester and Kealan Hawley, with Life Savers Awards for their actions on April 18. A small ceremony took place at the NSP Troop E Headquarters in Scottsbluff. Around 7:20 a.m. on Monday, April 18, Sheriffs Deputy Josh Ruzicka suffered a medical incident that caused him to lose consciousness while driving his patrol vehicle on Highway 71. The vehicle left the road, hit an embankment and caught fire. Shortly afterward, the three witnesses saw the vehicle burning near a patch of trees and rushed to help. Shifflett told the Star-Herald, Robert and I were heading to Bomgaars to get some boots and we took Highway 71 because of the train on (Highway) 26. Sure enough, wed seen the (deputys car) on the ditch bank, so we pulled over, ran over there and banged on the window to see if hed wake up. Well, he didnt, so we grabbed a hitch, we hit the window and shattered it. We pulled him out and, right after we pulled him out, the car blew up. The trio pulled Ruzicka onto the road, where medics soon arrived to get him to safety. Regester said hed told Shifflett to call 911, then Hawley arrived and the trio worked to break the vehicles windows and drag Ruzicka to safety. I was just on my way to college, Hawley said. I saw them two going back and forth, and I said Wow, somethings wrong. After the rescue, he said, he went home, got bandaged up after cutting his fingers during the rescue, and headed back to college. NSP Col. John Bolduc and Capt. Kurt Von Minden, as well as Sheriff Mark Overman, were among those on hand Wednesday to present Shifflett, Regester and Hawley with their awards. Normally, we present Life Saver awards to our troopers who are involved in incidents like this, but its really special when we get a chance to honor our citizens who decided to step up and take action, Bolduc, superintendent of the NSP, said. ... The actions of these three heroes showed courage and boldness during an emergency situation. It is with deep appreciation this award is presented to these three gentlemen. Ruzicka and his wife, Beth, were also available to provide awards and to thank the trio for saving Ruzickas life. Im very appreciative and thankful they were there and did what they did, and Im standing here because of it, Ruzicka said. 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. Employees from various businesses in the area made the trip to YMCA Trails West Camp or took a stroll around their block for National Walk at Lunch Day, on Wednesday, April 27. The Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon at YMCA Trails West Camp to promote a healthy lifestyle that incorporates walking. The featured speaker, Panhandle Public Health District wellness coordinator Nicole Berosek spoke about the importance of daily exercise, which can be as simple as a 30-minute walk at lunch. We had a presentation on physical activity and mental health and how exercise can help us in everyday life and encourage us to be healthier, she said. So were just all getting out and walking, enjoying this beautiful day. Berosek said that walking is a great way to incorporate health and wellness into ones life because of how easy it is. Its just an activity that is easy, accessible, she said. You can do (it) from your work site too, so that makes it very helpful. Roughly 17 individuals from various businesses in the Scottsbluff/Gering area attended the luncheon and walk at Trails West Camp Wednesday, including employees of CAPstone. Participating in National Walk at Lunch Day is an annual tradition for CAPstone, employees Sylvia Lopez and Karol Garduno told the Star-Herald. We always do the Walk at Lunch, so (its) just kind of an agency event, Garduno said. They said that their supervisors and leaders at CAPstone have a culture that values health and wellness, which has helped them to value it, too. Walking, especially, has proven to help in a lot of different aspects of life, they said. Its important for overall health I mean, physical, emotional, psychological, all of those things. Walking helps get you out and breathing, and just gives you a little break when your body probably needs it the most. Lopez said, Its a good de-stresser, so you get some time to yourself. Berosek said she is glad to see that so many businesses like CAPstone care about the well-being of their employees and are willing to give them the time they need to take care of themselves. Im just thankful that organizations are willing to let their employees take a break and get out and exercise, she said. And, it just shows that the importance of walking, number one, but the Panhandle organizations really care about their employees. 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. LEXINGTON A 19-year-old Lexington man charged in the shooting death of a 15-year-old Lexington resident has accepted a plea deal. Ramon Gonzalez Romero had been charged with first-degree murder, Class 1A felony and use of a weapon to commit a felony, Class 1C felony. Romero appeared in Dawson County District Court before Judge James Doyle on Friday, April 22. Per the plea deal, the first-degree murder charge was amended to manslaughter and the second charge was dismissed. A sentencing hearing has been set for June 27 at 11 a.m. According to the Lexington Police Department, on Jan. 2, 2021, at 7:25 a.m., the Lexington Police Department received a call that there was an individual with a possible gunshot wound at Lexington Regional Health Center, a 15-year-old Lexington resident. Officers spoke with two individuals, who reported a physical altercation had taken place near Airport Road and 20th Street. Allegedly, Romero had exited a white SUV and fired three rounds from a 12- gauge shotgun at a 15-year-old, according to the affidavit for arrest. The 15-year-old was transported to the hospital by friends, but was pronounced deceased. Officers interviewed one of the three occupants of the SUV who had been riding with Romero before the altercation took place. One of the occupants of the SUV reported they had been driving around when they started being followed by a black Chevy pickup, whose occupants were the 15-year-old and the two individuals officers had spoken to earlier. The vehicles stopped around 20th Street and Airport Road, and one of the SUV occupants reported, at the beginning of the altercation, the 15-year-old possessed a black handgun, according to the affidavit. Officers determined Gonzalez Romero had graduated from Lexington High School in 2020 and was joining Nebraska Army National Guard, according to the affidavit. Maj. Scott Ingalsbe, of the Nebraska National Guard, said Gonzalez Romero was in the process of joining the Guard, but had not yet attended basic training or been assigned to a unit. The Lexington Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Romero, who later turned himself in to law enforcement custody. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Here's a look at some of today's top news. Bird flu 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 first human case of H3N8 bird flu has been detected in China. 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. Get more info at the video above, and here: Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly Megan Fox would like to clear up what people think about her and fiance Machine Gun Kelly drinking each other's blood. "So, I guess to drink each other's blood might mislead people or people are imagining us with goblets and we're like 'Game of Thrones,' drinking each other's blood," she told Glamour UK. "It's just a few drops, but yes, we do consume each other's blood on occasion for ritual purposes only." Read more about the weird things celebrities do here: Trevor Reed Russia and the United States have carried out an unexpected prisoner exchange in a time of high tensions, trading on Wednesday a Marine veteran jailed by Moscow for a convicted Russian drug trafficker serving a long prison sentence in America. The deal involving Trevor Reed, an American imprisoned for nearly three years, would have been a notable diplomatic maneuver even in times of peace but it was all the more surprising because it was done as Russia's war with Ukraine has driven relations with the U.S. to their lowest point in decades. Get more information here: *** Get more of today's top news here: Brittney Griner Student loan forgiveness (maybe) Madeleine Albright Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Stolen vehicle Longview police officers Tuesday arrested Mark Edmonds, 36, of Longview, on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and driving with a suspended license. Stolen vehicle Cowlitz County sheriffs deputies Tuesday arrested Kevin Thwaits, 31, of Longview, on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, possessing vehicle theft tools, and driving with a suspended license. Stolen vehicle Longview police officers Wednesday arrested Richard Hurley, 51, of Longview, on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle. Sex offender Longview police officers Tuesday arrested Hunter Vanwinkle, 29, address unknown, on suspicion of failing to register as a sex offender. Assault 400 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Tuesday. Woman reportedly pushed another person in the store after refusing to pay for a drink Burglary 400 block of Rosewood Street, Kelso. Tuesday. Drill taken from home. Stolen vehicles Rose Valley Road and Old Pacific Highway, Kelso. Tuesday. Car reportedly stolen for second time, roughly 15 minutes after being recovered from first theft. Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office investigating before opening new case for second theft. 1300 block of Commerce Avenue, Longview. Tuesday. Red 2013 Nissan Altima. WA BCR7019 Thefts 2100 block of Kalama River Road, Kalama. Monday. Catalytic converter taken off a Toyota 4Runner while the driver was boating. 1300 block of Lewis River Road, Woodland. Monday. Man reportedly stole a roughly $250 Craftsman tool set from a store and injured a customer he pushed while fleeing. 600 block of Grade Street, Kelso. Monday. Wallet stolen from a drug and alcohol class. 200 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Monday. Purse stolen, bank card possibly used. 3100 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Monday. Shoplifter. 3700 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Monday. Red mountain bike stolen. 2400 block of Kalama River Road, Kalama, Tuesday. Box of jewelry stolen. 100 block of Freddie Lane, Longview. Tuesday. Personal family documents missing. 1500 block of Seventh Avenue, Longview. Tuesday. Catalytic converter taken from work truck overnight. 700 block of Douglas Street, Longview. Tuesday. Tool box taken from vehicle. Vehicle prowls 100 block of Minor Road, Kelso. Monday. 3100 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Tuesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Since COVID-19 cases have slowed, Cowlitz County health officials are turning to address rising rates of the other most commonly reported diseases sexually transmitted infections. Unfortunately, STIs are growing nationwide, in the state of Washington and in Cowlitz County, Dr. Steve Krager, county deputy health officer, said Tuesday. Above-average STI rates are not a new problem for the county, but the trend has the health department and other community agencies looking to get prevention and care back to pre-pandemic levels or better. In October, the Cowlitz County commissioners approved using foundational public health funding from the state to hire a nurse to focus on STI tracking and prevention. During Tuesdays Board of Health meeting, county health officials reviewed data from the last 10 years and suggested some strategies for addressing the rise in cases. Rising rates Health-care providers and labs are required to report confirmed cases of most STIs to the public health department, which follows up with individuals to confirm treatment and often tracks down contacts at risk, Krager said. Cowlitz Countys STI per capita case rate increased about 71% from 448 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 765 per 100,000 in 2019. The increase is sharper than the countys increase in population over those years, Krager said. Cases increased statewide over the same decade, but Cowlitz Countys per capita rate is about 10% to 15% higher than the states, he said. In the last three years of complete data, 2017 to 2019, the county recorded 690 STI cases per year. About half of those are among 15- to 24-year-olds. Each year, one of every 24 residents in that age group tests positive for an STI, Krager said. From 2017 to 2019, chlamydia was the most commonly reported STI, making up 73% of cases, or 498 per year on average. Gonorrhea made up 17%, syphilis 6%, and herpes simplex 4%, according to the Department of Health data. Krager said although the number is relatively small compared to the countys overall population, the increase is concerning. It is getting worse and thats something, at least from my perspective, to pay attention to, he said. Along with increases in the more common chlamydia and gonorrhea, the county also has recorded a significant rise in syphilis cases, Krager said. The numbers still are small, with an average of 27 cases annually from 2017 to 2019, but have doubled or tripled from prior years less than 10 cases. Krager said the biggest concern is congenital syphilis, when a pregnant mother passes it on to her unborn baby. Cases were very rare before 2017 in the state and county. In the last three years, the Cowlitz County has recorded less than 10 cases annually, but to see any cases is worrying, he said. Left untreated, syphilis can cause severe illness and death, as well as miscarriages and babies born very sick, Krager said. The most common STIs chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis can be treated and cured but if left untreated, can cause severe, lifelong health outcomes like infertility, Krager said. There is no cure for genital herpes. We advocate for people to talk openly about STIs and testing and treatment both with partners and health-care providers, Krager said. Its reasonable for many people, especially younger people, to get screened on a regular basis. And for some groups of people it might make sense to get screened more often, especially if you have a new partner or multiple partners over the course of a year or shorter period of time. Treatment is critical and mostly relatively straightforward, Krager said. If we can get to people, if we can find these infections, if we can treat them then we can prevent from passing them on to other people and interrupt the chain of transmission, he said. Why the increase? Several factors play into the increase in STIs, including a rise in riskier sexual behaviors and drug and alcohol use, Krager said. Drug use, poverty and unstable housing also are barriers to people receiving STI care, he said. There also is some correlation between the rise in cases and the reduction in funding for state and local control and prevention programs, Krager said. The countys STI work has been inconsistent over the last 20 years, he said. In response to a gonorrhea outbreak that began in 2004, the county health department ramped up outreach, testing, treatment and contact tracing to combat the cases, according to TDN archives. County efforts slowed around 2011 after losing funding and in recent years, staff have done what they had capacity for, mostly entering data into the system, said Gena James, health and human services deputy director. We havent been able to do that in-depth work to get to the preventative side of STIs, so were hoping to get back into that, James told the commissioners. Krager outlined other possible strategies to address the rising rates, including further expanding staffing, improving access to information, testing and treatment; supporting health-care providers with education and help contacting people who are infected; and working with agencies to target the highest-risk populations. Since the county department no longer offers testing, a component going forward is figuring out how to partner with providers that do to allow them to do more STI dedicated work, Krager said. Testing and treatment The Cowlitz Family Health Center, which started off as a family planning clinic, picked up more community testing about a decade ago as the county scaled back, said Jim Coffee, chief executive officer. The clinics offer STI testing and treatment, as well as HIV testing as part of its Harm Reduction Program. We have had a very robust program for years, Coffee said in an email. The pandemic sadly slowed things for a bit but we are seeing it picking back up recently. A newer agency to the county, Cascade AIDS Project, offers HIV testing and support services and is looking to expand to include other STI testing in the coming months, said Jasmine Gruenstein, director of Southwest Washington services. The nonprofit, located in downtown Longview, offers free, confidential rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing every Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. Cascade AIDS Project also provides medical case management, housing services and peer navigation services for residents with HIV. The organization began in Portland in the mid-1980s and has expanded to cover Southwest Washington. In 2018, the nonprofit took over offering HIV services in Cowlitz County from Lifelong, a Seattle-based organization, and began providing testing in October 2021 after receiving a grant from Gilead Sciences, Gruenstein said. Before opening in Longview, Gruenstein said they were told of the need in Cowlitz County, but couldnt expand north until receiving funding. The agency still is building trust but is dedicated to growing services in the county, she said. Theres so much potential to serve the community and get roots there, Gruenstein said. Offering comprehensive care is important. Bringing people in the door and linking them to treatment, we want to replicate that in Cowlitz County as well. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A pet cat died in a Longview fire Thursday morning. No people were injured. Longview Fire Department officials report crews were called to a mobile home fire at about 8:30 a.m. in the 600 block of California Way, north of Industrial Way. Flames and smoke were seen through the home's windows as crews arrived. The occupant exited the home before responders reached the scene but the cat was found dead inside after the fire was contained about 20 minutes later, the department reports. Heavy fire damage destroyed the home. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 4 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 Pokemon-themed limited edition Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 sold out within a few minutes of its launch. Know what it offers inside the box. A week ago, Samsung announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 in Pokemon colours. And when the special edition of the foldable smartphone hit the markets of South Korea, it is reported that the Pokemon-themed smartphone sold out within minutes of its release! Samsung targetted Pokemon fans with the foldable Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the results suggest that it worked well. SamMobile reported that the Galaxy smartphone maker didnt reveal the number of units it sold of its new limited-edition Galaxy Z Flip 3, however, an official of the company anonymously admitted that the company is yet to decide whether the Pokemon-themed Galaxy Z Flip 3 will reach to the overseas markets like Europe and the US or not. The special edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 focused more on the retail package that included a special Pokemon-themed packaging box, and several other peripherals all based on the Pokemon game such as a special Pokemon pouch, a clear case with Pikachu stickers, and additional Pokemon stickers, a Pokeball pop socket and a Pikachu keychain. Not just that, the special offer on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 also included a free one-year Samsung Care+ plan on the house. All the orders were placed via the companys Galaxy Campus Store in Seoul as well as the Samsung online store. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Pokemon Edition Price The Pokemon-themed box containing Galaxy Z Flip 3 is priced at KRW 1,280,000 (approx $1,036), which is slightly more expensive than the normal Galaxy Z Flip 3. More products like Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Pokemon Edition This is not the first time Samsung has done something out of the box and come up with new designs and ideas to attract buyers. Earlier, Samsung has collaborated with popular designers and brands to target niche consumers with their limited editions of the popular smartphones and other products. Last September, Samsung collaborated with American fashion brand Thom Browne to launch the Galaxy Watch4 Classic Thom Browne Edition. Moreover, the limited-edition Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Buds2 wireless earbuds also hit the market in collaboration with the French-Japanese electronic music label-fashion company. Well, long back in 2016, we had seen the Samsung Galaxy G6 edge in the special edition of Iron Man too. Bitcoin is growing in popularity -- and controversy, too. The Central African Republic has adopted bitcoin as legal tender, the president's office said Wednesday, becoming the second country in the world to do so after El Salvador. Lawmakers unanimously adopted a bill that made bitcoin legal tender alongside the CFA franc and legalised the use of cryptocurrencies. President Faustin Archange Touadera signed the measure into law, his chief of staff Obed Namsio said in a statement. The CAR "is the first country in Africa to adopt bitcoin as legal tender", Namsio said. "This move places the Central African Republic on the map of the world's boldest and most visionary countries," he declared. But a leading opposition figure contested the vote and said that the move aimed at undermining use of the CFA franc. The CAR is one of the planet's poorest and most troubled nations, locked in a nine-year-old civil conflict and with an economy heavily dependent on mineral extraction, much of which is informal. The text of the new legislation covers use of cryptocurrencies, and those who use them, in online trade, "smart contracts... by blockchain technology" and "all electronic transactions". Cryptocurrency exchanges are not liable to tax, it adds. Martin Ziguele, a former CAR prime minister who is now an opposition MP, complained the bill was approved "by proclamation" and some legislators intend to file suit against it at the Constitutional Court. Central African Republic. "This law is a way of getting out of the CFA franc through a means that guts the common currency," said Ziguele. "It (the law) isn't a priority for the country," he said. "This move raises the question: who benefits from it?" The CAR is one of six central African countries that share the CFA franca regional currency that is backed by France and pegged to the euro. Other members are Cameroon, Chad, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) think tank, wondered if there was a link between the CAR's close ties with Russia. "The context, given systemic corruption and a Russian partner facing international sanctions, does encourage suspicion," he said. "Russia's search for ways to get around international sanctions is an invitation to be cautious." Worries El Salvador became the world's first adopter of the pioneering virtual currency on September 7. The introduction was heavily criticised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Stellar: Thousands of bitcoin devotees attended a conference in Miami this month. It warned of "large risks associated with the use of bitcoin on financial stability, financial integrity, and consumer protection" and with issuing bitcoin-backed bonds. Many regulators share those concerns, and other critics say that anonymised transfers using crypto are a perfect tool for traffickers and money laundering. India effectively outlawed crypto transactions in 2018, only for the country's top court to strike down the ban two years later. China's central bank in September declared all financial transactions involving cryptocurrencies to be illegal. Huge swings in bitcoin's price make it risky as a store of value and long transaction processing times make it impractical for small purchases. After a relatively calm 2020, the cryptocurrency has experienced wild swings in 2021, surging from under $33,000 at the start of the year, peaking at over $67,000, before returning to $35,000 in February. It was down 1.5 percent at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, trading at $39,328.14 (37,293.7 euros). Despite reservations, there is also acknowledgement of the usefulness of digital currencies as a flexible monetary tool. Major central banks are looking at the possibility of setting up a virtual currency in a regulated environment. Touadera's rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin has generated friction with France, the CAR's traditional ally. Troubled country The CAR has experienced few moments of peace since it gained independence from France in 1960, and ranks 188 out of 189 countries in the UN's Human Development Index, a benchmark of prosperity. In 2013, the country plunged into a civil war that developed largely along sectarian lines. The conflict eased after France intervened militarily and elections were held that were won by Touadera, although for years armed groups held sway over most of the CAR's territory. In 2020, a coalition of rebels advanced on the capital Bangui, threatening to overturn Touadera as new elections loomed. Russia dispatched paramilitaries to help repel the threat and then recover much of the rebel-held territory. The operatives are described by Bangui as military advisers but by France, the UN and others as mercenaries from the Kremlin-backed Wagner group, which has been accused of abuses. Explore further India's move to ban Bitcoin shows its own crypto ambitions 2022 AFP Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The Texas grid operator expects crypto miners to increase electricity demand by up to 6 gigawatts by mid-2023, more than enough to power every home in Houston. The forecast from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is the first official estimate on how much stress miners are apt to put on the state's electrical system. Officials expect 5 to 6 gigawatts of new demand over the next 12 to 15 months, the equivalent of up to about 1.2 million homes. It's just the tip of the iceberg. All told, about 17 gigawatts worth of crypto miners have inquired about plugging into Texas's grid, according to Brad Jones, Ercot's interim chief executive officer. "That's about the equivalent of load of two-and-a-half New York Cities," Jones said in a telephone interview. Texas has been aggressively courting crypto miners, who are drawn to the state's cheap power and laissez-faire regulation. Critics warn the increased demand could be too much for the grid, which collapsed during a 2021 winter storm, leading to blackouts that left 246 people dead. But miners, along with many Texas politicians, argue crypto will make the grid more resilient because operators can quickly scale back to give the system a break when demand spikes. Ercot is working with miners to prepare the grid to handle about 25 gigawatts of crypto demand over the next decade, Jones said. When asked if Texas aims to be the world's largest mining center, he replied: "Yeah, that's what we are planning." 'Flexible load' If all 17 gigawatts started up and operated at full throttle around the year, they would increase peak demand on the grid by more than 20% for next year. However, the new miners are willing to be "flexible load" in which Ercot could give orders to ramp up or down depending on grid conditions, just like power plants, said Jones. Ercot has a program in which large consumers can tell the grid operator how much they're willing to curtail electricity prices. If crypto miners participate, Ercot could dispatch orders to their facilities to ramp up or ramp down demand, just like how power plants are ordered to dispatch, Jones said. Miners have already started to enroll. While making demand react to grid conditions can be useful, crypto mining is "adding demand to an already burdened grid and then needing to adjust it going forward," said Cisco DeVries, CEO of OhmConnect Inc., the largest residential energy use manager. "While that can be helpful, it also poses enormous challenges to the transmission and distribution system and to prices." Ercot is putting a lot of effort into clearing the grid for the onslaught of new crypto mining coming online, said Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd.'s Austin Storms, who attended a Tuesday public meeting held by an Ercot task force to discuss the expected surge. "My biggest takeaway is that Ercot's really setting the stage for Bitcoin mining in Texas at this point," said Storms, the vice president of Bitcoin mining operations at Galaxy Digital. "The message that Ercot sending is that Texas is open for Bitcoin miners." Explore further Crypto mania in Texas risks new costs and strains on shaky grid 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A man wearing a mask to curb the spread of the coronavirus sits near a Huawei store logo in Beijing on Friday, July 31, 2020. Chinese telecoms equipment and smartphone maker Huawei said Thursday its sales fell 14% in the last quarter from a year earlier as it pumped money into research and development while grappling with U.S. sanctions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File Chinese telecoms equipment and smartphone maker Huawei's sales fell 14% in January-March from a year earlier as it pumped money into research and development while grappling with U.S. sanctions, according to figures released by the company Thursday. Huawei Technologies said its revenue was 131 billion yuan ($19.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to 152.2 billion yuan a year earlier. Its net profit margin for the quarter was 4.3%, down from 11.1% in the same quarter of 2021. Huawei's rotating chairman, Ken Hu, said the figures were "in line with forecasts." "Our consumer business was heavily impacted, and our ICT infrastructure business experienced steady growth," he said. In 2019, Shenzhen-based Huawei was placed on a trade blacklist that restricted American companies from doing business with the major provider of network equipment and smartphones. The sanctions have hit Huawei hard since it relied on Google services and other essential technologies for its handsets. Once the world's largest smartphone maker, Huawei fell out of the top five brands in 2020 due to the sanctions, and in 2021 similarly fell from China's top five as it grappled with a chip shortage. The company has since invested heavily in research and development, spending some 142.7 billion yuan ($21.6 billion) to develop new technologies as it sought to carve out new business areas less vulnerable to sanctions. Its R&D spending is 22.4% of its salesoutpacing rivals such as Samsung and U.S. tech companies such as Apple. Earlier this week, at its annual analyst summit, Hu reiterated Huawei's commitment to developing new business areas such as cloud computing and 5G. Since it was put on the U.S. blacklist, Huawei has also developed its Huawei Mobile Service platform as a workaround for its lack of Google services. The platform allows developers to launch apps for Huawei devices, although Google apps such as YouTube can only be accessed via shortcuts that take users to its mobile site. The company also sold off its lower-priced Honor smartphone brand in November 2020, hoping to revive its sales by insulating it from the sanctions on Huawei. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Researchers use a jelly dessert to demonstrate how ions move in hydrogels. Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Faculty of Applied Science In the quest to build smart skin that mimics the sensing capabilities of natural skin, ionic skins have shown significant advantages. They're made of flexible, biocompatible hydrogels that use ions to carry an electrical charge. In contrast to smart skins made of plastics and metals, the hydrogels have the softness of natural skin. This offers a more natural feel to the prosthetic arm or robot hand they are mounted on, and makes them comfortable to wear. These hydrogels can generate voltages when touched, but scientists did not clearly understand howuntil a team of researchers at UBC devised a unique experiment, published today in Science. "How hydrogel sensors work is they produce voltages and currents in reaction to stimuli, such as pressure or touchwhat we are calling a piezoionic effect. But we didn't know exactly how these voltages are produced," said the study's lead author Yuta Dobashi, who started the work as part of his master's in biomedical engineering at UBC. Working under the supervision of UBC researcher Dr. John Madden, Dobashi devised hydrogel sensors containing salts with positive and negative ions of different sizes. He and collaborators in UBC's physics and chemistry departments applied magnetic fields to track precisely how the ions moved when pressure was applied to the sensor. Yuta Dobashi, a graduate of UBCs master in biomedical engineering program, and faculty advisor Dr. John Madden, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the faculty of applied science at UBC. Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Faculty of Applied Science "When pressure is applied to the gel, that pressure spreads out the ions in the liquid at different speeds, creating an electrical signal. Positive ions, which tend to be smaller, move faster than larger, negative ions. This results in an uneven ion distribution which creates an electric field, which is what makes a piezoionic sensor work." The researchers say this new knowledge confirms that hydrogels work in a similar way to how humans detect pressure, which is also through moving ions in response to pressure, inspiring potential new applications for ionic skins. "The obvious application is creating sensors that interact directly with cells and the nervous system, since the voltages, currents and response times are like those across cell membranes," says Dr. Madden, an electrical and computer engineering professor in UBC's faculty of applied science. "When we connect our sensor to a nerve, it produces a signal in the nerve. The nerve, in turn, activates muscle contraction." Photo shows the hydrogel sensor attached to a prosthetic arm. When pressure is applied to the sensor, it prompts the arm to move. Credit: Kai Jacobson/UBC Faculty of Applied Science "You can imagine a prosthetic arm covered in an ionic skin. The skin senses an object through touch or pressure, conveys that information through the nerves to the brain, and the brain then activates the motors required to lift or hold the object. With further development of the sensor skin and interfaces with nerves, this bionic interface is conceivable." Another application is a soft hydrogel sensor worn on the skin that can monitor a patient's vital signs while being totally unobtrusive and generating its own power. Dobashi, who's currently completing his Ph.D. work at the University of Toronto, is keen to continue working on ionic technologies after he graduates. "We can imagine a future where jelly-like 'iontronics' are used for body implants. Artificial joints can be implanted, without fear of rejection inside the human body. Ionic devices can be used as part of artificial knee cartilage, adding a smart sensing element. A piezoionic gel implant might release drugs based on how much pressure it senses, for example." Dr. Madden added that the market for smart skins is estimated at $4.5 billion in 2019 and it continues to grow. "Smart skins can be integrated into clothing or placed directly on the skin, and ionic skins are one of the technologies that can further that growth." The research includes contributions from UBC chemistry Ph.D. graduate Yael Petel and Carl Michal, UBC professor of physics, who used the interaction between strong magnetic fields and the nuclear spins of ions to track ion movements within the hydrogels. Cedric Plesse, Giao Nguyen and Frederic Vidal at CY Cergy Paris University in France helped develop a new theory on how the charge and voltage are generated in the hydrogels. Explore further Bruisable artificial skin could help prosthetics, robots sense injuries More information: Yuta Dobashi et al, Piezoionic mechanoreceptors, Science (2022). Journal information: Science Yuta Dobashi et al, Piezoionic mechanoreceptors,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw1974 Credit: Tero Vessalainen/Shutterstock News that the world's richest man, Elon Musk, is buying Twitter has sent the world into a spin, dividing those who advocate for unfettered free speechlike Muskand those who believe that some platforms wield too much power and influence. But the ultimate outcome for Twitter may depend heavily on social media regulation. Chris Philp, the UK minister for technology and digital economy, recently gave a speech about the government's plan for digital regulation through its proposed online safety bill, promising a "light-touch" approach, but which "supports a thriving democracy." Now the government has warned Musk that Twitter will have to comply with the new UK legislation. This isn't the only kind of regulatory challenge facing social media companies. After Facebook and Twitter removed Russian state media from their sites at the end of February, the Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor blocked access to the platforms, citing discrimination. With concerns mounting about state influence on media and information, we urgently need to understand what democratic social media regulation should look like. As philosophers in this field, our work looks at the theoretical foundations that underpin democracy. The key insight at the heart of our ongoing research is that political freedom depends on public debate. We have spoken to policymakers, broadcasters, journalists, activists and regulators about how best to apply these insights and political theory to the public sphere. Old media and new platforms Democracy is much more than a system of regular multiparty elections. It also requires that citizens feel able, and have the resources, to challenge those in power. Ideally, it requires people to engage in honest discussion about the best ways to live and work together, and to assess each other's contributions openly, inclusively and frankly. This should result in people making political decisions based on reason rather than being swayed by power, bias or fear. Open debate is necessary for our choices at the ballot box to be well-informed, free choices. In the philosophy of democracy there are two key conditions under which public debate counts as democratic: if citizens participate in it, and if it makes them more knowledgeable. Traditionally the public sphere was made up of media like newspapers, radio and television. Now, social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok and Twitter are part of the fabric of our political debate too. And these new online communication methods have quite a mixed record when it comes to both knowledge and participation. On the one hand, they enable certain audiences to hear voices that were historically excluded by media "gatekeepers" in the press and television, and in earlier days, newsreels. For example, the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements creatively use the internet and social media to spread their messaging. Getting these messages out is a big advance both in knowledge and participation. But digital communication is also frequently blamed for online bullying, fake news, polarization, loss of trust, foreign manipulation of national debates and new forms of silencing. Traditional propaganda is now joined by attemptsas Donald Trump's one-time adviser Steve Bannon put itto "flood the zone with shit" as a way of spreading distrust. These things destroy knowledge and result in uneven participation, especially with some voices elevated by "bots"computer programs masquerading as humans. Finding a way through So how can we regulate this new, digital public sphere to support knowledge and participation? In our recent report, we suggest four basic norms that can act as guiding lights for policymakers: 1. Fair and equal access Platforms, regulators and participants must ensure fair and equal access to public political discussion. This means giving everyone equal legal rights to participate in public debate, to stand for public office and to vote. But it also means making special efforts to elevate and highlight the contributions of those who are economically, socially or in other ways disadvantaged in public discussion. The UK governments proposed online safety bill promises a light touch approach. Credit: rawpixel.coml/Shutterstock 2. Avoid obvious falsehoods Platforms, regulators and participants must avoid posting or publishing things that are clearly not true. A claim or idea is obviously untrue when facts that falsify it are widely known. The kind of obvious falsehoods at stake include denial of firmly established verifiable facts, such as "the Earth is flat," or "COVID-19 is caused by 5G." Or denial of fundamental moral principles such as the equality of all humans regardless of race or gender. 3. Offer and engage with reasons Platforms, regulators and participants must provide and engage with reasons: to explain why they take the positions they do, and to consider the reasons offered by others in a debate, adjusting their own views when appropriate. 4. Take time to reflect Participants, platforms and regulators must support time away from new and unfamiliar viewpointstime to reflectto decide whether and how they should influence existing views. The goal is to take time to process new information so that we are better able to re-engage again afterwards. Leading by example We have stressed the importance of these norms to the UK government, and believe that future regulation should be guided by it. As underpinning norms, they don't just support formal and legal regulation, and they shouldn't be taken to justify censorship. Rather, they can influence how policymakers and digital platforms design the regulation that structures public discussion, and in turn guide our own public contributions as citizens. These norms are especially important for people whose roles involve representing the publicsuch as politicians and journalists. They help determine what counts as ethical conduct in democratic public life and good journalism that serves democracy. Some form of norms are always at play in guiding regulatory decisions, but they are not always made explicit. Our goal is to articulate norms which could support democracy, rather than undermine it. This is not easy to pursue, but if we are committed to democratic self-government, then we all need to keep them in focus as our digital public sphere evolves. Explore further Countries with well-funded public media have healthier democracies This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. A sign is pictured outside the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, Monday, April 25, 2022. Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy Twitter for roughly $44 billion on Monday, promising a more lenient touch to policing content on the platform where he promotes his interests, attacks critics and opines on social and economic issues to more than 83 million followers. Credit: AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn Twitter, which has agreed to be sold to billionaire Elon Musk, is due to report its first-quarter earnings Thursday before trading opens on Wall Street. The report will provide details on how the San Francisco-based social network fared over the first three months of the year. But Twitter has canceled the conference call with executives and industry analysts that usually accompanies its results, so there will be no further insight into its current state. Analysts are expecting Twitter to earn 5 cents per share on revenue of $1.23 billion, according to a poll by FactSet. Analysts are also forecasting that Twitter added 11 million daily active users compared with the last three months of 2021. Musk's purchase of Twitter is expected to close sometime this year. But before the deal is completed, shareholders will have to weigh in, as well as regulators in the U.S. and in countries where Twitter does business. So far though, few hurdles are expected, despite objections from some of Twitter's own employees, along with users who worry about Musk's stance on free speech and what it might mean for harassment and hate speech on the platform. Musk, who also runs the electric car company Tesla, as well as SpaceX and other ventures, says he plans to take Twitter private. If he does, the company will no longer be beholden to shareholders or publicly report its financial results, which have been mixed at best since the company went public in 2013. Twitter has struggled to consistently post profits as a public company while generating lackluster revenue growth compared to the two dominant forces in digital advertising, Google and Facebook. On one hand, going private could give Twitter more room to experiment while focusing less on short-term profit and its stock price. On the other hand, even the world's richest man is likely to want the company to make money. "I think there is nothing better for Twitter than Elon Musk buying it and ideally replacing the board, and also doubling down on investments into products and new revenue-generating sources," John Meyer, a technology entrepreneur and investor, told The Associated Press earlier this week. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. In this April 26, 2017, file photo is a Twitter app icon on a mobile phone in Philadelphia. If Elon Musk and Twitter get their way, the company will soon be privately held and under his control. The most obvious immediate change would likely be Twitter's stock being taken off the New York Stock Exchange. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File If Elon Musk and Twitter get their way, the company will soon be privately held and under his control. The most obvious immediate change would likely be Twitter's stock being taken off the New York Stock Exchange. But the company would also likely get freed from having to give regular updates about its business to U.S. regulators and to Wall Street. One important change for Twitter users is that the company would likely have more freedom to make big or unpopular changes. That's because it wouldn't have to worry about potential blowback from Wall Street. Here's a look at what it means for a company to go private. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ITS STOCK? If the merger closes as planned, Twitter investors would get $54.20 in cash for each share they own. Those shares would then be canceled and cease to exist. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE? Twitter would likely no longer have to file documents with U.S. regulators every three months to show how much money it's making. It also likely wouldn't have to announce changes to its strategy or operations that are big enough to materially change its fortunes. Now, it risks getting sued if it doesn't make such disclosures. "The biggest distinction is that Musk as an owner would be beholden to his own desires or to his and whatever remaining shareholders are still around, rather than to the wide investor base that it has now," said Eric Talley, a law professor at Columbia University. WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE? The company would still have a board of directors, Talley said. It would also need to still follow state-level corporate governance rules, as well as all applicable tax, environmental and other laws. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING PRIVATELY HELD? Going private removes the possibility of Twitter having to answer to angry shareholders if it makes big changes to its business. Musk has already floated the idea of depending less on advertising, which is Twitter's main way of making money. Investors often send a stock price lower if they think a company's decision is wrong, or at least being made at the wrong time. And the fiduciary duty of the board of directors for a publicly traded company is to generate a return for its investors. A privately held company, meanwhile, doesn't need to worry about short-term drops for its stock price. It can also jump more whole heartedly into plans, say by hiring slews of new workers to transform it, without having to explain the jump in expenses to shareholders in its next quarterly report. Both private and public companies "can do whatever they want, but there will be less blowback for privately held companies because a shareholder can't complain because there are no other shareholders," said Harry Kraemer, a former CEO and chairman of Baxter International who is now a professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. HOW MUCH POTENTIAL BLOWBACK IS THERE, REALLY? There's a lot more scrutiny on publicly held companies by not only shareholders and regulators but also by the media, said Kraemer, who currently sits on boards of both publicly held and privately held companies. And the pressure to hit performance targets every three months is indeed high, he said. "I often tease people who say I was at Baxter for 23 years," Kraemer said. "I tell them I was at Baxter for 92 quarters. And every quarter was the most critical of my life, until the next quarter started." GETTING AWAY FROM SHORT-TERMISM IS A GOOD THING, RIGHT? It does allow companies more freedom to make bold changes they believe in. But it also removes a source of accountability, said Columbia's Talley. "If you're running the thing in a wasteful or slothful way, you're going to get called on it," he said. WHAT DOES A COMPANY LOSE BY GOING PRIVATE? A potentially quick way to raise cash. Companies that are publicly traded can sell more shares of their stock if they need to raise cash in a pinch. COULD MUSK DECIDE NOT TO CARE ABOUT MAKING PROFITS AT ALL? If he's the only shareholder, he could ostensibly do whatever he wants. But he is also borrowing up to $25.5 billion from a slew of banks to pay for the takeover of Twitter. And they're going to want their money back, plus interest. If Musk ends up having other shareholders along with him in Twitter, that could also up the pressure on profits. Talley pointed to a famous case brought against another iconic automaker, Henry Ford, who cut back on dividends to shareholders at one point. "The moral of the whole lawsuit is that while you have a lot of discretion in how you go about maximizing shareholder returns, you don't get much discretion on whether to do so," he said. DOES TWITTER HAVE TO STAY PRIVATE? No, it can go back to selling its stock on the public market again. Going private itself would also give Twitter the opportunity to revamp its ownership structure and start offering dual classes of shares, including one that has much control over the company than the other, Talley said. Explore further Shareholders await Musk's next move in Twitter takeover bid 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Twitter splash page is seen on a digital device, Monday, April 25, 2022, in San Diego. Twitter on Thursday, April 28, posted quarterly earnings of $513 million days after it agreed to be sold to billionaire Elon Musk. The social media company said Thursday that revenue rose 16% to $1.2 billion in the three months to March compared with the same period last year.Credit: AP Photo/Gregory Bull Twitter's quarterly profit, revenue and the number of daily users on its platform are rising but its quarterly report, released days after agreeing to be sold to billionaire Elon Musk, offered scant details about what it expects on the financial front for the rest of the year. The social media company on Thursday reported net income of $513 million, or 61 cents a share, but that includes a big one-time gain from the sale of its MoPub business, clouding comparisons with the year-ago period. Revenue, most of it from ads, rose 16% to $1.2 billion in the three months to March compared with the same period last year, though the company said the figure reflected "headwinds associated with the war in Ukraine," without elaborating. Twitter reported an average of 229 million daily active users in the quarter, which was about 14 million more than a revised 214.7 million daily users in the previous quarter. The San Francisco company canceled a conference call with executives and industry analysts that usually accompanies its results, so there will be little further insight into the company's current financial condition. "Given the pending acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, we will not be providing any forward looking guidance, and are withdrawing all previously provided goals and outlook," the company said. Musk, who's paying $54.20 for each outstanding share of Twitter, did not speak publicly on the quarterly report, perhaps among its last as a publicly traded entity. Shares have yet to reach that buyout price and on Thursday, the company's stock edged slightly lower to $48.36. Musk's $44 billion deal to buy Twitter was announced earlier this week and is expected to close sometime this year. But before the deal is completed, shareholders will have to weigh in, as well as regulators in the U.S. and in countries where Twitter does business. So far though, few hurdles are expected, despite objections from some of Twitter's own employees, along with users who worry about Musk's stance on free speech and what it might mean for harassment and hate speech on the platform. Angelo Zino, tech analyst at CFRA, said the results, combined with a slew of challenges facing the digital ad industry, should solidify the board's decision to approve Musk's offer. "We see little reason to believe Twitter could extract greater shareholder value remaining public," he said in a research note. Musk, who also runs the electric car company Tesla, as well as SpaceX and other ventures, says he plans to take Twitter private. If he does, the company will no longer be beholden to shareholders or publicly report its financial results, which have been mixed at best since the company went public in 2013. Twitter has struggled to consistently post profits as a public company while generating lackluster revenue growth compared to the two dominant forces in digital advertising, Google and Facebook. On one hand, going private could give Twitter more room to experiment while focusing less on short-term profit and its stock price. On the other hand, even the world's richest man is likely to want the company to make money. "I think there is nothing better for Twitter than Elon Musk buying it and ideally replacing the board, and also doubling down on investments into products and new revenue-generating sources," John Meyer, a technology entrepreneur and investor, told The Associated Press earlier this week. Explore further Twitter reporting earnings on heels of Elon Musk buyout deal 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Sociologists at the Ural Federal University (UrFU) have identified digital fears among young people. According to experts, these are additional fears that do not replace, but complement and reinforce traditional ones. They have emerged against the background of uncertainty, the growth of forces beyond human control. Developed emotional intelligence, creativity, and the ability to collaborate help to overcome them. In their study, sociologists interviewed 1,050 people aged 18-30. Respondents were asked to assess which digital risks concern them most. The study was launched in 2020 and the results were published in April 2022 in the Changing Societies & Personalities journal. "The first group of fears is influence and control. It touches on the problem of interference with privacy by technical means. This category is the most significant for young people: 55.8% are afraid of total control by means of video-surveillance and monitoring software on their mobile devices. 48.5% of respondents believe they are at risk of wiretapping, tracking content in social networks, and inability to keep correspondence secret," says Natalia Antonova, professor at the Department of Applied Sociology at UrFU. Results showed 45.8% of young people fear the manipulative influence of the media and an increase in fake news. At the same time, only 27.8% and 18.1% of respondents are concerned about microchipping and genetic manipulation, respectively. It is likely that these threats seem more controllable, both from the individual (through control of food choices, medical procedures, etc.) and from government programs, the researchers believe. The second group of concerns is crime and security. Here, young people are wary of illegal actions using digital technology. "One of the main fears of 56% of young people is the security of personal data. This is related both to the growth of personal information in social networks and messengers, and to the growth of hacker attacks and viruses. 42.9% of young citizens are afraid of Internet fraudsters, and 25.8% are afraid of losing important information, including smashing their phones, not saving data, forgetting their passwords, or being without an internet connection," explains Sofia Abramova, Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Sociology at UrFU. The third group of fears is based on changes in the way and pace of life, ways of interaction. Thus, 28.4% of respondents indicate a constant lack of time, the acceleration of communications, and worries about not being able to complete all tasks in time. Respondents are also concerned about the growth of online communications and communications with electronic systems (bots, autoresponders, product systems, etc.). "As a result, 15.3% of young people raise problems related to increasing social distrust against the background of increasing dependence of human life and health on other people and electronic systems: in public transport, planes, elevators, medical intervention," explains Sofia Abramova. Respondents also fear the negative consequences of technological development. For example, 22.2% of young citizens fear the robotization of labor processes and the displacement of humans by robots. 14.6% speak directly about negative emotions in relation to the expansion of artificial intelligence. The fifth type of fear is social inequality. Young people negatively assess the growth of inequality in access to information resources and technology, the exclusion of citizens from the economy depending on the level of digital competence and education, and age. As a result, they fear that benefits will be distributed more and more unequally, both among the inhabitants of the country and between countries. "It is noteworthy that young people are simultaneously afraid of total surveillance via phone and afraid of being left without mobile devices. Fears shape the irrational behavior of the digital generation, entailing serious transformations in everyday life," says Natalia Antonova. More information: Sofya B. Abramova et al, Digital Fears Experienced by Young People in the Age of Technoscience, Changing Societies & Personalities (2022). Sofya B. Abramova et al, Digital Fears Experienced by Young People in the Age of Technoscience,(2022). DOI: 10.15826/csp.2022.6.1.163 The Texas Tech track and field team heads into the final weekend of the regular season competing in three different locations. Tech will honor its senior class Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on the main track.The Red Raiders will send a handful of throwers to ACU Thursday morning for the Oliver Jackson Twilight, while three distance runners head to Iowa for the Drake Relays. The remaining Red Raiders will stay home for the Corky/Crofoot Shootout.The women's team jumped back into the top 5, moving up one spot to No. 5 as the men's side fell three spots to No. 7.Texas Tech battled through very windy conditions in Waco as part of the Michael Johnson Invitational. Friday,(6.59m/5.2w) and(7.67m/8.3w) walked away as the triple jump winners. Meanwhile,won the 200 race (22.97/2.1w).On Saturday, the team ofand Chukwuma clocked in a time of 43.22 in the 4x100. They defeated the pro team of Hurdle Mechanic (43.25) and in the process, recorded the third fastest time in Tech history. Over in the 800 race,clocked in a season-best time of 2:05.61. It marked the first time since 2012 that a Red Raider leaped into the women's top 10 list in the event as it put her ninth all-time.Beginning Thursday afternoon in Abilene,will look to jump into the top 10 of the NCAA in the discus. Currently his best mark is 14at 58.94m (193-4). Last weekend in Waco,hit a new PR in the hammer throw (54.74m, 179-7), whilewent 16.38m (53-9) for a new shot put mark.andwill represent Tech in the 5000 run at the Drake Relays aswill go in the 1500. Rahmaan and Rush dropped new PRs of 16:48.40 and 14:11.76, respectively, two weeks ago at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Meanwhile, this will be Zahafi's first 1500 and competiton, since his record breaking and world leading 800 time of 1:43.69 at the Tom Jones Memorial in Florida two weekends ago.The Red Raiders hold the No. 1-ranked women's triple jump team for a second-straight week with Usoro,andleading the charge.has remained in the top five since her 17.62m (59-9.75) shot put mark at the Texas Relays, reaching as high as No. 2 in the country. Over in the discus,is still in the hunt for the 200ft mark. She's been in the top 2 all month, holding the No. 1 mark of 59.49m (195-2) for three weeks before dropping to No. 2 last weekend.Several multis will get a chance to tune up in many events this weekend in Lubbock, includingand. Rogers is 22in the NCAA in the decathlon. In the sprints and hurdles, Tech is hopeful to havedebut this weekend.is penciled in to compete in his first 200 race since 2021 he's eighth in the NCAA when it comes to the 100 (10.09). Chukwuma is second in the Big 12 and seventh nationally in the 100 (11.05).leads the female pole vaulters thus far with a season-best mark of 4.35m (14-3.25) 11nationally and an outdoor personal best.is third in the Big 12 with a season-best outdoor mark of 5.28m (17-3.75). As more dependency on food banks becomes apparent, the Brazos Valley Food Banks announcement last week that it would receive $2 million in state funding from the Texas Department of Agriculture was good news. The Brazos Valley Food Bank (BVFB) distributes food to around 47,000 individuals and works with 36 partner agencies and many other organizations to make sure food is properly distributed throughout the community. Various programs are also in place that examine the needs of children, seniors and co-morbidities of hunger and health issues to fill the gap, according to Theresa Mangapora, BVFB executive director. At the end of March, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced that a $95 million grant would be distributed among Texas food banks through the Food Bank Capacity Building Grant program. Funds for the programs were acquired from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Across Texas there are 21 food banks that serve 254 counties. The food banks received various amounts of funding that was distributed based on the number of individuals they serve, said Reb Wayne, Texas Department of Agriculture director of communication. The BVFB ranked 17th on the list and received $2,073,618.00. One of the things that 2020 made appallingly clear was that food banks across the nation had limited inventory, and limited ability to have cold storage for food, Wayne said. Some smaller food banks only had inventory for say a week or two while some of the larger ones only had certain dry goods for 90 days. Wayne said over the last three years there has been an increased dependency on food banks such as summer meals that feed children from low-income families and senior programs such as Meals on Wheels. The supply chain problem only exacerbated a lot of these issues, so one of the goals of the program is to help food banks, in essence, shore up its whole infrastructure and ability to serve more people, have more capacity, and be able to have good inventory that lasts longer, Wayne said. The recent TDA grant is the largest amount of funding the Brazos Valley Food Bank has received directly from the state, Mangapora said. The last time the BVFB received this level of funds for capacity building was in 2017 during their Because Hunger Wont Wait capital campaign. After five years, the BVFB is already bursting at the seams, Mangapora said. She added the primary issues include a lack of cooler space, keeping up with demand and need for fresh produce, and office space which is nearly maxed out. There are obviously things that need to be fixed and we just havent had the funds to be able to do that, so this infusion of cash for lack of a better term from the TDA is coming at an amazing time for us, Mangapora said. To increase its distributing network, the BVFB will allocate funds to purchase additional trucks, repurpose the annex to provide additional cold storage space, refurbish existing coolers and freezers, overhead doors and a produce repack room, purchase and repair food racks, and purchase any other additional equipment. Our goal is to have 50% of the food that we distribute be fresh produce, Mangapora said. Right now were hovering around 40%, and the ability to take whatevers available when it comes is very, very important. Sometimes thats hard, so this will help us in this way. Other uses for funds include the construction of additional offices, the acquisition and installation of warehouse/food inventory bar coding, the acquisition and installation of client tracking software, increased property security measures and the purchasing of new computers and copiers. Partner agencies also will be provided mobile produce pods and walk-in freezers to keep up with the communitys needs, Mangapora said. Probably whats most exciting for our partner agencies, those 36, were going to allow them to apply for funds within their strategic vision of what would build their capacity. It doesnt have to be specific to produce, but it does have to be specific to helping reach more people through food, Mangapora said. Mangapora said though the support food banks received during the pandemic was unprecedented, she worries staff, supply and equipment may not be able to meet an increasing demand; a situation the BVFB faced during the Great Recession in 2009. I worry a lot about the increases. Weve stretched ourselves beyond what I ever thought we could with our current capacity, but knowing that a big demand is probably on the horizon, were already seeing it start, this ability to build capacity is very much appreciated, she said. The BVFB will have until November 7, 2023, to utilize the provided funds. Mangapora said theyve already been hard at work acquiring bid numbers and putting the finishing touches on their construction project requests for proposal documents. Its a lot of work in addition to the amount of work we already do, but we have a fantastic board of directors, she said. Were going to do our best to get all these things rolling and done within that time frame. 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. NEW ORLEANS The Biden administration must stop what amounts to phasing out of a pandemic-related public health rule allowing the expulsion of migrants without giving them an opportunity to seek asylum, a federal judge in Louisiana ruled Wednesday. The administration plans to end the policy, known as Title 42, outright on May 23. But it acknowledged in recent court filings that it has recently processed more single adults from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador under immigration laws which include rights to seek asylum instead of the public health policy. U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays, in Lafayette, issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday, saying the administration must stop the stepped-up processing for at least the next two weeks. He also said in his ruling that states suing to stop the termination of the public health policy are likely to succeed in court. Twenty-two states are challenging plans to keep the administration from ending the expulsion policy, which was put in place under former President Donald Trumps administration in 2020 in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Louisiana, Arizona and 19 other states filed suit in U.S. District Court in Lafayette. Texas filed a similar suit in Victoria, Texas, on Friday. Summerhays, who was nominated to the federal bench by Trump, has scheduled a May 13 hearing on the larger issue of whether President Joe Biden can end the pandemic migration rule. The plaintiff states had asked him last week to issue an order blocking the administration from processing more migrants under immigration law instead of the public health rule. About 14% of single adults from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were processed under immigration laws during a seven-day period ending last Thursday, the administration had acknowledged. Thats up from only 5% in March, according to government figures. Log4Shell, ProxyShell, ProxyLogon, ZeroLogon, and flaws in Zoho ManageEngine AD SelfService Plus, Atlassian Confluence, and VMware vSphere Client emerged as some of the top exploited security vulnerabilities in 2021. That's according to a "Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities" report released by cybersecurity authorities from the Five Eyes nations Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. Other frequently weaponized flaws included a remote code execution bug in Microsoft Exchange Server (CVE-2020-0688), an arbitrary file read vulnerability in Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (CVE-2019-11510), and a path traversal defect in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy (CVE-2018-13379). Nine of the top 15 routinely exploited flaws were remote code execution vulnerabilities, followed by two privilege escalation weaknesses, and one each of security feature bypass, arbitrary code execution, arbitrary file read, and path traversal flaws. "Globally, in 2021, malicious cyber actors targeted internet-facing systems, such as email servers and virtual private network (VPN) servers, with exploits of newly disclosed vulnerabilities," the agencies said in a joint advisory. "For most of the top exploited vulnerabilities, researchers or other actors released proof of concept (PoC) code within two weeks of the vulnerability's disclosure, likely facilitating exploitation by a broader range of malicious actors." To mitigate the risk of exploitation of publicly known software vulnerabilities, the agencies are recommending organizations to apply patches in a timely fashion and implement a centralized patch management system. 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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 The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. CARTERVILLE Parents will have the opportunity to learn how to properly install car seats thanks to an upcoming event. Caritas Family Solutions is hosting a free car seat check event at the Carterville Caritas Office on Friday, April 29, from 3 to 6 p.m. The event will allow parents and caregivers to learn tips on how to properly install their car seats. Caritas Family Solutions, which was founded in 1947, is a nonprofit social service agency whose mission is to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families in order to create healthy relationships, loving homes and strong communities, according to their website. The car seat event is one way they are working to achieve that. The U.S Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows 46% of car seats and booster seats are incorrectly installed. Caritas Family Solutions will also provide free "Child Have an Identity" stickers for car seats. CHAD stickers display a child's information and help first responders know who to call if their caregivers get into an accident and are unresponsive. The event will include free activities for kids like face painting, a treasure box with items and grilled hot dogs for participants. The Carterville office is located at 10286 Fleming Road. The Southern 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. DEKALB Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is expanding a data center in northern Illinois and says more than 200 operational jobs will be based there once complete. The company announced the expansion Wednesday. The company announced its initial plan for the DeKalb data center in June 2020, proposing an $800 million project in northern Illinois that would require about 100 operational employees once complete. The expansion brings the total project cost to more than $1 billion, Meta said in a statement. "We are thrilled to be expanding our presence in Illinois," said Darcy Nothnagle, director of community and economic development for Meta. "The city of DeKalb and the state of Illinois have been great partners from the beginning, and we look forward to a continued strong and fruitful partnership for years to come." Paul Borek, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation, said more than 1,200 construction workers have been at work on the site "a boon to Illinois." DeKalb officials and the company also touted Meta's grant program available to schools or nonprofits where it runs data centers, which will launch in DeKalb County this fall. The county's school district Superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez said it will create opportunities for local students. "We look forward to the future as we transform from being known as an agricultural community to one of the leading technological centers in the nation and we look forward to our future endeavors," Garcia-Sanchez said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 UNION TOWNSHIP The Porter County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad was called into action Wednesday and a student was taken into custody after being found in possession of two improvised explosive devices at Union Township Middle School, Porter County police said. A school resource officer was notified at 12:17 p.m. Wednesday by an administrator about the potential explosive devices in the student's backpack, Porter County Police Cpl. Benjamin McFalls said. The officer and administrators relocated classrooms of students near the backpack and secured the area until the bomb squad arrived, McFalls said. "They discovered and safely removed two improvised explosive devices," he said of the squad. A juvenile was taken into custody and faces a charge of possessing a destructive device, according to police. School Principal Joshua Goeringer was not immediately available Thursday afternoon for comment. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I watched the confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and was totally amazed at some of the questions asked by a few of the senators. It seemed to me that some of the questions asked were totally out of context with the committees responsibility to determine a nominees qualification to serve on the high court. Although there are no constitutional requirements on the questions asked, it would be prudent, it seems to me, for the senators to keep within certain bounds of the subject, making their questions more sensible instead of the ridiculous nonsense, that it sometimes presents. There were three or four that I felt was totally out of line and was unbecoming to the office they held. Especially Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz. They both acted like bumpkins that had been on a drunken binge or both were running a high fever causing them to talk out of their heads. Whatever problem they might have, some of their questioning was disgraceful. Neither of these people are very popular in their own party. They are, what you might call, cry babies. Cruzs questioning of Jackson has increased his being the least popular politician on Capitol Hill. Lindsey Graham has become champion of stomping out of the room, when he doesnt get his way. They both act like Trump when he was president. They are at least in the shadow of Trump, for what they say, isnt always true, and like Trump, they do a lot of pouting. Maybe they learned this from him. They must be given credit for they are experts on twisting words around to change the meaning that were spoken by others. Graham says one thing and then does another, never being consistent. You really cant understand where hes coming from, and it sounds like he doesnt know where hes going. Cruz has set a new meaning for the word negative for he thinks it means always, and votes negative on all things that come before him, unless it's his idea. Getting back to the subject of confirmation hearings, both Cruz and Graham showed a strong Republican effort, by the nature of their questions asked, trying to upset Judge Jackson. But that effort failed as she was smarter than they. By keeping her cool, the opposite happened. They brought to light her strength and endurance under pressure. A great thing for a judge to have that serves on the high court. It is beyond my understanding why these two people act as they do. The people of South Carolina elected Lindsey Graham, and the people of Texas elected Ted Cruz. Im sure both Graham and Cruz were trusted by their constituents to represent them in an orderly, sensible, and proper way. How wrong they were, and embarrassed they must be. They ended up with two loose screws and no screwdriver to fix it, until next election time. These are two of the people that help run our country. They pass laws, and restrictions that control our very lives. I know they dont pass them alone, it takes a majority, but to think that these people have a voice in the direction that our lives go, is disturbing to me. Thanks to the Lord, that there are only a few of these jokers in the House and Senate, although a few is too many. A quote from Will Rogers may answer my thoughts on Cruz and Graham; he said Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects. Confirmation hearings for sure is the subject that qualifies Cruz and Graham to fit Rogers quote. Charles F. Burdick is a lifelong resident of Grand Tower. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and then went on to a 42-year Maritime career including 35 years as Master Pilot. He has been retired for 28 years and enjoys local history and writing poetry. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 14-year-old accused of shooting three students at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School is being charged as an adult, 1st Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe said Wednesday. Pascoe believes the shooting was a gang-related incident between rival groups: the Bloods and Folk Nation. Today is far from being a great day in South Carolina, Pascoe said. True justice is not done when it is necessary to waive a 14-year-old from family court to General Sessions Court. Today is a wakeup call for our state. Every society gets the criminal it deserves. And in South Carolina, we have 14-year-olds shooting at each other, children going to gang meetings instead of school and repeat offenders out on bond, he said. If we do not get more community involvement, better criminal laws and major judicial reform, the violent crime problem will continue to get worse, he added. The 14-year-old is facing the following charges: three counts of attempted murder and one count each of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and possession of a firearm on school campus. If convicted, the 14-year-old faces up to 30 years in prison, without parole, on each count. Pascoe asked for the teen to be charged as an adult during a hearing last week before Family Court Judge Anne Gue Jones. He said Jones ruled on the matter Wednesday morning. Pascoe does not intend to release the suspects name or any information about the case until the 14-year-olds bond hearing. That hearing has not yet been scheduled. The shooting took place on Aug. 18, 2021 around 4 p.m. on the back of the schools campus, located at 601 Bruin Parkway in Orangeburg. The suspect has been held at the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice since the incident. Since the beginning of the case, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell has pushed to have the suspect charged as an adult. In the wake of the incident, district officials made security changes at the school. Immediately following the tragic event at Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School, several additional security measures were implemented, which included a revised bell schedule to ensure students at our largest high school would be able to leave their last period class directly to available school bus transportation, metal detectors, clear backpacks, thorough bag checks, and additional (private) security officers to work in concert with the school resource officer, Orangeburg County School District spokesperson Merry Glenne Piccolino said Monday. As our school community continues to heal from the tragic event we experienced in August, our commitment to ensuring the safety of our school campuses is paramount, Piccolino said. Sadly, gun violence has impacted a growing number of schools in communities across the state and nation this year. In addition to enhancing safety and security measures at our school campuses, our district also joined school systems throughout the Midlands in the Be SMART collaborative, which aims to help normalize conversations about gun safety and encourage responsible actions that can prevent child gun deaths and injuries, she said. Piccolino said the district couldnt provide information about the condition of the three students who were injured in the shooting. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 6 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. The I.P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium at South Carolina State University will host a public conversation on Zoom about the legacy of the late Professor Arthur Rose at 1 p.m. Thursday. The conversation will feature batik artist Dr. Leo F. Twiggs and nationally published photographer Cecil Williams, both of whom were Roses pupils. The discussion is part of Stanbacks On Being a Citizen series and one of the culminating programs of the new Twiggs-Rose Festival of the Arts. The program is conducted with the museum's community partners, The South Carolina Progressive Network and The Modjeska Simpkins School. The Zoom event is free and available to S.C. State students, faculty and staff, as well as the public. It has been made possible in part by the generosity of Orangeburg County Council and Sidney and Jacquelyn Fulton of Orangeburg. Preregistration is required for this event at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdu-gpzsuEtRkQJ1rdNAXVkjYYb_jieRo. TheTandD.com: $1 for the first 26 weeks Support local journalism by becoming a member at www.TheTandD.com Get the first 26 weeks for just $1 at https://go.thetandd.com/nov5 For more information contact, Dr. Frank Martin, who will serve as program moderator, at fmartin@scsu.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Where can the United States and its allies fight Putin's murderous rampage in Ukraine? The answer is everywhere, with every weapon available. This war is being fought on many fronts at once: military, economic, legal, media, moral. The focus now is on the Russian assault in eastern Ukraine. But battles are also blazing in boardrooms, courtrooms and chat rooms. The troops are internet influencers and war crimes investigators, financial managers and factory managers, preachers and politicians. Putin's foes should not cross a "red line" that expands the fighting to neighboring countries. But they have to push right up to that line. As Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, puts it, "Putin will only stop when we stop him." There was hope at the outset of this war that Czar Vlad The Violator would negotiate a fair end to the conflict -- that he would accept a neutral Ukraine with its prewar boundaries secured by international guarantors. But that hope was seriously misguided. Putin has reacted to his humiliating defeats by escalating his military mission, not reducing it. The West has to respond by increasing its own commitment to the battle -- that is, the many battles. Now. That commitment starts with a simple question: Should President Joe Biden go to Ukraine and meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Asked by CNN if Biden would come, Zelenskyy said, "I think he will." That would be an important gesture, assuming the security situation can be stabilized. But even if Biden doesn't travel, he can be a vital voice of moral clarity by continuing to insist that it is Putin who has crossed a "red line" -- from president to pariah, from insider to outcast. He has exiled himself. He's created his own Elba in the Kremlin. But moral markers are not enough. Biden has to get over some of his earlier squeamishness about supplying Kyiv with the heavy weapons it needs to hold off Russian advances. He made a good start with an $800 million package that, according to CNN, "included 11 Mi-17 helicopters that had initially been earmarked for Afghanistan, 18 155 mm howitzer cannons and 300 more Switchblade drones, in addition to radar systems capable of tracking incoming fire and pinpointing its origin." Biden also has to pressure U.S. arms makers to step up production of critical weapons like Javelin anti-tank missiles and shoulder-fired Stingers that can shoot down aircraft. Some of those munitions would go directly to Kyiv; others could restock the arsenals of NATO allies that have already been aiding Ukraine. Speaking of NATO, Biden should openly support the growing ambitions of Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. Show Putin how badly he miscalculated. He invaded Ukraine in part to roll back NATO's possible expansion toward the Russian border, and he's created exactly the opposite effect. If Finland does join, that would add 830 miles to the border between the alliance and Russia -- more than double the current line of confrontation. On the economic front, Washington, D.C., has to declare war on the ruble, driving down its value and forcing Moscow into defaulting on its international obligations. Close all the banking loopholes, hunt down the oligarchs and above all, do everything possible to shut off Russia's income from the export of oil and gas. Biden has already agreed to auction off drilling leases on 145,000 acres of public lands, and while the environmental lobby is screaming in protest, governing is about making choices, and protecting the national security by enhancing energy independence has to be the administration's top priority. The U.S. is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court, but it can aid war crimes investigations in many ways. "The United States has demonstrated before and during this conflict that it has unparalleled intelligence regarding Russian military plans and activities," Yale Law professor Oona Hathaway writes in the Washington Post. "Sharing information with the ICC prosecutor as he investigates possible crimes in Ukraine could be an important step toward ensuring accountability." In the media war, the White House should be bolstering resources for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which beams Russian-language broadcasts into a country where few dissident voices have survived. And it should be utilizing Telegram and other online platforms that can still evade the Kremlin's censorship to spark dissent in Russia and reveal Putin's lies about the motives -- and the costs -- of his miscalculation. Putin has crossed a "red line" -- of decency, of humanity, of respect for international norms of civilized behavior. He must be made to pay. On every front. In every way. Steven Roberts teaches politics and journalism at George Washington University. He can be contacted by email at stevecokie@gmail.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Russia cut off natural gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday in an escalation Europe has been bracing for since the war in Ukraine began. But the U.S. can do little at least in the near term to ease the strain. Losing access to Russian gas will leave Poland and Bulgaria more vulnerable to energy shortfalls as they seek alternative suppliers. Notably, Russia has continued exports to Germany, Europes largest economy and Russias biggest natural gas customer. Since February, Germany has scrambled to reduce its dependence on Russian fuels as quickly as possible. Could they weaponize their hydrocarbon exports? Absolutely, Gabriel Collins, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy, told the Star-Tribune in February. Are they potentially cutting off their nose to spite their face? Yes. At the time, it was too early to tell how much of their nose can they still cut off without fully spiting their face, Collins said. Now, two months later, experts still arent sure how drastic Russias actions could become toward the countries that buy its natural gas especially Germany. Neither can really afford to lose the other, said Rob Godby, an economics professor at the University of Wyoming. And so I think what Russia has done is cut off those countries that it could afford to do as a symbolic gesture. Its a threat, he noted, that may have more political power than the action itself: If you cut these countries off, you can only do it once. The bulk of the worlds natural gas is transported by pipeline. Where Russia can send the gas it produces is decided largely by the export infrastructure already in place. When they do reduce shipments, they also have to reduce production, and thats going to hurt them as well as the countries its aimed at, Godby said. And thats probably part of the reason why what were seeing is more symbolic and less significant shutdowns. Many economists believe that prolonged Russian aggression could reshape the global energy economy as the countries that import its fuel particularly in Europe find more stable sources of natural gas, increase their use of renewables or pursue a combination of the two. The U.S. oil and gas industry wants to become Europes next supplier. Limited U.S. liquefied natural gas export capacity means companies only have so much access to Europes pricier markets. And while prices have been climbing in the U.S. for a number of reasons, including uncertainty about how the war will continue to impact markets, the share of natural gas currently being diverted to Europe rather than burned here isnt really to blame: U.S. producers are already sending as much as they can. To boost exports, the country will have to build more terminals a prospect thats been a major source of conflict between industry and environmental groups over the last several months. The oil and gas industry says building new export terminals will strengthen European energy security while benefiting U.S. producers. Environmental groups say doing so will lock in avoidable carbon emissions for years to come. Export terminals arent the only barrier, though. For exports to Europe to increase without U.S. prices skyrocketing, production also has to go up. Every sector that can produce is trying to produce, Godby said. But supply chain issues, worker shortages and other constraints have hit the oil and gas industry hard, slowing growth in spite of high fuel prices. But Wednesdays escalation may be yet another signal to companies that the added costs and extended timelines are worth the economic risk. The real question is just, how far does this go? Godby said. How far does this destabilize things, and how much can countries adapt? Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An attorney and former Democratic lawmaker filed suit Wednesday over Wyomings voter ID law, arguing it violates multiple sections of the states constitution. The lawsuit alleges the law, which went into effect last year, is inconvenient and unnecessary. (The voter ID law) trammels the constitutional right essential to suffrage both in passage and operation, the suit states. The law, which requires voters to show ID at the polls, was passed in the 2021 legislative session and has been in effect for less than a year. Wyoming voters have long had to show a photo ID when registering, a provision the lawsuit does not challenge. The lawsuit, filed by former Democratic representative Charles Pelkey, represents one of the first attempts to legally challenge the voter ID law on the basis of the states constitution. This is not the last century, the lawsuit read. The government needs to show why the first acceptable photo ID cannot display automatically to the poll workers when people vote, so voters can be welcomed and thanked for votingrather than challenged. The law was enacted via House Bill 75, whose prime sponsor was Casper Rep. Chuck Gray. Notably, 40 members of the House of Representatives and half of the 30-member Wyoming Senate signed on as co-sponsors. This formal complaint has been filed by a former Democrat state legislator after the law has already gone into effect and been utilized in multiple elections, Gray said in a statement. Todays filing is frivolous and demonstrates how the radical Left wants to make it easier to cheat in elections. Currently, 35 states have some sort of voter ID law with varying levels of requirements. In Wyoming, if ID is not presented at the polls, a voter is given a provisional ballot. To have that ballot be counted, the voter must visit a county clerk no later than the close of business on the following day and present a valid ID. They do not have a compelling need to assess this. If they did, where is the evidence? said Tim Newcomb, the plaintiff in the case and another attorney who has expertise in the Wyoming Constitution. Pelkey said that the Wyoming Constitution puts a higher standard for imposing limits on voting rights than the U.S. Constitution. He was not in the Legislature when the bill passed, but lawmakers attempted to adopt voter ID legislation multiple times before they were successful in 2021. While past attempts at voter ID were rebuffed, the effort gained new life in the wake of growing concerns about voter fraud by Republicans in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. Voter fraud is extremely rare in Wyoming, with only a handful of convictions over the past several decades. During previous legislative sessions, Pelkey said he argued that the bill risked being deemed unconstitutional. Election integrity is pivotal and the voter ID legislation is a basic safeguard to fight voter fraud, Gray said in his statement. The voter ID law was in effect during some local elections last fall, but its biggest test will come this summer, when Wyomings primary election is scheduled. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. Teton was ranked the healthiest county and Fremont the least healthy county in Wyoming, based on data in the newest report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The rankings look at two main components: health factors and health outcomes. Health factors like education, air and water quality, access to care and tobacco use are things that can be changed to improve health. Health outcomes the length and quality of life represent the health of a county right now. The outcomes arent all that surprising; Teton County has the greatest number of billionaires per capita out of any county in the nation. With that much money floating around comes better access to doctors, therapists, quality food and other resources to improve health. On the other hand, the study estimates that about 22% of people in Fremont County were uninsured in 2019, with a trend that was neither improving nor getting worse. There was an average patient to primary care physician ratio of about 1,150 to one and an average patient to mental health provider ratio of about 410 to one. In comparison, about 17% of Teton County residents were uninsured in 2019, with a trend while improving that was still worse than the national average. In the same year, there were about 870 patients to every primary care physician and one mental health provider for every 180 patients. Niobrara, Big Horn, Carbon, Natrona and Platte counties ranked in the bottom quarter along with Fremont County for health factors, while Albany, Park, Sheridan, Laramie and Crook counties joined Teton County in the top quarter. Those rankings were a little different for health outcomes the overall quality and length of life. Park, Sheridan, Weston, Johnson and Albany counties were in the top quarter for the best health outcomes, with Teton County still ranked No. 1. Fremont County was still at the bottom, followed by Hot Springs, Uinta, Platte, Carbon and Sweetwater counties. Childcare cost burdens in Wyoming counties ranged between 19% to 36% of household incomes, which is a little worse than the national average. There isnt a single county in the nation, however, that meets the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 7% of household income benchmark for affordable childcare, according to the report. Incomes vary by race and ethnicity across Wyoming, with a median income of $50,458 for American Indian & Alaska Native households to $69,917 for Asian households. Overall, the data shows that Wyoming has a larger number of premature deaths, low birth weights, tobacco users, alcohol-impaired driving deaths and teen births compared to the national average. It also has a higher primary care physician to patient ratio and a greater percent of people who are uninsured. But outcomes were better in Wyoming compared to national averages for the number of poor physical and mental health days Wyomingites experience, and there were also fewer preventable hospital stays. A greater proportion of residents 94% finished high school compared to the national average of 89%, and the unemployment rate in the state is about 2.3% lower than national rates. 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. What is it like to respond to an emergency medical call during the pandemic? At the Sweetwater Medics Ambulance Service in Sweetwater County, it takes about an hour to disinfect the ambulance, which has to be ready to go for the next call. When a call comes in, a staff member has to screen the patient for COVID-19 symptoms, and if there is enough reason to believe the patient might have COVID, the call is flagged and the responders get dressed up in their personal protection equipment N95 mask, an apron or suit to keep contaminants off their clothes. Some places have even required showers. The responders try to get a mask on the patient when they arrive, and if needed they alert the hospital, which takes a separate set of precautions. One call could put us out of service for three hours, Sweetwater Medics Director Ron Gatti said. Before the pandemic, an average call would take about 30 minutes. On a monthly basis, our call volumes kind of stayed the same, but it was totally different in that every call required so much more work, Gatti said. The pandemic has strained a system that was already strained. We were slammed during COVID, said Darin Yates, the city of Torringtons emergency medical services executive director. Yates said Goshen County used to be saturated with ambulances. But that has changed over the years. The town of Yoder shut down its emergency medical services permanently, partly because of staff shortages, and the ambulance at the town of Fort Laramie is out of service currently. To make up for these holes, ambulances from Torrington now cover the town of Yoder and often have to drive clear north of the town of Fort Laramie to assist on calls, a distance of more than 30 miles that takes about 40 minutes to traverse. Were expected to do more with less, said Scott Kitchner, fire chief of Sweetwater County District No. 1. Its a nationwide problem, particularly for rural communities. Almost a third of emergency medical services agencies across the nation are at risk of shutting down because they cant cover operating costs, a 2018 report from the National Rural Health Association found. And expenses are higher for rural services because ambulances need to be ready even though there are lower call volumes and therefore less income to cover those costs. These challenges prompted Gov. Mark Gordon to make a $20 million funding request to the Legislature. The Legislature ended up approving $15 million. Of that, $5 million will help stabilize existing emergency medical services. With the remaining $10 million, the Wyoming Department of Health and Gordons Health Task Force hope to improve the availability of emergency medical services in Wyoming through a three-year pilot project thats meant to test out possible solutions. The project will look at a variety of challenges for emergency medical services two big ones being the lack of staffing and money. Staffing is always an issue, Yates said. Torringtons emergency medical services generally dont have trouble finding people with an interest in joining the staff, he said. But most of the positions are part-time, and the center doesnt have the capacity to give people the full-time positions they want even though it could use more help. Torrington owns and finances its emergency medical services, and Yates said all emergency medical services positions in the city are paid. But many of these services in Wyoming are partly volunteer-run. Wyoming Department of Health spokesperson Kim Deti said in an email to the Star-Tribune that in Wyoming, an estimated 44% of ground-based 911 emergency medical service providers individual people like emergency medical technicians and paramedics are volunteers. But the number of volunteers is declining, said Wyoming Health and Human Services Policy Advisor Jen Davis. Thats probably because current volunteers are retiring and younger ones arent taking their place, she said. And the costs for emergency medical services arent always reimbursed in full. Kitchner said the low reimbursement rates for patients with health insurance through Medicare or Medicaid, as well as servicing patients without health insurance at all, means that places offering emergency medical services often have to look elsewhere to recuperate costs. Emergency medical services are even more vulnerable because they arent officially listed as an essential service. If EMS were listed as an essential service, people would have to recognize that EMS is needed, Yates said. Hopefully this would open additional pathways of funding. Gatti said that reimbursing emergency medical services at the same rate that members of other essential services are reimbursed would be the biggest change that could help keep these programs around. I think these positions deserve to be reimbursed at fair rates and offer career paths, he said. Jen Davis said there have been some conversations about listing emergency medical services as an essential service. But there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered about making that move, she said. The essential service designation could, for example, require that all staff be paid. That could be a problem given that these services currently rely partly on volunteers to keep going. The pilot program that Gordon announced recently is meant to test out potential solutions to fix or at least improve these problems. The governors Health Task Force has been having conversations over the past six months with Wyomings emergency medical services community, Davis said. Those discussions will continue with regional outreach meetings involving the task force, the Wyoming Department of Health and others involved in delivering or supporting emergency medical services. The first meeting will take place in Cheyenne and focus on Trauma Region 3, which covers Albany, Laramie, Goshen and Platte counties. Emergency medical services are different across the state, and thats why the health department and the Health Task Force are approaching these problems from a regional perspective, Davis said. There are five trauma regions in Wyoming, and the delivery of emergency medical services varies between each region. Davis said these regional meetings are intended to collect information about what has and hasnt worked within these unique emergency medical services models. The regional approach could also help rural emergency medical services better pool resources within their region, she said. The funding that the Legislature approved to address EMS availability in Wyoming also includes $5 million to stabilize existing emergency medical services. Gordon spokesman Michael Pearlman said it isnt clear yet exactly how that funding will be used to support these services. That, he said, will be worked out in future discussions with the Wyoming Department of Health. Solutions will probably be a long time in the works. But Yates said that the pilot program is a reason for some optimism. Knowing that these are the steps that are being taken is promising, he said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. AS INFLATION rates climb throughout the Caribbean, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Cleviston Haynes is cautious about wage adjustments to match it. A wage adjustment to match inflation is really not the first best option for us, Haynes said at an inflation discussion hosted by the Central Bank of Barbados on Thursday night. 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. Thirty-eight per cent of the murders committed in Trinidad and Tobago for the year thus far Flash The European Union (EU) is ready to face the suspension of Russian gas deliveries to its member states, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday. The Russian gas supplier Gazprom announced earlier Wednesday that it was fully stopping its gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria, due to the two EU member states' "failure to pay in rubles." In a statement reacting to Gazprom's announcement, von der Leyen called the move "another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail" in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded on March 23 that Russia's current gas contracts with "unfriendly countries" should be paid in rubles. "We have been working to ensure alternative deliveries and the best possible storage levels across the EU," and the gas coordination group is meeting in order to map out a coordinated EU response, said von der Leyen. The EU, highly dependent on Russian gas and oil, has been working on finding alternative energy supplies through its REPowerEU plan launched on March 8. The bloc agreed with the United States on March 25 that it would purchase an additional at least 15 billion cubic meters of liquified natural gas (LNG) for 2022, and 50 billion cubic meters of LNG per annum until at least 2030. The bloc is also accelerating its green transition to wean itself from fossil fuels and to increase energy efficiency. The two separate cases of teenaged girls who went missing last week and were found in shacks ATLANTA (AP) A Georgia man convicted of killing an 8-year-old girl and raping a 10-year-old girl more than 45 years ago is scheduled to be executed next month, state officials said. Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Timothy Ward announced in a Wednesday news release that Virgil Delano Presnell Jr. is to be put to death at 7 p.m. on May 17 at the state prison in Jackson. Presnell, 68, is accused of abducting and attacking the two girls as they walked home from school in Cobb County, just outside Atlanta, on May 4, 1976. He was convicted in August 1976 on charges including malice murder, kidnapping and rape and was sentenced to death. His death sentence was overturned in 1992 but was reinstated in March 1999. Presnell staked out a Cobb County elementary school on May 3, 1976, and saw a 10-year-old girl walking home on a wooded trail. He returned the next day, and abducted the girl and her 8-year-old friend when they came walking down the trail, according to evidence at trial outlined in a Georgia Supreme Court ruling. He drove the two girls to a secluded wooded area, made them undress and raped the older girl, the ruling says. The younger girl tried to run as he took her back to the car, but Presnell caught her, shoved her face underwater in a creek and drowned her. Presnell then locked the older girl in his car trunk, began driving and dropped her in a wooded area when he got a flat tire. Throughout, Presnell had forced her to engage in sex acts multiple times, the ruling says. Presnell had told the girl he'd return, but she heard sounds from a nearby gas station and walked there. She described Presnell and his car with a flat tire to police, who found him changing his tire at his apartment complex near where he'd left the older girl. At first, Presnell denied everything but later he led police to the 8-year-old girl's body and confessed, the ruling says. Police found a handgun and child pornography showing young girls in his bedroom. Attorneys for Presnell have said in court filings that Presnell was born to a teenage mother who drank and smoked heavily throughout her pregnancy. Presnell suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome that damaged his brain and kept him from ever developing into a functioning, responsible adult, his lawyers argued. Coupled with a childhood marked by ongoing violence, alcoholism, and sexual and physical abuse, it is not at all difficult to see how he developed into an adult with serious disturbances which, left unchecked and untreated, could produce tragic results, his lawyers wrote in a filing arguing that his sentence was unconstitutional. Presnell would be the first person executed by the state of Georgia since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The last person executed by Georgia was Donnie Cleveland Lance in January 2020. Georgia uses an injection of the sedative pentobarbital to carry out executions. 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. Swiss drug giant Roche has invested millions of dollars expanding its Oro Valley campus to meet demand for its medical diagnostics, and now its employees have a place of their own. Roche Tissue Diagnostics this week unveiled the latest phase of its campus transformation the Employee Forum, a two-story, 45,000-square-foot building that features a conference center, an expansive cafeteria with rotating local restaurant fare, a gym, wellness center and meeting rooms. On Tuesday, company and civic leaders joined hundreds of Roche employees in the cavernous conference center to cut the ribbon on the building, which was five years in the planning. Jill German, who leads the site as president of Roche Tissue Diagnostics, said the new building was badly needed to connect employees on the sprawling campus and was designed based on feedback from Roches roughly 1,800 employees. We needed a place that people could gather in, people could connect in and be creative in, and at the same time, they voiced desires around health and wellness, and frankly that became even more pronounced during the pandemic, German said. The new buildings 2,500-square-foot fitness center is open to employees 24 hours a day, seven days a week and includes a large weight room, glass-walled rooms for instructor-led fitness classes, lockers and showers. Next door, a wellness center includes a lab to process blood samples and two exam rooms to conduct physicals or receive shots and vaccinations, staffed by a registered nurse, a nurse practitioner and medical assistant. Besides the 4,000-square-foot cafeteria with free coffee, the Employee Forum has a separate coffee bar near the entrance and the publicly accessible Innovation Center, which features interactive demonstrations of Roches tissue diagnostics platforms including several lab instruments. For business collaborations, the Employee Forum has eight conference rooms of various sizes, and the main cafeteria can seat up to 500 people for events. Roche, which has steadily expanded its campus on East Innovation Park Drive since the company acquired the former Ventana Medical Systems nearly 15 years ago, is looking forward to opening a new 60,000-square-foot manufacturing building in Marana by the end of the year. The new building will host Roches instrument manufacturing operation, while the Oro Valley campus will remain home to research and development and manufacturing of reagents chemicals used in diagnostic tests, German said. Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, officials say. Aaron Mitchell, 27, allegedly abducted the girl who was walking to school in Douglas on April 25, then sexually assaulted her. Mitchell approached the girl in his car and told her he was a law enforcement officer, according to a Douglas Police Department news release. Mitchell was wearing a tactical vest labeled police and asked the girl for immigration documentation, she told police. Mitchell, who works at the Douglas Port of Entry and has been employed by the agency since 2021, then told the girl he was taking her to the police department. Police say they believe he then restrained the girl and put her in the car. Mitchell then drove the girl to an apartment in Sierra Vista where he allegedly sexually assaulted her, the news release said. He drove her back to Douglas in the afternoon, police said. Douglas police arrested Mitchell on April 26 with assistance from the Sierra Vista Police Department and booked him into the Cochise County jail. The investigation continues. CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe, CBP said in a statement. We do not tolerate corruption or abuse within our ranks, and we cooperate fully with all criminal or administrative investigations of alleged misconduct by any of our personnel, whether it occurs on or off duty. Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223 . On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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. PHOENIX Upset with the just-ended 2-year state of emergency, state lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to curbing the power of the governor. Just not this governor. On a 31-27 vote the House voted to spell out that public health emergencies can be declared for not more than 30 days. SB 1009 also says that can be extended three times. But at 120 days, the emergency would self-destruct unless the House and Senate gave their approvals. And those extensions would have to be renewed every 30 days. And to prevent abuses, it would prohibit the governor from proclaiming a new state of emergency based on the same conditions unless the Legislature approves. The measure, which was previously approved by the Senate, now goes to Gov. Doug Ducey. Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, told Capitol Media Services she expects him to sign it. And one reason, she acknowledged, is that the measure is crafted so it does not take effect until Jan. 2, 2023, the day a new governor will be sworn in. This is a legislative change, Ugenti-Rita said. So I obviously need his support and need a signature. And she said that she made changes from her original plan to satisfy Ducey. But Ugenti-Rita, who is not seeking reelection to the Senate, said that the change is necessary even if it does not take effect until next year. The measure is a direct outgrowth of the decision by Ducey to declare an emergency in early 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. He only rescinded that order last month, more than two years later. Ugenti-Rita said curbs are necessary. Having an executive who has the power to close down businesses and unilaterally make decisions that have dramatic consequences and can be abused is not in the best interest of the public, she said. She also pointed out that nothing in the legislation precludes a future governor from declaring a state of emergency when he or she believes it is necessary. But what it will bring back is a balance of power, Ugenti-Rita said, requiring the chief executive to consult with and get the approval of state lawmakers after 120 days. At that point, she said, legislators could allow the emergency to be continued or simply expire. None of the Democrats in the House voted in support. We can have a disagreement in terms of why an executive order is called and the reasons behind that, said Rep. Marcelino Quinonez, D-Phoenix. We can have a disagreement all day long about whether its warranted or not, he continued. But we cant have an agreement about its effectiveness. And Quinonez said what the legislation requires when future emergencies are declared would create a logistical nightmare. Ducey press aide C.J. Karamargin said the governor does not comment on measures that have not yet reached his desk. But he acknowledged that the provision was incorporated into a much larger measure that the governor actually signed last year. That entire bill, however, was voided by the Arizona Supreme Court which said it was illegal for lawmakers to pack a variety of unrelated provisions into a single piece of legislation. On Twitter: @azcapmedia Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Explosions rock Kyiv again as Russians rain fire on Ukraine KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia mounted attacks across a wide area of Ukraine on Thursday, bombarding Kyiv during a visit by the head of the United Nations. Several people were injured in the attack on Kyiv, including one who lost a leg and others who were trapped in the rubble when two buildings were hit. A spokesperson said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his team were safe. The attack is the boldest the capital city has seen since Russian forces retreated weeks ago. Elsewhere, Ukrainian authorities reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin is bent on capturing. EXPLAINER: Why US needs a law to sell off oligarchs' assets WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden doesnt want to just seize the yachts, luxury homes and other assets of Russian oligarchs, he wants to sell off the pricey goods and use the money to help rebuild Ukraine. Hes asking Congress to streamline the process to allow that to happen. In the latest attempt to pressure Russia to end its war and to pay for the enormous costs of defending Ukraine, the Biden administration on Thursday called on Congress to enhance U.S. authority to liquidate assets seized from Russian elites the bad guys, as Biden called them. Drop in US GDP challenges Biden's pitch to voters WASHINGTON (AP) The latest report on gross domestic product is complicating President Joe Bidens pitch that the U.S. economy is strong. It shows that the economy shrank at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first three months of this year. Biden says the drop reflects technical quirks such as businesses adding less to their inventories, while Republicans have a direct line of attack to say the problem is rooted in inflation at a 40-year high. The risk for Biden is now a muddled message going into the midterm elections at a time when voters are focused on the economy. Report calls out abuse of social media by Minneapolis police ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Among the scathing findings of an investigation launched after the police killing of George Floyd is that the Minneapolis Police Department used covert or fake social media accounts to monitor Black activists and organizations. And it did so despite having no clear public safety rationale for doing so. The report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights echoes past revelations of surveillance by other law enforcement agencies targeting prominent people and communities of color even though they werent doing anything illegal. Experts say what happened in Minnesota is also happening in many other jurisdictions because there are few rules in place and no accountability. 2022 NFL Draft l First round features 5 Georgia defenders LAS VEGAS (AP) A first round of the NFL draft featured a record five defenders taken from one school as the night began and ended with the selections of former University of Georgia defenders. The old record was four set by the University of Miami in 2004 and tied by Florida State in 2006. The night began with the Jaguars selecting edge rusher Travon Walker and ended with the Vikings selecting safety Lewis Cine at No. 32. The Packers selected linebacker Quay Walker at No. 22 and Georgia teammate Devonte Wyatt at 28. And the Eagles grabbed D-tackle Jordan Davis at No. 13. British Virgin Islands premier arrested on US drug charges MIAMI (AP) U.S. authorities say the premier of the British Virgin Islands and the director of the Caribbean territorys ports have been arrested on drug smuggling charges in South Florida. A criminal complaint shows Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie and Managing Director Oleanvine Maynard were arrested Thursday by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport. They are charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to launder money. Officials said Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard had been at the airport to meet with drug traffickers who in reality were undercover DEA agents, to see a shipment of $700,000 in cash that the the BVI officials expected to receive for helping smuggle cocaine from Colombia to Miami and New York. Moderna seeks to be 1st with COVID shots for littlest kids Moderna is asking U.S. regulators to open its COVID-19 vaccine to the nation's youngest children. Kids under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for vaccination. Frustrated parents are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect them. Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration Thursday. The company hopes the FDA will rule in time for tots to start getting vaccinated by summer. It's a complex decision partly because while other countries give Moderna shots to older children, the U.S. so far has restricted them to adults. Rival Pfizer also is studying its vaccine in the littlest kids. Astroworld movie set for release despite lawyers' concerns HOUSTON (AP) The experiences of panicked concertgoers who couldnt breathe and had no clear path to escape a massive crowd surge at last years deadly Astroworld music festival in Houston are featured in a new documentary. But lawyers for Live Nation, which is being sued for its role as the festivals promoter, say theyre concerned that publicity from Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy, could taint the jury pool. The documentary is set for release Friday in 11 Texas cities. But Charlie Minn, the films director, says it's a balanced and fair documentary that tries to show what happened. Ten people died and hundreds of others were injured at the Nov. 5 concert by Scott, a popular rapper. Oklahoma House sends Texas-style abortion ban to governor OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma House has given final approval to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. The bill passed Thursday by the GOP-led House now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. He's expected to sign it within days. The bill was immediately challenged in court by abortion rights advocates. The measure prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo. Experts say thats typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Like Texas, the bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a similar law in Texas to stand. 'Carpool Karaoke' king James Corden leaving late-night show LOS ANGELES (AP) James Corden will be bowing out of his late-night CBS TV show next year. Corden announced his decision during the taping of Thursdays The Late Late Show, which he began hosting in 2015. In a statement, the president and CEO of CBS lauded Corden for taking huge creative and comedic swings, including with Carpool Karaoke. In those videos, Corden and pop stars including Adele and Paul McCartney performed sing-alongs on the road. Cordens contract with The Late Late Show was to expire this August, but the London-born actor and writer extended the agreement for another season. He will leave the show in spring 2023. 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. Flash Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on Wednesday that no agreement has been reached on a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. "The time of the meeting of the presidents of the two countries and the context of the meeting have not been determined yet," Podolyak, also a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the peace talks with Russia, was quoted as saying. Consultations at the level of working subgroups, which are preparing the positions of the parties in legal terms, are underway, Podolyak said. Earlier Wednesday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey hopes that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin would take place in the next few days, according to media reports. Russia cuts off gas to 2 NATO nations in bid to divide West POKROVSK, Ukraine (AP) Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria and threatened to do the same to other countries, using its most essential export as an attempt to punish and divide the West for its united support of Ukraine. The move was condemned by European leaders as blackmail. It marked a dramatic escalation in the economic war of sanctions and countersanctions that has unfolded parallel to the fighting on the battlefield, where fighting continues in Ukraine's east. One person was killed and at least two injured when rockets hit a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv. The commander of a marine unit inside the last stronghold in the gutted city of Mariupol said the situation there was very difficult. Twitter abuse victims fear Musk's plans, but may not quit Perhaps no group of people is more alarmed about Elon Musks apparent plan to make Twitter a free speech free-for-all than those most likely to be targeted for harassment: women, racial minorities and other marginalized groups. They fear that a more hands-off approach to policing the platform will embolden purveyors of hate speech, bullying and disinformation to ratchet up their bad behavior a possibility Musk has done little to dispel. Yet even those who have faced extreme harassment on Twitter say they are unlikely to quit the platform. Despite the negative psychological toll, they still place a high value on Twitter as a place to express their views and engage with others. EXPLAINER: Will a Russian prisoner exchange impact Griner? Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia and its unclear how an unexpected prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia that freed marine veteran Trevor Reed will affect the status of the WNBA star. Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February. The deal announced by both countries involving Reed, an American imprisoned for nearly three years, would have been a notable diplomatic maneuver even in times of peace. It was all the more surprising because it was done as Russias war with Ukraine has driven relations with the U.S. to their lowest point in decades. Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was arrested in Russia for allegedly possessing a cannabis derivative legal in much of the world. The offense can mean up to 10 years in prison. Dem lawmaker: Biden suggests he'll ease student loan burden WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden has signaled he might forgive some student loan debt and further extend the federal moratorium on repayments. That's according to California Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas. He's a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Cardenas said Wednesday that during a White House meeting, Biden told the group that they're going to like what he does about both proposals. That meeting was Monday. The White House was notably more measured about what Biden might do. But any move in that direction would be a boon to many of what federal figures show are 43 million Americans carrying student loans worth $1.6 trillion. Federal judge halts preparations for end of US asylum limit NEW ORLEANS (AP) A judge has ordered a two-week halt on phasing out pandemic-related restrictions on seeking asylum as the Biden administration prepares for the restrictions to be fully lifted on May 23. Wednesday's decision is only a temporary setback for the administration but the federal judge appeared highly sympathetic with Louisiana and other states that sued to keep Title 42 authority. That restriction denies migrants a chance at asylum on grounds of preventing spread of COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays has scheduled a hearing May 13 in Lafayette, Louisiana, for arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Microsoft: Russian hacks often accompany Ukraine attacks BOSTON (AP) Microsoft says cyberattacks by state-backed Russian hackers have destroyed data across dozens of organizations in Ukraine and produced a chaotic information environment. The company said in a report released Wednesday that Russia-aligned threat groups were preparing long before the Feb. 24 invasion. It said they were pre-positioning for the conflict" as early as a year ago, hacking into networks to obtain footholds they could later use to collect strategic and battlefield intelligence or to facilitate future destructive attacks. State report details bias in Minneapolis Police Department ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A Minnesota state agency says it will work with the city of Minneapolis to negotiate solutions to resolve the pattern of race discrimination uncovered by a two-year investigation. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights says former and current city and police leaders have failed to act, effectively allowing an aggressive police culture to fester. The report details disparities in how officers use force, stop, search, arrest and cite people of color, particularly Black people, compared to white people in similar circumstances. And the state agency says the city and police department need not wait to start making necessary changes. EXPLAINER: Brazil's Bolsonaro, top court on collision course SAO PAULO (AP) Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro is once again at odds with the countrys Supreme Court. He has pardoned a congressman who had just been convicted by high court justices for urging violence against one of them. Justices may review that pardon, and the case threatens to become an institutional crisis at a moment when Bolsonaro is gearing up to seek a second term. At the center of the dispute is freshman lawmaker Daniel Silveira, who was sentenced to almost nine years in prison. He had said that one justice should be seized, shaken and thrown in a garbage can. Bolsonaro issued a decree pardoning him, citing the right to free speech. Once dead, twice billed: GAO questions COVID funeral awards The Federal Emergency Management Agency may have been double-billed for the funerals of hundreds of people who died of COVID-19, the Government Accountability Office said in a new report Wednesday. The GAO identified 374 people who died and were listed on more than one application that received an award from the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance fund. That amounts to about $4.8 million in assistance that could have been improper or potentially fraudulent payments, the report said. FEMA says this wasn't an example of large-scale fraud and the amount of funeral assistance identified as at-risk was relatively small, with FEMAs multi-layered controls resulting in improper payments of less than 1%. Shares of Facebook parent Meta soar despite growth slowdown Facebook parent Metas first quarter profit jumped past Wall Streets expectations despite slower revenue growth, sending shares up sharply in after-hours trading. The company earned $7.47 billion, or $2.72 per share, in the January-March period. Thats down 21% from $9.5 billion, or $3.30 per share, in the same period a year earlier. Meta cut a sharp contrast with Google parent Alphabet, which on Monday reported what analysts called disappointing earnings, with profit below Wall Streets expectations and revenue growth slower than in previous quarters. Shares rose more than 18% to $207 in after-hours trading. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will ask Congress for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, two administration officials said Thursday, a big boost in U.S. efforts to bolster Kyiv in an intensifying war that's showing no signs of ending anytime soon. Biden's latest proposal which the officials said was expected to last for five months has more than $20 billion in military assistance for Ukraine and for bolstering defenses in nearby countries. There is also $8.5 billion in economic aid to help keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government functioning and $3 billion for food and humanitarian programs to help civilians and other spending, said the officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. The proposal would more than double the initial $13.6 billion package of defense and economic aid for Ukraine and Western allies that Congress enacted last month. It seemed to signal a long-term U.S. commitment to staving off Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to expand his nation's control of its neighbor, and perhaps beyond. The request comes with the fighting, now in its ninth week, sharpening in eastern and southern parts of the country and international tensions growing as Russia cuts off gas supplies to two NATO allies, Poland and Bulgaria. There is wide, bipartisan support in Congress for giving Ukraine all the assistance it needs to fight the Russians, and its eventual approval seems certain. But Biden and congressional Democrats also want lawmakers to approve billions more to battle the pandemic, and that along with a Republican push to entangle the measure with an extension of some Trump-era immigration restrictions leaves the proposal's pathway to enactment unclear. Biden was also asking Congress on Thursday for new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs. Full story and Russia-Ukraine coverage here: *** PHOTO GALLERY Photos: Eyes of Ukraine refugees reflect war and welcome Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. WASHINGTON (AP) A veritable who's who of Washington's political and foreign policy elite gathered Wednesday to pay their last respects to the late Madeleine Albright, a child of conflict-ravaged Europe who arrived in the U.S. as an 11-year old girl and became America's first female secretary of state. The trailblazing diplomat and champion of her adopted country as the world's indispensable nation was joyously remembered by President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton as a no-nonsense, valued adviser who did not suffer fools or tyrants and was most concerned about Russia's war with Ukraine when she died last month of cancer at 84. Biden said Albrights name was synonymous with the idea that America is a force for good in the world. In the 20th and 21st century, freedom had no greater champion than Madeleine Korbel Albright, he said. Today we honor a truly proud American who made all of us prouder to be Americans. He said he had learned of Albright's death while flying to Brussels for an emergency NATO summit on Ukraine and was struck by the memory of her key role in pressing for the expansion of the alliance in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union to protect Europe from a repeat of the carnage of World War II and the Cold War ideological battle between communism and democracy. And Clinton, the man who appointed her first as his U.N. ambassador in 1993 and then as secretary of state in 1996, said his last conversation with Albright just weeks before her passing were dominated by the situation in Ukraine and her fears about the future of democracy at home and abroad. He recalled that Albright didnt want to talk about her declining health at a moment when the West is on edge following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Albright, Clinton recalled, assured him that she was getting the best care she could, but didnt want to waste time talking about that. The only thing that really matters is what kind of world were going to leave to our grandchildren, Clinton recalled Albright told him. He added, She made a decision with her last breath she would go out with her boots on. Biden and Clinton, along with former President Barack Obama and several of Albright's successors as secretary of state, including Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, John Kerry and current office-holder Antony Blinken, were some 1,400 mourners who attended the funeral at Washington's National Cathedral. The service was punctuated at points by tears, laughter and applause during reminiscences from Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Albright's three daughters, Anne, Alice and Katharine, who remembered her as a doting mom" and Granny Maddy to their own children even amid a hectic work schedule that often took her around the world. That schedule didn't let up when she left government service in 2001 and returned to teaching at Georgetown University, started a successful international consulting company, served on the boards of numerous women's and human rights groups and became a best-selling author. Hillary Clinton recalled stories that she had lobbied for Albright to serve as secretary of state, a role that Clinton would serve in herself during the Obama administration. Its been said that I urged my husband to nominate her as our first female secretary of state," she said. Unlike much thats said, this story was true. The two developed a strong friendship over the years. and Hillary Clinton recalled a pair of stories about her and Albright on visits overseas during which they bonded. Once on a walk in a drenching rainstorm in the Czech capital of Prague, Clinton said they laughed so hard they forgot they were wet. On another occasion in Beijing, Clinton recalled that she and Albright had marched through mud in a torrential downpour and confronted Chinese security forces to meet women's rights activists. Clinton in her own tribute recalled some lighter memories of Albright, including the time she taught the foreign minister of Botswana the Macarena and danced the night away with a young, handsome man at her daughter Chelsea's wedding. She also remembered Albright as a fearless diplomat that broke barriers and then counseled, cajoled and inspired women to follow in her footsteps. The angels better be wearing their best pins and putting on their dancing shoes, Clinton said. Because if as Madeleine believed theres a special place in hell for women who dont support other women, they havent seen anyone like her yet. On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and one month before her death, The New York Times printed what would be Albright's last published writing. She wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion would be a historic error that would cement his legacy as one of infamy. Until the end, she was still in a hurry to do good, Clinton said. Other top current officials who attended the service included Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA Director Bill Burns, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Mark Milley and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. The members of the VIP audience were masked, as Albright's family had requested. Foreign dignitaries invited to the funeral included the presidents of Georgia and Kosovo and senior officials from Colombia, Bosnia and the Czech Republic. Albright was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, but her family fled twice, first from the Nazis and then from Soviet rule. They ended up in the United States, where she studied at Wellesley College and rose through the ranks of Democratic Party foreign policy circles to become ambassador to the United Nations. Bill Clinton selected her as secretary of state in 1996 for his second term. Although never in line for the presidency because of her foreign birth, Albright was near universally admired for breaking a glass ceiling, even by her political detractors. Several senior Republican lawmakers, including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, attended the service. As a Czech refugee who saw the horrors of both Nazi Germany and the Iron Curtain, she was not a dove. She played a leading role in pressing for the Clinton administration to get involved militarily in the conflict in Kosovo. My mindset is Munich, she said frequently, referring to the German city where the Western allies abandoned her homeland to the Nazis. As secretary of state, Albright played a key role in persuading Clinton to go to war against the Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic over his treatment of Kosovar Albanians in 1999. As U.N. ambassador, she advocated a tough U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the case of Milosevics treatment of Bosnia. NATOs intervention in Kosovo was eventually dubbed Madeleines War. She also took a hard line on Cuba, famously saying at the United Nations that the 1996 Cuban shootdown of a civilian plane was not cojones but rather cowardice. Bill Clinton recalled the moment in his tribute, remembering that Albright faced criticism at the time that the sharp barb was undiplomatic and unladylike." He absolutely loved it. I called her and I said ... 'This is the best line developed and delivered by anybody in this administration," Clinton said. In 2012, Obama awarded Albright the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, saying her life was an inspiration to all Americans. Born Marie Jana Korbel in Prague on May 15, 1937, she was the daughter of a diplomat, Joseph Korbel. The family was Jewish and converted to Roman Catholicism when she was 5. Three of her Jewish grandparents died in concentration camps. Albright was an internationalist whose point of view was shaped in part by her background. Her family fled Czechoslovakia in 1939 as the Nazis took over their country, and she spent the war years in London. After the war, as the Soviet Union took over vast chunks of Eastern Europe, her father brought the family to the United States. They settled in Denver, where her father taught at the University of Denver. One of Korbels best students was Condoleezza Rice, who would later succeed his daughter as secretary of state. Albright graduated from Wellesley College in 1959. She worked as a journalist and later studied international relations at Columbia University, where she earned a masters degree in 1968 and a Ph.D. in 1976. She then entered politics and what was at the time the male-dominated world of foreign policy professionals. 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. The Cochise County sheriff told a House committee Wednesday that border-related crimes are at an all-time high, and would only get worse without comprehensive immigration reform. Sheriff Mark Dannels, testifying to a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on human trafficking, said that illegal border entries rose from 400 migrants a month to 8,000 migrants a month over a two-year period, based on images captured by a camera system run by his department. Our border is in really bad shape right now and thats saying it lightly, Dannels testified. We have to be actively engaged in securing our border, addressing immigration reform and start addressing collectively these issues down here. Its only going to get worse. But most of the witnesses at the hearing, many of them survivors of trafficking themselves, made little mention of the current border situation in their testimony. Instead, they cited a long list of actions they said need to be taken, focusing on protecting victims and prosecuting both the traffickers who coerced them and the people who used them for trafficked sex and trafficked labor. Martina Vandenberg, founder of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, said illegal immigration is not the issue. Over the years, all of my forced labor survivor clients had one thing in common: They all entered the United States on perfectly legal visas, Vandenbergs written testimony said. They arrived with contracts and the promise of a good job, she said. Instead, they found themselves trafficked into forced labor, stripped of their identity documents, held in debt bondage, threatened with deportation and, in some cases, physically and sexually abused. Much of the hearing played out along the same lines, with witnesses and lawmakers generally addressing two different topics. Democrats and trafficking experts used the hearing to push for passage of bills like the Stop Human Trafficking in School Zones Act and reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Republicans focused on the historic number of apprehensions at the border in recent months and what they called the Biden administrations failure to address the problem. The failed policies of this administration encourage and facilitate Mexican drug cartels, transnational criminal organizations and other malevolent actors to engage in human trafficking and smuggling across our southwestern border, said Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert. The hearing came as the administration is trying to lift Title 42, a pandemic-era health policy that lets border patrol agents turn back asylum seekers because of the potential health risk they could present. That policy has been used to turn back 1.8 million asylum seekers since March 2020. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this month that there is no longer a health justification to invoke the policy, and Homeland Security proposed ending Title 42 on May 23. But three states, including Arizona, filed suit, claiming the administration did not have a plan to handle the expected surge in migrants, and a federal judge in Louisiana agreed this week to temporarily block the move. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, said Wednesday that lifting Title 42 would not just overwhelm already strained border resources, but could increase the likelihood of vulnerable people being trafficked. The massive influx of illegal border crossings were experiencing now will only make it easier for human trafficking networks to flourish by exploiting our relaxed border security, Chabot said. Stacey Sutherland, with the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network, said it is not far-fetched to assume that more border traffic might mean more human trafficking. But she said that anyone stopped at the border will be screened for trafficking. And she said it is important to remember the difference between human trafficking and human smuggling. Human trafficking is an underground crime that requires coercion, said Sutherland, director of the networks Training and Resources United to Stop Trafficking program. Smuggling does not involve coercion, although she acknowledged that individuals smuggled into the country can become trafficking victims. Sutherland could not comment on Dannels numbers, except to say that it doesnt mean theres an uptick in crime. It just means were able to see the crime more clearly, see the victimizations more clearly. But while DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcment provide screenings at the border to identify human trafficking victims, Dannels said more needs to be done. We got to come together to do a better job because citizens and those being trafficked are all victims that local, state and federal officials took an oath to protect, Dannels said. And right now were not collectively doing that. This is not about politics, this is about people, he said. For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org . Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. When it comes to searching for culinary inspiration, Ken Schafer is willing to travel across the country. Or just across town. Im the sort of person who likes to go to places some people might shy away from, Schafer said over a plate of birria tacos at his restaurant, The Boston Deli. About three years ago, I went to this little place near 11th Street and Memorial Drive, called Tacos El Dorado. It was the first time I had had birria tacos, and I thought they were sensational. We had started offering street tacos at the restaurant, so we worked up our own recipe and added it to the menu, Schafer said. And this was before birria tacos became a thing. Theyre everywhere you look these days. Birria is in essence a stew, traditionally made with goat, that is cooked at a low temperature in a richly seasoned broth. The Boston Delis version mixes cuts of beef short rib, cheek and chuck in a broth loaded with pepper and spice, stuffs the meat into corn tortillas with cheese, which are then grilled until crisp. The resulting tacos are served with a side of the broth, or consomme, a roasted jalapeno pepper and a crispy rice-and-black-bean cake. For most of the past 30 years, The Boston Deli has been at the forefront of Tulsas fine dining scene, serving high-quality food in a casual atmosphere at reasonable prices. It has also been the place where national food trends tend to show up first in Tulsa. When the Nashville hot chicken craze was first starting to get national attention, Schafer came up with his version as a weekly special, but it soon ended up on the regular menu. And Schafer and his team of cooks routinely experiment with flavors and preparations that usually become the Thursday special, a monthly dinner offering that includes an entree, sides and dessert much of which is prepared on the restaurants signature Hasty Bake charcoal grills for under $30. Its an approach that has consistently earned The Boston Deli five-star reviews for its food and service from Tulsa World food critics rankings that a few recent visits proved to be still applicable. The restaurant, at 6231 E. 61st St., has evolved over the years. It started as a downtown kosher deli on Boston Avenue, where Schafer was a regular customer. He ultimately convinced the owners to sell it to him in 1991, and two years later moved it to its present location. Schafer switched from deli-style ordering at the counter to full table service and a set menu about a decade ago. Ive never been a fan of using frozen meats or vegetables, he said. It was a way to reduce our food waste, while keeping our quality high and prices low. The Thursday Chefs Special began as a way of encouraging customers to come out on what was a traditionally slow night in the restaurant business. It also allowed Schafer and his chefs to experiment. This months special, which is served between 5 and 8 p.m., is a Santa Fe spice-rubbed King Ranch Sirloin with sundried tomato, roasted garlic and parsley compound butter; roasted broccoli topped with lemon, Parmesan cheese and butter; hasselback potatoes with garlic and rosemary; and a spicy cucumber ring salad, with carrot, red onion, red bell pepper, pesto and a strawberry-balsamic reduction. Dessert is a lemon-raspberry cake with lemon cream cheese frosting. Cost is $29. Our goal is to sell out of the special each night, Schafer said. Shelly Benson is the restaurants executive chef, who joined the staff in 2019. Kens very collaborative, and we usually work out the specials together, she said. Ive brought some things like the braised beef tips that are on the dinner menu, and Ive been trying to venture into using more game meats. But I know that we have a lot of loyal customers who are expecting certain things done certain ways, and we want to take care of them. Schafer said the restaurant was able to make it through the pandemic with a robust takeaway and curbside delivery program. Its what you had to do, he said. We were very fortunate that our customers responded the way they did. And were keeping that going, because there are still people who are leery and with good reason about getting out and coming into a restaurant. Benson said most of the orders filled during the pandemic were for comfort food dishes, which makes perfect sense, she said. But more and more, were seeing people who are wanting to get out again, to have that restaurant experience. Reservations are recommended for the Thursday special. To reserve, and for more information: 918-492-4745, thebostondeli.com. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Villagers of Lianqin Village in Shanghai return home from quarantine site Xinhua) 08:33, April 28, 2022 A staff member helps a villager disinfect baggage when she returns to Lianqin Village of Beicai Town in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 26, 2022. All villagers of Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16 due to the emerging of COVID-19 cases here. Thorough disinfection was carried out after villagers left. Since April 24, the villagers have started returning home from quarantine site. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A mother and her daughter return to Lianqin Village of Beicai Town in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 26, 2022. All villagers of Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16 due to the emerging of COVID-19 cases here. Thorough disinfection was carried out after villagers left. Since April 24, the villagers have started returning home from quarantine site. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A villager carrying baggage returns to Lianqin Village of Beicai Town in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 26, 2022. All villagers of Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16 due to the emerging of COVID-19 cases here. Thorough disinfection was carried out after villagers left. Since April 24, the villagers have started returning home from quarantine site. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A staff member helps a villager disinfect baggage when he returns to Lianqin Village of Beicai Town in Pudong New Area, east China's Shanghai, April 26, 2022. All villagers of Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16 due to the emerging of COVID-19 cases here. Thorough disinfection was carried out after villagers left. Since April 24, the villagers have started returning home from quarantine site. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Flash Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe. During the meeting, Raisi called for expanding the areas of cooperation between the two countries, and strengthening all-round cooperation, including in the military field. Iran and China share similar positions in international affairs and support each other, said the Iranian president. Iran, which opposes unilateralism, hegemonism and external interference, firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests, Raisi said, while expressing gratitude to China for its long-term support and assistance during Iran's difficult times. For his part, Wei said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Raisi have exchanged telephone calls and letters since last year, leading to new progress in building the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The Chinese minister said that his visit to Iran, which came against the backdrop of the current turbulent international situation, reflected the importance of the China-Iran relations, their firm mutual support and joint progress. He expressed China's strong support to Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, and its willingness to cooperate with Iran to deal with various risks and challenges, safeguard common interests, and jointly maintain regional and global peace and stability. The Chinese and Iranian militaries have expanded the areas of cooperation in recent years, Wei said, adding that the Chinese military is willing to maintain strategic communication with Iran, make good use of the cooperation mechanisms, and boost pragmatic collaboration so as to lift the bilateral military ties to a higher level. Earlier in the day, Wei held separate meetings with Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri and Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani. During the meetings, the two sides had in-depth exchange of views on the regional and international security situations, Iran's nuclear issue and the situation in Ukraine. They also reached consensuses on expanding high-level strategic communication, deepening military exchanges, and conducting joint exercises and personnel trainings. Initial state jobless claims totals for the week ending Saturday declined again after peaking for the year in March, according to a government report. The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that 1,657 first-time claims for unemployment benefits were filed in the state last week, a 6.8% decline from the 1,778 claims filed the week ending April 16. Claims for the week ending April 16 were revised upward from 1,508 claims first reported. The peak in initial claims so far this year occurred the week ending March 26 when 2,946 claims were reported. Continued claims, those filed after at least one week of unemployment, also declined the week ending April 16, compared to the prior week. Oklahoma saw 10,289 continued claims filed the week ending April 16, a nearly 10% decline from 11,419 claims filed the prior week. Continued claims have declined three consecutive weeks. We are encouraged to see the state turn a corner and once again have unemployment rates decline in all reporting categories, said Oklahoma Employment Security Commissioin Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt. These improvements are further proof that Oklahomas workforce is one of the strongest in the nation. At the heart of our strong economy and low unemployment rates are Oklahoma businesses that continue to grow and offer new job opportunities. Meanwhile, the four-week moving average of initial claims declined from 2,343 the week ending April 16 to 2,021 claims the following week. The four-week moving average of continued claims declined for the second consecutive week, or from 11,843 the week ending April 9 to 11,435 claims the following week. Four of Oklahomas bordering states Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas all reported declines in unemployment filings for the past week while Arkansas and Colorado reported slight increases. Nationwide, initial claims totals for the week ending Saturday declined by 5,000 from 185,000 to 180,000. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday advanced a measure that would bar state contracts with companies that discriminate against gun and ammunition manufacturers. House Bill 3144 passed by a vote of 37-8 and returns to the House for consideration. Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, said the firearm industry is under attack. He is the Senate author of the measure. Some banks have policies that say they will not loan money to gun and ammunition makers that sell high-capacity magazines or long rifles to those under 21, Murdock said. The bill states that if you have these policies, the state of Oklahoma will not do business with your company, Murdock said. Murdock said the state can have a policy that says it will not spend taxpayer dollars with companies that have policies that go against Second Amendment rights. Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, said it was an attempt to micromanage global corporations all over the world based on particular cultural issue or values or concerns held in a state with a super Republican majority. Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, said some of the companies Murdock referred to already have business relationships with state. She suggested the measure could result in the state being in breach of a contract. Under questioning from Floyd, Murdock said he didnt think the measure would impact companies the state is trying to lure. Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said excluding some companies will increase costs for the state. The bill would apply to political subdivisions, including cities and counties, Kirt said. The bill undermines the free market and excludes us from getting the capital we need, besides sending the wrong message to the rest of the country, Kirt said. Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, called it a political stunt. Featured video: 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. This years nearly annual attempt to consolidate state law enforcement agencies stayed alive by the narrowest of margins on a busy Wednesday in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. With another legislative deadline looming, the House hustled through 70 bills and resolutions, among them a slew of law enforcement- and justice-related measures and a charter school reform bill on which the digital ink had barely dried. Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, convinced the bare minimum 51 in the 101-seat House that Senate Bill 1612, by Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, was worth saving. As amended by Echols, SB 1612 would combine the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation into one agency headed by a commission. The bill passed 51-40 and is likely headed to a conference committee, where members of the House and Senate will try to work out what appear to be substantial differences. Other bills in the same general vein winning approval included several dealing with illegal marijuana operations, establishment of a law enforcement mental wellness center, a substantial change in the process of determining the mental competency of death row inmates and a $30 million reduction in fines and fees. The charter school bill, SB 1621, was brought to the floor late in the day as a 97-page full substitute that had been posted only two hours earlier and that few members had completely read. Largely rewritten since coming over to the House, SB 1621 creates a new statewide charter school board to oversee both brick-and-mortar and virtual charter schools. Three of the boards nine members would be chosen by the governor, two by the Senate president pro tem and two by the Speaker of the House. The state superintendent of public instruction and the state auditor and inspector, or their designees, would be ex officio members. Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa, who was given the task of revising the bill, said she is satisfied the current version provides sufficient oversight and accountability without stifling charter schools. We need high-quality charters, said Dills. I dont understand why we have an argument that we seem to want to restrict access. Thats restricting opportunities for students who need choices. I believe in this bill, she said, I believe this is the way to go. Not everyone agreed the bill ultimately passed only 56-29 but the dissenters biggest complaint was the rushed vote. Im not saying this is a bad bill, said Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa. Im saying I dont know. Im at no trying to get to yes, said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. We really need to get this right. SB 1621 now goes back to the Senate. 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. Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor, state Superintendent of Public Instruction and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister and 16 members of the Legislature exchanged barbs on Wednesday about school restrooms. At issue is a years-old and until recently noncontroversial Stillwater Public Schools policy concerning transgender bathroom use. The matter was first raised by Oklahoma Education Secretary and Republican state superintendent candidate Ryan Walters, who expressed outrage that students are allowed to use whichever facility matches their gender identification. School officials said recently no students have ever complained about the policy, which has been in place at least five years. Political leaders, especially Republicans, have been quick to vent their outrage, however. On Thursday, state Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, said he and 15 other lawmakers had written OConnor asking him to render an opinion in the matter. A few hours later, OConnor responded, ping-ponging responsibility back to the Legislature and attacking Hofmeister, a former Republican who changed parties as a result of ongoing fights with Gov. Kevin Stitt. Stitt appointed both Walters and OConnor, and he and Hofmeister are likely general election opponents. On Wednesday, Hofmeister accused OConnor of misleading the public and pointed out that she, too, in her capacity as state superintendent, had asked OConnor for clarification on the matter. For good measure, ACLU Oklahoma blasted everyone involved and said, There is no data of any kind to support the claim that allowing students to use restrooms that correspond with their gender identity undermines the safety of students. A chief argument against policies such as Stillwaters is that it leaves school girls vulnerable to attack from biological males. While a few such cases have been reported nationally, experts say transgender youth are much more likely to be attacked in school restrooms than to attack someone else. My colleagues and I have received numerous calls asking for us to take action on this issue, Moore said in a press release. I think it is important that Attorney General OConnor steps in and issues an official opinion making clear exactly what the law says about the (Stillwater) school boards actions. In his press release, OConnor said, Today, we sent Rep. Moore a letter reiterating that basing restrooms on biology is not against the law, and encouraging Rep. Moore while still in session to work toward passing legislation clarifying explicitly that policies like Stillwater schools are prohibited in Oklahoma. OConnor takes several shots at Hofmeister and the Biden administration in his written statement, claiming her department had inappropriately advised SPS and possibly others. Hofmeister replied that OConnor has a responsibility to issue a binding formal opinion. Stillwater Public Schools maintain that the policy was adopted during the Obama administration in accordance with guidance from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which Hofmeister heads. That guidance cited court decisions and Obama administration initiatives favoring policies in line with the one adopted by SPS. To be clear, neither the department nor I have told Stillwater Public Schools or any other district how they must approach the issue of transgender individuals use of restroom facilities, Hofmeister said Wednesday. While no legal precedent on this topic currently exists in Oklahoma, other appellate courts around the nation have largely weighed in with rulings that appear to support the current policy of Stillwater Public Schools, said Hofmeister. Clarity is important here and it is wholly appropriate that the Attorney General issue a binding formal opinion when requested to do so by an elected official. Video: Transgender Day of Visibility 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. Oklahoma House appropriations chair Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, said the Legislature will be seeking accountability after a possibly fraudulent state contract was canceled. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department canceled its contract with Swadleys Bar-B-Q due to suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices." A March 25 Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency report showed the vendor was paid nearly $17 million to operate Foggy Bottom Kitchens in seven parks. That covered management fees, annual losses and amounts to renovate and operate the properties. The restaurant opened its first four Foggy Bottom Kitchens in 2020 and two more the following year. A seventh planned location was canceled. A whistleblower spoke to the Oklahoman with allegations of excessive management and consulting fees, over charges on items and possible kickbacks. Questions surround the terms of contract, which differ from previous ones. "I've had whistleblowers reach out to me how people are trying to throw their influence and power around," Martinez said. This led to a formal request for a forensic audit from Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater to the State Auditor and Inspectors Office. A special 15-member House committee will be formed to investigate potential misuse of taxpayer funds, officials said. The committee's meetings will be public. If theres a vendor out there or theres a contract that this contract or this vendor is not performing correctly, or overcharging the state, we will find that out, we will terminate that, we will sue that vendor, and we will get the taxpayers money back, Gov. Kevin Stitt said just before the contract was canceled. If theres someone in state government who is not doing things the right way, I want to shine a light on any kind of corruption or anything thats going on in state government. So we will get to the bottom of it, and well find out if theres a bad vendor. Stitt said Thursday in a statement that he has "called for more audits than any other governor in state history" The governor said he welcomes the Legislature's efforts to "protect the taxpayers and shine a light on any kind of corruption or bad actors involved in state government." The state does business with more than 4,600 companies, and I welcome a review of each one to provide maximum transparency for Oklahomans," Stitt said. Martinez said Thursday the goal is to weed out bad actors to ensure taxpayers have faith in the state tourism agency. Federal lab inspectors have resolved their major concerns with Oklahomas relocated public health lab in Stillwater after reinspecting the facility, although many types of tests remain outsourced more than a year after the new lab opened. The reinspection came in February after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a harsh report last fall over testing delays, employee training and inadequate storage of samples. Oklahoma Watch obtained the latest federal inspection report under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. It showed a few minor paperwork infractions, including inadequate temperature logs and missing patient demographic information. A separate complaint regarding newborn screening was found to be unsubstantiated by federal inspectors. Details of that complaint were not available. We are pleased that the latest CMS report found the states Public Health Lab (PHL) to be back in substantial compliance, with all three condition-level findings removed, interim Health Commissioner Keith Reed said in a statement. This reflects the hard work and commitment of staff making significant strides in just a few months. This dedication continues as we now address the remaining standard findings. These CMS surveys are part of our continuous improvement process, and the feedback provided is part of the essential framework necessary for exceptional performance. The public health lab has 35 employees, a decline from the pre-pandemic staffing level of 50 when the lab was in Oklahoma City. The Stillwater lab is doing newborn screening, some sexually transmitted disease testing and COVID-19 testing, and genomic sequencing. It continues to outsource testing specimens for microbiology, mycology, rabies and bioterrorism. Testing for HIV and syphilis is also outsourced, although those are expected to return to the lab soon. Although there is not a specific timeline for the return of these tests, we anticipate returning all tests over the next few months, the department said in a statement. However, we are more focused on ensuring a quality transition back to the lab versus a quick return, understanding it is a delicate process that cant be rushed. Lab officials are working on new processes to make sure any testing that comes back to the lab is done correctly. That includes writing instructions for specimen collection and for couriers transporting specimens to the lab, a process called pre-analytic collections. Part of the delay in returning testing to the lab has been to make sure data can be securely transmitted with new lab equipment. I have to challenge the system, send data loggers through, and prove that specimen never leaves that temperature range, said Jarrad Wagner, lab director. If I dont have the right instructions, and they dont collect the specimens correctly, thats on me. The lab in Stillwater is full of new equipment, although many pieces of equipment were marked not in use during a tour in early April. That equipment is expected to be in use as other testing returns to the lab. The health department spent more than $6.5 million to outfit the new lab using agency funds made available by using federal CARES Act money for payroll and other expenses during the first year of the pandemic. At that time, with the ongoing pandemic, we saw that money best fit to immediately update the (public health lab) and outfit it with state-of-the-art equipment, the agency said in a statement. Doing so allowed us to quickly serve Oklahomans in a greater capacity, giving us the ability to expand COVID testing and sequencing for COVID variants. When the lab started COVID sequencing, technical issues caused discrepancies between the numbers reported nationally as compared to Oklahoma. Other labs in Oklahoma also report sequencing data directly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When other labs sequence for COVID variants, they report their data to the CDC. They do report to OSDH, but sometimes that is after they have reported to the CDC or another database, causing a delay to our reported numbers, the agency said. We are working diligently to share all data that we have from the PHL with necessary databases. Planning for a biorepository, which will hold human, plant and animal tissue samples, is underway at the lab. It could hold up to a million samples but will need some retrofitting of the lab, including clearing some existing office space, raising the ceiling and building a vault around the equipment. The lab continues to be managed by Prairie One Solutions Inc., a nonprofit subsidiary of the Oklahoma State University Research Foundation set up weeks after the announcement of the labs relocation to Stillwater in October 2020. Prairie One has been paid more than $2 million to manage the public health lab, the health department said. Senate Bill 1733, which could be heard on the House floor this week, would exempt nonprofits associated with higher education institutions from the Open Records Act. If passed, it could shut off access to records at the public health lab or the entity created by OSU to manage the states share of settlement funds from a lawsuit against opioid companies. Funding requests remain secret The Oklahoma Pandemic Center of Innovation and Excellence remains a work in progress 18 months after it was announced by Gov. Kevin Stitt. The health department said its completion is dependent on the agencys application under the states $1.87 billion share of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The agency also has authorization to issue bonds for improvements to the Public Health Lab. The pandemic center plan envisions a research campus around the public health lab that would involve human, animal and agricultural disease research and collaboration with the private sector to promote public health. There are 15 acres available around the existing lab to build the campus. The biorepository would be a linchpin between the public health lab and the pandemic center. Theres been a lot of confusion about the (Oklahoma Pandemic Center of Innovation and Excellence) and the public health lab being used interchangeably, Reed said. Its going to be a very collaborative type of enterprise. There will be overlap with equipment and the biorepository, but the public health lab is serving public health needs and OSDH. It will keep doing that, but there will be a point where it becomes an interface with (the center). Oklahoma Watch requested a copy of the health departments application for funding for the research campus. The agency denied the request and referred further questions to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which has deemed $18 billion in funding requests as temporarily confidential while the governor and Legislature review the applications. State agencies have requested more than $3.7 billion in American Rescue Plan funds across more than 300 projects. Normally, agency requests for infrastructure or other needs would be vetted publicly through the legislative budget process. State officials have said any approved projects for federal funding would be public information. Enterprises in Vietnam paid their foreign employees handsomely, at US$8,500-34,000, equivalent to VND200-800 million, per month, according to a recently released report. The figures were disclosed in Navigos Groups report issued on Wednesday on the recruitment demand for middle and senior personnel in Vietnam in the first quarter of this year and forecasts for the second quarter. The group found that enterprises operating in Vietnam offered high salaries to foreign candidates in the previous quarter. Many foreign firms have come to Vietnam to survey and seek investment opportunities to diversify their production areas, reduce business risks, and solidify supply chains after March 15, according to Navigos. Investors assessed that Vietnam has a promising labor market with high-skilled, low-cost workers. As for the apparel sector, candidates from other Asian countries, such as Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, were interested in working in Vietnam because of competitive salaries. According to Navigos, it is still hard to seek candidates for positions that require sophisticated techniques such as model development, sewing, reform and quality control although companies have striven to retain employees with competitive salary and bonus policies. When failing to recruit Vietnamese candidates, some companies have sought foreign applicants for these positions. Therefore, experience working in Vietnam is a plus for foreign candidates, said the manpower service provider. Regarding the tourism industry, businesses and hotels have a higher demand for candidates for senior leadership positions as the sector is recovering from COVID-19. Meanwhile, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is increasingly searching for personnel, giving rise to fierce competition for candidates. As jobseekers in this sector are dynamic and highly adaptable, not only enterprises but also outsiders have looked for them. Furthermore, the shift of production lines or factories from China to Vietnam has resulted in new projects in the auto industry in Vietnam. Navigos Groups survey revealed the severe shortage of senior personnel or experts in the electric car battery industry as multiple businesses are investing in new plants or expanding their factories worldwide. In finance, banks have a high demand for recruiting personnel for positions relating to technology, data, and consultancy of high-end products. As lenders are focusing on digital transformation and automation, they are in need of staff for IT, data, and solution architecture. According to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, As of April last year, some 101,550 foreigners were working in Vietnam, with nearly 12 percent of them holding managerial posts, over eight percent employed as executive directors, and 58 percent being experts. Foreigners working in Vietnam were from 110 countries and territories but a majority came from China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Manufacturing firms enhance recruitment In the manufacturing sector, the demand for human resources fluent in Chinese is increasing. The trend began in late 2021, remained steady as of the end of last quarter, and was forecast to continue growing in the coming periods. Developed industrial parks and localities with developed electronics manufacturing are often in dire need of personnel fluent in Chinese. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! You are here: World Flash Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he had discussed further support for Kiev, including macro-financial assistance, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The parties talked about the 6th sanctions package on Russia, which would include oil embargo, Zelensky tweeted. The Ukrainian leader also said that he thanked the European Commission for deciding to abolish tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian industrial goods and foods. Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the EU stands ready to lift import duties on Ukrainian goods for a year. When it comes to trouble-free travel, Vietnam is top shelf among the countries Ive ever visited. People are generally honest and will often go out of their way to help those in need when sticky situations arise. Rest assured that there is no shortage of crooks, particularly in the larger urban areas and tourist hotspots, just like everywhere in the world. Risk increases at vacation destinations during the big holidays throughout the year because crowds are the largest, thus creating more opportunities for thieves. One of the biggest holidays of the year is upcoming this weekend (Reunification Day on Saturday and International Workers Day on Sunday, with many people adding extra days before and after), so airports, other modes of public transportation, hotels, and sights will be packed. Keep these three principal themes in mind when travelling: Minimize risk where possible, keep your eye on your personal belongings, and be vigilant of those around you at all times, particularly in crowded areas. ATMs * Always use ATMs during bank opening hours if possible, so you can avail of machines that are inside the building where its safer than standing on the street, plus bank staff members are available to help should issues arise. * A few years ago, for the first and only time in my life, I forgot my PIN code, panicked, and my card was eaten by an ATM. Because I was inside the bank during opening hours, I was able to convince the staff to retrieve my card instead of it being sent to a central office. * Avoid using ATMs located in convenience stores, other shops, and malls. Those ATMs are not maintained by someone on staff, rather by a bank employee who services the machines periodically. Should your card get swallowed by one of those ATMs, the staff wont be able to help you. * Unguarded ATMs on the street attract snatch-and-grab thieves and are more likely to be tampered with by skimming scammers. * If youre forced to use a standalone ATM, look for camera lenses discreetly mounted in ceilings, people loitering around, and check carefully that the keypad is firmly in place. * Scammers loosen ATM pads and place skimming devices under them, enabling capture of card data. Other thieves take photos or videos of card information using hidden cameras, then make a copy of the card and use it to withdraw your cash * Take your card with you only when you need cash, go to the bank, get your money, and return the card to your accommodation as soon as possible. * If you lose that card, you'll be stuck without access to cash and will have to wait for a replacement to be sent. That implies being stranded somewhere expensive, missing work, bothering family or friends to send emergency cash, and filling out a ton of forms at your bank. Its all well worth avoiding! * One simple solution is to have multiple bank accounts so that you have a backup ATM card, or a credit card that allows cash withdrawals, but remember to keep the backup separate from your main card. * Vietnam is still largely a cash society, so people have a tendency to carry large wads, especially while on trips. When you go out sightseeing and visiting your destination, never take more cash than what youll need for each outing. Stash your cash * Nearly all hotel rooms in Vietnam are safe, with most having a cleaning schedule including cleaning assignments by floor or range of rooms, or the business is run by family and close friends so the management knows who is responsible for your room. * Find a good place to hide your cash in your accommodation cut out a special hidden pocket on the inside of your backpack or article of clothing, in the folds of the curtain, or find a spot inside cupboards or closets, or appliances such as TVs or mini fridges. Fake hotels and commissioned agents * During prominent national holidays like Reunification Day, accommodation is usually in high demand and prices rise accordingly, which is an invitation for scammers to profit. * Touts stake out bus and train terminals, offering deeply discounted accommodation and showing photos as proof that the hotel theyre pitching is on the level and of good quality. * Anybody can buy a branded motorcycle taxi helmet with a logo and matching jacket, which lends credibility when the tout approaches people. * Stop and think if approached by such a tout: if the accommodation and price are acceptable, why arent the rooms already sold given the high demand? * Similarly, thieves troll social media groups and travel pages disguised as hotel managers. They follow conversations and target innocent victims who post messages looking for hotel rooms. * The thieves use authentic links to real hotel social media pages and advertisements, then take reservations, demanding a deposit or full payment in advance because its such a popular holiday. * Hotel payments are often made to personal bank accounts so the innocent visitor thinks nothing of transferring to the scammers accounts. * The victims dont find out until they reach the hotel only to discover no reservation exists. Walking around * A thick wallet in a hip pocket, a flashy, expensive bag or purse advertise where your cash is likely to be, so its best to split your money up and put it in your front pockets, small amounts for souvenirs and snacks in one pocket, larger amounts in another. * On public transportation, be aware of who is near you. You may think you blend in, but a local thief can easily spot you as a visitor from another city. * Pickpockets often wear larger coats and baggy clothes so they have room to move, a dead giveaway, especially in warm weather. * Keep your wits about you without ruining your good time, observing who is near you in popular and crowded areas, and dont put your phone, purse, or camera down on a bench, ledge, or adjacent chair even for a second. Smartphone theft * Smartphones have become increasingly attractive to thieves because some sell for tens of millions of Vietnamese dong. Bold thieves snatch them right out of peoples hands in crowded places such as night markets and disappear into the throng like a rat down a drain. * The greatest value in your phone isnt just the phone set itself, rather all your valuable personal information stored on it. * The best defense against losing your personal data is to use the free utilities and apps provided by most of the mainstream phone manufacturers. * Google also has excellent functions enabling recovery of a lost phone, plus features that sync contacts and other data between your phone and your google account, and its all automatic, just be sure to activate the Sync function for the features to work. * Be sure to save critical account information for easy retrieval in an emergency. I use a Samsung phone, but never use my Samsung account and have no idea what the account name and password are, but they are the key to Samsungs lost phone functionality. * The easy solution is to keep your password under a name that doesnt really exist but is easy to recall. Just choose a random name such as Uncle Samuel or another name that only you will recognize as being a fake. * If your device is lost, just log in to Google and look up Uncle Samuel among your contacts and youll be able to access your account password. * Google also has a find my phone feature which requires device Location to be on for it to function. If you usually keep Location off, make sure to turn it on before leaving on your trip and youll be able to locate your device anywhere as long as its switched on and has an Internet connection. Despite Vietnams reputation as a safe and secure destination, be aware, things can and do happen, especially in high-risk situations. Besides, its prudent to get into good habits that will automatically surface when you go abroad, where petty crime is often more prominent. Better invest some time before you travel to minimize risk so that you spend your trip enjoying yourself instead of fighting fires that could have been avoided. Measles cases jumped by 79% in the first two months of this year compared to 2021, after COVID-19 and lockdowns disrupted child vaccination campaigns around the world, according to data from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). In January and February, there were 17,338 measles cases reported worldwide, up from 9,665 in the same period last year. Measles is a very contagious disease that can be particularly dangerous for young children and babies. It spreads more quickly than Ebola, flu or COVID-19. UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell described the immunisation gaps combined with a return to social mixing in the wake of the pandemic as a "perfect storm". "Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunisation coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford." The five countries with the largest measles outbreaks in the last 12 months were Somalia, Liberia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Ivory Coast. There have been 21 major outbreaks during that period. Child immunisation campaigns were knocked off course around the world during the coronavirus pandemic, and things have not fully recovered. At the start of April, 58 campaigns in 43 countries were still postponed, impacting 212 million people - mostly children. Nineteen of those campaigns are for measles, putting 73 million children at risk, UNICEF and WHO said. Immunisation campaigns for diseases like typhoid and polio were also disrupted. Last month, Malawi reported its first polio case in decades while Pakistan, one of only two countries where polio remains endemic, recorded its first case for more than a year this month. The WHO and UNICEF said it was imperative to get the vaccination drives back on track. Check out the news you should not miss today: Politics -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and several government official delegations on Wednesday surveyed Tran De Port, located in the namesake district in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, which can accommodate general cargo ships, shipping containers of up to 100,000 metric tons, and bulk carriers of up to 160,000 metric tons. -- Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will officially visit Vietnam from Saturday to Sunday at the invitation of PM Pham Minh Chinh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. Society -- The Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, connecting Thu Duc City with District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, will be officially inaugurated on Thursday morning following seven years of construction. -- Archeologists in southern Dong Nai Province have discovered over 6,200 stone artifacts, pottery shards, and earthenware dating back thousands of years at the Cau Sat and Suoi Chon relic sites in Long Khanh City, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism announced on Wednesday. -- Numerous kidney transplant patients at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City are forced to spend large sums of money on medicines purchased from outside since the hospital's pharmacy department has run out of certain drugs covered by health insurance. -- A woman in Ho Chi Minh City remains in a critical condition after having a cosmetic filler injection during a non-surgical breast augmentation and facial filler treatment at an unlicensed clinic in District 6 last Saturday. -- Authorities in Hanoi held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for a project conserving a two-facade French-era villa located at 49 Tran Hung Dao Street 46 Hang Bai Street in Hoan Kiem District. Sports -- Vietnams top chess player Le Quang Liem defeated world No. 8 Anish Giri of the Netherlands in the sixth round of Oslo Esports Cup on Thursday morning. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities in Hanoi have begun renovations on an ancient French building located on a valuable land lot covering nearly 1,000 square meters. The municipal Peoples Committee organized a ceremony on Wednesday to initiate the revamp of the old French villa in Hoan Kiem District. The project is part of a cooperation agreement between Hanoi and Frances Ile-de-France region. The developer is the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter, while experts from the Ile-de-France region will provide technical support, Pham Tuan Long, chairman of Hoan Kiem District, said at the ceremony. The French villa is located on a land lot with two facades covering 993 square meters at the corner of Tran Hung Dao Street and Hang Bai Street. An artist's impression of the French villa after the revamp. Photo: Hanoi Peoples Committee Constructed in the early 20th century, this is one of the buildings that still retain many architectural values. The renovation will follow the principles and methods that are being applied in France to serve as a model restoration project for similar French-era edifices in Hanoi. After being revamped, the villa will function as a French cultural exchange center where heritage enthusiasts can learn about the formation of the French Quarter in Hanoi, the interaction between the French and Vietnamese cultures during the first half of the 20th century, and basic principles in the restoration and promotion of ancient French architecture, said chairman Long. The renovation is expected to be complete in March 2023. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The rich groundwater resources of Ho Chi Minh City have become vulnerable to various threats brought about by overexploitation, experts said at a seminar on Wednesday. The seminar on protecting clean water supply and limiting groundwater exploitation was organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper and Saigon Water Supply Corporation (Sawaco) in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday. Groundwater contributes greatly to the supply of water for daily use, according to Dr. Ha Quang Khai from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. In 2000, Ho Chi Minh City exploited about 300,000 cubic meters of groundwater a day, Khai continued, adding that the amount increased to 700,000 cubic meters per day in 2012. The overexploitation resulted in a drop in groundwater levels by 2015, causing land subsidence in multiple places. Some locales sank about four centimeters a year, which was the main reason behind increasingly serious flooding. City authorities have recently obtained some achievements in managing groundwater exploitation, the expert elaborated. The use of groundwater is not completely banned but is limited, he said, considering the resources a good tool to adapt to climate change. In 2018, the municipal Peoples Committee directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to develop a plan to reduce groundwater mining, according to Huynh Thanh Nha, an official from the environmental department. The agency has built a road map to lower the use of groundwater to only 100,000 cubic meters a day by 2025, Nha stated. Dao Phu Khanh, an official from the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, believed that the direct use of groundwater from drilled wells poses potential dangers to human health. Previous tests showed that 70 percent of the water samples failed to meet the standards in terms of pH, ammonium, iron, and pathogenic microorganism content, Khanh explained. We have warned local residents that using untreated water sources can lead to acute diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid, he stated. Water with too much iron can cause yellow stains in clothes and intestinal diseases for humans, while a high pH level can result in itchy skin. However, many households have consumed water from wells for decades, and it is quite hard to tell them to kick such a habit, Khanh added. Tran Quang Minh, general director of Sawaco, said the corporation has struggled to encourage people to switch to tap water. Sawaco has installed 160,000 water meters, each costing up to VND5 million (US$217), for local families but they still refuse to utilize its water supply service. In addition, industrial parks, export processing zones, and factories are still exploiting a large volume of groundwater. Sawaco is mulling over a reduction in tap water cost so that residents and businesses can stop fetching water from drilled wells, Minh elaborated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) set up a task force to investigate Vietnam Airlines use of an aircraft with a substandard concave shell to carry passengers on a flight to southern Phu Quoc Island earlier this month. The plane in question, an Airbus A321 registered as VN-A603, carried passengers aboard flight VN1823 from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc Airport on April 17, the CAAV said in its report to the Ministry of Transport. As it arrived at the parking lot, an engineer found that the plane had some dents ranging from 64 to 67 centimeters long on the back of the fuselage. Preliminary assessment showed that the damage exceeded permissible limits according to the maintenance manual of the Airbus aircraft manufacturer, posing a high safety threat. Therefore, the aircraft was suspended for examination and repair. Based on footage from security cameras and documents from related personnel, officials of the CAAV and the Southern Airports Authority discovered that after the VN-A603 aircraft had its tail assembly maintained at Tan Son Nhat on the night of April 16, a forklift driver improperly moved the vehicle out of the plane, causing the safety shield on the forklift to collide with the fuselage, leaving the dents. In addition, the technical staff and the captain who performed the pre-flight inspection on the next day failed to discover those defects until after the post-flight inspection at Phu Quoc Airport. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Motoring show Drive will have a second season on Nine from Sunday. Season 2 will run over 10 episodes and feature the very first drives in all new vehicles, the latest electric cars, SUVs and hot hatches, while travelling across lakes, deserts, and even visiting a gigantic solar farm. Presented by experts and journalists James Ward, Trent Nikolic, and Emma Notarfrancesco, each episode is designed to appeal to a broad audience, from motor lovers to weekend drivers, through local stories, breathtaking scenery, and a diverse range of cars. Were thrilled with the performance of our first ever Drive series, said CEO Simon Halfhide. Given the recent shift to more Australians exploring their own backyard, our goal was to take viewers on an inspiring road trip that was both aspirational, yet within reach. It was also great to see that more than 50 percent of the average audience throughout the first season were female. This shows were striking the right balance between automotive tech and the lifestyle content more geared to families. 1:00pm Sunday on Nine. Flash A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has described Tuesday's terrorist attack in Karachi, Pakistan, as very vile, adding that China will work with Pakistan to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to justice and make them pay a heavy price. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks on Wednesday at a regular news briefing in response to the terrorist attack on a van of the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi. "We once again extend deep condolences to the victims of the two countries and sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families," Wang said. He described the incident as a premeditated suicide terrorist attack against Chinese citizens. The terrorists directly targeted teachers, the inheritors of human civilization and promoters of cultural exchanges, making the attack a very vile and a heinous act, said Wang, adding that the Chinese side expresses strong condemnation and indignation at it. The Chinese government always attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions overseas, Wang said, pointing out that following the incident, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan immediately activated the emergency response mechanism and sent staff to the scene. Officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan have urged the Pakistani side to do its best to treat the injured, properly handle the follow-up matters of those killed, conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack, arrest the perpetrators and severely punish them according to law, he said. At the same time, stronger measures should be taken to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Pakistan so that such incidents will never happen again, he added. The Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan also reminded Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan to strengthen security awareness and enhance the security level to ensure their own safety. "Yesterday, the Chinese Consul General in Karachi went to the hospital to visit the injured Chinese teacher, who is receiving proper treatment and recovering," the spokesperson said. Wang noted that Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday evening to express his condolences, stressing that the Pakistani government is using all its resources to conduct an in-depth probe into the incident, and will spare no effort to hunt down the perpetrators and make an example of the perpetrators in punishing them. Wang added that the Pakistani side pledged to take further measures to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan in an all-round way. Sharif said his government will never allow any force to undermine Pakistan-China friendship and cooperation. The blood of the Chinese people should not be shed in vain, Wang said, adding that China firmly supports Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts and will work with Pakistan to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to justice and make them pay a heavy price. "We once again remind Chinese citizens in Pakistan to pay close attention to the local security situation and prevent security risks," he added. Around 8,000 British Army troops will take part in exercises across eastern Europe to combat Russian aggression in one of the largest deployments since the Cold War (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire) Around 8,000 British Army troops will take part in exercises across eastern Europe to combat Russian aggression in one of the largest deployments since the Cold War. Dozens of tanks will be deployed to countries ranging from Finland to North Macedonia this summer under plans that have been enhanced since the invasion of Ukraine. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the show of solidarity and strength will see UK service personnel joining with Nato allies and those from the Joint Expeditionary Force alliance, which includes Finland and Sweden, for the exercises. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the action had been long planned, but that it had been enhanced since Russia invaded its neighbour in late February. Meanwhile, a British military veteran was reported to have been killed in Ukraine while fighting Russian President Vladimir Putins forces. Tributes were paid to Scott Sibley after the Foreign Office confirmed a British national had died in Ukraine and another is missing, without identifying the pair. The families of both are being supported, a spokesperson said, declining to give names or further details. Mr Sibley has been named by the BBC and Sky, both of which said he is believed to have been fighting in support of Ukrainian forces. Fundraisers have received donations of more than 10,000 for the veterans family, with Craig Grant writing on one Gofundme page: To me he was a friend like no other and the bravest person Ive had the pleasure to have known, he was as good as a brother to me. Another fundraising page set up in Mr Sibleys name paid tribute to his contagious laugh and ability to cheer us up. Tributes were also left on the Logistic Support Squadron Facebook page, where a picture was posted alongside the comment: This week the Sqn has lost a former serving soldier. A man that showed Commando spirit until the end. RIP. Scott Sibley. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss initially said she would support UK nationals who chose to fight for Ukraine but later rowed back on this (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire) A small number of serving British personnel are believed to have gone absent without leave to join the resistance against the Russian invasion, while veterans and Britons without combat experience are thought to have also travelled to Ukraine. Story continues There was initially confusion on the Governments position after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in comments during an interview to the BBC on February 26, said she would absolutely support UK nationals who chose to fight for Ukraine. However, she later rowed back on those comments, insisting she had been expressing support for the Ukrainian cause in her remarks, and that there are better ways to contribute to the countrys defence. Aircraft, tanks, artillery and armoured assault vehicles will join the exercises across Europe, with the UK deployment expected to build to a peak of around 8,000 personnel operating between April and June. Commander Field Army Lieutenant General Ralph Wooddisse said: The UK makes a significant contribution to the defence of Europe and the deterrence of Russian aggression. The British Armys series of exercises is fundamental to both. The scale of the deployment, coupled with the professionalism, training and agility of the British Army, will deter aggression at a scale not seen in Europe this century. Troops from the Queens Royal Hussars have been deployed for embedding in an armoured brigade in Finland, which shares an 830 mile land border with Russia. Exercises alongside American troops are also taking place in Poland. Mr Wallace said: The security of Europe has never been more important. These exercises will see our troops join forces with allies and partners across Nato and the Joint Expeditionary Force in a show of solidarity and strength in one of the largest shared deployments since the Cold War. After a hiatus of three years, the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino has returned to the French Riviera. From April 28, 2022, some of the biggest names on the live poker circuit will be battling for glory at Monte-Carlo Sporting. The first high stakes contest gets underway on the first day of the series and features a buy-in of 10,200. It is the first time the Mystery Bounty format will be used by PokerStars for a five figure buy-in while the operator has already hosted the latest craze in the world of live and online poker on previous EPT stops. From each buy-in, 4,700 will go towards the cash prize pool while 5,000 are allocated to the bounty prize pool. The Mystery Bounties will commence once the tournament has reached the money and all players still in contention when the cash bubble has burst will receive a Mystery Bounty token. For each opponent eliminated, the winner will collect the respective token and can then draw an envelope to determine their bounty prize. Day 1 of the 10,200 Mystery Bounty is scheduled to kick off at 8pm local time and eight levels of 30 minutes each are foreseen on the first of two tournament days. A maximum of two entries are allowed and the late registration is open until the end of level ten. All participants receive 100,000 in chips and the first two levels feature blinds of 500-1,000 with a big blind ante of 1,000. Four sets of duplicate levels set the pace for Day 1 while the action then recommences the following day at 12.30 local time. Last minute additions to the field will enter the fray with 20 big blinds in level 11. High Roller regulars are expected to duke it out on the tables and the PokerNews live reporting team will be there to provide all the action from start to finish. Afghans arrive to Dulles International Airport on Friday, August 27, 2021, after leaving Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Afghan-Americans say they've stepped up to assist Afghans resettled in the US. Thousands of Afghans were resettled in the US after the Taliban takeover forced them to flee. Resettlement agencies have faced steep cuts and are unable to meet demands, advocates say More than eight months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan led to the chaotic withdrawal and resettlement of evacuees across the US and the world, Afghan-Americans say they're taking on the responsibility of meeting the needs of those resettled. Arash Azizzada, the co-founder of Afghans for a Better Tomorrow, told Insider that with a larger influx of refugees, the US resettlement agencies could not accommodate them. "The current system in place cannot handle the large influx of Afghan new arrivals. It's very much clear that refugee resettlement organizations are probably doing their best and they're trying to scale up at this moment too, and trying to probably recover as well from years of being decimated," Azizzada told Insider. Insider previously reported that former President Donald Trump's administration drastically cut the number of refugees that could be admitted to the US and cut funding for resettlement programs. And under President Joe Biden, refugee advocates have criticized the administration for neglecting the needs of Afghans and the bureaucratic backlog that has upended much of their ability to resettle. Several resettlement groups told Insider's Charles Davis and Kenneth Niemeyer in September that they were struggling to find enough staff, funding, and housing for anticipated Afghan arrivals. The issue has persisted in the months since. Earlier this month, The Des Moines Register reported that some relocated Afghan families were going days without food, some were still living in hotels, and some have been unable to get adequate medical care. KETV7, a local ABC News station in Nebraska, also reported that Afghans resettled in the state were experiencing similar circumstances with case managers not responding, and their ability to start new lives held up in bureaucratic red tape with limited help to navigate it. Story continues Azizzada told Insider that the issue is nationwide, and it's not just at the federal level but at the state and local level that more than 70,000 new Afghans in the country are having their needs not fulfilled. "There's this 90-day period where they are supposed to receive assistance or help and in many cases, that's just not occurring. People are not having their calls returned by their case managers or refugee resettlement organizations," he said. 'The government is failing us' President Joe Biden at the emergency G7 meeting in Brussels last month. Doug Mills /Pool/AFP/Getty To fill the gap, Afghan-Americans, alongside charity organizations, have stepped up. "We're just young Americans with no resources, no resettlement experience young professionals in our respective places trying to provide this job that's not even ours," said Zuhal Bahaduri, a co-founder of The 5ive Pillars Organization, a nonprofit that helps resettle refugees in Northern California. "We rose into action in August following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan to help with the influx of refugees that were arriving here. Our group were Afghan-Americans, so we have lived experiences. Our families migrated here over 30 years ago, so we wanted to step up and help make these families transition into our communities easier." Bahaduri's organization is one of many that has stepped up to assist Afghans following the Taliban takeover. She said The 5ive Pillars Organization has, so far, helped close to 600 families that have been resettled in 16 different cities in Northern California. The organization partners with resettlement and charity organizations in the region. The group is working directly out of a community center in Hayward, California. Bahaduri's said the community center serves as a distribution center where other agencies can send Afghan families to pick up basic hygiene essentials, clothes, baby essentials, non-perishable food items, school supplies, and pandemic-related gear. Her organization also provides translation services, assistance with applications, transportation, and finding access to medical care, among other services. "To be honest, like the government is failing us and the burden of successfully resettling again is going onto groups like us, Afghan-American community orgs, and we're not funded or there are some but they're underfunded. So, they're coming to us because we are able to provide this service and support and they're not getting it elsewhere," Bahaduri said. Some volunteers, who also work as caseworkers, assist refugees to navigate the resettlement process, but they're doing so on top of full-time jobs. Their priority right now, she said, is to help the 20 to 25 families that are still living in hotels find permanent housing. Those families, Bahaduri said, have been in hotels for at least five months. The group's work also involves other major resettlement duties such as figuring out how to get families registered for medical insurance, getting kids enrolled in school, helping parents find work and affordable childcare, and making sure their applications don't fall through the cracks. Mirriam Seddiq, president of the Komak Foundation in Virginia, told Insider that the organization came about in August 2021 as Afghans began to be resettled following the Taliban takeover. The word "Komak" means "help" in Dari, which is what Seddiq said her organization aims to do. The organization started off with an Amazon wishlist of the needs of the resettled Afghans and quickly grew, however, now Seddiq said there's a decline in donations, but new refugees are still arriving and still need basic necessities. "We still have huge numbers of people who are coming in who need basic supplies and we just don't have what we had early on not in the amounts that we had early on," she said. An Afghan family with new toys from the supply tent walk through an Afghan refugee camp on November 4, 2021 in Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images She added that people also don't have housing. "I've heard stories of a lot of price gouging with respect to rent because people need a place to live. Also, just people being jammed into apartments 10, 15, 20 people in very small apartments. I don't think there's funding. I mean, the funding's gonna run out and it's up to localities," she said. Seddiq added: "These refugees that we brought here on our airlifts are gonna be homeless. They're gonna get evicted. So yeah, it's kinda a mess." She noted that she's also noticing more Afghan refugees arriving in Virginia from other states. "There are people that potentially were resettled or agencies had decided to resettle them in other locations but had decided to come to Virginia. I imagine places with bigger Afghan populations are facing similar things right now," she said. Seddiq said the organization will use Facebook to post the needs of refugees, and hope those who can fulfill it will step in to help. She also said Afghan American organizations often exchange information on families in need of assistance to address the shortfalls of resources. Most importantly, Bahaduri and Seddiq said, is to support refugees to become comfortable in their respective communities. However, for some resettled Afghans, the hurdles to establishing themselves in the US were not what they expected. "A lot of them miss home, some of them, I think don't even know why they came at this point," Seddiq said. "They're like, well, we didn't know it was gonna be like this." Read the original article on Insider The Queen appeared in high spirits as she held an in-person audience with the president of Switzerland at Windsor Castle - marking her first official engagement since a week-long break on the Sandringham estate. The 96-year-old monarch, who is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, smiled broadly as she shook hands with Ignazio Cassis and his wife Paolo before posing for photographs in her Oak sitting room. It comes after her second son, Prince Andrew, was stripped of his Freedom of York by councillors in the city on Wednesday amid further calls for him to have his dukedom removed. But the Queen looked cheerier than ever during Thursday's engagement upon returning to her Berkshire castle a day ago following a stay at the Duke of Edinburgh's Wood Farm cottage where she celebrated her birthday. Read more: Buckingham Palace reveals bank holiday programme of events New 50p coin released to mark Her Majesty's 70 years of service She appeared well and stood without her walking stick, wearing a blue and grey paisley print silk dress for the audience. The Queen adorned her outfit with a fruit-themed sapphire and diamond grapes brooch inherited from the Queen Mother, which features a sapphire bow and 16 small diamonds shaped like a bunch of grapes. Buckingham Palace said she is planning to attend the upcoming State Opening of Parliament on 10 May, but confirmation is expected closer to the time or on the day. The sovereign's high-profile Platinum Jubilee celebrations are just over a month away as she marks 70 years on the throne. After experiencing mobility issues in recent months, the Queen opened Parliament on all but two occasions during her reign. The exceptions were in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Andrew and then her youngest child Edward when her speech was read by the Lord Chancellor. Her Majesty celebrated the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne on 6 February 2022, becoming the first British monarch to reach the milestone. To celebrate the anniversary, a variety of events and initiatives are taking place throughout the year, culminating in a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from 2-5 June. At the same time, payment via mobile phone and QR Code channels increased by 76.2% and 87.5%, respectively. In contrast, the proportion of cash withdrawal transactions via ATMs in total transactions processed through the system of the Vietnam National Payment Joint Stock Company (Napas) decreased from 26% in 2020 to 12% in 2021. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung - General Secretary of the Vietnam Banks Association - said that the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected economic and social activities but this is an opportunity to promote digital transformation in the banking sector. Vietnamese banks have applied many solutions to develop retail services on digital platforms and new distribution channels with multiple utilities such as mobile banking, Internet banking, and QR Code to enable the customers access to banking services anywhere, anytime. A McKinsey's personal financial services survey (2015-2021) with 20,000 respondents in 15 Asia-Pacific countries shows a booming digital trend in Vietnam. Specifically, in 2021, 82% of Vietnamese individual customers actively used digital banking, an increase of 41 percentage points. At the same time, 75% of Vietnamese individual customers used both digital banking services and physical transaction branches. Mr. Le Anh Dung - Deputy Director of the Payment Department of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) - said that, by 2025, the value of non-cash payments in Vietnam will be about 25 times higher than GDP. The SBV also estimated that non-cash payments in e-commerce will reach 50% and 80% of Vietnamese people aged 15 and over will have a bank account by 2025. Also, the growth of payment via mobile channels will reach 80% and via Internet channel will increase by 40%. These are considered ambitious targets of the SBV. Realizing the "digital dream" It can be seen that the customer of the retail banking system will be Generation Z. This generation is familiar with digital technology as they were born with a smartphone in hand and grew up with social networks. They want services to be performed immediately at the moment the desire arises. This is a challenge and also an opportunity for banks. Mr. Le Hong Viet, General Director of FPT Smart Co., Ltd., said that Vietnamese banks are implicitly competing for technology resources to create business advantages. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) and technology are applied in all operations of banks, from communicating with customers, optimizing credit activities and helping employees do their work more efficiently. Previously, FPT AI provided virtual assistants. However, in the past 2 years, it has received many research orders related to knowledge technology. How to make the machines not only answer what is preset, but also have the ability to improvise to answer customers' questions related to different issues in the banking sector . Statistics show that 44.4% of commercial banks in Vietnam highly expect that the use of digital transformation and AI can help promote their sales by 50%. Although the banking sector of Vietnam is going faster in the race of 4.0 and digital transformation compared to the fields of securities, insurance, real estate, and fund management, but it is still slow compared to the world. It is forecasted that cashless payments in Asia-Pacific will grow 28% on average in the next 5 years. Therefore, the cashless payment development scheme in Vietnam with a growth rate of 20-25%/year is modest. Tran Chung Waco stages get a little busier this weekend as two productions open weekend runs featuring a Stephen Sondheim musical and one of Tom Stoppards most famous works. The musical, Sondheims Into the Woods, comes from theatrical company Wild Imaginings and represents its first full-scale musical. The Stoppard work, his 1966 absurdist Rosencrantz and Guilderstern Are Dead, wraps up McLennan Theatres 2020-21 season. For Wild Imaginings director Trent Sutton, the time was right for his company to tackle Sondheim. Its a musical Ive loved for a long time. At the end of last year, when Stephen Sondheim died, we decided it was the right choice for this year, he said. Company members had lobbied to do something musical and Wild Imaginings staging of A Christmas Carol in December featured some songs. Into The Woods, however, is the first stage musical that Wild Imaginings has tackled. Sondheim, a giant of the American stage, uses fairy tale and folk tale characters such as Jack and The Beanstalk (Addison Ross), Rapunzel (Victoria Brewer), Cinderella (Mackenzie Block), Little Red Riding Hood (Kalyssa Smith), the Witch (Mackenzie Elisa), the Baker and his Wife (Caleb Howard and Chris Gibson) and more in a musical exploration of life beyond the happy ending. Sutton said the Wild Imaginings production will downplay some of the fairy tale aspects in costuming and sets to show more connections with contemporary viewers. We want to strip back some of those layers of fantasy and show real people in the real world, he said. Some simple changes in design and acting can let the truth embedded in these stories come out clearly. The 20-person company is one of the largest that Wild Imaginings has fielded and features Baylor University adjunct professor of musical theater Kelly MacGregor as music director. Its also the first time that Wild Imaginings has used the Lee Lockwood Library and Museum stage for a production. I think the cast in this space is something people need to see, the director said. This is the most talented cast Ive ever worked with. At McLennan Theatre at McLennan Community College, theater instructor Kelly Parker is giving his actors a change of pace for their season finale, the layered, wordy work of English playwright Tom Stoppard. Stoppards 1966 play takes the characters of Shakespeares Hamlet and flips them. Minor characters Rosencrantz (Reanna Fornash and Grace Adams) and Guildenstern (Jay Parker and Colten Haliburton) dominate the time on stage with Hamlet (Brendan Phipps) and other characters dropping in for occasional interactions. The two have little concept of the play continuing without them, even though its driving their fate and ultimate end, giving an absurdist, existential spin to the action and one heavily leavened with wit and allusion. Its stayed with Parker ever since he read it in high school and directed scenes from it in graduate school. It was edgy, aggressive, exciting and different when it was written, he said, and much of it still plays that way decades later. The productions leads will be double-cast with all actors performing each night, but a different set of parts; the actors playing Rosencrantz, for instance, will play the same character but in different scenes. Each lead actor will get to play the final scenes in the course of the run, said Parker, who is co-directing the work with Cori Burkett. Onstage action this weekend isnt limited to the McLennan Theatre and Wild Imaginings productions. Continuing its run at Baylor Theatre is Moon Man Walk, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 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. Clint Harp said uncomfortable topics will be onstage Saturday night at the Waco Hippodrome when the Pantsuit Politics women, Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, talk about their work with, well, uncomfortable topics. That is the point of the evening, in fact: How does one discuss subjects in this polarizing time without turning friends and neighbors into enemies or pariahs? Rather than a night of tension and anger, Harp expects a fun night of laughter and story, which happens to be part of Silvers and Hollands conversational rather than confrontative approach to others. Their appearance comes as a result of Harps own podcast, Man UnMade, in which the Waco carpenter made famous through his appearances on Fixer Upper interviews women leaders to normalize, as the podcast tagline puts it, the authority and power of womens voices in a mans ear. Harps podcast has featured Jane Pauley, Jen Hatmaker, Soledad OBrien, Lauren Cox, the Pantsuit Politics duo and Harps wife, Kelly, who runs Wacos Harp Design Co. Kelly Harp, a Pantsuit Politics fan, contacted Silvers and Holland to persuade them to take part on Man UnMade and the resulting experience left them all wanting more, Clint Harp said. At the end of the podcast, Sarah said, We should totally come down to Waco and do something sometime, he said. Something sometime turns out to be Saturday night, in which the Harps will interact with the Pantsuit Politics duo. The two, Silvers from Union, Kentucky, and Holland from Paducah, Kentucky, come to Waco with a new book to promote, Now What? How To Move Forward When Were Divided (About Basically Everything), which offers suggestions on how communities can bridge polarization. Their friendship dates from their college days at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, in the early 2000s. After graduation in 2003, they pursued different career paths, Silvers going into law and Holland into politics and city government. They kept in touch over the years as both raised families, two daughters for Silvers and three sons for Holland, despite different political leanings, Silvers toward Republicans, Holland toward Democrats. They shared common values and a Christian faith, but public conversations, whether in politics, church or social media, starting to separate people rather than connect them. In 2015, the two started their Pantsuit Politics podcast with an aim of steering conversations through uncomfortable topics without damaging relationships. Their commonsense approach struck a nerve and within four years Pantsuit Politics had four million downloads. Were not party politicians. Were moms with law degrees who care about our community and our country, Silvers said. Their kids now are also chiming in with insights. We love to learn from our kids and sometimes we bring them into our work, she said. In 2019, the two women wrote I Think Youre Wrong (But Im Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation, which provided advice for interpersonal communications. They have expanded to the community level in their latest Now What? Their observations and suggestions will inform Saturdays discussion. Well talk a lot about the upcoming midterm elections in whats likely to be a highly charged political environment, Silvers said. It all sounds serious and heavy, but Clint keeps it light. Silvers said political conversations have become more pernicious as cultural issues get involved. Its come into our homes and infected our spaced even more, she said. Part of the solution is recognizing the problem and how media literacy and social media awareness can curb its excesses. I hope what we offer is to see whats happening and name it, but not allow it to make us distrustful of everything, Silvers said. Harp said Saturdays conversation comes at an important time. Their whole focus is being able to have conversations about tough things that can be polarizing, he said. Its not a night for stances outside of how do we love each other in a difficult time and how do we draw the lines. 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. Public schools in Texas are funded largely by local property taxes and, as property values soar in Texas, many property tax bills are also poised to grow. Texas law grants homeowners some tax relief through what are called homestead exemptions, which reduce for qualifying homeowners the amount of a homes value that can be taxed. And Texas voters have the chance in a May 7 constitutional amendment election to expand homestead exemptions that could lower the amount of property values upon which property taxes can be levied. Early voting for the two propositions began Monday and runs through May 3. The propositions will appear on the top of voters ballots, above any local races they may be deciding. But many voters may not know what the propositions are asking them to support or oppose, given their highly technical wording. Heres a breakdown of how the propositions are phrased and what they mean. Proposition 1 The ballot language: The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for the reduction of the amount of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for general elementary and secondary public school purposes on the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled to reflect any statutory reduction from the preceding tax year in the maximum compressed rate of the maintenance and operations taxes imposed for those purposes on the homestead. What it means: Homeowners who are disabled or 65 years and older can qualify for having school district property taxes capped or frozen. But when lawmakers in 2019 passed legislation to offset rising property values with lower school district tax rates for all homeowners, those adjustments were not extended to elderly and disabled homeowners. Under Proposition 1, those homeowners could qualify for those additional reductions in 2023 if the measure passes, said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican who wrote the legislation calling for the constitutional amendment. Proposition 2 The ballot language: The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $25,000 to $40,000. What it means: Currently, homeowners can subtract $25,000 from their homes value before school tax rates are levied. Proposition 2 would increase that deduction to $40,000 in value. The measure could save the average homeowner about $175 on their annual property tax bill, Bettencourt said, and would go into effect this year. Whats the impact for schools? If the measures pass, the state would reimburse school districts for the lost property tax revenue, so schools would not lose funding. School districts with higher property wealth per student would also see lower payments into a state fund, known as recapture, meant to support districts with lower property values. Whats the impact for Texans? The measures would lower school district property taxes for qualifying homeowners, but homeowners could still see increased tax bills because of property value growth. Bettencourt said he expects increased tax bills for those with homestead exemptions to be in the single digits. Homeowners who have a case can also protest their higher home values with their local appraisal districts, he added. The propositions would not help renters, who have also seen rising housing costs, nor businesses and other property owners because homestead exemptions apply only to a homeowners primary residence. How would the state fund these changes? Proposition 1 would cost the state more than $744 million from 2024 to 2026, according to a fiscal note from the Legislative Budget Board. Proposition 2 would cost the state almost $1.6 billion from 2023 to 2026, according to a fiscal note. The state would also see less revenue from recapture payments. When state lawmakers passed Proposition 2 in the fall, Bettencourt outlined a plan to use $4.4 billion in surplus funds to pay for initial costs, but plans to cover future funding were unclear. The state is sitting on a large amount of money because it didnt spend everything that was available to it, said Dick Lavine, a senior fiscal analyst for Every Texan, a liberal-leaning think tank. So immediately it will be able to cover the cost. But over the long term, no, they did not increase state revenue in order to cover the loss of local school property tax revenue. Bettencourt told The Texas Tribune he believes the state can cover the costs with strong economic growth and revenue from sources such as the states sales tax. (Texas doesnt have a state income tax.) Theres nothing I see that would indicate that we dont have the money for this in really both the near- and long-term future, he said. Texas House and Senate leaders set aside $12 billion in surplus revenue and $3 billion in federal stimulus funds to pay for tax relief during the 2023 legislative session, despite a federal ban on the use of stimulus funds for tax breaks. Texas and other states have contested the ban in court as unconstitutional. James Quintero, a policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, said the foundation would like to eventually see most school district property taxes eliminated. The group thinks local governments should tighten spending, the state should spend more on education and the state should also increase the number of goods to which sales taxes are applied. We want to see the state shoulder the entire burden of funding public education while also making sure that those monies are being used in a judicious manner, he said. Other experts have said state leaders need to create a new source of revenue or to reduce spending on public education for Texans to see meaningful property tax reductions. Disclosure: Every Texan and Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/04/27/texas-proposition-1-2-constitutional-amendment-election/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Wine is now produced in all 50 states, yet in my travels, it still surprises me to see wine in areas that piques your interest. On my recent trip to Lexington, Kentucky, for the annual Road to the Horse competition, I started noticing a lot, and I mean a lot, of signs for wineries. Of course, I expected to see distilleries, it is after all, Americas Bourbon Trail, but I counted more winery signs than distilleries. I was astounded. When did this start happening? While the competition is an all-day affair each day, I started planning one morning where we could pull away let me rephrase that, where I could pull away. Anyhow, back to Kentucky and Kentucky Proud wines, as they like to bill themselves. When did the spark begin? A long, long time ago. We know that California is the largest wine-producing viticulture area in our country, with New York, Washington state, and Oregon respectively after, yet they can never claim to be the official national-registered birthplace. No, that claim goes to the beautiful blue grass state of Kentucky. Shortly after the birth of our country, was the birth of commercial wine. It started in 1796 while listening to French soldiers who had fought in the American Revolution talk about the lack of a viable wine industry in the United States, that Jean-Jacques Dufour set out for America to scout land. A Swiss immigrant who was the winemaker for Marquis de Lafayette, Dufour crossed the new country looking at the east, but settled for the milder climate in the Ohio River Valley. He chose a southern-facing property overlooking the Kentucky River with a large receiving port in nearby Quantico. Soon he had cultivated the fields, received his plantings, and with lots of work from others, planted the cuttings on his 600-acre farm. He dubbed it First Vineyards. Not only was it the first commercial vineyard in the United States, it was the first incorporated business in Kentucky. All of this was made possible with the help of his new friends and partners, Patrick Henry, Henry Clay and Daniel Boone. These men formed the new Kentucky Vineyard Society. First Vineyards Kentucky wines appeared in 1803. It produced the Alexander, also known as the Cape grape, a hybrid cross of American and European vines, among others such as Catawba, Concord and more. The vineyard was a commercial success for many years until a killing frost in the early to mid-1800s destroyed the crops. While First Vineyards crops were not replanted, not all were fully destroyed, just not enough for commercial production. However, in the 1830s, the Kentucky and Ohio river areas were brimming with new immigrants from Europe establishing new vineyards. Kentucky was the largest producer in all of the South until Prohibition. Prohibition forced farmers of all states to destroy their crops. These farmers turned to planting and growing tobacco for crops. Its a wonder how many tobacco farms were once vineyards. Prohibition ended finally in 1933, yet it took Kentucky until 1976 to pass legislation for commercial wineries again. It did not take off from there for almost 20 years. In 1994, Tom Beall unknowingly purchased Jean-Jacques Dufours original First Vineyards property while looking for a retreat for his family. Beall is an avid historian and went to work discovering his new purchases history. He was astounded to learn the historical significance of the property, and went about preserving its history. He obtained all the records and sent them to the National Archives and Records Administration, which has a placed an official register and plaque at the site. Beall continued to work on the place, and even had searched from records of the original planting sites and restored the vines along with his new purchases of the same varieties, including its famed Alexander grape. The Bealls honor Dufours original wines under the label JJ Dufour. He has planted other varietals in addition to those under the vineyard label. I was not near enough to Jessamine County where this was located, but I do plan a trip back soon. Kentucky is a gorgeous state with beautifully history preserved throughout. In the words of world champion Craig Cameron: Keep Riding. Winery in Review Grimes Mill Winery Located about 15 miles from Kentucky Horse Park, Grimes Mill Winery is a quaint area, winding down an old farm road into the countryside. Theres a beautifully restored family homestead, with the tasting room in the old tobacco and horse barn. We drove up on a day that a countywide wine-tasting event was taking place. We chanced it even though it was actually closed, and surprisingly, they let us in. The barn is repurposed using the former stables wood for the tasting bar. The DeSimone family has owned the 30-acre estate long enough to transfer from tobacco crops to grape growing. I tried to pry more information about the history of the property and such, but its pretty well trained to repeat only what is on the website. I did learn that each batch of wine only comprises one barrel, so when it gone, its gone. This retains their small-batch, hand-crafted approach from selection to bottling. They use grapes harvested on the estate, Fayette County grapes, and also import Italian juice to produce in regard to the owners heritage. I had a total of six selections: Malvasia, Amarone, Barolo, Merlot, a red blend called The Three Frenchmen, and the Black Walnut dessert wine. The two wines that I believe, on a whole, represent the vineyard the very best are The Three Frenchmen and the Black Walnut Wine. Grimes Mill Winery does ship to Texas, I was told, so place an order. Prices are reasonable ($15 on up) and the quality of wines are on point. Wines in Review The Three Frenchmen Tasting notes: Composed of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this is perhaps one of the best blends Ive had in years. Beautiful red fruits of raspberries, cherries on the nose, leading to gorgeous flavors on the palate mixed with a touch of spice, vanilla and golden toast. Really, a perfect glass and Im glad I bought a bottle. Price: $25. Black Walnut Wine About: Sometimes it takes a person that can creatively think to devise this little number. Im a master taster, and its one of those wines that just blows your mind. Thats only happened twice in all of the tens of thousands of wines Ive tasted. The story of it goes something like this: the neighbor across from them has black walnut trees. They took the sap of the tree, played around with it, and created this gem. Its not too sweet, has a great walnut flavor hovering in the background, and looks as natural-made wines do cloudy with a chance of sunlight in your glass when poured. Quite unique, and the most representative of their winery in my humble opinion. Price: $25. Lorrie Dicorte has been in the wine business for 40-some years and her family for more than 90 years. Her grandfather, Billy Dicorte, and cousin, Tony LaBarbera, were the first to import fine wines such as Ch Lafite Rothschild. Lorrie has served on international wine competition judging panels, and is known for her keen smell and taste. Erastus Deaf Smith was perhaps one of the most unique figures to emerge from the early years of Texas history. In spite of a nearly total hearing loss, Deaf Smith served Texas with courage and distinction. While he may not have been able to hear, Texas listened closely to what he had to say. Smith was born in Duchess County, New York, about 80 miles north of New York City. His parents, Chilaib and Mary Smith, were farmers. In 1799, they moved to Natchez in the Mississippi Territory in pursuit of the new lands available. According to reports, Smith lost nearly all of his hearing due to an unspecified illness he had as a child. In the years before vaccines and antibiotics, such tragedies were not unusual and any of a number of diseases curable with modern medicine could have been responsible. Nevertheless, his vision and keen sense of discernment remained intact, and Smith remained determined not to let this loss discourage him in any way. He briefly visited Texas in 1817 before returning to Mississippi. In 1821, he returned to Texas and settled in San Antonio where he married a local widow. Together, they had four children. In 1825, he became one of the first settlers in the community of Gonzales, the first American settlement in Texas west of the Colorado River. In 1835, when Mexican Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos briefly seized control of San Antonio, they blocked Smith, who had been away for some time, from seeing his family. At the age of 48, he joined the forces of Stephen F. Austin in an attempt to break the siege and served as a scout. Smiths careful observation revealed that Cos did not have the resources to survive a long siege. Half-starved, Cos and his army surrendered in December. Smith stayed in San Antonio to help with the defense of the city while his wife and children fled to nearby Columbia. Mexican forces returned the next February. After Col. William Barret Travis wrote his now-famous appeal to Texans and the world for aid, he sent Smith with the letter to Gen. Sam Houston, commander of all Texas forces. Houston sent Smith back to the Alamo to learn of its fate, only to return with the news of its fall and the slaughter of its defenders. Houston promoted Smith to the rank of captain and continued to use him for reconnaissance while Texas forces pulled back toward San Jacinto. Smith captured a number of Mexican spies and messengers and as the battle at San Jacinto approached and cut down a wooden bridge with an ax to cut off a possible retreat by Mexican forces. After the battle in April, Smith was entrusted with delivering the orders of the surrendering Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to all remaining Mexican forces to leave Texas. Smith returned to military service briefly in 1837 as a Ranger to deflect Mexican forces attempting to enter Texas at Laredo. Shortly afterward, Smith moved to Richmond, just west of modern-day Houston. His time here would not last long. In November, he contracted a sudden illness and died. He was only 50 years old. The Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper in Houston revered his life upon the news of his death: This singular individual was one whose name bears with it more respect than sounding titles. Major, Colonel, General, sink into insignificance before the simple name of Deaf Smith. The Republic of Texas later put his image on the Texas $5 bill. In 1876, the Texas Legislature named Deaf Smith County in the Panhandle in memory of the revered hero of the Texas Revolution. Dr. Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan who enjoys sharing these stories about people from the Lone Star State. Bridges can be reached by email at drkenbridges@gmail.com. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is searching for the person who shot and killed a nesting bald eagle near Garland last week and its also monitoring the chick it left behind. The female eagle was alive when she was found near a nest with her mate and chick but later died from her injuries. A state conservation officer performed a necropsy and determined the bird had been shot. Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest, said Stacey Lewton, southeast district supervisor for the commissions law enforcement division. To make an anonymous report, call 800-742-7627 or contact a conservation officer. If found, the shooter will likely face federal and state charges for killing the protected bird, he said. The commission has also enlisted the help of the Raptor Conservation Alliance to watch the nest, and the male eagles care of the chick. So far, so good, he said. The other eagle that nests there is doing well, and were looking for that to continue. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter Hello, dear readers, and welcome to the bonus letters column that we promised several weeks ago. With a bonanza of mail, these extra letters columns help us keep up with your comments and follow-up questions. Weve received a lot of virus and vaccine questions, so lets dive in. The recommendations regarding booster shots continue to evolve, which has led to a bit of confusion. This includes a reader who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and a J&J booster. I understand that you can get an mRNA booster after the J&J shot, he wrote. But I havent seen anything as to when you can safely get an mRNA booster after receiving two J&J shots. Any guidance would be appreciated. It is suggested that individuals who received the J&J shot-plus-booster series follow up with either the Pfizer or Moderna boosters four months after their last shot. Since this is a suggestion and not a formal recommendation at this point in time, its a good idea to discuss a second booster dose with your health care provider. Another aspect of the COVID-19 landscape that has continued to shift is FDA approval of the vaccines. In a recent column, we mentioned that the Pfizer vaccine has received Food and Drug Administration approval. This led a reader to say he has read otherwise. Although the vaccine was fully approved, research I have done indicates that version is not in use in the United States, but only in other parts of the world, he wrote. Is this correct? The answer is no, this is not correct. There is only one version of the vaccine, and it is in use throughout the world. We suspect the confusion arises because the vaccine is offered under different brand names outside of the U.S. Despite that, all brand names of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine are biologically and chemically the same. We get a lot of mail regarding antibodies, which are produced as part of the bodys immune response to infection and following vaccination. A reader from Oklahoma had a question on the topic. I had COVID-19 in December 2020, prior to the availability of vaccines. I later got the Moderna vaccine (both shots), and I got my booster shot in October, she wrote. I donated blood three or four times, and each time, my test result for antibodies was negative. Should I be concerned? No, there is no need for concern. In terms of COVID-19 infection, data shows that up to 40% of people test negative for antibodies. And when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, a negative antibody test does not mean you are unprotected. The protective mechanisms of the vaccines are complex, and efficacy does not rely solely on antibody detection. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to write to us. We read each of your letters and respond to as many as we can. A quick reminder that we cannot provide a diagnosis, offer a second opinion or comment on medications. Please stay safe, and continue to take precautions against COVID-19. Send questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 GRUNDY CENTER A Grundy Center man accused of killing an Iowa State Patrol trooper during an April 2021 standoff at his home may argue he was acting in self-defense. Michael Thomas Lang, 42, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault on a peace officer in the death of Sgt. Jim Smith and the gunfight with a SWAT team that followed. His trial is scheduled to begin in May. On Tuesday, Langs defense team filed notice they intend to rely on a defense of justification to fight the charges. The defense also asked the court to preclude the state from referring to Sgt. Smith as a victim. Referring to the deceased as a victim assumes a crime has been committed, defense attorney Aaron Hawbaker wrote in his motion. The notice came after prosecutors attempted to bar the defense from claiming self-defense or stand your ground. A person is not authorized to use force to resist an arrest even if the person believes the arrest is unlawful or the arrest is in fact unlawful, Assistant Iowa Attorney General Douglas Hammerand wrote in his request. He also asked to prohibit the defense from asking witnesses about arrest warrants and search warrants for Lang or his home at the time of the incident. Hammerand said in court records that an arrest warrant wasnt needed because they were looking for Lang in connection with an earlier struggle with a Grundy Center police officer during a traffic stop. He cited Iowa Code that allows law enforcement to enter property to make an arrest. If such demand is not promptly complied with, the officer may thereupon enter such premises to make the arrest, using such force as is reasonably necessary, Hammerand said, quoting state statue. Authorities allege Lang struggled with a Grundy Center police officer following a traffic stop and then fled home. Smith and other officers later attempted to enter Langs home to arrest him, and Smith was shot with a shotgun. A standoff followed, and Lang allegedly exchanged gunfire with officers when they attempted to take the house, according to authorities. He was eventually wounded and taken to an Iowa City hospital. The trial has been moved from Grundy Center to Webster City because of pretrial publicity. 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. WATERLOO A Waterloo teen convicted of killing a man during a 2016 drive-by shooting wont be getting a new trial. Attorneys for Doncorrion Deangelo Spates had asked the court to overturn a guilty verdict of first-degree murder because a juror allegedly made racially charges comments. In 2020 the Iowa Court of Appeals tasked a district court judge with re-evaluating the matter. On Wednesday, the Iowa Court of Appeals affirmed the judges decision against granting a new trial. We expressly find that, although some jurors reported hearing troubling comments that implicated race, the record contains no compelling evidence that a juror made clear and explicit statements indicating that racial animus was a significant motivating factor in his or her vote to convict, Appellate Court Judge David May wrote in the ruling. Prosecutors said Spates was 15 when he was a passenger in a SUV that drove past a group of people who gathered outside a Logan Avenue home July 17, 2016. Someone in the vehicle opened fire on the group, and Otavious Brown, 21, was struck by a bullet and died. Two others were injured. A jury found Spates, who is Black, guilty of first-degree murder and acquitted two other passengers, who are also Black. The driver pleaded to lesser charges. Following trial, a juror approached the judge to say she had heard another juror make racial remarks that young Black men are gangbangers and are desensitized to shooting and that all Black people know each other. In the district court judges analysis, he noted others jurors said they didnt hear any racial comments, and some said the knowing each other comment likely related to speculation surrounding if the people in the SUV knew the people standing outside the home or if the shooting was random. Likewise, no other juror reported hearing the gangbanger reference, but one reported hearing speculation over if the shooting was gang-related, according to the district court judges findings. Love 1 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. WATERLOO Hawkeye Community Colleges Grundy Hall Health Sciences renovation and expansion project received a matching grant of up to $250,000 from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. Matching funds will be awarded as part of the foundations system and capacity building grant program. The money will support the renovation work, which includes a $3.79 million state-of-the-art dental clinic and related equipment purchases. The clinic is a key component of renovating Grundy Hall into a cutting-edge facility designed to unite all health sciences, dental care and emergency medical services training under one roof. The $21 million project is part of Hawkeyes strategic plan to increase access to high-demand education and to fill a critical need for skilled health care workers. The building, also funded by a voter-approved 2015 bond referendum, is being rebuilt from the ground up and includes additional space for dental care. Hawkeyes dental program serves both students and patients from across the state. The renovations and expansion will allow for a 25% increase in dental hygiene program enrollment along with a 25% increase in patient services. For 52 years, Hawkeye Community College has provided low-cost dental services to Iowans who otherwise would not have access to affordable dental care while simultaneously training new dental workforce professionals, said Suzanne Heckenlaible, the foundations executive director. The demand for highly trained dental professionals continues to increase and remains a key priority for the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. As one of only six dental hygiene programs in Iowa, and one of four providing preventive and periodontal care in an on-site clinic, this grant from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation will ensure more students have access to hands-on training with the latest dental technology, said Dr. Emily Boge, Hawkeye Community College dental administrative chair. The expansion of our dental clinic will also enable us to provide more patients with access to top quality oral health care in an integrated health setting. The Hawkeye Community College Foundation will be pursuing funding from other public partners, private donations, and individual donors to match the $250,000 grant. To learn more about how to contribute to this project, contact Boge at Emily.boge@hawkeyecollege.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS The Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District and the Cedar Falls School District were recently awarded a $78,500 grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for a water quality project. Its described as benefiting the Cedar Valley community, Dry Run Creek and the Middle Cedar River watershed at the new high school on West 27th Street slated to open in 2024. The Cedar Falls project was one of 17 across the state to share more than $2 million in funding and technical assistance through the states Water Quality Initiative, the department announced Tuesday. These projects will help show the conservation progress we can make when rural and urban citizens and public and private partners work together, said Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig in the announcement. They are a good example of how Iowas cities and communities can make a meaningful impact on water quality for their residents and neighbors downstream, while providing a blueprint for others to follow. Giant by Tobroco brings big conference to Cedar Falls after relocating HQ to Ida Street GiANT by TOBROCO relocated its North American headquarters from Des Moines to Cedar Falls right before the pandemic. More than two years later, its bringing along its inaugural dealers conference. The Cedar Falls project will feature more than 30 acres of native prairie landscaping and several bio-retention cells, in addition to existing soil quality restoration and to-be installed detention basins to reach the intended storm water management and water quality goals. The partnerships mission of conservation implementation and encouraging the adoption of stormwater best management practices is based on the communitys vision for the construction of a sustainable high school, states the grant application. The application also said the agencies feel it is a rare opportunity that constructing a new education building brings to make conservation a key part of decades of education opportunities. Energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, stormwater management, and habitat creation, among other sustainable principles, will be emphasized with the project. Some of the supplementary conservation efforts include natural lighting, renewable materials, waste reduction, high efficiency mechanical systems, geothermal wells, solar power generation, LED lighting, windbreaks, as well as native/local trees and plantings to eliminate irrigation and conserve water. On the stormwater management side, the application said every opportunity was considered. Detention basins will meet the site standard stormwater management requirements. To implement the desired water quality component, stormwater BMPs were added. This will be an exemplary model for other school districts throughout the entire state and beyond to aspire to. This project is a high priority for DRC (Dry Run Creek) given the sites proximity to the stream, being located 1,000 feet directly uphill from the university branch. This stretch has maintained the best biological scores of the watershed thanks to partnerships with the high schools neighbor, the University of Northern Iowa. Having two conservation-minded educational institutions next to each other will provide enhanced outreach and engagement for thousands of citizens. Constructing a new high school will undoubtedly encourage future development of homes nearby, as evident of the citys future land use plan. Having these conservation components being within these highly visible areas can encourage additional conservation implementation by local residents. The grant makes up 50% of the $158,000 estimated cost for the stormwater management infrastructure and is just for the eligible stormwater management components of the new high school, which is but a fraction of the entire building project, said Josh Balk, the Dry Run Creek Watershed and Source Water Protection Coordinator at the Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District, in an email. Love 2 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. CEDAR FALLS After opening nearly four decades ago, the Worlds Window is undergoing an ownership change to ensure it thrives for years to come. Betsy Roling, the future proprietor of the Fair Trade store at 214 Main St., also will open up a gift and services co-op, The Cob Mercantile, next door at 212 Main St. in mid-to-late May. The purchase from the nonprofit board will close May 1 for an undisclosed amount. The goal of having a local and global impact will remain the same as Rowling takes over after having been general manager of the nonprofit store, with products from many impoverished artisans from around the world, since 2018. Shell combine it and her new business into a for-profit operation. But there will be no changes, and for now the name will remain the same. The business structure change will lend additional flexibility to keep the store open as volunteer numbers have declined and keeping a full board has become a challenge. Its like the end of an era. But were continuing what so many women created in the 1980s. Were excited and hopeful this change will open doors to so much more, Roling said. The board knows Ill continue on with the foundation that was built. The board was not looking to sell, but with Roling already working there and looking to open her micro-business co-op next door, her husband suggested: Why wouldnt you just buy both? It would be easier if you ran both as one. The nonprofit remains appreciative of its dedicated volunteers, like Betty Goettsch and Virginia Shimpach, who are both more than 90 years old, and along with others who help in telling the story behind the products, which in turn helps sell product. A Volunteer and Customer Appreciation Event is scheduled at the store from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. May 7. Its a bit of a relief, now not having to worry about keeping the store open. Its sad, but we know this change is for the better, added Board Chair Sue Loy. Rolings new space next door used to be a store named Kitchen Essentials and Gifts. Upon opening, patrons will have access to both similarly sized stores from the interior. The Cob Mercantile will rent space to local craftspeople and artisans who are interested in getting their products and services in a brick and mortar store on Main Street without having to worry about the overhead costs. The store name was proposed by Rolings daughter. Each business will be like a kernel on the cob, which is meant to drive home the essence of the model: Multiple businesses will be inside one and can be a place to grow together. Entrepreneurs also will have access to business education and be able to host special events in The Crib, which would also be a space for anyone to relax, study or share a coffee. If interested, vendors can fill out a Google Form at: https://bit.ly/3LzX1dr. There are some guaranteed names who have already committed to sharing their talents, like Liza Paizis with cards and jewelry; Mary Paxton with homemade baby quilts; and EmmaJean Roling with environmentally friendly soaps and toothbrushes. Vendors need to commit to spending eight hours per month in the store. 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. Two American mercenaries were seriously injured in Orekhovo Manus McCaffrey and Paul Gray former US Army soldiers fought as part of the Javelin ATGM crew on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. And today at about 14.35 in the Orekhovo area they were in position, waiting for Russian tanks that were approaching the city from Novotishkovsky. It was at that moment began an artillery bombardment, and one of the shells landed near the position of the American mercenaries. Both received shrapnel wounds to the face, head and body, and a concrete wall behind which he was hiding also fell on a mercenary with the surname Gray. Currently, both Americans are in the hospital and apparently they will not be able to return to Orekhovo the allied forces are already fighting inside the city. Idiots WtR ~~ Itd not fair, Russia is BAD. ~~ EU Decry Unjustified Gazprom Gas Block Ursula von der Leyen has slammed Gazproms decision to halt gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after the countries refused to pay in rubles as per Russias demands as unjustified and unacceptable. The European Commission President added that the EU will coordinate a retaliation to what it considers an attempt by Moscow to blackmail us with gas as European prices shot up 24% after Gazprom announced their block. Meanwhile reports of Austria which depends on Russia for 80% of its gas will pay in rubles, were later refuted by Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Twitter. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that 10 European buyers had agreed to pay for gas in rubles and 4 had already made a payment in the currency. Subscribe to RT t.me/rtnews WtR Now I am Grouchy. My favorite puppet of the Empire of Lies is a very rotten guy, might be a great puppet, but he had bad intentions Saakashvili returned to Georgia to prepare for the opening of a second front against Russia in the event of military action in Ukraine. This was announced by Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili. There was an intention to open a second front. There was specific information that the war in Ukraine was supposed to start in November or December last year. That is why Saakashvili came, so that everything could be prepared from here for the opening of the second front, Garibashvili said in an interview with Georgian journalists. The Prime Minister stressed that there will be no second front, and no one will involve Georgia in the confrontation. In October 2021, Saakashvili secretly arrived in Georgia the day before the municipal elections. In Georgia, the ex-president was sentenced to prison in absentia. In addition, several other criminal cases were opened against him. Saakashvili was arrested and placed in a Rustavi prison. Toss the keys to his prison cell. No more happy about Sassy WtR Konstantin Yaroshenko said that his health deteriorated due to torture in American prisons. The attitude towards me in prison was not the best. The Orthodox faith helped to hold on, the released pilot said. The Russian Yaroshenko has been imprisoned for 12 years in an American prison, where he was beaten and did not provide assistance. Today he was exchanged for an American student Trevor Reed, convicted of drunken assault on police officers in Moscow. WtR Britain is threatening China. Foreign Minister Liz Truss warned Beijing that it must play by the rules. Otherwise, sanctions like anti-Russian ones will be imposed against him. China is not impenetrable, and its rise is not inevitable, she said. He wont continue to grow if he doesnt play by the rules. China needs trade with the G7 countries. We represent about half of the global economy. And we can make a choice, Truss said. WtR Irina Dobrolyubova/Getty Images Many readers prefer curling up or traveling with a paperback than a hard-cover book, and certainly don't mind paying a bit less for it, as well. The only downside? Having to wait for the paperback release, which can be a few months or more than a year if it's a huge bestseller. But some of the best novels from 2021 are now in that less expensive and more portable form and just as wonderful as they were last year. Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand The Queen of the Beach Read's Nantucket-set novel hit the top of the best-seller list last summer, and for good reason: It may be one of her best. Famous beach-book writer (ha) Vivi Howe is killed in a hit-and-run while out jogging, causing chaos among her three grown children and friends, who want to understand what happened. Meanwhile, Vivi has gone to the Beyond, where she's told by an Hermes scarf-wearing character named Martha that she holds three nudges to affect life on earth. While deciding how to use those nudges, Vivi watches her loved ones with concern as they go through their summer days until an unexpected stranger threatens everyone's peace. Billy Summers by Stephen King This weighty thriller from the King of Suspense is a long read at 528 pages but worth the commitment. It's about sharpshooting hit man Billy Summers though that's just one of his names who justifies his profession by only killing bad guys. But after taking on a high-priced job, he wonders if the person or group orchestrating the hit might be the baddest of all. When he eventually becomes a target himself, he ends up saving the life of a young woman, and they hit the road together. Unlike many of King's classics, there's nothing supernatural here besides a winking allusion to The Shining. It's on its way to a limited series adaptation for TV. And good news for King fans: He has a new book, Fairy Tale, out in September. Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams Beloved historical-fiction novelist Williams (author of The Summer Wives, among many others) brings us an engrossing story about American twin sisters whose paths diverge during World War II, then come together in dramatic fashion years later. In 1952, Ruth is head of a New York City modeling agency when she's sent an enigmatic postcard from her estranged sister, Iris Digby, who's married to a U.S. diplomat and living in Moscow. Ruth and a British counterintelligence agent set out together, pretending to be a married couple (rather convincingly, ahem) to possibly free Iris and her children from trouble behind the Iron Curtain. The Magician by Colm Toibin Literary lovers will want to sink into this absorbing reimagining of the life of the Nobel Prize-winning German writer Thomas Mann. The story takes us through Manns youth, rise to fame in Germany with the publication of Buddenbrooks, initial complacency then growing alarm as the Nazis take power, marriage to wife Katia despite his attraction to young men, and emigration to the U.S. Mann family members have their own struggles, all vividly brought to life. The Irish Toibins other notable novels include 2009s Brooklyn (turned into a 2015 film starring Saoirse Ronan). The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz A true page-turner by the author of 2014's You Should Have Known (called The Undoing in the recent HBO version starring Nicole Kidman), the novel focuses on a writing professor, Jacob Bonner, who has a student with a fantastic story idea; after the student dies, Jake makes it his own, with serious consequences. Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan The setting for this mesmerizing novel is a quiet suburban street whose center literally and figuratively falls away during a brutally hot summer when a sinkhole opens up, spewing a smelly black sludge. After a girl falls in, a troubled woman starts pointing fingers at one family (they never did fit in), and the nastiness escalates on Maple Street Langan's witty reference to The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, the famous Twilight Zone episode about scapegoating turned deadly. It offers both page-turning suspense and brilliant social commentary. The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. This beautifully written debut novel a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction is a love story about two enslaved men, Isaiah and Samuel, whose devotion to each other leads to trouble on a brutally run Mississippi plantation. Voices of their African ancestors are woven throughout the book, Toni Morrison-style, with a complex mix of characters, including an older enslaved man, Amos, who embraces the plantation owner's Christianity and becomes a preacher. This draws attention to the love between the two men, and tension builds toward an inevitably violent reckoning. Okapi receives approval to drill at its Middle Lake Uranium Project in the Athabasca Basin Okapi receives approval to drill at Middle Lake Project Perth, April 28, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Okapi Resources Limited ( ASX:OKR ) ( FRA:26O ) ( OTCMKTS:OKPRF ) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Okapi Resources Canada Ltd. has received from the Ministry of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan (GoS), a Crown Resource Land Work Authorization, an Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit, a Temporary Work Camp Permit, and Forest Product Permit; together these permits will allow Okapi to drill up to 10,000m in 24 drill holes as well as conduct ground based geophysical surveys of up to 100 line kilometers.The permit is valid through to October 2023.Okapi's Managing Director, Mr Andrew Ferrier said:"This is an important milestone for Okapi, as the Company continues to progress and advance its uranium projects in North America. Obtaining a permit to drill at our 80% owned Middle Lake Project in the Athabasca Basin, the world's premier uranium district, provides the opportunity for the company to start exploration work on our highly prospective exploration properties located only 4km from the past producing Cluff Lake Mine which produced approximately 64 million pounds of uranium.The proposed exploration program will focus on prioritising drill targets by reinterpreting the historic geochemistry, geophysics and drill data, combined with satellite imaging (currently underway) which will provide a structural framework. The highest priority drill targets will then be followed by a potential diamond core drilling program, that is likely to be conducted in the North America winter of Q1 2023."Proposed Exploration ProgramThe Middle Lake Uranium Project has had a long history of exploration work completed with the last drill program occurring in the winter of 2015 comprising 17 shallow drill holes for a total of 1,851 meters of drilling.The drilling revealed areas of anomalous radioactivity and uranium concentrations associated with graphitic schist and mylonite; the exploration is consistent of that for unconformity style uranium deposits in areas adjacent to the contact between the underlying Archean Basement and Athabasca Group rocks.Okapi's immediate aim is to take the historic data and reinterpret and remodel the historic surface and drill data, geochemistry and geophysics to provide targets for drill testing. This will be combined with new remote sensing image interpretation currently underway that, when integrated with the historic, existing geophysical survey results, will provide a structural framework that can be incorporated into the geologic modelling. The application of multi-spectral satellite imaging to exploration at Middle Lake, and the enhanced software capacity now available, can readily detect areas of alteration associated with Uranium mineralisation.The targets generated from the geologic model will then be followed by a potential diamond core drilling program that is likely to be conducted in the North America winter of Q1 2023. The drill permits will allow Okapi to drill up to 10,000m in 24 drill holes.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Okapi Resources Limited Okapi Resources Limited (ASX:OKR) recently acquired a portfolio of advanced, high grade uranium assets located in the United States of America and in the Athabasca Basin, Canada. Assets include a strategic position in one of the most prolific uranium districts in the USA - the Tallahassee Creek Uranium District in Colorado. The Tallahassee Uranium Project contains a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource estimate of 27.6 million pounds of U3O8 at a grade of 490ppm U3O8 with significant exploration upside. The greater Tallahassee Creek Uranium District hosts more than 100 million pounds of U3O8 with considerable opportunity to expand the existing resource base by acquiring additional complementary assets in the district. The portfolio of assets also includes an option to acquire 100% of the high-grade Rattler Uranium Project in Utah, which includes the historical Rattlesnake open pit mine. The Rattler Uranium Project is located 85km from the White Mesa Uranium Mill, the only operating conventional uranium mill in the USA hence provides a near term, low-capital development opportunity. In January 2022, Okapi acquired a portfolio of high-grade exploration assets in the world's premier uranium district, the Athabasca Basin. The Athabasca Basin is home to the world's largest and highest-grade uranium mines. Okapi's clear strategy is to become a new leader in North American carbon-free nuclear energy by assembling a portfolio of high-quality uranium assets through accretive acquisitions and exploration. FY22 Q3 Quarterly Activities Report Melbourne, April 28, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Vintage Energy Ltd ( ASX:VEN ) provide the FY22 Q3 Quarterly Report featuring a Maiden Gas Sales Agreement, preparation for Vali well simulation and the spudding of the Cervantes-1 well.Managing Director's comment"The work done in the March quarter has seen us all but complete the contracting and planning milestones needed for the Vali gas project to proceed."Foremost is the signing of Vintage Energy's maiden gas contract, a supply agreement extending for more than four years which will see the company generate its first revenue, and transition to becoming a producer supplying gas to the eastern Australian domestic energy sector.'Whilst this was the highlight, the significance of the quarter's contracting and planning efforts is evident in the events since quarter's-end. In April, we commenced the Vali fracture stimulation campaign, executed a processing and transportation agreement for Vali gas, saw our GSA become unconditional and issued the first invoice under the GSA for pre-payments.'The weight of our focus now shifts to field operations, completing the frac campaign, the Vali and Odin well completion program and the installation and commissioning of Vali facilities and pipeline, safely and efficiently".COMMERCIALGas Sales Agreement with AGL for supply of gas from ValiDuring the quarter Vintage and the ATP 2021 Joint Venture parties announced signing of a Gas Sales Agreement ("GSA") with AGL Wholesale Gas Limited ("AGL") for the sale of between 9 petajoules (PJ) and 16 PJ of gas produced from the Vali gas field over approximately 4.5 years from field start up to end calendar 2026. The supply of gas under the GSA will constitute approximately 9% to 16% of the field's 2P reserves.Vintage has a 50% interest in ATP 2021. The terms of the GSA reflect the Heads of Agreement between the joint venture and AGL announced 6 December 2021, following a competitive process.The GSA, which was subject to conditions precedent, became unconditional subsequent to the end of the quarter following execution of an upstream transportation and processing agreement with the South Australian Cooper Basin Joint Venture. Consistent with the GSA, Vintage then issued invoices to AGL for the first two of three, $5 million pre-payments payable to the ATP 2021 joint venture. The pre-payments are to be applied specifically to capital expenditure to take Vali to first gas.*To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit:About Vintage Energy Ltd Vintage Energy Ltd (ASX:VEN) has been established to acquire, explore and develop energy assets principally within, but not limited to, Australia, to take advantage of a generally favourable energy pricing outlook. Strong Sulphides in First Hole Testing Lower East Lode Perth, April 28, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Wiluna Mining Corporation Limited ( ASX:WMC ) ( FRA:NZ3 ) ( OTCMKTS:WMXCF ) is pleased to announce the discovery of strong sulphide mineralisation in the first of eight holes testing down-plunge extensions of the East and West Lodes, which historically were the main producing lodes at Wiluna with a combined endowment of past production and current Mineral Resources of 3.5Moz @ 5.4g/t.Drilling success at East Lode Lower follows the recently reported ultra-high-grade results at the Bulletin North target (see ASX report dated 13 April 2022). The Discovery programs are part of a 40,000m campaign testing nine large-scale targets for new high-grade sulphide shoots 'under the headframe' at Wiluna. Drilling is in progress at East and West Lode Lower, Bulletin North and Squib (Figure 1*). High-grade >5g/t shoot discoveries are targeted to substantially enhance the early years of the current mining plan with the intention of increasing the underground ore grade and to grow gold production. The current targets are a subset of the Company's JORCcompliant Exploration Target at the Wiluna Mining Centre of 35Mt to 40Mt @ 4.5g/t to 7g/t for 5Moz to 7Moz (see ASX report dated 17 November 2020). The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and is therefore an approximation. There has been insufficient exploration drilling to estimate a Mineral Resource in the target areas, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.Wiluna Mining Executive Chair, Milan Jerkovic, commented:"This intercept is just what we're looking for in the South Mine Area as we expand our focus to discover new high-grade shoots, in addition to our ongoing drilling to methodically infill the existing Mineral Resource mainly in the North Mine Area.Historically, the East and West Lodes were the largest, high-grade production areas at Wiluna, so we're seeking a repeat of shoots of similar scale to materially enhance the long-term production profile at Wiluna. Importantly, these intercepts are only 1000m laterally away of the Golden Age and Calais mine areas, so they potentially open a whole new extension to the mineralised system with the prospect of relatively low-cost and rapid access to be targeted for resource and reserve growth".East & West Lode Lower TargetsThe historical workings at East Lode produced 720,000oz @ 6.7g/t between 1931 and 1946, and the West Lode produced 690,000oz @ 8.6g/t between 1932 and 1946. When combined with the current Mineral Resource, the East & West Lodes have a large pre-production endowment of approximately 3.5Moz @ 5.4g/t. The East & West Lode Discovery program tests for a repeat of the East and West Lode endowment, in a broad target area of approximately 1,000m strike extent and between 800m to 1,500m below surface (Figure 2*), in an area that has been sparsely tested despite the large-scale and high-grade past production. Holes are designed to intersect both the East and West Lodes, which are sub-parallel and situated less than 200m apart (Figure 3 & 4*).WUDD0077, the first of 8 holes at East & West Lode Lower, has intersected strong sulphide mineralisation within the East Lode structure approximately 200m below the limit of historical mining and the current resource envelope (Figure 2*). WUDD0077 also intersected the West Lode at the modelled position with trace amounts of sulphides, shearing and alteration indicative of low-tenor gold mineralisation. Intriguingly, the West Lode intercept is approximately 700m below the limit of historical drilling and the current Mineral Resource, which confirms the large-scale continuity of the West Lode structure far below the limit of past drilling (Figure 3*).At Wiluna, gold mineralisation correlates with sulphide percentages, and the presence of strong sulphides (5% pyrite + 5% arsenopyrite) along with strong shearing and rock alteration are considered indicative of gold mineralisation. Assays are pending with an estimated turn-around time of 2 weeks.Sulphide shoots in the East & West Lower area are interpreted to have formed in a predictable and repeated pattern controlled by the junction of steeply east-dipping mineralised structures with rock unit boundaries, with additionalsubtle north-plunging and south-plunging high-grade shoots aligned with pre-mineralisation structural trends. The East and West Lode structures are variably mineralised between the shoots and are prospective for further discoveries to be made along strike to the north and south, and at depth.In addition, first-pass seismic transverse lines acquired during 2021 showed that gold structures extend well below and beyond the current Mineral Resource limits, supporting Discovery drill hole targeting (see ASX report dated 6 May 2021).The significance of these East and West Lode intercepts in WUDD0077 is that they confirm new extensions to mineralisation well beyond the limits of past drilling and the current Mineral Resources. The intersections are located at relatively shallow depths of 800m to 1000m below surface, but importantly are only 1000m laterally away of the Golden Age and Calais mine areas at similar depths below surface (Figure 2*), which may provide rapid and low-cost access via new underground development for further drilling of these new sulphide zones, subject to further results from the current drilling program.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMC) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential. 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 Within the first two minutes of the retro-cool and warmhearted animated crime-thriller spoof The Bad Guys, we can tell were in for something refreshingly original because those two minutes (and change) consist of a single, unbroken shot in a diner that is a clear homage to the prologue of Pulp Fiction, and how about that. In this anthropomorphic version of Los Angeles, a wolf named Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell) and a snake named Mr. Snake (Marc Maron) are in a booth and dressed like corny tourists, as Mr. Wolf chides Mr. Snake for refusing to partake in some birthday cake. Name one food better than cake, says Mr. Wolf. Guinea pig, replies Mr. Snake, and they might as well be debating the merits of pork a la Jules and Vincent in Pulp. The two old friends casually exit the diner and make their way to a bank for another in a long line of heists, and away we go on this clever, visually arresting and well-voiced adventure, with the French animator Pierre Perifel making an impressive feature directorial debut in adapting Aaron Blabeys childrens book series of the same name. Rockwells Mr. Wolf turns to the camera and calls in closer as he lays out the plight of the Canis lupus, noting, I am the villain in every story, as we see a montage of famous fairy tales, from Little Red Riding Hood to The Boy Who Cried Wolf to The Three Little Pigs to Peter and the Wolf. Mr. Wolf introduces us to his crew, consisting of animals who are almost always, well, the bad guys in animated fare, including Mr. Snake and also: Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), a quick-witted tech expert. Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), a hot-headed and unpredictable wild card whos kinda crazy. Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), a master of deception who once stole the Mona Lisa while disguised AS the Mona Lisa. They are the Reservoir Not-Dogs. They are The Bad Guys. Even as Gov. Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) publicly derides The Bad Guys as yesterdays news (They are really just has-beens. I mean really, another bank?), Mr. Wolf and the crew plan their most brazen heist yet a theft of the coveted Golden Dolphin Award at a lavish ceremony in which this years goodest citizen will be honored. When the job goes sideways and The Bad Guys are finally apprehended, the famously philanthropic and lovably cute guinea pig Professor Rupert Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), who says if there was a contest between him and Mother Teresa for the kindest person ever it would be a tie, volunteers to take custody of The Bad Guys in a social experiment to see if he can reform them. Prof. Marmalade: They say experience is the best teacher, and they are wrong. I am. The Bad Guys view this is an opportunity to scam the world and pull off an even bigger heist, this time involving a meteor that is the ultimate power source but theres a twist, as it appears Mr. Wolf has truly bought in to the belief a wolf doesnt always have to be a wolf in sheeps clothing and can actually become a Good Guy. This leads to a rift within the ranks, and some pretty neat twists and turns and reveals, with the actors doing wonderful voice work while The Bad Guys serves up nods to classic crime films such as To Live and Die in L.A., Bullitt, The Italian Job, The Hot Rock and Snatch but mostly Steven Soderberghs Oceans Eleven and its sequels. When Mr. Wolf turns on the charm, its said hes pulling a Clooney, and the friendship between Mr. Wolf and his best buddy Mr. Snake is reminiscent of the dynamic between Clooney and Pitt in the Oceans films. Daniel Pembertons jazzy score and the use of split-screen techniques showing the big heist from different points of view only add to this greatly entertaining tribute. The animation combines computer-generated 2D and 3D with a look that will remind you of a Saturday-morning cartoon only much crisper and more dazzling. Theres nothing photorealistic about the animation; its stylized and has a very specific definition of Heist Movie Los Angeles, with the sky so bright its almost overexposed, and yet somehow creating a bit of a noir vibe. This is a great-looking film with terrific performances, some lovely messaging and a steady parade of solid laughs some the kids will enjoy and just as many targeted squarely at the grown-up kids in the audience. The intense competitiveness of the craft brewery market is driving a growing number of brewers into spirits. Its a logical transition, as both brewing and distillation start off with fermentation. Theres an economic appeal too. The craft spirits market is growing faster than the brewery market, driven in part by the craft cocktail craze. In Albuquerque, the standard bearer of whats been dubbed the brewstillery movement is La Reforma, a three-year-old operation that makes its own beers and spirits out of a strip mall near I-25 and Alameda NE. La Reforma offers a slate of brews with Mexican inflections, like a chocolate stout flavored with red chile and cinnamon. It also sells its own rum, vodka and agave spirits in craft cocktails or by the bottle. And if thats not enough, theres a menu of Mexican street food that pairs well with the drinks. La Reforma takes its name from a set of laws drawn up in 1850s Mexico that helped the country modernize. Additional inspiration came from co-owner Jeff Jinnetts youth spent in Mexico City. Jinnett partnered with John Gozigian, former head of the New Mexico Brewers Guild, to launch La Reforma in the summer of 2019 in a space that had been vacated by Bosque Brewing Company. That space stretches along a few storefronts. A small army of kegs, tanks and fermenters stand sentinel just one door down from the restaurant. The dining room combines industrial style design elements like exposed ceilings and corrugated metal cladding with murals and paintings that call to mind Mexican folk art. The menus, propped up in aluminum beer buckets, have one side devoted to food, the other to drink. The former consists of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and bowls girded with the usual assortment of fillings like carnitas, carne asada and al pastor. There is a small assortment of appetizers and sides priced under $10. A cup of pozole ($4.95) was excellent, the white hominy and chunks of pork tender, the modest heat from the red chile broth balanced with cilantro. A pile of cabbage and onion and an accompanying serving of house-made tortilla chips added crunch. The lone salad on the menu, the boldly named Chef Javis Delicious Salad ($11), arrived in a round, shallow aluminum tray. It was good and filling, the substantial bed of greens topped with thin strips of jicama and fried tortillas and a sprinkling of pepitas and cojita. The highlight was the chunks of watermelon bursting with juice matched with a sourish cilantro-lime vinaigrette. Tacos ($3.50-$3.95), served in soft corn tortillas wrapped in paper, offered a compelling bite of creamy guacamole, crunchy cabbage and onions. The carnitas were excellent, moist and shreddable, the pollo asado nicely smoky. Both got a boost from the homemade corn tortillas, greasy and spongy and free of the synthetic toughness of the stuff sold in supermarkets. CDMX Quesadillas ($8.50), the star of the menu, are made Mexico City-style by wrapping masa dough around cheese and frying it golden brown. The result looks more like empanadas than the crispy tortilla sandwiches youre used to seeing. The six crescents bore a corn chip flavor and a soft texture ideal for soaking up the medium-hot red salsa and a cooling salsa verde. Drinks are divided into beers, craft cocktails and a few nonalcoholic selections. Ive grown accustomed to seeing craft cocktails priced in the double-digits, so it was a pleasant surprise to see almost all of La Reformas offerings clocking in at $8.50. The one exception was the $10 Reposado Rita, La Reformas take on a high-end margarita. Its made with reposado agave spirit thats aged three-plus months in oak bourbon barrels. The menu describes it as having an oaky finish, but from my perspective it had an oaky beginning and middle too that overpowered the vanilla and caramel notes. La Reformas beer menu reflects the influence of German and Austrian immigrants on Mexicos brewing history. The Reforma Lager ($5.50), for instance, is made with German hops and Bavarian yeast. It was a beautiful glass, golden wheat in color and with a modest foamy head. The bright, crisp and slightly sweet profile made it a terrific accompaniment to the food. The menu has three desserts ranging from $5 to $8. There are a few vegetarian options. You have to check with the server for gluten-friendly options because theyre not marked on the menu. Our server was well-informed and never far from hailing distance. By combining thoughtfully prepared beers and spirits with solid interpretations of Mexican street food, La Reforma occupies a unique place in the local dining scene. The owners have created food and drink menus that make magic together. While a tight labor market and rising costs have forced some breweries to scale back their food offerings, Nexus Brewery moved ahead with plans to more than double the space of its smokehouse. The expansion increases the seating from 36 to more than 120, and adds a bar, a stage and a covered patio with heating. Nexus Blue Smokehouse features traditional barbecue items such as brisket, hot links and pulled pork with southern sides like fried okra, barbecue beans and macaroni and cheese. The original location off Pan American Freeway NE is known for its soul food, one of the rare places to find such offerings in Albuquerque. In 2019, Nexus launched its smokehouse in the old Elks Club at 1511 Broadway SE, which was once a gathering place for the citys African American community. The building is near the South Broadway neighborhood where owner and former banker Ken Carson spent his youth. Carson, who is African American, said he took over the space because of its historical significance for the citys Black community. The current operation only occupies half the building. Carson said he hopes to open the newly remodeled room in early May. The room has the new stage, televisions and a bar top. There will be 18 taps as compared to the 12 at the other location. The walls are decorated with mosaic tiles by artist Helen Atkins, and there is area in the back for meetings or private parties. The addition will come with a slightly expanded menu, bringing over some of the appetizers offered at the other location. Carson said he also plans to feature different styles of barbecue from around the world. We want to do a different type of barbecue every month, he said. I went to 20 or 30 different barbecue places in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Kansas to do research and try different barbecues before opening this. Music, Carson said, will eventually become a regular feature at the smokehouse. The inaugural group to take the stage will be a mariachi band at 3 p.m. on May 7 for the Cinco de Mayo celebration. All brewing operations will continue to take place at the Pan American location but the brewery will launch a cocktail menu at the smokehouse. Once things are up and running, Carson will turn his attention to the original Pan American location. They plan to add a 1,400-square-foot lounge with another bar. Customers can order cocktails and an abbreviated menu in there. Carson said his customer numbers are now exceeding pre-pandemic levels. However, the hours and how much seating is available at any given time depends on whether he can adequately staff the restaurant. Carson, like many others in the restaurant industry, has had trouble finding and keeping staff. Last week, Turtle Mountain Brewing Company owner Nico Ortiz said that starting April 25, they would be forced to close on Mondays after recently losing four cooks. I hope that this is only a temporary closure, but that all depends on whether or not we can find qualified people to help us out in the back of house, Ortiz said. This is the tightest labor market I have ever seen in my 23 years as a restaurant owner, and there appears to be no end in sight to the supply/demand issues we are facing. Ricardo Cate enjoys being busy. Though on Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30, the comedian and cartoonist will be pulling double duty. The Santo Domingo Pueblo artist will have a booth where he will sell his cartoons at the Gathering of Nations at Tingley Coliseum. Ive never been, he says. It will be great to be in the environment and see whats going on. Then at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Cate will headline a night of comedy at The Hopper Pub & Pizzeria. The event is presented by Headliners 505 Comedy. Cates life in art and stand-up comedy has been interesting. In January 2004, Cate was in a desperate situation and took the bus to Durango, with the last $60 he had in his pocket. I got $5 back from that trip, he says. Thats all I had to my name when I got off the bus. I have three kids and I had to leave them to make some sort of life for them because staying home on the rez wasnt enough. Cate went to Ignacio, Colorado, to find a job because theres a casino there. Luckily, he found a trailer park with vacant spaces. He would roam the streets of Durango trying to sell his illustrations, which often were bought by tourists. Cate missed a shuttle from Durango to Ignacio one night and it changed his life. There was a comedy competition and the winner would get $50 to the restaurant, he says. I was hungry and it would be a place to stay warm. Cate says Snowdown Durango was taking place and he got on stage. The event was founded in 1979 to bring something fun, bright and festive to Colorados long winter. I noticed I was the only Native American in the room, he says. I began telling jokes and people were laughing. At the end of the night, I won the competition and got a pizza and some beers. Cate was confident in his skills and has continued his stand-up journey. After his win, the restaurant owner offered him $100 a night to do stand-up comedy. He has also kept his illustrations going with his comic strip, No Reservations, which is published in the Santa Fe New Mexican. The two worlds often influence each other as he is quick to draw hot topic related cartoons quickly. Sometimes if I get desperate, Ill look to world topics for inspiration, he says. Im grateful that the two mediums that I work with go hand in hand. The sounds that live in Mel Ross head are ever changing. Like a good student, Ross is aware of each note, which helps me grow within every moment. The Albuquerque native is gearing up for a milestone moment as he is set to release his EP, New Mexico, on Sunday, May 1. The EP will be available on digital platforms. The 24-year-old Rio Rancho High School alum lives in Los Angeles and hes been on a fruitful journey of self discovery. I came to LA knowing I wanted to do music, he says. I wasnt sure how to go about it. I had no concept of what do to. Ross went to fashion school in Los Angeles, where he went to study visual communication. Music was also a way for Ross to learn about himself. When I was younger I wanted to get out of New Mexico and do something different, he says. As the journey for this album progressed, it helped me accept who I was and where I was from. New Mexico has influenced me a lot, which is why I named the EP after it. I appreciate how its molded me. Ross has always been writing songs, but it was during the pandemic when he had more time to do so. I felt really unhappy with myself and I didnt know why, he says. (At the time), I didnt have compassion for myself. I didnt have access to a source of love for myself and that bled over into my art. Ive written a lot and had so many great opportunities for myself. I decided to actively nurture myself in doing that, I began to have compassion for myself. Those long days and nights of writing have led Ross to New Mexico. The EP has the stories of my high school relationship, he says. It was traumatic and it was a wonderful time. Ive been able to process all of that. The songs are that exploration of that time. Ross has also been able to write from a comfortable place, which makes the art more honest. Ive learned what being an artist actually is, he says. This is my actual purpose and what Im dedicating myself to. This is the first time Ive ever done it and I feel free. Ross has come a long way from learning piano with his teacher in Corrales. As he gets ready to released New Mexico to the world, here are a few things you didnt know about the songwriter: 1 Cry was the first song written for the EP. 2 I have a twin sister who lives in Albuquerque with her family. 3 Ive been with my boyfriend for 7 years, he also serves as my creative director. 4 I funded the EP with money from my serving job at a Taiwanese spot in LA. 5 The majority of the EP was recorded at my producers studio in Ashland, Oregon. Journey to freedom Albuquerque native Mel Ross is releasing his EP New Mexico, which was inspired by his time growing up in the state. It is available on all digital platforms beginning on Sunday, May 1. Editors note: Venue Plus continues In Case You Didnt Know, a weekly feature with fun tidbits about New Mexicans and their projects. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal About four months after a ransomware attack forced partial closure and halted many of its operations, Bernalillo County has adopted a new cybersecurity policy. Chief Information Officer Robert Benavidez said the new 11-page policy includes some elements that might have helped had they been in place before the Jan. 5 attack, including one requiring a multi-factor authentication process to access certain accounts. Even with a password, someone attempting to log in will need another code received via a separate device or application, such as a phone. Benavidez said the county was already moving toward such a requirement before the attack but had not yet implemented it. Accounts were definitely one of the mechanisms (the attackers) exploited in the incident earlier this year, Benavidez said, though he said he was not able to provide more detail. A year ago I wouldve said its a good idea, Benavidez said. Today its a necessity. The countys new policy which replaces existing internet use and email policies also notes that Bernalillo County systems are monitored by a 247 Security Operations Center, which Benavidez said is a new development. All network computers have sensors that will alert the SOC of suspicious activity to initiate necessary intervention, he said. The Bernalillo County Commission unanimously approved the new policy Tuesday night. The January ransomware attack had a dramatic impact on county operations. The county closed its Downtown headquarters for several days, temporarily locked down the Metropolitan Detention Center and was unable to process legal documents such as marriage licenses and real estate transactions. But the county was able to recover without paying attackers a ransom, Benavidez said. The county had insurance to cover up to $2 million in costs associated with such incidents. Its deductible is $250,000, and Bernalillo County is splitting the cost with the statewide New Mexico Counties organization. Five years ago, I traded in my 2001 Toyota Prius for a used Chevy Spark electric car. I was excited to never again stop at the gas station. Since then, Ive found driving an electric vehicle is easy and cheap. I didnt have to do any electrical upgrades to charge at home the car actually plugs into a regular 120-volt outlet. I dont drive much, so my electricity bill only went up about $6 per month. Driving an EV was the right choice for clean air and my pocketbook. Electric vehicles can help all New Mexicans get where they need to go without paying a lot for gasoline or diesel fuel. EVs use much less energy compared to gasoline-fueled vehicles and can be powered by locally-produced renewable electricity at stable and predictable prices rather than imported oil. Charging at home is roughly the same as fueling up on dollar-a-gallon gasoline. Maintenance costs are much less, too. EVs do not need oil changes. They do not have transmissions that can break. Those savings really add up: Non-profit Consumer Reports has found EVs typically cost between $6,000 and $10,000 less to own and operate than comparable combustion vehicles over their lifetime. And the savings potential will only grow as manufacturing volume increases and battery costs decline. Electric vehicles can also help clean up our air and protect our climate. Vehicle tailpipes are the second-highest source of climate-changing carbon pollution in the state, causing drought, fires and extreme heat. Tailpipe pollutants are linked to poor health, including decreases in lung function, inflammation of airways, aggravated asthma, increased risk of cancer, damage to the immune system, and neurological, reproductive, developmental and other health problems. Residents of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color often located near high-traffic corridors and industrial facilities are disproportionately impacted by health ailments linked to vehicle emissions. Meanwhile, electric vehicles have no tailpipes and produce no direct emissions. The only problem? Its not that easy to buy an electric car in New Mexico right now. There are currently about 20 different models of electric vehicles available for purchase in the United States, with dozens more coming. However, most of those cars are going to other states. Thats why it is so important Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has proposed to make New Mexico a clean-cars state. On May 4, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board and the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board will consider adopting new clean-car standards, which would require auto manufacturers to build more all-electric passenger vehicles and deliver them to New Mexico. That will make it easier for New Mexicans who want an electric vehicle to get one. Over time, it will also increase the availability of affordable used EVs, helping more New Mexicans access the benefits of electric transportation. You can help. Join the New Mexico Clean Cars Clean Air Coalition and add your voice in support of new vehicle emission standards at NMCleanCarsCleanAir.com. Together we can cut pollution, improve our health, preserve our climate and save money. Lets charge ahead! Let me be perfectly clear up front: the farmers of the middle Rio Grande valley are the lifeblood of the community. From family farms to agribusiness, the farms of this valley formed who and what we are today, and we will forever be grateful for their lifes work. Unfortunately, no family, business or person is perfect. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. Hopefully, we are close enough that the strong can compensate for the weak. Much has been said recently regarding a comment I made before the Water Utility Authority Board. Plain and simple, I misspoke. I referenced that farmers are among the biggest water wasters in the valley. My intent was to say they are some of the largest water users in the valley based on their business and the type of irrigation used on crops, flood irrigation. This centuries-old form of irrigation using acequias and irrigation canals has been passed down through the generations. No process is perfect, though. While new irrigation techniques and processes are being put into place every year, the fact remains, flood irrigation is not the most efficient. It is necessary for some crops, but without proper leveling, a sturdy and reliable delivery system, and the learned application of proper and timely irrigation, this process can be taxing to an already depleted water capacity. My intent is an inquiry into available resources to the agricultural community to assist them in making the most efficient use of the scarce water supply available. Its a question of how to educate the general public, as well as farmers, as to programs, financial assistance and knowledge that can be shared within our community of urban and agricultural water users, to help optimize water use. This is not just a farming issue or residential water-use issue; it is a community issue, where we all must share in the water problems we are facing. In 2020, I, along with all commissioners, signed off on the Bernalillo County Water Conservation Plan. Within this plan is a section on agricultural water conservation incentive programs. The plan outlines education and outreach activities for the agricultural community and beyond. Please know I support the agricultural interests of this wonderful valley. Our farming community works hard to supply the basic food needs of people and animals alike. My job is to work side-by-side with all members of this community and help, as we all would like to be helped. I will apologize to anyone my misguided words may have offended. However, I will not apologize for asking the tough questions and working hard to find solutions and better ways of protecting one of our dearest natural resources. I look forward to working with anyone and everyone who shares in the desire to conserve water and build for our future and close with the words of President John F. Kennedy: Our farmers deserve praise, not condemnation; and their efficiency should be cause for gratitude, not something for which they are penalized. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Renewable generation is now powering up nearly nine-tenths of all government operations in Albuquerque, following the inauguration of a new, 50-megawatt solar array at the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Mayor Tim Keller joined with public officials from Deming and Silver City, and from Santa Fe and Grant counties, to celebrate the plants opening on Earth Day last Friday. All five local governments helped fund the project along with Deming Public Schools, Western New Mexico University and Walmart through a first-of-its-kind public-private collaboration with Public Service Company of New Mexico. Under that partnership, dubbed the PNM Solar Direct program, the utility will distribute all electricity generated among the participating entities, helping them achieve renewable goals while lowering their long-term power costs. For Albuquerque, the newly inaugurated plant combined with other rooftop solar systems built by the city in recent years is now supplying 88% of government electricity, Keller said during last Fridays celebration at La Fonda hotel in Santa Fe. Its a landmark, transformational project for the city, Keller said. It makes us the fourth most-solar government of any city in the country. Keller set a goal of 100% renewable energy for city operations when he first took office in 2017. That ushered in accelerated development of rooftop systems, solar-equipped parking structures, energy efficiency retrofits at city buildings, adoption of electric vehicles and construction of charging stations. But to reach 100% renewables, the city needed a utility-scale project, Keller said. And it needed partners to pursue it, which the Direct Solar program offered. We needed a giant solar plant, not just rooftop systems, so we partnered with PNM and others, Keller said. Thats what it takes the community coming together in a full-ranging partnership. Thats allowed us to move much, much faster. The facility is located on some 500 acres at Jicarilla, which already had a transmission line connecting to PNMs grid, lowering project costs. There are no property taxes at Jicarilla, but the tribe will receive $1.5 million in land lease payments for hosting the plant, which is now the third-largest utility-scale solar array currently operating on tribal lands in the U.S. Spanish energy company Repsol built the facility, marking that firms first solar development project in the U.S., Chief Operating Officer Federico Toro said at Fridays celebration. It will supply enough electricity to power the equivalent of 16,000 homes, Toro told event participants. Repsol is now under contract with PNM to build a second 50-MW solar array with 20 MW of backup battery storage at Jicarilla. The company broke ground in mid-April on that project, which is one of four solar facilities PNM plans to replace the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station after it shuts down later this year. Taken together, those four planned solar facilities, which are of different sizes, will provide a total of 600 MW of renewable generation, with 300 MW of backup battery storage. Editors note: An earlier version of this story misquoted Mayor Tim Kellers characterization of Albuquerques ranking in terms of cities in the U.S. being powered by solar energy. Keller said the city is now the fourth most-solar government in the country. The story also misstated the name of the solar project. Its name is PNM Solar Direct. The story has been updated. The Best Buddies Friendship Walk in support of inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be held Saturday at the Albuquerque Academy, 6400 Wyoming NE. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m. A dance party will be held on the outdoor track following the walk. Best Buddies New Mexico is part of Best Buddies International, a nonprofit that promotes a global volunteer movement that encourages one-to-one friendships with people who have developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as promotes job training, job placement and leadership development for those individuals. Since 2009, more than 400,000 participants have participated in friendship walks held in communities across the country, raising more than $25 million in support of friendship programs in all 50 states. Best Buddies founder, Anthony K. Shriver, said in a news release that he was inspired by the enthusiasm generated by the Best Buddies mission in Albuquerque. The participants significantly impact the lives of those with special abilities, and the employer partners in this community have empowered these individuals, and are actively making not just Albuquerque, but the world, a more inclusive place, he said. Participants can register in advance for the Saturday event at bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/newmexico, or they can register on-site prior to the event. People can also make donations through the website to teams of walkers, or they can make a general donation to Best Buddies. KYIV, Ukraine Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscows forces retreated weeks ago. Nearly a dozen people were wounded in the attack on Kyiv, including one who lost a leg and others who were trapped in the rubble when two buildings were hit, rescue officials said. The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Ukraine has become an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain. A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country, in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses. Ukrainian authorities also reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin says is its main objective and near Kharkiv, a northeastern city outside the Donbas that is seen as key to the offensive. In the ruined southern port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian fighters holed up in the steel plant that represents the last pocket of resistance said concentrated bombing overnight killed and wounded more people. And authorities warned that a lack of safe drinking water inside the city could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dysentery. In Zaporizhzhia, a crucial way station for tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Mariupol, an 11-year-old boy was among at least three people wounded in a rocket attack that authorities said was the first to hit a residential area in the southern city since the war began. Shards of glass cut the boys leg to the bone. Vadym Vodostoyev, the boys father, said: It just takes one second and youre left with nothing. The fresh attacks came as Guterres surveyed the destruction in small towns outside the capital that saw some of the worst horrors of the first onslaught of the war. He condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia withdrew in early April in the face of unexpectedly stiff resistance. Wherever there is a war, the highest price is paid by civilians, the U.N. chief lamented. Separately, Ukraines prosecutor accused 10 Russian soldiers of being involved in the torture of peaceful people in Bucha. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova did not say her office had filed criminal charges, and she appealed to the public for help in gathering evidence. Russia denies it targets civilians. During his nightly video address, Zelenskyy renewed his pledge to hold Russian soldiers accountable for crimes they commit and said about the 10 identified earlier Thursday: Some of them may not, after all, live until a trial and fair punishment. But only for one reason: This Russian brigade has been transferred to the Kharkiv region. There theyll receive retribution from our military. In the attack on Kyiv, explosions shook the city and flames poured out of windows in at least two buildings including a residential one in the capital, which has been relatively unscathed in recent weeks. Ukrainian emergency services said 10 people were wounded in the attack, which sent plumes of smoke billowing over the city. The explosions in northwestern Kyivs Shevchenkivsky district came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing numbers of people have been out and about, enjoying the spring weather. It was not immediately clear how far away the attack was from Guterres. Getting a full picture of the unfolding battle in the east has been difficult because airstrikes and artillery barrages have made it extremely dangerous for reporters to move around. Several journalists have been killed in the war, now in its third month. Also, both Ukraine and the Moscow-backed rebels fighting in the east have introduced tight restrictions on reporting from the combat zone. Western officials say the Kremlins apparent goal is to take the Donbas by encircling and crushing Ukrainian forces from the north, south and east. But so far, Russias troops and their allied separatist forces appear to have made only minor gains, taking several small towns as they try to advance in relatively small groups against staunch Ukrainian resistance. Russian military units were mauled in the abortive bid to storm Kyiv and had to regroup and refit. Some analysts say the delay in launching a full-fledged offensive may reflect a decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to wait until his forces are ready for a decisive battle, instead of rushing in and risking another failure that could shake his rule amid worsening economic conditions at home because of Western sanctions. Many observers suspect Putin wants to be able to claim a big victory in the east by Victory Day, on May 9, one of the proudest holidays on the Russian calendar, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II. As Russia presses its offensive, civilians again bear the brunt. Its not just scary. Its when your stomach contracts from pain, said Kharkiv resident Tatiana Pirogova. When they shoot during the day, its still OK, but when the evening comes, I cant describe how scary it is. Ukraines military said that Russian troops were subjecting several places in the Donbas to intense fire and that over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces had repelled six attacks in the region. Four civilians were killed in heavy shelling of residential areas in the Luhansk region of the Donbas, according to the regional governor. Columns of smoke could be seen rising at different points across the Donetsk region of the Donbas, and artillery and sirens were heard on and off. Many of the Russian troops who were in Mariupol have been leaving and moving to the northwest, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. military assessment, didnt have exact numbers but said a significant number of the roughly one dozen battalion tactical groups that were in the city were moving out. Russian forces are making slow, incremental progress in the Donbas gaining only several kilometers on any given day, the official said. As of Thursday, Russia had launched about 1,900 missiles into Ukraine the vast majority fired from outside Ukraines borders. Most are strikes on Mariupol and the Donbas. In Mariupol, video posted online by Ukraines Azov Regiment inside the steel plant showed people combing through the rubble to remove the dead and help the wounded. The regiment said the Russians hit an improvised underground hospital and its surgery room, killing an unspecified number of people. The video couldnt be independently verified. An estimated 100,000 people remained trapped in Mariupol. Deadly epidemics may break out in the city due to the lack of centralized water supply and sewers, the city council said on the messaging app Telegram. It reported bodies decaying under the rubble and a catastrophic shortage of drinking water and food. Ukraine has urged its allies to send even more military equipment to fend off the Russians. U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress for an additional $33 billion to help Ukraine. ___ This story was corrected to remove a reference to a man being killed in the attack on Kyiv. He lost a leg in the attack. ___ Associated Press journalists Jon Gambrell and Yuras Karmanau in Lviv, Mstyslav Chernov in Kharkiv, Yesica Fisch in Sloviansk, and AP staff around the world contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine CITY OF RIO RANCHO IFB 22-PW-021 WELL 13R EQUIPPING AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS Due to the current health concerns and the changing environment in respect to COVID-19 the City is requesting all bid submissions be submitted via email to anggallegos@rrnm.gov no later than 10:00 AM MST on June 1, 2022. The City will conduct the public bid opening and reading of bids received via the GoToMeeting service. A link will be provided on the Citys website. Bidders must submit their original bid in a sealed envelope or container via USPS, other mailing services or hand deliver no later than 4:00 PM MST on June 2, 2022 to the address specified in the bid document. Bidders will be deemed Non-Responsive if original physical bid submissions are received after the aforementioned date. Project Description: The City of Rio Rancho is soliciting formal bids for the equipping of Well 13R with a new 600 gpm pump, including a new variable frequency drive, onsite generated sodium hypochlorite system, and associated valves and piping. Constructing a new CMU Well building, including onsite associated grading and site piping modifications. Replacing existing Arsenic Treatment Facility (ATF) appurtenances and system startup. Removal and disposal of the existing well building including capping and abandonment of existing Well 13. Site modifications including grading and drainage improvements, access roads, and removal and replacement of chain link fence. A Mandatory Pre-Bid meeting will be held on-site on May 12, 2022 at 10:00 AM MST at 3301 Northern Boulevard NW (Well Site 13 at Northern Boulevard and Encino Road NW). Plans, Specifications and other Contract Documents, including instructions to Bidders and Bid Forms files are available on the City of Rio Ranchos IFB/RFP Postings web page via the following link in electronic format only: https://rrnm-gov.bonfirehub.com/portal/ ?tab=openOpportunities. NOTICE: The City of Rio Rancho Procurement Code, Section 36.37, paragraph B, notes that New Mexico criminal statutes impose felony penalties for illegal bribes, gratuities, and kickbacks. This IFB is issued on behalf of the City of Rio Rancho by the Purchasing Division, which is the SOLE POINT OF CONTACT DURING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. Any inquires or requests during the procurement process shall be directed to the following point of contact: Issuing Office: City of Rio Rancho Purchasing and Contracts Division 3200 Civic Center Circle NE, Suite 300 Rio Rancho, NM 87144 (505) 891-5064 Journal: April 28, 2022 LONDON Twitters quarterly profit, revenue and the number of daily users on its platform are rising but its quarterly report, released days after agreeing to be sold to billionaire Elon Musk, offered scant details about what it expects on the financial front for the rest of the year. The social media company on Thursday reported net income of $513 million, or 61 cents a share, but that includes a big one-time gain from the sale of its MoPub business, clouding comparisons with the year-ago period. Revenue, most of it from ads, rose 16% to $1.2 billion in the three months to March compared with the same period last year, though the company said the figure reflected headwinds associated with the war in Ukraine, without elaborating. Twitter reported an average of 229 million daily active users in the quarter, which was about 14 million more than a revised 214.7 million daily users in the previous quarter. The San Francisco company canceled a conference call with executives and industry analysts that usually accompanies its results, so there will be little further insight into the companys current financial condition. Given the pending acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, we will not be providing any forward looking guidance, and are withdrawing all previously provided goals and outlook, the company said. Musk, whos paying $54.20 for each outstanding share of Twitter, did not speak publicly on the quarterly report, perhaps among its last as a publicly traded entity. Musks $44 billion deal to buy Twitter was announced earlier this week and is expected to close sometime this year. But before the deal is completed, shareholders will have to weigh in, as well as regulators in the U.S. and in countries where Twitter does business. So far though, few hurdles are expected, despite objections from some of Twitters own employees, along with users who worry about Musks stance on free speech and what it might mean for harassment and hate speech on the platform. Angelo Zino, tech analyst at CFRA, said the results, combined with a slew of challenges facing the digital ad industry, should solidify the boards decision to approve Musks offer. We see little reason to believe Twitter could extract greater shareholder value remaining public, he said in a research note. Still, Twitter shares have yet to reach the buyout price and on Thursday, the companys stock rose slightly to $49.11. The gap between the deal price and current stock price seems to indicate that some investors remain uncertain about when and whether the deal will be completed, said Harry Kraemer, a former CEO and chairman of Baxter International who is now a professor at Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management. One factor in the uncertainty is how unusual it is for an individual to buy a multibillion-dollar company. In the case of a publicly-traded company acquiring another, investors can examine the buyers financial disclosures and see whether they have the cash to fund the deal. The buyer can also issue shares to raise funds, as needed. But in this case, Tesla is not buying the company, Elon Musk is, Kraemer said. Elon Musk is an individual. You cant look at a balance sheet and see where the cash is coming from. Another factor is Musks propensity to change his mind, fueling fears he could back out of the deal, even if he has to pay a $1 billion break-up fee. Musk, who also runs the electric car company Tesla, as well as SpaceX and other ventures, says he plans to take Twitter private. If he does, the company will no longer be beholden to shareholders or publicly report its financial results, which have been mixed at best since the company went public in 2013. Twitter has struggled to consistently post profits as a public company while generating lackluster revenue growth compared to the two dominant forces in digital advertising, Google and Facebook. On one hand, going private could give Twitter more room to experiment while focusing less on short-term profit and its stock price. On the other hand, even the worlds richest man is likely to want the company to make money. I think there is nothing better for Twitter than Elon Musk buying it and ideally replacing the board, and also doubling down on investments into products and new revenue-generating sources, John Meyer, a technology entrepreneur and investor, told The Associated Press earlier this week. _____ Barbara Ortutay reported from Oakland, California. ___ See all of APs tech coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/technology BOSTON Russias relentless digital assaults on Ukraine may have caused less damage than many anticipated. But most of its hacking is focused on a different goal that gets less attention but has chilling potential consequences: data collection. Ukrainian agencies breached on the eve of the Feb. 24 invasion include the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which oversees the police, national guard and border patrol. A month earlier, a national database of automobile insurance policies was raided during a diversionary cyberattack that defaced Ukrainian websites. The hacks, paired with prewar data theft, likely armed Russia with extensive details on much of Ukraines population, cybersecurity and military intelligence analysts say. Its information Russia can use to identify and locate Ukrainians most likely to resist an occupation, and potentially target them for internment or worse. Fantastically useful information if youre planning an occupation, Jack Watling, a military analyst at the U.K. think tank Royal United Services Institute, said of the auto insurance data, knowing exactly which car everyone drives and where they live and all that. As the digital age evolves, information dominance is increasingly wielded for social control, as China has shown in its repression of the Uyghur minority. It was no surprise to Ukrainian officials that a prewar priority for Russia would be compiling information on committed patriots. The idea was to kill or imprison these people at the early stages of occupation, Victor Zhora, a senior Ukrainian cyber defense official, alleged. Aggressive data collection accelerated just ahead of the invasion, with hackers serving Russias military increasingly targeting individual Ukrainians, according to Zhoras agency, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection. Serhii Demediuk, deputy secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, said via email that personal data continues to be a priority for Russian hackers as they attempt more government network breaches: Cyberwarfare is really in the hot phase nowadays. There is little doubt political targeting is a goal. Ukraine says Russian forces have killed and kidnapped local leaders where they grab territory. Demediuk was stingy with specifics but said Russian cyberattacks in mid-January and as the invasion commenced sought primarily to destroy the information systems of government agencies and critical infrastructure and included data theft. The Ukrainian government says the Jan. 14 auto insurance hack resulted in the pilfering of up to 80% of Ukrainian policies registered with the Motor Transport Bureau. Demediuk acknowledged that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was among government agencies breached Feb. 23. He said a small part of the ministrys data was stolen but so far no case of its use has been established. He did not provide specifics. Security researchers from ESET and other cybersecurity firms that work with Ukraine said the networks were compromised months earlier, allowing ample time for stealthy theft. The data collection by hacking is a work long in progress. A unit of Russias FSB intelligence agency that researchers have dubbed Armageddon has been doing it for years out of Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Ukraine says it sought to infect more than 1,500 Ukrainian government computer systems. Since October it has tried to breach and maintain access to government, military, judiciary and law enforcement agencies as well as nonprofits, with a primary goal of exfiltrating sensitive information, Microsoft said in a Feb. 4 blog post. That included unnamed organizations critical to emergency response and ensuring the security of Ukrainian territory, plus humanitarian aid distribution. Post-invasion, hackers have targeted European organizations that aid Ukrainian refugees, according to Zhora and the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint. Authorities have not specified which organizations or what may have been stolen. Yet another attack, on April 1, crippled Ukraines National Call Center, which runs a hotline for complaints and inquiries on a wide array of matters: corruption, domestic abuse, people displaced by the invasion, war veteran benefits. Used by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, it issues COVID-19 vaccine certificates and collects callers personal data including emails, addresses and phone numbers. Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, believes the attack may, like many others, have a greater psychological than intelligence-gathering impact aiming to degrade Ukrainians trust in their institutions. Make them scared that when the Russians take over, if they dont cooperate, the Russians are going to know who they are, where they are and come after them, Meyers said. The attack knocked the center offline for at least three days, center director Marianna Vilshinska said: We couldnt work. Neither phones nor chatbots worked. They broke down all the system. Hackers calling themselves the Cyber Army of Russia claimed to steal personal data on 7 million people in the attack. However, Vilshinska denied they breached the database with users personal information. They didnt get any valuable information, she said. She confirmed that a contact list the hackers posted online of more than 300 center employees was genuine as well as a spreadsheet with employee passwords. But she said other files the hackers posted listing 3 million names and phone numbers and 1 million addresses were not from the center. Spear-phishing attacks in recent weeks have focused on military, national and local officials, aimed at stealing credentials to open government data troves. Such activity relies heavily on Ukraines cellular networks, which Meyers of CrowdStrike said have been far too rich in intelligence for Russia to want to shut down. On March 31, Ukraines SBU intelligence agency said it had seized a bot farm in the eastern region of Dnipropretrovsk that was controlled remotely from Russia and sent text messages to 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers, police and SBU members urging them to surrender or sabotage their units. Agency spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko said authorities were investigating how the phone numbers were obtained. Gene Yoo, CEO of the cybersecurity firm ReSecurity, said it likely was not difficult: Subscriber databases of major Ukrainian wireless companies have been available for sale by cybercriminals on the dark web for some time as they are for many countries. If Russia is successful at taking control of more of eastern Ukraine, stolen personal data will be an asset. Russian occupiers have already collected passport information, a top Ukrainian presidential adviser tweeted recently, that could help organize separatist referendums. Ukraine, for its part, appears to have done significant data collection quietly assisted by the U.S., the U.K., and other partners targeting Russian soldiers, spies and police, including rich geolocation data. Demediuk, the top security official, said the country knows exactly where and when a particular serviceman crossed the border with Ukraine, in which occupied settlement he stopped, in which building he spent the night, stole and committed crimes on our land. We know their cell phone numbers, the names of their parents, wives, children, their home addresses, who their neighbors are, where they went to school and the names of their teachers, he said. Analysts caution that some claims about data collection from both sides of the conflict may be exaggerated. But in recordings posted online by Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mikhailo Fedorov, callers are heard phoning the far-flung wives of Russian soldiers and posing as Russian state security officials to say parcels shipped to them from Belarus were looted from Ukrainian homes. In one, a nervous-sounding woman acknowledges receiving what she calls souvenirs a womans bag, a keychain. The caller tells her she shares criminal liability, that her husband killed people in Ukraine and stole their stuff. She hangs up. ___ AP data journalist Larry Fenn in New York and Inna Varenytsia in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. JERUSALEM Prime Minister Naftali Bennetts teenage son has received a death threat and bullet in the mail, Israeli officials said Thursday, he second such warning against the Israeli leaders family this week. The threats have come at a time of deep political divisions in Israel. In a major speech on Wednesday night marking Israels Holocaust memorial day, Bennett had spoken out against the polarization in Israel, urging citizens not to let internal divisions rip society apart. Israeli police said that both incidents were being investigated, but gave few other details, including where the items were sent and who might have sent them. Bennett has been the target of fierce criticism from Israels hard-line right wing since forming his governing coalition last year. In 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish ultranationalist opposed to his peacemaking efforts with the Palestinians. Bennetts government is made up of eight parties from across the political spectrum, including religious nationalists, centrists and an Islamic party. It is the first Arab party to be part of a governing coalition. These parties have little in common beyond their shared animosity to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They have agreed to put aside many of their differences while focusing on common ground, such as the economy, managing the coronavirus crisis and spending on education and social services. Netanyahu, now the opposition leader, has worked hard to undermine the coalition. Critics have accused Bennett, who leads a small, religious nationalist party, of abandoning his core hard-line beliefs. One member of his Yamina party was sanctioned this week as a defector for repeatedly supporting the opposition in hundreds of votes. Another member of his party recently resigned from the coalition, leaving the fragile alliance without a parliamentary majority. Bennett formed the coalition last June after four inconclusive elections that underscored the fissures in society over key issues as well as the polarizing effects of Netanyahus 12-year rule. In Wednesdays speech, coming on one of the most solemn days of the year, Bennett implored the nation to put aside its differences. My brothers and sisters, we cannot, we simply cannot allow the same dangerous gene of factionalism dismantle Israel from within, Bennett said. That speech came a day after his family received a bullet in the mail for the first time. The episode prompted his 17-year-old son Yoni to express his sadness in an Instagram post. Its just sad to see that real people write such horrible things, he said. To think that he lives and breathes like me but has a brain that was created by the devil is crazy. Bennett is a former top aide to Netanyahu, and Yoni is named after Netanyahus older brother, who was killed in a famous 1976 Israeli commando raid while rescuing a hijacked airplane in Uganda. An Israeli official familiar with the matter confirmed on Thursday that the second threatening letter and bullet had been sent to Yoni Bennett. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Police have imposed a gag order on their investigation, and officials declined to say whether there were any suspects. While many indications pointed to Jewish extremists, the threats also come at a time of heightened tensions with the Palestinians following a series of deadly Palestinian attacks in Israeli cities, Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank, and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at Jerusalems most sensitive holy site and cross-border fighting with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma House gave final approval Thursday to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The bill approved by the GOP-led House without discussion or debate now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it within days. The assault on abortion rights is one of several culture-war issues conservatives in GOP-led states have embraced, like restricting LGBTQ rights, that drive the partys base in an election year. A coalition of Oklahoma abortion providers and abortion rights advocates immediately filed separate legal challenges in state court to both the Texas-style ban and a separate bill Stitt signed earlier this month to make abortion a felony. Legal experts say its likely both measures could be temporarily halted before they take effect. House members also voted Thursday to adopt new language prohibiting transgender students from using school restrooms that match their gender identity and requiring parental notification ahead of any classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. Theyre all concerned about their elections coming up and making sure they have something they can put on a postcard to talk about, said Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Midwest City. The abortion bill, dubbed the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act, prohibits the procedure once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo, which experts say is roughly six weeks into a pregnancy. A similar bill approved in Texas last year led to a dramatic reduction in the number of abortions performed in that state, with many women going to Oklahoma and other surrounding states for the procedure. Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. After the U.S. Supreme Court allowed that mechanism to remain in place, other Republican-led states sought to copy Texas ban. Idahos governor signed the first copycat measure in March, although it has been temporarily blocked by the states Supreme Court. Although Stitt already signed a bill this year to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, that measure is not set to take effect until this summer. But the ban approved by the House on a 68-12 vote Thursday has an emergency provision that allows it to take effect immediately after the governor signs it. Abortion providers say it will immediately end most abortions in Oklahoma unless a court intervenes. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has repeatedly found that the state legislatures extreme attempts to restrict abortion are unconstitutional, and these bans are some of the most extreme yet, Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. A separate bill that uses the Texas-style enforcement mechanism to ban all abortions, not just after cardiac activity is detected, passed the Senate on Thursday and heads to the House for consideration. The bills are among more than a half-dozen anti-abortion measures introduced in the Legislature this year. We are more concerned at this point about these Texas-style bans because they have, at least recently, been able to continue and remain in effect, said Emily Wales, interim president and CEO at Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates two abortion clinics in Oklahoma. We do intend to challenge those if theyre passed, but because of the emergency clause provisions, there would be at least some period of time when we could not offer care. Before the Texas ban took effect last year, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. That number jumped to 222 Texas women in September and 243 in October, the agency reported. Were serving as many Texans as Oklahomans right now, in some cases more Texans than Oklahomans, Wales said. Tony Lauinger, the chairman of Oklahomans for Life and a longtime anti-abortion advocate in the state, said hes optimistic the measure will be deemed constitutional. Its identical to the bill that was enacted by the Texas Legislature last year, and that bill has passed muster with the United States Supreme Court, Lauinger said. We are hopeful that this bill will save the lives of more unborn children here in Oklahoma as well. ___ This story has been corrected to indicate the bill targets cardiac activity in the embryo, not fetus. MINNEAPOLIS Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is appealing his conviction for murder in the killing of George Floyd, arguing that jurors were intimidated by the protests that followed and prejudiced by heavy pretrial publicity. Chauvin asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals in a court filing Monday to reverse his conviction, reverse and remand for a new trial in a new venue, or order a resentencing. Last June, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 1/2 years in prison after jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pinned the Black man to the ground with his knee on his neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds. Floyd had been accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. Three other fired officers face state trial this summer after being convicted in federal court earlier this year of violating Floyds civil rights. Chauvins attorney, William Mohrman, laid out a number of challenges to his conviction, including that the trial should not have been held in Hennepin County, where Floyd was killed. The overwhelming media coverage exposed the jurors literally every day to news demonizing Chauvin and glorifying Floyd which was more than sufficient to presume prejudice, the brief said. In the months that followed Floyds killing, protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and around the country to protest police brutality and racism. Some of that unrest was violent. Mohrman said several potential jurors expressed concerns during jury selection that if Chauvin was acquitted they would fear for their personal safety and worried about more violence. He said several of them said they were intimidated by the security measures implemented at the courthouse to protect trial participants from protesters. The filing also cited the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by a police officer in nearby Brooklyn Center that sparked mor protests during Chauvins trial. It says jurors should have been sequestered after selection to avoid being prejudiced by reports of that slaying. It also cited a $27 million settlement reached between the city and Floyds family that was announced during jury selection, saying the timing of that prejudiced jurors in the case. Mohrman cited several instances of alleged prosecutorial misconduct, claiming untimely sharing of evidence, failure to disclose and document dumping by the government. The filing also says the judge did not apply the sentencing guidelines correctly and should not have included abuse of a position of authority as an aggravating sentencing factor for the former police officer. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has 45 days to respond to Chauvins brief. The appeal came as the Minnesota Department of Human Rights released the results of a nearly two-year investigation launched after Floyds slaying. It found the Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least a decade, including stopping and arresting Black people at a higher rate than white people, using force more often on people of color and maintaining a culture where racist language is tolerated. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd Two people were injured when gunfire erupted Thursday afternoon at an apartment complex in Southeast Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said officers have interviewed the potential shooter and his mother but did not say if charges were pending. The two people who were shot are expected to survive. He said bystanders flagged down police sometime before 2:30 p.m. to report a shooting at an apartment complex in the 100 block of Tennessee SE, near Central. Gallegos said officers found two people with gunshot wounds and separated the witnesses. He said officers conducted preliminary interviews with a potential offender as well as his mother. Gallegos said the two people who were shot are reportedly in stable condition. PHOENIX A 41-year-old Phoenix man is accused of helping another man who was on the run for several days following the non-fatal shooting of a police officer. Police on Thursday announced the arrest Wednesday of Michael Hankins on suspicion of hindering prosecution in connection with the manhunt for Nicholas Cowan. According to police, Hankins aided Cowan while he wa sought on charges of attempted murder and other crimes in the April 14 shooting in which an officer was wounded. Police said in a probable-cause statement that Hankins allowed Cowan to stay at his apartment for two nights before renting a Scottsdale residence for the wanted man. It wasnt immediately clear whether Hankins had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. Cowan, who was arrested Sunday, remains hospitalized for wounds from an exchange of gunfire with one police officer after another officer was wounded. Police said Thursday that a woman also was arrested Wednesday in the case, but a Maricopa County Superior Court spokesman said Thursday the court didnt have records on charges against that person. UNWTO confirms Russia's intention to withdraw Xinhua) 08:36, April 28, 2022 Photo taken on April 27, 2022 shows the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid, Spain. The UNWTO confirmed here on Wednesday that Russia had announced its intention to withdraw from the organization. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo) MADRID, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) confirmed here on Wednesday that Russia had announced its intention to withdraw from the organization. "Russia has announced its intention to withdraw from UNWTO," explained the UNWTO in a tweet, adding that nevertheless Russia must "follow due process - and this will take a year to complete upon the receipt of the official communications through the appropriate channels." The extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of UNWTO is taking place on Wednesday and Thursday in Madrid, the Spanish capital. Its objective is to decide whether or not Russia has to be suspended due to the conflict with Ukraine, among other issues. For the suspension of Russia to be effective, the support of two thirds of the 160 members that make up the organization will be necessary. If the suspension is approved, it will be applied immediately. In its provisional agenda for the meeting, the "consideration of the suspension of the membership of the Russian Federation in accordance with article 34 of the Statutes" is specified, among other topics. "Our statutes are clear: The promotion of tourism for peace and universal respect for human rights. Only members who comply with this can be part of the UNWTO," said Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the UNWTO, on Twitter. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The Tatas have announced the merger of Air India (AI) with AirAsia India Pvt ltd (AAIPL) and will bring these two under one umbrella at a colossal office in Gurgaon. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) was informed by Air India about the merger. AAIPL, which has started operations in the year 2014, does not hold the rights to fly abroad. The notification to CCI reads; An indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Private Limited (TSPL), Air India, acquires the entire equity share capital of AAIPL and currently 83.67% of the equity share capital of AAIPL, is owned by TSPL. The remaining 16.33 % stake at AAIPL will be owned by AirAsia. The suggested merger is reported under the Competition Act, 2002. It further adds: The suggested amalgamation is not going to have an effect on the competitive situation or cast an unfavourable influence on the competition in India. In addition, the Tata Group has begun to move all four airlines to a single mega headquarters in Gurgaon, a suburb of Delhi, in order to improve synergy. It has allocated office space that can be rented immediately and spans up to 70,000 square feet. The company is now finalising its office requirements with Tata Realty and aims to begin the shift as soon as possible. In order to optimise resources, promote teamwork, and increase synergies at work, the various entities would relocate together into a complex in Gurgaon in phases. We have discovered a new office location on NH8 where we have the opportunity to lease up to 700,000 sq ft immediately, according to a statement issued to the leaders of these five Tata aviation firms. We must now determine our specific space requirements and promptly begin preparing the shift to this new location. We plan to relocate in the next two to three months. The duty of developing the strategic plan has been assigned to Harpreet A De Singh, ED headquarters, as well as Ernst & Young consultants, the statement continues. The businesses have been urged to provide this team with information regarding their required office space as soon as possible, in order to enable this strategic change and consolidation. Gurgaon already is home to IndiGo and SpiceJet, so this move will solidify the citys position as Indias aviation capital. Mumbai, once a major airline hub, currently has only a few large airlines, such as GoAir. AI and AI Express were purchased by the Tata Group in late January. It is still unclear how the four airlines will be merged, with the options being: a low-cost airline formed by merging AI Express and AirAsia India, AI and Vistara; one full-service and a low-cost airline formed by merging AI Express and AirAsia India, AI and Vistara; and AI (merging all three) and Vistaara until the latters 49 percent stakeholder, Singapore Airlines, agrees to a merger with AI. To finalise the future course of action, the company is looking for a CEO for its airline division US multiplay telcos Charter Communications and Comcast Corporation have formed a 50/50 joint venture to develop and offer a next-generation streaming platform on a variety of branded 4K streaming devices and smart TVs, aimed at providing consumers with a world-class user experience and navigation, all the top apps, and more choice in the streaming marketplace. The joint venture will offer app developers, streamers, retailers, operators, and hardware manufacturers the opportunity to reach customers in major markets across the country with the platform. Comcast will license Flex, its aggregated streaming platform and hardware to the joint venture, contribute the retail business for XClass TVs and also will contribute Xumo, a streaming service it acquired in 2020. Charter will make an initial contribution of $900 million, funded over multiple years. Were thrilled to partner with Charter to bring this platform and its award-winning experience to millions of new customers. These products are all designed to make search and discovery across live, on-demand and streaming video seamless and incredibly simple for consumers, said Dave Watson, CEO of Comcast Cable. This partnership uniquely brings together more than a decade of technical innovation, national scale and new opportunities to monetize our combined investment. Our new venture will bring a full-featured operating platform, new devices, and smart TVs with a robust app store providing a more streamlined and aggregated experience for the customer, said Tom Rutledge, Charter Chairman and CEO. As the video landscape continues to evolve, this venture will increase retail consumer options, compete at scale with established national platforms, and join our existing lineup of options for the Spectrum TV App available on most customer-owned streaming devices. The joint ventures products will give consumers a state-of-the-art streaming experience to access their favorite apps, based on Comcasts Flex product, which currently delivers all the most-watched streaming apps in the marketplace. The products will feature hundreds of free content choices through Xumo, a free, ad-supported service currently delivering more than 200 unique streaming channels. Peacock also will be featured on the joint ventures streaming platform, alongside other popular apps. The closing of the joint venture is subject to customary closing conditions. This joint venture does not involve the broadband or cable video businesses of either Comcast or Charter which will remain independent. I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means, Elon Musk had tweeted as the news about his sealing a deal to acquire Twitter for $44 billion spread like wildfire. Ever since the news surfaced, social media has been having a field day with memes that are breaking the Internet, with #twittersold, #ElonMusk, #TwitterTakeover, #Twitterr, #quittwitter, #leavingTwitter, also trending heavily. Many users are furious and are speculating about Musks definition of freedom of speech. According to media reports, the Tesla boss is going to unblock the users who had been barred from Twitter for their controversial views. A case in point is former US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, even as Musk is planning out the future course for Twitter, netizens are reacting about this development in the most creative and vociferous manner. Elon Musk after buying twitter for $44 billion to Donald Trump #twittersold pic.twitter.com/aiVlr0Yi1e Harsh nandan (@nandanharsh181) April 26, 2022 So now that the Elon Musk $45 billion #TwitterTakeover is reality, who on here will be allowed free speech?? No to disinformation!#twittersold #ElonMusk #BlueVoices pic.twitter.com/YZOjycIjE0 Alex (@AlexButterfly01) April 25, 2022 Same time, how brands can be left behind in the race. Every one was following the trends elon musk takes lesser time in buying companies than I do in deciding what pizza to order zomato (@zomato) April 25, 2022 Even some of the netizens and celebrities have plan to #quittwitter we are working on an edit button Twitter (@Twitter) April 1, 2022 If this guy brings Trump back to twitter, we should all leave. The GOP can talk to themselves. #QuitTwitter#BlueTsnami2022 https://t.co/ibyj0Ah4ea Sergeant Mike (@mjfk1957) April 26, 2022 Musk, as a Twitter user with more than 84.5 million followers, has suggested some changes on the platform including adding an edit button, altering Twitter Blue premium subscription services, removing the letter w from Twitter, and converting the company headquarters in San Francisco to a homeless shelter. Even before disclosing his 9.2 per cent stake in Twitter, Musk had tweeted that he was planning to create a new social media platform. Azazul Haque, the former Chief Creative Officer at Mullen Lintas, is now the Chief Content Officer of Sir Martin Sorrell's Media.Monks in India. Media. Monks is a digital-first marketing and advertising services company that connects the dots between content, analytics, and digital media, as well as technology. S4 Capital, a London-based new age/new era advertising and marketing services company founded by Sir Martin Sorrell in 2018, owns it. Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, Sir Martin Sorrell, stated, "Media.Monks India has been rapidly expanding, and with Azaz, we're accelerating even more. Azaz's desire and passion for discovering new ways of brand storytelling will open up new paths for customers, bringing better brand experiences to life, while we challenge analogue, traditional models and approaches. Azaz will guarantee that we weave together content, data and digital media, and technology services with powerful creative concepts. In India, I am confident that the Media.Monks offering will continue to grow." Poran Malani, Country Head, S4 Capital India, said "As we continue to develop, more and more clients are looking at ways to truly maximise the usage of new engaging media platforms with richer storytelling." He added "This necessitates a distinct viewpoint and understanding of technology and how people use it, as well as the most effective way to artistically deliver the story and engage the audience. Azaz is particularly prepared to establish that bridge since he has a proven track record of developing content that promotes brands, as well as an in-depth understanding of technology and what it can do to improve the brand experience. It's going to be a thrilling ride." Azazul Haque stated, speaking about his new profession "For the previous few years, I've wanted to discover new age mediums. But I didn't want to give up what I really enjoy doing, which is coming up with huge ideas that help businesses grow. I simply wanted to reach out to people in a way that wasn't possible with regular television commercials. The Indian public has been increasingly aware of content, digital, social, and technology-driven platforms in recent years. I simply desired a location where everything could take place under one roof, so that when we come up with huge brand concepts, the specialists from each platform could give them the attention they deserved. Traditional agencies aren't suited to handle this. He further added "I knew Media.Monks was the location I was looking for when I learned about Sir Martin Sorrell's vision for Media Monks and spoke with Poran Malani and Kiran Ramamurthy, I had been looking for a place called Monks. It's been a fantastic start since then. There is so much new information to absorb. There are a plethora of options to choose from. It's past time for companies to take a fresh look at agencies. It's past time for groups like Media to take action. Monks pave the way for new advertising techniques and waves. It's a big task, but with the team Media.Monks has assembled, I'm confident it'll usher in a new era of Indian advertising. My previous designation's new complete form also appeals to me. Chief Content Officer is what we call ourselves at Media Monks. This is my new position at Media Monks." In 2001, Azazul Haque joined the Lintas Group. He's worked for Bates, Publicis, Lowe, Mudra, McCann, Contract, and Ogilvy during the course of his career, which spans two decades. Some of his best works are 'Khushiyon ki home delivery' and 'Yeh hai rishto ka time' for Dominos, Madhya Pradesh Tourism campaigns that won awards at Cannes, One Show, Spikes, D&AD, Titan Raga #FlauntYourFlaw, Rajasthan Tourism 'Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye', Satyamev Jayate campaign with Aamir Khan, Amazon- Chonkpur Cheetahs He was the youngest Chief Creative Officer in India at the time, having been promoted to Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy South, in 2016. In an attempt to strike a chord with its target audience MemeChat (MC), Indias most popular homegrown social media meme networking app has unveiled its new offline campaign #FakeAutos, in nama Bengaluru. The city saw 500 autos memefied with funny slogans on current happenings in the city to make them more relatable. In addition to the roaring success offline, the campaign has received an overwhelming response across the brands social media handles garnering a massive reach of 75 million (and counting),3 million likes, and shares till date. One of the netizens stated, At least the traffic is not boring after spotting one of the campaign autos. Speaking on the campaign, Taaran Chanana, Managing Director and Co-Founder of MemeChat said, After the tremendous response in Bangalore, we have geared up to roll out the next offline campaign in Delhi NCR. Gen Z, millennials are the perfect audience for us. The idea is to grab the attention of the Gen Z, millennials group while they travel for their daily work and remind them that some great content is just a glance away. This offline activity has helped us make our engagement with audiences much more personal. The app gathered a current user base of 6 million Downloads and over 20 million memes. It has officially worked with top Indian companies like Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Moj, Sharechat, EaseMyTrip, McDonald's, India Terrain, Slice, MediBuddy, PVR, NiyoX, MxPlayer, Paytm, Netflix, Zee5 and Codashop, creating their user-generated memes. MemeChat recently secured more than USD 1 million in its second round of funding led by Beenext, a Singapore-based venture capital firm., became the only Indian startup to be included in the '500 Startups, one of the most active global venture capital firms, a distinguished accelerator program for its 27th batch in 2020. The company recently launched Indias 1st exclusive NFT Marketplace for Memes called The Meme Club. Nepal government has imposed a total ban on the import of 10 luxurious goods until mid-July 2022 after the countrys economic crisis deepened. The measure has been taken to stop further depleting the country's foreign exchange reserve. According to a notice issued in the Gazette on Wednesday, the goods whose import has been banned include cigarettes and tobacco-related products, diamonds, mobile phone sets, colour TVs with screens bigger than 32 inches, automobiles except for ambulances and hearses, motorcycles above 250cc, toys of all kinds, alcoholic beverages and playing cards. According to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the ban will not apply to those who complete the banking process before April 30. Besides this measure, the government has taken other steps to check the foreign reserve from depleting further. Earlier in the first week of this month, Nepal's central bank had issued a directive to the traders to "discourage" them from opening letters of credit (LC) to import non-essential goods in an effort to stem the outflow of the country's rapidly depleting foreign exchange reserves. Ballooning imports in recent months have led to massive amounts of foreign currency going out of the country, pushing the balance of payments into the red and raising concerns of a crisis. The central bank has discouraged the traders not to import 300 different items besides banning the opening of letters of credit. According to the central bank, an immense portion of bank loans has gone into paying for imports, so the country is short of money to finance economic activities needed to recharge the economy devastated by Covid-19. In case they needed to open letters of credit, the traders need to keep a 100 per cent margin amount to open them to import alcoholic drinks, tobacco, silver, furniture, sugar, sweets, glucose, mineral water, energy drinks, cosmetics, shampoos, hair oils and colours, caps, footwear, umbrellas and construction materials such as bricks, marble, tiles and ceramics, among others. Imports jumped by 42.8 per cent to Rs 1.14 trillion during the first seven months of fiscal 2021-22, against an increase of 0.01 per cent last year. Purchases of petroleum products, medicine, crude palm oil, crude soybean oil, transport equipment, vehicles and parts, among others, have increased sharply. According to NRB, the country has a foreign currency reserve that is enough to meet its import expenses only for the next six months. Currently, the country has a foreign currency reserve of just $9 billion. Gross foreign exchange reserves had plunged by 16.2 per cent to Rs 1.17 trillion as of mid-February 2022, down from Rs 1.39 trillion in mid-July 2021. Similarly, the government of Nepal has also decided to announce public holiday on Saturday and Sunday in order to limit government-owned vehicular movement so that consumption of petroleum products reduce. The import of petroleum product consumes the larger chunk of imports of the country. According to the Department of Customs, Nepal's imports soared by 38.64 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.30 trillion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year ended mid-March. The total trade deficit rose by 34.50 percent to Rs 1.16 trillion during the period under review. If we do not learn from the mistakes of history, we are doomed to repeat them. George Santayana (1863-1952) Fully understanding communism and its effects continues to be a major challenge. What most people dont know, though, is that it was America that hastened the communist takeover in China. For decades, Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist army had fought relentlessly to suppress rebellions by Communist forces. He was successful enough to maintain a democratic government for 21 years. However, Chiang was betrayed both from within his party and by America, the free worlds last remaining superpower, which refused to support his fight against communism. This resulted from a fundamental inconsistency in American attitudes toward Chiang. America should study the past as Taiwan defends itself from being absorbed by Communist China. Nationalism and Communism In 1924, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) joined forces with the Kuomintang (KMT). However, because the CCP was using the alliance to spread communism, the KMT-CCP Alliance inevitably collapsed. Chiang Kai-shek then set out on the Northern Expedition in 1926 and succeeded in reunifying most of the country. Then, in 1928, he formed the Republic of China (ROC) in Nanjing. Communist spies began to infiltrate the KMT national army. General Li Zongren, a former warlord, joined the KMT in 1923. He was secretly against Chiang. Having manipulated support from the US, Li was competing for national leadership against Chiang by ousting Chiangs loyal commanders, replacing them with communists. Chiang successfully neutralized Li. By 1927, China was embroiled in a Civil War. During the first decade, the fighting was between the KMT and the CCP. Maos Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), the fighting arm of the CCP, was weak, losing one battle after another. In 1934, the PLA was defeated and lost 50,000 soldiers at battles in Jiangxi Province. To regroup, Mao led the remaining 86,000 soldiers on the Long March. Only 8,000 reached Xian, their new base. Still, that was enough to renew Maos fighting force. The Xian crisis forced Chiang once again to join forces with the CCP Meanwhile, as Jay Taylors The Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China (based on Chiang Kai-sheks twelve-volume diary) reveals, Chiang was almost undone by his own generals and the CCP launching a plot against him in December 1936. He survived that plot but more was to come. Chiangs favorite commander, Chang Hsueh-Liang (former warlord of Manchuria,) secretly sympathized with Mao and communism. Known as the Young Marshal, Chang worked with Zhou Enlai against Chiang. In 1937, after Japan invaded Manchuria, Young Marshal and other communist sympathizers tried to force Chiang to form a new alliance with Mao to help defeat the Japanese. Chiang rejected the idea, telling Young Marshal, If the KMT chooses to stop the civil war and fight against the Japanese, it would eventually lose leadership of the nation to the CCP. That was prophetic. When Chiang agreed to make a trip to Xian, Shaanxi province, where the PLA had its headquarters, to talk with Zhou about fighting the Japanese, Young Marshal sent Mao a message saying that he intended to stage a coup detat, to which Mao replied, A masterpiece! On December 9, 1936, when Chiang arrived in Xian, Young Marshals troops kidnapped him. While soldiers and citizens wept, powerful warlords supported Young Marshal When news of the kidnapping reached Moscow, Stalin worried that this kidnapping could be disastrous for the Soviet Union. He ordered Mao to reach an agreement with Chiang because the KMT forces were necessary to help defeat the Japanese. Eventually, Zhou Enlai intervened. Zhou promised that the PLA would fight against Japan under Chiangs direction. In return, Chiang promised not to station troops in Maos territories and to provide support (cash and supplies) to all armies fighting the Japanese. Although Chiang never signed the second KMT-CCP alliance, he honored his words, ended the civil war, and fought alongside Mao during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). However, once the Japanese surrendered, the two camps resumed their hostilities. The second phase of the Civil War (1945-1949) between the KMT and the CCP became a full-scale war. The KMT was, as Chiang feared, weakened, leaving it vulnerable both to fifth columnists and Trumans unwillingness to support the Chinese nationalists. Image: Chiang Kai-shek inspects his troops. Public domain. Betrayals from within Unfortunately for Chiang, both during the war against Japan and after, many of those closest to him became communist sympathizers and even agents. Chiang came to rely on Wu Shi, who became one of his Lieutenant-Generals. However, in 1944, when Wu suffered a crushing battle loss, possibly due to CCP agents blocking his communications with Chiang, Wu lost faith in the KMT and, after meeting Zhou, became a red agent, working from within against Chiang. Lieutenant-General Guo Rugui, who was Chiangs confidant for 22 years, was also a red agent. As Ministry of Defenses Director of Operations, Guo provided strategic information about the KMT to the CCP. Other red agents who rose to power during the ROC's final years included Major-General Ge Peiqi, who was running the Northeast Security Command in 1942; Lieutenant-General Liu Fei, who was the Ministry of Defenses Chief of Staff; and Lieutenant-General Zhang Kexia, who helped the PLA win the Yangtze River Crossing battle to capture Nanjing in April 1949. Chiang was unaware that the people upon whom he relied were working against him. America under Truman rejects the Chinese nationalist cause Toward the end of 1948, Chiang wrote in his diary, Reports of lost battles swirl in like falling snow. Not only was he losing support within China, but he was also losing support from America, the worlds only remaining non-communist superpower. Thus, Chiang wrote that his wife, Meiling, was working very hard trying to obtain American help, but getting nowhere. Truman was hostile to Chiang, putting his hopes in Li Zongren, who was a KMT military commander and, by 1947 acting President of the Republic of China. During a visit to America, Li met with Truman and denounced Chiang as a dictator and usurper. It shouldnt have come as a surprise to anyone that Li was also a communist sympathizer. Additionally, the Truman administration saw China with a distorted view through Edgar Snow and his global bestselling book, Red Star Over China. In it, Snow claimed that communism sought to awaken Chinas millions to a belief in human rightsto fight for a life of justice, equality, freedom, and human dignity. Moreover, following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the American people worried about another war and, as John Lennon would later say, they wanted to give peace a chance, even if it meant abandoning China to communism. So it was that, in September 1946, President Truman imposed an embargo on military supplies to the KMT, hoping to force Chiang to resign. The consequence of not receiving new military equipment from the U.S. was that the Kuomintang was defeated in September 1948. By December 1948, when Chiang still hadnt resigned, Truman angrily wrote to him asking When will you resign? Mao worried a great deal (a fear he expressed to Stalin) that, if Truman did force Chiang out, allowing Li Zongren to take charge of the KMT, the U.S. would lift the embargo. With generous U.S. aid, and possibly even warplanes and troops, the KMT might be able to retain a non-communist China south of the Yangtze. However, while the CCP had been struggling since 1935 to survive in impoverished Xian, its fortunes changed after the war. Not only was Truman turning his back on the nationalists, but Russia also increased military supplies to the CCP. These enabled the CCP to revive and expand dramatically, so much so that it ultimately seized full control of mainland China in 1949. Conclusion America under Truman had failed to appreciate Chiangs struggle and commitment to a better world and didnt understand the totalitarian reality that disfigures Marxist idealism. None saw the morally corrupt Chinese society, where betrayals of trust inside its army had become so common. Instead, with a media sympathetic to communism and a president who formed a personal relationship with Chiangs internal enemy, America pulled its support when the KMT needed it most. But fortunately, it didnt quite work out for me -- and thank God for that, for had I become a State Department Foreign Service Officer (FSO), I almost literally could have gained the whole world, but in the process probably would have sacrificed my immortal soul. And as the gospels and then later Thomas More (in the marvelous A Man for All Seasons) told us -- thats a bad bargain. Here is the story of my near-successful application to join the FSO. I tell it here because it reveals a lot about how the State Department functions and how powerful it is. Becoming an FSO is the dream of many college-educated Americans. Its one of the greatest jobs one can aspire to. In the first place, it enables one to see the whole world, and at taxpayer expense. Who doesnt want a literally all-expenses-paid trip to anywhere in the world? Secondly, FS officers wield real power. And if one rises through the ranks, one might eventually become a master diplomat rivalling Talleyrand or Nesselrode. One can become an ambassador. Or better yet, maybe even another Antony Blinken or John Kerry or Madeleine Albright. A real mover and shaker. Many are called but few are chosen. In this case, many present themselves for service, but few make it through the various levels of testing and examination. The first level of testing was a written examination. Only about 15% of the applicants make it through that level -- and I was one of them. Im a bright boy; what can I say? And furthermore, I was a bit older at the time than the average applicant; probably my greater knowledge and maturity helped me. So it was on to the next level of examination. And it was here that I failed -- by one little point! I think they scored me at 87 when 88 was their minimum; something like that. I very nearly made it through this level, and had I passed it, Im confident I could have breezed through their remaining background investigations and interviews. Here is what I remember of Level 2. There were five candidates, and our interviewer was a bow-tied Yalie. God, how State is lousy with Yalies! In the morning, he interviewed us separately. And I remember he gave me a mock problem. He said, you (meaning, Yours, Truly) are a Foreign Service Officer who is assigned to an embassy in a third world country. This country is mismanaging its natural resources. Your assignment is to approach the proper officials in this country to inform them that they are mismanaging their resources, and to tell them what they need to do to correct this unfortunate situation. So, said the bow-tied Yalie to me, now tell me how do you intend to handle this problem. What will you say to them? I asked him, why is it my job or the job of the embassy of the United States to tell a sovereign country how to manage its own resources? And he answered, because they are using American funds to mismanage their resources. They either directly receive American foreign aid, or indirectly receive American money if their resource projects are funded with money from the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank or the United Nations or similar such organizations. And therefore, the government of the United States does in fact have a vested interest in this matter. So I turned around and said to him, well, in the first place, I understand the working principle here. He who pays the band gets to call the tune. You are saying, because they are misusing money that ultimately comes from the United States, we therefore have a real claim as to how they use that money. I understand that and agree with it. But now, you also mean to tell me that the United States borrows money -- here I meant, the deficit and the public debt -- in order to turn around and give it to foreign countries, all so that the United States thereby can gain a say in how they manage their resources. I asked him, how does that make any sense at all? I dont now remember how he answered that. And of course, it doesnt make sense, but in my now-mature wisdom, I think I get it anyway. The State Department is in the business of using taxpayers dollars to buy influence in the rest of the world, for its own Deep State purposes, and for its own allies in the private sector, who hope to enrich themselves at the taxpayers expense and the expense of foreign countries. Its pretty clear this is what Hunter Biden and Hillary Clinton were up to overseas, just to name two such actors. Its dirty and corrupt. No wonder so many people in the world seek revolution on America. So then it was on to the afternoon session. This time the bow-tied Yalie had all five of us candidates together. And this was our assignment. All of us were working out of the same embassy, again in third world country X. And we were weighing how we should best aid country X with foreign aid. Here was our problem: We had five worthwhile projects to consider. Each candidate was given one project. Each was asked to study it, and then defend it. Each project was worth $20,000, so the value of all five projects was $100,000. But our problem was, we had only $60,000 cash. We could approve three projects, but would have to drop the other two. We didnt have enough money for all five. So our joint problem was, we had to sit down as a group and discuss the merits of each project, then decide among ourselves which three of the five projects would make our cut, and which two would have to fall by the wayside. The bow-tied Yalie was taking notes the entire time, observing, weighing, and scoring our work. He wanted to see the interaction hard at work. I gotta say, I was brilliant -- but too brilliant for my own good. I dominated the discussion. As a lawyer might, I ably defended my own proposal, and found reason to trash each and every one of the other four! Hey, thats what the Devils Advocate does in Catholic canonization proceedings, right? I figgered, I was doing my job. After it was all over, the bow-tied Yalie took me aside and told me that hed flunked me by one single point. Despite my obvious abilities, he found, I just wasnt diplomatic (his word) enough to be a suitable FSO. In other words, I had a big mouth! Too blunt and outspoken. Id never be able to fit into their culture. And I gotta say, he was right. I would have been miserable at State. Either I would have had to sell my principles and my soul by keeping my big mouth shut when I knew something wrong was afoot, or I would have had to resign in protest. The bow-tied Yalie was right. State was a bad fit for yours truly. The bow-tied Yalie did me a favor by declining my application. There is an obvious need for a special counsel to investigate President Biden's involvement in the influence-peddling operation run by his son Hunter, in which millions of dollars were received from entities in China, Ukraine, and elsewhere. Yet, in testimony before a Senate committee Tuesday, the attorney general, Merrick Garland, ignored the conflict of interest he faces, as an appointee of Biden, supervising the investigation of Hunter Biden underway in Delaware. Kyle Morris of Fox News reports: Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday refused to provide an update on the federal tax and finance investigation into Hunter Biden as he defended the probe and dismissed the need to appoint a special counsel. Under questioning from Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., who expressed concern over the fairness of the investigation that has caused Americans to question their "confidence" in the Justice Department, Garland did not say whether he has been briefed on the Hunter Biden investigation, which is being overseen by David Weiss, the U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware. "He is supervising the investigation," Garland said of Weiss. "I'm not at liberty to talk about internal Justice Department deliberations, but he is in charge of that investigation. There will not be interference of any political or improper kind." YouTube screen grab. Garland fell back on the excuse that the U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware (one of the smallest of the U.S. districts) was appointed by Trump: "Because we put the investigation in the hands of a Trump appointee from the previous administration, who is the United States attorney for the district of Delaware," Garland responded. "And because you have me as the attorney general who is committed to the independence of the Justice Department from any influence from the White House and criminal matters." The staff and budget available to Weiss, as well as the fact that he serves at the pleasure of the president, severely limit what can be done to investigate. Moreover, recent revelations clearly indicate that President Biden himself was involved in Hunter's business schemes when he was vice president and after, despite repeated denials by the president and his press secretary, Psaki. Jonathan Turley lays out the case: The New York Post is reporting that President Biden agreed to cover more than $800,000 in bills of Hunter, including legal fees tied to the foreign deals. While President Biden's denial of knowledge of Hunter's deals has been repeatedly contradicted (including by Hunter himself), White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declared that President Biden stands by his denials. However, she declined to explain new information showing that a key business partner in these deals visited the White House over a dozen times, including at least one meeting with then Vice President Biden. The New York Post shows that on Jan. 17, 2019, Hunter Biden's then-personal assistant, Katie Dodge told accountant Linda Shapero that Joe Biden was covering the legal costs. The email states "I spoke with Hunter today regarding his bills. It is my understanding that Hunt's dad will cover these bills in the short-term as Hunter transitions in his career." What may be even more damaging is the the new disclosure that Hunter Biden's business partner, Eric Schwerin, made at least 19 visits to the White House and other official locations between 2009 and 2015. Schwerin was the president of Rosemont Seneca, one of the key firms involved in the alleged influence peddling schemes. (snip) President Biden has long insisted that that his son did "nothing wrong." That is obviously untrue. One can argue over whether Hunter committed any crime, but few would say that there is nothing wrong with raw influence peddling worth millions with foreign entities. The public has a legitimate reason to know whether the President or his family ran an influence peddling operation worth millions. Given this mounting evidence, the position of Attorney General Garland has gone from dubious to ridiculous in evading the issue of a special counsel appointment. He continues to refuse to acknowledge these conflicts with the President. In a hearing yesterday, Garland again refused to address the issue, even discussing what it would take to warrant the appointment of a special counsel. There is no reason why he cannot answer such legal questions without getting into the evidence produced in Delaware. Federal regulations allow the appointment of a special counsel when it is in the public interest and an "investigation or prosecution of that person or matter by a United States Attorney's Office or litigating Division of the Department of Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department or other extraordinary circumstances." It is hard to imagine a stronger case for the appointment of a special counsel. The corrupt media refuse to publicize the need for a special counsel, in utter contrast to the clamor they created to get the appointment of the Mueller investigation, which found nothing on President Trump and wasted 35 million dollars. However thorough and honest the efforts of the U.S. attorney in Delaware, this case requires the appointment of a special counsel, but thanks to the bias of the media, the public has little awareness. On Wednesday, the White House hosted an event for the "Teachers of the Year." Biden loudly announced that the unknown people who control him didn't want him to extemporize, but he did anyway. And once he did, he launched the pro-teacher equivalent of that old computer game phrase, "all your base are belong to us." According to Biden, teachers own the students when those kids are in school. Biden said a few other things, many wrong or incoherent, all a reminder of what happens when an already inadequate mind is stricken by senile dementia. The Republican National Committee published some clips from the talk, but they really don't give a sense of the Grampa Simpsonesque quality that saw him wandering vaguely through his own life, mixing facts and fantasy with seamless abandon. As with Obama, most of the speech wasn't about teachers generally or the specific teachers seated in front of Biden. Instead, the speech was about Biden. First, as he always does, Biden focused on his wife, talking about her teaching at high school and community college. On the one hand, it's rather sweet; on the other hand, he's officially the president, so the United States, not Jill Biden, should be what's most important to him. But of course, she's his caretaker, too, and that dependency shows. Biden then was off to the races, leaving the "formal comments" behind. He talked about his wonderful parents, his small size as a child, his stutter, seeing the moving The King's Speech, his own teachers, seeing a copy of one of George VI's speeches with the slash marks to help pacing, marking his own speeches that way, his wonderful family, his great teachers... At this point, Biden seemed to realize he'd drifted. "I remember I was talking on the way over. This my staff is going, 'Why aren't you giving the speech we wrote?'" And then he went back to drifting. While going off script, Biden says: My staffs going, why arent you giving the speech we wrote? pic.twitter.com/R0a3PSGX3z RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 27, 2022 Laughably, considering his governance by fiat, Biden explained that he got "involved in politics because I think the greatest sin that anyone can commit is the abuse of power, whatever that power is the power of a teacher...just the abuse of power." BIDEN: "I got involved in politics because I think the greatest sin anyone can commit is the abuse of power." Last week, Biden said the environment got him involved in politics. Before that, it was civil rights, then it was voting rights. pic.twitter.com/io9EYzbtTJ RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 27, 2022 And he was off again. This time, we learned that Martin Luther King's assassination and Delaware's response (ten months of National Guards) got him involved in politics. He boasted about having a job with an old law firm in Delaware before becoming a public defender (ignoring that he was not a lawyer at that firm, but merely a clerk). Vaguely aware that his speech was supposed to be about teachers, Biden broke his reminiscences off to say, "Where teachers come in...I was I had no intention of running for public office," and then he resumed his autobiography. On and on he went, especially about civil rights, which is strange, considering that his closest alliances when he entered the Senate were with the Southern segregationist Democrats. BIDEN: "I got involved in politics because I think the greatest sin anyone can commit is the abuse of power." Last week, Biden said the environment got him involved in politics. Before that, it was civil rights, then it was voting rights. pic.twitter.com/io9EYzbtTJ RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 27, 2022 Only then, after all the details, did Biden say that, conflicted about whether to run, he spoke to "Dr. Ingersoll," a philosophy professor, who urged him to run by quoting Plato's "the price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." So, as you can see (can't you?), teachers matter! A short while after, Biden again boasted about the "hard" job he had as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania when he left the White House, except that the only classroom work he did was a single lecture. For this, he earned $776,527. He also talked about teaching at Syracuse University law school when he was younger, which was an actual job (those poor students). It was a whole lot of Grampa Simpsoning. But the speech really went off the rails when Biden announced that children belong to the community and, most especially, to their teachers: This wasn't just Joe being Joe. This is the same thing Democrats have been saying out loud since at least 2013: The left wants your children very badly, and Joe Biden isn't afraid to admit it. Image from a YouTube video screen grab. What could better epitomize the dystopian nature of a governmental organ called the "Disinformation Governance Board" than putting it under the command of a bureaucrat who questioned the validity of Hunter Biden's laptop, calling it "a Trump campaign product," and who served as an adviser to the corrupt Ukrainian regime? Bradford Betz reports for Fox News: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security is creating a "Disinformation Governance Board" to combat misinformation ahead of the 2022 midterms. (snip) YouTube screen grab. Hours later, Politico reported that Nina Jankowicz, who previously served as a disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center, will head the board as executive director. Cat's out of the bag: here's what I've been up to the past two months, and why I've been a bit quiet on here. Honored to be serving in the Biden Administration @DHSgov and helping shape our counter-disinformation efforts. https://t.co/uN20vl7qqV pic.twitter.com/JEn4FqLdck Nina Jankowicz (@wiczipedia) April 27, 2022 Katelyn Caralle of the U.K. Daily Mail adds: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did not disclose any powers that would be granted to the dystopian-sounding board while addressing lawmakers on Wednesday. He explained that the board would work to tackle disinformation ahead of the November midterms, particularly in Hispanic communities. But Mayorkas did say that the new board would come under the Biden-era Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3), meaning it would have no powers to crack down on disinformation and will instead try to combat it by throwing money at what it sees as problems. (snip) The Russia disinformation expert previously called the laptop of President Joe Biden's son Hunter a 'Trump campaign product. (snip) Jankowicz also suggested last week that she opposes the The First Amendment because she thinks it is bad for 'marginalized communities' and called Elon Musk a 'free speech absolutist' because he wants to make Twitter more open to all voices. Sounds like a taxpayer-funded propaganda organ directed at a key constituency the Democrats fear losing. There are other problems with her as well: Jankowicz is a former advisor to the Ukrainian government, under a Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship pic.twitter.com/rgBWklyERb Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) April 27, 2022 Rather than police our border, Homeland Security has decided to make policing Americans speech its top priority. Theyre creating a Disinformation Board. No, really. And take a look at the views of the leftist radical running it pic.twitter.com/70hM1Cle3Q Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 27, 2022 The Biden Administrations new anti-speech czar is apparently no fan of the @elonmusk Twitter acquisition. This is the person Joe Biden just put in charge of policing Americans speech. Using the power of the government pic.twitter.com/7lkvhfnVey Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 27, 2022 Hannah Nightingale of The Post Millennial: Jankowicz has previously said that she was concerned that Twitter had determined early in 2022 to stop limiting speech from users about the 2020 presidential election, saying that "considering the long-term damage these lies do to our democracy," she was "dismayed about this decision." Her view about elections, whether foreign or domestic, are that they "aren't an end point," but are "an inflection point," and that the policies of social media companies as regards free speech "need to reflect that." (snip) Jankowicz also does not appear to be a fan of free speech, saying that setting up free speech in opposition to censorship is "a false dichotomy." Ace, as usual, minces no words: Nina Jankowicz, who will be chief executive of the Orwellian "Disinformation Governance Board" being run by our nation's internal security police, is an angry GamerGate Millennial feminist troll. Nina Jankowicz @wiczipedia Apr 25 Men "burst violently into your mentions and your life like the Kool-aid man, demanding your attention, hawking opinions that they believe are unarguably, manifestly correct and indispensable." A taxonomy of trolls, excerpted from #HowToBeAWomanOnline: Glad to hear that the nation's new official arbiter of what speech is permissible values men's opinions so highly. Biden just appointed a ditzy twentysomething Anita Sarkeesian Acolyte to be the country's Chief of the Censorship Police. This ditzy little dummy Millennial, who writes silly little "The Idiot's Guide to Online Feminism" pamphlets, is now in charge of the Department of Homeland Security's Censorship Board? Are you f------ serious? Audiobook sample here: "To be a woman online is an inherently dangerous act..." This shrieking little hysteric, who openly despises men and writes that all men online are inherently threatening and assaultive, is now dictating the nation's censorship policies. It's almost as if a master satirist like Mel Brooks is writing the script here. Except it is deadly serious. Upon striking the deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion, Elon Musk took to the platform to state the following: A day prior to the deal, Musk tweeted the following: I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022 This resulted in reports that Musk had blocked multiple users on Twitter. The chief U.S. correspondent for the U.K.-based Independent, Andrew Buncombe, reported that Musk has blocked him seemingly without any reason. Buncombe also reported that a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit watchdog group claiming to be "standing up to corporate power and holding government accountable for 50 years" was blocked by Musk. FYI: Were blocked by Elon Musk. So much for being committed to free speech. pic.twitter.com/iXsMQYq8v0 Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) April 26, 2022 Fortune reported that nineteen-year-old Jack Sweeney got Musk's attention by creating an automated Twitter account that tracked the movements of Musk's jet. Musk responded by offering Sweeney $5,000 to delete his account. When Sweeney refused, Musk blocked him on Twitter. There have to be myriad other users whom Musk has blocked. The implication is that Musk is a hypocrite for claiming to be an absolutist regarding freedom of expression while choosing to block certain users. In order to evaluate that claim, we look at the social life of regular human beings. As you grow older, you develop opinions, ideas, and choices. You often have strong likes and dislikes. This applies to your choices in friendships and associations. There are individuals you are immensely fond of, hence you want them in your closest circles. Your liking could emanate from the fact that you agree with them on matters of importance. Perhaps these individuals are fun to be with. Perhaps they are well-wishers who never hesitate to tell you the harsh truth. There are individuals whose company you don't mind but whom you aren't too fond of, either; you keep in touch but maintain distance. You send them greetings on their birthdays and festivals. You gladly exchange pleasantries at social gatherings. Finally, there are individuals you simply cannot tolerate. It could be what they say or how they say it or how they behave, or their past deeds. Perhaps it is just your visceral instinct that is driving your revulsion. You avoid such individuals at all costs. You even skip social gatherings where the individual is invited. These principles are also applied to books, films, articles, and speeches. You eagerly consume content that interests you, you postpone consumption of content you deem to be mildly engaging, and you avoid that which you despise. Does this position make you antifreedom of speech? No, it doesn't. The people you despise are living their lives, while books, films, articles, and speeches are still available for others to consume. You just choose to avoid them. If you were to use your powers to ban books, films, articles, and speeches that you disapprove of and imprison individuals whose ideas you dislike, that is categorically against freedom of expression and undemocratic. Exercising choice is an important aspect of being free. If you are compelled to consume specific content, it is against the principles of a free society. Only totalitarian regimes enforce directives and compel their citizens to listen to certain speeches and consume certain content and ban the "problematic" content. This elimination of choice is undemocratic. Back to Twitter, where the choices are similar to those in your daily life. As a Twitter user, you have the choice to follow whomever you like. Perhaps you find someone's opinion stimulating and want more. Perhaps you despise his opinions but want to be exposed to them. You obviously have a choice to not follow whomever you do not care for. In a situation where an individual is annoying or is targeting or trolling you, you have the option to block, which means breaking all contact with the individual, or mute, which only prevents you from being exposed to tweets from the user in question. These Twitter users prevail and are free to conduct themselves as they please; it is just that you don't want to be exposed to these ideas. These rules apply to every Twitter user, including Elon Musk. Musk has the freedom to block whomever he despises, and he has no obligation to explain why. Only social media accounts run by the government do not have the right to block individuals, because the information they publish is meant for all citizens. For example, Joe Biden's official account cannot block Twitter users. Now, if Elon Musk uses his power to permanently remove users he dislikes from Twitter, that is against free expression and undemocratic. When President Trump was subjected to a coordinated ban across social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, it was undemocratic and against the tenets of free expression. To sum it up, we must not conflate choice with freedoms. An individual may choose to have fish and chips every night for dinner. That does make him antishepherd's pie. Progressive elites are having a meltdown following the announcement of Elon Musk's buyout of Twitter. At The View, the ever thoughtful Sunny Hostin proclaimed that Elon Musk wanted to protect only the free speech of "straight white men." At NBC, correspondent Jo Ling Kent predicted a surge in safety problems "especially for women and minorities." CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell warned that Twitter will become a "haven for disinformation and hate speech." Nothing of the sort will happen, of course, except for the overblown incantations of the cultural Marxists. And what about colleges and universities? Thanks to the vagaries of political correctness, U.S. colleges have become an intellectual backwater. The effects of Marxist ideology are evident in terms of widespread speech codes, promotion of "critical" theories, and other campus practices that seek to vitiate basic cultural precepts. The dismal state of campus free speech is revealed by a recent survey of 481 colleges that reported that only 12% of colleges received a "green-light" rating. But a green-light score is not as impressive as it sounds. It only means that the school has no written policies that directly imperil free speech. The rating does not signify that right-of-center student groups can hold events without harassment, that professors can allow free-wheeling classroom debates, or that white males are not subjected to villainous stereotypes. Second are the "critical" theories, philosophies that classify, stereotype, and divide persons based on their race or sex. According to criticalrace.org, more than 200 colleges and universities around the country are now promoting Critical Race Theory. CRT's first cousin, Critical Feminist Theory, dogmatically insists that gender oppression is endemic in American society and is widely embraced by university women's studies programs. Noting that the educational system is "central in transmitting and preserving the ideology of whatever class dominates society," Cal State University professor Glynn Custred explains that doctrines of Critical Race Theory, intersectionality, and identity politics are "clearly rooted in Marxist doctrine." And third are the persons who engage in "crazy-making," practices that aim to undermine basic cultural precepts about human biology, race, and spirituality. These are a few of many examples: At Columbia University, women are now referred to as "people with uteruses." Carlow University in Pittsburgh hosted an event at which the speaker argued that white people should "crucify their whiteness" and called for the embrace of "hopelessness." Duke Divinity School hosted a Pride Worship Service at which students prayed to the "Great Queer One." Recent developments offer hope that we may be breaking free from the intellectual straitjacket that now encumbers campus discourse: Oklahoma: Governor Kevin Stitt signed H.B. 3543 into law, which will establish the Oklahoma Free Speech Committee to review First Amendment complaints at public universities in the state. Florida: Last Thursday, a federal appeals court ruled that the University of Central Florida's broadly worded free speech policy violates the First Amendment. In a 38-page decision, Judge Kevin Newsom wrote the UCF policy "objectively chills speech because its operation would cause a reasonable student to fear expressing potentially unpopular beliefs." Ohio: Shawnee State University agreed to pay philosophy professor Nick Meriwether $400,000 after disciplining him for not using a transgender student's preferred pronouns. Unfortunately, a new threat to campus free speech now looms... In May, the federal Department of Education is expected to release a draft Title IX regulation that many fear will eliminate the presumption of innocence and reduce due process protections for students and faculty members accused of flouting campus speech codes. The sex discrimination policy reportedly will expand the definition of "sex" to include "discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex-related characteristics (including intersex traits), pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity." You may want to re-read that bloated definition, because it is certain to have a chilling effect on campus debates about LGBTQ issues and will impose long-lasting, harmful effects on women's sports. Seeking to head off this dystopian scenario, 26 leading organizations recently sent a letter to the Department of Education with this admonition: "We strongly urge the Department to set aside its Title IX rulemaking and to allow institutions to continue their efforts to comply with the 2020 Rule." Even more remarkably, the attorneys general from 15 states sent a letter on April 5 to the Department of Education that bluntly concludes, "We strongly urge the Department to cancel its plans to engage in rulemaking on Title IX." The expanded definition of "sex" represents a stunning example of regulatory overreach that is unlikely to succeed either in courts of law or in the court of public opinion. Given that the current trend in American society is to restore free speech and assure due process, the Department of Education is well advised to reconsider the plan to usher in its Brave New World on college campuses. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. In a huge blow to Democrats' prospects in the House of Representatives, the highest court in New York State threw out the congressional redistricting map adopted by that state's Legislature. Nicholas Fando of the New York Times: In a sweeping 32-page ruling, a divided New York State Court of Appeals chided Democrats for ignoring a constitutional amendment adopted by voters in 2014 to curb political influence in the redistricting process. The amendment also created a new outside commission to guide the process. The judges additionally found that the congressional districts designed by Democrats violated an explicit state ban on partisan gerrymandering, undercutting the party's national campaign to brand itself as the champion of voting rights. Writing for the four-judge majority, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore said that Democratic lawmakers created congressional and State Senate maps in a way that was "procedurally unconstitutional," and that the congressional map in particular was "drawn with impermissible partisan purpose." As CNN notes: A 2014 amendment to New York's constitution created an independent redistricting commission that was obligated to draw a plan for the congressional map and present that plan to the state legislature for a vote. After the commission's first sets of district lines failed in the legislature, the commission did not submit a second plan. At that point, the state legislature drew the now-blocked map. Instead of allowing the Democratic-led state legislature to pass a new map, Wednesday's decision returned the issue to lower court Judge Patrick McCallister, allowing him to work with a special master to draw the map. McCallister already appointed Jonathan Cervas as a special master and said the new congressional map will be issued by May 24. FiveThirtyEight has a graphic that represents the map just rejected, and its change from ten years earlier: In order to allow time for candidates to circulate petitions for a place on the ballot, the primary will have to be moved from June to August. What is most remarkable about this decision is that all seven judges on the Court of Appeals were appointed by Democrat governors. But judges are not immune to the public's attitude toward politics, and Governor Hochul, and by extension, the Democrat-dominated state Legislature, have earned a high degree of distrust. According to FiveThirtyEight: There are currently 19 Democrats and eight Republicans in New York's congressional delegation, so this map likely would have resulted in Democrats gaining three House seats in the 2022 election and Republicans losing four, from just New York alone. Meanwhile, Republican-dominated Florida has its own gerrymandered congressional redistricting map. According to FiveThirtyEight "it is a dream map for partisan Republicans, single-handedly adding four new Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives." That map, too is being litigated in court and may not survive. It looks as if Title 42 will be around a bit longer. According to news reports, the Democrats running for re-election can thank a federal judge. Here it goes: President Biden's administration will comply with an upcoming order from a federal judge in Louisiana that is expected to block the removal of COVID-19 border restrictions. The restrictions, known as Title 42, are a Trump-era health measure that has been used to deport more than 1 million migrants. The Biden administration had previously planned to end Title 42 on May 23, a move that would have resulted in a surge in illegal immigration. A Louisiana district court judge has announced plans to block such a move until Biden negotiates a deal with Republican border states. A senior administration official said the White House plans to comply with that order Tuesday, according to Politico. "If and when the court issues the TRO [temporary restraining order] the department is planning to comply with that order," the official said, going on to complain about the decision. "It really makes no sense to us that the plaintiffs would demand, and the court would order, that [Department of Homeland Security] be stopped in its use in expedited removal, which is going to prevent us from adequately preparing for the aggressive applications for immigration law when public health expires." The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a plan on how to deal with post-Title 42 surges in migration on Tuesday. Listen closely. All of that cheering that you are hearing is coming from New Mexico and Arizona, where a couple of Democrat incumbents are in trouble because of the border. On Title 42, as well as the mask mandates and "Remain in Mexico," the Biden administration is just plain tone-deaf. At this moment, the problem on the border is that the staff is overwhelmed, and criminal elements are using the chaos to bring drugs into the country. In other words, most fair-minded Americans are focusing on the lawlessness of an open border brought to all of us by an administration that won't even visit the area. Let's hope the courts save Title 42 for now and force the Biden administration to go to Congress for a resolution. And please stop all of the talk about immigration reform or the other cliche about "our broken immigration system." The only thing broken here is the administration's backbone, or its inability to fulfill its responsibilities on the border. PS: Click for my videos and podcasts at Canto Talk. Image: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, government work. It's been nine weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine. Everyone assumed that Russia would storm through Ukraine in days, leading to a speedy surrender. Instead, although parts of Ukraine have been flattened and it's sustained massive civilian and military deaths, Russia is suffering badly, too. The question, then, is what Putin intends to do now. I haven't written much about the war because I don't trust the information, whether from the Ukrainian, Russian, or American government. However, occasionally, bits of seemingly solid information appear. Lately, that information indicates that Russia is suffering badly at the hands of Ukrainian fighters. For a long time, Russia was thought to have one of the world's greatest and most dangerous militaries. People alive during the Soviet era remember when the Soviet Union would have incredible parades displaying its military might. Today, Putin now presides over a shabby oligarchy, kept afloat by the oil and gas Russia sells to Europe (and America). While Russia still has a huge nuclear arsenal, we're seeing that its traditional army isn't in such great shape. Its machines are poorly maintained, its troops poorly trained, and its senior officers have an uncanny knack for being in the line of fire. Ben Wallace, Britain's defense secretary, has assessed Russian losses in men and materiel (hat tip: Instapundit): It is our assessment that approximately 15,000 Russian personnel have been killed during their offensive. Alongside the death toll are the equipment losses. In total, a number of sources suggest that to date over 2,000 armoured vehicles have been destroyed or captured. This includes at least 530 tanks, 530 Armoured Personnel Carriers and 560 Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Russia has also lost over 60 helicopters and fighter jets. The offensive that was supposed to take a maximum of a week has now taken weeks. Last week Russia admitted that the Slava-class cruiser Moskva has sunk the second key naval asset that they have lost since invading significantly weakening their ability to bring their maritime assets to bear from the Black Sea. Of those 15,000 or so Russian men killed, The Moscow Times reports that more than 300 were officers. Given that Russian troops are not encouraged to be innovative in the field (which is why officers are in front, getting killed), losing that many officers indicates a catastrophic loss of necessary guidance in battle. Additionally, the New York Times notes that Ukraine is pressing into Russia now, using drones is an act of aggression consistent with a winning, not a losing, military. Image: Putin. YouTube screen grab. Russia, however, has weapons other than those it's thrown into the war to date. It's cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria until they agree to pay their bill in rubles, and Germany fears it may be next. (This would be less of an issue if Biden hadn't destroyed America as one of the world's net energy exporters.) What worries everyone is that Putin may go nuclear. During a Wednesday speech, Putin didn't use the word "nuclear," but most assumed that's what he meant: The despot, addressing legislators in St Petersburg today, said his response to anyone who 'threatens' Russia will be 'lightning-fast' and deadly. 'If someone intends to interfere in what is going on from the outside they must know that constitutes an unacceptable strategic threat to Russia. They must know that our response to counter strikes will be lightning fast. Fast,' he said. 'We have all the weapons we need for this. No one else can brag about these weapons, and we won't brag about them. But we will use them.' The official Russian media are preparing people for a global nuclear war: Margarita Simonyan, editor of state broadcaster RT and one of the Kremlin's highest-profile mouthpieces, declared on TV last night that the idea of Putin pressing the red button is 'more probable' than the idea that he will allow Russia to lose the war. 'Either we lose in Ukraine,' she said, 'or the Third World War starts. I think World War Three is more realistic, knowing us, knowing our leader. 'The most incredible outcome, that all this will end with a nuclear strike, seems more probable to me than the other course of events. 'This is to my horror on one hand,' she told a panel of experts shifting nervously in their seats, 'but on the other hand, it is what it is. We will go to heaven, while they will simply croak... We're all going to die someday.' A friend suggested that maybe, behind the scenes, Trump is involved in negotiations or, perhaps, telling Putin that when he (Trump) is back in office, Putin is a dead man. Dreaming of Trump, though, doesn't change the fact that we have leading us a demented Biden; a milquetoast Antony Blinken, whom the Chinese humiliated last year; and a secretary of defense and a chairman of the Joint Chiefs who made a complete hash out of the Afghanistan withdrawal. While it would be great if Russia were to lose this war, it appears that Putin has no intention of losing, preferring to take the whole world down with him rather than accept defeat. On December 2, 1943, the Germans launched a surprise attack on a key Allied port in Bari, Italy, sinking more than 20 Allied merchant ships and killing more than 1,000 American and British servicemen and hundreds of civilians. Among the ships sunk was the SS John Harvey, an American Liberty ship carrying a secret cargo of mustard gas bombs. The deadly attack, which came to be dubbed as the Little Pearl Harbor, released a toxic cloud of sulphur mustard vapor over the city and liquid mustard into the water, prompting an Allied coverup of the chemical weapons disaster. But it also led to an army doctors serendipitous discovery of a new treatment for cancer. Allied ships burn during the German attack on Bari. Mustard gas was used extensively by the Germans during the First World War. It was a feared weapon that caused sever skin oedema and ulceration, blindness, suffocation and vomiting. Mustard gas caused internal and external bleeding and attacked the bronchial tubes, stripping off the mucous membrane. This was extremely painful. Fatally injured victims sometimes took four or five weeks to die of mustard gas exposure. The use of this gas and other chemical weapons in war was banned by the Geneva Protocol of 1925. However, there was no ban on their manufacture or transport. The Allies were concerned that the Germans might use chemical weapons in World War II and wanted to be in a position to retaliate if such weapons were used against them. So in August 1943, President Roosevelt approved the shipment of chemical munitions containing mustard agent to the Mediterranean theater. Two thousand mustard gas bombs were loaded onto the USS John Harvey, and the ship, commanded by Captain Elwin F. Knowles, set sail from Oran, Algeria, to Italy, on 18 November 1943. On 26 November, the John Harvey sailed through the Strait of Otranto to arrive at Bari. The port of Bari was crammed with ship from stern to bow, and the John Harvey had to spend several days waiting for its turn to unload. Captain Knowles wanted to tell the British port commander about his deadly cargo and request it be unloaded as soon as possible, but the presence of the gas bombs was highly classified and the captain was forbidden from divulging its existence to the British port authorities. On December 2, 1943, the Germans launched a surprise attack. More than one hundred Junkers Ju 88 bombers swooped over the overcrowded harbor indiscriminately bombing and destroying the waiting ships. John Harvey was struck and destroyed in a huge explosion. Its deadly cargo of liquid mustard spilled into the water mixing with oil from the sunken ships. Some mustard evaporated and mingled with the clouds of smoke and flame. Nearly all crewmen of John Harvey who knew what was in the hold perished in the sinking, so rescuers dealing with the casualties had no idea what they were up against. Many who made it to the hospital were greeted with a warm blanket that was wrapped around their poison-soaked clothing, sealing their fate as they awaited care. By next morning the nurses were surprised to find the wards full of swollen, blistered patients, temporarily blinded. The doctors suspected some form of chemical irritant but were unsure what it was. Unidentified Canadian soldier with burns caused by mustard gas in 1917. Then suddenly, patients who were in relatively good condition started dying. These mysterious deaths left the doctors baffled. At first it was suspected that the Germans had dropped chemical bombs, and Bari was put on red alert. The Allied Force Headquarters (AFHQ) in Algiers sent for Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Francis Alexander, a young chemical warfare specialist, to the scene of the disaster. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander immediately recognized the symptoms as the result of mustard gas poisoning. He traced the epicenter to John Harvey, and confirmed mustard gas as the responsible agent when divers located a fragment of the casing of a M47A1 bomb. But the Allied High Command suppressed news of the presence of mustard gas, in case the Germans believed that the Allies were preparing to use chemical weapons, fearing it might provoke them into pre-emptive use. Alexanders report was immediately classified, and all mention of mustard gas was stricken from the official record. The deaths were attributed to simply burns due to enemy action. However, the presence of multiple witnesses forced the United States to eventually admit the presence of the chemical. In all there were 628 known casualties, including 86 deaths, but there were probably many more. The cloud of vaporized mustard gas had drifted across the town affecting and killing many more civilians. These deaths were never recorded. In the midst of the disaster, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander made an interesting discovery. While studying tissue samples of autopsied victims, Alexander discovered that mustard gas kills white blood cells. White blood cells, among other things, are capable of rapidly dividing, which prompted Alexander to wonder whether it might also be useful in killing rapidly dividing cancer cells, as well. Modern chemotherapy drugs. Photo: Wikimedia The effect of mustard gas on bone marrow and white blood cells had been known since the First World War. A preliminary research conducted in 1935 showed that mustard gas inhibits growth of tumors in mice. With the advent of World War 2, research on chemical weapons resumed, and the newer knowledge and techniques of a quarter of a century of scientific progress was utilized. After the U.S. entry into the Second World War, the Office of Scientific Research and Development initiated research on mustard gas and commissioned two universitiesYale University and the University of Chicagoto make further studies. In 1942, Louis Goodman and Alfred Gilman of Yale University made the first clinical trial on human patients suffering from advanced lymphomas. Their improvement, although temporary, was remarkable. The University of Chicago conducted similar clinical trials using a different agent. But wartime secrecy prevented any of this ground-breaking work on chemotherapy from being published. Once wartime secrecy ended, papers were released and experiences from both scientific research and the disaster at Bari converged and led researchers to look for other substances that might have similar effects against cancer. Eventually, the first chemotherapy drug named Chlormethine was developed. Since then, many other drugs have been developed to treat cancer, usually less toxic and more targeted in their effects. So what began as a weapon aimed to destroy human life, is now a successful promoter of life thanks to the pivotal work of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander, Louis Goodman, Alfred Gilman, his colleagues, and their successors. A damning new report has found that Facebook/Meta has little knowledge of what is happening to its data. The company reportedly didnt know what its data was being used for or where it was stored. The information comes courtesy of an internal report drafted by privacy engineers at Facebooks Ad and Business Product team. It was then leaked to Motherboard (via Engadget). The entire document is currently available on DocumentCloud. We do not have an adequate level of control and explainability over how our systems use data, the engineers said in the report. Advertisement The leaked report also talks about dealing with new data usage regulations and privacy laws around the world. The privacy engineers caution that it could be challenging to make any promises to countries about handling their citizens data. Moreover, the reports authors cite the unavailability of closed-form systems as one of their biggest hurdles. To put it simply, Facebook utilizes a sort of open borders borders policy. The company stashed all kinds of data together, including third-party data, first-party user data, and other sensitive data. To get their point across, the engineers offer the example of dropping ink on a lake of water and trying to get it back. Advertisement Facebook was concerned about new data protection laws across the world This bottle of ink is a mixture of all kinds of user data (3PD, 1PD, SCD, Europe, etc.) You pour that ink into a lake of water (our open data systems; our open culture) and it flows everywhere. How do you put that ink back in the bottle? How do you organize it again, such that it only flows to the allowed places in the lake? Meanwhile, the engineers also express concern about the rapidly changing data protection laws across the globe. Countries like India, South Africa, South Korea, and Thailand introduced stricter data protection laws recently, adding to Facebooks woes. The leaked document also shows a fair bit of concern from the engineers about data laws, wondering if the company can manage the tsunami of new laws that could bring further data regulations. However, Meta rejected the notion that it is not complying with privacy laws. Advertisement Considering this document does not describe our extensive processes and controls to comply with privacy regulations, its simply inaccurate to conclude that it demonstrates non-compliance, a company spokesperson told Motherboard. New privacy regulations across the globe introduce different requirements and this document reflects the technical solutions we are building to scale the current measures we have in place to manage data and meet our obligations. The size of Facebook means that the company had access to ridiculous amounts of data. However, its quite astounding that the company hasnt figured out how to effectively store sensitive data. While Facebook has denied the claims, this certainly wont be the last we hear about it. (ANSA) - ROME, APR 28 - A 25-year-old Bangladeshi cook was sentenced to life imprisonment Thursday for decapitating a 25-year-old Bangladeshi pizzeria dishwasher in the victim's home in Turin on June 9, 2021. Mohamed Mostafa was found guilty of murdering Mohamed Ibrahim. His lawyer said she would appeal saying that her client had reacted after being attacked by the victim. Prosecutors said the pair quarreled over a debt or perhaps also a "fake marriage engagement". Mostafa was sending money to a young female relative in Bangladesh on the mistaken premise that the other man would marry her, they said. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, APR 28 - Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said Thursday that "we remain on pre-alert" in relation to the possibility that Russia will cut off gas supplies. "There is no reason to go beyond (this level of alert)," he added. Moscow is demanding that payments for its gas be made in roubles and has suspended supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for refusing to do so. Italy current imports around 40% of its gas from Russia. The Italian government has recently signed agreements to boost gas supplies from Algeria, Angola and the Republic of Congo as part of its effort to end its reliance on Russian energy. Cingolani has said he believes Italy can wean itself off Russian gas within 18 months. (ANSA). MADRID - "The commitment taken with Algeria is that not even a single molecule of gas that reaches Morroco will be from gas coming from Algeria," Spain's deputy prime minister and minister for ecological transition Teresa Ribera said Thursday after Algeria threatened to rescind contracts with Spain if its gas were to end up in Morocco. "For us it is extraordinarily important to have good relations with our neighbours, especially Morocco and Algeria," Ribera said during an event organised with Radio Cadena Ser. BELGRADE - A camp for illegal migrants in Velika Kladusa in the far northwest of Bosnia-Herzegovina along the border with Croatia was cleared on Thursday of the approximately 300 people present. The migrants were moved to a new reception center in Lipa, set up in recent months near Bihac, just south of Velika Kladusa. In reporting the news, regional media said that the operation had been conducted with the intervention of the local police and that no incidents had resulted. The camp in question had sprung up in 2018 amid continual arrival of migrants along the so-called Balkan Route on their way towards Croatia and then western Europe. The Lipa reception center was built with funding from the international community and can host up to 1,500 migrants with adequate conditions even in winter. The local police estimate that fewer than 3,000 illegal migrants are currently in northwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina. ISTANBUL - Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday started a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia on the invitation of King Salman bin Abd al Aziz al Saud. A statement by the Presidential Communications Directorate made the announcement, noting that talks on bilateral relations were on the agenda as well as the "possibility of developing cooperation" between Turkey and Saudi Arabia and a look at recent events at the regional and international levels. On the eve of Erdogan's official visit to Riyadh, Turkey's Treasury and Economy Minister Nureddin Nebati discussed trade cooperation with his Saudi counterpart Mohammed Al-Jadaan. "We exchanged views on how to improve economic cooperation between our two countries on investment and trade," Nebati wrote on Twitter. The visit is part of a process started last year for the normalisation of relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia that had been almost entirely severed since 2018 after the killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul of Saudi journalist and critic of the kingdom Jamal Khashoggi. The problems between the two countries led Saudi businessmen to impose a sort of unofficial embargo on exports from Turkey that last year dropped to their lowest level ever. According to Saudi sources cited by the Anadolu news agency, Turkish exports to Saudi Arabia will go back to normal when relations are re-established. BEIRUT - Saudi Arabia and France announced Thursday that they would be sending more humanitarian aid to Lebanon, hit hard by the worst financial crisis in recent decades. Lebanese media reported the news, saying that the agreement between Paris and Riyadh calls for French aid to be paid for in half with Saudi funds. The Saudi humanitarian cooperation agency KSrelief has signed an agreement with the French government for Saudi Arabia to pay for 36 million euros in French food and health-related aid. The French embassy in Beirut has said that France will also send 30 million euros worth of aid that it will pay for. Saudi Arabia resumed investing in Lebanon after having in recent weeks ended a lengthy political crisis with Beirut. Among the Lebanese institutions that will receive this aid is a hospital in the northern city of Tripoli, which in recent days suffered another surge of tension after at least six migrants drowned off the Lebanese coast when their boat headed for Cyprus capsized. The incident occurred over the night between Saturday and Sunday and the search continues for about 30 people still missing. A financial crisis that began in late 2019 led to the country declaring default in March 2020 and the crash of the banking system resulted in the local currency losing 90% of its value over two years. The UN said that over 80% of the population in Lebanon is now living in poverty. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced in early April that it had reached a preliminary accord with the Lebanese government to provide the country with 3 billion dollars in aid so long as the Lebanese authorities meet a series of conditions, most of which related to the banking and fiscal system. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 15 and analysts say that the vote will help the governing class regain legitimacy after almost two years of protest from broad sectors of the population. Former Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan is expected to cease being an MP three weeks after being convicted of sexually assaulting a boy following a delay in his resignation. The Treasury is understood to have received his resignation letter and it is expected that he will officially leave Parliament on Tuesday, meaning he will receive full pay for April. Khan said he sent the letter triggering the process on Monday, despite having announced his resignation on April 14 while coming under pressure to stand down. He said he expects the process to finish on Saturday, but it was understood it would not happen until the next working day, with Monday being a bank holiday. The Wakefield MP was found guilty of sexually assaulting the 15-year-old at Southwark Crown Court on April 11. There were suggestions that a proper process needed to be followed before he could resign. But parliamentary officials stressed that an MP can resign at any moment and pointed towards the case of Owen Paterson. The Conservative announced his resignation from the cruel world of politics on November 4 after being embroiled in a lobbying scandal and an attempt to ward off his suspension. The next morning, the Treasury announced he had been formally stood down from the seat of North Shropshire by being appointed to the Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, one of the archaic means of resigning MPs. Khan was expected to be appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds. The disgraced politician had been resisting calls to resign until conceding it would be it intolerable for voters in the West Yorkshire constituency to have muted representation while he appeals the conviction. He said the move would allow him to focus entirely on clearing my name. After his departure is confirmed, it will set up a challenging by-election for both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Wakefield was one of the traditional Labour heartlands seats seized by the Tories in the 2019 general election. Mr Johnson will battle to retain the constituency after facing months of bruising allegations centring on Covid law-breaking parties in Downing Street and after he was personally fined. But Sir Keir will feel pressure to win back the seat that had been Labour since the 1930s as he tries to prove to voters the party has transformed since he took over from Jeremy Corbyn. Bridgerton star Golda Rosheuvel says when starting out in the industry she was told that revealing she was gay would ruin your career as an actor. The actress, who plays Queen Charlotte in the hit Netflix series said the advice, given to her by a lesbian director blew my mind. Speaking to the Just For Variety podcast, she recalled the discussion with the director. We were talking about being out and proud and representation and whether I should say I was gay in interviews, she said. The actress, who plays Queen Charlotte in the hit Netflix series said the advice, given to her by a lesbian film director blew my mind (Ian West/PA) It was an absolute no: You absolutely shouldnt do that. It could or it would ruin your career as an actor. She added: I would rather lose a job than not be true to who I am. Id rather not work in an industry that doesnt accept me It just wasnt how I was raised. And then her being out as a female director, as a lesbian director, I was like, I dont understand this advice. It blew my mind. Rosheuvel stars alongside Jonathan Bailey, Kate Sharma and Nicola Coughlan in the second series of the raunchy, Regency-era drama, which is now streaming on Netflix. The brother of murdered aid worker David Haines said he is prepared to stare down the so-called Islamic State terrorists accused of murdering his sibling when he comes face-to-face with them for the first time later this week. Mike Haines is in the US to read a victim impact statement as Londoner Alexanda Kotey is sentenced for his role in the terror cells murder of four hostages. The group, dubbed The Beatles due to their English accents, was said to be made up of ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, Aine Davis, El Shafee Elsheikh and Kotey, and was responsible for the brutal killings of a number of Western captives, believed to include Britons Alan Henning and David Haines. The charges against Kotey, and his co-accused Elsheikh, who was convicted after trial this month, only feature US victims, but both he and Elsheikh will appear in court in Virginia on Friday when the families of those murdered by the terror cell address the judge on their collective loss. Elsheikh is expected to be sentenced at a later date. Mike Haines (right) is in the US to read a statement about the murder of his humanitarian brother David in Syria eight years ago (Family handout/PA) Mr Haines, an RAF veteran and former mental health nurse, told the PA news agency: In some ways obviously I am quite nervous, and in other ways I am looking forward to staring them in the face, to drawing a line behind what has happened. And that is the real reason (for) going out to read my impact statement to the court to draw a line in the sand and say: Yes, you have played a big part in my familys life, you have had a hold on my familys life. However, now, that stops. Elsheikh, Kotey and Emwazi all knew each other in England before joining IS. Elsheikh was captured alongside Kotey in Syria in 2018 by the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces while trying to escape to Turkey. Alexanda Kotey is due to be sentenced this week (ITV News/PA) Davis was jailed in Turkey and Emwazi was killed in a drone strike, while Kotey last year pleaded guilty to eight counts relating to his involvement in the hostage plot. Mr Haines, from Dundee in Scotland, said he would cherish the opportunity to sit down with Kotey to look him in the eyes and tell him he has been misguided. And in an extraordinary demonstration of his rejection of hatred, Mr Haines added: What I would like to hear, although I dont think it will ever happen, is for Kotey to say: Im sorry, what we were doing was wrong. And if that was to happen, (for him to say) What we were doing was not about Islam it was about the spread of terror, then I would actually shake his hand. Slain humanitarian David Haines, at his parents home in Ayr, Scotland, in 2012 (Family handout/PA) Mr Haines 44-year-old younger brother was captured by militants in Syria in March 2013 while delivering aid to the war-torn country. His murder the following year sent shockwaves around the world when a video recording of his barbaric execution was used as propaganda by the Beatles. The family still do not know what has happened to the body. But Mr Haines, who runs education charity Global Acts Of Unity in honour of his brother, said it is not important for him to find out where Davids remains are. Wherever Davids remains lie, whatever has been done to them David walks with me still, he said. At the end of the presentation, I can feel him pat me on the back and say: Nice one. My brother walks with me still I dont need his remains to mourn over. Mr Haines, 55, said he continues to be affected by terror attacks around the globe, and was actually in Manchester the night of the Arena suicide bomb which killed 22 people in 2017. He said: Every time that we hear of an attack, there is sadness in our hearts, because we know that this club that we belong to has just expanded that club that nobody wants to be a part of whove had family members and loved ones injured, maimed or murdered in an act of terrorism. However, what we have seen over and over and over again is the way that people respond to attacks of terror. What we try to do with Global Acts of Unity is show that if we react with hate, the extremists and terrorists win. And they will not win. Kotey is expected to be given a life sentence but could yet be brought to the UK to face trial over the deaths of Mr Haines and Mr Henning. A British military veteran has reportedly been killed in Ukraine while fighting against Russian forces. Tributes have been paid to Scott Sibley after the Foreign Office confirmed a British national had died in Ukraine and another is missing. The families of both are being supported, a spokesperson said, declining to give names or further details. Mr Sibley has been named by the BBC and Sky, both of which said he is believed to have been fighting in support of Ukrainian forces. In a statement, the Foreign Office said: We can confirm that a British national has been killed in Ukraine and are supporting their family. On the missing person, the spokesperson said: We are aware of a British national who is missing in Ukraine and are supporting their family. We are urgently seeking further information. A fundraising page set up in Mr Sibleys name paid tribute to his contagious laugh and ability to cheer us up!. Tributes were also left on the Logistic Support Squadron Facebook page, where a picture was posted alongside the comment: This week the Sqn has lost a former serving soldier. A man that showed Commando spirit until the end. RIP. Scott Sibley. A small number of serving British personnel are believed to have gone absent without leave to join the resistance against the Russian invasion, while veterans and Britons without combat experience are thought to have also travelled to Ukraine. There was initially confusion on the Governments position after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, in comments during an interview to the BBC on February 26, said she would absolutely support UK nationals who chose to fight for Ukraine. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss initially said she would support UK nationals who chose to fight for Ukraine but later rowed back on this (Victoria Jones/PA) However, she later rowed back on those comments, insisting she had been expressing support for the Ukrainian cause in her remarks, and that there are better ways to contribute to the countrys defence. Veterans minister Leo Docherty has previously written to armed forces charities to encourage those tempted to travel to the war zone to turn their efforts to helping the Ukrainian people from the UK. Britons Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin were both captured earlier this month while fighting with Ukrainian armed forces against Russia. Meanwhile, the latest Government figures show that around a fifth of Ukrainian refugees who have been issued with visas under the Homes for Ukraine scheme have arrived in the UK. A total of 86,100 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 27,100 Ukrainians had arrived in the UK, according to figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office. Overall, less than a third (31.4%) of those granted visas under both schemes have arrived in the UK. There are multiple cases where families are unable to travel to the UK because not all family members have received their permission to travel letters or visas. There has also been widespread concern about the length of time it has taken for visas to be issued to refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. A Government spokeswoman said: We are processing thousands of visas a day this shows the changes we made to streamline the service are working and well continue to build on this success so we can speed up the process even further. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said Britain and its allies need to help prise Russian forces out of Ukraine like a limpet off the rock. Mr Wallace said the UK would continue to supply weapons to the government in Kyiv and was looking at the options for providing anti-ship missiles. Mr Wallace told Sky News: I think its certainly the case that Putin, having failed in nearly all objectives, may seek to consolidate what hes got, sort of fortify and dig in, as he did in 2014, and just be a sort of cancerous growth within the country of Ukraine and make it very hard for people to move them out of those fortified positions, he said. So I think its really about, if we want this to not happen, we have to help Ukrainians effectively get the limpet off the rock and keep the momentum pushing them back. In a speech on Wednesday, Ms Truss said the objective should be to drive Russia out of the whole of Ukraine. The Mounties may become the Moonties. Canadas criminal code may soon extend to crimes committed on the moon if the House of Common passes an amendment proposed Tuesday, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports. Criminal acts committed by Canadian astronauts during space travel to the International Space Station already are said to fall under the jurisdiction of law enforcement on Earth. The Canadian Space Agency is part of the Lunar Gateway initiative, which also includes NASA, the European Space Agency and Japan Exploration Agency. The operation plans to operate a small space station into lunar orbit. The moon is pictured over Toronto, Canada. The moon is pictured over Toronto, Canada. Under law, any Canadian crew member who commits an indictable crime during space flight will be treated the same as anyone who commits that same act on Canadian territory. A Canadian astronaut is slated to be named to the Artemis II endeavor, which will mark the first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years when it launches in 2024. Elon Musk and Amber Heard's relationship is finally brought up in Johnny Depp's defamation trial. (Photo: Getty Images) Amber Heard's former agent testified that the actress wanted to get back together with Johnny Depp after she publicly accused him of abuse. The Aquaman star was dating Elon Musk at the time, or "filling space" with the Tesla founder, as she purportedly told her then friend. CAA agent Christian Carino, who happens to be Lady Gaga's ex-fiance, testified in a recorded video deposition on Wednesday. He was both Depp and Heard's former agent. Carino spoke about how he had a close personal relationship with the actors throughout their relationship, even setting them up with a couple's counselor in 2015. He said he never witnessed any abuse and that Heard never told him she was physically assaulted by Depp. Carino is no longer friends with Depp or Heard. Carino was asked about facilitating a meeting between Heard and Depp in July 2016 at the actress' request. "[Amber] wanted me to arrange for them to get together in person," Carino declared. "I talked to Johnny about it... he was reluctant at first and then agreed." Heard, who filed for divorce and was granted a temporary restraining order in May 2016, apparently gave Carino assurances she would "never accuse" Depp of violating the TRO as a result of the meeting. Carino "set the meeting up" and believes there were legal transparencies on both sides as the two were hashing out their divorce at the time. Carino "borrowed" a friends house in San Francisco, which is where Heard and Depp first met. "They sat outside," he recalled, "inches away from each other" for "several hours." When the homeowner was set to return, they rented a hotel room to continue the conversation. Things didn't go as smoothly. "They started arguing," Carino testified. This appears to be the same meeting where an audio recording was taken. In the clip played in court last week, Depp has a knife and tells Heard to "take my blood" while she begs him not to cut himself. ("I thought that was the only thing she didn't have at that point," Depp testified about the exchange caught on tape.) Carino was asked whether Heard "ever had a relationship" with Musk. He confirmed they did. Carino was then shown correspondence between himself and Heard from August 2017. "Dealing with breakup. I hate when things go public... I'm so sad," Heard texted Carino. (This corresponds with media reports at the time that Musk and Heard split.) "You weren't in love with him and you told me a thousand times you were just filling space," Carino replied via text. He confirms multiple times during his testimony that he and Heard were confidants at the time. "I know, but I wanted time to grieve and recover in my own time," Heard texted Carino. Carino told Heard she "could avoid" press attention if she "stopped dating uber famous people." "If you don't like being in the press about your personal life, then don't date people that are famous," Carino explained of the advice he shared in that text. Carino was asked by Depp's attorney if Heard was dating Musk at the time of the July 2016 meeting. "I don't know whether they were dating, but they had definitely spent time together," Carino replied. He said he learned of Musk and Heard's relationship "not long after" the San Francisco meeting. Carino testified it was his understanding Heard "still" loved Depp and that he believed she wanted to "reconcile" with the actor. Depp's attorneys read aloud the following text message from Heard to Carino: "I've written so many notes, can you give him one? I don't know how or where to start. There's no way to begin... I have so many. Finally I am single, clear in my heart and mind. I just want him to know I love him and I am sorry." Related video: Carino testified that Heard is referring to "Johnny" in the text and that she wanted him to deliver the Pirates star a letter. When asked if it was his understanding that Heard was trying "to reconcile" with Depp, he replied, "I believe so." In another text from Sept. 2017, Heard wrote to Carino, "God I miss him." Carino confirmed Heard was referring to Depp. Another text from Heard to Carino on June 9, 2018 was read by Depp's lawyer, in which Heard wrote, "I texted him happy birthday." (Depp's birthday is June 9.) Five months later, the actress referred to herself as a "public figure representing domestic abuse." Depp is suing Heard for $50 million over that op-ed she wrote in the Washington Post in Dec. 2018. The actor says he suffered damages to his career and reputation over false abuse accusations that were rehashed in the article. Carino appeared to support Depp's claim. "My opinion is that Amber's accusations would have had the most dramatic impact on his off-screen reputation," Carino said, confirming he was informed that Depp was axed from Pirates 6 after the op-ed was published. Heard has yet to testify and maintains she was the victim of domestic violence, not the other way around as Depp has claimed. MORE: Johnny Depp's texts about wanting to 'f***' Amber Heard's 'burnt corpse' read at trial Whether he's speaking from a stand-up stage, the Saturday Night Live studio or with the press, Bill Burr isn't afraid to sound off with an unpopular opinion or two. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 53-year-old comedian addressed his former Mandalorian co-star Gina Carano's public firing from the hit Disney+ Star Wars series over offensive social media posts. And in Burr's opinion, what happened to the MMA fighter-turned-actor was unfair. "I thought it was funny that the liberals proved her point," Burr says, adding that he identifies as liberal himself. "It's disappointing to see the left become how the right used to be when they went after the Dixie Chicks after they criticized George W. Bush. Theres not a lot of people like that most are just trying not to get in trouble but theres this small collection of lunatics either on the right or the left, at any given moment. that cause hysteria. And now theres so many [media outlets] that want eyeballs, they make money off advertising, that they give attention to these crazy fringe people." From left, Pedro Pascal, Clancy Brown and Bill Burr on a Season 1 episode of The Mandalorian.(Photo: Disney+) Burr's Mandalorian character, mercenary Migs Mayfield, appeared opposite Carano's rough-and-tumble brawler, Cara Dune, in the penultimate episode of Season 2, and the two got along well on set. "She was an absolute sweetheart. Super nice f****** person," the comedian remembered on a 2021 episode of The Bill Bert Podcast. At the time, it was widely rumored that Cara Dune would anchor a new Star Wars series, Rangers of the New Republic, based on the positive fan response to the character and Carano's performance. But the actress's social media habits attracted renewed attention following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. Already known to have more conservative views, Carano challenged mask mandates in her Twitter feed, and seemed to ridicule the practice of sharing one's pronouns. As the "FireGinaCarano" hashtag started to gain steam on Twitter, Walt Disney and Lucasfilm finally parted ways with the actress in February 2021 after she shared a post on social media that suggested being a Republican in Hollywood was akin to being Jewish during the Holocaust. Carano later joined forces with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro for the upcoming thriller, Terror on the Prairie, which was produced by Shapiro's media company, The Daily Wire. Gina Carano returned as Cara Dune on the latest episode of The Mandalorian. (Photo: Disney+) Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter now, Burr says that he felt restrained from publicly defending Carano at the time of her firing. "You cant chime in when the s***'s happening, because then you cause static for other people on the [show]. That somebodys opinion or their political beliefs makes people try to destroy their ability to make a living, its f***ing bizarre to me." "And I love the whole idea that somebody can go back eight years in somebodys Twitter feed and be like, 'What about this?'" Burr continues. "Meanwhile, there are people who get paroled from prison every day who have done so much worse and theyre allowed to put their lives back together. You can have 20-year wars, you can create synthetic heroin, you can f***ing poison the food supply. You can do all of that s*** and its barely going to read I could tell you five different topics that if I did jokes about, I would get more in trouble than the people who caused that." Certainly, Burr got in some hot water for his blistering 2020 SNL monologue, where he joked about "cancel culture" and the "Karen" phenomenon. "How did you manage to be sexist, racist, AND homophobic in under 5 minutes?" marveled one Twitter critic. "I said exactly what I was thinking," the comedian remarks now, adding that he told the "Disney version" of those jokes to appease NBC. "You cant take one incident or one quote and say, 'Thats who you are,'" Burr observed in his interview. "It took me 50 years to figure out who I am, and Ive been with me for 50 f***ing years. How are you going to figure out who I am in a joke?" Andrew Garfield may be taking a break from acting, but when he returns, hell be abiding by the same rule he has for every role he chooses. Theres a no ahole policy, the Oscar nominee, 38, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting his new series, Under the Banner of Heaven. Stars Whove Played Superheroes Life is short. You know what I love about [executive producers] Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and that whole troupe of people? And I think [showrunner] Dustin Lance Black is very similar. Lin-Manuel Miranda is very similar, he continued. Were not only casting the roles right. Were casting a family that will serve the north star of the project, not their own egos. And banding together and creating something that is bigger than themselves. And well have a good time doing it. And I think its a pretty cool way of working. Its like, theres a lifes too short kind of thing. If were gonna go to work and youre putting together a team, youre gonna want it to be a good gang that wants to muck in and play together. And then thats what this was, for sure. Andrew Garfield Has No Asshole Policy When Choosing Roles Like Under the Banner of Heaven Inspired by the true crime bestseller by Jon Krakauer, the limited FX series follows the events of the gruesome 1984 murders of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter. Garfield plays Jeb Pyre, a devout Mormon and detective who questions his own beliefs as he investigates the case with his partner Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham). I prepared heavy in the lead up to shooting. I researched a lot, and I did all of my preparation in a really deep way, the actor told Us. I went to Utah. I spent a lot of time with Mormons, ex Mormons, gay Mormons, Bishop Mormons, detective Mormons. I really love that aspect of preparation and worked really heavily on the script with Lance to make sure it felt authentic. I just immersed myself in that culture. Everything to Know About Under the Banner of Heaven Garfield, who recently was a staple in the awards circuit for Mirandas tick, tick BOOM! and Eyes of Tammy Faye while also reprising his Spidey role in Spider-Man: No Way Home revealed that he approached Under the Banner of Heaven differently than any other project hes ever done. David Fisher/Shutterstock It was funny once we started shooting, it was very, very different from what Ive ever experienced. I would leave work at work for the first time, he explained. I really needed to break from that world and be as ordinary and as kind of restful as possible so that I could come back the next day and throw myself back into that very, very dark subterranean kind of hellscape that we were having to inhabit as these characters to try and uncover this really, really dark and toxic case. Garfield and Birmingham were introduced years before working together. We met when we were involved in two films that were out, kind of up for Academy Awards in 2017. Hell or High Water and Hacksaw Ridge, the Broadway star explained. And we had a lovely connection back then. It was a warmth immediately and Im a big fan of Gils work as well. It was kind of a great thing. When actually Dustin Lance Black said, Im thinking about Gil Birmingham for [Bill] Taba, I was an immediate yes. It was a tick from me. I was like, Yes. Hell yes. Thats the guy I wanna work with. So yeah, it worked out. Everything to Know About Tick, TickBOOM! Its a real blessing, Birmingham chimed in. If youre in the business long enough, you cross paths often. Some people youre waiting for a chance to get to work with. And Andrew was one of those people. Ah, come on! Garfield interjected. FX Networks/YouTube I had to say that, Birmingham teased, adding of his costar: It just comes down to the kind of human being youre interacting with. And its such a joy when you find just a really compassionate and committed artisan at their job and just a great human being that is exploring life and their journey the same way we all are. Garfield agreed. Same with Gil. We did have an immediate kind of simpatico, brotherhood connection, I suppose. It felt really good to know that Gil was someone who was on a spiritual quest in his life just as I am and feel like we can access that in our work, he told Us. And, you know, astrologically speaking, hes a Cancer. Im a Leo. We are the mother and the father of the Zodiac. And when those two signs combine its a power unlike has ever been seen before on this earth. FX Networks/YouTube When the Pieces of Her actor questioned, Im assuming Im the father? Garfield wasnt as sold. He proclaimed: The Leo is the king. Under the Banner of Heaven also stars Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Denise Gough, Billy Howle, Adelaide Clemens, Rory Culkin, Seth Numrich, Chloe Pirrie and Sandra Seacat. The shows first two episodes premiere on Hulu on Thursday, April 28, with a new episode available in each of the following five weeks. The Bahamian government is looking to get its central bank digital currency listed on a crypto exchange as part of a larger effort to expand its presence in the cryptocurrency industry. Weve had preliminary conversations with some exchanges about listing the Sand Dollar and those early conversations have gone very well, Ryan Pinder, attorney general and administrator of legal affairs for the Bahamas, told Yahoo Finance at the FTX Salt Conference, noting that the countrys government wants to give our citizens more exposure to the digital asset space. The island nation has made several moves in the crypto space recently in a bid to attract more business and revenue, including hosting this week's major cryptocurrency conference. The Bahamas is open for business and it's serious about becoming a major player in the digital asset space, the countrys Prime Minister Phillip Davis said during a Wednesday press conference after welcoming some 2,000 crypto-natives and Wall Street firms looking to invest in the emerging market. The Bahamian government is looking to get its central bank digital currency listed on a crypto exchange. (Photo: Getty Creative) Having launched the Sand Dollar in 2020, the Bahamas is said to be one of the leading nations in the race to implement a central bank digital currency (CBDC). However, Bahamian officials havent shared data for how widely the CBDC is adopted. For a country made up of 700 different islands, cash remains king, according to a survey published last year by the Central Bank of the Bahamas, which found most respondents said they were very comfortable with cash (88%) whereas only 62% reported the same level of comfort with online banking. But as other sovereign states have found, the Bahamas doesn't necessarily need nationwide crypto adoption to reap rewards that crypto businesses are bringing to their shores. Seeking a more regulatory friendly base of operations, cryptocurrency exchange FTX moved from Hong Kong to Nassau in September. The move has brought the country more revenue in the form of taxes and real estate transactions, including one project estimated to cost $60 million that will house up to 1,000 employees. Speaking to The Nassau Guardian , FTX Digital Markets CEO Ryan Salame said the company will prioritize hiring Bahamian residents and already employs 35. A Nassau resident and real estate developer familiar with the matter told Yahoo Finance another cryptocurrency exchange is also looking to establish a presence on the island and has already purchased several apartment units. Bahamas, Eleuthera Island, district of Governor's Harbour. (Photo: Getty Creative) The countrys crypto-friendly policy, which it laid out in a framewor k published last week, is a continuation of the Bahamas innovation in the financial sector, Tanya McCartney, chief executive and director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board told Yahoo Finance. The Bahamas has long served as a safe haven for international banking thanks to its tax laws, which include no taxation on personal income, capital gains, inheritance or gifts for citizens and non-natives residing in the nation. A report from PWC shows tourism is the primary driver of the Bahamas total gross domestic product (GDP) while its second largest sector, finance, makes up 15-20% of its GDP. Crypto friendliness also appears to have an overlapping impact on finance and tourism. Based on a poll cited by El Salvadors Minister of Tourism from February, activity in the Latin American countrys tourism sector increased by 30% in the last two months of 2021 due to its decision to make Bitcoin legal tender. From 2019 to 2020, the Bahamas GDP slipped by more than 25% from $13.1 billion to $9.9 billion according to the World Bank . Bahamian government officials cite damage from Hurricane Dorian in 2019 coupled with the economic slowdown, especially in tourism, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. YF Plus David Hollerith covers cryptocurrency for Yahoo Finance. Follow him @dshollers. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn FILE PHOTO: Worker checks valve of oil pipe at Lukoil company owned Imilorskoye oil field outside West Siberian city of Kogalym (Reuters) - Here is the response by countries regarding purchases of Russian oil following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, and how companies have acted. COUNTRIES' RESPONSES Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States have imposed outright bans on Russian oil purchases but the 27 members of the European Union have not been able to agree on the embargo. The EU aims to reduce its dependence on Russian oil and gas by two-thirds by the end of the year and to zero by the end of 2027, EU Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni has said. Germany, the EU's largest economy, has announced plans to end its dependence on Russian oil by the close of this year. While the EU has not imposed an embargo, many companies in Europe have stopped buying Russian crude voluntarily or promised to do so when their long-term contracts expire. Major global trading houses plan to reduce crude and fuel purchases from Russia's state-controlled oil companies as early as May 15 to avoid falling foul of EU's financial sanctions on Russia. Moscow has threatened to search for alternative markets for its energy supplies if the West shuns Russian oil and gas. China and India, which have refused to condemn Russia's actions, continue to buy Russian crude. Below are current and former buyers of Russian crude (in alphabetical order): CURRENT BUYERS BHARAT PETROLEUM Indian state-run refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd has bought 2 million barrels of Russian Urals for May loading from trader Trafigura, two people familiar with the purchase said. The company regularly buys Russian Urals for its 310,000 barrels per day (bpd) Kochi refinery in southern India. HELLENIC PETROLEUM Greece's biggest oil refiner relies on Russian crude for about 15% of its intake. The company earlier this month secured additional supplies from Saudi Arabia. HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM, India's state refiner bought 2 million barrels of Russian Urals for May loading, according to trading sources last week. INDIAN OIL CORP India's top refiner has bought 6 million barrels of Urals since Feb. 24, and has a suppply contract with Rosneft for up to 15 million barrels of Russian crude in 2022. The refiner, which also buys crude on behalf of its Chennai Petroleum subsidiary, however, has excluded several high-sulphur crude grades, including Urals, from its latest tender, according to trading sources. ISAB Italy's largest refinery, owned by Lukoil-controlled Swiss-based Litasco SA, has been forced to source nearly all of its crude oil from its Russian owner, because international banks are no longer providing it with credit. The Italian government is considering temporary nationalisation of ISAB as one of its options if sanctions are imposed on Russian oil, two government sources told Reuters. LEUNA The land-locked Leuna refinery in eastern Germany, majority-owned by TotalEnergies, is also fed Russian crude by the Druzhba pipeline. MANGALORE REFINERY AND PETROCHEMICALS The state-run Indian refiner has bought 1 million barrels of Russian Urals crude for May loading via a tender from a European trader, a rare purchase driven by the discount offered. MIRO Russian crude continues to account for about 14% of the intake at Germany's largest refinery, Miro, which is 24% owned by Rosneft.. MOL The Hungarian oil group, which operates three refineries in Hungary and Slovakia and Croatia, continues to buy Russian crude via Druzhba pipeline, as well as refined products. The company said it would take two to four years and cost between $500 and $700 million to replace Russian oil imports in case of a full European embargo. NAYARA ENERGY The Indian private refiner, part-owned by Rosneft, has purchased Russian oil after a gap of a year, buying about 1.8 million barrels of Urals from trader Trafigura. NEFTOCHIM BURGAS A Bulgarian refinery, owned by Russia's Lukoil, and with Russian crude accounting for about 60% of its intake, continues to refine Russian crude. PCK SCHWEDT Germany's PCK Schwedt refinery, 54% owned by Rosneft, receives crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline. PERTAMINA Indonesian state energy firm PT Pertamina is considering buying crude oil from Russia as it seeks oil for a newly revamped refinery. PKN Orlen Poland's largest refiner has stopped buying Russian crude on the spot market, switching to North Sea oil, but is still buying Urals under previously signed contracts which expire by the end of this year or later. The company, which operates refineries in Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic, saw its profit from refining surge in March thanks to the discount it pays for Russian oil. SINOPEC China's state-run Sinopec, Asia's largest refiner, is continuing to purchase Russian crude under previously signed long-term contracts but is steering clear of new spot deals. FORMER BUYERS BP The British oil major, which is abandoning its stake in Rosneft, will not enter new deals with Russian entities for loading at Russian ports, unless "essential for ensuring security of supplies". ENEOS Japan's biggest refiner has stopped buying crude oil from Russia, while some cargoes signed under previous agreements will arrive in Japan until around April. The company plans to source alternative supplies from the Middle East. ENI The energy group, 30.3% owned by the Italian government, is suspending purchases of Russian oil. No Russian crude will be used at Germany's Bayernoil refinery, in which Eni and Rosneft have stakes. EQUINOR Norway's majority state-owned energy firm has stopped trading Russian oil as it winds down its operations in the country. GALP The Portuguese oil and gas company has suspended all new purchases of petroleum products from Russia or Russian companies. GLENCORE The global mining and trading firm, which holds a 0.57% stake in Rosneft, said it would continue to honour its obligations under previously signed contracts, but would "not enter into any new trading business in respect of Russian origin commodities unless directed by the relevant government authorities". NESTE The Finnish refiner has not bought Russian crude oil on the spot market since the start of the war and is not planning to sign new deals, when the existing long-term supply contract ends in July. From the start of April, the refiner has replaced about 85% of the Russian crude oil with other crudes. PREEM Sweden's largest refiner, owned by Saudi billionaire Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi, has "paused" new orders of Russian crude, which accounted for around 7% of its purchases, replacing them with North Sea barrels. REPSOL The Spanish company has stopped buying Russian crude oil in the spot market. SHELL The world's largest petroleum trader has stopped buying Russian crude and on April 27 said it would no longer accept refined products with any Russian content, including blended fuels. TRAFIGURA The Geneva-based global commodities trader plans to stop all purchases of crude oil from Rosneft by May 15 when tighter EU rules on Russian oil sales come into effect, and "substantially" reduce volume of refined products it buys from Rosneft. TOTALENERGIES The French oil major has said it would no longer enter into or renew the existing contracts to buy Russian crude oil and petroleum products, with the aim of halting all purchases by the end of 2022. The contracts primarily cover supplies for its Leuna refinery in eastern Germany, which gets Russian crude via the Druzhba pipeline, as well as Europe's gasoil supply. VARO ENERGY The Swiss refiner, which owns 51.4% in Germany's Bayernoil refinery, has said it does not plan to enter into new deals to buy Russian crude. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Editing by Jason Neely, Mark Potter, Tomasz Janowski and Frances Kerry) Halyna Hutchins' family has a request for Sheriff Adan Mendoza. The same week that the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office released previously unseen footage, photos and interviews from the fatal Rust shooting, ET obtained an email via a source in which the family of the late cinematographer asks the sheriff's office to take down a video of the her death. In the email, the family's attorney, Brian Panish, writes that, by releasing the materials, the sheriff's office "trampled on the constitutional rights" of Matt and Andros Hutchins -- the late cinematographer's husband and son. ET has reached out to the office for further comment. Panish claims that the sheriff's office had previously "promised to allow Mr. Hutchins to review the materials being publicly released in advance of their dissemination to the press," but then changed their mind to give him "less than a business day to review the materials," which the attorney deems "wholly inadequate... given the sheer volume of material." It also, Panish writes, "failed to give the Hutchins the 'dignity and privacy' the New Mexico constitution affords them including the right to request that discretion be exercised, and sensitive material be redacted." Panish alleges that "even this arrangement was violated when your office released the materials to the public before releasing the materials to Mr. Hutchins." "The first time Mr. Hutchins saw the disturbing and unsettling video footage of his dying wife lying on the church floor was on... an internet website," Panish writes. "A greater respect for the Hutchins' constitutional rights would not have allowed the video footage to be released." Panish goes on to list the "potential consequences" of having the video available publicly, including the fear that "this shocking footage of Andros' mother dying may be material used by bullies to emotionally abuse him in the future." The damage of releasing the video, Panish alleges, is "irreparable." "What is most troubling about the actions of your office in releasing all the files is that the action were not legally required," Panish writes. "... What is more, your office has the power to redact 'protected personal identifier information contained in public records,' but inexplicably decided not to... Even worse, it appears your office violated New Mexico's IPRA law... [by making] all such records available via your Dropbox account." As such, Panish writes, he and his clients "demand that your office respect Matthew, Halyna, and Andros Hutchins' constitutional rights of dignity, privacy, respect, and fairness going forward." "We also demand that your office take down the video footage of Halyna Hutchins dying on the church floor," he concludes. "While the damage of publishing that video is irreparable, taking down the video will end your office's complicity in causing further harm." Prior to Panish's email, the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office told ET, "The release of existing records related to the Rust shooting incident was based on public records requests to the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office." As for Alec Baldwin, who that allegedly discharged the gun that killed Hutchins, his attorney, Luke Nikas of Quinn Emanuel, told ET that the actor "welcomes this investigation." "The information that has been revealed by the authorities demonstrates, once again, that Mr. Baldwin acted responsibly and did not have control over any production issues that were identified in the OSHA report," he said. "Additionally, the interviews and affidavits disclosed today continue to corroborate Mr. Baldwins description of the events -- including an affidavit from the Detective stating that the cameraman, who was standing next to Ms. Hutchins and Mr. Souza at the time of the accident, confirmed that Mr. Baldwin was 'very careful' with guns on the set." RELATED CONTENT: Alec Baldwin Is Told Halyna Hutchins Died in Newly Released Footage New Footage From 'Rust' Set Shows Alec Baldwin Moments After Shooting 'Rust' Production Company Fined Over $136,000 Ideology must be taken out of negotiations around the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Stormont Finance Minister has said. Conor Murphy also urged the restoration of the Executive following next weeks Assembly election, arguing that its collapse has had no impact on protocol negotiations but has halted the planned three-year Stormont budget. Ministers have been working effectively in a caretaking role since the resignation of First Minister Paul Givan over the protocol, which is opposed by unionists as a border in the Irish Sea. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party will be at Stormont on day one after the election to negotiate a programme for government. He described a 24-week period to discuss also concerns around the draft budget. He reiterated his position that he wants to see action on the very real difficulties of the protocol, but insisted issues can be resolved quickly, and need not result in a hard border on the island of Ireland. We believe there are solutions that can be found to this, and they can happen quickly, he said. What were looking for is a clear signal from the government that these issues are being addressed and we want to be in a position where the Executive is formed, but political stability means dealing with the problems, it means dealing with the challenges and we cant run away from that. Democratic Unionist leader Jeffrey Donaldson participating in an Audience with Northern Irelands Political Leaders, organised by the CBI at Queens University in Belfast (Mark Marlow/PA) Mr Murphy said an Executive needs to be in place to address the cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business crises as well as creating a fit for purpose economic strategy. Responding to Sir Jeffrey, Mr Murphy said while he remains as Finance Minister it is on the care and maintenance basis, and he is unable to make significant decisions. Were all basically sitting in a limbo and thats the effect of withdrawing the First Minister and that has zero impact on the protocol negotiations and the continued absence of an Executive will have zero impact on the protocol negotiations. They will be resolved between the EU and the British government and they need to be resolved and we want to see them being resolved in a pragmatic and practical way, he said. Mr Murphy said Stormonts first opportunity in a long time for a three-year budget has been lost, with all departments currently operating on a care and maintenance basis. If people are going to continue to hang out over the protocol, there wont be an Executive in place and what we will have is a treading water approach in terms of budgetary spend over the next number of months at least and that essentially loses us one year out of the three-year budget, he said. What we have to do is take the ideology out of the negotiations and get into the pragmatic dealing of the solutions through the discussions through the British government and the EU, and some of that has already materialised in terms of medicines and other matters. An absence of an Executive here will not have any impact on those discussions. Democratic unionist party leader Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Feins Conor Murphy with The Social Democratic and Labour Partys Claire Hanna, Stephen Farry of The Alliance party and the Ulster Unionist partys Mike Nesbitt, at an Audience with Northern Irelands Political Leaders (Mark Marlow/PA) The arguments were made at a gathering of business leaders in Belfast organised by CBI Northern Ireland. Adrian Doran, CBI Northern Ireland Chair, said local businesses have never faced a more challenging period at the Audience with Northern Irelands Political Leaders event which also heard from SDLP MP Claire Hanna, UUP Assembly candidate Mike Nesbitt and Alliance MP Stephen Farry. Ms Hanna called for stability at Stormont, saying the chronic nihilistic turbulence and instability cannot continue. She said her party wants to go into an Executive and work to negotiate a decent meaningful programme for government. Its frustrating when youre going round the doors, people dont believe that a couple of weeks after the May election that were going to be in doing these things, she said, adding they are up for talking about trying to change some of the ugly scaffolding of Stormont. These two parties (DUP and Sinn Fein), if they get their vote out can veto the formation of a government and thats not proven to be healthy over the years. Mr Nesbitt said his party will not collapse anything, describing a short-term tactic, and a bad one at that when what we all need is long-term strategic thinking. He described the protocol as a challenge, but stressed it did not have to be a crisis. Unfortunately, there are politicians who delight in turning challenges into crises because its actually easier to say bad people are imposing bad things upon us than to accept the challenge of turning this into an opportunity, he said. Mr Farry said the Executive needs to come back and agree a Programme for Government, a budget and an economic strategy. He described a big role for the UK government, warning more confrontation around the protocol will not help political stability in Northern Ireland. Mr Farry was applauded as he called for legal certainty for businesses operating amid the protocol, warning that scenarios where international law is potentially broken will leave businesses operating internationally in a grey zone. He described his party as protocol pragmatists. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Three days before Elon Musk agreed to buy Twitter, the world's richest man tweeted a photo of Bill Gates and used a crude term to make fun of his belly. Playful, aggressive and often juvenile, Musk's past tweets show how he has used social media to craft his public image as a brash billionaire unafraid to offend. They may also reveal clues as to how Musk will govern the platform he hopes to own. Look at the feed: It's all over the place. It's erratic. At times it's pretty extreme, said Jennifer Grygiel, a Syracuse University professor who studies social media and who recently assigned Musk's tweets as reading material for their students. It paints him as some sort of rebel leader who will take control of the public square to save it. That is a myth he has constructed. Musk joined Twitter in 2010 and now has more than 85 million followers the seventh most of any account and the highest for any business leader. He had mused about buying the site before he agreed on Monday to pay $44 billion for Twitter, which he said he hopes to turn into a haven where all speech is allowed. I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means, Musk wrote in a tweet. As the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk uses his Twitter account to make business announcements and promote his enterprises. He muses about technology and trade, but has also posted jokes about women's breasts and once compared Canada's prime minister to Hitler. He regularly weighs in on global events, as he did in March 2020 when he tweeted that The coronavirus pandemic is dumb." He's also used the account to punch back at critics, such as when he called a diver working to rescue boys trapped in a cave in Thailand a pedo," short for pedophile. The diver had previously criticized Musk's proposal to use a sub to rescue the boys. Musk, who won a defamation suit filed by the diver, later said he never intended pedo to be interpreted as pedophile. A few years ago, after software engineer Cher Scarlett criticized Musk's handling of the cave incident, the tech billionaire fired back and she was soon being harassed by dozens of Musk's online fans. He later deleted the posts, but not before Scarlett had to lock down her account because she was receiving so many hateful messages. It's ironic to me that somebody who claims they want to buy Twitter to protect free speech has such thin skin, she said. He's a very smart man, and when he replies to people that criticize him, he knows what he's doing. To me that's not championing free speech, it's weaponizing free speech, and I think that's what he'll do owning this platform. Nineteen-year-old Jack Sweeney got Musk's attention when he created an automated Twitter account that tracked the movements of Musk's jet. Musk responded by offering Sweeney $5,000 to pull the account. When Sweeney refused, Musk blocked him on Twitter. Sweeney said he's worried he may get kicked off the site entirely if Musk's takeover is approved. But he said he likes Musk's free speech absolutism, and hopes he sees it through. Hell make it more open, and I think that's a good thing, Sweeney said. Musk's use of Twitter has also led to problems for his own companies. In one August 2018 tweet, for instance, Musk asserted that he had the funding to take Tesla private for $420 a share, although a court has ruled that it wasnt true. That led to an SEC investigation that Musk is still fighting. More recently, Musk appeared to have violated SEC rules that required him to disclose that hed acquired a 5% stake in Twitter; instead he waited until he had more than 9%. Experts say these issues arent likely to affect his Twitter acquisition. Last year another federal agency, the National Labor Relations Board, ordered Musk to delete a tweet that officials said illegally threatened to cut stock options for Tesla employees who joined the United Auto Workers union. Those tweets helped cement Musk's reputation as a brash outsider, a workingman's billionaire, Grygiel said. But that doesn't mean he is equipped to run a social media platform with more than 200 million users, the professor added. Maybe he wants to burn it down, Grygiel said. I don't know. But I do know that it shows that no one person should have this kind of power. FILE - This undated photo provided by the Tennessee Department of Correction shows inmate Oscar Smith. Tennessee's governor on Thursday, April 21, called off what was to have been the state's first execution since the start of the pandemic, granting a temporary reprieve to Smith, 72, for what was called an "oversight" in preparations for the lethal injection. Republican Gov. Bill Lee didn't elaborate on what issue forced the surprise 11th-hour stop to the planned execution. (Tennessee Department of Correction via AP, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) After an undisclosed oversight forced Tennessee to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die last week, Smith's attorneys on Thursday asked for a moratorium on executions and a review of the state's execution protocols. Federal Public Defender Kelley Henry, speaking at a Thursday news conference, said there needs to be an independent investigation of what went wrong. The state's reluctance to promptly disclose what happened undermines public confidence in its ability to carry out an impartial investigation, she said. Republican Gov. Bill Lee issued a brief statement on April 21 at 5:42 p.m. saying that 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. Officials initially said Lee would release more details this week but have since postponed any disclosures until next Monday. Lee spokesperson Laine Arnold explained in an email that they were delaying the information's release so as not to distract from the end of the General Assembly's legislative session this week. Henry declared herself baffled" about the delay. I don't see how the two are connected, she said. While Smith and his attorneys do not yet know what prompted the execution's abrupt halt, Henry said that the night before the execution she requested the results of tests for potency, sterility and endotoxins that are supposed to be carried out on the execution drugs if they are obtained from a compounding pharmacy. She has received no response. Henry suspects at least two of the three execution drugs were compounded, rather than commercially manufactured, she said, although secrecy rules surrounding Tennessee executions makes it difficult to know for certain. After a public outcry several years ago, many drug manufacturers began refusing to sell their medications for executions, making the drugs difficult for prison systems to obtain. Around the same time, Tennessee and many other states began approving exemptions to open records law that allows the names of drug suppliers and other information about executions to remain secret. Through a public records request, Henry said she has received heavily redacted records from the state's last lethal injection execution in 2019 and believes the drugs in that case did not pass the required tests. Asked whether the governor had a response to the Thursday letter requesting a moratorium, Arnold said in an email that Lee will have more to say about it on Monday. While lethal injection was adopted as a humane alternative to the electric chair, it has been the subject of consistent problems and lawsuits. In Oklahoma in 2014, an inmate writhed and clenched his teeth on the gurney until the execution was called off. He died of a heart attack shortly afterward. Then last year, an Oklahoma man convulsed and vomited during his lethal injection in an execution witnessed by an Associated Press reporter. In 2015, Georgia prison officials were forced to halt an execution at the last minute when the lethal injection drug turned cloudy, a circumstance state officials struggled to explain, according to court documents. 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 the inmates are unconscious and unable to feel pain. Expert witnesses for inmates, however, have said the inmates would feel like they were drowning, suffocating and being burned alive, all while unable to move or call out. Of the seven inmates Tennessee has put to death since 2018 when Tennessee ended an execution pause stretching back to 2009 five have chosen to die in the electric chair. Smith declined to make a choice, meaning he was scheduled to be executed by the state's preferred method of lethal injection. Smith was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife, Judith Smith, and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett, at their Nashville home on Oct. 1, 1989. At 72, Smith is the oldest inmate on Tennessees death row. His reprieve expires on June 1, after which the state Supreme Court will set a new execution date. Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who crashed into two bicyclists, killing one, in Koreatown on Tuesday morning. (OnScene.TV) A 39-year-old bicyclist riding to work early Tuesday morning in Koreatown was struck and killed by a driver in a Jeep Cherokee, authorities said. Shortly before 3:30 a.m., a person whose car had been stolen jumped onto the hood of the Jeep as it traveled on Olympic Boulevard because the person believed the driver had something to do with their stolen vehicle, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The driver in the Jeep, which police said was not stolen, continued west on Olympic Boulevard with the person on the hood of the car until that person fell onto the street. The driver continued on Olympic Boulevard east of Mariposa Avenue and crashed into two bicyclists traveling in the same direction but did not stop, authorities said. The Los Angeles Fire Department provided medical attention to the two men; one suffered minor injuries, and the other died at the scene. The Los Angeles County coroner's office identified the slain bicyclist as Leonidas Accip Serech. KNBC-TV Channel 4 reported he was riding with his brother to his job in Koreatown, where he worked as a pastry chef. "My brother is dead," Wilmer Accip told news reporters during an afternoon vigil Tuesday. "I was living with my brother. He gave me everything. He was like a father to me." The brothers came to the United States from Guatemala. The LAPD is searching for the driver of the Jeep. Anyone with information can call West Traffic Division detectives at (213) 473-0234, police said. During nonbusiness hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to (877) LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Black woman was finally named valedictorian at her Illinois high school nearly four decades after her graduation. Tracey Meares, a law professor at Yale University, was a star student at Springfield High School in Springfield, Illinois. But when she graduated in 1984, she was not awarded the title of valedictorian despite having the highest academic ranking in her class, she said. Her story is now the subject of a new documentary, "No Title for Tracey." Meares would have been the first Black female valedictorian in the school's history, but she was not awarded the title. Instead, the school did away with the valedictorian and salutatorian titles that year and Meares was recognized with a group as "top students." The school went back to official titles in 1992. "As a 17-year-old, achieving something like being valedictorian is probably the biggest thingIt was incredibly disappointing," Meares told "Good Morning America." Meares said the snub was "very confusing" at first but she later processed the great lengths the school went to to deny her the title. "I didn't talk about it everMany of my best friends that I have known since I was an adult have asked me why I never told and I didn't want to talk about it. It was terrible. It was really hard," she reflected. PHOTO: High school students graduate in this undated stock image. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images) Meares went on to study engineering at the University of Illinois and then attended the University of Chicago Law School. This year, her sister, Dr. Nicole Florence, a first-time filmmaker, turned Meares' story into a documentary to spotlight the impact of structural racism. MORE: 23-year-old woman graduates college alongside her 88-year-old grandfather On April 16, after a screening of the documentary in her hometown, Springfield Public Schools District 186 Superintendent Jennifer Gill presented Meares with the valedictorian medal -- a surprise to Meares. I felt some pride and happiness that my parents who are sitting in the front row could see this happening because they were denied that 30 years ago," Meares said. "I felt sadness that my grandparents weren't there." Gill said she was "happy" to meet Meares and right this wrong. MORE: Florida teen accepted into 27 universities with $4 million in scholarships "When we know better, we do better. By meeting Tracey and hearing about her lived experience, we know that honoring her with this title means so much more," Gill told "GMA." "We want every student to have a feeling of belonging in all aspects of school and a sense of becoming as they leave our schools with a plan for college and career. It is our responsibility to ensure that our system supports students in reaching their full potential. We have seen that high school experiences can have a profound, lifelong impact." "It was an honor to have Tracey here and a privilege to learn from such an accomplished alumna," she added. The recognition 38 years later is a gesture that Meares says she appreciates. "Institutionally, there are people who are making an effort to to acknowledge that people are thinking wrong. That was harmful. And it wasn't harmful, just to me as an individual. It was harmful to the community," she said. "The thing to take away is for people to understand the ways in which discrimination can operate at a disproportionate rate at a structural level and that its downstream effects are enduring." Black woman recognized as valedictorian nearly 40 years after high school snub originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com As the war in Ukraine grinds on amid a renewed Russian assault of the eastern Donbas region, U.S. and other Western officials have redoubled their material and diplomatic support for Kyiv, with the White House announcing a new $1.3 billion aid package last week. The Biden administration and its allies have sought to project a united front against the Russian invasion, transferring billions of dollars in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and choking Russias economy with punitive sanctions. But the full-throated support for Kyiv and the unanimous condemnation of Moscow by the U.S. and other NATO members belies a deep historical ambivalence within the alliance, and the U.S. itself, over how closely to bring Ukraine into the Wests orbit. President Biden speaking about the situation in Ukraine from the White House last week. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Historically, U.S. policymakers have been torn between their support for Ukraines right as an independent sovereign state to determine its own foreign policy and national future; the need to manage delicate relations with Russia, a nuclear superpower; and the desire to reassure nervous European allies that Washington will deter expansionist aggression from Moscow. Indeed, the likely fallout from Ukraines potential bid for NATO membership has hung over the alliance for decades. In the late 1990s, when I would go to meetings with representatives of NATO member-states, people would laugh and say, Oh God, here comes Ms. Ukraine ... because I was in contact with the government all the time, recalled Samantha de Bendern, a former NATO political officer, in a recent BBC interview. And they would say to me, My God, lets pray Ukraine never asks to join NATO, because what on earth will we do? That will really irritate Russia. Lets just hope they just never make a formal request, Bendern said. NATO has always been very, very wary of Ukraines intermittent bid for closer ties, she said. Over the years, the debate over NATO expansion and worries about Russias reaction to it has roiled the highest levels of the U.S. government. During the Clinton administration, Secretary of Defense Bill Perry almost resigned in opposition to the administrations plans to back enlargement,Perry said in his memoir. (Perry strongly supported eventual NATO expansion, but wanted it delayed until the U.S.s post-Cold War relationship with Russia solidified.) President George W. Bush with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, in 2008. (Artyom Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images) Waves of new members joined the alliance in 1999 and 2004. Then, in April 2008, at the urging of the George W. Bush administration, NATO, in a communique known as the Bucharest Declaration, affirmed that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance one day, but did not initiate the formal accession process, known as a Membership Action Plan (MAP), for either country. At the time, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that Russia might launch a preemptive strike against Ukraine or Georgia if either country tried to continue its westward shift, according to Fiona Hill, a top Russia expert on the National Security Council in the Trump administration, who was then a senior U.S. intelligence analyst. Hill has said that, in an Oval Office meeting, she even warned Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney that Moscow would react furiously to any formal attempt to bring Georgia and Ukraine into the alliance. A few months after the Bucharest Declaration which represented a compromise position, as Americas European NATO allies opposed offering either country an immediate path to membership Russia invaded Georgia. The path for Georgia or Ukraine to join NATO, always narrow, became increasingly treacherous. Any further tilt of Ukraine toward the West was viewed by Moscow as a threat, with Russias 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, and occupation of parts of Donbas, a direct response to a pro-Western revolution that had forced Ukraines Moscow-aligned president to resign and flee the country. Pro-Russian protesters storm a Ukrainian air force base in the Crimean city of Novofedorivka in March 2014. (Dmitry Serebryakov/AFP via Getty Images) At the CIA, at least, Russias likely response if NATO were to provide Kyiv or Tbilisi a real avenue to membership was clear. We used to glibly tell people, if you like what happened in Georgia in 2008, or Ukraine in 2014, then by all means give either country a NATO MAP, recalled a former CIA official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive agency deliberations and assessments. If we took a serious step toward admitting either country to NATO, we were 100% convinced that the Russians would find some reason to declare war in the intervening between us announcing they were going to get in and them actually getting in, the former official said. There wasnt even a 1% shadow of doubt in any analysts mind about that assessment. During Russias 2014 invasion of Ukraine, agency analysts believed that Ukraine was the only country that Russian President Vladimir Putin might risk war with NATO or the United States over, according to another former CIA official, who also requested anonymity. Ukraine was Putins red line, CIA officials concluded at the time, said this former official. Weve been saying to policymakers for many, many years, Democrats, Republicans, that Russia is actually OK with NATO expansion. They know that the Baltics are gone. Theyve accepted that. Theyve accepted Poland is gone. Theyll never say it out loud, but Moscow begrudgingly recognizes the reality there, the former official said. But CIA analysts assessed that Moscow viewed Georgia and, even more, Ukraine as a different matter entirely, recalled this former official. Still, in 2014, the idea that Russia would launch a full-scale war against Ukraine, of the magnitude and intensity seen today, was unthinkable, said the former official. A residential block in Kyiv in the wake of an early-morning missile strike from the Russians, Feb. 25. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) If the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine receded after 2014, U.S.-Ukraine ties including military and CIA training, as well as intelligence sharing steadily increased. At first, the Obama administrations military assistance was tightly circumscribed. The aid was calibrated to avoid aggravating Moscow, but some former officials believe it put Kyiv in an impossible position, with the U.S. support setting Russia on edge while being insufficient to actually help Ukraine deter or fight an invasion. I didnt think the numbers of Javelins or the things they were talking about werent really going to make any big difference, and werent going to stop Russia from invading, said Jeffrey Edmonds, a Russia expert who served on the NSC from 2014 to 2017. And they werent going to change things in the east. There was cognitive dissonance over the policy, Edmonds said. Because I understand the moral argument, but I also understand the argument that, well, why would you want to give these things if its just going to increase the chances that Russia does something? But, partially spurred by Congress, as well as the Trump administration, which was more willing to be aggressive on weapon transfers to Kyiv, overt U.S. military support for Ukraine grew over time and with it the risk of a deadly Russian response, some CIA officials believed at the time. An antitank missile system used by Ukrainian soldiers. (Gaelle Girbes/Getty Images) Policymakers would always say, If we do X thing, if we give the Ukrainians X system, how are the Russians going to react? And our answer would always be, You cant look at any one thing in isolation, recalled the first former CIA official. And we might look and say, 'Well, its just a few hundred MANPADs [man-portable air-defense systems] or a few hundred Humvees,' but its missing the point that the Russians are taking all of this stuff in the aggregate, and theyre drawing this picture of this ever-increasing relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine. By last summer, the baseline view of most U.S. intelligence community analysts was that Russia felt sufficiently provoked over Ukraine that some unknown trigger could set off an attack by Moscow, the former official said. (The CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.) U.S. military support to Ukraine wasnt the ultimate driver of Moscows decision to invade, according to Edmonds, the former NSC Russia staffer; it was Putins desire to resettle the bigger security architecture in Europe. Ukraine was just the proximate cause of that. Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a warehouse in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after it was hit by Russian shelling, March 28. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Some type of renewed Russian assault on Ukraine may have been inescapable, Edmonds said. "I would never underestimate President Putin's risk appetite on Ukraine," CIA Director William Burns said at a public event last December. But the U.S.s ballooning military support for Ukraine, no matter how well intentioned, or reflective of American liberal-democratic principles, had become self-fulfilling, like a snowball rolling down a hill, even as the danger of Russian attack grew, or this policy itself increased that danger, said the former CIA official. We had given all the warnings, all the caveats on Ukraine to policymakers, said the former official. And it was pretty clear that U.S. foreign policy, regardless of administration, was just going to keep rolling forward. Its gutting, but it is what it is. _____ What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. President Biden meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2021. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Biden likes to say that we are locked in a global battle pitting democracy against autocracy. In Seattle last week, he described a phone conversation hed had with Xi Jinping in which the Chinese leader argued that democracy doesnt work anymore. Among other things, Xi said, democracy requires consensus, and mustering a consensus takes too long in a fast-moving world. Only autocracies are equipped to meet the extraordinary challenges of modern times. Biden, as he does every time he tells the story, dismissed the idea that democracy is passe or unworkable. But Ive begun to wonder whether Xi might be on to something. We Americans often treat our liberal democracy as a national religion, and routinely assert, as if no evidence were needed, that it is the most moral, just, effective and admirable system on Earth. But few would deny that theres been some disturbing evidence to the contrary in recent years. The Jan. 6 riot, of course, was a low point. Then there was the chaotic, inefficient, politicized response to the pandemic. The continuing legislative paralysis in Washington. The strongest evidence of democracys weakness, however, has got to be the tepid U.S. response to climate change over the last 25 years. An epochal, Earth-threatening catastrophe is barreling toward us, poised to upend life as we know it. As one of the worlds wealthiest countries and greatest historic emitters of carbon, we obviously should be leading an urgent and aggressive charge to protect the planet. But were not. Why have we failed to rise to the occasion? One obvious reason is that our system allows the oil and gas industry to wield grossly disproportionate power thanks to the way money distorts our politics. The top 10 fossil fuel industry contributors alone gave $60 million to candidates in the 2019-2020 election cycle. Another reason is that in a democracy, elected officials have no incentive to support policies that require pain and sacrifice today in exchange for future gain. Pay twice as much for gas? Dont drive? Dont fly? In most cases, courageous politicians who supported such policies would be voted out of office. Whats more, too many Americans believe the climate crisis is terribly exaggerated, despite a scientific consensus that its not. This anti-intellectual strain has always existed in American political culture, but the number of science-skeptical voters seems to have grown during the Trump years. I mention climate change just as an example. It is just one small part of what ails our democratic system these days. Even post-Trump, we face a deep, bitter, partisan polarization. A dysfunctional Congress. An ongoing effort to undermine the 2020 election. An assault on voting rights. Add to that a host of long-standing structural problems. A U.S. Senate in which tiny states like Wyoming, with 582,000 people, have the same representation and voting power as big states like California, with 39 million people. A system that allows congressional district lines to be manipulated for partisan advantage. Campaign finance laws that let mega-rich Americans and giant corporations spend unlimited amounts to influence elections. An anachronistic electoral college and filibuster rules that are undermining the notion of majority rule. And good luck fixing these problems. Making reforms and passing laws in a country this divided is extremely difficult, and amending the Constitution is nearly impossible. A newly empowered conservative Supreme Court wont make it easier. In recent years, Freedom House, which rates and ranks democracies around the world, has downgraded the U.S. so that it now ranks close to Panama and Romania, and 10 points below "traditional peers" such as the United Kingdom and Germany. And its true that the United States has never lived up to its own lofty ideals. Liberty, equality, fairness, the evenhanded rule of law these are aspirations, not yet achievements. Given all this, is it any surprise that Xi and many others believe our system is dysfunctional? But heres the flip side: Despite democracys glaring flaws, autocracy isnt the answer. Those who see hope in the Orbans, the Le Pens and the Trumps, much less in the Xis and Putins, should think again. Freedom House, for the record, says China is increasingly repressive and is tightening control over all aspects of life. Describing Russia, Freedom House refers to loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition factions. These are not the conditions under which most people would choose to live. But beyond that, theres no evidence despite Xis assertions that China or any other autocratic country has a much better track record on addressing climate change or solving its domestic problems. The problems attributed to democracy, particularly regarding crises like climate change, are real and worthy of concern I lose sleep over them, says Steven Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard and co-author of How Democracies Die. But the fact that democracies are bad at responding to serious challenges that require either rapid decision-making or long-term thinking does not mean autocracies are any better. Levitsky says that history is littered with disastrous authoritarian experiments and that Xi is not the first to claim his authoritarian system is better than democracy. The Soviets and the fascists said the same. The unsatisfying reality is that democracy is difficult work. Americans need to fix the Senate. Disentangle money and campaigns. Ban gerrymandering. Restore democratic norms. To do so, citizens must understand the issues, vote their consciences, agitate for change and act cooperatively, even with opponents. We have a long distance to go (and with regard to climate change, very little time). But democracy is a long-term project. It doesnt come wrapped in bright colors with a bow around it. Youve got to fight for it. @Nick_Goldberg This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A view of new graves for people killed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at a cemetery in Bucha AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government is likely to send a forensic team from the national military police to Ukraine to help investigate possible war crimes, Dutch press agency ANP reported on Thursday. The team would leave for Ukraine at short notice to help the International Criminal Court (ICC) gather evidence at sites where war crimes may have been committed, ANP cited sources close to the matter. The government will make a final decision on the mission on Friday, the sources said. The Dutch foreign ministry declined to comment on the report. The ICC has already started an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine following the invasion by Russian forces on Feb. 24. Earlier this week, the court said it would also participate in a joint investigative team set up by Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine for the exchange of information and investigation into suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say this is a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression by President Vladimir Putin. Russia has denied accusations that its forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine. (This story removes garbled line in paragraph 5) (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Gareth Jones) KYIV (Reuters) - A Ukrainian soldier holed up in a steel works in Mariupol said his forces would fight for as long as needed and he urged world leaders to find a way to save civilians and the hundreds of troops trapped in Russia's "medieval" siege. Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, 39, a deputy commander of Ukraine's Azov Regiment, spoke in an interview with Reuters from the steel works that is the last redoubt for the port city's defenders. Russian forces have reduced large parts of Mariupol to ruins around the vast complex and its underground catacombs, where Palamar and a Ukrainian contingent are making a last stand. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who claimed control of the city last week, said the plant should be sealed off so that "not a fly" could escape. "As long as we're here and holding the defence... the city is not theirs," Palamar said. He said heavy fighting still raged and they were constantly being bombed. At one point Russian forces sent in a column of tanks and armoured vehicles and infantry, but the defenders destroyed it. He said tactics were constantly changing. "The tactic (now) is like a medieval siege. We're encircled, they are no longer throwing lots of forces to break our defensive line. They're conducting air strikes," he said. Palamar, who is married with one child, refused to give precise details about operations because they could help the enemy. He would not say how much food and ammunition they had left, but that they still had hundreds of fighters. Deputy Commander for Azov regiment, Svyatoslav Palamar, issues a video statement from Mariupol. "Of course our resources aren't infinite and they are running lower with every passing day of intense fighting. The situation is difficult, but we're going to battle and fight for as long as we have to." He said they had more than 500 wounded fighters, some in serious condition. "We don't have the conditions to treat them, to carry out really difficult surgery.. medicine is running out, bandages and food and water." The capture of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov in the south of the industrial Donbas region, is crucial to Russian efforts to secure a land bridge to the Crimean peninsula it seized from Ukraine in 2014. Palamar, who is from the western city of Lviv but has lived in Mariupol since 2014, could not say how many civilians were in the steel works, but said they run into the hundreds. They were sheltering in different bunkers to the soldiers, he said. Mariupol's Azovstal works, one of Europe's biggest metallurgical plants, is a huge industrial complex containing underground chambers and tunnels. "We bring them (civilians) food and check on their health, but we can't stay with them for obvious reasons: the enemy could stage a provocation and say that...we were hiding behind civilians." One bunker holding civilians, including children, was hit by intense rocket fire on Tuesday and an elderly woman and man were hurt, he said. The bearded figure with an intense gaze spoke to Reuters by Zoom. He said he could not turn the camera on the call to show his quarters in case it gave away any intelligence to the Russians. He accused Russia of disingenously urging civilians there to evacuate while continuing to shell the area. He called on international organisations like the United Nations or Red Cross to act as guarantors to get the civilians to leave immediately. A view shows a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is in Ukraine and expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy later on Thursday after meeting Putin on Tuesday. Once the civilians are out, Palamar said, the wounded and the dead should be taken back to Ukraine and safe passage secured for the Ukrainian contingent there. Being taken prisoner was not an option, he said. "They'll be killed in captivity, they'll be maimed, and that's why we propose having a third party that during negotiations can guarantee their exit from Azovstal," He mentioned Turkey or Israel as possible third parties. Ukrainian forces include the Azov Regiment, national guardsmen, other brigades, marines, sea security forces, border guards and police. The Azov fighters in the steel works included Russians, Bulgarians, a Crimean Tatar, a Greek, Jews, Catholics and others, he said. He said his main message to the world was to wake up to the threat from Russia and to stop being soft on Moscow. "I hope the world now realises its mistake... Everything that our soldiers do here - not only in Mariupol, but on Ukraine's territory - we are convinced we are saving not only Ukraine, but also Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Georgia," he said. A view of Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico one day after Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer on the set of the western "Rust" last fall. (Roberto E. Rosales / Albuquerque Journal) The family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer accidentally shot by Alec Baldwin on a film set last year, criticized the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office for its unprecedented, unredacted data dump from its investigation into the incident. Brian Panish, attorney for Hutchins' surviving husband and young son, said the sheriff's office breached the family's constitutional rights by releasing the video of Hutchin's final moments before clearing it with the family. He called on the sheriff's office to retract the video released Tuesday that shows the 42-year-old mother of one dying on the set outside Santa Fe, N.M. Under New Mexico law, victims such as Hutchins and her family have the right to review such materials before they are released to the public and to request redactions, Panish said. The sheriff's office said Tuesday it was complying with New Mexico laws, which require it to make public records available. A representative of the sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "The first time Mr. Hutchins saw the disturbing and unsettling video footage of his dying wife lying on the church floor was on Radar Online, an internet website," Panish said in a letter sent to Sheriff Adan Mendoza on Wednesday and seen by The Times. "The potential consequences are disturbing given how information is misused on social media. We fear, for example, that this shocking footage of Andros' mother dying may be material used by bullies to emotionally abuse him in the future." The trove of records and videos revealed the aftermath of the shooting last fall on the New Mexico film ranch in grisly detail. It included more than 200 pages of police reports, videos, still images and personal information such as numbers and email addresses of the crew, including Hutchins. The rising star cinematographer's final moments were shared with the world, as body cam footage of first responders attending to her and other material was downloaded so many times, the website platform crashed. "Your office trampled on the constitutional rights of the Hutchins" family, Panish wrote. "The damage your office has done is irreparable." The sheriff had promised to allow Matthew Hutchins less than one business day to review the material before it was disseminated to the media, Panish said. He added that the actions were not legally required, and authorities failed to redact personal identifier information. "Taking down the video will end your office's complicity in causing further harm," Panish said. Observers were stunned by the large volume of data the sheriff's office released before authorities have even brought criminal charges. The haul included police interviews with Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed and others from the production. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Iran is looking to strengthen ties with China in hopes of countering the U.S., as discussions over a new Iran nuclear deal remain unfruitful. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi welcomed Chinese Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, and the two men agreed on the strategic benefit of their alliance, Iranian state media reported according to The Associated Press. Wei said the purpose of the trip was "improving the strategic defense cooperation" between Iran and China. 46 RETIRED GENERALS, ADMIRALS URGE WHITE HOUSE AGAINST IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL "Confronting unilateralism and creating stability and order is possible through cooperation of independent and like-minded powers," Raisi reportedly said. Wei agreed, stating that a stronger relationship between the two countries would be good for security, "particularly in the current critical and tense situation." AUSTRALIAN PM WARNS CHINESE THAT NEW BASE WOULD BE RED LINE FOR AUSTRALIA AND THE US Iranian foreign minister Gen. Mohammad Reza Ashtinai also met with Wei, who invited the Iranian official and others in the Iranian military to visit China. "Wherever the U.S. has had military presence, it has created waves of insecurity, instability, rifts, pessimism, war, destruction and displacement," Wei was quoted by Iranian media as saying. The two countries have been developing their military relationship, as they signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement in 2021 that includes economic and agricultural activities as well as transportation. Iranian and Chinese navies have also visited each others ports and held joint drills in the Indian Ocean. MIAMI (AP) A judge in Miami on Wednesday vacated the life sentence of a 55-year-old Black man who prosecutors said was wrongfully convicted because of mistaken identity in 1991. I feel good. Real good," Thomas Jay" Raynard James said Wednesday as he left a Miami courtroom with his attorneys and family members. James was convicted of the 1990 death of Francis McKinnon, largely on the identification by an eyewitness who told jurors she watched him gun down her stepfather during a robbery in his Coconut Grove apartment. Earlier Wednesday, James, wearing his red prison uniform and shackles, stood behind his mother, Doris Strong, as Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle detailed a 90-page motion her office filed asking for the conviction to be vacated. Mom, hopefully the court will grant you the freedom youve been looking for for so many years," Fernandez Rundle told Strong, who sobbed quietly throughout the news conference. James, who was 23 when he was convicted, was expected to be released after paperwork was completed Wednesday. State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle looks at Thomas "Jay" Raynard James after announcing a motion to vacate his 1991 murder conviction, Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in Miami. A judge vacated the life sentence of James who prosecutors said was wrongfully convicted because of mistaken identity. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) Over the past year, Fernandez Rundle said, members of her office's Justice Project poured over 20,000 pages of documents, reinterviewed witnesses, resubmitted fingerprints and retested DNA samples. She said the case has gone through numerous appeals, post-conviction reviews, and reviews by a private investigator and the Innocence Project of Florida Inc. None were successful in finding Mr. Thomas Raynard James innocent until we got involved," Fernandez Rundle said. In a 90-page motion to vacate the conviction, prosecutors said what appears to be a chance coincidence that the defendant, Thomas Raynard James, had the same name as a suspect named by witnesses and anonymous tipsters ... led to the defendant's photograph being included in a lineup, and set in motion a mistaken identity." Months later, James was arrested and charged with murder. At the trial, eyewitness Dorothy Walton told jurors that she was sure that James, then 23, pulled the trigger. I'm positive of it. I will never forget his face," she told jurors in 1991. Another eyewitness who had identified James in the photo lineup testified that the person he saw that night was not in the courtroom. But Walton's testimony was key to the jury's verdict, because there was no physical evidence tying anyone to the killing, Fernandez Rundle said. In fact, fingerprints from the scene did not match James. But beginning last fall, Walton said she had some concerns about her testimony, Fernandez Rundle said. She initially refused to meet with prosecutors, but earlier this month made contact and said she now believes she made a mistake in identifying James as the gunman. Fernandez Rundle said that over the years there have been conflicting stories about detectives confusing James with another man who shared his name. But that man had been arrested and was in jail at the time of the shooting, she said. The man suspected of killing McKinnon died in 2020 in Las Vegas, the motion said. Natlie Figgers, who represents James, urged people to speak up when they see an injustice. It took a village to make this happen. It wasn't a smooth ride," Figgers said. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone that played a part in bringing this result." Russian President Vladimir Putins deadly war in Europe is on the brink of expanding outside of Ukraine as Kremlin officials alleged Thursday that there have been "acts of terrorism" in Moldova. Moscow set its sights on Moldova last week when a Russian general said its goal was to gain "full control" over not only eastern Ukraine, but regions along its southern that sit above the Black Sea. TREVOR REED LANDS IN US AFTER PRISONER SWAP WITH RUSSIA This would allow Russia to gain better access to Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state in Moldova with sympathetic ties to Russia. "We are alarmed by the escalation of tension in Transnistria, where in recent days there have been several incidents of shelling, blowing up social and infrastructure facilities," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday. "We regard these actions as acts of terrorism aimed at destabilizing the situation." Zakharovas comments came after explosions were reported in the separatist region this week, one reportedly hitting the Ministry of State Security in the city of Tiraspol, the regions capital. A second target was reported Tuesday after radio antennas that broadcast Russian programs in Maiac, a town around seven miles from Moldovas border with Ukraine, were struck down. But despite a history of tense relations, Moldova and Transnistria have held a treaty agreement since 1992 and signs of a thawing Cold War mentality were evident even earlier this year. As part of the 1992 peace treaty, Russia has maintained a presence in Transnistria with roughly 1,500 Russian troops stationed there as "peacekeepers." People pass next to a Soviet-era tank, now a monument celebrating the victory of the Red Army against fascist Germany, in Tiraspol, the main city of Transnistria, Moldova, in April 2014. Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA WILL LIKELY INVADE OTHER COUNTRIES IF SUCCESSFUL IN UKRAINE The similarities shared by the Moldovan breakaway region and the Ukrainian self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in the Donbas which served as Putins justification for his illegal invasion in February has many concerned. Reports surfaced this week suggesting that officials in the region suspect Russia was behind the attacks in Transnistria as a guise to support a second illegal invasion. "We strongly condemn attempts to involve Transnistria in what is happening in Ukraine," Russias spokesperson claimed Thursday. "Every now and then sensational statements are heard from there about the preparation of Russian peacekeepers, the Tiraspol airfield, Transnistria conscripts for some kind of offensive actions. "But all these statements do not cast doubt on the fact that the situation on the left bank of the Dniester, including in the security zone, is reliably controlled by the joint peacekeeping forces," she added. Zakharovas comments echo sentiments expressed by Russia in the lead-up to its invasion in February, which it has dubbed a "special military operation." Putin has claimed its troops will liberate Russian supporters that it alleges, without evidence, have been oppressed by regional authorities. JERUSALEM, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel came to halt to the sound of sirens on Thursday morning to commemorate the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. At 10 am (0700 GMT), as the two-minute sirens pierced the air, people across the country stood in solemn silence in honor of the six million Jewish victims of the Nazis during World War II. On streets and highways, traffic stopped with many drivers stepping out of their vehicles, standing still in contemplation. Pedestrians halted their steps and stood in silence. In many homes, businesses, and offices people stopped their activity and stood still, commemorating the victims of the Nazi genocide. The annual ritual is part of a series of memorial activities on the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day, an official day to honor the Jews who died at the hands of Nazi Germany and its collaborators in World War II. At Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and President Isaac Herzog attended an official wreath-laying ceremony. At the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, lawmakers, and officials participated in lighting memorial candles for the victims. Knesset Speaker Miki Levy lit candles together with his German counterpart Barbel Bas. "I bow my head in humility and shame in front of the victims of the Holocaust," Bas said after the candle lighting. "We must not forget and we will not forget. Our historical guilt stems from commitment. We must fight resolutely against anti-Semitism and all its manifestations, and we must preserve and revive the memory and pass it on to the younger generations," she said. Smoke rises in the northeast part of the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, as Russian shelling in the area of Saltivske continues. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) As Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine's eastern front and threatened to cut off energy to more European countries, the Biden administration announced Thursday it was seeking a massive aid package for Ukraine while expanding its economic targeting of Russian oligarchs. President Biden said he wanted $30 billion in aid for Ukraine over the next five months that would include heavy weaponry, food, medicine and other humanitarian assistance. This comes on top of $3.4 billion in military equipment and training already spent. Biden also asked Congress to make it easier to take assets seized from Russian oligarchs who back the Kremlin and use them to help Ukraine. The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is more costly, Biden said. In Ukraine, meanwhile, the head of the United Nations inspected sites of suspected atrocities committed by Russian forces, denounced the "evil" of this invasion and urged international cooperation including from Moscow with war crimes investigations. "I must say what I feel," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said as he toured the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha and Borodyanka, occupied by Russian forces that left behind destruction and death when they eventually retreated. "I imagined my family in one of those houses that is now destroyed and black. I see my granddaughters running away in panic, part of the family eventually killed. "So, the war is an absurdity in the 21st century," Guterres said. "The war is evil." His visit to the Ukrainian capital came two days after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and reaching an agreement "in principle" on evacuations for civilians trapped in a vast steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol. Ukraine has not confirmed any new evacuations from the besieged city, which Russia has otherwise largely overtaken. As the war raged on Thursday, Ukraine said it intercepted attacks along a 300-mile battlefront skirting the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, while Russia's Defense Ministry made unverified claims that it had struck overnight at military targets in Barvinkove and Ivanivka, settlements in the Kharkiv region, which has been the site of near-constant shelling over more than two months of war. The growing Russian assaults, now shifted away from Kyiv as Moscow tries to secure a large swath of land across southern and eastern Ukraine, came as hostilities reached new levels not only on the battlefield but also diplomatically. Russia, under economic sanctions by dozens of nations and facing a U.S.-led partnership of more than 40 countries that vowed this week to increase arms supplies to Ukraine, has suggested it may cut off gas exports to more states after suspending shipments to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday. In the town of Borodyanka, people gathered for the funeral of a well-known family who all died in a Russian missile attack on their apartment building. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) In an overnight address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed cries of Russian "blackmail" against European nations, which together with the U.S. have sent billions of dollars of weaponry and aid to humanitarian groups and front-line fighters to Ukraine. Moscow "is just waiting for the moment when one or another trade area can be used to blackmail Europeans politically, or to strengthen Russias military machine, which sees a united Europe as a target," Zelensky said. Meanwhile, the death toll estimated in the tens of thousands between civilian and military losses continued to climb. The regional governor in Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, said Thursday that four people were killed in strikes over the previous day, including an 85-year-old who died after a hospital was hit in Severodonetsk. Writing on the messaging app Telegram, he said dozens of residents had fled the towns of Lysychansk and Popasna in the last day. In Donetsk, regional military administration leader Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Telegram that 27 houses in the village of Lastochkine were destroyed in the latest attacks. Kyrylenko did not list any casualties. A satellite image shows damage at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol, Ukraine, where Ukrainian fighters are holding out. (Planet Labs) Despite the fighting, some parts of Ukraine, in particular central and western areas, have maintained a relative sense of normality amid air-raid sirens as residents remain on alert of war. In Dnipro, in central Ukraine, the business of everyday life appeared to continue Thursday without much disruption. The streets were full of cars, pedestrians walked through the parks to get to their workplaces, and trams and buses operated normally. Outside the city, where the buildings give way to wide swaths of farmland, tractors dug fresh furrows in fields covered with Ukraine's characteristic black soil, while other workers prepared the land for the coming harvest. Fears of the war spilling beyond Ukraine's borders have increased. Strikes were reported this week in Transnistria, a pro-Russia breakaway region in Moldova that's northwest of the Ukrainian city of Odesa. The Transnistria government, which has thousands of Russian troops stationed on its soil, has accused Ukraine of being behind the aggression. Ukraine has said the explosions, which hit the territorial capital of Tiraspol, were a "planned provocation" by Russia. Ukraine has also shied away from taking responsibility for a handful of attacks across its eastern border on Russian targets while proclaiming that it has the right to strike on its adversary's soil if necessary. "Ukraine will defend itself in any way, including strikes on the warehouses and bases of the killers in Russia," Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelensky, said in a tweet. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said attacks within Russia "cannot remain without answer" and would be met with "harsh response." Zakharova also suggested that Kyiv which a bevy of international leaders, including the U.S. secretaries of State and Defense, have recently visited, and where the U.S. said it would reestablish its embassy would again become a target. "Advisors from Western countries staying in Ukraines decision-making centers will not necessarily be a problem for Russias response measures. We do not advise to continue trying our patience," she said. The war, which has sent more than 5 million Ukrainians fleeing into neighboring nations and left more than 8 million internally displaced, has also rocked natural gas prices in Europe. Russia, the world's second-largest gas producer, supplies a sizable share of Europe's gas and was scheduled to substantially increase those shipments before it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The U.S. imposed a ban on Russian oil and gas last month, but the issue has been more contentious in European nations such as Germany that heavily depend on Russian natural gas. According to a new World Bank report, the war is likely to have long-term effects on energy costs and wheat prices, as Russia and Ukraine are major producers of the grain. In a tweet Thursday, Podolyak called on nations to further isolate Russia through energy bans. "Its a matter of time before an embargo on Russia energy will be imposed. Refusal of oil is not only about moral responsibility, but also about calculation: Russia has ceased to be a reliable and predictable partner in the eyes of the world, so the world cant afford to depend on it," he said. "Switching to alternative supply channels quickly will be expensive, but not as expensive as not doing so. In the medium term, Moscow will face total economic and political isolation. As a result, poverty, the scale of which Russia has not seen yet." Bulos reported from Dnipro and Kaleem from London. Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report from Washington. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Ukrainian refugees board a train to Krakow after crossing the border into Poland in March. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Eighty years ago, Adolf Hitler nearly wiped Warsaw off the map. Now, a city whose history is written in ash and blood, an age-old crossroads of wartime tragedy, is bursting with Ukrainian refugees. Poland has taken in more people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine than all other countries combined, the United Nations says. Of the more than 5.3 million people who have sought shelter outside the country, almost 3 million crossed into Poland. Some have moved on to other European countries; others have made the journey back, although the war is still raging and their homeland remains battered and dangerous. But about a tenth of those arrivals an estimated 300,000 people, almost all of them women and children are in the Polish capital, straining a city where social services were already stretched. Day care and cancer treatment, classroom spots and affordable housing, counseling and physical therapy are now in short supply. We are full, said Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. Were at capacity. With the war in Ukraine in its third month and no diplomatic solution in sight, some are wondering how long Polish hospitality for neighbors in desperate need will last before there's a backlash. In a matter of weeks, the citys population jumped by nearly one-fifth. Im pretty sure at some point there will be resentment, said Karolina Lukasiewicz, a migration researcher at the University of Warsaw. Its all a massive, massive challenge. As Poland is hailed by the Biden administration as an indispensable ally in the Western front against Russian aggression, the countrys internal political tensions, and its right-wing governments quarrels with the European Union, have been relegated to the background. But they wont stay there indefinitely. And the painful contrast between the opening of homes and hearts to Ukrainians, overwhelmingly white and Christian, after mainly Middle Eastern migrants were left to freeze in the forests of the blockaded border with Belarus, is a source of shame for many Poles. Its racism theres just not another word for it, said Maciej Kisilowski, an associate professor of law at Central European University in Vienna. Still, among ordinary people and disparate organizations that are offering assistance to the Ukrainians, this is a fateful moment when the ghosts of the past mingle the horrors of the present. How could we not do everything? said Leslaw Piszewski, a leader of Warsaws Jewish community, whose rescue efforts began in the wars first hours. Here, in this place, with all that has happened here, how can we not do everything to help? Children sit in a refugee center in Nadarzyn, near Warsaw. The United Nations says more than 5 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russian troops invaded the country. (Petr David Josek / Associated Press) :: At a well-appointed Warsaw shopping mall, Nadia Fortuna, a 28-year-old manicurist who fled Ukraine weeks ago with her son and mother, studied nail polish colors at a cosmetics kiosk. Neon blue, hot pink, acid green. Fortuna had packed the tools of her trade when she tearfully kissed her mechanic husband goodbye and boarded a train out of Ukraine, leaving their home near Lviv. But now she needed a wide selection of colors for what she hoped would be new Polish customers for manicure and pedicure services she plans to provide from a home in exile she had yet to find. A donor had earmarked 1,000 Polish zlotys, about $225, as seed money for the manicure project. Zosia Radziwill, a 32-year-old Polish volunteer who has become a fast friend, offered a distraction of quick, bright patter when the bill came to a bit more than that. Dont tell her! she murmured, surreptitiously making up the difference from her own pocket. She and Fortuna, who is tall and black-haired with a calm demeanor, were laughing together over a misunderstanding one of countless linguistic confusions, although the languages have a degree of overlay based the similarity of respective Ukrainian and Polish words for smelling and hearing. One was talking about scent, her friend was thinking of sound, and both were momentarily puzzled. A translation app solved the mystery. Radziwill, who has enlisted a large network of friends on social media to find temporary housing and other services for the refugees, said she was initially worried about how the country would respond. I was afraid of xenophobia, she said. But its not happening. At least not yet. While her son ran over to a giant sculpted likeness of an ice cream cone outside a confectioners stand, blissfully throwing his arms around it, Fortuna took advantage of a moment out of his hearing to talk about their new life in Warsaw. I feel welcome, she said. But I worry all the time. About everything. The hardest thing, she said, was when Tymur asked when he would see his father, who, like most fighting-age men those 18 to 60 was required to remain behind in Ukraine. Every day, many times a day, the little boy posed the question. Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Suddenly, Fortuna was in tears. Radziwill hugged her. :: When the war next door broke out, school principal Tomasz Remiszewski knew he had to act. His district, in Warsaw's Bialoleka suburb, was one of the citys fastest-growing, with a large and yet unfilled wing of classrooms. Within a matter of days, the first more than 150 Ukrainian students a quarter of the number of existing pupils were settling in at Primary School No. 361, which was already festooned with paper hearts in blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. School administration, Remiszewski said, can be a lumbering bureaucracy, and he quickly faced multiplying challenges: scrambling to find Ukrainian-language instructors and invoking a heretofore little-used regulation about the temporary waiving of in-country professional credentials. Getting the classrooms furnished and ready. Making swift changes to a budget allocated months in advance. And most importantly, talking to the kids and their parents, new and old. Long columns of Polish men and women move through the streets of Warsaw en route to less destroyed areas on Sept. 15, 1944. (Associated Press) An educator for 22 years, Remiszewski said he knew the Ukrainian students could not keep up with instruction that was all in Polish, yet he did not want them to be in a sort of ghetto. He rushed to find ways to integrate activities: sports, arts, mingling for meals. But he said it was the students, who range in age from 7 to 15, who took the lead. It hasnt been without bumps. One day, two boys got in a fight, a schoolyard commonplace except that one was Ukrainian and the other Polish. The Polish youngster emerged bloodied; the Ukrainian boys mother was panicked and mortified. Remiszewski rushed to smooth things over. It wasnt politics or anything like that! he said, calling it sport emotion. Plus, he added with the barest hint of an eyeroll: They're 14. For foreign pupils, the question of language can be fraught. Kids can quickly pick up a new tongue, but doing so, perhaps leaving their parents behind in comprehension and speaking ability, can be a heavy emotional burden. Some of the kids dont want to learn Polish, because they have the idea that it means theyre giving up on the idea of going home, said Remiszewski, whose family has taken in a math teacher from Kyiv. I ask their parents if theyre going to stay or go back to Ukraine, further west to Germany or the U.K., and all they can say is that they dont know. Some of the younger students have learned to write their names in the modified Roman alphabet used in Polish, while others use Ukrainian-language Cyrillic lettering. On a bulletin board, drawings of flowers by the youngest children bore their names, signed in both. The artwork can be telling; older Ukrainian students depictions of a seemingly placid forested landscape were mainly executed in dark, brooding tones. Human nature, with all its jealousies, is a factor in daily interactions with parents and pupils alike. The earliest wave of refugees included some affluent Ukrainians who drove into Poland from towns near the border. Some Polish parents, seeing a few of the new kids dropped off in expensive cars, voiced irritation about special aid, such as subsidized lunches, being made available to the new arrivals. So I asked them, Would you like to change places with them? said Remiszewski. 'I asked, 'Would you rather be the one to have lost your home, your livelihood, to have loved ones who died, to be afraid for your country and whether it will continue to exist all that, in order to have a free meal?' " he said. That silenced the complaints. At least for now. Volunteers at an accommodation center at the Global EXPO exhibition hall in Warsaw in April 2022. (Czarek Sokolowski / Associated Press) :: Municipal gestures of solidarity with the refugees, even if heartfelt, are sometimes largely symbolic. The Warsaw city government announced this month, with some fanfare, that it was designating a derelict and longtime legally contested Russian compound on the citys southern outskirts for use by Ukrainian refugees. But the boarded-up, water-stained complex dubbed Spyville by locals in reference to nefarious theories over its Soviet-era purposes would require extensive renovation before it was suitable for those seeking to start new lives. The Polish government has quickly allowed Ukrainians to get social security numbers to be able to legally work. Many of the arrivals, though, are mindful that as happens with refugees everywhere, some doctors end up driving taxis, professors painting houses they will need to take whatever work they can find. Olga Budina, 35, worked in a computer store in her hometown outside Lviv, but with a child to support, she expects to turn to menial labor. I could be a cleaner, maybe? she said tentatively. Her 6-year-old son looked up with the same somber, unflinching look many of the refugee children have, his eyes never leaving her face. :: Bitter herbs, melodious chants, a narrative of exodus: With Ukrainian sunflowers for centerpieces, Warsaws Jewish community welcomed the strangers among them on the first night of Passover, which fell this year on April 15. Larysa Vefmymenko, a 72-year-old documentary filmmaker from Kyiv, isnt Jewish, but she said she felt at home, marking the holiday with new friends. It was, as well, a distraction about her fears for loved ones back in the Ukrainian capital. When we crossed the border, we found love and welcome, she said. Terese Shiechowska, who has hosted Vefmymenko in her home for several weeks, said she and other members of Warsaws small Jewish community one of the largest in Europe before World War II, making up nearly a third of the city's prewar population had no hesitation about doing what she could to help. Its a mitzvah, she said. Everything thats happening, its right next door. Piszewski, the Jewish community leader, said the tales of escape he heard in his first days and nights on the Polish-Ukrainian border, where he rushed after the outbreak of fighting, had a haunting familiarity. A car but no gas, or gas but no car, a woman and her three kids who havent slept for three nights, people who are running away and dont know what to do, people with suitcases, or only with the clothes theyre wearing, he said. Every Jew knows what this means. Although the community initially searched for Ukrainian Jews to assist, the net has been cast wider and includes non-Jewish volunteers to help refugees. One of Piszewskis key partners in coordinating housing, transport and medical care for hundreds of the new arrivals has been an Orthodox priest. Piszewski, 66, is a child of Holocaust survivors, Polish Jews who hid away during the war and concealed their true identities afterward out of fear. He did not learn of his heritage until he was a teenager. The will to help exists its like a flame of goodwill, he said. For me, theres something magic about this work. A woman and a child wait on a bus at Ukraine's border with Poland. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) :: For Fortuna, the Ukrainian manicurist, it was an auspicious day lucky, even, in the context of terrors and setbacks that have marked the weeks since Feb. 24, when the war began. She, her mother, her son and her teenage brother were being offered a Warsaw apartment at far below market rate, courtesy of Radziwill's network of friends. In a run-down but gentrifying district, the fifth-floor flat was bare, but it had big windows and a balcony. As Fortuna paced the room, measuring where beds would go, Radziwill was on her phone, scouring a spreadsheet of donated furniture Oh, look, nice couch. The living room would serve as a bedroom for Fortuna, her mother, Iryna, and little Tymur, and the small bedroom would be a workspace for giving manicures, with a daybed for Dmytro, the brother. There was a day-care center across the street. It could all work, they decided, and fell to quickly conferring: the refrigerator, it can stay. That shelf can go over there. Looking around, a little of the tension melted from Fortunas face. It was a home if only a temporary, tenuous one. Until they could return to Ukraine. Everything, she said, is enough. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Three California Highway Patrol officers were injured Thursday morning when an SUV crashed into a cruiser on the 105 Freeway in Downey, leaving both vehicles engulfed in flames. The incident took place just before 1:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the 105 Freeway, forcing closure of this section of the freeway for several hours, according to the CHP. CHP officers were responding to a separate crash on the freeway near Lakewood Boulevard when the SUV plowed into their cruiser, according to Officer Kevin Tao. Tao said the vehicle was in the path of road flares set up by the officers investigating another disabled vehicle that was blocking a lane. Two officers were in the cruiser during the collision and another officer was standing outside the vehicle. On impact, the patrol car burst into flames. The two officers inside suffered moderate injuries, but the third officer had serious injuries. All three were taken to a hospital. It's unclear if the third officer was directly struck by the SUV during the collision. The SUV was traveling at high speed when it crashed into the cruiser, witnesses told KTLA-5. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, Tao said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The superyacht Amadea is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. (Leon Lord/Fiji Sun via AP) WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A judge in Fiji is due to rule next week on whether U.S. authorities can seize the luxurious superyacht Amadea worth some $325 million which has been stopped from leaving the South Pacific nation because of its links to Russia. But a vital question remains over which oligarch really owns the Amadea. Only one of the two possible candidates faces sanctions. Is the real owner Suleiman Kerimov? That's what the U.S. claims. Kerimov, an economist and former Russian politician, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 for alleged money laundering and has faced further sanctions from Canada, Europe and Britain after Russia invaded Ukraine. Kerimov made a fortune investing in Russian gold producer Polyus, with Forbes magazine putting his net worth at $14.5 billion. Or is the real owner Eduard Khudainatov? Thats what defense lawyers claim. Khudainatov is the former chairman and chief executive of Rosneft, the state-controlled Russian oil and gas company. Crucially, Khudainatov currently does not appear to face any sanctions, unlike many oligarchs and people with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin who have been sanctioned since the war began. As with many superyachts, determining the real ownership of the Amadea is difficult due to the shadowy trail of trusts and shell companies. On paper, the superyacht is registered in the Cayman Islands and owned by Millemarin Investments Ltd., also based in the Cayman Islands. Boat captain Emosi Dawai looks at the superyacht Amadea where it is docked at the Queens Wharf in Lautoka, Fiji. (Leon Lord/Fiji Sun via AP) Defense lawyers have claimed in court that Millemarin Investments Ltd. (sometimes spelled Millemarine) is the legal owner of the vessel and that the company is linked to the real, or beneficial, owner, Khudainatov. But U.S. authorities have claimed that behind all the various fronts, the real owner is Kerimov. On April 19, after the yacht had sailed into Fiji from Mexico, the High Court in Suva ordered that the Amadea not leave Fiji until the merits of the U.S. warrant to seize the vessel were determined. Perhaps reflecting the question over ownership, the court later ordered Fijian prosecutors to amend an original summons which named just Kerimov to also include Millemarin Investments Ltd. as a second respondent to the case. For now, the yacht continues to sit in a Fijian harbor with its crew of about 25 rotating on and off the vessel, while a police officer remains on board to ensure it stays put. According to Boat International, the Amadea is 106 meters long and was built in 2017. It features a stainless steel albatross that extends off the bow and weighs more than 5 tons, a live lobster tank in the galley, a 10-meter (33-foot) pool, a hand-painted Pleyel piano and a large helipad. The U.S. Embassy in Suva said in a statement that the U.S. was acting with allies and partners around the world to impose costs on Russia because of its war of choice. We continue to ratchet up the pressure on Putins oligarchs and we are working with allies and partners to go after corrupt gains from some of the individuals closest to Putin, no matter where they are held around the world," the embassy said. LONDON Moldovas Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu said in a Thursday briefing with journalists that the country is facing a very dangerous new moment after a series of explosions in the Ministry of State Security building in Transnistria on Monday. Since then, all of the countrys institutions have been on high alert, Popescu added. On Tuesday, two explosions damaged Soviet-era radio masts in the village of Maiac. Before the attacks, a senior Kremlin commander said, according to Russian state media, that the Russian Armed Forces planned to make passage into southern Ukraine to reach the breakaway region of Transnistria in Moldova. Where is Transnistria? Transnistria is a 248-mile narrow strip of land in Moldova that borders Ukraine and has a population of 470,000. The region is more or less equally divided between Ukrainians, Russians and Moldovans, a former Moldovan ambassador to the U.S told the French outlet LIllustre. Russians, however, occupy the highest positions in the administration and form the military and economic elite, the ambassador said. Transnistria has its own capital and uses its own currency; Russian is its official language. Cobasna, a village in the region, houses a former Soviet (now Russian) ammunition depot that is the largest in Eastern Europe. According to Moldovas ambassador to the United Nations, the depot contains more than 20,000 metric tons of Russian ammunition. What is the regions relationship with Russia? Although Transnistria is internationally recognized as part of Moldova, it has been controlled by pro-Russian separatist authorities since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990. Russian forces have been stationed there since 1992, after a ceasefire was signed between Moldova and Transnistria, following a short border war in which up to 700 people were killed. The Kremlin props up Transnistrias economy by supplying free gas to local industries and by paying the elderly the Putin pension, a total of $8 a month. In return, Russia keeps soldiers stationed there permanently, in what the Kremlin describes as peacekeeping. Russian state media, which is widely available in the region, has also played a significant role in bolstering pro-Russian sentiment. In Moldova, as in other countries, Russia has used its energy supply to exploit dependencies and exert pressure on the country to adopt policies favorable to the Kremlin, Dorina Baltag, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance, told Yahoo News. Last year, in October 2021, the Moldovan government was forced to declare a state of emergency, after a gas contract with Russian gas enterprise Gazprom had expired, and a new contract offered by Gazprom included a threefold price increase, which the Moldovan government was not able to pay, Baltag said. The contract with Russia, a good deal which the Moldovan government managed to reach, exposes the Moldovans' biggest vulnerability. So, for Moldova, energy security is most likely the main ingredient for national security. What has happened in Transnistria since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24? A Transnistrian serviceman walks past a line of cars waiting to exit the self-proclaimed Moldovan Republic of Transnistria on Thursday. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images) According to LIllustre, foreign journalists have been banned from the territory since Russias invasion began. Six weeks into the war, authorities in the region reported an attack on a military unit just hours after two radio masts were blown up. Moldovas president, Maia Sandu, blamed the attacks on the separatist groups and said her government would resist attempts to drag Moldova into actions that may endanger peace within the country. No injuries were reported, but separatist authorities raised the terrorist threat level in the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to destabilize Moldova, sarcastically comparing the reasoning for the attacks to what the Kremlin has claimed to be the reason for invading Ukraine. "Allegedly there, in Moldova, the rights of Russian speakers are violated," Zelensky said in an address to the nation last Friday. "Although, to be honest, the territory in which Russia should take care of the rights of Russian speakers is Russia itself: Where there is no freedom of speech, no freedom of choice. Where there is simply no right to dissent. Where poverty thrives and where human life is worthless." Is the war about to spread to Moldova? Baltag said that Moldovas vulnerability is Transnistria, and that the situation depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine brings up two of the main challenges that Moldova has to deal with: the dependency of Russian gas, and the Transnistrian breakaway region, supported by the Russian Federation, she said. _____ What happened last week in Ukraine? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. Cheaper agency workers hired by P&O Ferries to replace sacked seafarers did not know how to use life-saving appliances, according to a new report. A total of 23 failures on Spirit of Britain were found by Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspectors. Fast rescue boats were not properly maintained and oil filtering equipment was not working. Spirit of Britian was detained on April 11 (Gareth Fuller/PA) There were also five deficiencies with working conditions, and five relating to fire safety systems. Spirit of Britain was detained following the inspection on April 11, before being cleared to sail on April 22. The vessel was used by P&O Ferries to restart operations between Dover and Calais on Tuesday for the first time since the company sacked nearly 800 seafarers and replaced them with agency workers on March 17 to save money. Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch said P&O Ferries is a capitalist bandit (Pete Byrne/PA) The 23 safety failures were listed without further details by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is an alliance of 27 national maritime authorities including the UK. It stated there was a lack of familiarity with the operation of life-saving appliances, which could relate to equipment such as rescue boats, lifeboats, life-jackets or flares. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch described the report as further evidence that P&O is a capitalist bandit sailing in our waters. He said: The lack of care and respect P&O clearly has for safety regulations that are designed to save lives in the event of maritime emergencies is on a par with their appalling treatment of the loyal 800-strong workforce who were sacked last month. There can be no doubt that the public and haulage firms should boycott P&O Ferries on safety, security and moral grounds until the Government steps in and takes over the running of this rogue maritime operator. Spirit of Britain was built in 2011 and can carry up to 2,000 passengers. At 213 metres long it is one of the largest ferries in Europe. P&O Ferries vessel European Causeway went adrift on Tuesday (Liam McBurney/PA) Thirty-one safety failures were found by the MCA on another P&O Ferries vessel, European Causeway, resulting in it being detained on March 25. Analysis by the PA news agency revealed that was more than in any of the other 46,000 Port State Control inspections of ships within the Paris MOU in the past three years. European Causeway was cleared to sail on April 8, but suffered a power failure on Tuesday which left it adrift in the Irish Sea for more than an hour. The MCA said it can sail again with a restriction on what generators it can use for electricity. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he ordered rigorous inspections of the ferries to be carried out (Gareth Fuller/PA) A total of eight P&O Ferries vessels will be probed by the agency following the mass sackings. Pride of Kent remains under detention after failing an inspection, while Pride of Canterbury and Spirit of France are also out of action as they have not been fully examined. Pride of Hull, Norbay and European Highlander were all allowed to resume sailings. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Transport Select Committee on Wednesday that he ordered the MCA to scrutinise the ships with a fine-tooth comb. P&O Ferries has previously said the inspections are being conducted with an unprecedented level of rigour. In response, the MCA said its inspectors work in exactly the same robust way for every ship. P&O Ferries pays its new crew an average of 5.50 per hour, which it has insisted is in line with international maritime laws. Mr Shapps announced on Thursday that legislation forcing ferry operators using UK ports to pay seafarers at least the national minimum wage of 9.50 per hour will be included in the Queens Speech on May 10. P&O Ferries said it would fully welcome measures to increase pay for all seafarers in British waters as it wants a level playing field. Irish Ferries, which also uses a low-cost labour model, began competing with the firm on the Dover to Calais route in June 2021. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 64F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday urged some Australian politicians to correct their "China threat" ideology and avoid further damage to China-Australia military relations. Regarding the development of another country as a security threat, some people in Australia have created and spread groundless fear, said Tan Kefei, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference in response to recent statements from some Australian politicians. "Their actions will not only undermine regional security and stability, but also compromise their own images as well," Tan said. The military cooperation among the United States, Britain and Australia in highly sensitive fields such as nuclear submarines and hypersonic missiles, will aggravate confrontation and challenge peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, Tan said. "China has serious concerns about this," he said, reiterating that the country always upholds the path of peaceful development and adopts a defense policy that is defensive in nature. YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed a decree appointing Robert Khachatryan as Minister of High-Tech Industry at the advice of PM Nikol Pashinyan, the presidency said. YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia is envisaging very serious reforms in military education sector, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the Cabinet meeting today. We envisage very serious reforms in military education field. I am confident that we will have a talk on this topic at one of the upcoming sessions of the government, he said. YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. 50% of citizens in Armenia received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 44.1% of the adult citizens are fully vaccinated, Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan said at the Cabinet meeting today, adding that nearly 50,000 citizens have received a booster shot. She said that vaccinations played a very important role for reducing the disease burden globally. Regardless of easing the restrictions, we will continue boosting vaccinations with all possible means. They will continue to be available in polyclinics, mobile sites, in the form of home visits, and we expect that the citizens will continue to get vaccinated, we see that tendency. We even have a slight increase in vaccination rates over the past week, the minister said. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for not weakening the vigilance because today there are citizens in China who live under lockdown, and no one can say what will happen next moment. Highlighting the importance of continuing the vaccination process, the PM said there are wide range of vaccines in Armenia. We have been opening an opportunity of vaccination also for foreign citizens for a long time, he said. NAIROBI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on different armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to embrace peace by laying down their weapons and work with President Felix Tshisekedi in nurturing peace and stability in the country. Kenyatta in a recorded video statement delivered on Wednesday evening during a virtual Inter-Congolese Peace Dialogue convened by Kenya said the state of peace in Kenya and the rest of the East African Community (EAC) has been nurtured by perpetual, robust collaborative efforts. "Without laying down weapons and forging an unbreakable national compact to secure the DRC, the fruits of prosperity that you all deserve from the teeming rich endowments will remain elusive," he said. Representatives of over 30 armed groups participated in the talks being held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, with the majority accepting the request of the two Heads of State to lay down arms while a few requested to be given more time to appraise themselves with the set conditions but expressed willingness to join hands in building their country. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group linked to ISIL is considered the deadliest of dozens of armed militias that roam the mineral-rich eastern DRC. The initiative is an outcome of recent Heads of State conclaves on the peace and security situation in DR Congo under the chairmanship of Kenyatta held on April 21. The Kenyan leader emphasized that without working toward unity and cohesion among all the people of DRC, every separate section will remain a loser. "This makes it urgent for all people of goodwill in the DRC to coalesce together and frantically set a foundation of prosperity by working tirelessly for an enduring peace," he told the Congolese. Kenyatta assured DRC that Kenya is ready to extend optimal support to their common goal as they forge ahead to create a favorable environment to secure prosperity for the people. "The DRC deserves to claim and assert its rightful place in Africa and the world at large. This is just but a first step toward that attainable goal. I thank you, each and every one of you, for heeding our call and seizing this opportunity," he said. Kenyatta lauded President Tshisekedi and the armed groups in DRC for heeding Kenya's solidarity call on the peace dialogue and encouraged them to speak and harness all their efforts toward moving DRC forward. On his part, Tshisekedi lauded the armed groups for agreeing to dialogue with his government, saying their positive response is an act of honor to their country. The DRC leader expressed his readiness to listen and guarantee security of all armed groups, pointing out that DRC will only develop if it has a national military and police force that is keen on defending the interests of all citizens. "I understand the different reasons that drew you to take up arms. However, to develop our country, we need to build and sustain national defence forces and police that are keen to defend the daughters and sons of DRC," Tshisekedi said. He called on all armed groups to accept the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and reinsertion to help in the reconstruction of the nation for the benefit of all Congolese citizens. YEREVAN, APRIL 28, ARMENPRESS. The next session of the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial working group dealing with unblocking of transportation communications in the region will take place in the near future, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing. She said that Russia considers the high-level trilateral agreements as a base for moving forward the process of settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and continues the active work with Yerevan and Baku in all directions, including in the unblocking of economic and transportation ties, the launch of the demarcation process of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the agreement over a peace treaty. The communication unblocking issues were discussed during the April 26 meeting of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. An agreement has been reached with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides on holding the next session of the trilateral working group chaired by the deputy prime ministers in the future. As for border issues, contacts are planned in Baku by the end of this week at a foreign ministry level, she said. Zakharova said the Russian side records that Armenia and Azerbaijan are ready to meet halfway with each other, and informed that trilateral contacts are being developed on this topic. Its obvious that the real work in different formats gives a result. We are in the existing formats and see that the work is underway there. We attach great importance to the formats and fulfillment of the documents which together give a real result. Civilians, economic operators and the region in general feel that result, she said. YEREVAN, 28 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 28 April, USD exchange rate down by 3.31 drams to 456.67 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 8.58 drams to 479.32 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 6.32 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 9.74 drams to 569.33 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 478.72 drams to 27687.84 drams. Silver price down by 4.51 drams to 347.02 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams. Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results. (PTI file image) Washington: US President Joe Biden will travel to South Korea and Japan next month and attend the Quad summit in Tokyo, during which he will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White House has said. Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan has been scheduled from May 20 to 24. "This trip will advance the Biden-Harris administration's rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said here on Wednesday. Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan. "The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results. In Tokyo, President Biden will also meet the leaders of the Quad grouping of Australia, Japan, India and the United States. We look forward to having further details to share about this trip soon," Psaki said. In November 2017, the US, Australia, India and Japan gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence, amidst China's growing military presence in the strategic region. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. Beijing is also involved in a maritime dispute with Japan over the East China Sea. The Quad leaders, at their first-in-person summit in Washington in September last year hosted by US President Biden, had pledged to ensure a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, which is also "inclusive and resilient", as they noted that the strategically vital region, witnessing China's growing military manoeuvring, is a bedrock of their shared security and prosperity. PM said Omicron and its subvariants can create problems as was evident in case of many countries of Europe New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all chief ministers on Wednesday to remain alert as the threat of Covid-19 was not fully over. During an interaction with the chief ministers on the emerging Covid-19 situation in the country, he also said that the government's priority was to vaccinate all eligible children at the earliest with special campaigns needed in schools. The interaction, conducted through virtual mode, was held on a day when India logged 2,927 fresh cases the highest one-day jump since March 13 and 32 related fatalities in the last 24 hours. Among the chief ministers present were West Bengals Mamata Banerjee, Chhattisgarhs Bhupesh Baghel and Punjabs Bhagwant Mann. Union home minister Amit Shah and health minister Mansukh Mandaviya also attended. Asserting that India has fought a long battle against Covid-19 in the spirit of cooperative federalism enshrined in the Constitution, PM lauded the chief ministers, officers and all corona warriors for their efforts. He asserted it was clear that the coronavirus challenge is not fully over yet. He said Omicron and its subvariants can create problems as was evident in case of many countries of Europe. Mr Modi said India has been able to deal with the situation better than many countries. Still, in the last two weeks, increasing cases in some of the states show that we need to stay alert. He highlighted that the twin strategy of bringing the cases under control and also allowing the economy to continue should remain the priority. During the third wave, we have witnessed more than three lakh daily cases. Every state handled these cases well. They also allowed economic and social activity to continue. This balance should be part of future strategy. Our scientists and experts are continuously monitoring the global situation. Based on their advice, we have to adopt a pre-emptive, proactive, and collective approach. The PM said that preventing the spread of the infection at the very beginning has been the governments priority and it should remain the same even today. He specifically told the states that for early tracking of the variants the local administration should conduct 100 per cent RT PCR testing of all hospitalised patients with influenza like and severe acute respiratory like illnesses. Mr Modi said, Our priority is to stop the infections right at the beginning. We have to continue to make this our priority now. We have to effectively implement the test, track and treat strategy. It is very important that we do 100 per cent RT PCR testing on hospitalised patients with influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness; all the positive cases should be sent for genome sequencing. By doing this, we will be able to detect the new variants. The PM emphasised that priority in the new phase of pandemic should be to vaccinate all the eligible child population directing the states to implement special vaccination campaigns as children are returning to the schools after a long break. After a long break, the schools have reopened in our country. Some parents are worried about the increase in cases in some places. There are reports from some schools reporting children being tested positive for Covid-19 Our priority is to vaccinate all the eligible child population. For this, we have to run special drives in the schools. We have to create awareness among the parents and the teachers about the importance of vaccination, he said. Mr Modi asked the states to ensure all the medical oxygen plants, including the hospital beds are made fully functional. We have talked about the up-gradation of health infrastructure. We have to ensure the up-gradation is completed quickly. We are in a better position with respect to the availability of beds, ventilators, and the PSA oxygen plants. But we have to ensure that all of these facilities are fully functional. They have to be monitored and responsibility has to be fixed. If there are any gaps, it my request, that it should be verified at the top level. We also have to scale up our infrastructure and manpower in the medical colleges and district hospitals PM added. The PM urged the states to promote Covid-19 appropriate behaviour at the social gatherings but added that at the same time it should be ensured that no panic is created among the public. He also reiterated that the vaccination will remain the most effective shield against severe Covid-19. Despite many geographical challenges, vaccines have reached the last mile. It is a matter of pride that 96 per cent of the adult population has received the first dose and 85 per cent of those above 15 years have received their first dose. The opinion of the experts is that vaccines are the biggest protection shield, Mr Modi said. CJI Ramana had in a poser asked was the law still required to exist after 75 years of Independence New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the Centre time till this weekend to state its position on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutionality of the colonial-era sedition law -- Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code -- that has been repeatedly invoked to curb dissent in recent times and posted the matter for final hearing on May 5, making it clear that no request for adjournment will be entertained. A bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, and including Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, granted time to the Centre to file its reply by the weekend after solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought two days to file a reply. Mr Mehta told the court the Central governments affidavit was ready, but some changes are required to be made and will be filed within two days. The court in its order said: Solicitor-general sought two days to file the reply. We direct the Centre to file a reply by the end of this week. The reply (by petitioners) to that (Centres) affidavit to be filed by Tuesday. List the matter for final disposal without any adjournment on May 5. The bench said: We will have a hearing on May 5. We will have full day hearings. Earlier, on July 15, 2021, the court had issued notice to the Centre on the plea by Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere (Retd), journalists Patricia Mukhim and Kashmir Times editor Anuradha Bhasin, and the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), challenging the constitutional validity of the sedition law. Section 124A of the IPC has also been challenged by others. Seeking the assistance of attorney-general K.K. Venugopal at the last hearing on this on July 15, 2021, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, heading a bench that then comprised Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, had described Section 124A IPC as a colonial-era law that was meant to suppress the freedom movement, and was used by the British against Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and others. CJI Ramana had in a poser asked: Is this law still required to exist after 75 years of Independence? He asked the A-G: Our concern is misuse of the law and the lack of accountability. Why does it continue in the statute book after 75 years of our Independence? Chief Justice Ramana had said people are scared over the sedition law being invoked against them for speaking their mind or against the acts of the authorities. It voiced concern over the widespread misuse of the law, saying: The situation on the ground is grave... If one party does not like what the other is saying, Section 124A is used... It is a serious threat to the functioning of individuals and parties. CJI Ramana had further said: If a police officer wants to fix anybody in a village for something, he can use Section 124A... People are scared. The court at the last hearing wondered that when the Narendra Modi government was engaged in repealing archaic and obsolete laws, then why was the sedition law still retained. The CJI told Mr Venugopal: Your government has repealed many stale laws. I do not know why is your government not looking into repealing Section 124A of the IPC? Sensing the mood of the court, Mr Venugopal suggested that instead of striking down the law, the court may frame guidelines so that Section 124A IPC meets its legal purpose. A few weeks ago, the representatives of CSS officers had met with the minister of state for personnel and PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh Apparently, hundreds of posts are currently vacant in various ministries and departments at various levels, impeding the efficient functioning of the government. (Representational Image/ PTI) The recent protests by Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers about promotion and career prospects have prodded the government into action. And the action stems from the very top, triggered probably by Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent interaction with Union secretaries, where he, too, had expressed concern over the growing number of vacancies in various ministries and departments. Sources have informed DKB that Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba has shot off letters to heads of various ministries and departments directing them to immediately fill the existing vacancies against sanctioned posts. Apparently, hundreds of posts are currently vacant in various ministries and departments at various levels, impeding the efficient functioning of the government. Most of these posts are staffed by CSS service officers, and the vacancies have left the existing CSS officers doubling duty and working long hours. A few weeks ago, the representatives of CSS officers had met with the minister of state for personnel and PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, seeking his intervention in the matter. With the Prime Minister stepping in, it appears that there is a new urgency in the government to fill the vacancies and also take a measured look at the promotion issues of these babus. Will Manoj Soni defy the Cassandras? An inspiring story of struggle and hard work or the result of proximity to the reigning political ideology? The appointment of Manoj Soni as chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has cleaved opinion among civil servants, public commentators and the public. It matters little that Mr Soni is not new to the institution he has been a UPSC member since 2017 and no rules have been bent for his appointment, as far as we know. Yet, there are dissenting voices who fear that the former vice-chancellor of Vadodaras MS University and a former speechwriter for Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses a threat to the civil service system. To make him responsible for the recruitment of officers of the All-India Services, given his saffron background, is a recipe for trouble, they argue. The liberals may have their concerns, but for the Centre, Mr Soni seems to tick all the right boxes. Humble origins like Mr Modis, self-made scholar-monk with ties to the hugely influential Swaminarayan sect, staunch defender of then-CM Modis government in Gujarat, etc. Whats not to like? But perhaps the bigger fear that has not been voiced is that in the past UPSC chairpersons were renowned academics with excellent records, and more significantly, career babus from the IAS. It is this last bit that perhaps rankles the most. Will Mr Soni defy the Cassandras? Well see. Reshuffle of Delhi babus sets off speculation In a recent reshuffle of UT cadre officers, it is the appointment of former NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) chairman Naresh Kumar as the new chief secretary of Delhi that has drawn the most attention. A 1987-batch IAS officer, Mr Kumar has replaced his batchmate Vijay Kumar Dev, who is now the chief election commissioner of Delhi. Babu-watchers consider Mr Kumars appointment as significant in the context of the unification of Delhis three municipal corporations that is underway. In a unified municipal corporation, the special officer of the civic body will have considerably more power and privileges than the chief secretary! Apparently, this is already so in Maharashtra, where the BMC commissioner enjoys more power than the senior-most bureaucrat in the state. On the other hand, the present NDMC chairman, Dharmendra, has been posted out as chief secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, which many babus strangely seem to consider a demotion. But Mr Dharmendra, sources have informed DKB, stands a good chance to hold a prime posting before retirement since age is on his side. For now, however, the big question is about the future of Satya Gopal, who Mr Dharmendra is replacing. Will the former Arunachal chief secretary return to Delhi as NDMC chairman or get some other prime post? The Congress, in contrast, is not a single-person party, despite all the appearances The Congress is like no other party in the country and the Gandhis dont really control it, although they may be its most important inner spirit. (Representational Image/ PTI) The Congress and election campaign specialist Prashant Kishor, whose company has done strategic communications for a host of political parties across ideology, should both count themselves lucky that they could not reach an agreement for Mr Kishor to join the party. News reports suggest that the Congress rejected Mr Kishors terms. This is not wholly unexpected. People join a party because they are attracted to it, and wish to serve it in any capacity that the party may see fit. But that isnt Mr Kishor at all. He gave the impression of entering into a contract, as a trader might. If news reports are to be believed, he sought freedom to report directly to party president Sonia Gandhi, and sought untrammelled control over the partys communications. When such ideas did not find favour, the consultant withdrew. It is clear that he has no particular love for the Congress, and its ideas, ideology and politics. In contrast, look at the key members of the Group of 23. They have major issues with the Gandhis, but have not threatened to quit the party just because the leadership has not conceded their demands on a here-and-now basis. It is evident the G-23 are not gomashtas (middlemen) but politicians who feel bound by a common ideological thread and imagination even if they might fight with the party leadership on organisational and political issues. Nevertheless, in the present context, while inner-party disagreements and debates might abound on organisational matters or economic ideology, there is consensus on the most important metric the combating of communal ideas, politics, and policies. Mr Kishor does not shine on this count. He has shown himself to be completely eclectic. His first client was the then Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi, in 2011. The poll strategist also planned the marketing and advertising for the Modi campaign when Mr Modi successfully ran for Prime Minister. He is credited with having conceived the aspirants 3D rallies and the social media campaign which highlighted good governance since the client had to be rescued from any association with the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat on the then CMs watch which had drawn worldwide condemnation. After that big success, Mr Kishor has been in huge demand. A range of political parties have evidently benefited from his counsel. These were generally local ruling parties. It is up for speculation if the consultant would have brought the bacon home for the Trinamul Congress if the West Bengal party had been in the Opposition. It is known that joining hands with Mr Kishor in 2017 failed to revive the Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh. The trouble is that the Congress learnt little from that experience and once again sought to flirt with the election consultant. This was doubtless a sign of draining out emotionally after suffering defeat upon defeat in state elections. So, it should cause no surprise if Mr Kishor once again comes calling at the drop of a small hint. That is how fragile or fickle the Congress appears to have become in its present avatar. The party forgets all too often that though it is greatly reduced, it is demonstrated to have some 120 million committed voters who have persisted in their choice through thick and thin. This is probably more than the numbers commanded by the principal regional parties put together, or thereabouts. Of course, support for the Congress is spread very unevenly across the country. Generally, that does not give the party sufficient heft to ensure victory at the constituency level even for reasonably good candidates. What should the ground tactics be in such a situation? Is an external agent in the shape of a campaign specialist needed to solve the problem? Indeed, is the solution any mystery when the Congress ranks are filled with old warhorses at every level who have a well-earned reputation for having a trick or two up their sleeve in all seasons? If the Congress Party still coheres in the Narendra Modi era when large parts of India are enveloped in the ideology of majority communalism, as daily events and election results lately indicate, the party cant but have genetic resources that the leadership would do well to tap. That the leadership has failed to do so is the Congress primary weakness, and this is from where the first idea of reform needs to emanate. Nevertheless, not fully grasping this, the leadership in its current state of perceived infirmity, could just seek the hand of God in an outside agent and turn to Mr Kishor yet again. But God is said to help only those who help themselves. If such is the case, and an outsider is permitted entry on terms, then failure may be said to be preordained, as in UP in 2017. The Congress will come out of it shaken and tarred, and the consultant is apt to lose his image built on the strength of advising winning parties. Both sides should resist the charms of such an alignment. Partly because a modicum of the democracy ideology and good sense still inhabit the Congress, and partly under high-pitched pressure mounted by the G-23, otherwise a long-spent force that had once fattened on the patronage from the Gandhis, the Congress happens to be in the middle of an organisational election after decades. This was before Mr Kishor entered the picture. Interestingly, the consultant too has reportedly advised organisational polls as a means to fight stasis within. In that case, whats so special about external counsel? As for Mr Kishor, he has successfully counselled only one-man/one-woman parties. When Mr Modi had hired him, the BJP too had become a one-man show, which it remains to this day. The Congress, in contrast, is not a single-person party, despite all the appearances. In fact, it is a maze, a labyrinthine entity, in which multiple interests and groups operate, sweetly cutting one another even when in the Opposition. That indeed is one of its charms. The Congress is like no other party in the country and the Gandhis dont really control it, although they may be its most important inner spirit. But that could well change if the country is at an inflexion point. Jamnalal Bajaj, a major industrialist, had renounced the British title of Rai Bahadur to be a member of the Congress. In time, he became an elected member of the partys Working Committee. Businessmen today seek shortcuts. The Congress Party too looks guilty of that. The archdiocese is undertaking this initiative as part of the year of Amoris Laetitia announced by the pope. In South Korea, the number of families with grandparents caring for grandchildren is up because both parents have to work. The programme includes courses on self-care, grandchildren care, and religious care. Seoul (AsiaNews) The Archdiocese of Seoul is planning a faith school for Catholic grandparents as part of the Year of Amoris Laetitia Family, which Pope Francis announced in conjunction with the World Meeting of Families. The initiative is aimed at highlighting the central role played by grandparents and, more generally, seniors in families. in recent years, more and more seniors in South Korea are caring for their grandchildren because of an increase in the number of families in which both parents work. For this reason, the archdiocese wants to educate grandparents about the faith since they are increasingly becoming the first ones to take care of their young grandchildren. The school will include an eight-week programme with courses centred on three topics: self-care, grandchild care, and religious care. To prepare the programme, the Senior Ministry Team surveyed about 800 senior Catholics from various parishes. A number of participants indicated that they want the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality assessment test included because they believe it can help build a better relationship with grandchildren. In a statement, the Archdiocese of Seoul explains that the educational programmes it plans to develop for grandparents will be in line with Pope Francis' message that seniors can serve as a valued source of guidance and wisdom for young people. by Shafique Khokhar He went to Poland to bring aid to refugees fleeing war. Warm clothes, food and medicine are needed. I heard heartbreaking stories," the Pentecostal clergyman told AsiaNews. Karachi (AsiaNews) Visiting people from Ukraine in Poland was a painful experience, said Rev Suleman Manzoor, chairman of the Rapha Mission International, a Pentecostal organisation. I saw people crying for their loved ones, whom they left behind; coming to Poland after a journey of hours and hours made people desperate and hopeless, explained the clergyman after landing at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi where he was met by Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Anwar Lal Dean and others, both lay people and clergy. Rev Manzoor left Pakistan and spent three days and three nights at the Ukrainian-Polish border helping refugees, he told AsiaNews. Hundreds arrive at the border after a long journey, in need of warm clothes, food and medicine. I heard heartbreaking stories of people arriving with small children, mothers and grandmothers separated from the rest of the family, said the missionary. This is a time when we must not only pray, but also support and share with the Ukrainians the blessings God has given us, he said. Jesus gave us all a mission: to spread the Good News. It is God who uses me and sends me into the world. The pastor thanked the Polish government for everything it is doing for Ukrainian refugees. "What Pastor Suleman Manzoor did is priceless," said Senator Lal Dean. He sent a message of peace and showed solidarity not only as a Christian, but also as a true Pakistani.. Even Younus Khan, a Christian lawyer and member of the Jamait-e-Islami political party felt proud about Pastor Manzoor and what he did in Ukraine. He supported people without discrimination, and that is what we Christ our Lord taught. Prioritizing infrastructure creation set to stabilize economy By MA SI (China Daily) 09:11, April 28, 2022 Employees inspect transmission towers in Anhui province, part of an ultrahigh-voltage direct-current transmission project. SONG WEIXING/FOR CHINA DAILY China's efforts to bolster infrastructure construction in a precise manner will help buttress the nation's economic growth this year amid a complicated external environment and resurgent domestic COVID-19 cases, experts said. The comments came after a key meeting on Tuesday set the tone for comprehensively bolstering infrastructure construction nationwide, highlighting the significance of implementing such a policy in upholding national security, expanding domestic consumption and promoting high-quality development. Lu Zhe, chief macroeconomist at Topsperity Securities, said: "Infrastructure will play an important supporting role for economic growth this year." Lu predicted that the growth rate of infrastructure investment this year is likely to be between 5 and 7 percent. The meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs on Tuesday called for efforts to coordinate development and security, optimize the layout, function and development mode of the country's infrastructure and build a modern infrastructure system in order to lay a solid foundation for comprehensively building China into a modern socialist country. While calling for the upgrading of traditional infrastructure facilities, the meeting also stressed the need to step up construction of "new infrastructure", including 5G networks, the industrial internet, intercity transportation, intracity rail systems, data centers, artificial intelligence, ultrahigh voltage infrastructure and new energy vehicle charging stations. Wu Hequan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the accelerated construction of "new infrastructure" such as 5G, artificial intelligence and big data will lay a sound foundation for the integration of digital and real economies, and help drive industrial upgrade and digital transformation in traditional sectors. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's telecom carriers will build 600,000 new 5G base stations this year, and the ministry will also promote the application of superfast wireless technology in the industrial internet. The National Development and Reform Commission, the nation's top economic regulator, said in a document on its official website on Wednesday that efforts to promote infrastructure will be made in a precise manner, and no "flood" of infrastructure stimuli will be allowed. Ou Hong, director of the Department of Fixed Asset Investment at the NDRC, the economic regulator, said earlier this month that it will promote infrastructure construction in fields like water conservancy, transportation and energy, accelerate the push for "new infrastructure" construction, spur investment in equipment manufacturing and boost the development of sectors like health, education, eldercare and childcare. Despite facing pressure from resurgent domestic COVID-19 cases, China has favorable conditions to stabilize investment, Ou said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Further relaxations of COVID-19 restrictions are a positive and practical step forward as Malaysia aims to move toward endemicity, a health expert said on Thursday. While conceding that some restrictions such as the use of face masks are still an important measure to guard against infection, new standard operating procedures (SOP) announced by the health ministry would move the country towards a post-pandemic phase, Malaysia Medical Association President Koh Kar Chai told Xinhua in a phone interview. "Overall, we view the relaxed SOPs as a practical step, especially in this phase of the pandemic where more normalcy will help revive our economy as well as relieve the mental stress that has accompanied us since the beginning of the pandemic," he said. Koh also expressed concern about the move to drop travel insurance requirements on foreign visitors entering the country, a move which he cautioned could strain the public healthcare system should cases take an upward trend. Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced further relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday in a bid to help the country recover from the economic effects of the pandemic, in particular to promote the country's struggling tourism industry. Testing will not be required for certain categories of travelers before departing to Malaysia and upon arrival, including those fully vaccinated who were 13 years of age and above, and those who had been infected and recovered within six to 60 days from the date of recovery before departing for Malaysia. Face masks will no longer be mandatory outdoors but still required indoors and on public transport, while physical distancing is no longer required and check-in with the country's COVID-19 management app will no longer be required when visiting places. The relaxation of restrictions follows a downward trend in new infections in the country and the relatively high rate of vaccination -- 81.6 percent of the population have received two doses and 49.1 percent have received the booster shot. For his part, Carmelo Ferlito, chief executive officer of the Center for Market Education, a Kuala Lumpur-based think tank, said the relaxations will most heavily impact travel to the country and the tourism industry, calling the new SOP a positive development. Carmelo added that the relaxations of other measures including wearing face masks and the use of the COVID-19 management app will raise confidence among consumers and investors and further push the country on the path to recovery. by Nirmala Carvalho Clarence High School has become the target of a new anti-conversion campaign because it offers Bible classes to non-Christians. For Archbishop Machado, Christian Institutions are once again being targeted with false and misleading accusations. Bengaluru (AsiaNews) Clarence High School, a prestigious Christian educational institution, has come under fire in a new campaign by Hindu nationalists. The school, which was founded by English missionaries in 1914, is located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the same state where the hijab was banned in class The latest controversy broke out after someone reported that the registration form for the 11th grade includes a paragraph asking non-Christian families for their consent to allow their children to take Bible classes. The provision in question has been place for years and has never caused any problems for non-Christian students. However, for Mohan Gowda, local spokesman for Hindu Janajagruti Samithi, a Hindu nationalist group, it proves that the Christian school is engaged in forced indoctrination" of children in order to convert them. Students admitted to Clarence School must read, carry, and learn Bible, Gowda said. This is compulsory and a violation of Article 25 and 30 of Indian Constitution. In light of the situation, he urges the state government to take action against the school. For their part, Karnataka authorities now want to clarify things; to this end, they announced plans to inspect all Christian schools. The state is ruled by Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also announced its intention of getting involved. In recent years, the agency has been in the hands of Hindu nationalists and has been used in their anti-conversion campaigns against Christians. In fact, Clarence High School has offered Bible classes for many years, not as religious teaching, but as a way to provide moral points of reference. Many Muslim, Hindu and other non-Christian families appreciate this. Nobody is forced to read the Bible, the school explained. The Most Rev Peter Machado, Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore, who chairs the Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights, waded into the affair. The school is more than 100 years old and no complaint of conversion was made anytime in this school, he said in a statement. [M]oral education, based on the examples of the Bible, cannot be considered forced religious education. The prelate noted that, The institutions run by other religious sects also give religious instructions, based on their sacred books. Thus, It is extremely unfair to target only the Christian institutions. Sadly, whatever good is being done is labelled as For Conversion! Nevertheless, We are aware that the majority of Hindus are with us. For Archbishop Machado, it is obvious that it is the same communal bogey, which is all out to divert attention from the basic problems that are besetting the society. This includes a hidden agenda that is out to discredit the good work done by the Christian minority, especially in the fields of education, social and health care. Sirens bring Israel to a halt to mark Yom Ha-Shoah. At Yad Vashem, Prime Minister Bennett does not mention Iran, but speaks about divisions among Jews, noting that today's conflicts cannot be equated to the unprecedented tragedy that took place during the Second World War. Meanwhile, a study by Tel Aviv University shows significant rise of anti-Semitism in 2021 in the world. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) Today at 10 am, Israel came to a stop for two minutes, as sirens sounded across the country, to remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War. Traditionally, during Yom Ha-Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Israelis honour the dead and survivors, whose tragic stories and testimonies of one of the worst tragedies of the 20th century, have been handed down and kept alive. This day, the most solemn in the countrys calendar, began as usual, with the wailing sound of sirens bringing buses, cars, and pedestrians to a sudden stop; motionless, people stood to attention, each remembering the past with its load of deaths and mourning. Israel mourns those who vanished during the Shoah, their names mentioned by the descendants of survivors, in schools, museums, public buildings, that such a tragedy may never happen again. Bars and restaurants closed early yesterday afternoon while TV and radio scheduled programmes documentaries, interviews and somber music dedicated almost exclusively to the Holocaust. As per tradition, the Yad Vashem memorial was the main venue for official remembrance ceremonies. From here, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett addressed the nation. His message was different from that of his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who for a decade used every occasion to speak about Irans nuclear threat. This time, Bennett did not mention Israels avowed foe, but focused instead on the Holocaust as a unique and unprecedented event in human history. In an indirect attack against those who misuse the term today, Bennet said that Even the most difficult wars today are not the Holocaust and are not comparable to the Holocaust. The President of Israel Isaac Herzog was also present at the ceremony, as was Bundestag President Barbel Bas, the first senior German official to take part in the commemoration in Israel. The anniversary incidentally overlapped with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which saw the last Jewish residents of the city rise up in April-May 1943 against the Nazis. Some 13,000 died during the battle that ensued. Prime Minister Bennett used the event to bemoan divisions within the Jewish resistance, between left and right, which did not work together making it easier for the Nazis to liquidate the ghetto. Even during the darkest chapter of Jewish history, during our people's inferno of extermination, the left and the right did not find a way to work together," Bennett lamented. Meanwhile, the BBC published the results of a study conducted by Tel Aviv University that indicates a sharp rise in anti-Semitism around the world last year, most notably in countries like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany. and Australia. The research suggests that trend is being fuelled as much by far-right movements as the radical left, both of which are linked by common hatred of Jews fed and magnified by the Internet and social media. Titled Anti-Semitism Worldwide Report 2021, the study found a significant increase in various types of anti-Semitic incidents in most countries with large Jewish populations. Case in point: Anti-Jewish hate crimes recorded in both New York and Los Angeles (United States) were almost twice that of 2020, mostly online because of COVID-19 restrictions. Likewise, in France, attacks against Jews increased by 75 per cent, while Canada recorded a 40-year record in August 2021. In many places, the May 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip fuelled the violence. by Vladimir Rozanskij Moscow (AsiaNews) - Savkat Mirziyoyev made a solemn visit in recent days to the agricultural region of Kashkadar, where he was welcomed with the honors of a sultan by the population of the villages. The president of Uzbekistan outlined his plan for the intensification of poultry farming for the next six years, in his opinion a fundamental step for national life. In his words, "when will every man and every family in our country be able to have confidence in tomorrow? When he will be able to have profits, if he had one cow he will have two, one goat and it will be four, 50 chickens that will become 100." His statement literally reignited the race to increase poultry production in all Uzbek regions, and now all the "makhally" (farms) are competing to notify the central authorities of the increased rates from local farmers. In the Andizan region, each makhallya has promised to provide a standard of 800 chickens, although it will not be easy to find enough buyers, because the "state" chickens have to win the competition of market prices. Many locals are given batches of chickens as a form of credit. In Pakhtabad province of Andizan region, activist groups have formed to distribute chickens door-to-door, especially trying to get rid of the less healthy ones. A local woman told Ozodlik on condition of anonymity that "they try to scare away especially those waiting for family and child benefits, but none of us want these chickens, both because they are very expensive, over each compared to in the market, and because they are half-dead and do not last even a week." The poor condition of the chickens is a consequence of the "intensive program" of 800 chickens per farm, and if the activists can't sell them they are forced to buy them out of their own pockets. They are questioned for hours each night to make sure they really sold the birds, and didn't throw them away somewhere. The presidential plan insists on the cooperative commitment of the farms, of clear Soviet memory, and foresees within a month the distribution of 20-100 chickens to at least 20 thousand people in each province. In order to satisfy Mirziyoyev, many companies have made contracts with Belarusian suppliers, which more or less officially brought more than 2 million eggs from hens of "Tetra" breed. The cooperative chain to hatch and raise the chicks worked with considerable dysfunction, trying to rush to meet the demands of the plan, hence the poor quality of the final product. Since banks are unable to assist companies, the chickens were used as credit directly for citizens. The epic of "Mirziyoyev's chickens" is showing the illusory nature of presidential plans of "enrichment of the population", which pass through socialist-style bureaucratic lines, and as in Soviet times produce false attestations at all levels of production. In the last six years dozens of resolutions and decrees have been signed and imposed to revive agricultural production, and in the poultry sector in this 2022 23 government documents have already been issued. In the country there is a food crisis, additional funds are urgently needed for the supply of raw materials and price controls. The government wants to strengthen domestic production and study aid for the most vulnerable. About 23% of the total population lives in poverty, the unemployment rate has reached 14%. The AsiaNews campaign. Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The effects of Russia's war in Ukraine are having repercussions not only in Europe, where there is a growing risk of an energy crisis with the cutting off of supplies from Moscow or the EU embargo on Russian imports, but also in other areas of the world including Iraq, where the food emergency triggered by rising prices is taking center stage. In these days the Baghdad government is trying to run for cover, allocating additional funds to ensure the stabilization of the supply chain of raw materials. However, in many cases these are buffer measures that cannot be sustained over time and, for this reason, long-term policies are being studied. The conflict launched by Moscow against Kiev, two of the main wheat producing countries in the world, has triggered an increase in prices in the Arab nation, whose leaders have launched an internal campaign aimed at monitoring markets and product costs. As al-Monitor reports, some foods have seen increases of 20%, especially among preparations derived from wheat - such as pasta and sweets - as well as cooking oil. In response, the government has decided to recognize an extra 30% to Iraqi farmers for the sale of their wheat. A support to domestic production and to ensure the distribution of all resources for domestic use, combined with loans to entrepreneurs in the sector through subsidized rates from the Agricultural Bank and other national credit institutions. In addition, Baghdad intends to grant 100 thousand dinars (about 64 euros) to the poorest families and has opened for three months to imports of all products without exception, to ensure their availability in the markets. Added to this is a draft law under study focused on food security and development of production, with a first reading in Parliament on March 28. The Ministry of Finance intends to create a fund called "Support for food security and development, financial prevention and poverty reduction" that will have to intervene in critical situations. However, the regulation has already met with opposition from some parliamentarians for whom it will be a further source of corruption, in a nation already marked by theft and malfeasance in the public sector. The current system of support for poor families through state vouchers covers 10 commodities: rice, sugar, tea, oil, flour, lentils, beans, yellow corn, tomato paste and some cleaning items such as soap. The rule would like to ensure more funds for spending and purchasing products to be included in the food basket, to be distributed to the most needy. This system has already been used in the past - introduced on a large scale in 1990 by the then rais Saddam Hussein -, to encourage the purchase of goods considered essential at a reduced price. According to Jawad Amir, professor of chemistry Baghdad, the government's measures are not enough to help and support the most fragile segments of the Iraqi population. "Citizens - he explains - are directly affected by price increases. At the same time, salaries and social funds remain the same. This shows that the authorities have no control over the internal market and this is a source of concern for people." Today, the poverty rate in Iraq has reached 23% of the total population and the unemployment figure has reached 14%, with higher levels in the central and southern governorates. At the same time, cases of suicide are increasing among the population, because many are no longer able to provide for their families in a national political framework that remains unstable. In an attempt to address this difficult social situation, AsiaNews continues its "Adopt a Christian from Mosul" campaign launched in 2014 to support Christians who fled following the rise of the Islamic State. Our initiative continues today to support families in need and contribute to reconstruction projects: here is all the information to join. by Paul Nguyen Hung Representatives of the Holy See met with the Episcopal Conference and the local Catholic community, bringing Francis' greetings and blessing. Pastor Fr. Joseph Trinh Tien Thanh: "This is the pope's love for the Vietnamese Church." Thai Binh (AsiaNews) - "We sense Pope Francis' interest for the Church in Vietnam." So commented the diocese of Thai Binh, in the north of the country, on the pastoral visit of the delegation of the Holy See, held from April 25 to 27, and following the meeting of the Joint Working Group between Vietnam and the Vatican, held in Hanoi on April 21 and 22. On the first working day, the Holy See delegation met with the 27 bishops from various dioceses and the Bishops' Conference at the bishop's seat in Thai Binh. Subsequently Msgr. Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski, undersecretary for Holy See relations, and Msgr. Peter Nguyen Van e, bishop of Thai Binh, met with representatives of the local People's Committee. The next day, the Vatican delegation was welcomed by the congregation of the Dominican Sisters: superior general Sister Maria Ngo Thi Hanh thanked the delegation for the pastoral visit and the Vatican's concern for the Vietnamese Church. In the evening, Archbishop Marek Zalewski, apostolic nuncio to Singapore and non-resident papal representative in Vietnam, along with Bishop Peter Nguyen Van e, presided at Mass in Thai Binh Cathedral. "We cannot forget the suffering of the period of social distancing imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We trust in God's mercy. He never abandons His children," said Msgr. Misroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski. "Today I would like to send Pope Francis' greetings and blessings to the people of God in Vietnam, and especially to the brothers and sisters participating in tonight's Holy Mass," the cardinal continued. Pope Francis always accompanies us in prayer. We ask Our Lady, the faithful Virgin, to help us have a firm faith in our lives today." "We are very happy with the presence of the delegation of the Holy See in this church," commented local pastor Fr. Joseph Trinh Tien Thanh. "This is the love of Pope Francis that he gives us through Msgr. Wachowski and the delegation of the Holy See. We would like to send our respect, love and loyalty to the Holy Father." Today's headlines: mass testing for Covid also in Guangzhou, southern China. Population fears for a new dam in Laos. Unprecedented heat wave in India. Jordan wants end to Israeli restrictions on the Esplanade of Mosques. Russians launch "online forced labor". Armenian opposition announces large protest rally on May 1. NEPAL Nepalese government orders blockade on imports of products such as cars, alcohol, tobacco, toys, and cell phones costing more than 0; also imposed reduction in work week. The measure will last at least until mid-July and was decided in order to safeguard the country's foreign currency reserves, which are in dramatic decline. CHINA After Beijing, also the southern megalopolis of Guangzhou launches mass tests for Covid-19. The authorities' fears of a spread of contagion are growing. Shanghai continues to be in lockdown despite a drop in infections. Health checks ordered for millions of people also in Hangzhou, important technological hub of the country. LAOS Plans for the construction of a new dam - and adjoining hydroelectric plant - on the Mekong River will be evaluated by a special government commission. Local villagers, in the southern area of Phou Ngoy, fear they will be excluded from the process. The plant will be used to supply electricity to neighboring Thailand. INDIA Fears are growing over the heat wave that has hit the country, especially its northwestern and central states. PM Modi has admitted that temperatures are rising more than normal and ahead of time. 44 degrees Celsius is expected in Delhi this week. JORDAN Jordanian authorities are stepping up efforts to restore the historic status quo of the Al Aqsa Mosques in Jerusalem. Amman wants to open a dialogue with Israel to restore the situation to what it was in 2000, removing some restrictions on Muslim worshipers. RUSSIA Russian prison police have decided to bring in IT specialists now held in various prisons around the country to work in online regimes for commercial companies. This was explained by Deputy Director Aleksandr Kabarov, responding in this way to requests from many companies to start "remote forced labor". ARMENIA Armenian opposition forces have promised on May 1 a grandiose demonstration against the government of Nikol Pasinyan, to demand his resignation. Organizers are proposing a new "velvet revolution," with a protest march from all regions of the country to Yerevan, as Pasinyan himself had done in 2018 before gaining power. SEOUL, April 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's passenger car export fell in the first quarter due to external uncertainties, customs office data showed Thursday. Sedan exports stood at 10.93 billion U.S. dollars in the January-March quarter, down 0.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Customs Service. It has marked the first reduction in seven quarters since the second quarter of 2020 on the back of external uncertainties such as the global supply disruption and geopolitical risks in Europe. The number of exported passenger vehicles declined 8.3 percent from a year earlier to 520,000 in the first quarter. In terms of value, the sedan exports to Russia tumbled 37.7 percent to 355 million dollars in the first quarter. Passenger car exports to Germany, Canada and Spain contracted in double digits, but those to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Australia and France advanced in double digits. Sedan imports rose 4.6 percent from a year earlier to 3.08 billion dollars in the first quarter. Share This: Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II on April 28 announced Michigan will launch six new services to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, increase access to electric vehicles and broaden electric vehicle adoption in communities around the state. The six mobility companies---Chargeway, eCAMION, ElectricFish, Fleet Lab, MoGo and Volta---will receive more than $577,000 in total funding through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform to deploy mobility projects in Lansing, Traverse City, Port Austin, Allegan County, Burt Township, Monroe, Ann Arbor, Detroit and DTE Energys Service Territory. Whether we are supporting electric vehicle manufacturing, industry-leading research campuses, or training the talent of the future to adapt to this electrified landscape, we understand in Michigan the value of innovating in our current mobility ecosystems to support the needs of the future, said Gilchrist. These grant recipients represent the next phase in our states evolution as a mobility leader and will undoubtedly help pave the way for our continued economic growth and success in this space. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Gilchrist have worked to propel Michigan into the future of mobility with large investments into electric vehicles. The Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration has secured historic investments from GM, Ford, Stellantis and electric vehicle battery manufacturers that has helped to create more than 21,600 good-paying auto jobs and further cement Michigans status as a global manufacturing leader. In the 2022 State of the State address, Whitmer launched a first-of-its-kind program to lower the cost of electric vehicles for families by putting forward a $2,500 rebate for the purchase of an electric vehicle and charging equipment to build on the $7,500 federal credit. With this rebate, a Michigan family could receive more than $10,000 off the purchase of a new electric vehicle. These electric vehicle projects follow the governors announcement of her MI Healthy Climate Plan, which outlines a series of goals to encourage greater electric vehicle adoption statewide. Launched by the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform provides grants to... Share This: The Joint Development Authority (JDA) approved the final Economic Development Agreement (EDA) for Rivians upcoming manufacturing plant in Georgia. The JDA presides over Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton counties in Georgia. The EDA covers agreements between the JDA, the State of Georgia and Rivian. As per the agreement, three parties agree to develop Rivians manufacturing facility in Georgia, located in Stanton Springs North. By signing these agreements and approving this development, we are taking a significant step toward realizing the original vision of the JDA from more than two decades ago: [to] create an industrial park east of Atlanta with high-tech, good paying jobs for years to come, said Jerry Silvio, JDA chairman. Rivians jobs and investment, combined with our existing bio and high-tech companies, mean we are adding unprecedented opportunity for the state and region. Opportunity like this not only translates into new jobs for our families, but it also means more resources and growth for our counties, providing the opportunity to reduce the tax burden on local homeowners, improve schools and invest in parks, trails and public safety, he added. According to the agreement, Rivian will make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to the JDA starting in 2023. The property where Rivians new Georgia plant is located currently generates approximately $80,000 in tax revenue annually. By 2023, the property will generate $1.5 million annually for six years. After the six years, Rivians PILOTs will increase significantly. For example, Rivians property will generate... To compete in the ST-Q class, a non-competitive category that doesnt belong to any of the other eight classes, the Z NISMO still is a work in progress. Two cars will be fielded: number 230 by NIMSO and number 244 by Max Racing. Super GT drivers Tsugio Matsuda, Ronnie Quintarelli, Daiki Sasaki, Kohei Hirate, and Kazuki Hoshino will drive the #230 car.Max Racing chose team manager Tetsuya Tanaka, Toru Tanaka, Atsushi Miyake, Mitsunori Takaboshi, and Hironobu Yasuda for the #244 car. All of them have plenty of experience, but as noted earlier, the ST-Q class isnt about who finishes first but about developing the car for future races.Nissan didnt bother mentioning what kind of modifications it brought to the vehicle, but nevertheless, we can tell that its lighter and produces more drag than the road-going model. A red-painted tow hook, vents in the hood, a beefy roll cage, stripped-out interior, lightweight wheels, ultra-sticky rubber boots, larger brakes, and a rear wing are the most notable changes.Regarding the suck-squeeze-bang-blow department, an educated guess would be the 3.0-liter V6 that we already know from the Infiniti Q50 and Q60. The twin-turbocharged mill produces 400 horsepower on the nose and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm) of torque between 1,600 and 5,600 rpm. As for the transmission, were most likely dealing with a sequential gearbox rather than the rev-matching manual or nine-speed auto of the production model.Already on sale in Japan in no fewer than five trim levels, including the limited-run Proto Spec inspired by the pre-production prototype, the Z will arrive in the United States of America this summer due to unspecified parts shortages. Nissan hinted $40,000 or thereabouts as the starting price for the U.S. model, which is very close to the $41,000 starting price for the JDM. Photo taken on April 12, 2022 shows a dredging site in Mongla seaport of Bangladesh.(Xinhua) by Liu Chuntao, Naim-Ul-Karim MONGLA, Bangladesh, April 28 (Xinhua) -- In the Sundarbans, a great forest on the Ganges Delta, lies Bangladesh's second seaport, Mongla, on the River Pashur. Braving the risks, Sun Chuanbo and his local and fellow colleagues have been working on a river channel near Sundarbans leading to the Mongla seaport in Bangladesh. About a year earlier, Chuanbo had joined the service of the Chinese Joint Venture (JV) firm of CCECC (China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation) and JHCEC (Jianshu Haihong Construction Engineering Company Limited) is dredging the port channel to improve navigability for ships with drafts of more than 9.5 meters, in challenge to Bangladesh's main port of Chattogram. The current depth of the shallow Pashur channel is less than 5.5 meters, meaning Mongla is underutilized. COMING BACK TO LIFE The project involves the risk of cyclones and is frequently interrupted during monsoon season. Sun and some 200 Bangladeshi and 100 Chinese people operate three huge dredgers. The outer bar area of Mongla has already been dredged by another Chinese JV including CCECC, resulting in the new commission to take work further. Dredger Xin Zi Lang 5 started work in July last year. The vessel can operate in complex conditions with high precision. The others, cutter-suction dredgers Xin Hai Teng and Xin Hai Xu, are the two largest ships of their kind in the world. Despite tremendous challenges, the Chinese JV firm said it has deployed the world's two largest non-self-navigated cutter suction dredgers for timely completion of the project and therefore, make the Mongla port fully functional. Through the construction of the Padma bridge and rail link, Mongla will be a gateway to Bhutan, India and Nepal, connected to capital Dhaka and handling trade from the north and southwest. Rear Admiral Mohammed Musa, chairman of Mongla Port Authority, said the 7.5 billion takas (86 million U.S. dollars) project is expected to be completed in June 2023. Around 85 million dollars of dredging work had already enabled vessels with drafts of 10 meters to berth at Mongla and the inner bar is now a bottleneck. "Fifteen years ago, this port was almost dead. There were no ships, no cargo and no trade," he said. In the last financial year, Mongla handled 970 ships, generating 3.4 billion takas in revenue. These two dredging projects undertaken by Chinese firms have really made a lot of change in the development process. "We have made a record of 70 years since Mongla Port was established in 1950," he added. General cargo demand at the port is strong, with traffic rising sharply. Li Huisheng, project manager of the JV between JHCEC and CCECC, said, "To finish the project smoothly, we brought three of the biggest dredgers in the world from Saudi Arabia and China." NOTHING CAN STOP US Mohammed Musa said that once the Padma Bridge becomes fully operational next year, the port will be more visible in terms of its direct contribution to the national economy. Mongla has the potential to handle 10,000 ships by 2050. The Padma bridge will be opened later this year, making Mongla the closest port to Dhaka at 170 km, he said. "They (Chinese firms) even did not stop for a single day," he said with much appreciation for the brilliant job to bring the "dead port" to life in massive tasks. "Mongla Port Authority has given us great support for our work," said Sun. "We're making persistent efforts to complete fast the project and contribute to the development of Bangladesh and deepen further friendship between China and Bangladesh," he mentioned while working alone on one of the giant Chinese dredging facilities stationed near Sundarbans. (1 U.S. dollar equals about 88 takas) Chinese and Bangladeshi engineers supervise dredging work in Mongla seaport in Bangladesh on April 12, 2022.(Xinhua) Photo taken on April 12, 2022 shows a cutter suction dredger at a dredging site in Mongla seaport in Bangladesh.(Xinhua) Photo taken on April 12, 2022 shows a dredging site in Mongla seaport in Bangladesh.(Xinhua) Back in 1943, this unique organization was set up. More than 1,000 women who were simple civilians decided to take on an unusual role for women at the time as an additional way of supporting Americas war efforts. These pioneering pilots performed demonstration flights and helped tow targets for aerial practice, among other similar tasks. The organization was short-lived, and it took decades for its members to be officially recognized as active military personnel Eighty years later, the Museum that is dedicated to the WASP phenomenon is organizing a special tribute. This upcoming Saturday, April 30, the public is invited to take a closer look at the Museums aircraft collection, as well as many other military airplanes. The event is held at the Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, which is where the WASP members trained.All-female crews will show off their piloting skills flying Air Force, Army, Marine, and Navy aircraft. The WASP flight line will also include eleven BT-13 aircraft. The Vultee BT-13 operated as the basic trainer for most American pilots during WWII, including WASP. This steel bird was heavier than the basic trainers, with twice the horsepower. Its pilots had to skillfully use a two-position Hamilton Standard propeller and two-way radio communications.The BT-13 was sold in 1946 as Army surplus, and the unit displayed at the National WASP WWII Museum was donated by The American Aviation Heritage Foundation of Blaine, Minnesota, after a five-year restoration process.The upcoming celebration will also include other activities such as author signings and special discussions. Plus, it will mark the launch of a new permanent exhibit at the Museum, called The American history of Black Pilots by historian Monica Smith. And were not talking here about road-going vehicles alone, but about those taking to the sky as well. Apart for the rapidly growing push for more sustainable fuels, the aviation industry is looking to greatly expand its already huge reach by creating something we generally call urban air mobility (UAM).Several companies, including carmakers, are now working on the hardware, software, and other adaptations for making UAM a reality. Spearheading the movement is a relatively new type of aircraft family called electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL).Airbus is working on one too, and its called CityAirbus NextGen . Shown with some details in September last year, the aircraft is supposed to be able to fly for 80 km (50 miles) on a single battery charge, and at speeds of 120 kph (75 mph). Coming into the world as a fixed-wing machine with a V-shaped tail, the CityAirbus moves courtesy of eight electrically powered propellers, and will be capable of carrying four passengers, pilot included.With the first flight planned for 2023, the company behind it is looking for ways to make it available for public use as fast as possible. Part of that plan, Airbus announced this week a partnership with Italian airline ITA Airways to figure out the best solutions for the rollout of what is essentially an air taxi.ITA is brand now on the aviation scene, having been established last year, but it already has orders with Airbus for A220s, A320neos, A330neos, and the A350. Despite the evidence that SolarCity was indeed bleeding cash, Vice-Chancellor Joseph R. Slights III considered that Tesla paid a fair price for the company. What he did recognize was that Elon was more involved in the process than a conflicted fiduciary should be. The Tesla CEO was SolarCity's chairman and a major sponsor of the company. If it went bust, he would lose a lot of money. Slights retired right after deciding the case, which investors can still appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.If the investors that sued Musk and Tesla see any possibility of reverting the decision, they will pursue it. After all, Musk was the only Tesla director to challenge the investors claims. All others decided to settle for $60 million, a value that Bloomberg tells us was paid by insurance coverage.On top of that, the fundament for the decision is controversial. Slights said that Teslas value has massively increased following the Acquisition. That would be enough for the investors suing Tesla not to have any reason to complain about the deal because there was a causal connection between the Acquisition and Teslas skyrocketing performance. As far as we know, the solar business has not been anything but trouble for Tesla so far.The number of unhappy customers with Tesla Solar increases every day, and there are some extreme cases. On January 14, we told how a Tesla Model X owner lost the roof of her house due to installation mistakes that forced her to move. She is suing Tesla. In March, Tesla stopped solar roof installations due to supply concerns, leaving customers without roofs for months.Although the judge believes that being the worlds first vertically-integrated sustainable energy company contributed to Teslas market cap, that is not undisputed. Some believe this has more to do with Elon Musks promises, some of which he has repeatedly failed to deliver, such as autonomous driving. It seems this story is far from over. Well keep you updated about it. Tails of red will train overhead?? The first "Red Tail" #T7A Red Hawk coming out of production is making its debut. Carrying tails of red to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, it'll be the first advanced trainer jet delivered to the @USAirForce. pic.twitter.com/GQe2xFfuPk Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) April 28, 2022 The T-7A Red Hawk is a cutting-edge trainer designed for the USAF that will prepare the next generation of fighter and bomber pilots. Developed by Boeing in partnership with Swedish company Saab, the jet provides rapid and more cost-effective integration of capabilities through virtual testing.Boeing moved quite fast with the development of the aircraft. In just three years, the concept became a reality. In 2018, the USAF granted Boeing a $9.2 billion deal in exchange for 351 T-7As , 46 simulators, and necessary ground equipment, and by 2021, two T-7As were already performing flight tests.Now, the first aircraft rolled out of the production facility in Missouri. It has a modular design, and it can be used in various missions. It also features advanced fighter-like capabilities comparable to today's 4th and 5th-generation fighter jets. The aircraft has its tail painted red in honor of the African American Tuskegee Airmen , who were part of the 477th Bombardment Group of the USAF during World War II."Like the Airmen they were named and painted to pay homage to, the T-7A Red Hawks break down the barriers of flight. These digitally-engineered aircraft will make it possible for a diverse cross section of future fighter and bomber pilots to be trained, and provide an advanced training system and capabilities that will meet the demands of today's and tomorrow's national security environment," said Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air Force.The first production jet will remain in St. Louis, where it will undergo ground and flight tests. The T-7A program is based at Boeing's St. Louis factory, with Saab building the trainer's aft section at Linkoping, Sweden. The first jets are scheduled to arrive at USAF Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph next year. With over 600 tanker aircraft in operation, the largest fleet of its kind on the planet (the rest of the world combined has less than half that), the U.S. is undoubtedly the country that uses this means of keeping its planes in the air the most.The nation is beginning to share fuel in the sky, though, and we got a taste of that in mid-April, when a KC-46A Pegasus became the first tanker of its kind to refuel an international receiver, as the U.S. Air Force (USAF) says.That international receiver is the EF-18 Hornet , deployed with the Spanish Air Force (SAF). As it customary in the industry, the E in the name stands for Espana, the name of the country using this variant of the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) machine.The refueling operation took place in the skies over the Moron Air Base, during the tankers first Employment Concept Exercise. The exercise was meant to pave the way for stronger interoperability with allies and partners.The Pegasus is now cleared to support nearly 85 percent of joint force receivers requesting air refueling from U.S. Transportation Command, said in a statement Brig. Gen. Ryan Samuelson, Air Mobility Commands KC-46A Cross Functional Team lead.While the ICR brought on KC-46 mission capabilities, the ECE will now operationalize those capabilities across a spectrum of mission scenarios.Derived from the 767 jet airliner, the Pegasus is powered by two Pratt & Whitney engines with an output of 62,000 lbs of thrust, and can carry 212,299 pounds (96,297 kg) of fuel. AE Cap dAntibes was built in 2007 by the famous Italian brand Benetti, boasting an impressive volume for its size 879 GT at 184 feet (56 meters). Stefano Natucci made the most of this generous space. Six cabins are ready for up to 12 guests, while the split-deck master cabin includes a spacious hallway, a private study, and a private TV lounge with large windows.The sundeck is also impressive, with a jacuzzi placed forward, a dining table aft, and a special penthouse gym that offers great views. In addition to the elegant main salon, guests can enjoy al-fresco dining on the upper deck. In terms of interior design, the acclaimed Francois Zuretti went for a classic Italian style, with contrasting woods and high-gloss paneling.But what Harry Vafias, AE Cap dAntibes owner, appreciates the most is the mechanical equipment of a boat. Hes not known as the Harry Potter of shipping for nothing. This young millionaire runs a gas-shipping company, and he sees even pleasure crafts more as financial investments. In an interview with Superyacht News , he criticized typical superyacht owners for not doing proper research before deciding to buy. All they do is go along with their wives and look for a boat with a nice interior, Vafias said, which eventually causes them to lose up to half of the initial investment.Vafias bought AE Cap dAntibes, which isnt his only yacht, from a Russian tycoon, the founder of Standard Vodka. Its unknown how much the Italian vessel was worth at the time, but its currently up for grabs at Black Orange Yachts for $18.9 million. Whether or not this sale will be as profitable as he hoped it would be, only the Greek millionaire knows. SUV In a new post on social media, Luke Evans gave us a glimpse into his adventure-packed weekend in Napa, California. The Welsh actor got together with British TV host and car restorer Ant Anstead , and together, they got to test the new, fifth-gen Range Rover.In his post, Evans shows he arrived there by helicopter, and he got a chance to get behind the wheel of the newfrom the British manufacturer. The Dracula Untold actor posed with a Lantau Bronze Range Rover and wrote: Big thanks [to] Land Rover for an epic few days in a truly breathtaking part of the world.The actor was pleased he got to experience it all from the drivers seat of the new Range Rover, which Evans called a handsome, rather sexy vehicle. Being in Napa, which is filled with wineries, he also had time to do some wine tasting, too. He didnt forget to note that he stopped driving after the wine tasting started. True role model.On his side, Ant Anstead shared even more pictures from their weekend and posed with a white Range Rover SV . He shared: I get to do some cool car stuff and this weekend was pretty tasty! He added that it was all because he got to test drive the new Land Rover RANGE ROVER with some pals in Napa (code for ending each day at exceptional wineries).He also gave a nod to Evans skills, who became a chauffeur, and also Ansteds new bestie. The famous car restorer didnt give many details about what he thought of the new Range Rover, but he shortly claimed its bloomin GOOD, and also promised he will be dropping a video review about it soon. He hasn't yet, but well be keeping you posted when he does. BEV The ceremony included the Arizona governor, fleet customers, and government officials apart from Nikolas executives. The plant should be able to manufacture 2,500 electric trucks in the factory in what the company calls Phase 1. Nikola is already building Phase 2, which will include the Tre FCEV in 2023 and should expand production capacity to 20,000 trucks per year in two shifts.Governor Doug Ducey praised the company for its achievement. He said that Nikola has become a driving force in Arizonas rapidly expanding electric vehicle industry. According to Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, Nikola is a top employer in the region even after only getting started.The company has not disclosed how many customers are already getting the Tre BEV nor how many units will be delivered in this first shipment. In 2022, it already said it plans to produce between 300 to 500 trucks. Supply shortages are to blame for the low number.Despite that, Nikolas customers are in much better shape than Pepsico. In November 2021, Ramon Laguarta said the company was about to receive the Tesla Semi. Five months later, the Pepsico CEO is still waiting for them.According to Nikola, its factory in Ulm, Germany, is also complete. Curiously, the company said at its Capital Markets Day that the factory would only start making trucks by June 2023. In February, it said it expected to build and deliver 25 trucks to the Hamburg Port Authority in 2022. Well try to understand the steps for the German factory with the company.When the Ulm factory starts its operations at full throttle, it will be able to produce 2,000 units. If demand increases, Nikola can scale that to up to 10,000 electric trucks per year.Apart from the Tre, the company also bets on the Two FCEV. So far, Nikola has not talked much about its development, probably because Tre BEV and Tre FCEV sales will help fund it. Before that, Nikola also has to establish the hydrogen network it proposed to create, making the Two FCEV arrival a bit easier by 2025. As a long-hauler with up to 900 miles of range, it will need hydrogen stations strategically placed around the U.S. to make it a viable option in goods transportation. Meet the North American T-39, the militarized special edition of a medium-sized twin-engined passenger jet more suited to ferrying Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffett to their next $100,000 a seat banquet speech. In its cosey life as a private business jet, the twin-engined Saberliner garners its name from the uncanny silhouette resemblance to the glorious F-86 Saber jet fighter.Small wonder, as they were made by the very same company, with an almost assuredly substantial overlap in personnel between them no less. Unlike most American military planes, the Saberliner was an in-house project derived from a need to diversify its aircraft portfolio using readily existing supplies of aerospace-grade aluminum and other composite metals used in manufacturing later variants of the Saber fighter like the F-86F and K, and the still relatively new F-100 Super Saber.The Saberliner and its military VIP transport cousin both utilized revolutionary design features from a line of fighters stretching back to the days of the P-51. Chief among these still relatively novel trinkets included thin, swept-back wings forged into a near-perfect laminar flow shape famous for North American Aviation aircraft. Sure to cut through high subsonic air as cleanly as possible and remain perfectly stable while doing so. The airframe was offered in multiple cockpits and seating arrangements with extended fuselage options to accommodate them.Passenger-fairing jetliners produce a lot of drag. It's somewhat inherent in the design. No room for fancy office furniture or a conference room in a fuselage as thin as a pencil, of course. With the mentioned advancements in wing design, this twin-engined jet had a fighting chance. Not only was it a fast jet, but its fighter-derived aeronautic properties allowed it to be one of only a handful of business-jet class airframes to be certified to perform aerobatic maneuvers in private service. It's all thanks to fighter jet tech that trickled down into other sectors of aviation at a breakneck pace.The first prototype Saberliner took to the air for the first time on September 16, 1958. Of the 800 airframes from this lineage, a mere 200 were military T-39s. A slew of different engine options permeated the range of different utilities that the Saberliner class flew in support of. But at least in active military service, the T-39 sported twin Pratt & Whitney JT12/J-60 non-afterburning turbojets flinging 3,000 pounds (13 kN) of thrust each. Along with service to the Air Force, the Naval variant carried into battle the same radar seen on the McDonnell F3H-1 Demon carrier fighter. There was even a variant made with the same radar hardware as the Republic F-105 Thunderchief.One of the alternatives uses for the T-39 airframe was as a basic training airplane able to teach the operation of sea-faring aviation radar systems. Most famously, in training pilots for combat in the F-8 Crusader supersonic fighter-bomber and its APQ-94 radar system. While business jets have been modified to carry missiles and other offensive ordinance, most notably the Dassault Falcon , the T-39 likely did not have this ability.But for the last 60 years, the U.S. Military has struggled to find a reason to retire the nimble jet. With such wonderful flight characteristics for its type, you can understand why. Pilots stretching from the very early Cold War through Vietnam, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq part I and II, and Afghanistan have sung the praises of the Saberliner, which itself was renamed the Rockwell Saberliner after Rockwell International acquired North American Aviation to spearhead its upcoming Space Shuttle Orbiter contract with NASA.Ironically, it's believed Osama Bin-Laden got his hands on a Civilanized T-39 converted to standard Saberliner specs during the Mujihadeen's guerrilla campaign against the invading Soviet Union. In a hideously cruel stroke of irony, this jet was used to ferry his military commanders to Kenya, where they promptly engaged American forces in neighboring Somalia.Its precise origins seem to originate from a sale from a California broker in 1992. The jet was most famous for overshooting the runway at Khartoum Airport in Sudan and promptly eating a faceful of desert sand, damaging it beyond repair. The circle of life, dear friends, right before our very eyes.Stay tuned for more from Limited Edition Month here on autoevolution. SUV This question has been answered in the past, yet most of the time, a four-door Jag served as a blank canvas. However, these renderings, sketched out by Theottle, build on the Rolls-Royce Ghost, and use styling of the new-gen Range Rover.Retaining the overall boxy shape of the Rolls, the digital illustrations portray the vehicle with the front end of the 2022 Range Rover, otherwise adapted to fit the new body. As a result, it has smaller headlights, grille, and front bumper, and rather surprisingly, it retains the skid plates at both ends.Out back, it is more Range Rover-y than Rolls-Royce-y, featuring the luxurys taillights, bumper, diffuser, and other stuff, also reshaped to fit the Ghosts body. Other novelties include the repositioning of the rear door hinges from the B to the C pillars, flush-mounted handles, front fender trim delete, and new wheels, also sourced from the high-rider. Road Rover emblems decorate the vehicle at both ends.Visually speaking, this Rover luxury sedan, which is nothing more than a rebodied Rolls-Royce Ghost, doesnt look appealing at all. Even if, by some miracle, JLR and Rolls-Royce, which is owned by the BMW Group, would ever join forces to give it a go, not many deep-pocketed enthusiasts would go for it. Because lets be honest, who wants a Rover that costs as much as a nice house in most parts of the civilized world than a real Rolls-Royce? Lets not forget about the models real competitors either, such as the Bentley Flying Spur and Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, which would inevitably be targeted by such an oddity. JAKARTA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Navy said Thursday that the authorities were strengthening supervision over export ships and would seize any of them trying to bring crude palm oil (CPO) out of the country. The supervision follows Indonesia's policy on the prohibition of exports of CPO, refined palm oil (RPO), refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm olein, palm oil mill effluent (POME) and used cooking oil that took effect as of Thursday. "As the president (Joko Widodo) has banned the CPO exports, we will seize all ships that try to bring CPO abroad. We keep in touch with related authorities," Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Yudo Margono told reporters. He said that more navy personnel have been deployed at the departure ports and distribution channel that are usually used for CPO exports. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said the export ban would last until the price of cooking oil in the country has reached below 14,000 rupiahs (0.96 U.S. dollars) per liter. HMS Venturer is named after a submarine that was the first one to torpedo and annihilate another ship while they were both submerged. Ironically, this new frigate isnt meant to engage in anti-submarine warfare, like the Type 23 frigates its replacing and the new Type 26 ones. Together with its future four sisters, HMS Venturer will go on patrol missions, conduct counter-terrorism tasks, and offer a helping hand in case of disasters.This is what the future holds for the new Inspiration-class Type 31 warships . HMS Venturer is the one leading the way, soon to be followed by HMS Active, Formidable, Bulldog, and Cambel town. They will be replacing the aging Type 23 frigates alongside the new Type 26 frigates, also currently under construction. The new ships are longer, wider, and heavier than the Type 23 but a bit lighter and shorter than the Type 26.The new frigates are being built around the same area. The Rosyth dockyard in Scotland recently kicked off the construction of HMS Venturer. But the Venturer Hall is big enough to allow two frigates to be built side by side. Starting next year, the 6,000-ton military ship will be joined by its sister HMS Active for the, building process.These new warships will sport the advanced Sea Ceptor air defense missiles, in addition to a 57 mm gun and two 40 mm secondary guns. Cutting-edge sensors and computer systems will add to their prowess, while three Pacific 24 boats will be ready to be launched in no time, especially for counter-narcotics operations.The new Type 31 frigates are part of a larger government investment project unfolding over the next three years. As it is in most cases, while some are lobbying for a return to minimalistic, simple dwellings that are as close to nature as possible, others are taking a radically opposite approach, envisioning futuristic urban communities that are unlike anything thats been done before. Neom is one of the most recent projects of this kind, which is currently being built in the Tabuk province of Saudi Arabia.But theres no other floating city concept except for Oceanix Busan. UN-Habitat, the Busan Metropolitan City of the Republic of Korea, and Oceanix (a New York-based blue technology company) teamed up to create this futuristic city that is by no means a simple experiment, but a potential solution to a very serious problem.Land shortages and climate change are threatening the population of coastal cities. Rising sea levels and flooding are some of the most pressing issues that are affecting mega-cities around the world and the people who live there.In 2019, the partners decided to build a prototype with the help of a host city. Busan signed on in 2021. Its the second-largest city in the Republic of Korea and one of the most important maritime cities in the world. The BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and SAMOO (Samsung) are the projects lead architects, which unveiled the design at the Second UN Roundtable on Sustainable Floating Cities.Oceanix will initially accommodate 12,000 people, but its meant to grow organically and eventually become the home of 100,000 people. Each floating platform is connected to the land via link-span bridges. They will integrate seamlessly with dozens of greenhouses and other productive outposts. The community is also meant to be completely sustainable, so it will feature zero waste and circular systems closed-loop water systems while generating all the emissions-free energy it needs. This pioneering prototype will unfold over 15.5 acres (6.2 hectares), with each neighborhood dedicated to a certain sector, such as lodging and research. Any parent would move mountains for their kids, or so they say. This parent, a carpenter by the name of Merrill Williams, used his carpenters skills to build a two-story, mobile family home for his two girls because, lets face it, moving mountains is not a particularly useful endeavor unless they stand in your way.In the process, Williams created what is believed to be one of the few double-deckers of the 50s in the United States, as well as the first trailer with a slide-out. This impressive trailer doesnt have a personalized name, so it goes by the 53 two-story Spartan Manor online. Shirley Wallace, its last known owner and one of Williams two daughters, calls it her childhood home Back in 2014, RVTravel correspondent Chuck Woodbury tracked down Shirley, in the hope to find out more about the iconic Californian double-deck trailer. On the occasion, he was able to film the only tour of the two-story Spartan, which you will find available below. All trace of the trailer seems to have been lost afterwards, but even so, to this day, it still pops up in RV-centric conversations online. With good reason, this custom build is considered the ultimate dream RV family or no family.Williams job as a finishing carpenter required him to travel throughout California constantly and, with a wife and two girls to take care of, he wasnt willing to leave them behind. In 1953, he bought a Spartan Manor, one of the trailers offered by the Oklahoma-based Spartan Aircraft Company. Initially specialized in building personal aircraft, and then offering a wider range of aircraft components, Spartan had reoriented towards the RV market in 1935, when oil tycoon J. Paul Getty bought a majority stake.The first Spartan Manor prototype was introduced in 1945, with the first production units rolling out that same year. An entire diverse lineup followed suit, so Spartan covered most segments of the booming market. The Manor model was just what the name implied: a proper home on wheels , with all the comforts of one and a price to match.The Manor served the Williams family for the first years but, by 1957, it had become clear that it was no longer enough for the growing girls. They slept on the couch in the rear, with the parents in the master bedroom at the front end. Williams decided and proceeded to expand the trailer upwards that same year.He bought parts from Spartan and built a second floor that housed the girls separate bedrooms. To give them the impression of separate rooms (as opposed to a loft) and more headroom, he dropped a section of the floor of the second story into the ground floor. Its what Shirley calls a box in the video below, located above the dining area and the fridge in the kitchen. This helps with keeping the trailer at 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) high, so it could still clear bridges and passageways.Inside, the Williams home offered a living room with the now-vacated couch, a dining area, and a full kitchen with double sink, stove and refrigerator. It even included a custom slide-out, which Williams build just so his wife would have room for her newly-acquired organ. The bathroom was also a full one, with sink and shower, and a toilet. For the conversion, the wardrobe in the master bedroom was sacrificed for the wooden stairway leading up to the girls rooms.When Shirley gave this tour, she and the double-decker Spartan had been reunited after many years. She lived in it between ages three and 16, when she left for college in 1969, and she traveled through several cities during this time. The trailer stayed with the family after that, but was sidelined once her mother passed away. When her father died too, Shirley brought the trailer and the 50s Chevy pickup that was used to tow it back to California.At the time of the tour, the Spartan was in need of a good clean-up and restoration, but still retained the homey feel, which offers a good appreciation of how awesome it mustve been back in the day. Whether it was ever restored or not is unknown, so just enjoy this for what is was: a beautiful example of skill and fatherly love, which turned a trailer into a beautiful custom home on wheels. kWh Speaking to Manager Magazin, the sources gladly explained that such a move would help the German automaker grow its market share in North America. Given the whole Dieselgate saga, its pretty obvious that the only way forward in the U.S. for the Volkswagen Group is going completely electric.The cited publication highlights that no final decision has been made, but [chairman of the board of management] Herbert Diess is determined to go on the offensive. In particular, the core brand has not been particularly successful in the U.S. so far, with a market share of 2.5 percent last year. Manager Magazin understands from stakeholders that Chattanooga will receive a second plant, expanding the yearly output to 600,000 vehicles. The construction of a battery plant near Chattanooga is also considered.Another explanation for this expanded footprint would be the Russo-Ukrainian war that affected many aspects of the automotive industry. Spreading the companys manufacturing operations would mitigate any unforeseen supply chain issue, and the United States is all the more appropriate in order to reduce the manufacturers dependence on the People's Republic of China.Weve been flooded with reports of an electric truck from the Volkswagen Group as of late. Its also understood that Audi considers an electric truck of its own, and Volkswagen has recently confirmed full electrification of the Ford Ranger-based Amarok. The ID. Buzz, on the other hand, presents a huge opportunity for the German automaker in the United States of America, thanks to the nostalgia factor and its uniqueness in the segment.As a brief refresher, the U.S. will receive a long-wheelbase variant with seating for up to seven people. Over in Europe, the ID. Buzz features a shorter wheelbase and five- or six-seat layouts for the passenger van. A panel van has also been presented. Regardless of configuration, the ID. Buzz has been confirmed with a rear-mounted electric motor with 201 ponies on tap, an 82-battery, and a top speed of 145 kph (90 mph). This is not the first time that people found dollar bills under their vehicle's windshield. In 2014, a Maryland assistant attorney general was informed of a case involving this tactic in Baltimore, while similar incidents were reported throughout Toledo, Ohio, in December 2021, according to Motorbiscuit . But what does it mean and what should you do if you happen to find a $100 bill on your windshield?Although the Police have not figured out what is the motive behind this, common sense should tell you that this definitely isnt your incredible luck at play. First off, the bill you see is not real, its a counterfeit. This has been already established in all reported cases. Police even warn that the counterfeit money will appear to look authentic, and may even feel authentic.Some think the bill is part of a scam to help carjackers steal your car. Indeed, most people would not notice the bill until they get behind the wheel and start the engine. They would probably then get off the car to take the bill from under the wiper. This moment would be golden for a carjacker who would board the car and drive off While really possible, there arent any reported cases of carjacking using this method , so this must not be it. Nevertheless, it does not hurt to be careful. The Police advice to stay away from the car and call 911 when you see the bill is a good precaution. If you see the bill after you enter the vehicle is best to just leave the area and deal with the bill later. As always, do not leave the vehicle while the key is in the ignition or the engine is still running.Others believe the fake bills are left there with the hope that ordinary citizens would use them at local businesses. If they are not arrested, the counterfeiters will know that their fake money is as good as the real thing, without risking being caught themselves. This is also just a supposition, as the NCSO has not received any reports of criminal activities related to the fake money, at least for now. But its best to just be careful. Armen Martirosian, the owner of the Antares publishing house, ran into the protesters on his way to a business meeting. Videos of the incident showed some of them hitting, shoving and verbally abusing him. Some people in the crowd probably recognized me, Martirosian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. They started shouting Antares, calling me a Turk, swearing. The Armenian police said on Thursday that they are investigating the incident. It was not clear whether anyone was questioned or detained by investigators. Martirosian said that riot police officers escorting the crowd did not protect him against the violence. He said that the police had also failed to act on threats received by him in the past. The publisher suggested that the main reason for the assault was one of his social media posts made shortly after Armenias defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan. He criticized at the time Armenian occupation of districts around Nagorno-Karabakh retaken by Baku as a result of the six-week war. He stood by the criticism on Thursday. Being in the territory of Kubatli (one of those districts) is not the same thing as being in the territory of Artsakh (Karabakh), Martirosian said. There is a big difference between them. The Yerevan rally marred by the attack on Martirosian was part of the Armenian oppositions preparations for mass protests against the government. Opposition leaders say they want to topple Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in order to prevent further concessions to Azerbaijan planned by him. Accordingly, they ruled out Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians resignation demanded by the countrys two leading opposition blocs. The Hayastan and Pativ Unem blocs began on Monday small-scale protests in preparation for mass demonstrations aimed at toppling Pashinian and preventing what they say are sweeping concessions to Azerbaijan planned by him. Pashinian signaled earlier this month his administrations readiness to recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity through a bilateral peace treaty. Critics say he is intent on helping Baku regain control of Karabakh. The premiers political allies deny this. Artur Hovannisian, a parliament deputy from Civil Contract, accused the opposition of exploiting the Karabakh issue for political purposes. This narrative ended after 2018, Hovannisian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. They are now trying to revive it because they have no legitimate source of coming to power -- namely, the peoples support -- because we can see that their actions are not accompanied by strong support from citizens. Hrachya Hakobian, another pro-government lawmaker and Pashinians brother-in-law, also said that the opposition forces will fail to unseat the current government. The [average] guy sitting at home and following their actions hears only negative messages and will not participate in those actions, he said. Both lawmakers rejected any parallels between the ongoing opposition campaign and the 2018 mass protests that brought Pashinian to power. Meanwhile, large groups of opposition members and supporters staged awareness marches, blocked streets and entered university campuses in Yerevan for the fourth consecutive day. Riot police stepped up arrests of protesters as they unblocked traffic through those streets. A spokesman for the Armenian police said that about 40 persons were detained by late afternoon. They were expected to be set free a few hours later. We must achieve the final result, Hayastans Gegham Manukian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service as he led a group of supporters that began marching to Yerevan from Armavir province in the morning. We must defend Artsakh, he said. We must defend Armenia and restore our security by ousting these authorities because these authorities are not capable of doing anything anymore. The opposition is scheduled its first major rally in Yerevan on Sunday. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today A mainly sunny sky. High 68F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A mostly clear sky. Low 43F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Aerial photo taken on April 23, 2022 shows the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Belgrade-Budapest railway in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) BELGRADE, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A decade of nerve-racking uncertainty has ended for Serbian graphic designer Jastra Jelacic with the recent inauguration of the newly upgraded railway line connecting her country's two largest cities. Jelacic, 36, said her commute to work used to be exhausting, and she was "losing a lot of time." The old rail service was unreliable: trains were often late, and breakdowns were a common occurrence. Accordingly, Jelacic could never predict how long the 80-km journey would take. Her career ties her to Belgrade, while she is a mother of two back home in Novi Sad. Jelacic became a commuter in 2013, when she was hired by the Belgrade office of Serbia's public broadcaster RTS. For years, she had to spend four or five hours each day to travel to and from work. Long stretches of the old railway line were single-track, and it could take really long to wait for the approaching trains to pass. Not any more. The new high-speed railway, part of the Chinese-built future rail link between Belgrade and Budapest, the capital of Hungary, has a design speed of 200 km per hour, reducing Jelacic's daily commute to a breeze. The inauguration ceremony of the upgraded 75-km Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the railway took place on March 19 with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in attendance. Vucic described the project as a veritable international effort: it is being built by Chinese and Russian companies, German firms are responsible for the surveillance equipment, and the trains are manufactured in Switzerland. Orban congratulated Serbia on the newly built railway, emphasizing the historically strong ties between the two countries. "In the past 70 years, we have been connecting countries in the east-west direction, and forgotten the importance of north-south connections," Orban said. "This resulted in an appalling situation that it took too many hours to get from Belgrade to Budapest. So, we made an alliance with President Vucic aiming to change this." For Jelacic and an estimated 8,000 of her compatriots, the inauguration of the new rail link was a life-changing event. "I feel more relaxed now, less tired," she said. "Like I'm not traveling at all!" In July 2018, Serbia signed a 943-million-euro (1 billion U.S. dollars) deal with China Railway International (CRI) and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) for the overhaul of the 108-km Novi Sad-Subotica section of the railway line. Since March 19, 1,140 trains -- 38 per day on average -- have served an estimated 221,700 travelers between Belgrade and Novi Sad. "I think that it is good that we are cooperating with China," Jelacic said. "Anything that does good for our country and will lead to improvement I support." Serbian graphic designer Jastra Jelacic enters the train station in Belgrade, Serbia, April 22, 2022. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on April 23, 2022 shows the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Belgrade-Budapest railway in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on April 23, 2022 shows the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Belgrade-Budapest railway in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on April 20, 2022 shows the railway station of Novi Sad, Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on April 23, 2022 shows the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Belgrade-Budapest railway in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Wang Wei/Xinhua) Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Generally clear. Low around 45F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. KAMPALA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Health Ministry said Wednesday that people fully vaccinated will not be required to wear face masks where there are no crowds outdoors. While giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Health Minister Ruth Aceng told reporters that people whether vaccinated or not, while indoors or in closed spaces where social distancing cannot be achieved, must wear a face mask at all times. Aceng said vulnerable or high-risk population like the elderly and people living with comorbidities, irrespective of age, whether vaccinated or not, are supposed to wear face masks at all times. According to the health ministry, the easing of restrictions follows the sustained reduction of COVID-19 cases in the country. Figures from the ministry show that the country has sustained a low transmission with a positivity rate of less than 2 percent since February 2022. A woman testifying in a Beaumont quadruple homicide trial on Wednesday said, prior to the shooting, the defendant told her he was intending to kill. The capital murder trial of Lively Stratton Jr. resumed Wednesday in Jefferson Countys 252nd Criminal District Court. He is charged with capital murder after allegedly shooting his former roommates on Sept. 29, 2019 at a duplex in the 4100 block of Highland Avenue. Stratton pleaded guilty, and his Attorney Ryan Gertz says the killings happened in self-defense. Late Wednesday afternoon, Jefferson County District Attorney's Office Criminal Chief Prosecutor Ashley Molfino called for testimony from a woman who had been living with Stratton and the four now-deceased tenants he is accused of killing. The woman, a friend of Strattons, told the jury he had an argument over the phone with his former roommates the day before the killing. She and Stratton had just made a trip to the duplex when he saw someone had kicked in his door and taken his television while he was away at the motel. "Lively was upset. He was hurt, but he was calm," the woman said of Stratton after the phone call. She encouraged him to let it go and to not entertain the roommates over something that was "not that serious." The two returned to the duplex the next morning after checking out of the motel, but Stratton warned the woman not to go to the duplex. "He told me don't go to the house because he was going to kill them. I said, 'What?' He said, '(You) don't understand what I am about to do. I said, What did you say? And he said, I might kill them, and I said, No youre not. But the woman didnt take him seriously. Once they arrived at the duplex, she said, he again became upset as he realized his air conditioning unit was now also missing. She recalled Stratton getting "extremely mad." That's when he asked another person for a gun. Testimony was not clear when describing the other persons location. "That is when Lively walked to the room, he cocked the gun and knocked on the door," she said. "(Elijah Rideau) took a minute to open the door and finally when (Elijah) opened the door, they had words. It was not like a heated argument, they just had words, and that is when I just heard gunshots go off." Rideau, 34, and Alvin Lee Bellard, 32, died on the scene. Shannon Sutton, 23, and Bobby Wyatt, 39, were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital where they later died. The woman testifying said she didnt hear arguing with the other three roommates, nor any physical fighting, or Stratton crying out for help. When asked, the woman confirmed she hadnt known Stratton to have exhibited such violence before the incident. She also confirmed Gertzs words that Stratton was more like a teddy bear. Similarly, the woman said she had never seen or heard any of the four men who were killed become aggressive or threaten each other with physical violence. The woman held back emotion at times during her testimony and took deep breaths as she recalled seeing the men's bodies as they left the scene of the shooting. She told the court that Stratton drove the car from the scene as she hid within it. During cross examination, Gertz shone light on the womans own involvement in the events, questioning her honesty in the process. Stratton turned himself in to police within four hours. The woman waited until police found her to speak with them, Gertz confirmed with her during questioning. He later accused her of lying to police, which she previously said was because she was afraid, and helping to get rid of the vehicle driven from the scene. Neither she, nor the man who provided the gun, have been charged with any crimes. Related: Quadruple homicide testimony begins with 9-1-1 call Earlier on Wednesday, the jury heard testimony from two law enforcement officials with the Beaumont Police Department and a forensic expert and a firearms expert from the Jefferson County Regional Crime Lab, all of whom were involved with the investigation. They talked to witnesses and documented evidence on the scene. A Texas Department of Public Safety forensic scientist also called by Molfino reported that the lab received five known DNA profiles, including that of Stratton and his four former roommates. Through DNA testing, a butterfly knife and folding knife found at the scene likely were linked to two of the now-deceased roommates, while a pillow and fitted sheets found in the vehicle suspected to have been driven away from the scene were likely linked to Stratton. Further testimony from a firearms analyst revealed that the gun used in the killings left shell casings behind evidence Gertz noted could suggest that the crime committed was not planned before Stratton arrived at the duplex on the day of the killings. So, if I wanted to present shell casing style evidence at, lets say an execution or something, I might use a revolver so that I dont have to worry about cleaning up the shell cases correct?" Gertz asked. The jury previously heard opening arguments and witness testimony on Tuesday. Throughout the day, Gertz told a jury that his client was acting in self-defense. He claims Stratton was attempting to recover stolen property from the duplex where he used to live when one of Stratton's former roommates pulled a knife, blocked the door and the deadly shooting occurred. The reality is that Lively shot and killed four assailants that were high on methamphetamine in a very small room, Gertz said. The state, led by Molfino, called on witnesses who heard the shooting and law enforcement officials who responded to the scene. She played 9-1-1 calls from people who lived nearby and presented graphic police body camera footage of the bloody scene. This is nothing more than an execution of four individuals on a Sunday in Beaumont, Texas, Molfino said. Related: No death penalty sought in Beaumont capital murder case The state already has waived the death penalty. If Stratton is found guilty, he will face a mandatory life sentence without parole. Stratton previously confirmed to the judge that he did not want to look at or discuss an offer that the state is willing to make. The trial will resume at 10 a.m. on Thursday. meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/megzmagpie This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Twenty-four-year-old Lively Stratton Jr. took the stand in his own capital murder trial on Thursday afternoon. It was the final day of testimony given for a jury that ultimately will decide whether Stratton is guilty of capital murder in the quadruple homicide of his former roommates in 2019. For nearly two hours, Stratton testified. He said he killed each of the four men in self-defense. He also denied testimony from a woman, who claimed he told her he was going to kill the men. They were all closing me in, and I felt like they were trying to harm me, Stratton said, recalling the Sunday shooting. This week, Jefferson County District Attorney's Office Criminal Chief Prosecutor Ashley Molfino has worked to prove that Stratton murdered his former roommates because he was angry with them for allegedly stealing his belongings while he stayed at a motel. She described it as nothing more than execution on a Sunday in Beaumont. Defense attorney Ryan Gertz argues Stratton was attacked by four assailants high on methamphetamine while he attempted to retrieve his belongings. On Thursday, Stratton told the jury that he worked as a security guard while he lived at the duplex with the woman who testified Wednesday and the four now-dead men. On the Friday and Saturday before the Sept. 29 fatal shooting, Stratton and the woman went to stay at a motel because hot water and gas had been cut off at the duplex. He noticed his locked door had been kicked in and had television had been stolen when the two stopped by that Saturday evening. Later that night, he confirmed, he had an argument over the phone with the men. Stratton said he was upset, but he said he did not stew over the matter. He went to sleep. Its not a good feeling when you work hard for your stuff and someone takes what you worked hard for, Stratton said. Stratton said the story the states witness gave up to this point was accurate. Then, the testimonies begin to diverge. After Stratton and the woman checked out of the motel on Sunday, Stratton said, he told the woman he was going to get his stuff. He said he never mentioned he was going to kill the men nor instructed her not to drive back to the duplex. When asked what the female witness would have gained by testifying that Stratton told her he was going to kill the men before the shooting, he said she may have been trying to save herself from getting in trouble. But the state argued the women could have found herself in trouble for her testimony. We either have to believe you or have to believe her, Assistant Criminal District Attorney Phillip Smith Jr. said while cross examining Stratton later. A third person joined the pair to help move his stuff. When the three returned to the apartment, Stratton realized his air conditioner and other belongings were now also missing from his bedroom. Stratton said he owned a gun that was in the other mans backpack, which Stratton asked for shortly after returning to the apartment. He denied cocking the gun, which he said already had a bullet in the chamber. Stratton said he put the gun in his pocket and went to ask the men about his belongings. I wanted to protect myself just in case anything happened, Stratton said. Stratton told the jury he entered a room with his four former roommates and approached one of them, Elijah Rideau, who became defensive and asked for a knife. He said Alvin Bellard closed the door. There was a wooden block on the wall that he had moved over the door essentially locking me in there, Stratton said. He said he asked them what was going on before feeling absolute fear as he believed the men were going to harm him. I turned and faced Alvin as he was moving towards me and at that time, I pulled the firearm out of my pocket I just shot, Stratton said. Stratton said he turned around and shot Rideau, who Stratton said was in his space, and then proceeded to shoot Shannon Sutton and Bobby Wyatt because they were getting closer. When asked why he didnt call police, he said he was afraid they would treat him like a criminal. Stratton also confirmed that he thought the 11 shots, including five to the head, were reasonable. He didnt know at the time which men werent armed, but he did know at least two men had a knife, and he said he shot more than once to make sure they didnt get up to harm him. Smith then questioned Strattons testimony based on autopsy results, gunshot wounds and the location of the bodies, which largely were detailed by Chief Forensic Pathologist Selly Strauch River earlier in the day. Rivers said all the men had been shot multiple times and each had been shot in the head. Two of the men died on the scene, while two others later died at the hospital. Gertz used the testimony to attempt to show that none of the men were cowering or executed from behind. Smith worked to reiterate that the men were found in different positions and bullet wounds went in a different direction than would support what Stratton previously testified. How can you shoot a man in the ear if hes advancing toward you? Smith asked. Related: Witness claims capital murder defendant intended to kill before quadruple homicide Rivers confirmed the toxicology report returned positive results for multiple street drugs, including the stimulant methamphetamine and the psychoactive cannabinoid Delta 9 THC. She could not determine the exact time frame of when the drugs were consumed or how it would have affected individual behavior. However, she confirmed to Gertz that the drugs are generally capable of causing hallucinations, aggressive behavior and irrational reactions. Although, she noted to Molfino, the drugs could counteract due to the opposite possible effects. Related: No death penalty sought in Beaumont capital murder case When asked about his decisions following the shooting, Stratton said he changed his clothes because he was planning to turn himself into police. He said he did not try to get rid of the evidence. Stratton told Smith that he put the gun in a car used to leave the scene. He said the car and the gun were moved by someone else and that it was not at his instruction. You didnt go change clothes, move the gun and get rid of all the evidence? Smith asked. You didnt put your clothes in the trash can? No sir, Stratton said. Earlier this week, the jury also heard testimony from members of law enforcement, watched police body camera footage from the scene and listened to forensic experts about the documented evidence. No more witnesses are expected to take the stand. The state already has waived the death penalty. If Stratton is found guilty, he will face a mandatory life sentence without parole. Stratton previously confirmed to the judge that he did not want to look at or discuss an offer that the state is willing to make. The trial will resume with closing arguments at 9 a.m. Friday in the 252nd Criminal District Court. meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/megzmagpie In the time and reign of Idi Amin in Uganda (1971 1979), the challenges to Bishop Festo Kivengere (AE East African Team Leader and Co- Leader with Michael of AE) and the churches other Bishops were immense and frightening. Amin became one of the most brutal dictators of the 20th Century and some 400 000 people were slaughtered during his reign. He started out looking like a benevolent dictator and Festo and the other Bishops sort of tolerated him but gradually he became more and more brutal and he made life cheaper and cheaper. Those who opposed him were ruthlessly assassinated and multitudes were disappeared, as locals put it. So the major requirement in Festo, other Bishops and the Church as a whole was courage in facing the dictators threat. All of this raised very acutely the assorted issues relating to Church and State. And how long and how far the Church continues as per Romans 13:1, to submit to the powers that be. Clearly Festo could not sanction revolution or attempt to see the dictator overthrown violently, but clearly they had to figure out at what point the Church could no longer sanction submission to state brutality. Festo and his colleagues knew that Jesus had said render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods.(Mark 12:17) The challenge for Festo and others was to discern at what point Caesar was asking people to render to himself the things that were Gods. In early 1980 Archbishop Janani Luwum (who was also AEs Ugandan chairman), Festo and the other Anglican Bishops drew up a very bold document challenging Amin about his behaviour and where he was taking the country. This infuriated Amin and he ordered the assassination of Lawum in cold blood. It was clear that Festo had now become no. 1 on Amins hit list and all the local Christian brethren urged Festo and Mera to flee at once. This they did through forest tracks leading to the base of the mountains separating Uganda from Rwanda. Festo and Mera courageously trekked up the mountainsides during the night till finally they crossed the border into Rwanda where they received a huge welcome. Cries for help Festo and Mera then went through to our office in Nairobi which they found flooded with Ugandan exiles and cries for help. The new challenge now was to Festos heart and conscience as to what his response would be to these exiles. Because Festo was so well known and so well loved these exiles turned to him and to AE rather than to major aid agencies. There and then effectively, Festo and AE Kenya / Unganda launched RETURN (Relief, Education and Training for Ugandan Refugees Now). In the end this program ran for several years and AE funded over 300 International University scholarships for Refugees who qualified. Some later ended up in new governments in Uganda and felt they owed much to AE. Festo and Mera then travelled on via London to AEs office in California. But in London Festo faced and awesome spiritual challenge in terms of his attitude as a Christian to Idi Amin who had terrorised his country, sought to kill him personally and driven him and his wife into exile. In a Good Friday service at John Stotts All Souls Church, Langham Place , London, Festo and Mera attended a Good Friday service. Festos heart was filled with bitterness, almost hatred, towards Idi Amin but in the sermon Festo heard Jesuss words from the cross: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. The voice of the Lord Festo then heard the voice of the Lord saying to him: My son, if Amin had been in that circle of soldiers crucifying me, would I have said Father, forgive them all, except this big Ugandan below me. Festos response became determinative for the rest of his life as he responded to Jesus saying Lord, I am here and now forgiving Idi Amin. Immediately he felt a huge release in his soul and he was flooded with the joy and peace of the Lord. For the rest of Festos days the message of forgiveness and reconciliation became even more central to his whole life and being and ministry. His new posture even led him into writing a small book called I love Idi Amin. A reporter in a press conference asked him how on earth he could write a book with this title. Replied Festo: I may not like Idi Amin but if I am a Christian believer I am obliged to forgive him, love him with Christs love, and want the highest and best for his life. Another reporter asked: If you were standing face to face with Amin, and someone gave you a revolver, what would you do? Well, replied Festo, I would hand the revolver back and say this is not my weapon. My weapon is love. The next big challenge Festo faced in conjunction with our USA board was to be practical and raise vast sums of money for the ever developing needs in Uganda. Warwick Olson, then director of AE, Australia, proceeded to launch and AE office first in Australia and then in UK though which these Ugandan monies could be channelled to the needs back in that country. Mission travel Through these years of Festos exile from Uganda, Michael travelled with him in many places ranging from USA and Canada through to Australia, several countries of Latin America, Egypt, Liberia (West Africa), and even South Africa. Festos message of love and forgiveness melted hearts everywhere and Michael felt ever after the immensity of the privilege he had had of ministering around the world with this great brother. Festo died from Leukaemia in 1988 and he and Michael had a very poignant time together in their last meeting in a Nairobi hospital. Michael and most of the other team leaders and board chairs travelled in a chartered plane with Festos coffin back to Uganda for the funeral in Namirembe Cathedral where Michael was one of the main speakers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Firefighters have been making significant progress Wednesday on the biggest wildfires burning unusually hot and fast for this time of year in the western United States. But forecasters from the Southwest to the southern High Plains warned of the return the next two days of the same gusty winds and critical fire conditions that sent wildland blazes racing across the landscape last week. Some of the nearly 1,000 firefighters battling the biggest fire in drought-stricken New Mexico cut away brush and burned out any extra fuel Wednesday ahead of increased danger forecast Thursday into the weekend. That allowed crews to dig fire lines around about a third of what has become the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. now 94 square miles (245 kilometers) and keep flames from reaching mostly rural homes and ranches that are still in its path northeast of Santa Fe. Another great day on the fire line," federal fire incident commander Carl Schwope said Wednesday night. Fire personnel are making great progress, he told residents at a community meeting in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where numerous rural communities in the nearby mountains remain under evacuation orders. But he quickly emphasized the success could be short-lived because hotter, drier, windier weather should return Thursday and Friday. This fire still has tremendous potential to move and still has a lot of danger, he said. We have a couple of critical fire days still ahead." The most critical fire danger remains the next two days across practically the entire state of New Mexico, according to the National Weather Service. The elevated-risk area stretches all the way from Arizonas border with California and Nevada into the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, the service said late Wednesday. Some light precipitation added moisture to bone dry fuels in the Southwest early this week. But stiffening winds Wednesday likely dried out most of the fine fuels, which are are expected to be borderline critically dry on Thursday, the service said. San Miguel County Sheriff Chris Lopez said at Wednesday night's briefing about the fires east of Santa Fe that they're refining evacuation strategies they were forced to quickly implement last week as they review weather modeling of the incoming conditions. It doesnt mean it will happen but it could happen, just like we saw when this fire blew up," he said. The danger is present and its very real. Authorities said Wednesday they continue to work on damage assessments but haven't been able to access some areas that are still hot and it's not yet safe to let some evacuees return to their homes. We have containment around the fire's edge, but there's still stuff that's burning inside and we still have a wind event we are waiting for Friday and Saturday, Lopez said. We have to make sure that everything is good enough that I can make decision and know you'll be safe if we let you back in there, he said.. The Southwest has been bearing the brunt of large fires, with five incident management teams assigned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. One complex incident management team was overseeing a large fire in southwest Nebraska. More than 200 firefighters in that state were battling a prairie fire that has been burning since last week. About 65 square miles (168 square kilometers) of mostly grasses and farmland have been blackened near the Kansas line, several homes have been destroyed and at least one person was killed. The fire was about three-quarters contained Wednesday. In Arizona, crews on Wednesday worked to contain two major wildfires, with firefighters gaining ground on containment of a blaze in the Prescott National Forest after winds on Tuesday pushed the fire outward. Near Flagstaff, crews patrolled burned areas of a different large fire and looked for hot spots amid milder weather. Nationally, large fires have burned more than 1,688 square miles (4,372 square kilometers) this year, putting the U.S. on track to far outpace the 10-year average. The pressure on firefighters is not likely to let up anytime soon. Climate outlooks indicate likely below normal precipitation from Texas through the southern Rockies and Great Basin, with above normal temperatures likely across much of the U.S into summer. ___ Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Paul Davenport in Phoenix and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's chief lawyer has been approved as U.S. attorney based in Grand Rapids. Mark Totten's nomination was approved by the Senate on Wednesday, five months after he was picked by President Joe Biden. The Western District covers more than half of Michigan's counties, from the Upper Peninsula to the Indiana border. Totten is a passionate public servant who will do a phenomenal job as a U.S. attorney, Whitmer said. It's not known what role Totten will have in decisions about further prosecuting two people in a plot to kidnap Whitmer. A jury acquitted Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta but couldn't reach a unanimous verdict for Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. There is a process the (Justice Department) follows for decisions like those, and that process will be followed here, spokeswoman Breane Warner said in an email Thursday. Andrew Birge, who was U.S. attorney when the trial ended on April 8, suggested that Fox and Croft would face a second trial. Totten, who has a degree from Yale Law School, has experience in federal law and federal court. He also taught law at Michigan State University. Totten was the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2014 but lost to Bill Schuette. King Middle School will have a new principal for the 2022-23 school year. Green Dot Public Schools, the Los Angeles-based charter school operator that took over King almost two years ago, announced Wednesday that Marian Williams will step into the top job after Principal Julia Rich last month announced she'd resign at the end of the year. Williams, who is currently the principal for Kirby Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee -- also operated by Green Dot -- will begin her role as principal of King in June. RELATED: King Middle principal to resign at end of school year Williams was selected for the role through a "competitive process" which included input from teachers, staff and regional leadership, according to a news release. "I am thrilled to be joining this community," said Williams in the news release. "I am looking forward to supporting middle schoolers here with the same passion I bring to my current school now. I'm looking forward to growing our students' academic success together with our whole community." While at Kirby, Williams was recognized as "Principal of the Year" in 2020 and oversaw the school's transition from being in the botton 5% of schools in Tennessee to an award-winning middle school in Memphis, with "dramatic" improvements, the news release said. RELATED: Beaumont schools working to avoid need for more charter partners "We are thrilled to welcome Marian to Beaumont," said Executive Director of Green Dot Public Schools Southeast Texas Cliff Claflin in the announcement. "We can't wait to see the great things to come from her leadership at King Middle School." Beaumont ISD partnered with Green Dot Public Schools to prevent King Middle School from being taken over by the state after more than four years of failing accountability scores at the campus prior to COVID-19. "We are impressed with Ms. Williams' track record of improved outcomes for students and enthusiasm for the work ahead," said BISD Chief Innovation Officer Anetra Cheatham in the release. "We look forward to an outstanding partnership and great opportunities for our students." olivia.malick@hearst.com twitter.com/OliviaMalick This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Vietnam veteran Donald Smart stood before six members of the Pipkin Park Honor Guard last weekend -- in his hands a worn and folded flag, the colors now a pale version of its old glory. Thirty-seven men died for this flag, he told them. Retire it properly. The column processed toward one of two steel drums where steady flames fueled by nearby propane tanks were stationed in an open field outside the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum Saturday. Guard member Rubin Rao clutched the flag at his heart during the procession, then dropped it into the drum. It was the first of hundreds the honor guard, members of Vietnam Veterans of America chapter 292 and Vets for Vets members, would retire that day, but it was one that carried a deep historical significance, Smart explained. This flag was on the USS Stark, which in 1987 was hit by two Iraqi missiles, killing 37 sailors, he said. A local woman was part of the crew that cleaned up the wreckage. She picked up the flag and saved it all this time. Recently, she brought it to Smart, telling him, its time to retire it properly, he recalled. Related: USS Stark remembered 30 years later That time finally came Saturday. Its been two years since the group has performed the flag retirement ceremony due to the pandemic - the mass of boxes and bags filled with old flags assembled nearby a testament to the years spent awaiting their moment of honorable discharge from service. Smart and fellow VVA members had no idea how many flags theyd amassed in that time. Its two pick-up truckloads, though, he said. The burning of flags is not an act of disrespect or protest, said Vets for Vets member Seth Wells, as he addressed the small crowd gathered for the ceremony, including Congressman Randy Weber and his wife Brenda. In 1937, the VFW said the best way to retire a flag is to burn it honorably. This is for the love of our country and the beauty she represents, Wells said. Know that right now someone is sweating and bleeding to defend that flag. Wells called the USS Stark flag an unbelievable piece of American history. That flag is just as important as the ones that fly over the nations Capitol, over our courthouses, over our schools. Were honored to retire it (and others) properly today. Soon after the USS Stark flag was consumed in the flames of the first fiery drum, an assembly line of honor guard members and veterans formed, working together to retire the pile sitting nearby. Their hands gloved for protection, they draped the flags one by one over the ends of long metal rods, careful not to let them touch the ground, before lowering them into the flame. An open panel at the bottom of each drum offered a final glimpse of stars and stripes still visible through the flames before succumbing to the fire and turning to ash. Overhead, two clouds of smoke billowed from the grounds throughout the afternoon as flag after flag, including Texas state flags, were retired. It was a sight rarely seen at the museum, where a giant plume of water, not smoke and flames, is a more common occurrence. But it was a moment of which museum director Troy Grey was proud to be a part. This is the first time we ever did something like this here, Gray said, adding, Were very honored this was done at the museum. kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com Its one of the more unusual names youve ever heard for a law the tampon tax but it highlights a problem in state tax policies. Even in these modern times, women and girls are still subject to sales taxes that are not levied in an equivalent way on men and boys. The states tax policy should not have any of that; it should be as neutral as possible when it comes to gender, race, religion, etc. In this case, coalition of menstrual health organizations is asking the state Comptrollers Office to end the sales tax on tampons, sanitary pads and other hygienic products. The reason is twofold. First, it isnt just because women and girls use these products and men and boys dont. Its because men and boys get tax breaks on certain products used only by their gender, such as libido enhancers or prostate vitamins. If males get tax benefits like that, females should get similar breaks on products they use. Secondly, the state tax code already exempts other wound care dressings, defined items such as gauze or adhesive bandages that absorbs wound drainage, protects healing tissue, maintains a moist or dry wound environment (as appropriate), or prevents bacterial contamination. Tampons and similar menstrual products fall into this general category and thus should be tax-exempt too. State lawmakers in recent session have tried to pass bills addressing this issue but have not succeeded. Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, who chairs the Texas Womens Health Caucus, has filed a bill every session since 2017. In 2021, a bill finally got out of committee but never made it to the House floor. That was the most progress any such bill has made in the Legislature. We can do better. Nineteen other states have exempted menstrual products from their sales taxes, and five other states do not levy a sales tax at all. The Comptrollers Office estimated in 2021 that this bill would cost the state about $42 million in lost revenue in each two-year budget cycle. Thats not a huge amount of money in a $112 billion budget, but the equity issue remains. Lawmakers should either end the sales tax on menstrual products or add it for male products such as libido enhancers. When the next regular session of the Legislature convenes in January, lawmakers should resolve this problem once and for all. It wont be the most important item they deal with, but its one they can address to show all Texans that they will treated as equally and fairly as possible. Rangers carry a captured Sumatran tiger in Lurah Ingu, a village in West Sumatra, Indonesia, Dec. 7, 2020. The Indonesian government estimates that around 600 Sumatran tigers are left in the wild. With the lunar Year of the Tiger well under way, various assessments show that only a few thousand tigers at the most are surviving in South and East Asia. Tigers once ranged from Eastern Turkey and the Caspian Sea to the south of the Tibetan plateau eastward to Manchuria and the Sea of Okhotsk. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), tigers were also found in northern Iran, Afghanistan, the Indus Valley of Pakistan, and the islands of Java and Bali. Today, the Swiss-based WWF says that rampant poaching and unchecked habitat destruction have shrunk the tigers range by more than 95 percent. At the beginning of the 20th century, wild tigers are said to have numbered some 100,000. The total number of wild tigers has declined to as few as 3,200, with more than half of them to be found in India. In India, its against the law to attempt to kill an endangered tiger except in self-defense or by the special permission granted by a wildlife protection act. Offenders face a minimum of three years in prison unless the tiger was deemed a man-eater by a court. Of the 13 tiger-range nations of the world, seven Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam are located in Southeast Asia. In 2010, the governments of 13 countries where tigers still roam met for the first time in St. Petersburg. There they committed themselves to a doubling of the population of wild tigers by 2022, the Lunar New Year of the Tiger. Debbie Banks with the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which also has offices in Washington, says criminal gangs capture wild tigers and sell their bones and pelts, which can be processed into luxury home decor items. The bones are also sometimes used for medicinal purposes despite a lack of scientific evidence that this remedy works as claimed. The largest markets for these items appear to be found in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Although the health claims associated with tiger body parts are dubious, the benefits of wild tigers to their surrounding environment are widely accepted by scientists. According to the WWF, wild tigers play an important role in maintaining the harmony of the planets ecosystems. Tigers prey on herbivores, such as cows, deer and sheep, which feed on forest vegetation. They thus help to preserve vegetation that can be consumed by humans. The WWF also notes that tigers are incredibly adaptable and can survive in vastly diverse habitats under extreme temperatures. That characteristic gives some cause for optimism. The tenacity of tigers may be enough for the species to avoid extinction, if only humans stop killing them. Dan Southerland is the founding executive editor of Radio Free Asia (RFA), the parent company of BenarNews. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (left) and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi talk during a photo session at last years G-20 summit, at the La Nuvola in Rome, Oct. 30, 2021 Indonesia on Thursday declined to confirm that it had invited Ukraine to the G-20 summit despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys tweet the day before thanking President Joko Jokowi Widodo for the invite. Separately, the White House said Wednesday it too had not received news from Indonesia about an invitation to Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but reiterated that invader nation and G-20 member Russia shouldnt be asked to the summit, while non-member Ukraine should be. On Thursday, Jokowi confirmed he had spoken to Zelenskyy a day earlier, but did not refer to the November G-20 summit being held in Bali. Indonesia is this years president of the Group of 20 of the worlds largest economies. Yesterday I spoke to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I reiterated Indonesias support to any efforts for peace negotiations to succeed and stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance, Jokowi said via Twitter. Dian Triansyah Djani, a senior Indonesian foreign ministry official, confirmed that Jokowi and Zelenskyy had spoken over the phone. The outcome of the discussions between the two heads of state will be announced directly by the palace, was all he said. However, on Wednesday, Zelenskyy had tweeted saying Jokowi had invited him to the November G-20 summit. Had talks with President Jokowi. Thanked [him] for the support of [Ukrainian] sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular for a clear position in the UN. Food security issues were discussed. Appreciate inviting me to the G-20 summit. Also on Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that she had read reports on Zelenskyys statement about the invitation but had not heard from Indonesia about it. Well, weve seen the reports that President Zelenskyy has been invited to the G-20. And we certainly welcome that. But we dont have further confirmation beyond the news reports, which we certainly think are positive, she told reporters. Psaki also noted that President Joe Biden said last month that Ukraine should be able to participate in the G-20 summit. And as he also said last month he doesnt think Russia should be invited, but, ultimately, its a decision for the G-20, she said. And weve reached out, of course, to Indonesia, as you noted, whos hosting the summit. But we dont have any other additional details. Zelenskyys announcement about being invited to the meeting in Bali may have broken protocol. It came four days after he unilaterally announced that the U.S. secretaries of state and defense were coming to Kyiv the next day for meetings with him. Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin met with him in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, but the Biden administration kept their visit shrouded in secrecy ahead of time, according to news reports. Biden had told reporters last month in Brussels that Russia, which invaded neighbor Ukraine on Feb. 24, should be expelled from the G-20. And I raised the possibility, if that cant be done if Indonesia and others do not agree, then we should, in my view, ask to have both Ukraine be able to attend the meetings, as well as well, basically Ukraine being able to attend the G20 meetings and observe. The U.S. went a step further on April 6, saying that it would boycott some of the groups meetings if Russian officials attended, which it then did later in the month. On April 20, several nations, including Ukraine and the United States, walked out when Russian officials addressed a G-20 meeting convened by Indonesia in Washington. Indonesia had invited all members, including Russia, to attend the groups meeting of finance ministers and central bank chiefs in Washington on that day. Kowtowing to the United States demand On Tuesday, Bloomberg news service reported that the U.S. and some other countries were frustrated with Indonesia, so far, not having withdrawn an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G-20 summit, and were therefore pressing Jakarta to invite Ukraine as a guest. Asked about the possibility of Putin attending the G-20 summit, Dian, the senior Indonesian foreign ministry official, said Thursday: The summit is still a long way off. This will be answered in time. Hikmahanto Juwana, an international law lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said inviting Ukraine to the G-20 summit would be a wise decision. This should be welcomed. Thats better than kowtowing to the United States demand for Russia to be expelled from the G-20, Hikmahanto told BenarNews. Indonesia should seek assurances from the U.S. and its allies that they would not boycott the G-20 summit if Russia is represented, he said. Likewise, Indonesia should ask Russia to accept Ukraines participation in the summit, he added. Nanto Sriyanto, an international political observer at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), said the Ukraine issue would test Indonesias presidency of the G-20. Indonesia must be able to navigate the interests of Russia and those of countries that are against Russia so that the G-20 meeting can proceed well, Nanto told BenarNews. Nanto said the United Nations was the right forum to discuss the Ukrainian-Russia conflict, while the G-20 was established as an economic grouping. Indonesia would do well to stick to the G-20s purpose, by for example focusing the discussions on the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the global economic stability, Nanto said. Indonesia had voted for a U.N. General Assembly resolution that condemned Moscows military strike on Ukraine. But, at the same time, Jakarta has not directly criticized Russia or used the word invasion. Arie Firdaus in Jakarta contributed to this report. An aerial view shows Itu Aba, which the Taiwanese call Taiping, in the South China Sea, Nov. 29, 2016. China has reacted strongly against Taiwans alleged plans to extend a runway on the contested Taiping Island in the South China Sea, saying it was playing with fire. Taiwanese media reported last week that the islands military is planning to lengthen the existing 1,150-meter-long (3,778-feet-long) airstrip by 350 meters (1,448 feet) so that it will be able to accommodate F-16 fighter-jets and P-3C anti-submarine aircraft. Taiwanese officials have yet to confirm the plans, reported by United Daily News, a conservative Taiwanese newspaper. But recent satellite imagery suggests some kind of changes on the ground at the western tip of Taiping, which is located in the north-western part of the Spratly Islands. Taiping, also known as Itu Aba, is the biggest natural feature in the Spratlys. It is currently occupied by Taiwan but is also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam. On Wednesday, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for Beijings Taiwan Affairs Office, warned Taipei about the Taiping extension plan. Any attempt to collude with external forces and betray the interests of the Chinese nation is playing with fire and will surely be punished by both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait, the state-run China News Service (CNS) quoted him as saying. It will be rejected by the people and punished by history, he said. The island, officially considered a rock under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is named after the warship Taiping that China sent to take over the island after Japan surrendered at the end of World War II. It has been under Taiwans control since 1956. Inherent territory Ma Xiaoguang was quoted as saying that the Nansha Islands (Spratly Islands), including Taiping Island, are Chinas inherent territory, and China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters. On Thursday, Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected Chinas statement, saying the islands in the South China Sea belong to the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan), and the Taiwanese government's determination to defend the sovereignty of the islands in the South China Sea has never wavered, the islands news agency CNA reported. The ministry however did not confirm nor deny the alleged runway extension. Taiwans air force earlier declined to comment. Taiwan, Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, are all claimants of the South China Sea, but China holds the most extensive claim of nearly 90 percent of the sea, demarcated by the so-called nine-dash line. The U-shaped demarcation line was actually first introduced in 1947 by the ROC and it is now being used by both Taiwan and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC or China) to back their claims in the South China Sea. An international tribunal in the case brought against China by the Philippines in 2016 rejected the Chinese historical claims in the South China Sea and invalidated the U-shaped line. Both Taiwan and the PRC refused to accept the ruling. Taiwan was not party to the case but its claims in the South China Sea are similar to those of China. Satellite photos Satellite imagery taken on March 24 and April 23, 2022, appears to show topographical changes at the western end of Taiping Island over the past month. Credit: EO Browser, Sinergise Ltd. Taiping, located 1,500 km (930 miles) from Taiwan and 850 km (530 miles) from the Philippines, is under the administration of Kaohsiung Municipality. The current runway was only built in 2008. Proposed plans to develop the infrastructure on Taiping Island were criticized by the other two claimants the Philippines and Vietnam as stoking tensions in the disputed South China Sea. Last week, a Beijing-based Chinese think-tank said it had obtained new evidence of the runway extension plan. The South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said satellite imagery obtained via the satellite data provider Sentinel Hub shows that reclamation work has begun on the western tip of Taiping Island, supporting the news about the island's intention of extending the existing airstrip to 1,500 meters. Satellite photos from Sentinel taken on March 24 and April 23 and seen by Radio Free Asia show noticeable differences in the topography of the western areas of the island. RFA is the parent company of BenarNews. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense declined to comment when asked by RFA. In March, the Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-Cheng said that Taiwan had no intention of militarizing Taiping despite reports that China had completed building military facilities on three artificial islands nearby. Filipino Catholic priest Flavie Villanueva stands next to a cardboard cutout of jailed opposition Sen. Leila de Lima during an election campaign rally in Manila, April 23, 2022. A key witness in the Philippine governments case against Sen. Leila de Lima, a jailed politician and arch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, recanted his statement implicating her in the narcotics trade, according to a court document made public Thursday. De Lima, a leading voice of the opposition, is running for re-election in next months national polls from her prison cell. She has been incarcerated since 2017 on what she insists are trumped-up charges that she had received funds from illegal drug syndicates. Kerwin Espinosa, a confessed drug lord and one of the witnesses against de Lima, apologized to the senator and cleared her of any wrongdoing, according to the court papers. Any and all of his statements given during the Senate hearings, or in the form of sworn written affidavits, against Sen. Leila de Lima are not true, read Espinosas counter-affidavit, which his lawyer filed at the Department of Justice. He has no dealings with Sen. de Lima and has not given her any money at any given time, it said. Earlier statements linking de Lima to the drug trade are false and were the result only of pressure, coercion, intimidation and serious threats to his life and family members from the police who instructed him to implicate the senator into the illegal drug trade, it added. In Manila, the presidential palace did not immediately comment Thursday on the news about the witnesss recanting of the statement against de Lima. In her former role as head of the Philippines Commission on Human Rights, an independent constitutional body investigating human rights violations, de Lima angered Duterte by investigating reports of extrajudicial killings by a death squad that he allegedly had set up when he was the mayor of Davao City. One of Dutertes first official acts after being elected president in 2016 was to go after de Lima. He publicly shamed her as she moved to mount a Senate inquiry into the killings linked to the drug war. De Lima has been locked up since February 2017 over allegations, which she denies, that she received payoffs from drug traffickers when she served as the countrys justice secretary. There are three drug-related cases against de Lima. Last year, a court acquitted her of one of the cases against her. Other witnesses called to recant statements Espinosas lawyer, Raymund Palad, told the local television network ABS-CBN that his client had signed the affidavit in front of him at the heavily guarded prison facility in Metro Manilas Bicutan district. Basically, he is recanting whatever statements he claimed against de Lima, Palad said Thursday. De Limas lawyer, Filibon Tacardon, said Espinosas statement proved that the Duterte administration had fabricated evidence against the senator. We have always believed that no matter the lies perpetrated by coerced witnesses, in the end, the truth will still come out, Tacardon said in a statement. We hope that other witnesses will also come out and confess how they were intimidated, coerced and bribed into making false testimonies against the good senator and, if possible, name those who actively participated in coercing them to come up with such ridiculous narratives against the good senator, the lawyer said. Espinosa went into hiding after his father, Rolando Espinosa, surrendered to the authorities to clear his name but was killed while in police custody in November 2016. The elder Espinosa, who was the mayor of central Albuera town, had alleged links to the drug trade. Police said he pulled a weapon on officers searching his jail cell, which provoked a shootout that resulted in his death. The son was later caught in the Middle East. He admitted to being a drug trafficker during a public inquiry at the Senate where he testified against de Lima. Free the senator Vice presidential candidate Walden Bello, an academic who is also among Dutertes top critics, urged the government to free de Lima. One of the key elements of my campaign has been the unconditional release of this long-suffering victim of a frame-up based on nothing else but the presidents vindictiveness. Release Sen. de Lima now, he said. Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, who is seeking a seat in the Senate and endorses de Limas re-election, said the development should at least force the court to drop all charges against her. The charges filed were only part of revenge. Free de Lima now, he said. Butch Olano, the Philippine director of Amnesty International, noted that Espinosas retraction was veritable proof of a vendetta against Dutertes critics. Sen. de Lima is a victim of a political prosecution, targeted and singled out by the Duterte administration for her legitimate work as a human rights defender and duly elected senator, Olano said in a statement, adding that Espinosas retraction was deeply disturbing. Her arrest and detention clearly stem from her criticism of President Dutertes war on drugs, Olana said, calling on Duterte to immediately and unconditionally release the senator. Dutertes drug war has left an estimated 8,000 suspected drug addicts and pushers dead. It has been internationally condemned, and he faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation over the killings. His daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is running for vice president in next months election. She has paired up with presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the former dictator, who has said he would block any ICC official from carrying out an investigation on Philippine soil. During a visit to the central city of Cebu on Wednesday, Duterte said he might have underestimated the extent of the nations drug problem when he promised to end the scourge months into his term. I said I can clean it in six months. Then after that, I realized that I had made a mistake. Maybe its hubris, Duterte said. You have not seen the bigger picture of drugs as I have, Duterte said, adding that his policy to kill dealers would continue until his last day in office in June. If you continue [the drugs business], of course, you will die. This will continue as long as Im president. I will not let go of that. A fishing boat passes near a construction site of the Don Sahong Dam near the Cambodia-Laos border in northeastern Cambodias Stung Treng province, June 20, 2016. Lao officials will soon submit plans for the Phou Ngoy Dam and hydropower plant to the Mekong River Commission for review, but villagers whose livelihoods would be hurt by the construction worry they will be left out of the process. Thailands Charoen Energy and Water Asia Co. Ltd. is the lead developer of the U.S. $2.4 billion hydropower dam project, whose power is anticipated will be sold to Thailand. The 728-megawatt Phou Ngoy Dam in southern Laos Champassak province will be the seventh of nine existing or planned large-scale hydropower projects on the Mekong River mainstream. We cant tell you what day or when exactly were going to do that, said an official at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, who declined to be named to speak freely. We think well do it at the end of this year. Right now, were preparing the paperwork. The hydropower dam would be built by two South Korean construction companies: Korea Western Power Co., Ltd. and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd. It is slated to be completed in 2029. A power purchase agreement has not yet been signed. Laos government believes that it can greatly boost the countrys economy by becoming the battery of Southeast Asia by selling power generated by dams along the Mekong to its neighbors. But villagers whose lives have been disrupted by the plans say they havent been fairly compensated for being forced to move to make way for the projects. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an intergovernmental organization that works with the governments of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to jointly manage the Mekong. The Phou Ngoy Dam will be located about 18 km (11 miles) north of Pakse, the capital of Champassak province, and 50 km (31 miles) from confluence of the Mekong River and Mun River, a tributary of the Mekong that flows through northern Thailand. During the MRCs consultation process, states and other stakeholders will discuss and review the benefits and risks of proposed water-use projects that may have potential significant cross-border impacts on water flow, water quality and a host of other environmental and socioeconomic conditions. Surasri Kidtimonton, secretary-general of Thailands Office of National Water Resources, told Radio Free Asia (RFA), a sister-entity of BenarNews, that the consultation depends on all MRC members. As for Thailand, were right now looking at a lot of documents about the Phou Ngoy Dam project, he said. Were doing our best to protect our interest, he told the National News Bureau of Thailand. The map shows existing and planned hydropower dams along the Mekong River in Laos. [RFA] The losers are the local people A representative of the Love Chiang Khong Group, a Thai NGO, expressed concern that project investors and Lao authorities will exclude communities that will be affected by the dam from the ongoing review. The Lao government keeps pushing many projects forward, and the investors keep looking for more benefits. The losers are the local people, said the source, who requested anonymity so as to speak freely. The investors and the Lao government have not paid any attention to past studies on the projects impact and did not allow locals to participate in the decision-making process, he said. The Phou Ngoy Dam is being built not for the benefit of the locals in the area, but for the benefit of the investors, the person said. This large dam will block the Mekong River, which is the international mainstream river that goes through many countries. Itll destroy our livelihoods, our jobs and our ecosystem. An official at the Lao Ministry of the Information, Culture and Tourism said he was worried in particular about the dams impact on Vat Phou, a ruined Khmer Hindu temple complex at the base of a mountain about six km (3.7 miles) from the Mekong River in Champassak province, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Though the Phou Ngoy Dam is more than 30 km (18.6 miles) from the city of Pakse, capital of Champassak province, it could have an impact on the Phou Phaphin area close to Vat Phou, he said. If the Lao government and the Phou Ngoy Dam developer really want to build this dam, theyll have to do the Heritage Impact Assessment, similar to the one for the Luang Prabang Dam Project that has been submitted to UNESCO, he said. Plans for the Phou Ngoy Dam and hydropower plant have also sparked concern among residents of Khonken village in Champassak province, who fear they may get a raw deal from Lao authorities and the project developer when it comes to compensation for lost land and forced resettlement in other communities. The project will affect 88 villages, including 57 villages above the dam, and 31 villages below the dam. About 800 residents in more than 140 households in Khonken village are expected to be the most heavily affected by the project. Most of the villagers are farmers who grow rice and vegetables and raise livestock, while others run small businesses like restaurants and guesthouses to accommodate growing numbers of Thai tourists to the area. One resident told RFA in late December 2021 that local Lao authorities and the dam developer had conducted a survey asking villagers about their property, shops and fruit trees. Since then, however, they have not heard anything more about the impending relocation. We dont want to be relocated, he said. We dont know where to move to. Weve been here for years, and we believe that this is our permanent home. Another villager said he wants the Lao government to reconsider building the dam. Yes, the government builds dams for business, but this dam will destroy the natural beauty and our property. Pak Beng Dam MOU Meanwhile, two investors in another hydropower project on the mainstream Mekong signed a tariff memorandum of understanding for the Pak Beng Dam, Laos Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday. China Datang Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. and Gulf Energy Development Public Co., Ltd. as project cosponsor inked the deal with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) on Monday in Bangkok. The China-backed Pak Beng Dam will be built in the Pak Beng district of Oudomxay province in northern Laos. RFA reported on April 13 that China Datang Overseas Investment had begun moving machinery to prepare the site and to set up workers camps in anticipation of a power purchase agreement with EGAT. FILE - Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Speaking Tuesday night, April 26, 2022, on PBS NewsHour, Fauci said the global pandemic isnt over but the U.S. currently is out of the pandemic phase. But it doesnt mean the coronavirus threat to Americans has ended. Los Angeles police officers who responded to a domestic violence call at the penthouse of actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard say they saw no marks on her face after a 2016 fight between the couple in which Heard says she was assaulted 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. Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. A former Boston transit police officer charged with assaulting and violating the civil rights of a 63-year-old man who refused to get off a bus last year has avoided jail and could eventually have the charges dismissed NORTH ADAMS What may look like a pile of old used backpacks is the makings of an art and social activism project for Nathaniel Donnett, who is giving these vessels a new life in his studio space at the MCLA Artist Lab. An MCLA Artist Lab artist-in-residence (January through May), Donnett collected about 50 backpacks from students at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School, in Adams, and Pine Cobble School, in Williamstown, exchanging their old ones with new backpacks. The resulting work will be seen at MCLA Gallery 51, in a solo show, running Oct. 7 through Dec. 16. "These will be torn apart and then they'll be stitched back together in the style of quilting and collage," he said, sitting near his sewing machine during a recent interview. He'll add other materials to the piece, which he says speaks to the idea of how we see time, history and space. "It's fragmented, based off a memory." Donnett, a multi-disciplinary cultural practitioner who lives and works in Houston, was recently named a 2022 Guggenheim Fellow by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. A graduate of Texas Southern University and Yale School of Art, he's the received a Deans Critical Practice Research Grant and an Art and Social Justice Initiative Grant at Yale, a Houston Arts Alliance Grant, and an Idea Fund/Andy Warhol Foundation Grant. "I was really taken with how he approaches his practice in terms of research," said Erica Wall, executive director of MCLA Arts & Culture (previously the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center) and MCLA Gallery 51, which oversees the residency program. [The backpack exchange project is] a beautiful culmination of artistic practice, and I think, more recently, the social activism that's been going on, particularly in light of what has surfaced with the pandemic and racial unrest, and I think also a culture of a transparency around the way artists conduct research in their practice. Consumers and viewers very rarely participate in the research process, Wall added. In 2020, Donnett created a similar backpack project entitled "Acknowledgement: The Historic Polyrhythm of Being(s)" on a large fence outside the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, using backpacks from an exchange with students. At night, the backpacks would illuminate in a blue glow and were lighting up in Morse code, reciting a line from a John Coltrane song, Acknowledgement, an excerpt from James Baldwin essay, "The Uses of the Blues, and part of Solange's song "Mad." "Basically, I was composing a song through light as well," Donnett said. The piece was about language and education, he said, and "it was focused on three historical Black neighborhoods, and trying to show some of the history and also show a different form of resistance protest ... that there are many ways to engage in that." Text was printed on the fence but you had to know the slang from those communities to understand it, he said, which made it like a type of code. The pieces he is working on now at the MCLA Artist Lab are multi-part. When he exchanged backpacks with students, he also photographed and interviewed them. "I'm trying to give like, a little moment for them to just think about themselves without all the other stuff; to say whatever you want to say." Using those interviews, he's creating an experimental soundscape, and photos will be incorporated into a yearbook that he will print and digitize. The backpacks will be pieced together. "One of the structures I can't give too much away one of the structures will be three dimensional," Donnett said. He chooses backpacks for a reason. "Their history is embedded inside and on the backpack in terms of their body, sweat, hair, you know, dirt and whatever. And they released some of those things," he said. "But they never really released it, because it's part of their history ... Then we give them new backpacks, which allows them to extend their history or create new history with new things, and kind of redo the cycle. That's what exchanges is." A clock tells the time in front of Berkshire Bank's office in Great Barrington. The Berkshire Bank Foundation contributed more than $563,000 to nonprofit organizations during the first quarter of 2022. After a two-day trial in Central Berkshire District Court, a Tolland woman was convicted of neglecting a person in her care in Sandisfield. She was given a year in jail, suspended for two years. PITTSFIELD Family members of the man shot and killed March 25 by Pittsfield police say they await an independent investigation from the Berkshire District Attorneys Office, hoping for a fuller picture of the Friday night Miguel Estrella lost his life. On Wednesday, the Pittsfield Police Department released a preliminary finding that the officer who shot Estrella complied with police rules and procedures. The family declined a request from The Eagle to directly comment on the police departments report. Instead, the family released a statement Thursday saying that they are eagerly awaiting the independent review. The comments, from Estrellas older sister, Elina, and mother, Marisol, cited hopes that the DAs review, still being conducted in coordination with its in-house state police unit, will provide a fuller picture of the circumstances of the shooting. On that night, Pittsfield police were called twice to Estrellas address, at 279 Onota St., by 911 reports of a man in distress. We also remain eager to hear details that have not been released that are part of that investigation, the Estrellas said Thursday, including the 911 calls, witness interviews and police reports. Given that the investigation continues, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further. Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer said Wednesday she views the PPD report as an important first step and understanding what happened that evening, but declined to comment on its findings, in part because the case is a potential legal matter. Through a spokesman, Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington declined Thursday to comment on the preliminary Pittsfield police report. Spokesman Andy McKeever said the prosecutors office is conducting its own investigation into the fatal police shooting. He directed requests for comment about the PPD report back to the police department. Im not sure why we would agree to a media interview to answer questions about another agencys policies and findings, McKeever said in an email. The DAs investigation remains open, he said. We request that people who witnessed this event or have information about the shooting [to] contact the Berkshire Detective Unit at 413-499-1112. PPD finding The Pittsfield police Force Investigation Team found that Officer Nicholas Sondrini followed use of force guidelines and that Estrella had posed an immediate threat when he reportedly came at an officer at a fast pace with a raised knife. Sondrini fired twice into Estrellas chest after police say repeated efforts to stop him with less-lethal means failed and after officers had backed 120 feet away from Estrella, and into Onota Street traffic. Recognizing this [imminent] deadly threat within a few feet of his position, Officer Sondrini fired 2 rounds from his firearm, striking Mr. Estrella with both rounds, the report states. On the basis of the preliminary FIT report, Officer Sondrinis Taser deployment and subsequent use of his firearm in response to a perceived imminent deadly threat is in compliance with all relevant department policies, training guidelines, statutory requirements, and use of force guidelines, the report says. Elina and Marisol Estrella said in their statement Thursday that they continue to mourn. Our family and loved ones continue to grieve over the tragic loss of our beloved Miguel, who was a kind, caring and compassionate man who loved his family, friends and community, the Estrellas said in the statement. We appreciate all of the many well-wishes and support we continue to receive in this troubling time. In a statement, the Pittsfield Police Department extended sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Estrella. No release date has been set for the DAs report, though Harrington has called for work to be expedited. Harrington said in an interview shortly after the shooting that her office would make available not only its findings into the circumstances of the fatal shooting but documentation gathered during the probe, including forensic reports, 911 call transcripts, witness interviews and video gathered. When that investigation is completed, all of the materials that we review will be subject to public records requests and will be available to the public, Harrington said at the time. We want this to be a very transparent process. South Africa: Africa's tolerance for coups "no longer exists", says Pres Ramaphosa President Cyril Ramaphosa says the African Union and its Member States are demonstrating that the acceptance of unconstitutional takeovers of governments on the continent will not be tolerated. The Head of State was briefing media following the official State visit of the President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, General Umaro Sissoco Embalo, on Thursday. The West African country was involved in an attempted coup earlier this year. President Ramaphosa emphasised that South Africa has always advocated for peaceful negotiation in any conflict situation. As a continent, we have a lot to learn from our previous experiences. We also, equally, have a lot to learn in the way that ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] is dealing with these much as it is experiencing a spate of coups. The determination and the decisiveness in the leadership of ECOWAS is something that stands out as a very good example for the rest of the continent. I think the continent is moving and maturing towards a state where tolerance for coups and acceptance of coups is now a thing of the past. The AU has taken a very clear and strong position on this, and I think it sends a very strong and important message to those who would want to perpetrate coups that they will have no place to hide and action will also be taken against them." President Ramaphosa reflected that Southern Africa has experienced relative stability over the last few years, with only a few countries facing difficulties. The only sense of instability has been in Mozambique, for instance, in Cabo Delgado with insurgents... Lesotho has largely resolved [its challenges] and they are moving forward with their elections and reforms so that in many ways behoves well for greater stability not only for our region but for the rest of the continent. I do believe that the guns should be silenced as soon as we move forward as the African Union as well, he said. Russia/Ukraine conflict President Ramaphosa told the briefing that he believes talks between Ukraine and Russia on the ongoing conflict are a step in the right direction. We have, as South Africa, been calling for negotiations and our call for negotiation is based on the principle we have always held that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. We were well taught by the great Nelson Mandela, who always thought that conflicts should be resolved in that way, he said. The President has previously had conversations with leaders of both nations, urging them to have a dialogue to end the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyys discussions and meetings is something that we believe is a step in the right direction. In my discussions with them separately, I stressed that it is through negotiations and dialogue that this conflict can be resolved, and we are really pleased that that is now underway. We are really hoping and wishing and praying that it should lead to an agreement that will lead to a cessation of the hostilities and the end of the conflict as well, so that the lives of the people in both countries, and largely in the Ukraine, can be restored and peace can find fertile ground once again, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. More support set for payrolls, job creation By WANG KEJU (China Daily) 09:12, April 28, 2022 Overseas returnees visit a job fair during the 19th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, April 24, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] Li: Stabilizing employment must be given high priority amid new COVID flare-ups China will provide greater policy support to keep payrolls stable and boost job creation, in a bid to ensure steady economic performance, according to a decision made at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. "Now we need to place greater importance on stabilizing employment. The new round of COVID flare-ups has hit employment quite hard. More forceful measures will be taken to enable the early resumption of full-capacity production of enterprises on the basis of sound COVID-19 control," Li said. "It is particularly important to ensure the normal operation of key enterprises in the industrial and supply chains, in transportation and logistics, and those for COVID-19 response, and to ensure key infrastructure. Point-to-point assistance will be provided to those facing massive difficulties," Li said. Policies to temporarily defer premium payments for old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation will be expanded from the catering, retail, tourism, civil aviation, highway, waterway and railway transportation industries to all micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, or MSMEs, and self-employed households facing COVID-related difficulties in their operations. The proportion of refunding unemployment insurance premiums for MSMEs and self-employed households that make no or minimal cuts to staff numbers will be increased to as high as 90 percent. Localities will be supported in implementing temporary discounts on electricity consumption for industries in special difficulty. In addition, broadband and dedicated internet services will be provided to MSMEs at concessional rates. Moreover, healthy development of the platform economy will be advanced to boost job creation. "We must make dedicated efforts to support market entities and keep employment stable. At the same time, we must do whatever is possible to boost job creation, especially for key groups such as college graduates," Li said. A group of projects in fields including farmland irrigation, water conservancy and rural roads will be launched, and public works programs will be extended, to increase job opportunities for migrant workers. Support measures such as deferred repayment of student loans and interest reduction and exemption will be explored. The meeting also heard reports on the work of ensuring smooth transportation and logistics, and it urged greater efforts to unclog bottlenecks. "We must maintain smooth transportation and logistics. This is crucial to sustaining stable overall economic performance and ensuring people's well-being. This work should take a key place on our agenda," Li said. The meeting required efforts to ensure the efficient running of traffic arteries. Toll stations and service areas along expressways should stay open to the greatest extent possible. Platform and delivery enterprises will be supported in scaling up their transportation capacity. Support will be provided so that outlets that have been shut down due to COVID-19, including express service points, can resume operation and so that delivery personnel can return to work in an orderly manner. Value-added tax will be exempted on eligible revenues generated from express delivery services from May 1 until the end of the year. A 100 billion yuan ($15.2 billion) relending quota will be put into place as quickly as possible to support financing for the transportation, logistics and warehousing industries. It is imperative to issue as many travel permits as necessary, the meeting decided. Quick application and issuance and inter-regional recognition of travel permits will be realized nationwide. Free COVID-19 tests will be provided to truck drivers during transportation. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 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. Hourly workers in Massachusetts collectively miss out on more than $1.6 billion in wages every year because of unmet child care needs, part of a roughly $2.7 billion drag on the statewide economy stemming from inadequate child care, a new report estimates. Putting a hefty dollar figure on an issue familiar to parents across the state, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation said in a report published Thursday that a shortage of early education and care slots and sky-high prices for those available punch a financial hole in the pockets of workers, employers and state government. The business-backed foundation projected that employers lose nearly $812 million every year due to lost productivity, turnover and replacement costs when workers need to step away to care for their children, in addition to the estimated $1.66 billion in lost wages that families face. And because of lower wages and spending, state government also collects $187 million less in taxes every year as a result of poor child care access, MTF said. If we are to unleash all of Massachusettss economic potential, we must enhance our child care infrastructure and increase accessibility in the state, authors wrote in the report. The future of our workforce and economy depend on it. The think tanks analysts projected a significant economic boost if parents of young children who are currently not working decided to join the labor force, a step that is impossible for many families who cannot afford to place their kids into programs. MTF said Massachusetts has roughly 100,000 parents who do not work and have children under 5 years old. If 10 percent of those adults worked full-time hours making the state median wage, they would collectively earn $859 million and steer $33 million more in income tax to the state every year, MTF said. Getting more parents of young children to work could also help address a workforce crisis fueled by an aging Massachusetts population, the organization said. Since 2014, the number of Bay Staters between the ages of 20 and 54 has declined, birth rates continue to lag the national average, and the population 65 and older is booming. Parents with reliable and accessible child care throughout the early years of their childs life are able to stay in the workforce without significant career disruptions that can impede their advancement, MTF wrote. This results in higher lifetime earnings and retirement savings, as long breaks in employment often mean lower wages upon return, especially for women. The consequences of a flawed child care system are also concentrated among women. According to MTFs analysis, one in five Massachusetts children live in a two-parent household where only one parent works. In 90 percent of those cases, the father is employed, MTF said. Massachusetts has both a child care problem and a workforce problem, which both need to be addressed to support an economic recovery from a global pandemic, MTF President Eileen McAnneny said in a statement. An affordable and accessible child care system can help us overcome our workforce challenges, promote economic growth and support Massachusetts reputation as a top state in which to live and work. Challenges in the child care sector have harangued both parents and policymakers for years. A special commission concluded last month that many Massachusetts families pay 20 to 40 percent of their household income toward early education and care, making the Bay State one of the least affordable for those services in the country. COVID-19 exacerbated longstanding problems, further depleting the number of workers in the field and available slots below already-strained levels. As MTF noted in its report, even after the impact of federal relief, Massachusetts had 6,200 fewer child care seats in fall 2021 than it did before the pandemic hit. Access to high-quality, affordable child care is a foundational component to ensure everyone can participate in our economy. It enables parents to work and businesses to thrive, Eastern Bank CEO Bob Rivers said in a statement provided by MTF. It is essential that we in the business community understand the responsibility we have to solve these challenges and make Massachusetts a more vibrant, inclusive place for all. Beacon Hill leaders are eyeing some action to relieve the growing pressure. Gov. Charlie Baker proposed doubling the dependent care tax credit in a $700 million package of tax relief, and the House Ways and Means Committees fiscal 2023 state budget would inject more than $110 million into the early education and care sector, including a reserve to increase provider salaries. Background of 1, 2, 3 John The author of these three short letters is the Apostle John. He is also known as the Beloved Disciple, one of the Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17), and John, son of Zebedee. We first meet John in Matthew 4:21-22. He, his brother, and Peter have been fishing all night and caught no fish. Jesus calls out to them from the shore to put their nets on the other side of the boat. They do it and suddenly they have caught hundreds of fish! This is one of Jesus first miracles and probably what caught Johns attention to the Messiah. It could be also that John was a disciple of John the Baptist. (John 1:35-42a) John was one of the three disciples Jesus chose to stay close to Him throughout His earthly ministry. Peter, James (Johns brother), and John are considered part of the inner circle of Jesus while on earth. At Jesus crucifixion, John was the only one to stay by Jesus side at the cross. After Jesus resurrection, He raced Peter to the tomb. John was the first to enter to see the empty tomb. After Jesus ascension into heaven and during the beginnings of the church, John stayed in Rome to be a pillar in the early church. (Galatians 2:7-9) John is writing to three different audiences. For 1 John the audience is the general church, scattered throughout the world. Second & third John reference two specific people. An elect lady is probably a woman hosting a church in her home. The second is a man in leadership in a church named Gaius. These letters were probably written when John was very old, maybe even from the island of Patmos. John was exiled to this island as a punishment for preaching about Jesus. Knowing that John was probably older, almost ready to die, affects how we read these letters. As we grow nearer to death, we want those around us to remember not just us, but what is most important to us. John wants his readers to know these things we find here. These are the most important things to John at the end of his long life. 1 John 1:4-5 says And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him. 1 John 5:13 says These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. John shares this particular message so that they will know the information they have heard from John and the other apostles is true. Not only that the believers (and us) can know Johns message is the truth, but in that truth, we can have confidence and continue believing! Weve all heard of ambassadors. It is normative for each country to have an ambassador (an accredited diplomat) who goes and represents their country to and in other nations. According to Embassy Worldwide, for example, there are about 168 Foreign Embassies and 732 Consulates placed in the territory of the United States. The United States itself in total counts near 163 Embassies and 93 Consulates spread all over the world. What do these ambassadors do? For the most part, the ambassador helps promote peace between his country and that in which he or she is placed. As Christiansfirst and foremost in relation to what the world seeswe are to be ambassadors for Christ. We are people called by God to represent Him to a lost and dying (secular) world, and as we become more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18), the world will see His character in and through us. We will spell out more of who we are to be to the world later in this article. Where in the Bible Are We Called to Be "Ambassadors for Christ"? The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, tells us who we now are in Christ and what we are to do: From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling all who call on Jesus Christ to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Lets unpack this treasure chest of a passage. Flesh - To be in the flesh is to live according to human standards according to our own will and not according to Gods sovereign will in our lives (Mark 3:35; Acts 22:14; Romans 7:5, 25; Romans 12:2; Philippians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:3a; Hebrews 10:7). Before, we regarded Jesus Christ from the perspective of people who served self above all else. And now, we do not see Christ from a fleshly perspective. We see Jesus as Lord! We see the world with more clarity as we are sanctified through the power of the Holy Spirit. New creation - No longer are we governed by what we were before we came to a saving faith in Christ. We, at the moment of conversion, became new in Him! (John 3:3,7; 1 Peter 1:3, 23). From God - God drew us to Him (John 6:44; John 14:6). We have no part in our salvation but to acknowledge our sin, repent, and in belief and faith say Yes! to Gods kind invitation (Romans 11:22). It is by grace, Gods gift to us, that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8). Reconciliation - God reconciled our sinful selves to Himself, forgets them (by the mediation of Christ (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24), and has given us a ministry of reconciliation. Ambassadors for Christ We have gained the privilege as Christs own to represent Him. We are to represent God to the world. Righteousness - Christs righteousness has been imputed to Christians (Romans 1:17). Christs righteousness is credited to us believers. What Did This Look Like for the Early Church? The early church realized they were strangers and aliens here on earth (Ephesians 2:19), and they sought to live for Christ as one unified body of believers within ever-present corrupt societies. People of the early church were first called Christians in Antioch, and it wasnt good. It meant of the party of Christ. These ambassadors for Christ were looked at with disfavor as they displayed their Christ-like characteristics. The Apostle Paul was the foremost missionary of the first century, and he founded many churches. As such, when he witnessed or heard of troubling issues within the church, he addressed them via a visit and/or an epistle. Our main passage is addressed to the church in Corinth, and Corinth was in such moral depravity its name was synonymous with gross depravity and drunken immorality. The church must (then and now) stand out as separate from the broken culture (2 Corinthians 6:17). The early church served as ambassadors for Christ by: - Enduring tribulation and persecution for His name. (John 16:33; Acts 8:1, 11:19, 13:50) - Displaying unity in the body. (Acts 2:46) - Walking with Jesus in obedience and humility. (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:3) - Obeying God rather than men. (Acts 5:29) - Growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ through the Word. (Acts 2:42) - Corporate prayer. (They still gathered in the synagogue Acts 2:46-47) - Building up the body. (By this they will know you are My disciples if you have love one for another John 13:35) - Living in peace with one another. (2 Corinthians 13:11) What Does This Look Like for Us Today? Theres an outdated adage which stated, As goes the church, so goes the nation. What has transpired in addition is, As go the leaders, so goes the church. Many so-called churches are nothing more than a name stamped on the side of a building, bearing little resemblance to what Christ calls His church. Evil seems more pervasive due to the worlds population and the global information highway, both physical and virtual. We have church leaders who are nothing more than nose and nickel compilers, counting money and attendance instead of counting the cost as Christ-followers (Luke 14:25-33). And they corrupt churchgoers and seekers with a feel good about yourself false gospel instead of Scriptural Truth (Matthew 23:15). If Christ addressed these false teachers, His ire would sound as it did in Matthew 23:13-35 when He pronounced the seven woes against the Scribes and the Pharisees. In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John wrote what Jesus said to the seven churches of Asia. Some of His words were of rebuke and some of praise. It is reported biblical literacy today is at its lowest point in 500 years. Its no wonder we see the same ills facing the church today as faced by the first-century church in Corinth (or Rome. Or Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Colossae, Galatia, etc.). However, todays true church, as defined by Scripture, is that which looks more like it did as recorded in Acts 2 and 3. We follow the same principles yet with greater distractions that modern technology brings. While we cannot give a comprehensive list of these attributes, we will list some highlights which add to the characteristics as shown by and commanded to the early church. As ambassadors for Christ, we model Christ-like behavior as we go out into the world. We are to: - Love God first and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-40) - Be devoted to reading, studying, meditating upon, and teaching the Scriptures. (Acts 17:10-11) - Be salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-16) - Be mission-minded and share the good news. (Matthew 28:18-20) - Obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29) - Live by and reveal the Fruit of the Spirit to the world. (Galatians 5:22-23) - Be thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) - Be at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18) The characteristics of an ambassador for Christ can fill a book, and its a worthy study to research Scripture for more features we should exemplify. A Prayer to Be a Good Ambassador Father God, Your Word tells us You have granted to us everything we need to live a life of godliness. Give us a desire to immerse ourselves in the Bible and the ability through the power of Your Spirit to understand and apply Your truths. Help us to reach out to others in the name of Jesus and for His glory. Its only through Your work in us we are able to be Your ambassadors, because without You, we are darkness. Dont allow us to keep the Light of life hidden within the confines of our homes and church buildings. Help us model Christ to the world and be the people You have created us to be. In the matchless and holy name of Jesus we pray, Amen. Just as a diplomatic ambassador is trained for his work, so too we, as ambassadors for Christ, are trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine (1 Timothy 4:6-8). Are you a new believer? Get in the Word. Are you a more mature believer? Stay in the Word. Are you a seasoned Christian? Persevere in your study of the Word. For believers of all maturity levels, keep sharing your testimony; its irrefutable. Always remember, be in the world but not of it (John 17:15-19). Photo credit: Getty Images/steve007 Lisa Loraine Baker is the award-winning author of Someplace to Be Somebody (End Game Press, February 2022). Lisa writes fiction and nonfiction and is currently co-writing a Christian living book with her husband, and a suspense novel. Lisa is a member of Word Weavers, Intl (as a critique partner and mentor), AWSA, ACFW, Serious Writer Group, and BRRC. Lisa and her husband, Stephen, inhabit their home as the Newlyweds of Minerva with crazy cat, Lewis. It is important to recognize older adults for their contributions, but also for their powerful voices. Michigans older adults account for nearly one-quarter of Michigans population. Not only do older adults have vast knowledge and experience, but they also vote! For over 20 years, seniors have traveled to Lansing from across the state to advocate and celebrate older adults in an annual event called Older Michiganians Day (OMD). OMD is an opportunity for senior advocates and allies to share their positions with legislators and spur positive change for older adult legislation. Historically, this rally happens in-person on the lawn of the Capitol Building in Lansing. However, of course, with safety precautions in place due to coronavirus, this event has adapted for 2022 as Senior Action Week! In the past, over 1,000 seniors would gather at the capitol, supported by Michigan Area Agencies on Aging. Taking this key advocacy push to a virtual and more localized platform will hopefully allow more people to get involved than ever before! Rather than a dedicated day, Older Michiganians Day has transitioned to a week of advocacy to best inform legislators on senior issues. Older adults and their allies are invited to attend any of the virtual events throughout the week May 9-13 with a unified voice to the Michigan Legislature expressing concerns, challenges and opportunities for older adults. With this week-long event, older adults are the experts, embracing the growing senior population and advocating for policies and budget decisions that allow seniors to age with independence, dignity, and choice. GRAND RAPIDS SENIOR RALLY A special Older Michiganians Day event will take place this year Wednesday, May 11, at the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, 3215 Eaglecrest Drive NE, Grand Rapids. Join the Area Agency on Aging for Senior Rally Day from 10 a.m. to noon to commemorate the original OMD and give our community a greater voice! Lunch will be provided as we live-stream the message from the capitol. There will also be a number of resource booths for attendees to visit on-site. We hope you join us for a unique opportunity to gather together. Further details to come, you can check www.aaawm.org soon for more event information. This year, senior advocates will focus on a different topic each day of the week May 9-13 as follows; Support and Strengthen the Direct Care Workforce (Monday), Rebalance Community-based Long-term Services and Supports (Tuesday), Expand Access to MI Choice (Wednesday), Increase Access to Home and Community-based Services (Thursday), and Bridge the Digital Divide for Older Adults (Friday). How can you get involved? Join us in Grand Rapids for Senior Rally Day! You can also visit the state Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan website: www.4ami.org or join the Special Livestream event at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 11. We would appreciate your support and your voice to encourage lawmakers to consider this years advocacy areas. If youd like to learn more about Senior Advocacy efforts in your region you can contact Sheri Harris, advocacy coordinator at SheriH@aaawm.org or call 616-222-7015. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy of Ed Mallett, Tuba Bach Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy of Ed Mallett, Tuba Bach Show More Show Less 3 of 3 As part of its Tuba Bach Presents ... concert series, in collaboration with the Michigan State University College of Music, Tuba Bach will host a a concert featuring Sonitus Machina at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 726 Fuller Avenue in Big Rapids. Sonitus Machina is comprised of masters and doctoral students from the Michigan State University College of Musics brass studios. The groups members are Connor Johnson, trumpet, of Dexter; Shawn Nichols, trumpets, of Jenison; Elliott Mihelic, horn, of Charleston, West Virginia; Jared Jarvis, trombone, of Brooklyn, Michigan; and Ian Graves, tuba, of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, don't know much about history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Cataracts can be detected via near-infrared eye images Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have proposed a multitask deep learning Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm for automated cataract detection. The proposed method uses eye images captured in the near-infrared domain and is computationally inexpensive, yielding high accuracy. Known as MTCD, the proposed multitask deep learning algorithm is inexpensive and results in very high levels of accuracy. It is also cost-effective as low-cost NIR cameras are used in place of costly ophthalmoscopes. The proposed method can be used in rural settings where the availability of doctors is limited. The research was conceptualised by Dr Mayank Vatsa and Dr Richa Singh from the mage Analysis and Biometrics (IAB) Lab at IIT Jodhpur. They were supported by various UG and Ph.D. students at the lab - Mahapara Khurshid, Yasmeena Akhter, Rohit Keshari, Pavani Tripathi, and Aditya Lakra. IHub-Drishti, TIH at IIT Jodhpur, has recently funded the next stage of this research. The researchers plan to undertake an extensive data collection exercise for building an ophthalmology databank with different kinds of devices. The second part improves the approach and creates an explainable and robust AI algorithm for cataract detection. IIT Jodhpur has collaborated with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, PGIMER Chandigarh, to further expand this research. Online media consumption has taken on a form that becomes less and less compatible with the traditional news reporting ecosystem as time goes on. The line between journalist and content creator is thinner than ever, which is not at all a bad thing, but can result in media professionals feeling alienated by the industry. Reporting the news, or even producing quality work, becomes secondary to getting a high SEO score. Talent, especially writing talent, is squandered as outlets are forced by the powers that be and the audiences that read to take a more short-term focused and fundamentally compromising position.Journalists are being hung out to dry, but there is no reason they cannot stay in their chosen business of media production. PR agencies are more than willing to welcome professionals who offer essential skills related to the creation and distribution of information to a targeted audience. The working conditions may be just as stressful, but the coffee in the breakroom is better, and those agencies, though governed by a different set of corporate principles, are not subject to the institutional hardships being experienced by the fourth estate.Now, this 20-something-year-old wont pretend hes blown this thing wide open. Journalists migrating to the promised land of advertising is nothing new. The first time I made headwind in this industry, I was introduced to a diverse network of PR contacts who had got their start on the opposite team. There was even a disconcerting trend wherein the representatives of South Africas most prominent brands and state entities had previously frequented thenewsroom I was in.But this lateral migration makes ideal sense. The structure of a typical news article, complete with facts, quotes, and an eye towards narrative fluidity, is not unlike that of press releases (or advertorials, which do their best to pass themselves off as news articles). Both news articles and press releasesaim to inform the reader of something. Both can have a catchy headline. Both come accompanied with eye-catching visuals (as every release announcing a new electronic product should). What a journalist brings to the PR creative process is due diligence as well as the ability to conduct thorough research, ensure content marketing material reflects the facts, and do their best to identify whats newsworthy about the topic. When theres a journalist at the helm, thought leadership pieces emanate from a place of legitimate knowledge on the subject, with years of experience to back up the insight.The ideas are always trending; theyre brought to the forefront thanks to a daily dose of content sourced from a variety of platforms and outlets. Journalists are taught to think critically. Match that with creativity and narrower sights, and you have a situation where content marketing can bring out the best in both quality and control.An editors inbox is a holding pen, surrounded by high, impenetrable walls that content marketing can only scale when it is of the highest quality and relevance. This cant be stressed enough. Everyday, those inboxes receive hundreds of releases, think pieces, and newsletters, with only one or two receiving a reply or a straight-up ascension to a publications website or magazine layout. With that in mind, a true measure of an agencys ability to deliver for clients is how regularly unpaid coverage can make the landing.Simply put, journalists are more likely to know what they can get past the shrewd scrutiny of editors. They have first-hand knowledge of respective platforms not just in terms of their audience and content output, but also the facts and details that matter and would potentially be used in their entirety or included in other content to supplement or strengthen the core narrative.Meanwhile, the online media landscape is undergoing minor reckonings. Last month, Google announced changes to its search systems that will impact what product reviews it displays, prioritising more in-depth content as opposed to simple summaries. This may be more consequential to publications than PR practitioners, but it all ends in a scenario where marketers have to be intuitive in how they create content for platforms, and what shape that content takes. Journalists offer legitimacy, passion, and insight. That, combined with an agency that understands client needs and distribution channels, makes for an excellent PR approach. Around the 19th century, the price of tea in China was a fervently discussed subject for the British House of Commons. Its ferocious trade, and tightly controlled markets made it a hot topic, to the extent that to ask someone 'What it had to do with the price of tea in China', was the ultimate snub indicating you thought their comments entirely irrelevant. And whilst this diss may have faded into obscurity, the epic rise of the Chinese coffee market may be a suitable modern-day update. Manner coffee has proved to be one such brand, pouring its challenger spirit out to the world at large. Founded in 2015, Manner almost came to a bitter end when its first store in Nantong (), a prefecture-level city in south-eastern Jiangsu province, proved unsuccessful due to the lack of existing coffee culture. Unperturbed, founder Han Yu and his wife relocated to Shanghai, in true David vs Goliath fashion, to compete in the most densely populated coffee-shop capital of the world. In a 2-metre square kiosk sandwiched between a building entryway and shop, the odds were stacked. In fact, its reported that some national media outlets likened it to the ill-fated cupcake shop of the American sitcom 2 Broke Girls.Despite this alleged roasting, Han Yus caffeine dream came to bloom. In its third month, Manner was selling hundreds of cups a day, and it tentatively expanded across the next two years to eight stores. Today with more than 300 stores in mainland China and an incredible $4.5bn valuation, Manners alchemic blend of product, processes, and culture are clearly leaving a pleasant taste.The brands tagline Good coffee, made in China embellishes the cups and the doors of its head office. In the early days, all the coffee beans for Manner were hand-picked and roasted by Han; with growth this turned into opening a roasting plant that Han still regularly visits. Unlike many established chains (both Western imports and native incumbents), Manner uses semi-automatic coffee machines, requiring a much higher level of skill to operate. This, in turn, was the seed for its barista training centre, and Manner baristas go through several months of training, a practice unheard of in China. The salary of a general manager at Manner is notably higher than those of Starbucks, and apprentices are recruited with the sole experience requirement of Enthusiasm for coffee.However, Manners most interesting challenger tenet is perhaps not in its humble beginnings or local-gone-global love story, but in its strategic deployment of collaborations and content-commerce. To be clear, the power of the collab is not some quiet trick of marketers in the know but a fundamental pillar of brand expansion in the Chinese market. Yet Manner has hit the consumer sweet spot by teaming up with suitably young and buzzy friends, with a mid-to-upmarket lifestyle aspiration factor, that artfully build out the Manner universe.Take their collaboration with Neiwai, for example. Though its execution was simple (a limited edition of drinks and mood-setting video encompassing both brands), it is also a fellow Shanghai-born challenger, with body positivity and diversity at its core. Like Manner, it lives the ethos of going against whats expected of the category.Another dynamic pair up saw lifestyle store Beast (florist turned home textiles, furniture beauty, fragrance store) create a bespoke collection for its Panda Puff perfume launch. The Panda Latte incorporated notes of the perfumes scent profile and its sky blue colour theme. It also came with a miniature bag with a tiny sample of the fragrance inside and converted one Manner store to a Beast-branded panda theme, proving immensely popular with fans. This kind of multi-sensory activation is both a far cry from the category standard and the broader market norm of relying heavily on Idols and KOLs. The Manner world and its friends within are considered and reflective of their values, not a mere numbers-driver.However, the best embodiment of a values-led collaboration is with Manners crossover with Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. When Chinas largest-ever show of works from Andy Warhol came to debut, Manner formulated a special-edition Banana Latte (and themed cup holder of course) to publicise the show and add yet another layer of merch-tainment-esque virality to the collection. These small moments of surprise and delight have created a big impact for Manner, and Warhols eternal wisdom is certainly not lost on them: You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you. The Artfluence Human Rights Award winners have been announced. The Awards were launched in 2021 by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to honour and celebrate artists who are defenders of human rights. Beverley Ditsie, Irfaan Mangera and Don Mattera are the winners of the Artfluence Human Rights Awards 2022 Additional award winners Filmmaker, gender and gay rights activist Beverley Ditsie has been named the 2022 Artfluence Human Rights Champion.In 1995, Ditsie marked an iconic moment in UN history when the UN, for the first time, addressed LGBTQ rights. Ditsie delivered an impassionate address at the UN International Womens Conference held in Beijing on the need to enshrine LGBTQ rights inequality laws.If the World Conference on Women is to address the concerns of all women, it must similarly recognise that discrimination based on sexual orientation is a violation of basic human rights, said Ditsie when she addressed delegates at the conference.Ditsie was also a cofounder of South Africas inaugural Pride Parade held in Johannesburg in 1990. Since then, she has become a leading international figure in gay rights activism.We are honoured to present the 2nd annual Artfluence Human Rights Champion award to Beverly Ditsie because it was her activism, courage and leadership that played a vital role contributing, amongst other activists, to shaping equality rights in the South African Constitution, said Ismail Mahomed, the director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.This year, the Centre for Creative Arts will introduce two additional awards. The Artfluence Lifetime Achievers Award will honour a veteran defender of human rights in South Africa. The inaugural Artfluence Human Rights Lifetime Achievement award will be presented to poet, author, journalist and community activist Don Mattera.Growing up in Sophiatown and harassed by the security police for his political activism, Mattera was banned from 1973 to 1982. He spent three years under house arrest. During the resistance to apartheid, he helped form the Union of Black Journalists and the Congress of South African Writers. He worked as a journalist for the Sunday Times, The Sowetan and the Weekly Mail (now known as the Mail and Guardian). His book Memory is the Weapon is a living testament of his early years which continues to inspire.The Artfluence Youth Activism Award is presented to a person under the age of 35 whose contributions to the struggle for social justice are both visionary, energetic and impactful. The inaugural Artfluence Youth Activism award will be presented to Irfaan Mangera, the youth programmes coordinator at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation.Speaking at the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training in September 2021, Mangera said that young people continued to be excluded from the economy and positions of power. He chose to become a human rights educator because it was the space and the platform in which he could create the most change and impact and influence the lives of young people. His work encouraged young people in South Africa to take charge, organise themselves, mobilise young people in their communities and develop consciousness.At a time in South Africa where political leadership in South Africa is at its lowest ebb, the Artfluence Human Rights Awards seeks to celebrate artists whose legacy as defenders of human rights is inspiring and which can revitalise a moral compass that is based on South Africas constitutional values, said Mahomed.The 2nd annual Artfluence Human Rights festival, supported by the uMngeni Municipality and uMngeni Tourism and presented by the Centre for Creative Arts, will take place from 3 8 May 2022 as both a live and online festival. Don't fall back on robot roses and petrol station chocolates this Mother's Day - let's do it right! City Lodge Hotel Group has put together a great deal this year that applies to the next five weekends - Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 29 April to 29 May 2022 - at Courtyard Hotels, City Lodge Hotels and Town Lodges. Treat the moms and mother figures in your life to a weekend away at 30% off the best available rate and shell receive a free serving of delicious New York Baked Cheesecake when ordering any lunch or dinner meal in our restaurants. And bring the kids our hotels are family-friendly and have plenty of outdoor space to blow off steam, swim if the weather allows or simply relax in the bright autumn sunshine.Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, chief operating officer, says: Were always looking for ways to help our guests celebrate the special people in their lives. Our Mothers May promotion is always popular because it provides a month-long opportunity in which to spoil our precious mothers lets help you show them how much we all care!The Mothers May promotion is available to walk-in, telephone, email and online reservations ( www.clhg.com ) by selecting the WKND Special rate in the booking process. It is running at Courtyard Hotels from R999, City Lodge Hotels from R799, and Town Lodges from R749. The offer excludes City Lodge Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport and Road Lodges. It is valid for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and the rate, which includes VAT and tourism levy, is per room for room only, single or double occupancy. The offer is subject to availability and may not to be used in conjunction with any other specials or negotiated rates. Rates are net and non-commissionable. King James is a 24-year old, multiple award-winning South African agency - now part of the global Accenture Song network. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is creating a Disinformation Governance Board to control narratives combat whatever they deem misinformation before the 2022 midterms and beyond. According to Politico, the new entity will focus on misinformation related to homeland security, focused specifically on irregular migration and Russia. It's only been a couple days since Elon purchased Twitter and the government has already formed a Ministry of Truth https://t.co/mWwyrRP9lv Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) April 27, 2022 It will be headed by Nina Jankowicz, who previously served as a disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center, and advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as part of the Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship. She also oversaw the Russia and Belarus programs at the National Democratic Institute. She also sings erotic Harry Potter songs. So basically the same group of disinformation agents who lied about the Hunter Biden laptop, President Trump, COVID lockdowns, deaths in nursing homes, etc will now create a board to protect us from them? https://t.co/E1O54uBj0r Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) April 27, 2022 The goal is to bring the resources of (DHS) together to address this threat, said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during Wednesday testimony. News of the DHS entity comes just days after Elon Musk secured a $44 billion deal to buy Twitter, which hes vowed to change into a free speech platform within the bounds of the law. As PJ Media notes: Jankowicz has written two books, How to Lose the Information War and How to Be A Woman Online. In a pinned tweet pimping her newly released second book, Jankowiz lets her inner misandry loose and writes, Men burst violently into your mentions and your life like the Kool-aid man, demanding your attention, hawking opinions that they believe are unarguably, manifestly correct and indispensable. As a thought experiment what do you think the Disinformation Governance Board would have done with the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 US election which Democratic politicians and dozens of former intelligence officials swore had all the hallmarks of a Russian disinformation campaign a claim which turned out to be misinformation itself? They didn't need a 'Disinformation Governance Board' until @elonmusk threatened their control over the narrative. Congressman Troy Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) April 27, 2022 Attacks on long-distance fiber-optic cables caused internet outages in several parts of France, carriers SFR and Free said on Wednesday. The cyber section of the Paris public Prosecutors office opened a criminal investigation, a spokesperson told Bloomberg. The probe has been entrusted to the DGSI, the French security agency, and the judicial police. The cables, which connect areas of Paris to the cities of Lyon, Strasbourg and Lille, were physically cut in several places, according to a person familiar with the incident who spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokesman for SFR owned by Altice France SA said that the priority was to restore the network. B2B carrier Netalis called the attack a major incident, unprecedented in its scope. The World Health Organization has already begun drafting a global pandemic treaty on pandemic preparedness. What form will it take? What teeth will it have? How will it further the globalists in cementing the biosecurity grid into place? James Corbett discusses all this and more not to mention talks with OffGs own Kit Knightly in the latest edition of the Corbett Report. Theres also valuable background on the WHO itself, the current Director-General Tedros Adhanom, the organizations role in the swine flu scam of 2009 and much, much more. A must watch. For links, sources and show notes plus downloads options and an audio-only version click here. On April 21st, President Biden announced new shipments of weapons to Ukraine, at a cost of $800 million to U.S. taxpayers. On April 25th, Secretaries Blinken and Austin announced over $300 million more military aid. The United States has now spent $3.7 billion on weapons for Ukraine since the Russian invasion, bringing total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since 2014 to about $6.4 billion The top priority of Russian airstrikes in Ukraine has been to destroy as many of these weapons as possible before they reach the front lines of the war, so it is not clear how militarily effective these massive arms shipments really are. The other leg of U.S. support for Ukraine is its economic and financial sanctions against Russia, whose effectiveness is also highly uncertain UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is visiting Moscow and Kyiv to try to kick start negotiations for a ceasefire and a peace agreement. Since hopes for earlier peace negotiations in Belarus and Turkey have been washed away in a tide of military escalation, hostile rhetoric and politicized war crimes accusations, Secretary General Guterres mission may now be the best hope for peace in Ukraine. This pattern of early hopes for a diplomatic resolution that are quickly dashed by a war psychosis is not unusual. Data on how wars end from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) make it clear that the first month of a war offers the best chance for a negotiated peace agreement. That window has now passed for Ukraine. An analysis of the UCDP data by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that 44% of wars that end within a month end in a ceasefire and peace agreement rather than the decisive defeat of either side, while that decreases to 24% in wars that last between a month and a year. Once wars rage on into a second year, they become even more intractable and usually last more than ten years. CSIS fellow Benjamin Jensen, who analyzed the UCDP data, concluded, The time for diplomacy is now. The longer a war lasts absent concessions by both parties, the more likely it is to escalate into a protracted conflict In addition to punishment, Russian officials need a viable diplomatic off-ramp that addresses the concerns of all parties. To be successful, diplomacy leading to a peace agreement must meet five basic conditions First, all sides must gain benefits from the peace agreement that outweigh what they think they can gain by war. U.S. and allied officials are waging an information war to promote the idea that Russia is losing the war and that Ukraine can militarily defeat Russia, even as some officials admit that that could take several years. In reality, neither side will benefit from a protracted war that lasts for many months or years. The lives of millions of Ukrainians will be lost and ruined, while Russia will be mired in the kind of military quagmire that both the U.S.S.R. and the United States already experienced in Afghanistan, and that most recent U.S. wars have turned into. In Ukraine, the basic outlines of a peace agreement already exist. They are: withdrawal of Russian forces; Ukrainian neutrality between NATO and Russia; self-determination for all Ukrainians (including in Crimea and Donbas); and a regional security agreement that protects everyone and prevents new wars. Both sides are essentially fighting to strengthen their hand in an eventual agreement along those lines. So how many people must die before the details can be worked out across a negotiating table instead of over the rubble of Ukrainian towns and cities? Second, mediators must be impartial and trusted by both sides. The United States has monopolized the role of mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis for decades, even as it openly backs and arms one side and abuses its UN veto to prevent international action. This has been a transparent model for endless war. Turkey has so far acted as the principal mediator between Russia and Ukraine, but it is a NATO member that has supplied drones , weapons and military training to Ukraine. Both sides have accepted Turkeys mediation, but can Turkey really be an honest broker? The UN could play a legitimate role, as it is doing in Yemen, where the two sides are finally observing a two-month ceasefire. But even with the UNs best efforts, it has taken years to negotiate this fragile pause in the war. Third, the agreement must address the main concerns of all parties to the war. In 2014, the U.S.-backed coup and the massacre of anti-coup protesters in Odessa led to declarations of independence by the Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics. The first Minsk Protocol agreement in September 2014 failed to end the ensuing civil war in Eastern Ukraine. A critical difference in the Minsk II agreement in February 2015 was that DPR and LPR representatives were included in the negotiations, and it succeeded in ending the worst fighting and preventing a major new outbreak of war for 7 years. There is another party that was largely absent from the negotiations in Belarus and Turkey, people who make up half the population of Russia and Ukraine: the women of both countries. While some of them are fighting, many more can speak as victims, civilian casualties and refugees from a war unleashed mainly by men. The voices of women at the table would be a constant reminder of the human costs of war and the lives of women and children that are at stake. Even when one side militarily wins a war, the grievances of the losers and unresolved political and strategic issues often sow the seeds of new outbreaks of war in the future. As Benjamin Jensen of CSIS suggested, the desires of U.S. and Western politicians to punish and gain strategic advantage over Russia must not be allowed to prevent a comprehensive resolution that addresses the concerns of all sides and ensures a lasting peace. Fourth, there must be a step-by-step roadmap to a stable and lasting peace that all sides are committed to. The Minsk II agreement led to a fragile ceasefire and established a roadmap to a political solution. But the Ukrainian government and parliament, under Presidents Poroshenko and then Zelensky, failed to take the next steps that Poroshenko agreed to in Minsk in 2015: to pass laws and constitutional changes to permit independent, internationally-supervised elections in the DPR and LPR, and to grant them autonomy within a federalized Ukrainian state. Now that these failures have led to Russian recognition of the DPR and LPRs independence, a new peace agreement must revisit and resolve their status, and that of Crimea, in ways that all sides will be committed to, whether that is through the autonomy promised in Minsk II or formal, recognized independence from Ukraine. A sticking point in the peace negotiations in Turkey was Ukraines need for solid security guarantees to ensure that Russia wont invade it again. The UN Charter formally protects all countries from international aggression, but it has repeatedly failed to do so when the aggressor, usually the United States, wields a Security Council veto. So how can a neutral Ukraine be reassured that it will be safe from attack in the future? And how can all parties be sure that the others will stick to the agreement this time? Fifth, outside powers must not undermine the negotiation or implementation of a peace agreement. Although the United States and its NATO allies are not active warring parties in Ukraine, their role in provoking this crisis through NATO expansion and the 2014 coup, then supporting Kyivs abandonment of the Minsk II agreement and flooding Ukraine with weapons, make them an elephant in the room that will cast a long shadow over the negotiating table, wherever that is. In April 2012, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan drew up a six-point plan for a UN-monitored ceasefire and political transition in Syria. But at the very moment that the Annan plan took effect and UN ceasefire monitors were in place, the United States, NATO and their Arab monarchist allies held three Friends of Syria conferences, where they pledged virtually unlimited financial and military aid to the Al Qaeda-linked rebels they were backing to overthrow the Syrian government. This encouraged the rebels to ignore the ceasefire, and led to another decade of war for the people of Syria. The fragile nature of peace negotiations over Ukraine make success highly vulnerable to such powerful external influences. The United States backed Ukraine in a confrontational approach to the civil war in Donbas instead of supporting the terms of the Minsk II agreement, and this has led to war with Russia. Now Turkeys Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavosoglu, has told CNN Turk that unnamed NATO members want the war to continue, in order to keep weakening Russia. Conclusion How the United States and its NATO allies act now and in the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Ukraine is destroyed by years of war, like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, or whether this war ends quickly through a diplomatic process that brings peace, security and stability to the people of Russia, Ukraine and their neighbors. If the United States wants to help restore peace in Ukraine, it must diplomatically support peace negotiations, and make it clear to its ally, Ukraine, that it will support any concessions that Ukrainian negotiators believe are necessary to clinch a peace agreement with Russia. Whatever mediator Russia and Ukraine agree to work with to try to resolve this crisis, the United States must give the diplomatic process its full, unreserved support, both in public and behind closed doors. It must also ensure that its own actions do not undermine the peace process in Ukraine as they did the Annan plan in Syria in 2012. One of the most critical steps that U.S. and NATO leaders can take to provide an incentive for Russia to agree to a negotiated peace is to commit to lifting their sanctions if and when Russia complies with a withdrawal agreement. Without such a commitment, the sanctions will quickly lose any moral or practical value as leverage over Russia and will be only an arbitrary form of collective punishment against its people, and against poor people everywhere who can no longer afford food to feed their families. As the de facto leader of the NATO military alliance, the U.S. position on this question will be crucial. So policy decisions by the United States will have a critical impact on whether there will soon be peace in Ukraine, or only a much longer and bloodier war. The test for U.S. policymakers, and for Americans who care about the people of Ukraine, must be to ask which of these outcomes U.S. policy choices are likely to lead to. Nicolas J. S. Davies is an independent journalist, a researcher with CODEPINK and the author of Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq. More precipitation is in the forecast for Westman this weekend as another Colorado low is projected to bring between 20 and 50 millimetres of moisture to the region. Advertisement Advertise With Us More precipitation is in the forecast for Westman this weekend as another Colorado low is projected to bring between 20 and 50 millimetres of moisture to the region. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Wednesday afternoon, warning of the third weather system this month. Rain is anticipated, but snow is also possible in some areas in Westman. The exact details are uncertain at this point as weather models are not agreeing, said Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Natalie Hasell. Exact amounts could differ. The models do agree theres a Colorado low coming, she said, but differ on the exact track of the storm, how fast its going to move or how far north the precipitation will extend from the centre. The good news is the temperatures will likely fall at night, slowing down any melting snow, she said. Thunderstorms are also possible. Flooding has hit some areas in southern Manitoba and in Winnipeg. Killarney-Turtle Mountain Mayor Merv Tweed said the municipality is watching the water level locally. "The lake is rising, which is a good thing. It was very low at the end of last year, and lots of water lying around," he said. "Our hope is we get some melt and then a little bit of freezing I think we should be OK depending on how much rain or snow we get this weekend, but were ready for it." The municipality has been cleaning out culverts and drainage ditches for the past three weeks, he said. Machinery is also ready to go if needed. The rivers and creeks around Souris were at historically low levels last year, said Mayor Darryl Jackson, so the precipitation is filling them back up. "Weve got a lot of capacity to take moisture whatever way it comes," he said, adding some low-lying areas south of the town could see moderate flooding. "It would have to be massive rainfall to affect us much." The town is watching the water levels and precipitation, but flooding isnt currently a concern, he said. Rain isnt expected until Friday, so theres enough time to start preparing in case of flooding. Residents should prepare an emergency kit in case of a high-water event and remind children not to jump in puddles if they cant see the bottom. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Biden wants $46.5bn more to help Ukraine battle Russia Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Theres something wonderfully subversive about taking a well-known Western text and flipping it inside out to reveal societal truths. Sydney-based writer Michelle Cahills debut novel Daisy and Woolf does so with Virginia Woolfs 1925 novel Mrs Dalloway, giving a voice and body to a minor Eurasian character, Daisy Simmons. Rewriting the script to decolonise texts is not new Jean Rhys 1966 novel Wide Sargasso Sea provided a postcolonial perspective as a prequel to Jane Eyre but its a trend that is growing, as conversations around race, gender and other marginalised experiences come to the fore. Its no secret that the Western literary canon is enormously white. Many of the books held in the highest regard are by and about white people, with characters of colour either non-existent or mentioned only in passing, a footnote to the main characters story. Cahills protagonist, Mina, is a struggling writer in London whose mother has just passed away. In her grief and desire to better understand her mothers life and experiences as an Anglo-Indian person, she turns to literature, becoming intrigued by the vagueness of Daisys presence in the novel. There is a story I have been trying to speak without contradictions, without censorship or belief being suspended; a story that is mine to tell and not Virginia Woolfs, and yet not entirely mine, because it is within me, of my people, the Anglo-Indians, while also beyond me, she writes. Daisy and Woolf is told both through Minas writing and healing process over an 18-month period from 2017 to 2018, taking her from London to New York and China, then back home to Sydney; and through imagined letters and scenes involving Daisy, the young, married object of middle-aged Peter Walshs affections, and Woolf herself. Daisys scenes paint a vivid picture of life in India sights, smells, foods as she prepares to leave it behind. Constructing this rich backstory for Daisy, and prying open the specifics of her existence, helps Mina make sense of her own life in the modern world. Much of the novel concerns the treatment and perception of people of colour: I have been turning over in my mind the seed of Woolfs idea of colonial India, Mina thinks. In her in-depth study of Woolf, and her experimentation in bringing Daisy to life, Mina challenges these colonial ideas, revealing complex truths about race and gender. Lift the layers and there is misogyny blended with racial scorn, racial infantilism, she writes. Steve Toltz has been having fun composing a comic story about what its like to be murdered, to go on to a bitterly disappointing afterlife, and to come back as a ghost to watch your murderer seducing your wife. For the wife, what its like to go on living in a pandemic world where everyone is dying. Oh, and to perform a caesarean delivery on yourself. I maybe dont have a great sense of how dark my own work is, Toltz says. I think its all fairly light and amusing. He only realises when people read it and remark on its darkness. He is talking via Zoom from his home in Los Angeles, where hes working on a couple of television projects. I was influenced by Russian literature, full of murder and suicide and plots, so I think anythings fair game. I have a hard time with cruelty, I dont think crueltys funny. But other than that as dark as the human experience on its darkest day. We have to live through all these dark things and its right to laugh at them. Toltz says Here Goes Nothing is the third in his trilogy of fear novels. Credit:Nigel Bluck The Australian writer has lived through some dark things himself. In 2004 he spent several months in hospital in paralysis from a cervical spine haemorrhage. Doctors were not sure if he would walk again. Fortunately he recovered and his main take on that time now is a wry observation of how driven he is: Theres no situation of distress so extreme that it interrupts my ability to create. His special brand of dark and dazzling humour burst on the world in 2008 with his first novel, the big and bold A Fraction of the Whole. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book Award and earned him comparisons to John Kennedy Toole and David Foster Wallace. His second novel, Quicksand (which features a paralysed character), won the Russell Prize, the Australian award for humour writing. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Book critics Cameron Woodhead and Steven Carroll cast their eyes over recent fiction and non-fiction releases. Here are their reviews. Fiction pick of the week Credit: The Slowworms Song Andrew Miller, Sceptre, $32.99 Andrew Millers ninth novel The Slowworms Song is an exquisitely written novel that traces the long and uncertain road to redemption of a soldier who commits an atrocity as a young recruit. Stephen Rose served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles; hes now a recovering alcoholic, bunkering down in rural Somerset where he grew up. He tries to reconnect with his daughter Maggie, whose childhood he has been absent for. He goes to rehab, works at Plant World, and nurses his terminally ill father by reading John Clare, that most afflicted and lucid of Romantic poets: I am yet what I am none cares or knows;/My friends forsake me like a memory lost:/I am the self-consumer of my woes. Millers prose style is similarly poetic yet cogent. His insight into trauma and regret, the power of narrative to ensnare as well as liberate us, make this a distilled and mature novel, full of quiet wisdom. Advertisement Credit: The Cane Maryrose Cuskelly, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 As Scandi noir did before it, Oz Gothic is blazing a trail in the international publishing world. Maryrose Cuskellys The Cane gets Queensland in on the action, with a creepy historical thriller set in a sugar-cane town in the 1970s. The community of Quala is in shock after the young Janet McClymont vanishes on her way to babysitting job. Only her bag is found among the vast and undulating canefields that Quala relies on, and her desperate parents urge farmers to delay the harvest, hoping against hope to find their missing daughter. But the cane must burn. Smothering humidity, a climate of fear and an oppressive cloud of prejudice close in on a cast of sharply drawn characters as clues to the mystery are revealed and the darker side of rural life emerges. A tense, unsettling historical thriller that grips small-town psychology with throttling force. Credit: My Pen is the Wing of A Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women Maclehose Press, $22.99 Advertisement An anthology of short fiction by Afghan women might have seemed like a difficult project even in 2019 when it was first mooted. Since then, the pandemic and the resumption of Taliban rule have made the publication of My Pen is the Wing of the Bird little short of a miracle. Collected by Lucy Hannah from over 300 submissions across both urban and rural Afghanistan, these short tales draw insight and lyricism from lives lived in the shadow of war, violence, and relentless misogyny. Amid the terror that permeates this volume, a fragile hope emerges in the creativity to which the collection gives voice an idea inscribed in the title, which quotes one of the stories from Batool Haidiri: My pen is the wing of a bird; it will tell you these thoughts we are not allowed to think, these dreams we are not allowed to dream. Credit: The Lessons John Purcell, Fourth Estate, $32.99 Love and literature collide in John Purcells The Lessons. Jane Curtis is a famously ornery novelist with a cruel streak, and we immediately warm to her when she toys with a journalist set to interview her at a book festival. The action ricochets between the early 80s and early 60s, with two love stories interwoven. Theres an Austen-like scenario featuring Janes niece Daisy. Shes smitten with Harry as a teenager, their class-crossed romance doomed when the teenager goes to live with her bohemian aunt. The other thread involves Janes storied love life and literary career, and how vampiric a writer can be in search of inspiration. Advertisement Purcell quotes Patricia Highsmith questioning whether art has an obligation to be healthy, and theres certainly a morbid edge to this complex, spiky, sex-strewn novel built from lifes treacheries in the face of fiction (and vice versa). Non-fiction pick of the week Credit: The Writer Laid Bare Lee Kofman, Ventura, $32.99 Somerset Maugham said there are three golden rules for writing a novel fortunately, nobody remembers what they are. Indeed, there are as many rules for writing as there are writers, something worth keeping in mind when reading Lee Kofmans deeply thoughtful exploration of the craft. You dont have to agree with what she says. It is valid for her may well be for others and thats why her book rings with passionate authenticity. She covers key practical concerns such as characters and reading like a writer, but her pivotal point, responding to what is urgent in you because it keeps a writer emotionally honest, is right on the money. Its not a guidebook though, rather, like Hemingways wonderful pack of lies A Moveable Feast (which she references), a vivid portrayal of the writing life and its never-ending lessons. Advertisement Credit: The Herd Johan Anderberg, Scribe, $32.99 When the world went into lockdown, Sweden went its own way, and this is the fascinating inside story superb long journalism. In a gallery of characters, the central one is Anders Tegnell, Swedens state epidemiologist. In March 2020 doctors recommended strict measures, Tegnell, to their astonishment, said there was no need. What followed and its a gripping tale of someone (with other expert support) holding his nerve in the face of enormous pressure both internal and external might be called the Swedish experiment. Without closing schools, and with a minimum of restrictions such as limiting public gatherings and no felt need to engage in contact tracing, Sweden negotiated the pandemic its way. At the end of 2021, Sweden was below just about all comparable European countries in terms of per capita COVID mortality rate. Credit: Straits Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Bloomsbury, $39.99 Advertisement CANBERRA The Commonwealth Government spared no effort to ensure the smoothness of the Russians departure from Canberra early today. The only hitch in the arrangements was caused by torrential rain which fell during the morning and forced the departure time of the two Skymasters in which the Russians travelled to Perth to be delayed almost an hour. Some of the Russians are reported to have become suspicious at the delay, but they were reassured when officials told them it was due only to the weather. The departure aroused little public interest, only casual passers-by watching the Russians go. The two chartered Skymasters took off from the partially flooded runway within five minutes of each other, the first leaving at 9.42 a.m. The precautions against any demonstration or upsets began with the posting of additional police outside the embassy grounds from before dawn. Police make 'significant arrest' over 2019 shooting murder of Melbourne father Mitat Rasimi Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Sarah Ferguson has won the race to replace Leigh Sales as the host of the ABCs flagship current affairs program 7.30. The ABC announced on Friday that the former Four Corners host and Gold Walkley award-winner would be taking the reins once Sales steps down in June, ending the broadcasters hunt for a replacement, which began in February. Sarah Ferguson, former host of Four Corners, will take over from Leigh Sales on 7.30. Credit:ABC The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported Fergusons anointment was imminent on Saturday. Other candidates in the running for the position included 7.30s chief political correspondent Laura Tingle and Insiders host David Speers. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size A blindfolded bureaucrat plucks numbered balls out of a bingo cage to decide the order in which candidates are placed on the ballot paper. Its just one aspect of what makes Australias voting system unusual so unusual, in fact, that few other countries in the world use them. Other quirks include our preferential voting system for the House of Representatives, the even more complex partial preferential voting system in the Senate, and compulsory voting. So, how does voting work in Australia? Can your vote be wasted? And what does a donkey vote have to do with the blindfolded bureaucrat? Credit:Artwork: Monique Westermann If the barrel roll seems old-fashioned, thats because it is. Its actually written into the hefty Commonwealth Electorate Act of 1918. That act says the public is allowed to watch the draw, and even roll the barrel themselves. Advertisement The reason the Australian Electoral Commission does this is to make sure the order of House of Representative candidates and parties for the Senate on the ballot papers are randomised. Theyre randomised because of donkey voting. Thats where a voter numbers all the boxes on the ballot paper from top to bottom sequentially. The commission can never be sure if someone is doing this because they dont care about voting, or because those are their genuine preferences. So all donkey votes are counted, says commission spokesman Evan Ekin-Smyth. Common sense would tell you its most likely a donkey vote, but you never know, it could just fall that way. An informal vote is different to a donkey vote and will not be counted. This is where ballots are invalid. They might be left unmarked, or the voter has put a tick or cross instead of numbers, or they have written something on the ballot that identifies them, or they dont have the required number of boxes unmarked. For example, they put just a 1 and nothing else on their House of Reps ballot. See below. Australia is one of only two democracies with compulsory voting. The other is Belgium. In both countries, if people dont vote on polling day they face a fine. About 20 other countries have mandatory voting, including Brazil, but its not enforced with fines. Advertisement The commission expects about 91 per cent of eligible Australians to vote. There are 17 million people enrolled. In other countries, voters may have to number just one box on the ballot for a party or candidate. But to cast a legitimate vote for the House of Representatives in Australia where members are elected by preferential voting people need to number each box on the ballot in order of their choice. This potentially gives voters more say, says Ekin-Smyth. Why? Say a candidate wins 40 per cent of the first preference vote. Its a lot, but not enough for a seat. Another candidate might win fewer first preference votes but then receive the majority of second preferences, which would put that person in the lead. [The first candidate] might be the favourite for 40 per cent but the least favourite for 60 per cent, he says.The idea is that it truly reflects not just peoples most favourite but their least favourite as well. Heres how it works: Advertisement For the Senate, more Tasmanians vote below the line than voters in any other state or territory. About 27 per cent of Tasmanians voted below the line in the last federal Senate election, followed by the ACT with about 22 per cent. Everywhere else, more than 90 per cent of people chose to vote above the line. Both methods above the line or below are perfectly legitimate ways to vote in the Senate. Voters can either number at least six boxes from 1 to 6 above the line, in order of preference; or number at least 12 boxes below the line. They dont have to mark every single box on the ballot paper, which is why its called a partial preferential system. You certainly can number every single box below the line but, depending on your state or territory, you might be there for a while in 2016, NSW had a record 151 candidates on the Senate ballot. Unlike the House of Representatives ballot, where people are voting to elect one candidate, the Senate ballot is usually for six seats. A half-Senate election, usually held at the same time as a federal lower house election, means six of the 12 senators who represent each state are up for election; as are two senators each from the ACT and NT. To win a seat, the party or candidate must get a quota a proportion of the electorates votes based on the number of available seats. For example, if the Nationals win enough votes in NSW to fill two quotas, they get two Senate seats. Heres how Senate voting works (there are quite a few steps, toggle right to get to a result): Advertisement A West Australian Labor Senate hopeful who fled Taliban rule and resettled in Australia with her mother in 2003 has been unable to renounce her Afghan citizenship because of the collapse of the Afghanistan government. But the party is confident Labor organiser Fatima Payman will not be stung by section 44 of the constitution, which rules out dual citizens from any country from running for parliament. WA Labors third-spot Senate candidate Fatima Payman. Payman was eight when she was granted entry to Australia under her mothers refugee visa in 2003 after her family fled Afghanistan during the previous Taliban regime. She was granted Australian citizenship in 2005. The 27-year-old is in the winnable third spot on Labors WA Senate ticket and declared her situation in documents lodged with her nomination. London: The sight of people wearing masks has been normalised over the past two years but seeing them on a herd of cows may still raise an eyebrow. However, that is exactly what might come to pass. An invention, backed by the Prince of Wales, is planning to fit innovative methane-catching devices to British herds to reduce their emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas. Startup company Zelp, founded by Francisco Norris, a former Royal College of Arts student, uses pioneering technology to convert methane that is burped out by dairy and beef herds into water and carbon dioxide in an attempt to stem emissions. Prince Charles at the launch of the cow methane masks on Wednesday, at Royal College of Art Dyson Building, Battersea. Credit:Getty It has been working with one of the UKs largest meat producers to test the devices on cows to help cut the carbon footprint of British beef. It feels like Im watching a movie, a really scary movie, she said. Looking at all of this with my own eyes, I start to realise its reality. That reality is what many people sought to capture as they trudged through mud pockmarked with shrapnel and tatters of Russian uniforms. Karolis Kairys, a friend of Grishins, was visiting from Lithuania to oversee a vehicle delivery that he helped organize through his car enthusiast club for the Ukrainian military. Victoria Yarmuska takes a photograph of her husband Igor Yarmulskyi in Dmytrivka. Credit:Alex Horton/The Washington Post He was adamant about sharing his photos on Facebook, he said, because some of his friends are sceptical that Ukraine had scored battlefield successes. They still believe Russian propaganda and think that its not tanks, that this is all staged, he said. The US-provided Javelin antitank missiles are working good, he said with a laugh. It feels like Im watching a movie, a really scary movie. Victoria Yarmuska Others surveying the vehicles were contemplative about what happened on the shoulder of this road. Ukrainian soldiers who pointed out details to reporters on an earlier visit said one of the vehicles, a T-72 tank, was blasted apart with an RPG from a tree-lined stretch of road on the right, suggesting an ambush that widened into an onslaught. Mykhalio Kalyniuk, who has traversed the eastern Donbas on volunteer work, said his heart raced as he strolled through the wreckage, thinking of how the trees splintered apart in heavy barrages. Its hard to imagine how many people lost their lives to make this one thing happen, he said. I think someone scarified their life to not let these tanks enter Kyiv. The site could be preserved as a testament to those Ukrainian losses, he said, before bending over to pick through the soil next to a vehicle. He palmed three rifle bullet casings and rubbed his fingers over them as if they were shells found on a beach. Loading Destroyed Ukrainian equipment is much harder to find. The military has focused on recovering its own vehicles to repair them or strip them of usable parts, but also to minimise the visibility of its own losses, leaving Russian vehicles the primary draw for passersby. Many Russian vehicles have been removed, especially on highways to help alleviate the flow of traffic. But others remain after heavy equipment has been committed to repairing roads and to the war effort in the Donbas region. And it has become an issue of space, officials have said; salvagers are simply running out of space to dump destroyed cars and other vehicles and must carve out new boneyards. In nearby Hostomel, the scene of some of the closest combat in a fight for the airport there, a destroyed Ukrainian tank sat nestled next to a blown-out shop, perhaps fired upon after the crew tried to conceal it in an alley. Some Ukrainians have confused it for a Russian vehicle after noting that the two countries use many similar tanks and that few of their own militarys vehicles are still around. It appeared someone made an effort to dispel the confusion by taping a Ukrainian flag to it. Word got around, and few people approached the tank on Tuesday. Roman Diachuk spotted the tank and arrived to take photos with his friends until he realised it belonged to his own military. He lowered his camera. In Hostomel, where two men examine a burnt out tank, onlookers have regularly confused Ukrainian tank ruins with Russian ones. Credit:Getty We understand that maybe some of our soldiers died here, he said, adding he was glad the Russians were pushed out of the area. We are sorry for the loss of human life, but that was their decision to come here. Just as the vehicles lie where they were destroyed, so, too, do Russian soldiers themselves, their eyeless bodies dripping with spring rain long after they were abandoned by their retreating comrades. Bands of Ukrainian soldiers hauling Javelins and British-made antitank weapons traversed the forest hunting for Russian armoured vehicles near Teterivske, a small village northwest of Kyiv bombarded by Russian airstrikes. They destroyed several, the soldiers said in interviews, then melted back into the forest. We are sorry for the loss of human life, but that was their decision to come here. Roman Diachuk, Hostomel Loading The Russians left several vehicles behind and at least three of their dead. Washington: Small rocket builder Rocket Lab USA Inc is gearing up for a mission that seems more appropriate for a big-budget action movie: catching a falling four-storey-tall rocket booster with a helicopter. The Long Beach, California-based company is trying to slash the cost of spaceflight by reusing its rockets, a trend pioneered by billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musks SpaceX. Small rocket builder Rocket Labs mid-air recovery of a rocket. But unlike SpaceXs reusable, two-stage rocket Falcon 9, which reignites its engines to return to Earth, Rocket Lab aims for a helicopter with two pilots to pluck a 11.9-metre-tall booster stage from mid-air using a combination of ropes, parachutes and a heatshield. Im pretty confident that if the helicopter pilots can see it, theyll catch it, Rocket Lab Chief Executive Peter Beck told Reuters. If we dont get it this time, well learn a bunch and well get it the next time, so Im not super worried. Wellington: A judge in Fiji is due to rule on whether American authorities can seize the luxurious superyacht Amadea worth some $454 million which has been stopped from leaving the South Pacific nation because of its links to Russia. But a vital question remains over which oligarch really owns the Amadea. Only one of the two possible candidates faces sanctions. Is the real owner Suleiman Kerimov? Thats what the US claims. The Amadea docked at Lautoka Wharf in Fiji. Kerimov, an economist and former Russian politician, was sanctioned by the US in 2018 for alleged money laundering and has faced further sanctions from Canada, Europe and Britain after Russia invaded Ukraine. Kerimov made a fortune investing in Russian gold producer Polyus, with Forbes magazine putting his net worth at $US14.5 billion. Latest News MFAA CEO Mike Felton retires Shock announcement at annual conference Labor might consider limiting clawbacks Party to review system if it wins government Mortgage Choice is extending its lending panel relationship with Bluestone Home Loans, selecting the non-bank lender to partner and launch the aggregators fourth white label product. Mortgage Choice Home Loans Amplify was added to Mortgage Choices lending panel this week, offering brokers access to Bluestones flexible credit policies, fast turnaround times and its internet banking facility for customers. Bluestones ability to service customers with more complex financial structures enhances our brokers product range and allows them to service specific customer segments, said Mortgage Choice interim CEO Anthony Waldron (pictured). Waldron said Mortgage Choice Home Loans (MCHL) Amplify would be available to almost 1,000 brokers in its combined network. The partnership with Bluestone comes at a crucial juncture for Mortgage Choice as our business transitions Smartline brokers across to operate under one brand and one system with an expanded lender panel, Waldron said. Read more: What is the best tool for winning business? Bluestone Home Loans chief customer officer James Angus said after a highly competitive selection process, he was delighted Bluestone was chosen as a mortgage loan partner by Mortgage Choice. Were looking forward to offering Mortgage Choice's brokers a competitively priced home loan product suite underpinned by great service and market-leading turnaround times, Angus said. Combining Mortgage Choice's leading broking technology capabilities with Bluestones human approach to lending will give brokers and their customers access to more choice, which in turn creates a more competitive home loan market. Read more: Brokers need to adapt, says Mortgage Choice sales director Bluestone was in significant acceleration mode over the past year and new white label partnerships were a key part of its growth strategy in 2022. Mortgage Choice Home Loans Amplify marked the fourth white label product launched by Mortgage Choice in the past three years, following MCHL Ignite (February 2020), MCHL Propel (February 2021) and MCHL SmartSelect (March 2022 rebranded from Smartline Select). Latest News MFAA CEO Mike Felton retires Shock announcement at annual conference Labor might consider limiting clawbacks Party to review system if it wins government Pallas Capital has announced new appointments to its distribution team to service high net worth investors, family offices, and institutional investors across Australian and Asia-Pacific. The non-bank lender and structured property investment arranger offers brokers and developers lending solutions tailored to their needs by offering five core loan types. These are acquisition, construction, residual stock and vacant land loans, along with the flexibility to negotiate LVRs and level of pre-sales for construction loans. Brad Gowenlock and Esther Fang (both pictured) have both taken on the role of partner - distribution, based out of Pallas Capitals Sydney and Melbourne offices respectively. Gowenlock spent 30 years working in money markets across Sydney, Tokyo, and Singapore and most recently as head of rates of Tullett Prebon Australia. Fang has extensive expertise working in fund management across the Asia Pacific and has an educational background in finance and law. Read more: Pallas Capital underwrites $100 million in loans through new trust I was introduced to the non-bank lending space by both Mark Spring and Craig Bannister, whom Ive known for over 25 years, along with our executive chairman Patrick Keenan, Gowenlock said. Pallas Capital displays an exceptional level of professionalism and service towards its clients, making sure they have a seamless investment experience. The decision to join the team was an easy one for me. Gowenlock said he looked forward to learning from experts that surround him in the distribution team, as well as the originations and credit teams. Their in-depth knowledge and willingness to help is something I have been impressed with early on and expect to work closely with them moving forward, he said. Read more: CBA announces new chairman Fang was recently awarded a CFA Womens Scholarship and is fluent in English and Mandarin. Pallas Capital has grown over the years to become one of the leading lenders in the industry, not just in Australia but also internationally, Fang said. When the opportunity presented itself, I was excited to join the Pallas Capital team. In this role, I look forward to supporting Pallas Capitals growth, especially by strengthening its ties with ultra-high net worth families in Asia who would be delighted to become valuable investors. Pallas Capital executive director Mark Spring said the non-bank lending space was forecast to grow from $18bn in 2020 to $56bn in 2025 and the property investment arrangers were hiring across all aspects of the business to meet the rising demand. In the two-year period from January 2020 to the present day, Pallas Groups headcount has grown by almost 300% to service this demand, Spring said. Whilst we remain focused on building our high net worth client business, this year will see a greater focus on growing our market share in the wealth planning and institutional space. Weeks after WHO suspended the supply of Covaxin through UN procurement agencies, the MEA suggested that vaccine-maker addresses the issue immediately to avoid cancellation of the world health body's emergency use approval for the jab in the future. In a communication to Dr V K Paul, the convenor of a key empowered group on Covid vaccination, on Tuesday, the said many issues about vaccines and international travel by Indians have arisen and these must be addressed immediately. "The issues pertain to m-RNA based booster dose requirement by countries which, in effect, negates our effort to obtain recognition of Covishield and Covaxin, suspension of supply of Covaxin by WHO, acceptance of Corbevax and Covaxin-based vaccination certificates for children and international travel by Indians vaccinated with Sputnik-V," Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. In his communication, Shringla said following an inspection of the premises on March 14 for Covaxin's emergency use listing (EUL), WHO has announced the suspension of the vaccine's supply through UN procurement agencies owing to deficiencies in good manufacturing practices. Although WHO maintained that the vaccine is effective and there is no safety concern, it has recommended that countries using the vaccine take action as appropriate. "This situation further complicates the acceptance of Covaxin-based Indian vaccination certificates by other countries, especially by European Union member states such as Germany and France," the communication said. It stated that a proper response or policy from the government needs to be formulated on the issue and on further pursuance of recognition of Covaxin and Covaxin-based certificates by other countries. " must address the matter immediately through DCGI and WHO and avoid any situation that may lead to cancellation of WHO's EUL for Covaxin in future," Shringla said, requesting that a meeting of the empowered group-five be convened to address the issues. In the communication, he also mentioned some authorities abroad, such as in Hong Kong, have begun demanding vaccination certificates for children and only accept m-RNA based jabs for them. It is necessary to quickly initiate the process of recognition of the Corbevax vaccine and its certificate by other countries while Biological E continues to pursue WHO's EUL for it, Shringla said. He also highlighted that the recent development pertaining to Covaxin further complicates the matter and is detrimental to the acceptance of Covaxin-based vaccination certificates for children by other countries. As for Sputnik V, the foreign secretary pointed out that those who have taken the vaccine are unable to international travel abroad as most countries do not accept Sputnik V which does not have WHO's emergency use listing. (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.) Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Conversion on Thursday signed a pact that will boost the indigenous companys capability for developing an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion System to power Indian Navy warships. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in New Delhi in the presence of the UKs Minister of Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis, and officials from the ministry of defence (MoD), Conversion, and . Conversion is a world leader in electric propulsion. Its equipment is installed on some of the latest platforms of the US Navy and the Royal Navy, including the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers. The Indian Navy is considering building a second indigenous aircraft carrier, referred to as IAC-2, to add to the combat capability already provided by two carriers: a Russian one called INS Vikramaditya and an indigenous carrier, soon to be commissioned, called INS Vikrant. With IAC-2 likely to be similar in size and combat power to two existing Royal Navy carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales a British-French consortium is offering to provide the power system for IAC-2. With India unable to build a nuclear propulsion system for IAC-2, the British-French consortium, designated the Power and Propulsion Sub-Alliance, is offering an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion System. This will include two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines and an alternator supplied by GE Energy, and two Rolls-Royce propellers. The alliance between GE and is expected to build the alternator in India. Last Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson announced the establishment of a joint working group on India-UK Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership with the goal of fostering military and industrial collaboration in maritime electric propulsion systems. Welcoming the MoU, Jeremy Quin said: GE Power Conversion was integral to an industry-government partnership which developed the UKs world-leading electric propulsion capability currently in operation with our Royal Navys destroyer and aircraft carrier fleets. With proven ability to support Indias frontline ships, is a perfect partner for this endeavour. According to a MoD press release on Thursday, With the signing of the MoU, the expertise and facilities of GE Power Conversion and BHEL can be leveraged for quick induction of this advanced technology. GEs powerful electrical networks are capable of supporting a ships energy requirements, including propulsion, high-power sensors, service loads and pulse power for defence systems. GEs naval technologies are proven on naval applications from 3 Mw to 110 Mw, including naval electric motors and generators, switchboards, power converters, power management and automation and control systems, said GE. With decades of experience and a deep understanding of naval requirements and standards, GE Power Conversion claims it has the capability to provide integrated solutions for design, integration, installation, and life cycle support of electric propulsion systems. These are expected to be passed on to BHEL, a central public sector undertaking that has been a supplier of critical equipment and services in the defence and aerospace sector for over three decades. Drone manufacturer ideaForge has closed its Series B round of $20 million led by Florintree, a company led by Mathew Cyriac, the former private equity co-head for Blackstone India. The round also saw participation from the companys existing investors Celesta, a prominent technology investment fund, Infosys, Qualcomm and Infina, along with the Exim Bank of India. Founded in 2007 by IIT Bombay alumni, ideaForge has over 15 years of research and development (R&D) history and it owns more than 20 global patents. Its customers include the Indian military, Adani group, L&T, Indian Oil, Survey of India, Indian Railways, among others. ideaForge Co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehtas, said: ideaForge is very happy to be associated with Florintree, which has a proven track record of helping organisations unlock enterprise value. ideaForge has grown 10X in the last two years and we will use this to invest in R&D, international expansion and building a world-class team. We want to continue to create high performance, reliable and autonomous drones that inspire the adoption of this technology, he added. The Indian government expects the drone manufacturing industry to invest over Rs 5,000 crore over the next three years and generate 10,000 direct jobs. By FY24, it estimates the turnover of the drone manufacturing industry to grow to Rs 900 crore from Rs 60 crore now. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech in February, said the government will encourage startups to facilitate drone-as-a-service (draas). Drone-as-a-service allows enterprises to avail various services from drone companies, removing the need for them to invest in drone hardware or software, pilots, and training programmes. The drone services industry is expected to grow to over Rs 30,000 crore in next three years and generate over five lakh jobs, according to the government. Realty firm Ltd on Thursday said it has acquired a 58-acre land parcel in to develop a residential project as part of its strategy to expand business. The company, which is part of Godrej group, did not disclose the value of this land deal. The development on this land will comprise primarily of plotted residential units, the company said in a regulatory filing. The project will offer an estimated saleable area of 1.5 million square feet. "We are happy to add this new project in to our portfolio. This fits with our strategy of strengthening our presence in key residential markets across the country," Mohit Malhotra, MD & CEO, Godrej Properties, said. The project has good connectivity to Airport and the Nagpur - Hyderabad highway with well-established social infrastructure in the vicinity, the company said. "Nagpur has many prominent infrastructure projects like the Metro Rail project, IT and manufacturing facilities in MIHAN SEZ and Airport Cargo Hub, along with the upcoming Samruddhi Mahamarg, which will further boost national connectivity and the related demand for quality residential units," it added. plans to invest around Rs 7,500 crore over the next 12-18 months on acquisition and development of new real estate projects. In an interview with PTI in February, Executive Chairman Pirojsha Godrej had said, "We will invest USD 1 billion (around Rs 7,500 crore) over the next 12-18 months on development of new projects." Godrej Properties acquires new projects through outright purchase of land parcels and also by forming joint ventures with land owners. Pirojsha had said the company would achieve an all-time high sales bookings in the 2021-22 financial year, beating the previous year's record of Rs 6,725 crore. Last month, Godrej Properties acquired a 9-acre land parcel in Pune to develop a housing project with an estimated revenue of Rs 1,400 crore. It also bought about 50-acre land parcel at Sonipat in Haryana for plotted development. Housing sales rose in 2021, after suffering a major setback in the previous calendar year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown. According to property consultant Anarock, sales across the top seven cities rose 71 per cent year-on-year in 2021 to 2,36,530 units. PropTiger.com said that housing sales across eight major cities increased 13 per cent to 2,05,936 units in 2021. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's antitrust body launched raids on Thursday against two top domestic sellers of online retail giant .com Inc over accusations of having violated competition laws, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Indian retailers, a key part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support base, have long contended that Amazon's platform largely benefits a few big sellers, with the firm engaging in predatory pricing that harms their businesses. The company says it complies with all Indian laws. The exact nature of the purported violations prompting Thursday's raids was not immediately clear. The two sellers were Cloudtail and Appario, the sources said on condition of anonymity, as the details were not public. Amazon, which has an indirect equity stake in both, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cloudtail, Appario and the regulator, the (CCI), also did not immediately respond to emailed queries. One source said the raids, carried out in the capital, New Delhi and the southern tech hub of Bengaluru, related to CCI's investigation ordered in January 2020. In that case, and rival Walmart's Flipkart face accusations of anti-competitive practices, such as promoting preferred sellers on websites and giving priority to listings by some sellers. The deny the accusations, and the antitrust investigation continues. has previously said it "does not give preferential treatment to any seller on its marketplace," and "treats all sellers in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner". A Reuters investigation last year, based on Amazon documents, showed it had given preferential treatment for years to a small group of sellers, including Cloudtail, and used them to bypass Indian laws. The report showed Amazon had for years helped a small number of sellers prosper on its platform, with discounted fees and helping Cloudtail strike special deals with big tech firms. The anti-trust body told a court the Reuters report corroborated evidence it had received against Amazon. In August, Amazon and Cloudtail decided the latter would cease to be a seller from May 2022. (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.) Shares of parent Meta Platforms surged as much as 19 per cent on Thursday after the company reported its main platform added more users than projected in the first quarter, easing concerns that the company is losing momentum as a new generation flocks to younger sites like TikTok. Meta on Wednesday reported 1.96 billion daily users for its flagship platform, a return to growth after the first-ever decline in the December quarter. Analysts had estimated 1.94 billion. Revenue for the period jumped 6.6 per cent to $27.9 billion, clocking in the slowest growth in a decade, and would have been higher if not for the war in Ukraine, the firm said. The stock had dropped almost 50 per cent this year as investors became increasingly worried that Metas main business and profit engine advertising in its social media feeds was losing steam. Those concerns appear to have been put to rest at least for now given added 31 million new daily active users in the recent quarter. Still, many of Metas challenges remain. Chief Executive Officer has acknowledged that video-sharing app TikTok, is providing serious competition for young users attention. The shares jumped to as much as $208.20, the biggest intraday increase since July 2013. A prolonged slowdown would make it tougher for the company to justify Zuckerbergs expensive, virtual-reality-fuelled vision of the metaverse, a business that wont bring in profit for years if ever. On an analyst call Wednesday, Zuckerberg reiterated that it will be years before Metas Reality Labs unit, which is building AR and VR technology, will contribute meaningfully to its business. Meanwhile, the company has said its spending billions and hiring thousands of workers to develop the platform, which Zuckerberg sees as the next major computing shift, into a fully immersive digital environment where users will interact virtually while they work, shop and play games. Mid-tier IT company is set to achieve its long-held aspiration of the yearly revenue rate touching USD 1 billion by the September 2023 quarter, a top official said on Thursday. The Pune-headquartered company posted a 42 per cent jump in revenue to USD 217 million in the March quarter, when it witnessed a 45.9 per cent growth in net profit at Rs 200.9 crore. The company had first spoken about the USD 1 billion annual revenue aspiration a few years ago when it was clocking revenues of about USD 400 million, and made it clear that it will be doing acquisitions to achieve the goal. It can be noted that since the beginning of the pandemic, demand for digitisation has helped IT post handsome growths. Persistent's chief executive Sandeep Kalra told PTI that the company now looking at realising the USD 1 billion aspiration in "four to six quarters" from now, which means it will be hitting the USD 250 million per quarter revenue by September. Kalra said only USD 4.7 million came from the three acquisitions tied up by the company in the last two quarters, and added that most of the revenue is organic one. When asked about acquisitions strategy going forward, he said the company will focus on integrating and assimilating the acquired with its operations. Kalra said it closed FY22 with a Total Contract Value (TCV) of USD 1.22 billion, which has the annual contract value potential of USD 943 million, while in the March quarter it had a TCV of USD 361 million or an annual contract value of USD 262 million. Referring to positive conversations with the clients in meetings held over the last 3-4 weeks, Kalra said the deal pipeline is very strong and things are "looking well" for the mid to long term. The company's chief financial officer Sunil Sapre said the biggest headwind going forward is supply side constraints, which are resulting in a war for talent. Kalra said the turbulence will continue for 2-3 quarters more and the company would like to decrease its attrition level further from the elevated levels of over 26 per cent in March. It is taking specific efforts to reduce the attrition like opening delivery centres at places where the staff would like it to be, Sapre said, adding that it is thinking of having a facility in Indore or satellite centres in Bengaluru. The company is targeting to hire at least 3,000 freshers in FY23 because of the high demand, Kalra said, adding that lately there has been a surge in hiring of freshers for the company. The scrip of Persistent was trading 4.93 per cent up at Rs 4,277.95 apiece on the BSE at 1341 hrs as against a 1.28 per cent gain on the benchmark. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Thursday reported a 33 per cent jump in its net profit to Rs 170 crore in quarter ended March 2022. The housing finance company (HFC) had posted a net profit of Rs 127 crore in the same quarter a year earlier. Total income during the last quarter of 2021-22 ended in March, however, fell to Rs 1,425.83 crore from Rs 1,833.90 crore in the same quarter of 2020-21 as the interest income was down, said in a regulatory filing. The company's interest income in Q4FY22 was lower at Rs 1,299.48 crore, as against Rs 1,670.14 crore in Q4FY21. Net interest income was down by 37 per cent at Rs 377 crore from Rs 593 crore. "During Q4FY2021-22, there is a net income reversal of Rs 58 crore on derecognized loans due to unwinding impact of spread contraction and run offs whereas during Q4FY2020-21, there was a net positive impact of Rs 58 crore on derecognized loans due to fall in assignees' MCLR in Q4FY21-22, " it said in a release. There is an IndAS (Indian Accounting System) adjustment resulting in net interest income reversal of Rs 70 crore. During the quarter, its disbursements grew by 31 per cent from the preceding quarter to Rs 3,698 crore but were down by 10 per cent year-on-year from Rs 4,103 crore as in March 2021 quarter. The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) were down by 1.4 per cent from December 2021 quarter at retail level to 3.56 per cent at end March 2022, it said. Net NPA stood at 4.49 per cent of the loan assets by March 2022 as compared to 4.87 per cent by December 2021. For the full fiscal year 2021-22, the housing financier reported a decline of per cent in its net profit at Rs 836.48 crore, from Rs 929.90 crore in previous fiscal year. Total income during the year was also lower at Rs 6,200.73 crore from Rs 7,624.08 crore. Net interest income was down by 20 per cent at Rs 1,869 crore compared to Rs 2,322 crore. The disbursements during the year witnessed a growth of 8 per cent at Rs 11,246 crore as against Rs 10,445 crore in previous fiscal year. Retail disbursements were 97 per cent of total disbursements in 2021-22, said. Its asset under management (AUM) stood at Rs 65,977 crore as of end March 2022 with retail book comprising 89 per cent of the AUM compared to 84 per cent by end of March. Corporate AUM declined by 39 per cent from a year ago to Rs 7,159 crore from Rs 11,786 crore. The decline in corporate AUM is primarily on account of sell down/accelerated payments and no new sanctions, it added. With 100 branches across 70 cities, 40 outreach locations and 22 hubs, the company said it opened 29 new Unnati locations in tier 2 and 3 cities during the fiscal ended March 2022. Unnati is its affordable housing portfolio with focus on loan ticket size of Rs 15 lakh. The company said it will strengthen distribution network with increased presence in tier II and III cities under Unnati. The board of directors of the company also approved to raise up to Rs 2,500 crore equity by issue equity share on right issue on March 9, 2022. "With the broader improvement in real estate sector demand, the company registered robust disbursement growth at 31 per cent QoQ. "The focus on retail segment led to the growth in the loan asset despite decline in the corporate loan asset during the quarter. Further, the concentrated efforts on recovery led to a decline of 27 per cent in the retail segment GNPA. The company would continue to focus on its asset growth while improving asset quality," Hardayal Prasad, Managing Director & CEO said. PNB Housing Finance shares ended at Rs 390.90 apiece on BSE, up 0.62 per cent. The company promoted by state-owned lender PNB said its board of directors at the meeting appointed Atul Kumar Goel, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD&CEO) of Punjab National Bank (PNB) as a nominee director on its board. Goel has been appointed as an additional director in the capacity of nominee non-executive director of the company, PNB Housing 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 investigative arm of the (CCI) has carried out search-and-seizure operations at multiple premises linked to two sellers of .com, Inc, in connection with an investigation launched against e-commerce players over preferential treatment, said two people privy to the development. is assessing the anti-competitive conduct against seven/eight sellers associated with e-commerce players, they said. The director-general (D-G) of is empowered to carry out searches like other law enforcement agencies in accordance with the direction of the commission. In the matter, a team of officials from the D-G office, local police, and forensic experts have visited multiple locations in Delhi and Bengaluru. Officials are learnt to have questioned key employees of the seller present at the premises. They are learnt to have also taken possession of certain documents, digital data, servers, etc from the search site, said people in the know. searches typically continue for three to four days. According to sources, the raids were conducted on the offices of Cloudtail and Appario, both sellers of e-commerce giant Amazon, as well as the seller offices of Walmart-owned . Without commenting on the specific case, an official said that the competition law provides a very robust framework to assess anti-competitive conduct, which enables CCI to examine, inter alia, instances of preferential treatment by platforms possessing market power and issue suitable remedies to address competition concerns in case the infringement is found to be established. Indias antitrust body launched raids on the two top domestic sellers of over accusations of having violated competition laws. According to sources, the raids are related to a CCI probe ordered in January 2020 on allegations of anti-competitive conduct, such as giving deep discounts on online sales of smartphones and cherry-picking sellers. Other allegations include predatory pricing and exclusive partnerships. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) - which represents around 70 million traders in the country - has hailed CCI for conducting raids on the offices of Cloudtail and Appario. It is a much-awaited welcome step by CCI. This vindicates the substance of various complaints made by CAIT against and Flipkart, said CAIT Secretary-General Praveen Khandelwal. In March this year, CCI cleared Amazons proposal to acquire Catamaran Ventures entire stake in Prione Business Services (Prione) a joint venture (JV) between Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthys Catamaran Ventures and the US-based e-commerce giant. Prione houses Cloudtail - one of the largest retailers on the e-commerce firms Indian platform. Another seller Appario Retail is a subsidiary of Frontizo - a JV between Amazon and Patni Group. ALSO READ: Top traders body CAIT lauds CCI raids on Amazon sellers Cloudtail, Appario The role of Murthy should also be investigated while conducting the raid, said Khandelwal, adding, CAIT appreciates the action taken by the D-G. An email query to Amazon and remained unanswered till the time of going to press. In the context of e-commerce platforms, the concern is that in light of the dual roles performed by them (i.e., role of marketplace, as well as a competitor in the market), they may have the ability, as well as the incentives, to discriminate and leverage. From a competition law perspective, it is important they remain neutral in their functioning. While some cases have been decided by CCI, many are either under investigation or at inquiry level, said another person. The nature of data, difficulty in understanding the operation of algorithms, and other complexities means that authorities need to apply new tools and approaches to investigate and inquire into anti-competitive behaviour in digital markets. Increasingly, data is emerging as an important metric in the assessment of market power, as well as examining conduct, one of the two people cited above explained. Recently, all employees of Cloudtail and its parent firm Prione Business Services, numbering 1,200, were reportedly being moved to Amazon India, according to sources. The process is expected to be completed by the end of May. The relationship between Murthy and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos goes back to 2014, when Prione, a 49:51 JV, was formed. In 2019, the JV was restructured after the government stipulated that foreign e-commerce marketplaces cannot sell products of their group on their platforms. Following this, Catamaran Ventures increased its stake in Prione to 76 per cent, reducing Amazon Asias stake to 24 per cent. A major chunk of Priones revenues came from its ownership of Cloudtail - one of the biggest and most profitable retailers on Amazon. Last year in August, Amazon and Catamaran Ventures mutually decided to not continue their JV beyond the end of its current term. The JV, Prione Business Services, which has been running successfully for the past seven years, is up for renewal on May 19. Last year in December, Amazon had said that Prione would be acquired by Amazon, subject to requisite regulatory approvals. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) which represents about 70 million traders in the country has hailed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for conducting raids on the offices of Cloudtail and Appario, both sellers of e-commerce giant Amazon. It is a much-awaited welcome step of which will surely vindicate the substance of various complaints made by the against Amazon and Flipkart, said secretary general Praveen Khandelwal, while commenting upon the action of the . India's antitrust body has reportedly launched raids against the two top domestic sellers of Amazon over accusations of having violated competition laws. According to the sources, the raids are related to CCI's investigation ordered in January 2020 about allegations of anti-competitive conduct such as giving deep discounts on online sales of smartphones, and cherry-picking sellers. Other allegations included predatory pricing and exclusive partnerships. For the past three years, the said it has been raising strong objections against the malpractices of Amazon and Flipkart and filed complaints with CCI, besides strongly fighting delaying tactics of Amazon and Flipkart in various courts as well. In March this year, cleared Amazons proposal to acquire Catamaran Ventures entire stake in Prione Business Services Pvt. Ltd., the joint venture between Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthys Catamaran Ventures and the US-based e-commerce giant. Prione Business Services houses Cloudtail, one of the largest retailers on the e-commerce firms Indian platform. Another seller, Appario Retail is a subsidiary of Frontizo, which is a joint venture between Amazon and the Patni Group. The role of Mr Narayana Murthy should also be investigated while conducting the raid, said Khandelwal. CAIT appreciates the action taken by DG, CCI. CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Khandelwal, and National Secretary Sumit Agarwal, in a joint statement, said the situation demands that all the records on paper and computers of both the sellers pertaining to the complaints of should be confiscated so that these can not be tempered. The seizure of records will amply substantiate the charges made by CAIT against Amazon and Appario. Besides, these two sellers, other top 20 sellers of Amazon in last 5 years, should also be properly scanned since Amazon is flouting all laws and FDI (foreign direct investment) policy of the Government, alleged Bhartia, Khandelwal and Agarwal. They alleged that Amazon is trying to create a monopolistic market in India for a long time and there is no transparency on Amazon's e-commerce portal thereby causing huge damage to small retailers in the country and collateral damage to the consumers. The trade leaders further said that predatory pricing, deep discounting, loss of funding, the exclusive sale of branded products in collusion with respective corporate companies, and owing inventory are some of the fundamental issues raised by the CAIT. All these practices are explicitly prohibited under Press Note 2 of FDI policy of 2018. CAIT alleged that the biggest hit verticals due to the malpractice of Amazon and Flipkart include mobile, FMCG, consumer durables, clothing, readymade garments, beauty care products, watches, gift items and furnishing fabric. All the employees of Cloudtail and its parent firm Prione Business Services, numbering about 1,200, were reportedly being moved to Amazon India, according to the sources. The process was expected to be completed by the end of May. The relationship between N R Narayana Murthy and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos goes back to 2014, when Prione, a 49:51 JV, was formed. In 2019, the JV was restructured after the government stipulated that foreign e-commerce marketplaces cannot sell the products of their group on their platforms. Following this, Catamaran Ventures increased its stake in Prione to 76 per cent, reducing Amazon Asias stake to 24 per cent. A major chunk of Priones revenues came from its ownership of Cloudtail, one of the biggest and most profitable retailers on Amazon. However, such partnerships face stiff resistance from local trade associations including CAIT and its affiliate Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM) that perceive Amazon and Flipkart as threats to local retailers and they have alleged preferential treatment to select sellers. They have said that Cloudtail, one of the largest sellers on website, is owned by Prione. Last year in August, Amazon and Catamaran Ventures mutually decided to not continue their joint venture (JV) beyond the end of its current term. The JV, Prione Business Services, which has been running successfully for the past seven years, was coming up for renewal on May 19, 2022. Last year in December, Amazon had said that Prione Business Services will be acquired by Amazon, subject to the requisite regulatory approvals. The businesses of the JV continued under the leadership of the current management and once the regulatory approvals came through, the board of Prione and Cloudtail (owned by Prione) was expected to complete the transaction in compliance with the applicable laws. CAIT had come down heavily on the CCI for dropping the investigation against Amazon for violations pertaining to selling private labels on its portal. CAIT had termed the CCI as a spineless toothless body incapable of discharging duties as an Anti-Trust Regulator. It alleged issues were kept pending for a long and indefinite period and by that time, the gravity of the issue already caused damage to the affected party. The CAIT has demanded an in-depth study of the working of the CCI and remedial measures to make it a more efficient and accountable regulator like TRAI and SEBI. An email query to Amazon remained unanswered till the time of going to press. According to the sources, similar raids have also been carried by CCI on seller offices of Walmart-owned Flipkart. "The action by CCI to conduct a dawn raid on sellers on Amazon and Flipkart is beyond the ambit of the regulator," said K Narasimhan Advocate Madras High court. "CCI is mandated to investigate cartel and anti competitive practices. Raids can conducted when parties refuse to co-operate." "The raid by the CCI on sellers on e-commerce platforms will set a dangerous precedent and cause huge damage to the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) wishing to go or already online," said Vinod Kumar President India SME Forum. "The regulators must desist from singling out online sellers in an arbitrary manner. Level playing field must be ensured between all retail players, offline as well as online." B2B travel company TravClan, has raised $4.7 million in its extended Pre-Series A round, led by Hashed Emergent Fund and angel investors. TravClans prominent angel investors include Nick Talwar (CEO at Circle Up), Aayush Phumbra (former cofounder of Chegg), Travis Katz (former cofounder of Trip.com), Pritesh Gupta (former cofounder of Zipgo), and Vikram Chopra and Mehul Agrawal (cofounders of Cars24). Offline travel agents sell $500 billion plus worth of bookings every year. Covid has accelerated the need and demand from travel agents to digitise their operations. Our platform is enabling travel to rebuild their business faster and earn a better livelihood by generating more demand, said Arun Bagaria, cofounder and CEO of TravClan. Our tech-first approach on solving challenges faced by travel businesses has allowed us to build a highly capital efficient business with a small team. The additional capital raised within 3 months of the previous round allows us to double down on investing in product and technology as we look to rapidly scale 10x over the next year, he said. TravClan has expanded to 8 cities in India, Dubai and Singapore and plans to launch operations in the US and South East over the next 12 months. Despite the impact of Covid-19, TravClan claims to have grown nearly 20x during the pandemic and claims to be on track to clock $100 million GMV run rate in this quarter with a positive contribution margin. TravClan was co-founded by Arun Bagaria, Chirag Agrawal, Ashish Thapliyal in October 2018. The founders previously worked in key leadership roles at Oyo, Travel Triangle and Cars24 and understood the challenges faced by 300,000 small and medium travel agents in India. In a race to become India's first chip maker, Ltd is seeking 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of free land from states and other incentives for its $20 billion foray into and display manufacturing, sources told Reuters. The oil-to-metals conglomerate in February said it will diversify into chip manufacturing and announced plans to form a joint venture with Taiwan's Foxconn to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans to make India a manufacturing hub. Though is seeking federal incentives under a Modi programme offering fiscal support, it is separately asking states for 1,000 acre of land free of cost on a lease for 99 years, according to two sources with direct knowledge of . It needs 700 acres for its own facility, and the remainder for ancillaries. has told state governments that its operations would help them generate $2.2 billion in tax revenues over 20 years and create up to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, said the first source. The company is in advanced stages of reviewing proposals from at least three Indian states, Telangana and Karnataka in the south, and Maharashtra in west, added the source. Vedanta did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives of the IT and industries department in the three states did not immediately respond. More corporations and nation states, including India, are looking at ways to have seamless access to chips, which is at the core of many future critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G. Most of the world's chip output is limited to a few countries like Taiwan and United States. India, albeit a late entrant, is now actively luring companies, saying in December it wants to "usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing." From $15 billion in 2020, Indian market is estimated to reach $63 billion by 2026, the government says. Chip plants generally consume electricity and water in huge quantities and their erratic supplies often concern industry in India. As part of lobbying the states, Vedanta is demanding water and power at concessionary and fixed prices for a period of 20 years, the sources said. The first source added that Vedanta expects its plants to eventually consume about 40 million litres of water daily. That would be roughly the amount of water required for a city with more than 300,000 people, going by the suggested benchmark for urban water supply by the Indian government. Separately, while Modi's federal scheme could offer 50% financing support on the project's capital expenditure, Vedanta is seeking additional incentives from states, the source said. India, hoping to attract more global investments in the space, will hold from Friday a three-day semiconductor conference in its southern tech hub of Bengaluru that Modi will inaugurate. Singapore's IGSS Ventures and ISMC, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Next Orbit Ventures and Israel's Tower Semiconductor, have also sought federal incentives under Modi's programme. (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 is likely to hold auction in early June, telecom minister said on Thursday. The minister said that the is working as per expected timeline and the process is on to resolve industry concerns around spectrum pricing. Asked about the schedule of the spectrum auction, Vaishaw said that it is expected to be in early June. Setting the stage for the rollout of 5G services, telecom regulator has mooted a mega auction plan valued at over Rs 7.5 lakh crore at the base price across multiple bands for radio waves allocated over 30 years. "We are very much as per our timeline to conduct the auction," Vaishnaw said. The minister said that the Digital Communications Commission will take a call on recommendations and approach them for clarification. The watchdog has recommended a mega auction plan of over Rs 7.5 lakh crore for over 1 lakh megahertz spectrum in case the government allocates it for a period of 30 years. In case of 20 years, the total value of the proposed spectrum auction will stand at around Rs 5.07 lakh crore at the reserve price, according to the back-of-the-envelope calculation. While has reduced spectrum price by about 39 per cent compared to last price, telecom operators have said that the recommended rates are higher than global benchmarks. (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-concluded online Canton Fair enjoys great popularity 09:25, April 28, 2022 By Wang Wenzheng ( People's Daily The online Canton Fair, which is hailed as the barometer and wind vane of Chinas foreign trade, has built a unique economic and trade bridge for Chinese and foreign exhibitors and buyers. Marketing personnel with Qingdao Jifa Group Holdings Co., Ltd. in Jimo district, Qingdao city, east Chinas Shandong province, promote clothes produced for overseas market via the livestreaming platform of the China Import and Export Fair, April 15, 2022. (Peoples Daily Online/Liang Xiaopeng) The 131st China Import and Export Fair was held online from April 15 to 24. It was the fourth time that the event has been held online. The latest session of the event, also known as Canton Fair, basically maintained the same scale as that of the previous session. It gathered about 25,500 domestic and overseas exhibitors, who showcased more than 3.05 million exhibits during the event, including 951,500 new products, both record highs. Fifty exhibition sections have been set up for 16 categories of commodities; the official website of the trade fair attracted 10.09 million visitors and saw 33.9 million pageviews during the event; and 536,000 overseas buyers from 228 countries and regions registered for the exhibition, rising 41.8 percent from the previous session. The Canton Fair, which has been held continuously for over 60 years, has accumulated a huge number of fans. Although it was held online due to the protracted pandemic, the 131st session of the event still saw active participation by exhibitors and buyers and achieved plenty of fruits with the help of new technologies and forms such as image and text, video, 3D, and virtual reality (VR). Statistics suggest that during the latest session of the Canton Fair, the online exhibition booths of exhibitors registered over 6.22 million visits, and the participating enterprises hosted 85,300 livestreaming shows to showcase their products. An employee with Hebei Tieniu Bicycle Industry Co., Ltd. based in Guangzong county, Xingtai city, north Chinas Hebei province, sells bicycles for children via livestreaming during the 131st China Import and Export Fair, April 21, 2022. (Peoples Daily Online/Wang Lei) We hosted six livestreaming shows within one day during the trade fair, said Wang Dingying, deputy general manager of Ningbo Peaceport Import and Export Co., Ltd. The companys products were displayed in 14 exhibition sections of the trade fair, which covered hardware, garments, home decorations, shoes, suitcases and bags, office supplies, consumer electronics, household electrical appliances and other categories. Livestreaming shows on household electrical appliances were the most popular, according to Wang, who added that new models of small appliances such as coffee maker and high-speed blender attracted buyers from India, the Philippines and other countries immediately after they were displayed. One of the highlights of the 131st Canton Fair was high-tech products and new products that made their debut at the event. More exhibitors showcased products they independently developed and products under their self-owned brands during the 131st Canton Fair compared with in previous sessions. Shanghai Dragon Import and Export Co., Ltd. exhibited a good number of new products at the event, including exquisite aluminum cookware and stainless steel pot with ergonomically designed bakelite handle. Featuring novel design and high-quality materials, these products that suit market demands drew the attention of many overseas buyers. Green and low-carbon products turned out a hit during the event. Foshan Mega Green Products Co., Ltd. based in Foshan city, south Chinas Guangdong province, brought to the 131st Canton Fair many new environment-friendly bamboo products, including degradable PLA (polylactic acid) cup and eco-friendly lunchbox. Bamboos growth cycle is shorter than trees, and cutting them down wont cause soil erosion. So they can replace trees as a production material and thus help protect the environment and save resources, pointed out Feng Limei, general manager of the company. The epidemic has affected the living and eating habits of consumers, which is reflected in their surging demand for disposable tableware, Fend said, adding that their degradable tableware received a lot of negotiation intentions during the event. Overseas exhibitors have also reaped the benefits of the Canton Fair. A total of 402 overseas companies from 32 countries and regions around the world exhibited diversified and characteristic products at the international pavilion of the 131st Canton Fair, including Spanish soap, Chilean red wine, Turkish coffee pot, Korean sheet mask, German bearing and Afghan pine nut. The number of global partners of the recent Canton Fair has reached 170, including 50 from countries along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative and more than 40 from all member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The Canton Fair is a golden name card of Chinas foreign trade development and has gained the huge advantage of high credibility during the past over 60 years, said Lin Xiaofeng, vice president of overseas marketing at Shenzhen Topray Solar Co., Ltd. in Guangdong, adding that the company has been able to establish long-term cooperative relations with many Chinese and foreign customers via the platform. The high popularity of the Canton Fair is underpinned by the Chinese market filled with enormous business opportunities and the resilient Chinese economy. Chinas foreign trade has posted positive year-on-year expansion for seven consecutive quarters; and during the first quarter of 2022, the countrys foreign trade value totaled 9.42 trillion yuan ($1.44 trillion), up 10.7 percent year on year. The impressive performance of Chinas foreign trade has injected confidence and strength into Chinese and foreign exhibitors at the latest Canton Fair. The online Canton Fair has provided solid support for stabilizing global industrial and supply chains and added strong impetus into global economic recovery, according to Bekar Mikaberidze, chief representative of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Guangdong. China has a broad market, and I have full confidence in making deployment and deepening our exploration of the Chinese market, Mikaberidze added. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) An of the South Municipal Corporation (SDMC) scheduled at Jasola and Sarita Vihar was cancelled due to the unavailability of adequate police force on Thursday, the civic authorities said. According to SDMC officials, the drive was planned for Thursday in the Jasola-Sarita Vihar area to remove permanent and temporary encroachments from roads and government land. The drive was scheduled a day after SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan visited these areas. "The drive at Jasola and Sarita Vihar has been cancelled due to the unavailability of adequate police force. The area SHO informed us that adequate police personnel cannot be provided for the drive due to the pre-engagement of the police staff in other law-and-order duties. The drive will be rescheduled accordingly," Suryan said. In a letter to the SDMC, Police said due to the pre-engagement or preoccupation of the staff and personnel of the Sarita Vihar police station in other law-and-order or investigative duties, it is not possible to provide sufficient personnel to assist the SDMC staff in carrying out the in ward number 101-S (Sarita Vihar). "It is requested that prior intimation of at least 10 days may be given to fix the date for the encroachment removal drive in the area of Sarita Vihar police station so that sufficient staff may be given to assist the SDMC staff," it said. Encroachment drives are being planned in the SDMC areas after BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the mayor on April 20, urging him to remove encroachment by "Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements". The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) came under fire from opposition parties and civil rights groups last week, after it bulldozed structures during an at Jahangirpuri, an area that witnessed communal clashes recently. The drive was stopped after the Supreme Court's intervention. (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.) Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Thursday held separate talks with Commander of the US Command Admiral John Aquilino with a focus on the situation in the and the conflict in Ukraine. Admiral Aquilino was in India to participate in the Raisina Dialogue, India's premier foreign policy and geo-economics conference. On Wednesday, he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar. The Army said Gen Naravane and Admiral Aquilino discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence ties. "Admiral John C Aquilino, Commander, Command @INDOPACOM called on General MM Naravane #COAS and discussed ways to enhance the existing bilateral defence cooperation," it tweeted. The Indian Air Force said Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari and the visiting American commander deliberated on wide-ranging issues including joint training and exercises. "Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command called on Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari #CAS today. Wide ranging issues of mutual interest including joint training and exercises were discussed during the meeting," the IAF tweeted. Officials said the security challenges in Indo-Pacific and implications of the Ukraine crisis for regional security figured in Admiral Aquilino's talks with Gen Naravane and Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari. The US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) is the oldest and largest combatant command of the US that is responsible for American military activities in the Indo-Pacific. Defence Minister Singh had visited the headquarters of the INDOPACOM in Hawai earlier this month. (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.) Tata Trusts chairman on Thursday said that a network of 17 cancer care centres in will make treatment accessible to all as it is not a "rich man's disease". Speaking at the inauguration of seven such centres, Tata said with these facilities, will be recognised as a state equipped to provide world-class cancer treatment. "Today is an important day in the history of . Higher level healthcare facility for cancer treatment which was earlier not available in the state is being brought here. Cancer is not a rich man's disease," he said. "Assam can now say that even a small state of India has been equipped with world-class cancer treatment facilities," Tata added. Seven cancer care centres were inaugurated by Prime Minister on the occasion, while he also laid the foundation for seven more during the programme. These centres are being developed by Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), a joint venture of the state government and Tata Trusts. Another three hospitals under the network will be opened later this year. The foundation for the project was laid in June 2018 while a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the state government during the 'Advantage Assam' -- Global Investment Summit that year, giving shape to it. Tata said the network of cancer care centres was a culmination of many months of hard work and praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his foresightedness. He also appreciated the Centre's role in making the treatment centres a reality. There is a high prevalence of cancer in Assam mainly due to consumption of smoked meat, tobacco and 'tamul' (areca nuts). (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 continues to record an upswing in COVID-19 cases with 473 more people being confirmed for the disease on Thursday. A total of 580 fresh infections were reported in the state in the past 24 hours. Besides Gurugram, another NCR district Faridabad recorded 65 new cases, according to the health department's daily bulletin. Of the remaining 20 districts in the state, 42 cases were reported from nine districts, while no case was recorded in eleven districts. As on Thursday, of the 2,215 active cases in the state, 1,548 are from and 506 from Faridabad. During the past few weeks, and Faridabad districts, both of which border Delhi, have recorded a surge in Covid cases Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said a high number of cases in the state are mainly being seen around the national capital in the cities of Gurugram and Faridabad. "However, we are fully prepared to tackle any surge in Covid cases," he said. Vij said sufficient number of isolation beds, ICU beds, besides oxygen and medicine stock are available. Speaking during an interaction on Wednesday which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with chief ministers through video conferencing on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said a high number of cases in the state are mainly being seen in the cities of Gurugram and Faridabad. Khattar had also said that the state is fully prepared to tackle any surge in Covid cases, adding enhanced health infrastructure has been set up in the state. (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 Centre on Wednesday defended in the the passage of the Government of NCT of (Amendment) Act, saying disruptions in the functioning of the NCT of have been witnessed as the Lieutenant Governor is often "kept in the dark" regarding the decisions pertaining to the capital. In an affidavit filed in response to an government plea challenging the 2021 Act, the Centre said the Amendment Act seeks to streamline the governance of NCT of and cut down the conflict. "It is submitted that the last several years have witnessed several instances of practical difficulties and disruptions in the functioning of the NCT of Delhi owing to the fact that the Lieutenant Governor is often kept in the dark regarding the decisions pertaining to the NCT of Delhi, despite the fact that even under the unamended GNCTD Act and Transaction of Business Rules, the Government of NCT of Delhi was required to inform the Lieutenant Governor regarding the administration of NCT of Delhi," the affidavit said. The Centre also told the top court that from a bare reading of the statement of Objects and Reasons, it becomes clear that the amendment was made to the Government of Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 to give effect to the interpretation of the provision of Article 239AA of the Constitution relating to the structure of governance in Capital Territory of Delhi. "The Amendment Act of 2021 in no manner attempts to override the substratum of the Constitution bench's decision or Article 239AA. The Amendment Act merely seeks to bring to and streamline the structure of governance in tune with the principles enshrined by the Constitution bench which are co-extensive power of the executive and legislature, the power granted by the elected government of NCT of Delhi as well as federal structure of the Constitution," it said. The affidavit stated that the Amendment Act, 2021 is not vague and is not liable to be read down or declared unconstitutional on this ground. "It is submitted that the contention of the petitioner that certain expressions inserted by way of the Amendment Act, 2021 are vague such that it is difficult to define or limit its scope does not hold merit," the affidavit said. "The Amendment Act of 2021 seeks to streamline the governance of NCT of Delhi and cut down the conflict by extending the likes of power which was already vested to legislative proposals, agendas, decisions or the orders already passed. "The amended provision provides that the Lieutenant Governor before an Act is passed and a bill is presented to withhold his assent, the Lieutenant Governor shall exercise his power to withhold his assent and reserve the bill for consideration of the President if the bill incidentally encroaches upon the subject which falls outside the purview of the legislative assembly of Delhi," it said. The Centre said that the purpose of the amendment is to make the system of governance more effective by requiring time-bound compliance. The had also sought a joint hearing of two separate petitions of the Delhi government on control over services and challenging the constitutional validity of the amended GNCTD Act, 2021 and the Transaction of Business Rules, which allegedly give more powers to the Lieutenant Governor respectively, saying they are prima facie correlated. The plea by the Delhi government arises out of a split verdict of February 14, 2019, in which, a two judge-bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, both retired since, had recommended to the Chief Justice of India that a three-judge bench be set up to finally decide the issue of control of services in the national capital in view of its split verdict. Justice Bhushan had ruled the Delhi government has no power at all over administrative services. Justice Sikri, however, made a distinction. He said the transfer or posting of officers in top echelons of the bureaucracy (joint director and above) can only be done by the and the view of the lieutenant governor would prevail in case of a difference of opinion on matters relating to other bureaucrats. (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 has accepted Shah Faesal's application for withdrawing his resignation and reinstated him in service and his next posting would be announced soon, Home Ministry officials said here on Thursday. Faesal, who submitted his resignation in January 2019 and floated the People's Movement (JKPM) party, was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act immediately after the abrogation of special status of the erstwhile state of . However, after his release, Faesal gave up on politics and started dropping hints of his willingness to rejoin government service. His resignation had not been accepted. The doctor-turned-bureaucrat formed his party to "revive democratic politics" in but his political career ended abruptly. In an earlier interview with PTI, Faesal had said, "Soon after quitting (IAS), I realised that my innocuous act of dissent was being seen as an act of treason. It had done more harm than benefit and my act had discouraged a lot of civil services aspirants and my colleagues felt betrayed. It upset me a lot." Home Ministry officials said that Faesal's plea for withdrawal of resignation had been accepted and his next posting would be announced soon. The Home Ministry, which is the cadre controlling authority for the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, had asked for an opinion of the Jammu and Kashmir administration about his plea for withdrawal of resignation. After getting reports from all quarters besides the Department of Personnel and Training, the department looking after the IAS, it was decided to accept his plea and was subsequently reinstated earlier this month, the officials said. Hailing from the remote village of Lolab in north Kashmir, Faesal, whose father was killed by terrorists in 2002, had topped the UPSC examination in 2009. He was detained at Delhi airport on the intervening night of August 14-15, 2019, and sent back to Srinagar and placed under detention. He was booked under the draconian Public Safety Act in February 2020 which was revoked four months later. Faesal, who was the first UPSC topper from Jammu and Kashmir, had on Wednesday dropped hints about his return to the government service. In a series of tweets, he spoke about his idealism letting him down in 2019 when he resigned from the government service to join politics. "8 months of my life (Jan 2019-Aug 2019) created so much baggage that I was almost finished. While chasing a chimera, I lost almost everything that I had built over the years. Job. Friends. Reputation. Public goodwill. But I never lost hope. My idealism had let me down," he said. "But I had faith in myself. That I would undo the mistakes I had made. That life would give me another chance. A part of me is exhausted with the memory of those 8 months and wants to erase that legacy. Much of it is already gone. Time will mop off the rest in believe," he added. Though Faesal did not spell out what he meant by "another chance", speculation has been rife here over the past one year that he might return to the government service either as an or in some advisory role to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. "Just thought of sharing that life is beautiful. It is always worth giving ourselves another chance. Setbacks make us stronger. And there is an amazing world beyond the shadows of the past. I turn 39 next month. And I'm really excited to start all over again," he tweeted. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): With India recording more than 3,000 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, health expert has advised all not to let their guard down by being careless and said that the impact of COVID-19 is 'down but not out'. In an exclusive interview to ANI, the Director of Tata Institute for Genetics and Society in Bangalore, Dr Rakesh Mishra warned that the impact of is down but not nullified and advised all to take precautions to curb the impact of the virus. "It is important for all to take adequate precautions to curb the impact of the virus. It is observed that if the cases rise in an area, there is a chance that another variant exists," he said. "We should not be complacent at the moment. The is 'down but not out'. So, we should exercise all precautions including wearing a mask in public places, avoiding crowded places, etc. Don't be careless," he said. The health expert added, "If you don't take care, there are chances that more people will get re-infected. Also, a new variant may come up and pose problems for all," Dr Mishra said. He further said the number of cases being reported in India as of date is not worrisome. "But need to strengthen environmental surveillance, COVID-19 testing mechanisms and genome sequencing methods. Breaching the 3000 caseload mark today is not really a number to worry about. By strengthening our environmental surveillance, we all can, without testing, know about what is the extent of infection and whether it's increasing or decreasing," the TIGS director said. "We should do it like seawater surveillance or/and air surveillance. Experts shall carry out testing of the people certainly for those who come to hospitals with symptoms or if there is some suspicion of increasing cases in the area and so on. And along with this, we should also do very extensive genome surveillance so that we know whether a new variant has surfaced or the same variant is increasing the infections," Dr Mishra said. "There is a less number of COVID-19 cases being reported as on date as compared to what was reported previously. But that doesn't mean that we have to keep our guard down. COVID-19 has not gone away yet and as long as COVID-19 is around, it may mutate into new variants. We all, thus, have to be very careful for the next few months," he explained. India on Thursday witnessed an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 3,303 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, the union reported. There were 39 fatalities over the same period. On Wednesday 2,927 COVID-19 cases were reported from the country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is facing its worst electricity shortage in more than six years just as scorching temperatures force early closures of schools and send people indoors. Extreme heat parched large swathes of South Asia this week after India's hottest March on record, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to warn of rising fire risks as the country heats up too much too soon. In the capital New Delhi, temperatures have soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for several days and are forecast to linger around 44C until Sunday, with peak summer heat still to come before cooling monsoon rains arrive in June. Maximum temperatures recorded in six districts in West Bengal were at least five degree Celsius above normal, weather officials said, with the lack of rains in state capital Kolkata adding to its worries. People in Odisha state in the east set up stalls at prominent public places to offer water to those passing by. Its neighbour West Bengal has announced summer school breaks from next week, days ahead of schedule. Health officials in the western state of Gujarat made arrangements to tackle a potential spike in patients. "We have issued an advisory to hospitals to set up special wards for heat stroke and other heat-related diseases due to the rise in temperatures," Gujarat's health secretary Manoj Aggarwal told Reuters. In the northwest, Rajasthan has scheduled four hours of for factories, making it at least the third state to disrupt industrial activity to manage surging power demand. "In view of the present power crisis, .. it has been decided to impose scheduled cuts," a state utility said. Industrial disruption and widespread are bad news for corporate India, as economic activity has just started to pick up after months of stagnation amid coronavirus lockdowns. are expected to worsen in the coming days as the heatwaves and a pickup in economic activity are seen increasing electricity demand at the fastest pace in nearly four decades. The unprecedented heat puts millions of blue-collar workers, including construction and farm labourers and those working on factory shop floors, at great risk. Sunstrokes have claimed thousands of Indian lives over the years. "Most of India's population is rural, without access to air conditioning and cooling stations," said Arpita Mondal, hydroclimatologist at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. Daily wage earners and those in urban slums are among the most vulnerable to heat, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, since cities tend to be warmer than rural areas due to the heat trapping effect of buildings and other factors. In addition to power cuts for factories, Rajasthan imposed four-hour power cuts for rural regions, exposing thousands of families in the desert state to extreme temperatures. SOARING POWER DEMAND The leap in power demand has left India scrambling for coal, the dominant fuel used in electricity generation in the country. Coal inventories are at the lowest pre-summer levels in at least nine years. Peak-power demand in India surged to a record high on Thursday, and is seen rising by as much as 8% next month, the power ministry said. India's weather office has warned of hotter weather in the coming days. A shortage of trains to transport coal is exacerbating a fuel supply crisis. India's power secretary said this week that train availability was 6% lower than required. Electricity supply fell short of demand by 1.88 billion units, or 1.6%, during the first 27 days of April, the worst monthly shortfall in over six years, according to a Reuters analysis of data from the federal grid regulator POSOCO. Power cuts in five states, including Rajasthan and Haryana in the north and Andhra Pradesh in the south, were the worst in over six years, the data POSOCO showed. With power cuts showing an increasing trend, April shortages could exceed the large cuts implemented in January 2016 during a previous shortfall in . Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh states restricted industrial activity this month as household air conditioning demand peaked. India last faced a big power crisis in October but the situation this month is far more widespread, with more than half of the country facing more power cuts than in October. (Additional reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj, Jatindra Dash in BHUBANESWAR, Sumit Khanna in AHMEDABAD, Subrata Nagchoudhury in KOLKATA; Gloria Dickie in LONDON; Editing by Gerry Doyle, William Maclean) (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 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched an international religious tour package from to by air at a moderate cost for this summer, an official said on Thursday. The six-day-five-night package will start from June 19 and end on June 24. Chief Regional Manager (Lucknow) Ajit Kumar Sinha said as part of the programme, people will fly from the Amausi airport here to Kathmandu. In Nepal, they would be taken to the Pashupatinath temple, the Boudhanath Stupa, the Durbar Square and different locations in Pokhara. Sinha said an individual will be charged Rs 48,500 for the tour while the cost for two people booking together would be Rs 39,000 each and it would further come down for three people in a group. The package includes accommodation in a three-star hotel and Indian food, he added. "Based on the response, more such planned trips will be organised from to Nepal," Sinha said. Booking for the package can be done at the Gomtinagar office or on the website, 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.) External Affairs Minister (EAM) on Thursday arrived in to hold talks with his counterpart AK Abdul Momen. Jaishankar was received at the airport by the Bangladeshi Minister of Foreign Affairs and other officials. During his visit to Bangladesh, Jaishankar will also call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apart from holding discussions with his counterpart Abdul Momen. The EAM is on a three-day visit to and Bhutan starting today. Notably, this is Jaishankar's first visit to Bangladesh, since March 2021. Jaishankar's visit to may be seen in the context of frequent bilateral high-level visits and exchanges particularly as both sides commemorate 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties, an official statement said on Wednesday. During his visit to Bhutan, the EAM will receive an audience with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and also call on Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering. He will also meet his counterpart Dr Tandi Dorji. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Secretary V P Joy on Thursday praised the Gujarat government's "CM dashboard" system, citing that the initiative is effective in monitoring the delivery of services and receiving feedback from people. The dashboard, comprising a large screen displaying real-time data, has been set up at the official residence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. As per a government release, Joy and his delegation visited the chief minister's residence to understand the functioning of the dashboard monitoring system. Joy spent nearly three hours at Patel's residence to understand the functioning of the system, it was stated. The chief secretary praised the "first of its kind" initiative and said the system of acquiring feedback directly from the beneficiaries gives a new dimension to good governance. "We have come here to understand this CM dashboard initiative as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once suggested that we should see this system adopted by the for monitoring service delivery and implementation of pro-people schemes," the release quoted Joy as saying. Using the dashboard system, the chief minister can monitor the implementation of various schemes and basic services, such as state transport, street lights and drinking water supply, in any part of the state. The system accesses data from all e-governance applications to monitor against defined key performance indicators. Whenever necessary, the chief minister's office can intervene through a voice call to the administrative machinery down to the village level, the release stated. Dashboard performs a collection of nearly 3,400 indicators of 20 government sectors from various e-governance applications on a daily basis, and integrates all the key stakeholders on a single platform, such as collectors and secretaries, it said. In the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the CMO kept a watch on the availability of hospital beds, oxygen and medicines using the video wall of the dashboard, the release 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.) Live news updates: India is facing its worst electricity shortage in more than six years as the IMD has predicted that the ongoing heatwave sweeping through vast swathes of the country will intensify in the next five days. In New Delhi, temperatures have soared past 40 degrees Celsius for several days and are forecast to linger around 44C until Sunday. on Wednesday said that Russia's offensive in the east picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow's forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak on Thursday said that no agreement has been reached on a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. "The time of the meeting of the presidents of the two countries and the context of the meeting have not been determined yet," Podolyak, who is also a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the peace talks with Russia, said. After the Russian gas supplier Gazprom announced that it was fully stopping its gas deliveries to Poland and Bulgaria, due to the two EU member states' "failure to pay in rubles", European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the (EU) is ready to face the suspension of Russian gas deliveries to its member states. Meanwhile, will hold an informal UN Security Council meeting on May 6 to present first-hand information about the situation on the ground in Ukraine, a Russian official said. The Centre Wednesday told the it needs to have control over administrative services in as it is the capital and the face of the country. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also said the model of governance of the NCT of would invariably requires the Union government to play a central role, even if a legislative assembly or council of ministers is introduced. It was not meant to be about any particular political party, he said. "Since is the capital, it is necessary that the Centre has powers over appointments and transfers of public servants. Delhi is the face of the nation. The world views India through Delhi," he said. "Since it is the capital, it's necessary that the Centre has special powers over its administration and has control over important issues," he said. The government told the top court that the contentious issue of who should control administrative services in Delhi be referred to a Constitution Bench for a holistic interpretation. Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Chief that from a bare reading of the 2017 order making reference to the Constitution Bench, it can be gathered that the terms of reference required all aspects of Article 239AA to be interpreted. "The Constitutional importance of the above reference stems from the fact that Article 239AA was enacted by the 69a Amendment to the Constitution providing for legislative body and a Council of Ministers for the NCT of Delhi. "The significance of the same is much greater in view of the fact that Delhi is also the national capital and as such the model of governance of the NCT of Delhi would invariably require the Union Government to play a central role, even if a legislative assembly or Council of Ministers is introduced. "It was for this reason, the models of governance, provided for other Union Territories were not considered appropriate for NCT of Delhi and a committee called the Balakrishnan Committee was set up to suggest an appropriate governance model, which could balance the need of the Union's role and at the same time provide platform for democratic aspirations of the people," Mehta told the bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli. The solicitor general submitted that unless the issue which prevented the decision on the dispute as regards legislative powers of the legislative assembly of NCT of Delhi over entry 41 of List II is decided by a bench of the same or larger strength, the dispute cannot effectively be decided. He said that the issues involve a substantial question of law requiring interpretation of a provision of the Constitution and the key issues involved in the present matter cannot be determined unless the same is decided by a constitution bench. The apex court had earlier asked the Centre if the 2018 judgement on the power row had said the assembly was redundant and the Lieutenant Governor (LG) can have power over legislative functions. The top court had posed the question while commencing the hearing on the contentious issue, arising out of a split verdict over control of services, with the AAP government alleging that the Centre has been negating federalism by taking away its power of transfer and posting. The Centre had referred to Article 239AA (which deals with Delhi and its power) and said that it was a mirror image of a report which had said that Delhi being the national capital cannot be a full-fledged state and the Lt Governor is a stakeholder and this position has been not diluted. The Centre had sought the hearing of the dispute about the control over services in the national capital to a constitution bench on several grounds including that the earlier judgements of the five-judge bench did not give any roadmap to decide as to whether the union or the Delhi government will have the competence to deal with the subject under dispute. The had also sought a joint hearing of two separate petitions of the Delhi government on control over services and challenging the constitutional validity of the amended GNCTD Act, 2021 and the Transaction of Business Rules, which allegedly give more powers to the Lieutenant Governor respectively, saying they are prima facie correlated. The plea by the Delhi government arises out of a split verdict of February 14, 2019, in which, a two judge-bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, both retired since, had recommended to the Chief Justice of India that a three-judge bench be set up to finally decide the issue of control of services in the national capital in view of its split verdict. Justice Bhushan had ruled the Delhi government had no power at all over administrative services. Justice Sikri, however, made a distinction. He said the transfer or posting of officers in top echelons of the bureaucracy (joint director and above) can only be done by the and the view of the lieutenant governor would prevail in case of a difference of opinion on matters relating to other bureaucrats. (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 Chamber Dance Group, which she founded in 1954 in Tel Aviv, would perform not to music but only to the steady pulse of the metronome, celebrating the pure movement of the human body. But when the 1973 ArabIsraeli War disrupted those performances, the artist headed out on another journey of creativity and expression piecing together discarded fabrics as though they were paint to create vibrant, emotive wall ... 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. 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Digital Editor The Control Committee (DPCC) has slapped a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for being negligent and not taking proper steps to prevent the fire at the Bhalswa landfill, officials said on Thursday. Environment Minister Gopal Rai had earlier asked the anti-pollution body to probe the incident and submit a report within 24 hours. "The North MCD did not take proper steps to prevent and contain the fire. As per the standard operating procedure, the MCD should have kept water tankers on standby to deal with such a situation," an official said. The fire started in a small area on Tuesday, but it spread due to the negligence of civic officials and engulfed the entire mountain of garbage, he said. Rai on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled municipal corporations should have used the bulldozer to clear the mountains of garbage in Delhi and that repeated incidents of fire at landfills in the capital are a result of corruption in the civic bodies. On April 21, Rai had said the would study a system installed in Mumbai to capture methane from the rotting waste and replicate it in the national capital to prevent fires at landfills. The has seen three such fires since March 28. The wet waste dumped in a landfill produces methane when it rots. In hot weather conditions, methane catches fire spontaneously and the blaze spreads as it feeds on combustible material such as textiles and plastics. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As Prime Minister flagged higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states including Rajasthan, Chief Minister Wednesday said the PM "by mistake instead of saying Bhopal, mentioned Jaipur" as petrol and diesel cost more in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. The Congress leader also said Rajasthan government reduced VATs on diesel and petrol on three occasions, which resulted an annual revenue loss of about Rs 6,300 crore "but the PM only mentioned the revenue loss of 6,000 crores of Karnataka and Rs 3500-4000 crores of Gujarat (both states ruled by BJP)". He claimed the Centre has earned about Rs 26 lakh crore from in eight years which, he said, is the highest amount earned by any dispensation in the history of the country by imposing tax on petrol and diesel. The PM talked about levied by states, but did not give information about the excise of the Central government, he said. The PM in a meeting with CMs earlier in the day had urged states to reduce to benefit of the people. He mentioned names of cities including and fuel price there. After the review meeting, the CM said that Modi alleged that the was reduced by the but many states did not reduce VAT, due to which the relief was not passed onto people. "The PM took the name of but wanted to give that message only to the BJP-ruled states because even today the prices of petrol and diesel in are higher than that in . Perhaps by mistake instead of saying Bhopal', he mentioned Jaipur'," he said in a statement. Gehlot said the Rajasthan government had reduced by two percent on petrol and diesel on January 29, 2021, while the Centre had not reduced the at that time. "Two days later in the budget 2021-22, the Government of India imposed a new cess of Rs 4 on diesel and Rs 2.5 per liter on petrol in the name of Agriculture Infrastructure and Development due to which, the people of Rajasthan could not get the benefit of reduction in VAT by 2 percent. "On 4 November 2021, the reduced the excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs 10 per liter whereas during the lockdown in May 2020, the government had increased the excise duty on petrol by Rs 10 and diesel by Rs 13 per liter, which means that the amount of excise duty increased in Covid was not even reduced completely, he said. He said the VAT of the states is levied on the excise duty of the Centre, therefore, by reducing the excise duty, the VAT automatically gets reduced. For this reason, due to reduction in excise duty on November 4, 2021, the Rajasthan government's VAT automatically reduced by Rs 1.80 per liter on petrol and Rs 2.60 per liter on diesel, he said. "To give relief to the common man, the state government on November, 17, 2021 reduced VAT on petrol by 4.96 per cent and on diesel by 6.70 per cent. Due to the reduction made thrice by the state, there was a revenue loss of about Rs 6,300 crore per year, but the PM only mentioned the revenue loss of 6,000 crores of Karnataka and Rs 3500-4000 crores of Gujarat," said Gehlot. He said that Modi probably mentioned these two states in view of the upcoming assembly elections there. "In May 2014, when Modi became the Prime Minister, excise duty was Rs 9.20 per liter on petrol and Rs 3.46 per liter on diesel, but today excise duty is Rs 27.90 per liter on petrol and Rs 21.80 per liter on diesel. During the UPA government, the states used to get their share of excise duty, but now the share of the states has been continuously reduced to just a few paise per liter so the states are forced to increase their VAT, he said. During the tenure of Modi government, the average prices of crude oil in the international market has been USD 61 per barrel, even then petrol is being sold at more than Rs 110 and diesel at more than Rs 100 per liter, he said. During the tenure of the UPA government, the price of crude oil was USD 100 per barrel but, petrol was not allowed to be costlier, 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.) Minority Affairs Minister told a visiting European Union delegation, including EU special representative for human rights Eamon Gilmore, that constitutional and religious rights of every section are absolutely safe in India, sources in the ministry said on Thursday. The six-member delegation, which included Gilmore and EU Ambassador to India Ugo Astuto, called on Naqvi in Delhi, a day after they met Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra and other members of the panel. According to sources in the Minority Affairs Ministry, Naqvi told the delegation that constitutional and religious rights of every section are absolutely safe in India but "nobody has the right to indulge in forceful and fraudulent religious conversion". The minister told the delegation that some people have been constantly trying to "defame" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a part of a "conspiracy", the sources said. He said that sometimes they write letters, while at other times they raise the "bogey of Islamophobia", according to the sources. Naqvi emphasised that the Modi government has given scholarships to over five crore minority students in the last eight years. He also told the delegation that the percentage of minorities in central government jobs has significantly increased to above 10 per cent. The sources said the minister told the delegation that the terrorist organisations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS may have been successful in their "nefarious designs" in Europe and other countries but they never succeeded in India. This is only because of India's strength of cultural co-existence and unity in diversity, he said, according to the sources. There was no official word from the side of the EU delegation on the meeting with Naqvi. (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.) External Affairs Minister on Thursday called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who offered her country's main seaport - Chittagong Port - to India's northeastern states like Assam and Tripura to enhance connectivity between the two neighbours. Jaishankar, who arrived here on Thursday on a brief official visit, handed over an invitation to Hasina on her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's behalf to visit New Delhi. "Thank Prime Minister for her warm reception. Conveyed personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our bilateral relations are moving from strength to strength under the guidance of the two leaders," Jaishankar tweeted. During the meeting, Prime Minister Hasina said that the two countries have to increase the connectivity further, her press secretary Ihsanul Karim told PTI. She told Jaishankar that the enhanced connectivity was needed for mutual benefit while it would particularly benefit India's northeastern region in using Bangladesh's southeastern Chittagong port, Karim said. "If the connectivity is increased, the Indian northeastern states -like Assam and Tripura- can have access to the seaport in Chattogram," she said. The Bangladesh premier noted that initiative were taken to resume cross-border routes between Bangladesh and India which were stopped during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, when Bangladesh was eastern wing of Pakistan. Karim said a number of bilateral and international issues were discussed during Prime Minister Hasina's more than half an hour long meeting with Jaishankar. Jaishankar later held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen and then jointly briefed the media. "Dr. Momen and @DrSJaishankar discussed the bilateral issues between Bangladesh and India. They expressed satisfaction about the ongoing Bangladesh-India cooperation, vowed to further strengthen the bilateral ties, stressed on regional stability for socio-economic development as a whole," the Bangladesh foreign ministry tweeted. Jaishankar said that during the talks with Prime Minister Hasina he extended Prime Minister Modi's invitation to her to visit India at the time of her convenience. "I conveyed (her) that we look forward to her visit to India at a time her convenience, he said, adding that a number of issues relating to bilateral ties as well as rational and global issues came up as he called on the Bangladesh premier. Jaishankar, who arrived here on a brief official visit, was received at the Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu by Foreign Minister Momen. His visit to Bangladesh is aimed at preparing the grounds for Prime Minister Hasina's visit to India. The two countries are expected to fix the date of the 7th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi. Jaishankar would leave Dhaka for Bhutan on Friday morning. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Thursday reported a 54 percent year-on-year growth in standalone profit of Rs Rs 4,118 crore while announced that it will pay Rs 117.1 billion ($1.5 billion) in dividends to shareholders. Read more on these in our top headlines for the evening. Q4 profit soars 54% to Rs 4,118 cr; NII up 17% Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector lenders in India, on Thursday reported a 54 percent year-on-year growth in standalone profit of Rs Rs 4,118 crore, compared to Rs 2,677 crore in same period last year, the bank said in its BSE filing. Read more to pay Rs 117.1 billion in dividends as Q4 profit drops Ltd. will pay 117.1 billion rupees ($1.5 billion) in dividends to shareholders even as its quarterly profit fell for the first time in six quarters due to elevated raw material costs. Vedanta will pay a dividend of 31.50 rupees a share to investors, it said in an exchange filing Thursday. Read more aims to build 80,000 EVs this financial year: Report expects to aggressively ramp up annual production of electric vehicles (EVs) to more than 80,000 units this financial year, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. That compares with the 19,000 EVs it built and sold in the last financial year. Read more As govt woos foreign univs, Indians studying abroad doubles in 7 years The University Grants Commission, earlier this month, set up a five-member committee to study how to get foreign universities to India. The committee will submit its report by the end of the month, potentially allowing foreign institutes to set up campuses in India. As the government lost that opportunity, a Business Standard analysis shows that the number of students studying abroad has almost doubled over years. Read more may go up 55% to record Rs 2.5 trn in FY23: Report India's bill is likely to shoot up by 55 per cent to record Rs 2.5 lakh crore this fiscal as the government will provide additional funds to make up for the spike in cost from higher import price, top sources said on Thursday. Read more (RSS) chief on Thursday said violence does not benefit anybody and emphasized the need to bring together all communities and preserve humanity, comments coming in the backdrop of recent clashes between different groups in several parts of the country. He also underlined the need for establishing a Sindhi university in the country to ensure survival of the Sindhi language and culture. The chief said India is a multi-lingual country and each language has its own importance. Bhagwat was speaking as the chief guest at the 'Gaddinashini' programme (ceremony to assume religious seat) of Sai Rajeshlal Mordiya, the great grandson of Sant Kanwarram, at Kanwarram Dham on Bhankheda Road near here in eastern Maharashtra. Hundreds of Sindhi community memberrs from Amravati district and different parts of the country attended the ceremony. The chief asserted no one benefits from violence and called for bringing together all communities and preserving humanity. "Violence does not benefit anybody. The society to which violence is dear is now counting its last days. We should forever be non-violent and peace-loving. For this, it is essential to bring together all communities and preserve humanity. We all need to do this work on a priority," said Bhagwat. The leader's remarks came in the backdrop of communal clashes during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in nearly half a dozen states, including the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Observing that the Sindhi community has contributed richly in development of the country, Bhagwat stressed the need of having a Sindhi university to promote and preserve the Sindhi culture and language. "While some Sindhi brethren stayed back in Pakistan to protect their religion and land there, many came to India to protect their religion at the cost of land," the RSS leader said. He said the Sindhi community has to put pressure on the central government to get its demand for a university fulfilled. "The society is desirous of having a Sindhi university and an undivided India. These feelings were expressed on this dais also. I was appealed to make efforts for a Sindhi university, but I am not a part of the government. "Be it this government or any other, it acts on pressure of the society. Social pressure is like petrol to the government. If you desire to see your dream of a Sindhi university becoming a reality, you need to put pressure on this government," Bhagwat said. Speaking on the occasion, Jagatguru Shankaracharya Wasudevanand Saraswati Maharaj said, "Undivided India is the dream of all in the country and this dream will certainly be realized during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister on Wednesday lambasted the force stating that their "negligence has led to incidents of and rape in various places of the state for which the state government has had a loss of face. Facing criticism for the incidents, she pulled up senior officers saying that their sources have failed in providing them with inputs leading to such incidents at Bogtui in Birbhum district and Hanskhali in Nadia district. Nine people, mostly women, were burnt alive at Bogtui village shortly after a local Trinamool Congress leader was murdered last month. At Hanskhali, a minor girl was allegedly raped by the son of a local TMC leader and she died probably due to blood loss earlier this month. Her body was cremated without a post-mortem examination or death certificate. On the orders of the Calcutta High Court, the is investigating the cases. Speaking at an administrative review meeting at the state secretariat, Banerjee asked the officers of the districts to use journalists in the districts as their sources since they have a better network and good contacts. Why did the Hashkhali incident take place in the first place? You (police) have no source. Why should the government have a loss of face because of your negligence? The government wants to take action against the culprits without seeing their political colour, she said while speaking to the police officers of Nadia district and Krishnanagar and Ranaghat police districts. Banerjee, who is also the police minister, wondered why the Hanskhali girl's family did not provide any information to the police initially. The chief minister told Birbhum SP Nagendra Tripathi that the Bogtui incident could have been avoided had the then additional SP of the area shown some proactiveness. This has happened completely because of your negligence. There can be retaliation for an incident. There are several mistakes," she told Tripathi. Referring to the death of a class 12 student of 'Patha Bhavana', a school under Visva-Bharati university, Banerjee asked the DGP to keep a check on the law and order in Birbhum district. She advised senior police officers to visit police stations regularly to keep a tab on the law and order in the area. The CM appealed to the media to telecast news responsibly saying she has often initiated action based on their reports. She asked the Siliguri Police in north Bengal to look into an alleged attempt by the mafia trying to build a bridge demolishing the house of the late Naxal leader Kanu Sanyal. Why don't you have that information? Where is your intelligence? Immediately arrest those who are trying to encroach land, she said. Banerjee said that a proposal would soon be brought to incorporate Naxalbari and Fasidewa with the Siliguri Police Commissionerate from Darjeeling Police District. The chief minister also asked the police not to let anybody incite communal tension and break the prevailing peaceful situation in Darjeeling. Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, said that a monitoring cell would be set up to check the authenticity of FIRs lodged. (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.) Indias markets braced for a sharp rise in prices after Indonesia banned on exports, but opinion was divided as to whether the spike will sustain for long because the Southeast Asia nation is sitting on a stockpile it must liquidate. India and elsewhere is used in multiple things: cakes, frying fats, cosmetics and cleaning products. It accounts for nearly 60 percent of global vegetable oil shipments, and top producer Indonesia accounts for around a third of all vegetable oil exports. Soybean oil, too, traded around record levels in Chicago on Indonesias sweeping ban while canola in North America neared the record reached in March. There will be an availability issue in the short term and there is not much weight drop that one can take beyond a point. Bigger players will have to take price hikes to the tune of 7-10 per cent. Also the industry needs to figure out alternatives to source palm oil, Venkatesh Viajayaraghavan, CEO at CavinKare, told 'Business Standard'. Shipments struck Reuters reported on Wednesday, that around 290,000 tonnes of shipments meant for India was struck after Indonesias ban. "Our vessel of 16,000 tonnes is stuck at Kumai port in Indonesia," Reuters reported quoting Pradeep Chowdhry, managing director of Gemini Edibles & Fats India Pvt Ltd, which buys around 30,000 tonnes of Indonesian palm oil every month. India is the world's biggest importer of palm oil and relies on Indonesia for nearly half of the 700,000 tonnes it takes in every month. It imports around 13-13.5 million tonnes of edible oils annually, of which around 8-8.5 million tonnes (around 63 per cent) is palm oil. Malaysia as alternative Buyers are rushing to make purchases from Malaysia, but Kuala Lumpur cannot fill the demand, said Sandeep Bajoria, chief executive of Sunvin Group, a vegetable oil brokerage and consultancy firm. Malaysia produces around 19 million tonnes of palm oil per year of which almost 16 million tonnes is exported. Now, if every other country starts buying for Malaysia, where will it have oil to support our annual demand of almost 8.5 million tonnes, B.V Mehta, Managing Director of Solvent Extractors Association of India told Business Standard. Already in the last few days, the Mumbai landed price of crude palm oil has risen by $100 per tonne to $1900 per tonne, while that of RBD Palmolein has also jumped by $100 per tonne to 1980 per tonne, Mehta added. Short impact? Meanwhile, amid the turmoil, most traders and market watchers felt that Indonesia might not be able to hold on to the ban for long. Indonesia has to export almost 2.5 million tonnes of palm oil per month or else it will run short of storage space. My understanding is that once domestic prices cool down to around $600 per tonne from the current levels of around $1800 per tonne they will lift the ban, Mehta of SEA said. Sanjiv Mehta, CEO and MD of Hindustan Unilever, concurred. Overall, if I see there might be an impact in the short term, but looking at the amount of excess production compared to the local needs that Indonesia produces, I do believe that the sales of palm oil ex Indonesia will continue, Mehta told investors post its earnings conference call. CRISIL Research, in a note, said Indonesias annual palm oil production in 2022 is expected to be near 47 million tons, up by 5 per cent on a y-o-y basis, of which total exports were estimated near 29 million tons, which is more than 60 per cent of total produce. As per CRISILs own interaction with industry stakeholders, in May 2022 production of palm oil in Indonesia is likely to hit around 4 million tonnes. With no exports in the month of May and 1.5 million tons of domestic consumption (including food, feed & fuel), the country will have a closing inventory of almost 6-6.5 million tons against an annual average of 3.5 million tons. As Indonesian refiners dont have such a huge storage capacity, there are strong chances for prices to fall below Rupiah 14,000/ltrs in the local market in the coming few weeks, post which the export ban could be lifted with some strict regulations, CRISIL said. On the local Indian market, CRISIL said if the Indonesian government lifts the ban before year end, the stocks situation would be in a comfortable situation bringing the prices down in the domestic market. We dont see Indonesia not exporting for a long time. All Indian players are waiting for a change in their policy. Since Indonesia is a net surplus export country, there will be a shortage, Chandrashekhar Reddy, senior VP sales and marketing at Gemini Edibles and Fats India told 'Business Standard'. French spirits giant urged India on Thursday to drop its high tax on imported liquor, saying the tariff puts many of its drinks out of reach of consumers. The 150% tax on imported liquor has long been a sore point for the industry, and poses a "large challenge" for Pernod Ricard, South Asia CEO Thibault Cuny told Reuters in an interview. "We are in favour of free trade ... 150% in India is far beyond many other markets. It creates unaffordability of certain type of products," Cuny said at Pernod's office on the outskirts of New Delhi. Asked if the duty should be ditched, Cuny said: "Yes, yes, we should go after zero ... the ultimate objective should be a 0%." Industry sources say India has kept taxes high on imported liquor as it helps the government generate revenue from alcohol sales and keep consumption in check. India's $20 billion alcohol market is set to grow by 7% each year, with whiskey and spirits among favourites, IWSR Drinks Market Analysis says, making the country of 1.4 billion people a key growth market for the likes of Pernod and Diageo. Pernod is the world's second-biggest spirits group and owns several popular brands, including Chivas Regal, Ballantine's and Glenlivet Scotch whisky and Absolut vodka. SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE There has been more social acceptance of drinking alcohol in recent years and a growing bar culture in India, so more affluent Indians are consuming premium whiskeys and Scotch brands. Prices differ across Indian states, but by way of comparison the company says a bottle of Chivas Regal costs around 6,090 Indian rupees ($80) in southern state of Karnataka, compared with about 28 pounds ($30) in London. During the interview, Jean-Etienne Gourgues, CEO of Chivas Brothers, said such price differentials are "not fair." India is Chivas' biggest market by volume, he added. Pernod in India operates through more than 30 bottling plants and also has a distillery and winery. Cuny said India is one of Pernod's "key strategic markets" with a lot of growth potential, adding the company is seeing growth for brands like Ballentine's in smaller towns and cities, beyond the likes of New Delhi and Mumbai. Import taxes are not the only hurdle to running an alcohol business in India. India's more than two dozen states each have their own policies to regulate the sector, including requiring companies to seek approval to launch new brands. "India is probably the most complex market to manage in the world for the industry. That's the reality," Cuny said. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi Additional reporting by Abhirup Roy Editing by Frances Kerry) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India will on Friday launch an open network for digital commerce (ONDC) as the government tries to end the dominance of U.S. companies .com and in the fast-growing e-commerce market, a government document showed. The launch of the platform comes after India's antitrust body on Thursday raided domestic sellers of and some of Walmart's following accusations of competition law violations. The companies did not respond to request for comment on the raids. Indian retailers, key supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have long contended that and Flipkart's platforms benefit a few big sellers, via predatory pricing, though the companies say they comply with all Indian laws. The government's so-called ONDC platform will allow buyers and sellers to connect and transact with each other online, no matter what other application they use. It will be soft-launched on Friday before being expanded, the trade ministry told Reuters. The government document said that two large multinational players controlled more than half of the country's e-commerce trade, limiting access to the market, giving preferential treatment to some sellers and squeezing supplier margins. It did not name the companies. Amazon and did not immediately respond to requests for comment on ONDC. The document said India's ONDC plan aimed to onboard 30 million sellers and 10 million merchants online. The plan is to cover at least 100 cities and towns by August. It would focus on apps in local languages for both buyers and sellers, with a special emphasis on small merchants and rural consumers, the document said about the project. The government said it had already received support from retailers and venture capital firms. Lenders such as the State Bank of India, and have already committed total investments of 2.55 billion rupees ($33.26 million) into ONDC. A Reuters investigation last year, based on Amazon internal documents, showed the company had given preferential treatment for years to a small group of sellers on its platform and used them to bypass Indian laws. Amazon denies any wrongdoing. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Additional reporting by Aditya Kalra; editing by David Evans) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Thursday issued guidelines for the "centenary chance" exam for drop-out students, stating eligible candidates can appear for a maximum of four papers in the annual mode and up to eight papers for semester-wise tests. The portal for the registration of interested candidates will open from May 1, the university said. The drop-out students have been given this one-time chance in view of the Delhi University's year-long centenary celebrations starting May 1. In March, Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh had announced that students who dropped out would be given a "centenary chance" to complete their studies and get their degrees. A proposal for this was approved at a special Executive Council meeting on January 28 held to discuss the centenary celebrations of the university. The guidelines issued by Registrar Vikas Gupta state that undergraduate and postgraduate students and those pursuing professional courses, who have completed their course work and statutory requirement prescribed for completion of the course, will be considered for the centenary chance. However, M.Phil and PhD students, who could not complete their degrees, will not be considered for this chance, the guidelines stated. The eligible candidates can appear for a maximum of four papers for the annual mode of exam and up to eight papers for the semester scheme. The examination will be conducted tentatively during October this year and March next year through physical mode. It will be held for theory and practical examination, and not for internal assessment, the university stated. The university informed that the students while applying for "centenary chance" need to provide the details and documents as required. "Failing to provide the details/documents, as required, may lead to non-consideration of his/her candidature in the Centenary Chance examination. "Further, it will entail no right for the students to claim any relief in any forum on this count," the guidelines stated. The examination fee will be Rs 2,000 per paper. (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.) Bank expects to grow its balance sheet (assets) by 30 per cent year-on-year basis for five years. It plans to raise fresh equity capital in the current financial year (FY23) to support business growth. The Jaipur-based lender witnessed a growth of 34 per cent YoY in its assets to Rs 69,078 crore by end of March 2022 from Rs 51,591 crore a year ago. Its asset base was Rs 9,781 crore at the end of March 2017. Sanjay Agarwal, managing director & chief executive officer told Business Standard that along with 35-40 per cent growth YoY in deposits, the lender would grow the asset book at 30 per cent and profits by 25 per cent YoY for five years. While its current capital adequacy ratio at 21 per cent is well above the minimum regulatory norms of 15 per cent, the bank plans to raise fresh equity capital in the current financial year depending on market conditions. The bank would like to raise capital in this fiscal to support business growth for two years, Agarwal said. Its Tier-I capital ratio of 19.7 per cent (21.5 per cent in March 2021) against minimum requirement 7.5 per cent. The lender announced its intent to give one equity bonus share for one equity share held for FY22. This is expected to expand the paid up capital base by retaining part of profits. Asked about the approach to building a low cost deposit base, Agarwal said the share of Current Account and Savings Accounts ( CASA) in total deposits rose to 37 per cent by end of March 2022 from 23 per cent a year ago. Now, the bank is working to raise that share to over 40 per cent. As for plans to become a universal bank, Agarwal said there is a desire to become a universal banking entity in the long term. The bank would look at RBI's assessment of its capability before making a move in this regard. The bank has completed five years as a small bank to become eligible for applying for a universal bank license. US President will travel to South Korea and Japan next month and attend the QUAD summit in Tokyo, during which he will also meet India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the White House has said. Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan has been scheduled for May 20 to 24. "This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administration's rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday here. Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan. "The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results. In Tokyo, President Biden will also meet the leaders of the Quad grouping of Australia, Japan, India and the United States. We look forward to having further details to share about this trip soon," Psaki 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.) Britain and the are at an impasse over changes to parts of the deal governing trade with Northern Ireland, Britain's Europe minister James Cleverly told a parliamentary committee on Thursday. The two sides have been trying for months to overcome a deadlock over the protocol, which sets the trading rules for the British region that London agreed before it left the EU but now says are unworkable. Britain's EU withdrawal pact effectively left within the EU's single market and customs union given its open border with EU member Ireland, though in so doing raised some barriers to trade between and the rest of the United Kingdom. "The truth is that we have come to something of an impasse, and I don't think that's through a lack of goodwill, and I think it's more through what we regard in the as an overly limited (EU) negotiating mandate," he said. The government argues the deal in its current form is causing friction to trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, and in turn threatening the 1998 peace agreement that mostly ended three decades of sectarian violence in the province. Britain has previously argued it has grounds to trigger a clause in the deal allowing parts of the treaty to be abandoned - a move that could badly damage an already fragile diplomatic and economic relationship with the EU. "The situation as we now see it is not working," Cleverly said. "It is not doing what it was meant to do, which is to protect equally north-south and east-west trade, and that, by extension, is causing community tensions in Northern Ireland." Cleverly said he still hoped to reach a negotiated deal with the EU. He declined to comment on media reports that the government was preparing legislation that would unilaterally overrule parts of the deal. But, he did say that pressure to find a way forward was mounting and Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been clear on the need to look at ways to alleviate the tension caused by the current arrangements. "We're looking at a range of options about what we can do to ease these tensions," Cleverly said. Perceptions that the protocol erodes Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom has sparked anger in pro-British communities, helped fuel some street violence last year. However, a majority in Northern Ireland voted in favour of remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum that resulted in a national 52%-48% margin in favour of leaving the bloc. (Reporting by William James, editing by Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton and Mark Heinrich) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Thursday asked thousands of its nationals working on the USD 60 billion China- Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in to increase their security and watch out for terrorist risks following a deadly suicide blast in Karachi that killed three Chinese and wounded another. "The Pakistani government has promised to strengthen security for Chinese personnel projects and institutions, and will not allow any force to undermine our friendship and cooperation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here. Asked about the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the militant group whose woman suicide bomber carried out the attack at the Karachi University targeting the Chinese teachers, warning more attacks if and don't vacate from Balochistan province, he said, "we believe Pakistan will take earnest and concrete measures to ensure the safe and smooth progress of bilateral cooperation." "Once again, we remind our institutions' personnel in Pakistan to heighten their security awareness and watch out for terrorist risks," he said. A woman suicide bomber was seen on the video blowing herself near a shuttle bus used by Karachi's Confucius Institute occurred on Tuesday afternoon, killing three Chinese teachers and their local driver and injuring another Chinese person. In a purported video issued by the group, a BLA spokesman said that the motive of the attack was very clear. "It was a simple and clear message to and Pakistan to withdraw immediately from Balochistan," said the masked spokesman surrounded by armed men on a hilly terrain. "Baloch Liberation Army guarantees you the will fail miserably on Baloch land," the spokesman, who was holding an assault rifle, said in fluent English. He warned that a special unit has been formed particularly to attack Chinese officials and installations in Balochistan. The group opposes Chinese investment in Pakistan, especially in the restive Balochistan, saying local people do not benefit. The connects China's Xinjiang province with Gwadar port in Balochistan, providing China direct access to the Arabian Sea. Thousands of Chinese are currently working on scores of infrastructure projects. The Pakistan Army has formed a separate brigade consisting of thousands of soldiers to guard the Chinese as both the BLA and the Pakistan's Islamic militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have carried out numerous attacks. Wang said, "the Pakistani side is making all out efforts to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrator. Terrorism is a common scourge of all mankind. China and Pakistan has the resolve and capability to cut off the claws of the terrorists make them pay the due price." "China and Pakistan's iron-clad friendship is deeply rooted in people's hearts. China supports Pakistan's national development and will continue to support its economic and social development and improvement of livelihood," he said. State-run Global Times reported that Chinese businesses are ramping up precautions to ensure the safety of personnel and projects in accordance with official guidelines following the . After the attack, several state-owned companies that are deeply involved in Belt and Road projects in the country told the daily that their local employees are safe and the projects have not been disrupted. PowerChina, a major participant in the CPEC, said "we have military personnel stationed at our construction sites to guarantee our safety." A manager of the Henan D.R. Construction Group, a large construction company with several projects in Pakistan, said the company is reducing outdoor activities, especially in high-risk areas. Certain safety and security measures for personnel and projects have also been strengthened. China Metallurgical Group Corp, which has copper mining business in Pakistan, said security measures have been strengthened. The company operates several mining projects in Pakistan, including the Saindak copper-gold mine project in west Pakistan. (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.) Asserting that now there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said New Delhi built its partnership with Moscow out of necessity as the US was not in a position to do that earlier. "In the case of India, there is a relationship that goes back decades. And Russia, for India, was out of necessity a partner of choice when we were not in a position to be a partner," he told lawmakers on Wednesday. "Now, we are investing in that effort. I think there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India," Blinken said. "And of course, China is a big part of that," Blinken said in response to a question from Senator William Hagerty during a Congressional hearing by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations. Hagerty had sought Blinken's views on the India-US relationship. "What I see before us is something I'm certain that is very frustrating in the short-term when we have our differences and you deal with that every day," Hagerty said. "But in the long-term, the strategic partnership that we have with India I think poses the opportunity to do more good in the 21st century," he said. Blinken in response said he very much shares the perspective shared by the Senator. "I think this partnership has the potential to be one of the most important and foundational partnerships that we have going forward over the next decades," he said. Blinken said US President has spent "a lot of time directly engaging with Prime Minister Modi and India's leadership". "We have energised the Quad that brings India together with Australia and Japan and us. This has been a very important vehicle for strengthening our collaboration across a whole variety of fronts with India," he said. "What's interesting is this is a moment of strategic inflection, by which I mean this. A number of countries are now relooking at some of their relationships and some of their interests, particularly when it comes to their relationship with Russia," added the top American diplomat. Earlier, Derek Chollet, a top advisor of US Secretary said "Washington fully understands New Delhi's long-standing ties to Moscow." In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chollet said that the US is there to support India and the partnership between US and India has tremendous potential. "We understand that India has had a long-standing defense relationship with Russia over many years and part of that was because the United States was not available to be a partner. It is decades ago and we face a much different reality today," he said. "Over the last 10 years, the US-India Defense Partnership has changed dramatically. We see great potential and opportunity in their relationships. Anything that two plus two conversations between Secretary (Antony) Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had with their counterparts helped further clarify that." Asserting that India is a strategic partner of the United States, Chollet said: "We're natural allies. And this partnership has tremendous potential. It's already paying dividends for both countries in the region and all around the world. And we think, really, there's nowhere to go but up. should be able to tackle its cooking oil shortage in the next few weeks and lift an export ban on and its refined products in May, an industry body said on Thursday, a day after a last-minute policy U-turn sparked more alarm for markets. The world's top producer expanded an export ban on raw materials for cooking oil to include shipments of crude and most of its refined products just hours before it took effect at midnight Wednesday, in an attempt to secure domestic supply and bring down soaring prices. Sahat Sinaga, senior official at the Indonesian Palm Oil Board, said that decision had shocked the industry, but that he was confident the supply issue could be resolved not long after the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr in early May. He added that a palm oil export target of 34 million tonnes in 2022 would be met. Asked about the timeline suggested by the palm oil board, Trade Ministry senior official Veri Anggrijono said we are all hoping this can be solved quickly. A trade ministry regulation on Wednesday said the export policy would be reviewed monthly, or as often as needed, while Chief Economics Minister Airlangga Hartarto said it could be lifted when bulk cooking oil recedes to 14,000 rupiah ($0.97) a litre nationwide. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the last 48-hour of his buyout of the micro-blogging site Twitter, billionaire is again on a fun trail. In a flurry of tweets, Musk claimed that he has set eyes on to "put cocaine back in" and "McDonald's to fix ice-cream machines". After the multi-billion buyout of the microblogging website this week, only Musk knows whether he's kidding or not. "Next I'm buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in," tweeted on Friday. Tagging to an old tweet, he said, "Listen, I can't do miracles". But, he promised to make " maximum fun". Musk is known for throwing ideas, sometimes light-hearted, on his timeline. His tweets often spark debates on various issues, including free speech that polarises the twitterities. on Monday confirmed the sale of the company to Tesla Chief for USD 44 billion. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive USD 54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own, matching Musk's original offer and marking a 38 per cent premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company, CNN reported. It further reported that the deal caps off a whirlwind news cycle in which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO became one of Twitter's largest shareholders, was offered and turned down a seat on its board and bid to buy the company -- all in less than a month. "Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated," Musk said in a statement. "I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential - I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it," 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.) may cut power to its industrial corridors soon as the Himalayan nation is not getting adequate power supply from India, authorities said on Thursday. Currently, is receiving only 100 MW of electricity from India, against its demand for 400 MW, said Pradeep Thike, Deputy Managing Director, Planning of the Electricity Authority (NEA). "We are short of 300 MW of electricity at present because we have not received adequate electricity from India, which itself is facing a power shortage," he said. Nepal faces a short supply of electricity during the dry season while during the rainy season, it has a surplus of electricity. This will certainly affect the power supply to Nepal's three industrial corridors, Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa, Thike said, adding, "we may have to cut power to these corridors at any time." This will mainly affect large industries and small industries will not have any problem, he said. "We will also be able to supply power for lighting purposes, but not for running big machines in the industries during the dry season," he said. However, after one or one and half months, when the rainy season arrives, the situation will improve and Nepal will be in a position to export electricity to India, he pointed out. He is, however, optimistic about importing electricity from India after a few days. The authorities in India's Bihar state have indicated that they might provide additional electricity after 2,3 days, said Thike. Nepal has got permission from Indian authorities to export 364 MW of electricity and as the situation here improves after June 1 they will be in a position to export energy to India, he added. During Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's recent visit to India, the two countries expressed joint commitment to work together in the power sector. (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 Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said that no agreement has been reached on a meeting between President and his Russian counterpart . "The time of the meeting of the presidents of the two countries and the context of the meeting have not been determined yet," Xinhua news agency quoted Podolyak, also a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the peace talks with Russia, as saying. Consultations at the level of working subgroups, which are preparing the positions of the parties in legal terms, are underway, he said. Earlier Wednesday, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said his country hopeed that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin would take place in the next few days as the war rages on. --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.) Uncertainty over the safety of war-wracked Ukraine's nuclear power plants has reignited concerns over a Russian-owned nuclear power station now being built in a quake-prone area on Turkey's southern coast, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot activists said Wednesday. About 200 activists representing two dozen organizations from both sides of ethnically divided converged inside the United Nations controlled buffer zone that cuts across the capital Nicosia. They sought to voice their unease over ongoing construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, which is only 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the island nation's northern coast. Organizers said the annual event to commemorate the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that occurred 36 years ago has taken on an added urgency in light of safety concerns regarding Ukraine's nuclear plants, such as Europe's largest nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, which has been seized by Russia. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that nuclear power plants are a source of great uncertainty for public safety, said George Perdikis, former leader of the Greens Party. Activists have long contended that Akkuyu lies near a seismic fault line and that a potentially powerful quake could cause a radioactive leak affecting . Cyprus' Geological Survey Department said Wednesday that a 4.7-magnitude quake near the island's southwestern town of Paphos late Tuesday was felt as far away as Lebanon and Israel. Christina Nicolaou, environmental affairs chief for the leftist AKEL party, said an accident at Turkey's nuclear plant as a result of either a natural disaster or a deliberate act would have huge repercussions for the region. Turkish officials said the Akkuyu plant would cover about 10% of the country's domestic energy needs. The first of four reactors is scheduled to become operational next year. Russia's Rosatom State Corporation holds a 99.2% stake in the project, whose total cost is estimated at 20 billion U.S. dollars, according to the plant's website. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's relentless digital assaults on Ukraine may have caused less damage than many anticipated. But most of its hacking is focused on a different goal that gets less attention but has chilling potential consequences: data collection. Ukrainian agencies breached on the eve of the Feb. 24 invasion include the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which oversees the police, national guard and border patrol. A month earlier, a national database of automobile insurance policies was raided during a diversionary cyberattack that defaced Ukrainian websites. The hacks, paired with prewar data theft, likely armed Russia with extensive details on much of Ukraine's population, cybersecurity and military intelligence analysts say. It's information Russia can use to identify and locate Ukrainians most likely to resist an occupation, and potentially target them for internment or worse. Fantastically useful information if you're planning an occupation, Jack Watling, a military analyst at the U.K. think tank Royal United Services Institute, said of the auto insurance data, knowing exactly which car everyone drives and where they live and all that. As the digital age evolves, information dominance is increasingly wielded for social control, as China has shown in its repression of the Uyghur minority. It was no surprise to Ukrainian officials that a prewar priority for Russia would be compiling information on the citizenry. The idea was to kill or imprison these people at the early stages of occupation, Victor Zhora, a senior Ukrainian cyber defense official, alleged. Aggressive data collection accelerated just ahead of the invasion, with serving Russia's military increasingly targeting individual Ukrainians, according to Zhora's agency, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection. Serhii Demediuk, deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said via email that personal data continues to be a priority for Russian as they attempt more government network breaches: Cyberwarfare is really in the hot phase nowadays. There is little doubt political targeting is a goal. Ukraine says Russian forces have killed and kidnapped local leaders where they grab territory. Demediuk was stingy with specifics but said Russian cyberattacks in mid-January and as the invasion commenced sought primarily to destroy the information systems of government agencies and critical infrastructure and included data theft. The Ukrainian government says the Jan. 14 auto insurance hack resulted in the pilfering of up to 80% of Ukrainian policies registered with the Motor Transport Bureau. Demediuk acknowledged that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was among government agencies breached Feb. 23. He said data was stolen but would not say from which agencies, only that it has not led to significant consequences, especially when it comes to data on servicemen or volunteers. Security researchers from ESET and other cybersecurity firms that work with Ukraine said the networks were compromised months earlier, allowing ample time for stealthy theft. The data collection by hacking is a work long in progress. A unit of Russia's FSB intelligence agency that researchers have dubbed Armageddon has been doing it for years out of Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Ukraine says it sought to infect more than 1,500 Ukrainian government computer systems. Since October it has tried to breach and maintain access to government, military, judiciary and law enforcement agencies as well as nonprofits, with a primary goal of exfiltrating sensitive information, Microsoft said in a Feb. 4 blog post. That included unnamed organizations critical to emergency response and ensuring the security of Ukrainian territory, plus humanitarian aid distribution. Post-invasion, have targeted European organizations that aid Ukrainian refugees, according to Zhora and the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint. Authorities have not specified which organizations or what may have been stolen. Yet another attack, on April 1, crippled Ukraine's National Call Center, which runs a hotline for complaints and inquiries on a wide array of matters: corruption, domestic abuse, people displaced by the invasion, war veteran benefits. Used by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, it issues COVID-19 vaccine certificates and collects callers' personal data including emails, addresses and phone numbers. Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, believes the attack may, like many others, have a greater psychological than intelligence-gathering impact aiming to degrade Ukrainians' trust in their institutions. Make them scared that when the Russians take over, if they don't cooperate, the Russians are going to know who they are, where they are and come after them, Meyers said. The attack knocked the center offline for at least three days, center director Marianna Vilshinska said: We couldn't work. Neither phones nor chatbots worked. They broke down all the system. Hackers calling themselves the Cyber Army of Russia claimed to steal personal data on 7 million people in the attack. However, Vilshinska denied they breached the database with users' personal information, while confirming that a contact list the hackers posted online of more than 300 center employees was genuine. Spear-phishing attacks in recent weeks have focused on military, national and local officials, aimed at stealing credentials to open government data troves. Such activity relies heavily on Ukraine's cellular networks, which Meyers of CrowdStrike said have been far too rich in intelligence for Russia to want to shut down. On March 31, Ukraine's SBU intelligence agency said it had seized a bot farm in the eastern region of Dnipropretrovsk that was controlled remotely from Russia and sent text messages to 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers, police and SBU members urging them to surrender or sabotage their units. Agency spokesman Artem Dekhtiarenko said authorities were investigating how the phone numbers were obtained. Gene Yoo, CEO of the cybersecurity firm ReSecurity, said it likely was not difficult: Subscriber databases of major Ukrainian wireless companies have been available for sale by cybercriminals on the dark web for some time as they are for many countries. If Russia is successful at taking control of more of eastern Ukraine, stolen personal data will be an asset. Russian occupiers have already collected passport information, a top Ukrainian presidential adviser tweeted recently, that could help organize separatist referendums. Ukraine, for its part, appears to have done significant data collection quietly assisted by the U.S., the U.K., and other partners targeting Russian soldiers, spies and police, including rich geolocation data. Demediuk, the top security official, said the country knows exactly where and when a particular serviceman crossed the border with Ukraine, in which occupied settlement he stopped, in which building he spent the night, stole and committed crimes on our land. We know their cell phone numbers, the names of their parents, wives, children, their home addresses, who their neighbors are, where they went to school and the names of their teachers, he said. Analysts caution that some claims about data collection from both sides of the conflict may be exaggerated. But in recordings posted online by Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mikhailo Fedorov, callers are heard phoning the far-flung wives of Russian soldiers and posing as Russian state security officials to say parcels shipped to them from Belarus were looted from Ukrainian homes. In one, a nervous-sounding woman acknowledges receiving what she calls souvenirs a woman's bag, a keychain. The caller tells her she shares criminal liability, that her husband killed people in Ukraine and stole their stuff. She hangs up. (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.) Firefighters have been making significant progress Wednesday on the biggest wildfires burning unusually hot and fast for this time of year in the western . But forecasters from the Southwest to the southern High Plains warned of the return the next two days of the same gusty winds and critical conditions that sent wildland blazes racing across the landscape last week. Some of the nearly 1,000 firefighters battling the biggest in drought-stricken New Mexico cut away brush and burned out any extra fuel Wednesday ahead of increased danger forecast Thursday into the weekend. That allowed crews to dig lines around about a third of what has become the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. now 94 square miles (245 kilometers) and keep flames from reaching mostly rural homes and ranches that are still in its path northeast of Santa Fe. Another great day on the fire line," federal fire incident commander Carl Schwope said Wednesday night. Fire personnel are making great progress, he told residents at a community meeting in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where numerous rural communities in the nearby mountains remain under evacuation orders. But he quickly emphasized the success could be short-lived because hotter, drier, windier weather should return Thursday and Friday. This fire still has tremendous potential to move and still has a lot of danger, he said. We have a couple of critical fire days still ahead." The most critical fire danger remains the next two days across practically the entire state of New Mexico, according to the National Weather Service. The elevated-risk area stretches all the way from Arizona's border with California and Nevada into the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, the service said late Wednesday. Some light precipitation added moisture to bone dry fuels in the Southwest early this week. But stiffening winds Wednesday likely dried out most of the fine fuels, which are are expected to be borderline critically dry on Thursday, the service said. San Miguel County Sheriff Chris Lopez said at Wednesday night's briefing about the fires east of Santa Fe that they're refining evacuation strategies they were forced to quickly implement last week as they review weather modeling of the incoming conditions. It doesn't mean it will happen but it could happen, just like we saw when this fire blew up," he said. The danger is present and it's very real. Authorities said Wednesday they continue to work on damage assessments but haven't been able to access some areas that are still hot and it's not yet safe to let some evacuees return to their homes. We have containment around the fire's edge, but there's still stuff that's burning inside and we still have a wind event we are waiting for Friday and Saturday, Lopez said. We have to make sure that everything is good enough that I can make decision and know you'll be safe if we let you back in there, he said.. The Southwest has been bearing the brunt of large fires, with five incident management teams assigned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. One complex incident management team was overseeing a large fire in southwest Nebraska. More than 200 firefighters in that state were battling a prairie fire that has been burning since last week. About 65 square miles (168 square kilometers) of mostly grasses and farmland have been blackened near the Kansas line, several homes have been destroyed and at least one person was killed. The fire was about three-quarters contained Wednesday. In Arizona, crews on Wednesday worked to contain two major wildfires, with firefighters gaining ground on containment of a blaze in the Prescott National Forest after winds on Tuesday pushed the fire outward. Near Flagstaff, crews patrolled burned areas of a different large fire and looked for hot spots amid milder weather. Nationally, large fires have burned more than 1,688 square miles (4,372 square kilometers) this year, putting the U.S. on track to far outpace the 10-year average. The pressure on firefighters is not likely to let up anytime soon. Climate outlooks indicate likely below normal precipitation from Texas through the southern Rockies and Great Basin, with above normal temperatures likely across much of the U.S into summer. (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.) Nearly 1,000 in staged a one-day nationwide strike on Thursday demanding the immediate resignation of the government, including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, over its failure to tackle the country's unprecedented . is currently in the throes of unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices. The unions from a number of sectors, including the state service, health, ports, electricity, education and postal joined the strike under the theme Bow to the people - government go home', urging the President, the Prime Minister and the government to go home'. Teachers' trade union spokesman Joseph Stalin said that the Rajapaksa government tries to hang on to power when the people have got into the streets and demanded them to go. Ravi Kumudesh from the health workers' trade union said that after Thursday's strike, they would give the government a week to resign. After that, we would strike continuously till the government resigns. He said that over 1,000 joined the strike. The bank employees' union said that all banks remain closed and public transport was crippled with just a handful of government-owned buses operating. Plantation workers from the central hills also joined the token strike. The plantation workers have joined the strike in thousands, Opposition politician Mano Ganesan said. The streets and trade markets looked empty in most areas. In the evening, the striking workers will join the main protest at Galle Face which has entered its 20th consecutive day. The demand is for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his elder brother and Prime Minister and the government for its mishandling of the island's worst-ever . All Ceylon Integrated Economic Centers and Manning Market Traders Association urged farmers to refrain from bringing vegetables to economic centers as they too will be supporting the trade union action, the Colombo Page newspaper reported. Meanwhile, Minister of Transport Dilum Amunugama said that the police have been instructed to arrest those who harm the public transport and influence private transport in the wake of the strike. The police will take legal action against those who obstruct roads, he said. Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara said that due to railways workers reporting sick without prior notice, train services will be disrupted. Co-convener of the union S P Vithanage said that despite plans to run several trains with the intervention of the Minister, the railway workers are on strike. Earlier this month, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to drop his older brother Chamal and the eldest nephew Namal from the Cabinet in response to the ongoing protests which called for accountability from the powerful ruling family and their inability to address the worst forex crisis faced by the country. However, Prime Minister said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has not asked him to resign and claimed that they were on the "same page" to resolve the worst economic crisis, amidst reports of a rift between the two brothers in running the debt-ridden island nation. In the second week of April, the Sri Lankan government said it would temporarily default on its USD 35.5 billion in foreign debt. The finance ministry said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine made it impossible to pay its creditors. Now the beleaguered president is also under increasing pressure to form an interim 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.) Holocaust survivors across the world have united to deliver a message on the dangers of unchecked hate and the importance of remembrance at a time of rising global antisemitism. In a video released Thursday to mark Yom HaShoah -- Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day -- 100 Holocaust survivors asked people to stand with them and remember the Nazi genocide to avoid repeating the horrors of the past. The 100 Words project video was released by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also referred to as the Claims Conference. The group represents the world's in negotiating for compensation and restitution for victims of Nazi persecution and their heirs, and provides welfare for Holocaust survivors around the globe. The world is full of strife from the pandemic to the crisis happening in Ukraine on remembrance days like Yom HaShoah, it is so important to stop and reflect, Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, said in a statement. The call to action these survivors put forth today is not only one of remembrance, but one of action, a reminder that we do not have to be bystanders. We can all stand up in our own way and we can choose to not let our collective history repeat itself. The project is being released as Russia faces widespread revulsion and accusations of war crimes over attacks on civilians in its invasion of Ukraine. It also comes at a time when Holocaust survivors -- now in their 80s and 90s -- are dying, while studies show that younger generations lack even basic knowledge of the Nazi genocide, in which a third of the world's were annihilated. If we do not remember them, we are murdering them twice because we have forgotten them. And we have forgotten the tragic travesty that was visited upon millions of people, said Ginger Lane, a Holocaust survivor who along with her siblings was hidden in a fruit orchard near Berlin by non- . It is important to remember because it is a part of our heritage and our legacy that we pass on to the younger generation, said Lane, whose mother was killed at the Auschwitz death camp, and who has made it her lifelong mission to educate . Holocaust denial, we know it has always existed, but it seems to be on the upswing and ... a huge number of young people don't even know what the word Holocaust means These young people are eager to move forward with their lives. But their lives today are shaped by the past. And they need to know what happened in the past. In a 50-state study of Millennials and Generation Z-age people in the U.S. in 2020, researchers found that 63% of respondents did not know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust and 48% could not name a single death camp or concentration camp. The 100 Word Project statement by Holocaust survivors says: Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day We all survived the HolocaustWe are here to give voice to the six million Jews who were murderedWe are a reminder unchecked hatred can lead to actions, actions to genocideJust over 75 years ago, one-third of the world's Jews were systematically murderedAmong them, over 1.5 million children were killedin the name of indifference, intolerance, hateHatred for what was fearedHatred for what was differentWe must remember the past or it will become our futureOn Holocaust Remembrance Day we ask the world to stand with us and remember. The annual remembrance known as Yom HaShoah is one of the most solemn on Israel's calendar, with the nation coming to a standstill during a two-minute siren on Thursday morning. According to the Hebrew calendar, Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising the most significant act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. Although the uprising ultimately failed, it is remembered in as a symbol of strength and the struggle for freedom in the face of annihilation. It means resilience, tenacity, strength. It's the hallmark of being a Holocaust survivor, the very concept of surviving, of everyday problems, of fighting until the end, said Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference. And for some people, unfortunately, the end was the gas chamber. For other people the end was the Warsaw ghetto, where a very small group of people who weren't well-equipped held out for nearly a month, Schneider said. "And that's why it's such an important day in Israel, and around the world for the Jewish community because it symbolizes the fight of certainly the Jewish people, but of any people facing this type of incredible adversity. The Claims Conference is working with its partners, among them the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, to get as many Holocaust survivors out of Ukraine as possible. Thousands of people have been killed and more than five million have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. Holocaust survivors from Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, the United States and Ukraine were part of the video statement. Survivors from many different countries and languages who have vastly different persecution experiences -- some were in concentration camps, some were in ghettos, some fled, some were in hiding, Schneider said. And yet they come together to speak in one voice of the hope for the 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.) Turkish President Recep and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General discussed the latter's visit to Russia over the phone. Guterres on Wednesday briefed Erdogan about his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Turkey's Directorate of Communications said in a statement. Before heading to Moscow and Kiev for talks on resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the UN Secretary-General met with Turkish President in the Turkish capital Ankara on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. The Turkish leader had told Guterres that all parties should support the Istanbul process for a solution to the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, according to the statement. During a phone talk with Putin on Tuesday, Erdogan said the "continuation of the positive momentum achieved in the Istanbul talks" to reach peace in Ukraine is in everyone's interest. On Sunday, the Turkish President said his country is ready to provide all possible assistance for the negotiation process when having a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. A round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine was held in Istanbul in March. --IANS int/khz/ (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.) accused Russia on Thursday of stealing grain in territory it has occupied, an act which it said increased the threat to global food security posed by disruptions to spring sowing and the blocking of Ukrainian ports during the war. Asked about the allegations, the said it had no information on the matter. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that it "strongly condemns the criminal actions of the Russian Federation in the so-called expropriation of crops from farmers in the Kherson region" of southern . It gave no further details of the alleged theft of grain in the Kherson region, whose main city has been occupied by the Russian forces since the early days of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24. "The looting of grain from the Kherson region, as well as the blocking of shipments from Ukrainian ports and the mining of shipping lanes, threaten the world's food security," it said. "We demand that Russia stop the illegal theft of grain, unblock Ukrainian ports, restore freedom of navigation and allow the passage of merchant ships." The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office said in a separate statement that it had opened a criminal case into allegations that Russian soldiers, threatening violence, had on April 26 taken away 61 tonnes of wheat from an agricultural enterprise in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern . Reuters was unable immediately to verify the assertion. Asked by Reuters if the had any information about Ukraine's accusations, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said via the Telegram messaging app: "No. We do not know where this information comes from". According to Council data, Ukraine was the world's fourth-largest grain exporter in the 2020/21 season, selling 44.7 million tonnes abroad. The volume of exports has fallen sharply since the Russian invasion. "Through its illegal actions, Russia is robbing not only Ukraine but also consumers abroad. The United Nations estimates that about 1.7 billion people may face poverty and hunger due to food disruptions as a result of a full-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. (Additional reporting by Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Timothy Heritage, William Maclean) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) said Thursday that Russia's offensive in the east picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow's forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops. In a reminder of the horrific toll the war has taken since it began February 24, United Nations Secretary-General Antnio Guterres visited towns outside the capital of Kyiv where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia's retreat from the area. The fighting gathered pace after suddenly cut off natural gas to two NATO nations on Wednesday, in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for ahead of the potentially pivotal battle in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas. The General Staff of Ukraine's military said Russian forces were exerting intense fire in several places as they pushed on with the second phase of their invasion. The most intensive action was around Donetsk and close to Kharkiv, which lies outside the Donbas but is seen as key to Russia's apparent bid to encircle Ukrainian troops there. Tatiana Pirogova spoke of the intense fear of living under constant bombardment. It's not just scary. It's when your stomach contracts from pain" the Kharkiv resident said. "When they shoot during the day, it's still OK, but when the evening comes, I can't describe how scary it is. The General Staff said that over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian forces have repelled six attacks in the Donbas, control of which is now Moscow's primary focus ever since its initial offensive faltered and failed to take the Ukrainian capital. Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russian army shelled the residential area in his region 29 times by aircrafts, multiple rocket launches, tube artillery and mortars. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press also showed evidence of intense Russian fire on Mariupol in recent days. The images show how concentrated attacks have greatly damaged a central facility at the Azovstal steelworks, the last redoubt of Ukrainian fighters in the key battleground city. An estimated 1,000 civilians are sheltering along with about 2,000 Ukrainian fighters in the steelworks, a massive Soviet-era complex with a warren of underground facilities built to withstand airstrikes. Russia, meanwhile, said a city under its control in the south also came under fire. With the war now in its third month, Guterres on Thursday toured towns outside Kyiv, including Bucha, that have seen some of the most horrific attacks of the war. Civilians always pay the highest price, he said as he visited the bombed out suburb of Irpin. "And this is something everyone should remember, everywhere in the world. Wherever there is a war the highest price is paid by civilians. Evidence of atrocities was discovered in the towns Guterres visited on Thursday after the Russians retreated from the area in the face a fiercer than expected Ukrainian resistance, bolstered by Western arms. In what could be a further Ukrainian counterattack, a series of explosions boomed near the television tower late Wednesday in southern Ukraine's Kherson, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early in the war. The blasts at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air, Ukrainian and Russian news organizations reported. has urged its allies to send even more military equipment so it can continue its fight. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that up to date, NATO allies have pledged and provided at least 8 billion US dollars in military support to Ukraine. And we see the importance of further stepping up our support to Ukraine. While Russia's initial blitz was stunted and it suffered the humiliating loss of a massive warship Britain's Defense Ministry said the Russian navy still has the ability to strike coastal targets in Ukraine. In an intelligence briefing posted Thursday morning, the ministry says that about 20 naval vessels, including submarines, are currently operating the Black Sea zone. But the ministry says isn't able to replace the guided-missile cruiser Moskva, which sank earlier this month in the Black Sea, because the Bosporus Strait remains closed to all non-Turkish warships. Russia also lost the landing ship Saratov, which was destroyed by explosions and fire on March 24. While it presses its campaign in the east, Moscow has also piled on the pressure by leveraging its biggest export product energy, cutting off NATO members Poland and Bulgaria from its natural gas on Wednesday. European leaders blasted that decision as blackmail, saying the move and the Kremlin's warning that it might cease shipments to other countries is a failed attempt to divide the West over its support for Ukraine. The tactic against the two EU countries could eventually force targeted nations to ration gas and deal another blow to economies suffering from rising prices. At the same time, it could deprive Russia of badly needed income to fund its war effort. The gas cuts do not immediately put the two countries in any dire trouble. Poland, especially, has been working for many years to line up other suppliers, and the continent is heading into summer, making gas less essential for households. Gazprom said it shut off the two countries because they refused to pay in rubles, as President has demanded of unfriendly nations. The Kremlin said other countries may be cut off if they don't agree to the payment arrangement. European countries have balked at Russia's demand for rubles. Moscow has since proposed a system that it says satisfies its demand but that the Europeans say means they are still paying in either euros or dollars. Europe (and) Germany will make payments in euros and may pay in dollars, and not in rubles, Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Wednesday. The conversion, once the payments have been made, is a matter for Gazprom. We have discussed this with the European Union. We will continue down this path. Still, the cutoff and the Kremlin warning that other countries could be next sent shivers of worry through the 27-nation European Union. Germany is the world's biggest buyer of Russian energy, and Italy is also a significant consumer, though they, too, have been taking steps to reduce their dependence on Moscow. (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 United States accused on Thursday of planning to stage fake independence votes to justify its conquest of territory in Ukraine, as Russian forces stepped up a major offensive in the east. Responding to repeated Ukrainian pleas to Western leaders for supplies of heavier weaponry and equipment, U.S. President asked Congress on Thursday for $33 billion to support Kyiv, a massive jump in U.S. funding that includes over $20 billion for weapons and ammunition and other military aid. The package, also entailing $8.5 billion in direct economic assistance and $3 billion in humanitarian and food security aid, forms part of U.S. efforts to isolate and punish for its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, which has flattened cities and forced more than 5 million people to flee abroad. Washington has said it hopes Ukrainian forces can not only repel Russia's assault on the east but also weaken its military so that it can no longer menace neighbours. says that amounts to NATO waging "proxy war" against it, and has made a number of threats this week of unspecified retaliation. After being beaten back in efforts to capture the capital Kyiv in the north, Russia has shifted forces hundreds of miles eastward to capture two provinces in a battle the West believe may prove a decisive turning point in the war. Russian forces are now entrenched in the east, where Moscow-backed separatists have held some territory since 2014, and also hold a swathe of the south they seized in March. 'SHAM REFERENDA' The U.S. mission to the OSCE security body said the Kremlin might attempt "sham referenda" in southern and eastern areas it had captured since the Feb. 24 invasion, using "a well-worn playbook that steals from history'Ukraine, Russia, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Russian war on Ukraine, why Russia attacked Ukraine, NATO, US Russia, Mariupol, Kyivs darkest chapters". "These falsified, illegitimate referenda will undoubtedly be accompanied by a wave of abuses against those who seek to oppose or undermine Moscowas plans," the U.S. mission said. "The community must make clear that any such referendum will never be recognised as legitimate." reported explosions overnight in the southern city of Kherson, the only regional capital Russia has captured so far since the invasion. Russian troops there had used tear gas and stun grenades on Wednesday to quell pro-Ukrainian crowds, and were now shelling the entire surrounding region and attacking towards Mykolaiv and Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian officials said. Russian state media quoted an official from a self-styled pro-Russian "military-civilian commission" in Kherson on Thursday as saying the area would start using Russia's rouble currency from May 1. Ukraine's general staff said Russia was also stepping up its main military assault in the east, where Moscow now aims to seize all of two provinces partially controlled by separatists. "The enemy is increasing the pace of the offensive operation. The Russian occupiers are exerting intense fire in almost all directions," it said. It identified Russia's main attack as near the towns of Slobozhanske and Donets, along a strategic frontline highway linking Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv with the Russian-occupied city of Izyum. The Kharkiv regional governor said Russian forces were ratcheting up attacks from Izyum, but Ukrainian troops were holding their ground. Kharkiv regional prosecutors said two civilians were killed and seven wounded in Russian shelling of the village of Pokotilovka on Thursday. Reuters could not independently verify the report. Russia denies targeting civilians. President calls Russian actions in a "special military operation" that became necessary as the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and Moscow had to defend Russian-speaking inhabitants from persecution. says it is fighting an imperial-style land grab and that Putin's claims of persecution are nonsense. WEST STEPPING UP MILITARY AID Western countries have ramped up weapons supplies to Ukraine in recent days as the fighting in the east has intensified. More than 40 countries met this week at a U.S. air base in Germany and pledged to send heavy arms such as artillery for what is expected to be a vast battle of opposing armies along a heavily fortified front line on open, flat terrain. Russia has also reported what it says have been a series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian regions which border Ukraine, and has warned that such attacks risk significant escalation. On Thursday, two powerful explosions were heard in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine, two witnesses told Reuters. It was not immediately clear what caused them and whether there were any casualties or damage. Ukraine has not directly accepted responsibility for strikes inside Russia but says the incidents are payback, while Russia has taken umbrage at statements from NATO member Britain that it is legitimate for Ukraine to target Russian logistics. "In the West, they are openly calling on Kyiv to attack Russia including with the use of weapons received from NATO countries," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow. "I don't advise you to test our patience further." 'INNOCENT CIVILIANS' When Russian forces were driven away from Kyiv last month, they left behind destroyed suburbs strewn with the bodies of hundreds of slain civilians in what Western countries call clear evidence of war crimes. Moscow says, without evidence, that such signs of suspected atrocities are fake. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres struck an emotional note during a visit to the devastated, formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburbs of Borodyanka and Bucha. "Innocent civilians were living in these buildings, they were paying the highest price for a war which they have not contributed to at all," Guterres told reporters in Borodyanka, Guterres met Putin in Moscow on Wednesday for what proved a failed peace mission. Russia rebuffed Guterres's offer to help evacuate Mariupol, the besieged port where the war's bloodiest and most destructive fighting has raged. (Additional reporting by Reuters journalists; Writing by Peter Graff and Mark Heinrich; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Toby Chopra) (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 declared an official currency, the second nation in the world to accept the as legal tender. Cryptomoney including is now considered an official currency in CAR, Albert Mokpeme, spokesman for President Faustin-Archange Touadera, said on Thursday. By legaliding the use of Bitcoin, CAR hopes to attract investors, he said, adding that its use would ease money transfers that can sometimes be complicated in our country. The country is following the lead of El Salvador, which in September became the first nation to introduce as legal tender. The country which has gold and diamond reserves, is one of the worlds poorest countries. Years of violent conflict and a political crisis that gripped the country in the lead up to the presidential election in December 2020 have had a severe impact on the economy and damaged relations with its global partners. Internet penetration in the landlocked nation is about 11 per cent of the 5 million population, according to DataReportal, an online data portal. Buffett-backed EV makers net cash flow jumps 8,000% Strong demand for BYD electric vehicles in China, the worlds biggest market for battery-powered cars, has triggered an 8,312 per cent jump in net cash flow from operations, underpinning the Warren Buffett-backed firms strongest first quarter in six years. The Shenzhen-based automaker said the $1.8 billion of net cash flow from operating activities it reported for the three months through March 31 in earnings released on Wednesday was mostly spurred by cash received from sales of goods and provision of services.Bloomberg . Baidu, Pony.ai granted first driverless robotaxi permit Baidu and Pony.ai said on Thursday they had received permits to deploy robotaxis without humans in the driving seat on open Chinese roads for the first time. The new permits allow both to offer rides to the general public from cars without anyone sitting behind the steering wheels on open roads within a 60 square kilometre area in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. Reuters . KKR eyes taking Hitachi Transport private at $5 bn KKR unveiled a tender offer to take Hitachi Transport System private in a deal valued at about 670 billion yen ($5.2 billion). KKR is offering 8,913 yen for each share of Hitachi Transport on the market, a 166 per cent premium to Hitachi Transports 12-month average closing price through yesterday, KKR said. The private equity firm said that its paying 6,632 yen a share for Hitachis 40 per cent stake. Bloomberg Shares of Poona Dal & Oil Industries hit a record high of Rs 103.15 and were locked at the 10 per cent upper circuit on the BSE in Thursdays intra-day trade on the back of heavy volumes. In the past four trading days, the stock of the company has zoomed 86 per cent from a level of Rs 55.60 on Friday, April 22, 2022. Till 10:35 AM; around 76,000 shares had changed hands and there were pending buy orders for 30,619 shares on the BSE, the exchange data shows. Currently, the stock is classified in the X category on the BSE. X group consists of all those stocks which are only listed on BSE. The exchange has sought clarification from the company with reference to significant movement in price. This has been done to ensure that investors have latest relevant information about the company and to inform the market so that the interest of the investors is safeguarded, it said. The reply is awaited. Poona Dal & Oil Industries is engaged in the business of manufacturing and trading in and pulses through its two segments viz. oil division and agro division respectively. The companys business accounted 78 per cent of the total turnover in financial year 2020-21 (FY21). There is ever increasing potential in the edible oil business and growing consumption across the population. The company is positive in its outlook for demand for its refined edible oil and other agro based products. The future outlook particularly in the area of food grains is encouraging, the company had said in its FY21 annual report. Opportunities may arise once the severity of Covid-19 infections go down and normalcy returns to poultry sector in India and abroad. There are positive signs from Bangladesh, a major importer, which presents opportunity during the coming year, the company said. Meanwhile, according to a report, Indonesia on Wednesday once again widened the scope of its export ban on raw materials for cooking oil to include crude and refined palm oil, among other products. Bajaj Finserv advanced 0.99% to Rs 14,975 after the company reported a 37% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,346 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 979 crore in Q4 FY21. Total income during the quarter increased by 23% YoY to Rs 18,862 crore. Profit before tax in Q4 FY22 stood at Rs 3,462 crore, up by 47% from Rs 2,359 crore in Q4 FY21. Bajaj Finserv is the holding company for the various financial services businesses under the Bajaj group. It participates in the financing business through its 52.65% holding in Bajaj Finance and in the protection business through its 74% holding in two unlisted subsidiaries, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company. Bajaj Finance recorded 80% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,420 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21, mainly on account of robust AUM growth, higher net interest income and better asset performance. Total income for Q4 FY22 rose by 26% to Rs 8,630 crore from Rs 6,855 crore in Q4 FY21. Assets Under Management (AUM) as at 31 March 2022 were Rs 197,452 crore as against Rs 152,947 crore as at 31 March 2021, registering an increase of 29% YoY. Gross NPA and Net NPA as of 31 March 2022 stood at 1.60% and 0.68%, respectively, as against 1.79% and 0.75% as of 31 March 2021. Provisioning coverage ratio of 58% is there on stage 3 assets. BFL holds a management and macro-economic overlay of Rs 1,060 crore as at 31 March 2022 as compared with Rs 840 crore as at 31 March 2021. Capital adequacy ratio (including Tier-II capital) as of 31 March 2022 was 27.22%. The Tier-I capital stood at 24.75%. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company's gross written premium for Q4 FY22 increased by 18% to Rs 3,300 crore as against Rs 2,787 crore in Q4 FY21. The company wrote crop & government health insurance of Rs 429 crore (up 4.5x YoY) in Q4 FY22. Net earned premium increased by 11% YoY to Rs 1,988 crore in Q4 FY22. The claim ratio increased to 68.8% in Q4 FY22 from 64.3% in Q4 FY21, mainly due to an increase in the severity of non-Covid health claims. The combined ratio was 98.3% in Q4 FY22 as against 96.6% in Q4 FY21. Profit after tax for Q4 FY22 stood at Rs 248 crore, down by 9% from Rs 273 crore in Q4 FY21. As on 31 March 2022, solvency ratio was 344%, which is well above the minimum regulatory requirement of 150%. Assets Under Management (AUM), represented by cash and investments as on 31 March 2022 stood at Rs 24,633 crore (up 6% YoY). Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company recorded 30% increase in new business premium to Rs 3,236 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 2,493 crore in Q4 FY21. The renewal premium for Q4 FY22 was Rs 2,483 crore (up 24% YoY). Gross written premium for Q4 FY22 increased by 27% to Rs 5,719 crore from Rs 4,501 crore in Q4 FY21. Shareholders' profit after tax during Q4 FY22 stood at Rs 48 crore, down by 79% from Rs 234 crore in Q4 FY21, impacted mainly due to higher new business strain and lower investment income. The solvency ratio stood at a healthy 581% as on 31 March 2022 as against the minimum regulatory requirement of 150%. Assets Under Management (AUM}, represented by total investments increased by 16% to Rs 85,623 crore as on 31 March 2022 as against Rs 73,773 crore as on 31 March 2021. Business conditions improved significantly in Q4 of FY22 although they were volatile due to the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Although lower sales of automobiles due to supply chain problems affected the general insurance business, the overall environment was conducive and all our businesses recorded excellent growth, Bajaj Finserv said in a statement. The company reported 2% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,557 crore on a 13% increase in total income to Rs 68,439 crore in FY22 over FY21. The company's board has recommended a dividend of Rs 4 per share. The total amount of dividend is Rs 64 crore as against Rs 48 crore in the same period 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.) Coromandel International rallied 5.13% to Rs 890.80 after the company's consolidated net profit surged 85.94% to Rs 289.79 crore on a 49.63% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 4,226.81 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Consolidated profit before tax (PBT) soared 82.33% to Rs 388.96 crore in Q4 March 2022 as against Rs 213.32 crore in Q4 March 2021. The total expenses increased by 47.24% to Rs 3913.92 crore in Q4 March 2022 as compared to Rs 2658.16 crore in Q4 March 2021. On a yearly basis, consolidated net profit advanced 14.99% to Rs 1,528.46 crore on a 34.75% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 19,110.85 crore in FY22 over FY21. Meanwhile, the board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 6 per equity share of face value Re 1 each (i.e. 600%) for the FY 2021-22. Coromandel International is amongst India's pioneers and leading agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services across the farming value chain. It operates in two major segments: Nutrient and other allied businesses and crop protection. These include fertiliser, crop protection, bio pesticides, specialty nutrients and organic compost businesses. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Godrej Properties today announced that it has acquired 58 acres of land in Nagpur. The development on this land will comprise primarily of plotted residential units and will offer an estimated saleable area of 1.5 million sq. ft. The project has good connectivity to Nagpur Airport and the Nagpur - Hyderabad highway with well established social infrastructure in the vicinity. Nagpur has many prominent infrastructure projects like the Metro Rail project, IT and manufacturing facilities in MIHAN SEZ and Airport Cargo Hub, along with the upcoming Samruddhi Mahamarg which will further boost national connectivity and the related demand for quality residential units. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading could be volatile as traders roll over positions in the F&O segment from the near month April series to May series. The April 2022 F&O contracts will expire today, 28 April 2022. SGX Nifty: Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 21 points at the opening bell. Global markets: Overseas, Asian stocks are trading mixed on Thursday, as investors in the region look ahead to the Bank of Japan's latest monetary policy decision. Meanwhile, Chinese tech stocks rose, boosted by news to support the economy. Investors in Asia-Pacific have been continuing to monitor developments surrounding the Covid situation in mainland China. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for an all-out effort to construct infrastructure. His comments come as mainland China has since March been facing its worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the initial shock of the pandemic in early 2020. Japan's retail sales rose more than expected in March, according to government data released Thursday. Retail sales gained 0.9% in March as compared with a year earlier. U.S. stocks edged higher in choppy trading Wednesday, clawing back some of their losses after selling off sharply a day earlier. The US trade deficit in goods widened to a record high in March. The goods trade deficit jumped 17.8% to an all-time high of $125.3 billion. The increase likely reflected both higher volumes and prices. Imports of goods accelerated 11.5% to $294.6 billion. They were boosted by a 15.% surge in imports of industrial supplies, which include petroleum products. Domestic markets: Back home, domestic equity benchmarks ended a volatile trading session with modest losses on Wednesday. The barometer index, S&P BSE Sensex dropped 537.22 points or 0.94% at 56,819.39. The Nifty 50 index fell 162.40 points or 0.94% at 17,038.40. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 4,064.54 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,917.51 crore in the Indian equity market on 27 April, provisional data showed. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 2825.35, up 1.69% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 39.59% in last one year as compared to a 15.49% jump in NIFTY and a 59.85% jump in the Nifty Energy index. Reliance Industries Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 2825.35, up 1.69% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.96% on the day, quoting at 17201.45. The Sensex is at 57436.18, up 1.09%. Reliance Industries Ltd has gained around 7.73% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Energy index of which Reliance Industries Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 11.53% in last one month and is currently quoting at 28527.6, up 1.22% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 64.14 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 66.69 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark April futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 2825.75, up 1.88% on the day. Reliance Industries Ltd is up 39.59% in last one year as compared to a 15.49% jump in NIFTY and a 59.85% jump in the Nifty Energy index. The PE of the stock is 52.78 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.) For supply of connecting rods to a leading North American OEM Sansera Engineering has been awarded a contract for development, manufacturing and supply of connecting rods from a leading North American OEM for its upcoming project. The start of production would be from July 2025 and is expected to run over seven years. The approximate quantity for the contract is over 35 million connecting rods with an estimated revenue of over USD 400 Mn (Rs 3,066 crores based on current forex rate). These parts would be developed for the customer's new technology engine and are likely to be supplied to North America. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor After Prime minister on Wednesday urged the state governments to lower value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel in the "spirit of cooperative federalism", Rajasthan Chief Minister accused the Centre of earning the highest amount of revenue in the history of the country by taxing petrol and diesel. Rajasthan imposes of 30 per cent on petrol and 22 per cent diesel, which are among the highest in the country. "The Centre earned about Rs 26 lakh crore from excise duty in the last eight years, which is the highest amount earned by any government in the history of the country by taxing petrol and diesel. Despite low crude prices as compared to the UPA era, petrol is being sold at more than Rs 110 a litre and diesel at more than Rs 100 per litre under the present regime. During the tenure of the UPA government, the price of crude oil breached $100 per barrel, but petrol price didn't exceed Rs 70/litre and diesel Rs 50/litre in view of the interest of the common man," Gehlot said. On the Prime Minister naming Jaipur, Gehlot said, "Perhaps the Prime Minister took the name of to give a message to the BJP-ruled where the prices of petrol and diesel are higher than . Perhaps he called as by mistake." Gehlot elaborated, "The Rajasthan government reduced by 2 per cent on petrol and diesel on January 29, 2021, even though the Centre had not reduced the excise duty at that time. Two days later, in the Union Budget for 2021-22, a new cess of Rs 4 on diesel and Rs 2.5 on petrol was imposed in the name of Agriculture Infrastructure and Development. Due to this, the people of Rajasthan could not get the benefit of reducing by 2 per cent." "On November 4, 2021, the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 and diesel by Rs 10 per liter, while during the Covid lockdown in May 2020, the increased the excise duty on petrol by Rs 10 and diesel by Rs 13 per liter. "The VAT of the states is levied on the excise duty of the Centre, i.e., by reducing the excise duty, the VAT automatically gets reduced. For this reason, due to reduction in excise duty on November 4, 2021, the Rajasthan government automatically reduced VAT by Rs 1.80 per litre on petrol and Rs 2.60 per litre on diesel. "To give relief to the common man, the state government on November 17, 2021 reduced VAT on petrol by 4.96 per cent and on diesel by 6.70 per cent. Due to this reduction made three times, there was a revenue loss of about Rs 6,300 crore per year, but the PM only mentioned the revenue loss of Rs 6,000 crore in Karnataka and Rs 3,500-4,000 crore in Gujarat. These two states would probably have been mentioned in view of the upcoming Assembly elections there." The Prime Minister talked about the VAT of the states but did not give information about the excise duty of the Central government, he said. "In May 2014, when became the Prime Minister, excise duty was Rs 9.20 per liter on petrol and Rs 3.46 per liter on diesel, but today excise duty is Rs 27.90 per liter on petrol and Rs 21.80 per liter on diesel. During the UPA government, the states used to get their share of excise duty, but now the share of the states has been continuously reduced to just a few paise per liter, so the states are forced to increase their VAT," Gehlot said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the decided to send a two-member team led by Chief Secretary VP Joy to Gujarat for three days to study the dashboard system for e-governance, Kerala opposition leader of the State Legislature VD Satheesan slammed the state government's move and questioned their association with the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan believes that good governance is happening in BJP-ruled-State of Gujarat. Vijayan has now sent his Chief Secretary to study about the model of good governance there. Will he go to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and learn about good governance from him?," said leader Satheesan to reporters. The leader added, "This is a very weird attitude of the government. On one hand, the CPM-led opposes BJP and its policies in broad daylight and during the night-time, they are friends with the BJP. By creating a relationship between the Gujarat government and the Kerala government, the is showcasing its association with the BJP and Sangh parivaar." Kerala President K Sudhakaran also opposed this move taken by the CPM government in the state. KPCC president K Sudhakaran said to reporters, "CPM's main enemy is the Congress party and they want to destroy the Congress party. CPM has opened its way in favour of the BJP by telling that they are not ready for an alliance with Congress in any possible way. Destroying Congress' role in Kerala is the need of BJP and CPM." On Monday, the Kerala government decided to send a two-member team led by Chief Secretary VP Joy to Gujarat for three days to study the dashboard system for e-governance. Kerala is studying the dashboard system started in 2019 when Vijay Rupani was the Gujarat chief minister. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) supremo on Thursday junked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's remark suggesting that the BJP could make her the country's president, signalling that she would prefer to become the prime minister someday to realise her goals for the downtrodden. Reacting to Yadav's dig at her on Wednesday, said she has never aspired to become the president and the Samajwadi Party leader was dreaming about it to clear his path to become the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. "I can only dream of becoming the chief minister of UP and prime minister of the country in the days to come but can never dream of becoming the president," she told reporters. "I have not spent my life in comfort and have struggled to work on the path shown by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram to ensure that their followers and the downtrodden stand on their feet. All know that this work can be done not by becoming the president but by becoming the CM of UP and PM of the country," she said. If Dalits, Adivasis, backwards, Muslims and the poor from the upper castes join forces with the BSP, then not only can they make its leader the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh again but also the prime minister in the time to come, she added. The SP dreaming of making her the president for its "selfish political motives" is futile, said the former chief minister whose party bagged only one seat in the recent state Assembly polls. "The reality is that the SP is dreaming of making me the president in order to clear the path (for Akhilesh Yadav) to become the CM of UP, which is not possible," said. "Despite striking alliances with different parties, the SP has not been able to form the government," she said. Media reports had suggested that the BSP's votes were transferred to the BJP in the February-March state Assembly polls. A report sent by the Uttar Pradesh BJP to the central party leadership on the election also highlighted the shift of the BSP's votes to the saffron party which helped it win with a comfortable margin. Even during the elections, Yadav had pointed towards a "nexus" between the BJP and the as part of the deal to appoint Mayawati to a higher constitutional post. Mayawati claimed Yadav has realised that the SP will not return to power in Uttar Pradesh in future and is looking to "flee to a foreign country" where he has already made all the arrangements. This is being openly discussed, she said. She further alleged the SP and the BJP worked together to give the recent elections "Hindu-Muslim colour" and this brought the saffron party back in power. The weaker sections and especially Muslims are facing continued atrocities and the SP chief is responsible for this. He is still not desisting from spreading rumours. He should give up his "childish and disgusting politics", she added. Interestingly, the and the SP had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as alliance partners but parted ways later and have been regularly attacking each other. The SP won 111 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls this year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his federalism is "not cooperative but coercive". His remarks came a day after Modi flagged higher in many opposition-ruled states and urged them to reduce VAT in " interest" to benefit the common man and work in the spirit of cooperative federalism in this time of global crisis. Gandhi alleged that the prime minister is abdicating his responsibility by blaming states for the high even when the Centre has taken 68 percent of all fuel taxes. "High - blame states. Coal shortage - blame states. Oxygen shortage - blame states," he said in a tweet. "68% of all fuel taxes are taken by the Centre. Yet, the PM abdicates responsibility. Modi's Federalism is not cooperative. It's coercive," Gandhi charged. Modi had raised the issue of many states not adhering to the Centre's call for reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel after his government slashed excise duties on them in November last, and called it "injustice" to people living there and also harmful for neighbouring states. (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 JP Nadda on Thursday held a meeting with senior leaders of the party's unit including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting, which was held at 11 Ashoka Road, the BJP's old headquarters, was aimed at taking stock of the BJP's preparation for the assembly polls scheduled to be held in next year, sources said. Besides Chouhan, the meeting was attended by BJP's state president VD Sharma, senior minister in the state government Narottam Mishra and the party's general secretary Kailash Vijavargiya. BJP's poll in-charge for the state Muralidhar Rao and the party's general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh were also present in the meeting. In the 2018 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the had the lost elections narrowly and the Congress went on to form the government. But later defections in the Congress led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who along with his supporters joined the BJP, again brought the saffron party back to power in the state. Nadda has been holding meeting with leaders from states which are scheduled to go for polls next year. Earlier this month, he had held similar meeting with leaders from Rajasthan including former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 28 (ANI/PNN): Mumbai-based 1 Finance announces the appointment of former National Stock Exchange (NSE) Vice President, Anand Nigam, as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Anand is responsible for setting the technical direction and technology roadmap for 1 Finance, thereby creating and executing a complete plan of action to build products that delight customers. An MTech from IIT Delhi, Anand carries a vast experience of 20 years and has the domain knowledge and business acumen to align technological needs to the organisation's goals. Before joining (http://1finance.co.in) 1 Finance, Anand started his career as a scientist in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In his last engagement at NSE, as the Chief Architect, was leading digital transformation and tech modernisation, and was responsible for setting up the technology vision and roadmap for the company and its subsidiaries. He was also the Chairman of Design Authority at NSE, and SCOT member for IFSC - International Exchange of NSE. Priorly, he was leading multiple teams at Walmart, rolling out products and services to the US and other international markets. His stint at Myntra comprised heading payments and core buying services for Jabong. Keval Bhanushali, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, 1 Finance stated, "We are pleased to welcome Anand Nigam onboard, with him playing a critical role in building the technology vision of our company. At 1 Finance, data protection and scale are our core focus apart from the overall tech stack. Anand fills those shoes very well as he has built systems at NSE and other organisations in the past. We look to deliver absolute peace of mind to 1 Finance customers while dealing with their finances and related data, and having Anand on board will help us to deliver what we promise." Anand's hiring comes at a time when the role of a CTO in any company is diversified and not limited to just technology. As a CTO, Anand not only takes ownership of the entire technology spectrum but is also the public face of technology at 1 Finance. The reimagined financial institution is a first-of-its-kind ecosystem that is here to disrupt the personal finance space. 1 Finance is solving real issues faced by the affluent middle class through the provision of qualified, unbiased, and hyper-personalised financial advisory. Anand Nigam, Chief Technology Officer, 1 Finance mentioned, "I am excited to be a part of a company that is here to transform the personal finance industry. The vision of the company clicked with me personally in the first go itself. This is what I always needed as an investor, and now I will build not only for our customers but I myself am the first customer. I have been provided with the opportunity of being given a clean slate to build things the way I want, which speaks volumes of the leadership at 1 Finance. We are building very high performance and scalable systems that can provide our customers with a delightful experience using predictive modelling and recommendation systems." The role of Anand Nigam encompasses information technology applications, communications (voice, data, and wireless), and computing services. He is also in charge of the safeguarding of systems and is accountable for combating cyber security threats. 1 Finance Private Limited is a reimagined consumer financial institution that offers qualified, unbiased, and hyper-personalised advisory on one's personal finances including but not limited to assets, liabilities, income, expenses, and insurance. The Mumbai-based company is backed and mentored by marquee investor Marwadi Chandarana Group, established in the year 1995 and marking its prominence in the higher education sector with Marwadi University, in retail financial services by Marwadi Financial Services, and with algorithmic, and high frequency trading with Marwadi Chandarana Intermediaries Brokers Private Limited (MCIBPL). 1 Finance is the first of its kind ecosystem offering financial planning and advisory solutions to the emerging affluent individuals of India. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi/ Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 28 (ANI/NewsVoir): Gurgaon-based, personal care homegrown manufacturing company Ivia Beaute Pvt. Ltd. with their flagship brands 'Astaberry' and 'Ikin' recently launched their new product range of Hair Removal Creams and Wine Facial Kits. Inspired by Ayurveda and formulated with Science, the move is to create a one-stop solution for all personal care needs and also to expand their ever-growing cruelty free, vegan and eco-friendly product range comprising of Hair removal creams, Face Wash, Sunscreen, Home Facial Kits, Onion Oil and Shampoo. Popular actress and model Mouni Roy has been signed as the face of the brand "Ikin Hair Remover Cream". Ivia Beaute Pvt. Ltd., a venture from the house of BHIMSAINI, a pioneer in the Kajal Industry and a leading manufacturer and distributor of Natural Skincare, Healthcare & Eyecare products since 1950 catering to Indian as well as global market. Achal Arya, Director, Ivia Beaute Pvt. Ltd. shares, "Taking care of our skin is a daily ritual and it needs to be pampered with the goodness of nature and that's what the essence of this campaign is with the face of our brand, Mouni Roy. Astaberry products are enriched with the goodness of Ayurveda, the age-old Indian science based on active natural ingredients, blended with modern formulations and distinct fragrances. The newly launched Astaberry Wine Facial Kit and Wine Face Wash are becoming popular with millenials and salon owners alike. Made from natural ingredients and specially crafted formulations like using Red Grape extract in this unique facial kit which helps to reduce fine surface lines and replenish depleted moisture and also improves skin moisturization, firmness, retains elasticity, everlasting glow, and fairness. Using subtle fragrances and crafted packaging adds to the sensory feel of the products making the experience more enjoyable and satisfying." Astaberry has, with its dedicated in-house R and D team of experts in cosmetics, chemistry and product design, developed a complete range of skincare, haircare and personal care products. The company has also added to the "Astaberry Ikin" active skin and hair care range with the introduction of a Hair Removal Cream without any side effects and without pain. The product innovation is such that it does not darken the skin like other hair removal creams but it also uses less time to do it. It is available in 5 different variants i.e Gold, Diamond, Rose, Papaya, and Skin Whitening. "The company plans to double down on its growth strategy adding more brands by end of current fiscal and aims to become a Rs. 200-crore by end of FY 2023," Mr. Achal Arya, Director, Ivia Beaute Pvt. Ltd. further adds. As per industry reports, the Ayurveda market is set to grow by USD 6.81 billion from 2021 to 2026, progressing at a CAGR of 15.32 per cent. Youtube link: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0rKaI_sa3g). The vivacious Bollywood actor Mouni Roy who is seen in a TVC of "Ikin Hair Remover Cream" in a playful mood with gold-fish shares, "I'm really excited to be the face of a brand like Astaberry that deeply resonates with my love for natural, herbal ingredients since childhood. The philosophy of the brand and their unique approach to bring the best products based on the Ayurvedic & Scientific principles which are Conscious, Socially Responsible, free from Animal Cruelty and Environment friendly with all natural ingredients is truly commendable. With Astaberry, my skin care routine is more delightful." Throwing light on the storytelling, Anand Oberoi, Managing Director, Oberoi IBC said, "Astaberry has a very distinct range of personal care products crafted over years of research like the Wine Facial Kit to the Astaberry indulge Sulfate-free Vitamin C foaming face wash to Astaberry's Papaya sunscreen infused with the richness of natural papaya extract or the Astaberry Professional Skin Rejuvenating Vitamin E Face Serum. Our challenge was to create a messaging that aligns with the brand statement. The idea is to take care of communication strategy with a long term goal to establish Astaberry as one of the leading personal care brand in the country." Astaberry is not just a brand, it is a lifestyle that people embrace to look naturally beautiful. Launched by Ivia Beaute Pvt. Ltd., a venture from the house of BHIMSAINI, Astaberry was created to provide result-oriented natural products that satisfy the needs of every skin type. Our products are inspired from Ayurveda and formulated using the best ingredients from India and Europe. Today Astaberry is sold across the country in all major retail stores and used by over 30,000 beauty professionals in salons. Their products are also exported to more than 13 countries. For more information please visit: (https://astaberry.com/). This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI/NewsVoir): Dalmia Group has announced that it has planned to support 20,000 medical professionals every year, adding upto 2 lac doctors in 10 years timeframe, under their exclusive program for Foreign Medical Students from CIS countries. The group will further place these medical professionals in the group-owned hospitals or help them finance their clinics, pathology labs, healthcare centers etc. Dalmia Biz Education Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with several medical universities in CIS countries that are recognized by World Health Organization and offer 5 years course in Doctor of Medicine (MD) in English language. Under the arrangement, the company will facilitate Indian students to study medicine abroad and prepare them to pass the Indian National Medical Commission exams namely Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE)/National Exit Test (NExT). Dalmia Biz Education will identify, shortlist and screen the students as per the eligibility criteria and standards of the University. Finally, the most competent student profiles will be forwarded for university program enrolments. Post successful completion of the program, Dalmia Healthcare Limited - a Dalmia group venture into healthcare domain will provide 100% assistance to these professionals for their placements or setting up their healthcare centers in India. Sanjay Dalmia, the Chairman of Dalmia group commented, "We have an unprecedented opportunity to create a world-class medical education system, well equipped with modern and technologically advanced infrastructure. We are on a mission to contribute in developing a strong foundation in medical education domain to support India in harnessing its demographic dividend to become a "Vishwa Guru" once again." He further stated that "Over 50% of the students from CIS countries, who aren't able to clear the FMGE or NEXT examination, conducted by NMC every year, fail to fulfill their career goals. Dalmia Group has proposed to setup an online facility, for the best in-class training of these students, through especially designed courses mapped to the Indian requirements to qualify the test." Dalmia Group's move is in line with government's objective of transforming medical education and making it affordable and accessible for every aspiring student. Recently, PM Narendra Modi in his speech said that the nation is set to have a record number of doctors in the next 10 years. Dalmia Biz Education is set to build a strong presence in the education space with the Foreign Medical Students Program with CIS countries. The company is also entering into the school business from April-June quarter with the sole aim of transforming education and to make it affordable for all. Dalmia Healthcare Limited is set to build a robust presence across the healthcare ecosystem, including Hospitals, Diagnostic Clinics, Pharmacies (Ayurvedic & Allopathic) and Medical Tourism. The company provides plant-based formulations (Ayurvedic/herbal) and allopathic drugs, that have undergone rigorous scientific validation and clinical trials, conducted at its research centre, Dalmia Centre for Research and Development (DCRD). The company has a presence in more than 30 countries globally, including South-Eastern European countries, Latin America, CIS countries etc. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI/PNN): When the Covid-19 pandemic forced its way into our lives, small and medium businesses across the country were affected by it. It was an unprecedented calamity. While the pandemic caused disruption, it was inspiring to see how digitization was on the rise in India. The pandemic has sparked a global spike in the growth of e-commerce sales and online businesses as worldwide lockdowns forced consumers to turn to the internet for buying everyday goods. The shift to digital has fundamentally changed how micro and small businesses access markets, with digital marketplace platforms playing a central role. The pandemic brought unpredictable changes to every business, and the need of the hour was to survive. Some platforms create new opportunities for small businesses to reach larger pools of local, national, and global customers and suppliers while also connecting them to social networks, peers, and mentors who can provide customized information. E-marketplace platforms also have the advantage of connecting resources at scale and in ways that are dynamic and tailored to the needs of small businesses. VS Online services is a bootstrapped technology-based business solutions company providing custom software solutions for medium-scale businesses and start-ups. The vision is to ensure every human benefit from their technology products and solutions in their day-to-day life. Founded in 2014 in Chennai, VS online services started with Hyperlocal marketplace, a first of its kind in 2015, and then pivoted to providing services for around 5 years now, serving in more than 10+ countries. The company proudly launched VSECOMMERCE (Web, Android, and iOS platform) in 2022, from which a store can launch their own e-Commerce application in 5 minutes and even configure any payment solution they want directly get paid. For now, it supports a single store, and they already have the hyper-local support in the engine. But, they are looking forward to releasing multi-store and hyper-local modules as well in subsequent months. In addition to the same, artificial Intelligence-based Chat solutions (VS Genius) integration will also be included soon this year for the platform. Sivakumar Anirudhan, CEO of VS Online Services Pvt Ltd, said, "We've also observed that there has been an increase in people who are taking their businesses online belonging to a demographic that includes stay-at-home mothers and mid-career switchers, and those who are looking to turn passion projects into businesses." "We specialize in catering to the changing dynamics of the Information Technology industry. With an increase in internet penetration, growth in the smartphone device market, reducing the size of devices and increase in number and types of mobile devices, we help organizations adapt to this evolving landscape", he added. VS Online services drive prosperity for entrepreneurs to tackle a range of big challenges through skill-building, increased economic growth, and strength. With changing market dynamics, we focus on product innovation with a passion for perfection and a relentless commitment to delivering world-class products to its customers. VS online services specialize in catering to the changing dynamics of the Information Technology industry. With an increase in internet penetration, growth in the smartphone device market, reducing the size of devices, and an increase in the number and types of mobile devices, the company is designed with the current emerging market in mind. With no technical coding, or design skill just by adding your store name, your mail Id, phone number, currency, or business information you can start your e-commerce site within 60 seconds from iOS, Android, or web application, and a fully customized e-commerce application within 5 minutes. Additionally, a trial period of 60 days without any card information lets you start your new store or already established store online using the VSECOMMERCE platform. VSECOMMERCE platform can also be helpful to any budding store owner who sells just a few products to an established store with more than 10K products or any services you want to sell online. There is no limit for this platform as this can be changed with minor customization from our team for OTT platforms, appointment-based platforms, or even rental businesses. The company experience ensures that they provide the best estimation, and deliver results on every milestone as planned, where clients can validate the progress made. It has highlighted the need for such initiatives as it has found that many Indians hesitate to transact online due to issues with trust and simplicity. The pandemic has also exposed the need for a structural shift in the conduct of businesses, and shopping practices of consumers and has encouraged small and micro businesses to go digital to retain profits. Digitization campaigns have also helped small businesses gain access to customers throughout the country. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Indias largest life insurer LIC is finally here, albeit at a reduced size. The IPO is a pure offer for sale where the government is selling a 3.5% stake, down from its earlier plan to sell 5%. It plans to raise Rs 21,000 crore at the upper end of the price range of 902-949 per share. That will still overshadow Paytms Rs 18,300 crore issue. The IPO price values LIC at around Rs 6 trillion or 1.12 times its embedded value of Rs 5.4 trillion at the end of December. The embedded value is a measure of future cash flows in life insurance and a key financial metric for insurers. When LIC filed the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), experts had pegged its valuation at two to three times its embedded value, based on the valuation of its domestic private sector peers. However, market volatility due to the Russia-Ukraine war may have changed the dynamics. Listed private life insurance like HDFC Life, SBI Life and ICICI Prudential Life trade between 2.1 to 3.1 times their embedded value. The average market cap to EV ratio of the three is 2.6 times. If we apply the average multiple, LICs value would be Rs 14 trillion. The IPO valuation is almost 60% below this level. However, it is in line with the multiples commanded by global peers which are anywhere from 0.21 to 1.89. Analysts highlighted that LIC had a lower Value of New Business (VNB) margin of 9.9% in FY21 compared with private players, who have VNB margins of 22-27% due to higher share of participation and group products. Disinvestment secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey justified the valuation and timing of the IPO at Wednesdays press conference. IPO is the first step of long-term value creation for shareholders, he says. The 3.5% is an optimal size in current market conditions, he said, adding that the valuation flows from optimised positioning, marketing strategy, accessing investors and market window. While the government said it has decided to go ahead with the IPO in May due to strong market demand and a "solid" anchor investor base, there also might be another reason. It has time till May 12 to launch the IPO without filing fresh papers with Sebi. If this window is missed, LIC would have to update the offer documents with the latest results and embedded value. The government was previously criticised for under-pricing the October 2019 IPO of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, popularly known as IRCTC. At the top end of the price range, IRCTC fetched a market value of Rs 5,120 crore. The government divested around 12.5% of its stake in IRCTC during the IPO and sold another 20% in December 2020. Today IRCTC is valued at almost Rs 60,000 crore, an increase of 1070% since the IPO. Does the government risk a repetition of the IRCTC episode? According to Ashish Gumashta, CEO, Julius Baer India, govt is eyeing price discovery for LIC and it can't think of a better defensive bet than this at this time. He believes this size will not disrupt the primary market, and the valuation leaves something on the table for investors. Market strength of LIC and private players vary. Another expert echoed similar views. Deven Choksey, Managing Director, KR Choksey Investment Managers says the govt wants investors to come again for FPOs. He believes the valuation is sensible in current situation, but price to EV ratio could have risen to 2 if market conditions were right. The share price performance of Indias current IPO record holder also offers a lesson on what happens when an issue is overpriced. Shares of Paytm, which listed in November last year, are down 73% from their IPO price. Experts feel that the conservative valuation for LIC at this stage is a sensible approach by the government, which has to consider global and local market conditions, long-term return expectations of retail investors and the nature of LICs business compared to its private competitors, among other things. They say such attractive pricing will help an IPO of this size sail through easily even as the market remains choppy. Watch video Life Insurance Corporations much-awaited IPO is finally opening on May 4. But much like the initial euphoria around it, its size also looks diminished. Its current valuation is now Rs 6lakh crore, less than half of the expected value of around Rs 13lakh crore. Three years ago, the government had faced backlash for underpricing the IRCTC IPO. So is the government undervaluing another state-run behemoth? Or has it taken this call after due diligence? may well attract a fresh wave of investors into the markets. Something similar had happened with OTT platforms during the lockdown, when people of all ages turned to it. In 2020, had added 36 million subscribers. But the streaming giant saw its customer base shrink by 200,000 during the January-March quarter. And it has projected a loss of another 2 million subscribers in the current quarter. is now mulling a low-cost subscription supported by advertising. What it would mean for it and for the Indian OTT ecosystem? After Netflix, let us move on to markets. It has been a rollercoaster ride for investors during the April F&O series, with bears having the slight edge. Will they triumph? Or will the bulls fight back today? Russia-Ukraine war is not just shaping the markets. It is forging ties between countries too. India and the European Union (EU) agreed to establish a Trade and Technology Council early this week. What it is and what both the sides will gain from it, listen to this episode of the podcast to know. Over 15 years and 16 rounds of talks later, India and the European Union finally decided to launch a joint trade and technology council. And it comes at a time when the EU and India are not at the same page over the Russian attack on Ukraine. But they agreed on other issues which were dragging the launch of the trade mechanism for years. The deal was signed during the visit of President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen on April 25. The importance of the agreement can be gauged from the fact that the United States is the only other country that has a technical agreement with the EU similar to the one signed with India. And for India, the decision to set up such a council will be the first with any of its partners. This strategic coordination mechanism will allow the two partners to address challenges in trade, trusted technology and security, deepening cooperation in these fields. This trade mechanism will allow both sides to work on fields such as 5G, artificial intelligence, climate modelling and health-related technology. The 27 member EU is India's third-largest trading partner, accounting for 62.8 billion worth of trade in goods in 2020 or 11.1% of total Indian trade, after China at 12% and the US at 11.7%. The EU is the second-largest destination for Indian exports (14% of the total) after the US. Between 2007 and 2013, both the sides held 16 rounds of formal talks for the free trade agreement but a deal could not be agreed upon due to stark differences on several issues. They have now agreed that rapid changes in the geopolitical environment highlight the need for joint in-depth strategic engagement. The Trade and Technology Council will provide the political steer and the necessary structure to operationalise political decisions, coordinate technical work, and report to the political level to ensure implementation and follow-up in areas that are important for the sustainable progress of European and Indian economies. The council will comprise working groups led or co-led by relevant departments, services or agencies to operationalise the political decisions into deliverables. For instance, the US and the EU have established 10 such Working Groups, which are chaired by relevant US agencies and European Commission services. These working groups focus on tech standards, climate and green tech, secure supply chains, export controls and investment screening among others. Watch video Tourism Ireland, together with a delegation of 14 tourism companies from Ireland and five American tour operators, is undertaking a sales blitz to the US this week meeting, and doing business with, hundreds of travel agents in Boston, New York, Washington DC and Chicago. Before COVID-19, in 2019, Ireland welcomed 1.7 million American visitors to the island of Ireland, whose visits delivered revenue of 1.6 billion for the economy. This year, Tourism Ireland is rolling out its biggest ever programme of promotions in the United States, to restart overseas tourism to Ireland. The schedule includes a B2B event in each city, with an interactive presentation showcasing Ireland giving the participating companies a platform to promote and sell their products and services to the key American decision-makers in attendance. It also includes opportunities for networking with key travel and lifestyle journalists and influencers. A similar Best of Ireland event will take place on the west coast of the United States next month, visiting Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Speaking this week, Tourism Irelands Head of North America, Alison Metcalfe said, "We are rolling out our Green Button campaign in the United States right now urging travellers to press the Green Button and book their trip to Ireland this year. Our extensive programme of promotions is targeting those consumers with the greatest potential to travel to Ireland. Our message is very simple: Ireland is open for business again and we cannot wait to welcome back visitors from the United States. Were telling prospective US visitors that a warm welcome awaits them when they travel to Ireland, despite the disruption of the last couple of years." Source: www.businessworld.ie Dried-out sections of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal are being refilled, meaning the entire waterway is connected for the first time in a century. The Grand Canal, which is more than 1,700 kilometers long, runs through six provincial-level regions and serves as an important transportation artery. With a history of more than 2,500 years, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014 May 09, 2022 07:10 PM From the Las Vegas Visitor Authority: March 2022 Las Vegas Visitor Statistics The positive visitation trajectory continued in March as Las Vegas hosted more than 3.3M visitors, nearly 50% ahead of last March and roughly 10% shy of March 2019. With meetings returning across the destination along with tradeshows such as ASD Las Vegas, Nat'l Automobile Dealers Assn, Bar & Restaurant Expo, and Int'l Pizza Expo, the convention segment saw continued improvement, reaching an est. 495k attendees for the month, roughly 90% of preCOVID levels of Mar 2019. Overall hotel occupancy reached 80.6%, up approx. 25 pts YoY and down only 10.9 pts vs. March 2019. Weekend occupancy exceeded 92% (up 14.4 pts YoY and down 5.0 pts vs. March 2019) and Midweek occupancy reached 76.6% (up 28.8 pts YoY and down 12.3 pts vs. March 2019). ADR exceeded $163, well ahead of last March (+63.0%) and March 2019 (+21.8%) while RevPAR reached $131.49 for the month, dramatically ahead of March 2021 (+136.7%) and 7.3% over March 2019 levels Click on graph for larger image. The second graph shows convention traffic. Visitor traffic was up 50% compared to last March.The second graph shows convention traffic. The first graph shows visitor traffic for 2019 (dark blue), 2020 (light blue), 2021 (yellow) and 2022 (red)Visitor traffic was down 9.8% compared to the same month in 2019.Convention traffic was down 10.5% compared to March 2019.Note: There was almost no convention traffic from April 2020 through May 2021. Its an American disease to make an issue of China in all aspects By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 09:46, April 28, 2022 News about Elon Musk's Twitter takeover has sparked continuous heated discussions in the US recently. The focus of some, however, has apparently been off the track. A New York Times reporter tweeted to question whether Twitter would become one of the platforms Beijing will gain leverage over in the future. It was re-tweeted and commented on by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. There are also voices saying that Musk will have to seek a balance between his support for free speech and his business activities in China, and that China will exert influence on Twitter through Musk. Many American media outlets didn't forget to "remind" people of the fact that Musk once "praised" China, and he encouraged people to visit China and see for themselves. At a critical moment when China and the US were locked in trade frictions in 2019, Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory kicked into production. In merely over a year, Shanghai-made Teslas have accounted for more than half of Tesla's global delivery. Musk has dealt a lot with China and spoke out some truths about China's economy, they are regarded as "original sins" of Musk by some Americans. Many link Musk's Twitter deal with China and raise it to the level of "risks" or "threats", which shows how narrow the room for pragmatism and rationality toward China in the US has become. Similar incidents have become common in the US. Making an issue of China in every possible way has already become an "American disease." In the face of China's growing comprehensive national power that is closing the gap with the US', the confidence of many political elites in Washington has been declining. And these people are showing anxiety and over-sensitivity toward China, not letting go of any opportunity to hype the "China threat" theory. After Musk acquired Twitter, some from American media even urged Musk to cut off his business ties with China to "guarantee freedom of speech." Such extreme overbearingness hilariously overlaps their weakness. An interesting phenomenon is that many China security-related discussions contain various "private interests" if you look at them closely. Some businesspeople, such as George Soros, blamed China for their failure due to their wrong investment decisions in China. Others try to show their allegiance to the US. For example, Bezos often stresses security with a high-profile patriotic posture, but what he actually eyes are Pentagon orders that are highly profitable. More lawmakers and politicians touch on the China topic in an exaggerated and forcible way, through which they attack opponents as "weak." The "China Threat" is becoming a tacit business approach or a code to seek attention. From the national perspective, Sinophobia which is currently rampant in American society is not fundamentally different from "Japanophobia" that prevailed in the 1980s and 1990s. In both cases, the US regards a "chaser" as competitor, on which the US tried to suppress by any means to ensure its own competitive advantage. But the end of the story will be different because there is no way that Washington can overwhelm China in the same way that it coerced Japan to sign a Plaza Accord. Chinese people do not believe in fallacies, nor are we afraid of evil forces. We will never yield to threats or coercion. As to words and deeds of forcefully making an issue of China, they remind people of an ancient poem: Along the Yangzi River, apes moan ceaselessly. My boat has passed ten thousand mounts briskly. It must be pointed out that making an issue of China can't save the US. Instead, it will continue to intensify all the problems Washington is facing, be they domestic or external, and squeeze the room to solve these issues in the future. Even some people of insight in the US have warned that the excessive attention on undermining Beijing's advantages could make Washington neglect its most important tasks at home and push its foreign policies to deviate from its course even further. "American hubris is always a danger, but so is exaggerated fear, which can lead to overreaction," wrote US scholar Joseph Nye last year. "The US and China must avoid exaggerated fears that could create a new cold or hot war," he added. It seems that those who are sick are unwilling to take medicine. The US is trying to oppose China in every possible aspect, reflecting the peremptory squeezing of reality by the US' anti-China ideology. But the reality is also resisting the ideological pressure at all times. The twist has distorted some US elites' mindset, making them fall into hesitation and division. However, the "China threat" is not the root cause of Washington's internal and external problems. Reality will make them understand sooner or later that win-win cooperation is the effective cure for their disease. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Photo: The Canadian Press Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino. The public safety minister says the judge tasked with leading a public inquiry into the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act will have access to information that "could" include cabinet secrets. Marco Mendicino has told reporters and the House of Commons that Justice Paul Rouleau will have access to what he calls "classified information," but has stopped short of defining what that means. He said it could include information that's covered by cabinet confidentiality, which is in place to foster vigorous debate as governments make decisions. But the minister said ultimately Rouleau will decide what information he needs to conduct the inquiry, and that he has the experience to balance the competing interests of transparency with national security and public safety. Mendicino said he and Justice Minister David Lametti shared "additional facts" with a special committee Tuesday evening about the basis of the decision to invoke the act for the first time. Mendicino told the committee that law enforcement had asked for the act to be used. "We invoked the act because it was the advice of non-partisan professional law enforcement that the existing authorities were ineffective at the time to restore public safety at all of the ports of entry," he told the committee, adding, "And it worked." The emergency declaration on Feb. 14 granted police extraordinary, time-limited powers to end blockades at border crossings across the country, as well as the ongoing occupation of downtown Ottawa. Many have raised questions about the lack of enforcement action by police during nearly three weeks of noisy blockades in downtown Ottawa, where officials described a state of lawlessness. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons Wednesday that police told government they did not have the tools to deal with blockades in Ottawa and at border crossings. "It was only after we got advice from law enforcement that we invoked the Emergencies Act," he said. "The Canadian Police Association, Canadian and Ontario Associations of Chiefs of Police all agreed this is how the legislation should be used: for emergencies." While many people involved in the "Freedom Convoy" said they were there to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions, some, including many of the most vocal organizers, also wanted the Liberal government overthrown. Downtown residents reported vandalism and harassment. MPs and senators on the special joint committee pressed the two ministers for details about what informed the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act. Mendicino said it helped smooth over differences in jurisdiction among police forces and governments, and that he hoped the committee will provide advice about how to deal with that in the future. Lametti repeatedly prefaced his responses to questions by saying he "would not betray cabinet confidence" or that he was bound by solicitor-client privilege. He said the government has tabled documents with the committee that give a clear picture of the decision making. I think Canadians will understand that cabinet confidence is a critical part of our cabinet governance system, Lametti told the committee. So the waiving of cabinet confidence is extremely rare. NDP MP Matthew Green challenged Lametti, saying he had an opportunity to be honest with Canadians about the evidence and facts around the decision. He called on the minister to be more co-operative and forthcoming. Youre certainly impeding the process through which we can get clarity, Green said. The committee and inquiry are both required under the Emergencies Act as a measure to ensure there is a robust examination of the government's decision to use it. Meanwhile, another protest, this one on motorcycles, is due to arrive in Ottawa this weekend. Ottawa police say they have already called in reinforcements from other police services. The City of Ottawa said in a statement Tuesday that all bylaws will be enforced during the "Rolling Thunder" rally, as will a vehicle exclusion zone in the downtown area. Streets will be open but vehicles that are part of the rally will not be allowed. Photo: The Canadian Press Africa is seeing a surge of outbreaks of preventable diseases as a result of disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The continent recorded a 400% increase in measles, to more than 17,000 cases between January and March, compared to the same period last year, Dr. Benido Impouma, a WHO expert in Africa, told a press briefing. Two years of disruptions by the coronavirus pandemic have had major effects on the provision of routine health services, with immunization being seriously affected" in many countries, he said. Twenty-four countries confirmed outbreaks of polio last year, four times more than in 2020. Last year 13 countries reported new outbreaks of yellow fever, rising from nine in 2020 and three in 2019, according to WHO figures. The rise in outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases is a warning sign," Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa, said in a statement. As Africa works hard to defeat COVID-19, we must not forget other health threats. Health systems could be severely strained not only by COVID-19 but by other diseases. The continent of 1.3 billion people has reported 11.4 million COVID-19 cases, including 252,000 deaths, according to figures from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the virus had been trending downwards since January, the WHO reported a rise in cases Thursday driven by a doubling of infection rates in South Africa, the African country most affected by the pandemic. Impouma, the WHO official, said that in the wake of the pandemic the agency seeks to support countries to scale up COVID-19 vaccinations as well as routine immunization services. The same is true for routine immunization as for COVID, said Helen Rees, executive director of a reproductive health and HIV institute at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand. There is the direct health ... problem, but there's this spinoff in terms of adversely affecting poor development and contributing to poverty, which is absolutely critical for our region." Photo: CTV News One person is dead following a police-involved shooting in Vancouver Wednesday night. An East Vancouver man died after an exchange of gunfire with Vancouver Police, VPD spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin says in a press release. Officers responded just after 8:30 p.m. to reports of an alleged assault inside an apartment building near Commercial Drive and East 5th Avenue. "When patrol officers arrived, there was an interaction that resulted in an exchange of gunfire," police say. The suspect, a man in his 40s, died. One police officer was injured and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. B.C.'s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, is investigating. Photo: The Canadian Press The federal transport minister says 37 passengers on a late-December party flight from Montreal to Mexico have been fined a total of $59,500. Omar Alghabra's office says 42 tickets were issued, including 18 for non-compliance with vaccination requirements and 24 for violations of masking rules. Videos of the charter flight from Montreal to Cancun were shared on social media and show unmasked passengers singing and dancing in the aisles and on seats, some clutching liquor, snapping selfies and vaping. The minister's office says a Transport Canada investigation into the flight is ongoing and further sanctions could be issued. Sunwing Airlines cancelled the group's return flight after the videos began circulating. Air Canada and Air Transat also refused to book the flight's 154 passengers on return trips to Canada. At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the passengers a group that included Quebec social media influencers and reality television personalities as barbarians and "idiots." Photo: Glacier Media Driving along Highway 1 past the North Surrey Auto Mall on a typical pre-COVID day, motorists could expect to see a collection of new cars on display often through the glass walls of the elevated showroom of one dealership, at drivers eye level, right next to the road. Today, there are no cars only printed images of cars affixed to those same glass walls. This situation is now the norm in the automotive industry in B.C. and everywhere else. Supply chain snarls stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as increasing global unrest in several key markets, have eradicated dealers inventories of new vehicles. Industry officials estimate that North American dealers now have new vehicle inventories of fewer than seven days (the amount of time it would take a dealer to sell out of its vehicles if no new cars arrive). The industry norm is 45 to 70 days. Different groups measure in different ways in terms of whats the lag time versus what the inventory time is, said Huw Williams, director of public affairs at the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association. But I can tell you for the moment the inventory is very, very short. We originally anticipated the situation would return to normal this summer. Now, I think thats going to be delayed a few more months. Blair Qualey, president and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC, said that while he cannot confirm the exact inventory situation of each dealership, the number of new cars to sell is at a record low. Anyone who drives by a dealership can see the situation, he said. I talk to the dealers, and anecdotally from them, its a huge challenge for many brands The number of new vehicles that are available is few and far between, and I suspect it will continue for several months to come. The primary culprit is a shortage of the kinds of computer chips that are now pervasive in modern automobiles in every facet of operation. But Qualey added that it isnt just the chips that are now in short supply. These are highly sophisticated, highly technical vehicles that we run around in every day, he said. We take it all for granted perhaps until you open the hood see all the complexities under there. COVID has closed various manufacturing plants for everything from wiring harnesses to seats. Another major snag though its effect is not yet widely apparent is the lockdown of Shanghai and the paralysis of its port, where many automakers produce, ship and receive their parts for final assembly of vehicles elsewhere. Lately, there are people referring to the lockdown of Shanghai a whole city of 25 million people where a lot of manufacturing and other things that are done there for both the Chinese vehicle market and markets in other places, Qualey said. We dont think of the global supply chain of these myriads of pieces that go into making a single vehicle. Among the items consumers will have to get used to: Photo: Government of B.C./Flickr A downed bridge along B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway at Juliet Creek. November's flooding triggered the collapse of dozens of bridges across B.C. The bridge appears to be directly downstream from severely burned areas, said one expert. A B.C. company that helps make sense of satellite data says it has found a correlation between the 2021 wildfires and several bridges and sections of highway washed away during last falls catastrophic floods. Launched 11 years ago in Prince George, B.C., SparksGeo has helped Silicon Valley tech companies like Nextdoor expand internationally, and environmental groups like the World Wildlife Foundation build a digital platform to help capture marine data in remote locations across the planets oceans. But in some of its latest work, the team of geospatial analysts has turned its expertise to problems closer to home. There was fire here. There was flood here, said Sparksgeos James Banting, referring to highway damage some say could add up to $7.5 billion. We're saying that something is there. That something emerged after the team of data scientists mapped out last years wildfires, record November rainfall and 36 sections of highway damaged by the ensuing flooding and landslides. Most of the hill slopes and river crossings failed along the Coquihalla Highway the busiest route linking Vancouver with the rest of Canada between Hope and Merritt. The three-dimensional digital terrain map flies you through burn-scarred valleys, where bridges sea-sawed into the Coldwater River and sections of road crumbled under the weight of landslides. Hillsides painted red reveal how hot the 2021 wildfires burned, a metric known as burn severity. Along one stretch of the Coquihalla, seven damaged locations were mapped out, with most in close proximity to the burn scar from the July Mountain Fire, which burned on both sides of the highway, noted the researchers. Swooping over a flooded Merritt, the viewer is taken up the Nicola River, where whole sections of Highway 1 cleaved into the rushing waters. And while those waters likely contributed to many of the failures, the 2021 July Creek fire burned adjacent to much of the damage, and at least one on-the-ground account points to a link between burn scars and powerful landslides near Tank Hill. Describing the work as a first pass, Banting said much more needs to be done to draw a definitive picture of how wildfire impacted the costliest flood damage in the provinces history. Independent fire ecologist Robert Gray, who reviewed the mapping, described the presentation of the factors at play as impressive. They are correct that there is likely a correlation between the 2021 fires and the November flood damage, he said, and also that much more analysis is needed. At first glance, the location of some washed out bridges and roads hints at the role of fire, said Francois-Nicolas Robinne, a wildfire risk scientist with the Canadian Forest Service. He agreed with Gray, however, that without tracing the origin in each watershed, we wont be sure. A forest turns to wax paper How wildfire sets the stage for mudslides has been well-documented across the world. When rain falls on an intact tree canopy, it gets caught in the leaves and needles, slowly dripping to the ground where it's soaked up by decomposing leaf litter and dead logs. Like a giant sponge, the forest slows the path of rain and meltwater downhill, flattening peak flooding during extreme rainfall events in the same way social distancing can flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases. But when a wildfire burns through a forest, the sponge effect is annihilated, explains Lori Daniels, a professor in UBC's forestry department. To make matters worse, when a wildfire burns, a trees leaves and needles release aromatic oils that drip into the soil. Once cool, they create an oily coating below the ash and soil, like wax paper, said Daniels. With nowhere to go, rainwater pools. Rivulets turn into puddles, which eventually tip downhill where they accumulate into flash floods and torrents. All that water inevitably flows to the lowest points in the landscape, often occupied by highways infrastructure or human settlements. Rain falling on the water repellent fire-scarred soils would have had a higher tendency to run off into the Coldwater River rather than being absorbed, wrote the Sparksgeo team in their analysis. The increased volume of water flowing through the river would have increased its destructive power. How clearcut logging makes flooding worse Others who examined Sparksgeos work warned that the widespread damage of B.C.s highway system let alone communities surrounded by mountains like Merritt and Princeton is not a simple story of climate, flood and fire. Younes Alila, a professor at the University of British Columbias department of forest resources management, pointed to a lack of on-the-ground work to directly link the bridge and highway failures to wildfire. Correlation is not causation, said Alila. A map like that would not stand in a courtroom. When diagnosing the cause of a mudslide, every site is different geology and a mosaic of human disturbances upstream of a wildfire can matter as much as the fire itself, experts say. Alila has spent years studying the interplay of wildfire and logging on flood risk. He says there is a vast body of work that shows destructive forestry practices, such as clearcut logging, are creating an unstable landscape across large swathes of B.C. We have known for a long time that clearcut logging and wildfire can cause floods. Intuitively, that goes without saying, he said. But the amount and rate of clearcut logging in tributaries and headwaters of the Fraser River and throughout the province have increased dramatically, especially over the last 20 years. Superimposed on those historic disturbances is a changing climate, which is making atmospheric rivers more severe and more frequent, Alila added. Attribution science often involves dozens of scientists working together to quickly figure out how much climate change made an extreme weather worse. The idea is to get the science to the world before the public and policymakers have moved on, or worse, rebuilt or relocated infrastructure into the wrong place. The rapidly growing field has tended to focus on the impacts of climate change on an extreme weather event. Such studies have found that emissions from human civilization likely supercharged Hurricane Harveys devastating rains by a factor of 3.5. In B.C. last year, attribution studies found the record June heat dome was made 150 times more likely due to climate change. The November atmospheric river event, meanwhile, was made up to four times more likely due to the effects of human-released greenhouse gases. Applying attribution science to the landscape, the canvas where climate change causes much of its damage, has received less attention. Its a frontier Allila has been pushing for over a decade. In one of his earlier studies on the subject, Alila found clearcut logging snow-covered forests could make the number of large floods in streams and rivers passing through them up to four times more likely. More recently, he has been working in B.C.s Interior in an undisclosed watershed where 18,000 kilometres of roads and the drainage ditches and culverts that come with them have increased stream density by 30 to 50 per cent. That effect means water can more efficiently flow downhill, filling rivers and making flooding more frequent and more intense. The watershed is typical to anywhere in B.C., says Alila, for the simple reason that companies cannot log without building roads. As a result, climate scientists, policymakers, insurance companies and lawyers are now asking how much they should blame a flooding event on climate change, and how much worse it got because of previous wildfires or logging. Government not moving fast enough to phase out clear cut logging Outside of his lab and the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, which worked on the November flooding, Alila said attribution science is under the radar in B.C., particularly when it comes to the provincial government. The government of B.C. has not been managing the land at all on the basis of the most up-to-date science, he said. Only when there is a house on fire. When Glacier Media raised Alilas claims the province is failing to transition away from clear cut logging, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests pointed to the role of the mountain pine beetle in decimating over 16 million hectares of forest and setting the stage for wildfire. A record 2.7 million hectares have burned in wildfires over the last 5 years, wrote the spokesperson in an email. In comparison, 888,000 hectares were harvested between 2016 and 2020. The spokesperson added that over the past 20 years, clear cut logging with reserves has been the most commonly applied forestry practice in B.C. a practice, claimed the ministry spokesperson, that retains some forest for wildlife, water quality and terrain stability. He also pointed to widespread and prompt tree planting efforts (over 1 billion trees planted since 2018) and changes to the Forest and Range Practices Act as steps the government has taken to diminish the impact of increased flood risk due to logging and climate change. Its a threat fire ecologist Gray hopes to have an answer to soon hes currently working with two other wildfire scientists to develop a methodology that would allow communities to model and assess potential mudslides before an extreme flooding event. The idea, he said, is to assess these situations before the disaster happens so we can target the necessary interventions. For Alila, the science is already clear: The most natural protection against landslides and floods is the vegetation cover. The problem is the minute [the B.C. government] starts to look at the real science and the recent science, it will be faced with the dilemma of having to change the way we manage the land in this province. It doesn't seem like there is a political will to do that. Photo: CTV News The federal government has set aside about $1.5 billion to compensate Indigenous people who have been without clean drinking water, the result of a class-action lawsuit initiated by First Nations communities. But while the government called the settlement "historic," people living under the country's longest boil-water advisory called it unfair and frustrating at a news conference Thursday. Chief Wayne Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation in Ontario said the 27-year-long advisory is "heartbreaking," particularly for children who've never known clean water. Community member Roy Moonias said he's only entitled to claim six years of compensation even though he's lived under the advisory since 1995. "That is B.S.," Moonias said. "Who made that call?" He said the water treatment plant in Neskantaga is still incomplete, "and our people have lost hope in this project." "The government of Canada should be accountable for the wrongdoing of this community," he said. The settlement will compensate people living in communities that were subject to a drinking water advisory of at least one year between November 1995 and June 20, 2021. Tataskweyak Chief Doreen Spence said the class-action lawsuit was intended to make the federal government aware of the injustice faced by Indigenous people. The lawsuit was initiated by Neskantaga First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation and Tataskweyak Cree Nation in 2019. The court approved a settlement agreement on Dec. 22, 2021. But representatives from those communities who were invited to speak at Thursday's news conference said people are still suffering. Sharon Sakanee, health director for Neskantaga, said people have come to the nursing station with skin rashes caused by the water. "We are asked to use bottled water to bathe, to cook, to clean, and thats not acceptable," she said. Sakanee's son was born a month after the water advisory came into effect in 1995. She said he died by suicide in 2012 shortly before the community declared a state of emergency over suicides and "he never got to drink clean drinking water since the day he was born, and thats what all our children today are facing. "It's just another form of genocide," she said. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said individual compensation will never make up for the harm to people's lives, but added the government's commitment of at least $6 billion through the settlement is meant to end all boil-water advisories "once and for all." "I agree, nobody should have to fight so hard for basic human rights," she said. Spence invited Hajdu to visit her community in Manitoba, which has been under an advisory for five years, to get a better understanding of the living conditions. In a news release, the government said it "acknowledges the past harms caused to First Nations by a lack of safe drinking water and is firmly committed to supporting these communities by addressing systemic barriers and developing sustainable solutions." The settlement also includes a $400 million First Nation Economic and Cultural Restoration Fund, and a promise of "making all reasonable efforts" to repeal the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act and introduce a replacement law by the end of the year. If we want to build reconciliation, a path to healing, we have to address these basic fundamental rights of individuals," Chief Moonias said. The Trudeau government promised to end all long-term boil water advisories when it was first elected in 2015. So far 132 advisories have ended but there are still 33 active in 28 communities. Tataskweyak elder Eunice Beardy said the prime minister "makes promises but doesn't keep them." Im hoping that someday before its my time to leave this earth I see that clean water for our young people, she said. The settlement claims period is open and people can apply for compensation until next March. Singapore has executed an Indian-origin Malaysian man convicted of drug smuggling after a court dismissed pleas to spare him on grounds he was mentally disabled, media reports said on Wednesday. Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam was convicted and sentenced to the mandatory death penalty in November 2010 for importing into Singapore 42.72 grams of diamorphine (heroin) in April 2009. His conviction and death sentence were upheld in July 2011. Medical experts who assessed Nagaenthran found that he has borderline functioning intelligence and concurrent cognitive deficits, which "may have contributed toward his misdirected loyalty and poor assessment of the risks in agreeing to carry out the offence". The Court of Appeal dismissed the concern, stating that "[h]is alleged deficiency in assessing risks might have made him more prone to engage in risky behaviour; that, however, does not in any way diminish his culpability." Responding to the execution of Malaysian national Nagaenthran Dharmalingam in Singapore, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Regional Director Erwin van der Borght said: "The execution of Nagaenthran is a disgraceful act by the Singapore government - ruthlessly carried out despite extensive protests in Singapore and Malaysia and an outcry across the world." "Nagaenthran's hanging highlights the deep flaws of the death penalty in Singapore and the horror of its continued use. He was executed after he was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking, amid concerns about his mental health state and despite having a diagnosed intellectual disability - in violation of international law and standards," Borght added. According to the London-based rights group, international law and standards prohibit the imposition of mandatory death sentences as these deny judges the possibility of taking into account the mitigating circumstances in the case. Moreover, international law and standards require that the imposition of the death penalty be restricted to the "most serious crimes" involving intentional killing. (ANI) Also Read: Singapore invokes anti-misinformation law on Kejriwal's claim over 'Singapore COVID strain' Five coal miners were killed after unidentified gunmen attacked them in the Samangan province of Afghanistan, said a media report citing local officials of the province. According to the local Taliban officials, the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in the Kotal Regi area of the Dara-e-Sof district of the province bordering Balkh province, reported Khaama Press. According to a report from a state-run news agency, the miners were initially robbed, following which they were shot by the unidentified attackers. All the victims reportedly belonged to the Hazara group, the original residents of the district. A resurgence of terrorism! Taliban's authority challenged No group has claimed responsibility for the incident yet, according to the media outlet. Meanwhile, recent incidents across Afghanistan that have resulted in the killings of tens of civilians have cast shadows on the Taliban's ability to secure the country. A string of bombings across multiple cities in Afghanistan has prompted questions about Taliban claims of providing terror-free administration to the people of the war-torn country, while the global community is concerned about the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan. 'Crime against humanity' unchecked Even as the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has repeatedly claimed victory and assured peace and stability in Afghanistan, a string of bombings and attacks across multiple cities proves otherwise, suggesting a dim future that lies ahead for roughly 40 million citizens. The spate of attacks in recent times has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United Nations, former Afghan politicians, as well as human rights groups, that have condemned the attacks as 'crimes against humanity'. (With ANI inputs) Also Read: Afghanistan, Pakistan adamant on stands over cross border violence In a move which may provoke the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday asked the Cooch Behar Police not to allow the Border Security Force (BSF) to allow beyond 50 kms from the international border. The West Bengal Chief Minister also alleged that the "BSF is entering the villages and beating people while also throwing them on the other side of the international border". "Don't allow BSF to enter 50 kms of the area beyond the international border in the state because they are entering the village, killing people and throwing them on the other side. Ask the BSF to take state police in confidence while working on any operation," the Chief Minister said in a virtual meeting with the senior officials of the state police. The Central government had last year amended the BSF Act to authorise the border guarding force to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a 50 km stretch, up from the previous limit of 15 kms, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. The amendment had triggered a political slugfest over the role of the BSF and the state police in maintaining the law and order situation in the respective states. Punjab and West Bengal governments even passed resolutions in November last year against the Centre's decision to extend the BSF jurisdiction from 15 kms to 50 kms of the international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. They asked the Central government to withdraw the order passed on October 11, 2021. Central and West Bengal governments have been at loggerheads for the past many years over various issues, especially the law and order situations in the state. Banerjee, in a meeting with State Police, even claimed that the law and order situation is good in the state but some sections of the media are deliberately spreading misinformation and said that cases are lodged in West Bengal but not in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. "A case of death by suicide was portrayed as a rape case by the opposition parties. The BJP and CPI(M) are both trying to defame West Bengal. We will not let Bengal become Hathras or Unnao," she said. However, she also questioned the West Bengal Police about the recent incidents that took place in the state. (ANI) Also Read: Congress slams Kerala govt's move to study 'Gujarat model' of governance This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Benjamin Brown was sentenced on Wednesday to less than three years total for the death of three-year-old Annie Shell. The jury found him guilty of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment in February for the 2018 murder. Brown was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days for reckless endangerment and two years for criminally negligent homicide to be served consecutively. He was immediately taken into custody without bail. Every time I pass you I get sick to my stomach, said Annies mother, Tiffany Shell, in her statement to Brown. I thought for a long time that you were innocent, I really did but after hearing all the evidence, I have my own opinions. On Wednesday, the court heard that Brown has two prior class A misdemeanors. Brown was charged with theft in 2013 and pled guilty to a domestic assault charge in 2015. Prosecutors called the grandfather of one of Browns children, Claude Stamey, to testify in regards to previous charges. Mr. Stamey is Emily Browns father - Emily Brown and Brown were married for six years and are in the process of divorce. Mr. Stamey testified that Brown hit him in the face 10 times with an iron dog statue two days after his open heart surgery. He said Brown pulled out a box cutter-like knife before law enforcement arrived. I begged my wife to please go get my gun and shoot this son of a b****, said Mr. Stamey. He was out to do me in. Brown failed a marijuana drug test just two weeks after the felony murder charge. He also lied to law enforcement in his statements for this case. Further, he got a speeding ticket while on bail. Defense attorneys asked the court for judicial diversion but Judge Barry Steelman denied due to prior convictions. It is disturbing to the court that Brown would have such a lack of sympathy especially since he has children, said Judge Steelman. This child was severely and traumatically injured. If you dont get justice today you certainly will by a higher power, said Barbra Brewer who said she was like a second grandmother to Annie. The Concurrent Grand Jury, headed by Hugh Moore Jr., continued to meet despite the COVID issue. In juror comments, it was noted that Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute served numerous counties and many of those who are released end up as homeless in Chattanooga rather than trying to make their way back home. The panel submitted this final report: Concurrent Grand Jury Continued to Adapt to COVID-19: This Jury conducted all of its sessions in the regular Grand Jury room. There were no issues. There were a number of COVID cases among the Jurors, but with the assistance of the Alternate Jurors, each scheduled session was completed. Additional Named Alternate Grand Jurors: It would be helpful if six alternate Jurors were selected for the panel. In past years two Alternates were selected, and more recently four have been selected. It would be very helpful is the empaneled Jury included six drawn and selected Alternate Jurors. Cases Presented: The Concurrent Grand Jury met for 13 days. Because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic the Jury was not able to conduct its usual inspections of the Hamilton County Jail, the Silverdale Correctional Facility, or the Juvenile Court and Facility. During the term, 215 cases were presented to the Concurrent Grand Jury. The Grand Jury returned 165 true bills, 1 no bill, and 49 presentments. Assistant District Attorney Kate Lavery has continued to work diligently in an effort to have each of the law enforcement agencies in the County to designate officers to appear and present cases for other officers in their departments. Substantial and continuing progress has been made in this regard. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, and the Cities of Red Bank, Collegedale, and East Ridge, among others, have followed this practice. Nevertheless, as in the past, on some days comparatively few law enforcement officers appeared to present their cases. As a result, the Jury would adjourn shortly after 1:00 pm. The Jury recognizes the many problems inherent in scheduling these appearances (shift schedules, court appearances, paperwork issues, training, vacations, etc.), but questions whether some improvements might be made, and through those improvements the time of the Jurors be more efficiently used. Apparently there are many cases ready for presentation, and the Grand Jury is always ready to hear them. The most common and continuing complaint from Grand Jurors is that their time is not used efficiently. The Jurors are ready to serve on each assigned day, but more often than not, there are not enough witnesses to occupy a full day. As noted above, several of the presenting law enforcement agencies now allow officers to present cases worked by other officers, which is fully permissible under the law. The Chattanooga Police Department, through Sgt. April Bolton, has always done particularly well with this method of presentation. Sgt. Bolton will frequently present as many as 10-15 cases at a time, which allows other CPD officers to maintain their regular schedules. Presentations from Judges and others: Four Hamilton County Judges took time out of their busy calendars to meet with and take questions from the Jury (Criminal Court Judges Greenholtz, Poole, and Steelman, and General Sessions Judge Alex McVeigh). The judges' presentations were universally well received and appreciated by the Jury. Most Grand Jurors have no prior experience or familiarity with the criminal justice system. These talks enabled the Jurors to understand where their work fits in the system, and how vital their role is as impartial citizen gatekeepers to the Criminal Courts. Respect for law enforcement: During their term of service the jurors heard from scores of local law enforcement officers, from not only the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the Chattanooga Police Department, but also from several of the suburban municipal departments, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and others. As with other Juries, these Jurors learned first-hand what these public servants face on a daily basis, and as a result, the Jurors' respect for the service of these law enforcement officers was strengthened. Each of these officers is commended by the Concurrent Grand Jury for their dedication, hard work, and skill. Several officers have used the audio-visual aids in the Grand Jury room to enhance presentation of their cases, and the Jury recommends more use of video, and still photographs, as appropriate and applicable. Comments from Grand Jurors: First of all Id like to thank the men and women who serve in the various police departments in Hamilton County. I always knew the police had a noble, albeit difficult task in keeping the different communities safe, but seeing it in person in grand jury service made it that much more real for me. I am particularly touched by one officer who wept as he gave testimony over the things he had seen. While I am moved by his compassion for those he serves and protects, I am also concerned for the toll this job must take on him as well as the others that dont wear their heart on their sleeve. In hindsight now some of the cases that were read out by other officers were confusing. A couple were simple glitches in updating reports, or were easily cleared up when the officer gave his own testimony, but for many of these reports the officer in question was no longer with the police department. Though nothing was said as to why, the age of some of the cases, along with the backlash all the police took from the George Floyd incident, and the lack of care in these reports lead me to believe theres been a problem with discouragement and/or mental exhaustion. As I started asking around what could be done for the police, it should have come as no surprise (though I later remembered seeing this someplace else) that the police in addition to other first responders have one of the highest rates of suicide as other occupations. I dont know who to go to with these ideas, the ways or means of making them happen, or the legality in our structure of government that would allow for them. But I was told that this report is read by our elected officials and Im hoping those who read this will know the proper channels to go through to engineer these concepts into reality. So here goes. There needs to be some sort of program or educational effort to help the police maintain their brain health. Im not talking about just having counselors available, but making them more aware of things they can do to keep their brains in top notch condition. Police officers with healthy brains are less likely to make mistakes that all police will be blamed for, be better able to cope with stress that comes from the job, and be self-aware enough to know when they need to seek help. Dr. Daniel Amen is a psychiatrist who has studied the brain through spect scans. Hes developed a four circle approach to better mental health and has about 10 clinics nationwide, one of which is in Atlanta. Ive run out of time to do anymore research, but perhaps contacting them for more information will help the police departments to train their officers in brain fitness. They can learn about the things that hurt the brain (at least 60% of people who attempted suicide had a problem with their left temporal lobe), how to help their brain improve from traumas, toxic exposure to narcotics, etc. They could also learn to discipline their thoughts to stay optimistic even when troublemakers misuse freedom of speech to verbally abuse them. They can learn to maintain good circles of support from friends if not also family and maintain a sense of purpose. They could also learn ways to improve the brain. Ping-pong, continued education and learning to play a musical instrument are all things that can be done to improve the brain. Police would also be better equipped to recognize and manage prisoners with mental illnesses. When Judge Poole spoke to us about mental health court he informed us that the largest mental institutions in the country are the largest prisons in the country. Also on the topic of mental health; I didnt realize Moccasin Bend took in people from 15 other counties including Knoxville. While Im proud Chattanooga has this facility as a resource to help other counties, when many of these individuals get out they have no place for them back home. They then end up becoming part of Chattanoogas homeless population. Its also reasonable to assume that if they have no place to live they are not getting their medication, which in turn makes them more vulnerable to either being used by criminals and/or relapsing back into the system. Ive heard rumors of relocating or at least updating Moccasin Bend. Whatever happens at least on the government end, if Moccasin Bend (and therefore Chattanooga) is taking severe mentally ill patients from other counties then it should have the most state of the art technology for diagnosing and treating patients. More specifically what Im talking about is a spect scan (I believe there is also a pet scan that does the same thing). A spect scan can identify which parts of the brain are over active, under active, or working just right. Patterns in the brain can help doctors determine which treatment or medication is best suited to treat and individuals condition as well as eliminate misdiagnosis, thus giving most patients more confidence in their doctors diagnosis. It would save the drawn out turmoil of trying one medication for several months to see if it helps, does nothing or creates a new problem before starting on another drug for another several months, and so on. The time saved could then be used to retrain patients to stand on their own two feet when they get out. While these tests are not cheap, demand and time have a way of making technology more economic. Computers once took up an entire room and would have been prohibitively expensive. Now most people carry one that doubles as a phone, camera, and a television in their purse or pocket. On a separate note, technology is allowing police to take some perpetrators into custody soon after the crimes have been committed, including rape. While rape kits have been the primary tool when the targeted person made a report and police might find the alleged rapist days later, swift apprehension of the suspect means that evidence can now be collected from them. When someone claims they were raped and there are clear signs they were assaulted, (bruises, etc.) and the suspect is in custody within hours of the crime it may be prudent to seek out a warrant to collect evidence from them. For example, (please pardon the indelicacy of what Im about to say): swab their genitals and their underwear or next closest garment for traces of vaginal fluid or the victims DNA, comb the pubic region for any hairs that dont match, and take any necessary photos. This could be a backup when a rape kit shows not secretions or tearing. No one seems to be considering this so I thought Id mention it. Whether any of these things are possible or not, or if something else similar may be in the works, I dont know, but I do know well go nowhere forward if ideas are not suggested and discussed. Once again, Id like to thank all the police for their diligence, as well as the jury foremen and the supervising prosecutor for clearing things up, the judges for taking time to explain things to us, and all of you who took the time to read this and considered it. ** Given the graphic and sensitive nature of some of the cases that are testified to before the Grand Jury, some form of counseling services should be made available to the Jury. Silverdale Detention Center: No inspection was possible. Hamilton County Juvenile Court: No inspection was possible. Hamilton County Jail: No inspection was possible. Conclusion: The Jury wishes to extend its thanks to Assistant District Attorneys Kate Lavery and Jerry Sloan, who ably and efficiently presented the State's cases, and explained applicable law. The Jury appreciated the always pleasant and polite assistance provided by Sgt. April Bolton, and by Don Klasing who scheduled the appearance of witnesses. Larry Henry and his staff in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office (Margo McConnell) supported the Jury in every way. _________________________________ HUGH J. MOORE, JR. CONCURRENT GRAND JURY FOREMAN Filed with the Hamilton County Criminal Court Clerk Dated: April, 2022 Chuckie Robinson is listed as a catcher on Chattanoogas roster, but he should be labelled as a turret instead. Because from his post behind the batter, Robinson was forever-ready to leap up and spray bullets to all corners of the infield diamond. A few Tennessee Smokies dared to run on him in the Lookouts 6-2 Wednesday win, but they were fools for doing so. With Chuckie, its not just about his arm, manager Jose Moreno added. The leadership he brings is so important. He was on the team last year, and his spirit and energy behind the plate is (something everyone on the team sees). Seeing how he plays and how he blocks and controls the running game, you want to play like that. Christopher Morel got down early with an 0-2 count, but that didnt end up mattering in the end. On the third pitch, Morels righthanded swing pulled the ball up and over the wall to give the Smokies an early 1-0 lead. Nelson Velazquez was slightly more patient, taking three balls and one called strike before he swung the bat. The result was the same though, a long ball that almost hit scoreboard. Bryce Ball also got a hit on the next at-bat, but he provided some variety by just blooping the ball into right field. Chattanoogas Matt McLain gave the home crowd something worth cheering about in his first at-bat. He looped a ball into rightfield that got away from Velazquez. While the right fielder was fumbling around in the grass, McLain motored to third for a triple. A few seconds later, McLain sprinted home and scored after pitcher Cam Sanders hurled a wild pitch. TJ Hopkins didnt give his pitcher much help in the top of the third. Darius Hill slapped a long fly ball toward center, and Hopkins seemed to have a beat on it. But he mis-tracked the ball as he ran under it, and Hill ended up at center with a double. After Velazquez got on base again and stole second, McWilliams faced another rough spot. McWilliams got out of it by inducing a popup for a second out, and then he struck out Chase Strumpf to escape the top of the third. Chuckie Robinson may have had a rough day at the plate, but he didnt let that affect his game behind it. Robinson consistently made killer throws to second base whenever the Smokies would try to steal. He didnt get an out everytime (thanks to some mishandles), but Robinsons lasers got a few. After McLains superhuman effort in the first, Sanders put Chattanoogas bats in Silverdale for the next hour or so. Robinson, Byrd Tenerowicz, and everyone else flailed away against the righthander with mid-90s stuff. McLain seemed to have a hit in the bottom of the fifth, but his grounder was deemed an error by the scorekeeper. In the top of the sixth, third baseman Matt Lloyd handled a tough ball and then laid it off to Urbaez to get the first out. From there, the ball relayed to Tenerowicz at first to complete a snappy double play. In bottom of the inning, second baseman Urbaez went for a single. McAfee hustled to third on a slow single by Lloyd. Lloyd then got a chance to show off his wheels on the very next play. Robinson finally got one past the defense, a rocket down the third-base line that nestled itself in the outfield corner. Urbaez ran home, Robinson went to second, and then Lloyd slid into home. These hits that led to the Lookouts 3-2 lead came off reliever Brandon Leibrandt. Chattanoogas relief options of Andy Fisher, Michael Byrne, and Rick Karcher combined to shutout the Smokies in four innings. In the bottom of the eighth, the Lookouts added another three insurance runs via a TJ Hopkins groundball that was fumbled by the Smokies, and then a wild pitch by Graham Lawson. The Lookouts will play the Smokies once again on Thursday, and the winner will break the series 1-1 tie. First pitch is at 7:15. BOX SCORE: TENNESSEE SMOKIES 200 000 000. - 2/9/2 CHATTANOOGA 100 002 03X - 6/6/0 WP: Fisher LP: Leibrandt FULL BOX SCORE Do you have an opinion on this article, or have a story you believe needs coverage? You can contact the author at Joseph.A.Dycus@gmail.com or on Twitter at @joseph_dycus. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly will reinvent the State of the City ceremony on May 5, transforming the annual tradition from a one-way monologue into a community conversation about the future of Chattanooga. This years state of the city will feature multiple speakers as part of a broader conversation about the mayors strategic vision for a more prosperous and equitable city, and the road that lies ahead. Among other guests, the mayor will be joined by former Salt Lake City County Mayor Ben McAdams, who also served as the U.S. Senator representing Utahs second district. As mayor, Mr. McAdams pioneered new tools to unlock opportunities and create shared prosperity for the residents of Salt Lake City County. Mr. McAdams will discuss the potential for Chattanooga to leverage assets ranging from dormant parking lots to empty land to uplift the community and drive economic revitalization. All residents are invited to register to attend the summit, which will be held at the Tivoli Theatre on May 5, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m., and food and drinks will be available in the lobby. Because of limited seating, register in advance to secure your seat. More information will be made available in the days to come. Card-Monroe Corp. announce the appointment of Greg Pawson of Signal Mountain to become CMCs new chief executive officer effective May 9. Mr. Pawson follows CEO Charles Monroe, who will retire after serving 41 years as CMCs co-founder and CEO, but will remain actively involved as co-chairman of the board. "Through the leadership of co-founders Lewis Card, Jr. and Charles Monroe, CMC has become the worlds leading manufacturer of custom-built tufting equipment," officials said "They dedicated their careers to demonstrating and achieving CMCs corporate vision of a 'higher set of standards.' In his role as chief executive officer, Mr. Pawson will lead CMCs strategic short and long-term business initiatives, while protecting CMCs corporate values and mission. He will build upon CMCs long-standing business relationships, while emphasizing innovation, service and integrity; all of which have been the "binding forces" of the Company for nearly half a century. Greg Pawson has distinguished himself as a leader worth following and we are excited about that leadership, said Mr. Monroe. Greg brings broad expertise in finance, operations and business strategy. We conducted a nationwide search for CMCs next leader and feel so blessed we found that leader right here in our own community. We are certain Greg is the right choice and welcome him to the CMC family. Previously, Mr. Pawson was with Signal Energy of Chattanooga for 13 years in a wide array of roles, most recently as CEO and president. He managed multimillion dollar projects in sales, engineering, procurement and contracting business units. Prior to joining Signal Energy, Mr. Pawson served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and was promoted to captain. As a CH-46E Helicopter pilot, he earned, Marine Aviator of the Year in 2005, following his two combat deployments to Iraq. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Pawson is also active in the Chattanooga community as a board member of Bible in the Schools, and a member of the CEO Forum. He is a Brock Fellow 2016, 10 Project. CMCs corporate values are both inspiring and authentic and I am honored to build upon their legacy of innovation, service and integrity, Mr. Pawson said. My wife, Kristin, and I are beyond excited to join the CMC team. Brad Card will continue to serve in his role as CMCs President. Having known her for over 25 years, it is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we offer our personal endorsement of Amanda Dunn for Criminal Court Judge, District III. Through the years, we have had the pleasure of knowing Amanda both professionally and personally as our careers and civic involvements have overlapped. Amandas dedication to Hamilton County is evident through her decades-long commitment to numerous organizations that serve this community. As a student at UTC for her undergraduate studies, Amanda was a constant presence in volunteer and charitable activities. Her love for this community is the reason she moved back to Chattanooga after completing her law degree at Wake Forest University Law School. For eight years she served on the board of directors of Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Early in her career, Amanda received the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year award for dedicating her time to helping those who could not afford legal services. These professional accomplishments aside, the most important thing to know about Amanda is that she lives her life daily with integrity, honesty and respect. We can say without any doubt that Amanda will serve this community just as she has during her career as an attorney - with humility, compassion and the utmost respect for the law. We implore our fellow community members to remember this as you vote in this election. For these reasons, we provide our unwavering support to Amanda Dunn for Criminal Court Judge, Division III. Raj and Stephanie Mehta Governor Bill Lee announced on Monday, Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Pierceys departure from state government to enter the private sector, effective May 31. Governor Lee will name a successor in the coming weeks. He said, Lisa led our states health response through one of the most challenging crises Tennessee has faced, and I commend her faithful service to Tennesseans. She has played an invaluable role in my cabinet, and I wish her much success as she enters the private sector. Dr. Piercey joined the Lee Administration in January 2019. As commissioner, she served as a member of the Governors Unified Command Group during the COVID-19 pandemic, spearheaded efforts to innovate public health operations across the state and bolstered the healthcare workforce pipeline. The 112th General Assembly concluded its business for the 2022 legislative session on Thursday afternoon and adjourned sine die. The session was highlighted by a large investment in education that centered around an update to the states education funding formula through the Tennessee Investment In Student Achievement (TISA) Act. I am tremendously proud of the work of both the House and the Senate this session, said Lt. Governor Randy McNally. Our strong fiscal position has allowed us to reform our education funding formula, provide tax relief to our citizens and make strategic investments in infrastructure across the state. The work we have done not only provides for Tennesseans now, it secures the future of our state. Our rainy day fund is now at historic levels. Whatever awaits us in the future, Tennessee is ready. Lawmakers made a $250 million investment in the states rainy day fund, which serves as Tennessees savings account to withstand economic downturns. This allocation raises the fund to a historic level of $1.8 billion. In the no-debt, balanced budget the General Assembly allocated over $280 million in tax and fee relief for Tennesseans. This included $80 million for a sales tax holiday on groceries for the month of August and $121 million to eliminate the states license plate registration fee for one year. This year we have made tremendous investments in students, Tennesseans and the future of our state, said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin). Many years of sound fiscal management have strengthened Tennessees economy and propelled the state into a strong fiscal position that has allowed us to cut taxes year after year while state revenues continue to increase. Our historic investment in education will have a big impact on student success, and I was proud to be able to work with Governor Lee and my colleagues in the House and Senate on passing this landmark legislation. It has been an honor to have the privilege to work alongside my colleagues and Governor Lee to be a part of this impactful General Assembly, said Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager (R-Kingston). I am more optimistic than ever for the future of Tennessees K-12 and higher education programs. The investments we are making in Tennesseans today in the form of tax cuts and education funding will yield tremendous benefits for years to come. Additionally, the General Assembly passed legislation this year to establish truth in sentencing to protect victims of crime and provide true accountability for those who commit crimes. The legislation ensures criminals convicted of certain offenses serve 85 percent to 100 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for release. TL;DR: Doctor Strange 2 is reportedly facing bans for mentioning LGBTQ characters. Benedict Cumberbatch called the bans an expected disappointment. Disney seems firm in its refusal to censor the sequel. Benedict Cumberbatch | Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, but the Marvel movie is reportedly facing bans in a handful of countries. Because of a brief scene mentioning LGBTQ characters, the sequel may not make it to certain theaters. Often, studios censor such content at the request of foreign governments. However, Disney is refusing to do so for Doctor Strange 2, resulting in bans that Benedict Cumberbatch called an expected disappointment. Why Doctor Strange 2 is facing bans in some countries As the release date for Doctor Strange 2 approaches, reports that the movie will be prohibited from playing in certain countries have started to surface. Variety reported on April 22 that the film wouldnt play in Saudi Arabia because it features an LGBTQ character. Specifically, the movie mentions that America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) has two mothers. Her character is also a member of the LGBTQ community in the comics, something that may carry over into the film. According to Nawaf Alsabhan, Saudi Arabias general supervisor of cinema classification, the movie hasnt been banned just yet. During a conversation with The Guardian, it seems like its release in the country is dependent on Disney cutting the reference to Americas mothers. However, it seems that Disney is refusing the request. Its just her talking about her moms, because she has two moms, Alsabhan explained. And being in the Middle East, its very tough to pass something like this. Saudi Arabia isnt the only country that wont play the movie, either. IMAX Egypt revealed on Twitter that the sequel will not play in Egypt. Additionally, Screen Rant reports that the film is banned in both Kuwait and Qatar. Benedict Cumberbatch says bans over LGBTQ content are an expected disappointment In a video posted on YouTube by The Sun Showbiz, Benedict Cumberbatch addressed the Doctor Strange 2 bans, supporting Disneys decision to keep its LGBTQ representation in the film: It is, Im afraid, an expected disappointment. Weve come to know from those repressive regimes that their lack of tolerance is exclusionary to people who deserve to be not only included, but celebrated, for who they are and made to feel part of a society and a culture and not punished for their sexuality. Cumberbatch went on to talk about the comic accuracy of America Chavezs sexuality, adding that he wishes there wasnt so much controversy surrounding the subject of LGBTQ characters: This character is that from the comics. Its not something weve created for the sake of diversity. Weve included her because of how awesome she is as a character. And thats just one aspect of her character, and thats all it should be. But sadly, its also now politically very charged, and I wish it wasnt. Finally, the actor expressed support for Disneys push for increased diversity, even amid the backlash its receiving. We still have to push for inclusion and equality and Im very glad in a small, but on a very big canvas, Marvel and Disney are doing that, he concluded. Disney seems to be sticking to its guns with Doctor Strange 2 Although Disney hasnt come out and addressed Doctor Strange 2 bans explicitly, the company appears to be sticking to its guns. As of this writing, its reportedly still refusing to remove the LGBTQ reference thats sparking so much controversy. Given Marvels push to include more LGBTQ characters in recent projects, this could become the norm. Eternals was also banned in several countries following its 2021 release, once again due to depicting a same-sex relationship. Disney didnt censor that film either. With that in mind, it seems this trend could continue as it embraces a more diverse lineup of characters. Doctor Strange 2 makes its debut on May 6, 2022. RELATED: Doctor Strange 2 Is 22 Minutes Shorter Than Expected What the Runtime Means for the Movie As Better Call Saul makes its way through its sixth and final season, Lalo Salamanca is one of the only characters left whose fates remain uncertain. Many have assumed hell live based on a line Saul Goodman makes in Breaking Bad. But after the tense events in the latest episode, some believe his death is a given. [Warning: This article contains spoilers for Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 3.] Michael Mando as Nacho Varga and Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca in Better Call Saul | Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television Whats happening with Lalo in Better Call Saul Season 6 This season has followed Lalo on his quest for revenge after the attempt on his life in the Better Call Saul Season 5 finale. Nacho Varga fled the compound after letting the assassins in and holed up in a motel to wait for rescue. Unbeknownst to him, Gus Fring was planning to have Nacho killed to ensure his involvement in the attack remained a secret. When Nacho finally realized that, he agreed to do whatever Gus needed in exchange for his fathers safety. Once Mike Ehrmantraut gave Nacho his word that his father would be safe, Gus let him on his plan. Nacho had to tell Juan Bolsa that he had been working with a cartel in Peru and got paid to kill Lalo to shift suspicion from Gus. He would then break out of his restraints and attack Victor, causing him to shoot and kill Nacho. When they took Nacho to Bolsa and the Salamancas, Nacho admitted that and more, including that he was responsible for putting Hector Salamanca in a wheelchair. He then broke out of the zip ties and snatched Bolsas gun. But instead of trying to get away, Nacho turned the gun on himself. Fans think Lalos death is next in Better Call Saul Lalo will surely be happy to hear about Nacho, but some viewers think he wont be completely satisfied because he didnt get to pull the trigger himself. They believe hell go after the next best thing, Nachos father, causing Mike to intervene and kill him. One fan wrote on Reddit: I can sort of see where this is going. Lalo will find out Nacho is dead, go after his dad, and Mike has to be the one to protect him. Lalo def gonna go after Nachos dad and Mike is gonna put him down, said another. Very good point cause right now Mike looks like a piece of sh**, someone wrote under a different Reddit thread. He needs some kind of redemption for what happened to Nacho. Others had different ideas. maybe [hell go after Nachos dad]. Or hell want to go directly after the bigger fish, Gus, read one comment. Another hoped for any other outcome because they really dont want anything bad happen to Nachos dad after episode 3. Upsetting moments are ahead What happens next is anyones guess. But in an interview with USA Today, co-creator Peter Gould warned that there would be some seriously upsetting moments on the show as it comes to a close. There are a couple of turns this season some of them are shattering, just shatteringly upsetting moments that I cant wait for people to see. And that I think are going to be very emotional for people, Gould said. And then there are a couple places where the show takes a turn I dont think anyones done before. He didnt discuss the sequence of events, but Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman) chimed in to say the ending is awesome. Stay tuned to Better Call Saul to see how it all unfolds. RELATED: How to Watch Better Call Saul Season 6 Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star DJ Pauly D is headed to Hell Michigan, that is. The reality TV star and Chef Action Bronson will be in Michigan, on April 30 for a bash thats guaranteed to be spicy. We caught up with Pauly DelVecchio via Zoom to learn more about the event and get his take on the Flamin Hot Mountain Dew flavor. Mountain Dew Flamin Hot is back PepsiCo. first introduced the Flamin Hot flavor of Mountain Dew in August 2021. The brand describes the drink as a combination of the sweet, citrus flavor of Dew with the spicy, kicked up flavor of Flamin Hot. As Pauly described it: Its so, so good. If you like spicy, its a mix between sweet and spicy. Its combining the two [flavors, making it a] win-win because you wash [spicy] down with the Mountain Dew. Now you get it both in one shot. To Hell With Mountain Dew Flamin Hot | PepsiCo. The drink sold out in under an hour of its release in 2021, but its back by popular demand. Now, Mountain Dew Flamin Hot is the official drink of Hell, Michigan. DJ Pauly D cant wait to play his fire beats in Hell, Michigan So, were going to go to Hell, Pauly joked during our call. In all seriousness, he thinks the partnership just makes sense. Whats really dope about it is obviously Hells hot, Flamin Hot Mountain Dews hot, and then my beats are fire, he said. Its like a match made in heaven. At first, Pauly thought the offer was a joke. When they asked me to do it, I was like, Go to hell? I thought they were just messing with me. He added: But no how do you make an event even hotter? You get Pauly D to bring his hot beats and make it a fire evening. Action Bronson will cook up a four-course meal at the To Hell with Mountain Dew Flamin Hot event Aside from hearing DJ Pauly Ds fire beats, chef and rapper Action Bronson is preparing a four-course menu of spicy meets sweet items that are bold as hell. Action Bronson is going to be cooking up some meals that are catered toward the taste, the Jersey Shore star explained to us. Ill be cooking the beats; hell be cooking the meals. Everybody can try it when we all go to Hell, Michigan. Aside from beats and grub, the event will also feature Sparkys Saloon, where fans 21+ will find a Flamin Hot-inspired mixology menu. There will also be a Mountain Dew Flamin Hot Country Club, a takeover of Hells 18-hole putt-putt course. Where to find the Mountain Dew Flamin Hot event According to the website, parking is available at 10255 Dexter-Pinckney Road at the community high school. The actual event is at 42.4338 N, 83.9845 W Hell Saloon, 4095 Patterson Lake Rd, Pinckney, MI 48169. Admission to the event is free, but its being capped at 2,0000 guests so get there early! The fun begins at 6 p.m., DJ Pauly D takes the stage at 8 p.m., and the fun ends at midnight. RELATED: DJ Pauly D Has an Instagram Account Not Many Fans Know About TL;DR: GG revealed that her lung cancer had returned in the April 26 episode of TLCs Doubling Down With the Dericcos. The news led Deon and Karen Derrico to put off their plans to move to South Carolina. Fans of the series offered prayers for GGs health after the episode aired. RELATED: Doubling Down With the Derricos: Karen Derrico Reveals She Had 7 Miscarriages On TLCs Doubling Down With the Derricos, Deon Derricos mother GG is the glue that holds the Derrico family together. So when, the familys matriarch revealed she had cancer, it was a devastating blow to both her son and daughter-in-law. They quickly decided to put their plans to move out of state on hold in light of GGs health. Meanwhile, fans responded with an outpouring of support on social media after learning of her diagnosis in the shows April 26 episode. GG reveals her lung cancer has returned on Doubling Down With the Derricos GG has suffered health scares in the past, including an incident that landed her in the hospital earlier this season. But in the latest episode of Doubling Down With the Derricos, she revealed some truly devastating news. GG was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2014, her son Deon explained. Recently, she learned that the cancer was back. But she waited to tell her family about the cancers return. Shes been dealing with this and bottling this up herself over the last several months, Deon told his wife Karen Derrico. Karen and Deon put their plans to move to South Carolina on hold The bond between GG and Darian is so strong #TheDerricos pic.twitter.com/8lyldjO1Wp TLC Network (@TLC) April 27, 2022 Though GG had been keeping her diagnosis quiet, she did decide to tell her granddaughter Darian one of Karen and Deons 14 kids the truth. The last few months have been kind of grim for me, she explained to the 16-year-old in an emotional scene. GG went on to say that her health was the real reason she didnt want to move with her son and daughter-in-law to South Carolina. Once she learned of GGs diagnosis, Karen began to reconsider the familys plans to move out of state. She and Deon had agreed to spend half the year in South Carolina so they could be closer to Karens family. But Karen realized that wasnt the right choice given her mother-in-laws situation. Staying in Las Vegas is going to be easier and help all of us sleep better at night, she said. Its a no-brainer. At first, that didnt sit right with GG. She worried Karen would regret putting her dreams on hold to stay close to her mother-in-law. But she came around, and in a confessional interview, she admitted that she was glad she wouldnt have to be separated from her family. Doubling Down With the Derricos fans react to GGs news Doubling Down With the Derricos | TLC via YouTube After the episode aired, Doubling Down With the Derricos fans reacted to the news that GG had cancer. Many sent their prayers to GG and the rest of the Derrico family. We are praying for our GiGi! one fan commented on Karen Derricos Instagram. I am definitely GiGis biggest fanI pray God continues to keep her and cover her from any pain, another wrote. Yesterdays episode just brought me to tears, another fan wrote on Deon Derricos Instagram. Cancer is the worst thing ever, I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy, they added. Doubling Down With the Derricos airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC. Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook! RELATED: Doubling Down With the Derricos: Deon Derrico Plans Every Meal Days in Advance for the Family Meghan Markles relationship with her father, Thomas Markle Sr., played out in the headlines leading up to her and Prince Harrys wedding day. In 2018, photos were released of Thomas making preparations for his daughters big day. But the public later learned that those pictures were staged. It was also thought that Meghans father was going to walk her down the aisle. However, shortly before the royal wedding was to take place it was announced that Prince Charles would be doing that instead because Thomas was not going to make the event. Following all that, Thomas continued to speak to the media about Meghan and Harry and it got to the point where their relationship seemed like it was beyond repair. Now, Meghans father is hoping to reunite with his daughter at Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee celebrations. But will his mere presence keep the Duchess of Sussex at her home on the other side of the pond? Meghan Markle attends the sitting volleyball event during the Invictus Games | Karwai Tang/WireImage Thomas announced he will be in England for Queen Elizabeths Platinum Jubilee celebrations On April 25, GB News host Dan Wotten tweeted that Thomas was going to be a guest on his show and would make a shocking announcement. That announcement was that he was traveling to the U.K. to attend the monarchs Platinum Jubilee celebrations and is hoping that while hes there he can meet with the queen and Prince Charles, but also see Prince Harry in person for the first time and meet his grandchildren. The problem with Thomas plan is that it was never confirmed that Meghan or Harry would even be attending the festivities in June. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did visit Queen Elizabeth II recently on their way to the Invictus Games in the Netherlands but their spokesperson did not reveal when they could return to England. WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Thomas Markle will be flying to London for the first time to celebrate a historic moment in the history of the monarchy, the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June with @GBNEWS. He is hoping he will reunite with Meghan. Revealed on @DanWootton Tonight. pic.twitter.com/JOZPDrcxkV Lucy Jones (@ByLucyJones) April 25, 2022 Does Thomas Markle going to the Queens Platinum Jubilee mean Meghan wont? Meghan and her father do not have a relationship today. They havent seen each other in years and Thomas has never met Archie and Lilibet. Harrys wife spoke publicly about their fallout during her sitdown with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. The former talk show host asked Meghan about when she confronted Thomas over the staged paparazzi photos. If were going to use the word betrayal, its because when I asked him, when the comms team told us this the story was coming out, we called my dad and I asked him and he said, No, absolutely not, the duchess told Oprah. I said, The institution has never intervened for anything for us, but they can try to go in and kill this story. But if they do this once, were not gonna be able to use that same leverage to protect our own kids one day. Meghan continued: I said, I just need you to tell me and if you tell me the truth, we can help and he wasnt able to do that. And that, for me, has really resonated, especially now as a mother. "'I just need you to tell me. And if you tell me the truth, we can help.' And he wasn't able to do that." Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on a conversation she had with her father regarding tabloids #OprahMeghanHarry pic.twitter.com/XhPwGM0Uvl CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 8, 2021 We know Thomas is not just going to be able to push past security and get close to any members of the royal family when he gets to London. And given the state of things today with Meghan, its highly unlikely that she would make any plan to reunite with her father willingly on his terms now that hes trying to force it just because hell be in England. In fact, if she and Harry were considering going to the queens Platinum Jubliee with their children, this might actually deter them from doing so since security is already a concern for them and this could definitely create more of a circus. Only time will tell. But if Meghan does go it wont be because of her father and if she doesnt, it just might be. RELATED: Meghan Markles Father Wants to Meet Prince Charles When He Gets to London Because Theyve Both Been Ghosted By Their Children Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora) influenced the drug game in Chicago as soon as he arrived in Power Book IV: Force. He stirred things up with the Southside gang, The Chicago Brothers Incorporated helmed by brothers Jenard (Kris D. Lofton) and Diamond (Issac Keys). He also gained the notice of Walter Flynn (Tommy Flanagan) who runs the Irish mob in the city. Tommys arrival has also forced Walters children Vic (Shane Harper) and Claudia (Lili Simmons) to confront some unsavory things about their father. It has also revealed Walters cancer diagnosis which Sikora says he was shocked by. Tommy Flanagan as Walter Flynn in Power Book IV: Force | Starz Walter Flynn is losing his grip on Chicago For so long, Walter has had an iron grip on the Northside of Chicago. The very day Tommy rolls into Chicago, he insulted the Flynn family. Walter Flynn is the head of the Irish crime family in Chicago, the character description reads. Despite living a life of immense prosperity in his castle on the lake, he longs for the way things used to be. Walter believes that without community and family, there is no tradition, and his deeply held code of honor bleeds into every aspect of his life. As he ushered his family into the twenty-first century, Walter quickly saw the criminal organization he built facing threats he never accounted for. However, Walters refusal to expand his business beyond pills and instigating a war with the Serbs for his own personal gain certainly didnt help anything. With the mob leaders in Ireland unhappy with Walter, he may be on his last leg. Now that Vic has vowed never to work with his father again, things are dire for Walter going into season 2. RELATED: Power Book IV: Force: Tommy and Vic Are Definitely Going to Come to Blows Over Gloria Joseph Sikora says he was shocked by Walters cancer diagnosis Knowing that Vic and Claud had lost their mother to cancer some years earlier, no one saw Walters diagnosis coming, not even Sikora. The Chicago-born actor revealed that he was actually stunned when he read the script that revealed Walters cancer diagnosis. I mean, in the second episode we discovered that he had terminal cancer, he told Hollywood Life. I was a little shocked by that myself. I hope he can keep cancer at bay long enough. In the following episodes, the doctor made it seem that Walters diagnosis was less critical. However, his refusal to get treatment and his continuous use of tobacco certainly isnt helping things. I mean, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Right, Walter? #PowerForce pic.twitter.com/UkKu79c2eF Power Book IV: Force (@ForceStarz) April 18, 2022 Walter Flynn is fascinated by Tommy As we saw in the first season of Force, Walter may not like Tommy, but he certainly respects his gangster and work ethic. Its something that his own son Vic seems to be missing. In fact, Flanagan revealed that Walter is flat-out fascinated by Tommy. There are some character traits that Tommy has that Walter sees in himself. Walter is kind of fascinated by the fearless and full of contempt Tommy Egan, Flannagan told Hollywood Life. I think hes interested and a wee bit amused by him Maybe hes got his back up a little bit and [hes] a reminder of himself in some ways. Walter sees Tommy Egan and thinks, Ah, I. know that guy.' Now that his children know the truth about Gloria, Tommy may be the only one Walter can turn to. RELATED: Power: How Joseph Sikora Really Feels About the End of the Original Series The music festival circuit has roared back to life in 2022. After cancellations throughout 2020 and a few returns in 2021, festivals around the world are back with a vengeance, and making up for lost time. Spains popular Primavera Sound is back in a big way: theyre expanding beyond the Iberian Peninsula and into the Americas. Primavera Sound | Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Primavera Sound has been in Spain for over 2 decades Primavera Sound has existed in some form since the 1990s, with the annual celebration of music taking place in the seaside city of Barcelona. It moved into a new venue in 2001, and in 2004, it moved into its current home: Barcelonas Parc del Forum on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In 2012, Primavera expanded beyond Barcelona for the first time with an annual festival in Porto, Portugal. Just like the original festival in Barcelona, the Porto Primavera festival has taken place every year since then (except for 2020 and 2021) and continued to grow with bigger names on its roster. Barcelonas Primavera Sound 2022 will be the first edition of the festival since 2019, and will feature an all-star lineup of performers to welcome back attendees. Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, Lorde, Beck, Tame Impala, Tyler, the Creator, The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gorillaz, and Interpol will all be performing at this years festival. O lineup por dia do #PrimaveraSoundSaoPaulo tambem ja esta entre nos! Confira qual dia os seus artistas favoritos irao se apresentar e tambem os shows que acontecerao no #PrimaveraNaCidade Garanta seu ingresso: https://t.co/1uf8PQrtbg pic.twitter.com/ZJfdmncCK1 Primavera Sound Sao Paulo (@PsSaopaulo) April 27, 2022 Primavera Sound is expanding to Latin America In 2022, Primavera Sound announced that the iconic Spanish music festival is coming to the Americas first to the United States, and then to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The first-ever Primavera Sound Sao Paulo will take place November 5 and 6, 2022. Among the headliners is rapper Travis Scott in what will be his first performance since his ill-fated Astroworld 2021 festival, one day after the one-year anniversary of the tragedy. Lorde, Arctic Monkeys, and Bjork are scheduled to headline the Sao Paulo festival, as well as the subsequent ones in Buenos Aires and Santiago. Both Primavera Sound Buenos Aires and Primavera Sound Santiago will take place the week after Sao Paulos festival and will feature the same performers as the Brazilian edition. Artists like Charli XCX, Mitski, Arca, Phoebe Bridgers, Beach House, Japanese Breakfast, and Father John Misty are all scheduled to take over South America in late 2022. Do YOU wanna know? Este es el line up de #PrimaveraSoundBsAs! Lo piden, lo tienen! Estas preparado para vivir esta experiencia? pic.twitter.com/lu1h0NezR5 Primavera Sound Buenos Aires (@PS_BuenosAires) April 27, 2022 RELATED: Coachella 2022: Pabllo Vittar Became the First Drag Queen Ever to Perform at the Festival Primavera is coming to the US in 2022 Before coming to Latin America, however, Primavera Sound will make its first stop outside Europe in California this September. The festival will take place in Los Angeles State Historic Park on September 16, 17, and 18. Headlining the show will be Arctic Monkeys and Lorde, as well as Nine Inch Nails and Kim Gordon. Theyll be supported by acts like PinkPantheress, King Krule, Clairo, Mitski, Arca, Khruangbin, Buscabulla, Tierra Whack, Cigarettes After Sex, and more artists yet to be announced. RELATED: Lorde, Mitski, and Bleachers to Headline 2022 All Things Go Music Festival How to Get Tickets Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the town of Montecito located in Santa Barbara County in the summer of 2021. They purchased a home situated on five acres of land with 16 bathrooms, nine bedrooms, and a separate guest house. The Duke of Sussex spoke about how much he enjoys living there and was so welcomed by the community. But according to a writer for the Montecito Journal, Harry and Meghan are not really part of that community. Heres what the journalist had to say, plus what the Sussexes have been spotted doing in their neighborhood. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend day two of the Invictus Games | Samir Hussein/WireImage What Prince Harry said about California being more like home to him now During an appearance on Dak Shepards Armchair Expert podcast in May 2021, Harry revealed how much he liked living in Montecito. Living here now I can actually lift my head and I feel different, my shoulders have dropped, so have [Meghans]. You can walk around feeling a little bit more free, he explained. I can take Archie on the back of my bicycle, I would never have had the chance to do that. In April 2022, the prince did an interview about the Invictus Games with Today show co-anchor Hoda Kotb and spoke again about residing in Santa Barbara town and how that feels more like his home now. Home for me, now, for the time being, is in the States, he said. And it really feels that way, as well. Weve been welcomed with open arms and have got such a great community up in Santa Barbara. .@hodakotb sat down with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games for an exclusive interview about his new mission, new life, fatherhood, reuniting with his grandmother and much more. pic.twitter.com/g5tq7xXrvd TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 20, 2022 Journalist says Harry and Meghan are not part of the community in Montecito British journalist Richard Mineards who lives in California as well and pens a column in the Montecito Journal said that the duke and duchess have yet to become part of the community there. Mineards said any sightings of the couple are very rare so therefore they havent immersed themselves into the community. He told The Times: Harry and Meghan havent become part of the community, and I think a lot of people are bristling about that really. Its such a lovely place to go out and theyve been a no-show. There is this big question of Where are they?' Mineards added that locals had hoped they would see the duke make an appearance at a Santa Barbara concert where cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason performed since he also played at Meghan and Harrys wedding in 2018. However, that didnt happen as the concert took place while the duke was busy at the Invictus Games. There were high hopes that Harry would appear, the columnist stated. But the Invictus Games meant it wasnt to be. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smiling during the Invictus Games at Zuiderpark | Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images There have been a few stories about the duke and duchess being out in the community The Sussexes may have kept a low profile in their neighborhood since moving in but there are a few instances in which they were seen out and about in Santa Barbara. Some fellow Montecito residents have spotted them out on occasion walking their dogs at a local beach. And in December 2021, Meghan was photographed while shopping at local boutiques. The duke and duchess have also been seen dining at an area steakhouse with Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank as well as music mogul David Foster in the last few months. Another resident has thought of a way Harry can quickly become part of the community. Express noted that Andrew Bossom, who went to the same Eton school as the duke and is a keen polo player currently living in California, said Santa Barbara has one of the most beautiful polo clubs in America and there is expectation and hope that Prince Harry will start playing there. It would be a huge step into the local community for him. RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Could Bore Netflix Viewers With Their Old Rehashed Content, Expert Says The success of Oprah Winfrey is a manifestation of The American Dream. A childhood of tragedy and abuse has pummeled the hopes of many young kids who get stuck in similar situations, but she found the resolve to stay ambitious and became a legend in the process. She is a media innovator, one of the first Black billionaires, a broken glass ceiling incarnate. Even as her production schedule slows down after decades of culturally important work, Winfrey is still finding ways to create from a more off-screen role. Oprah Winfrey | Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images Shes come a long way from her difficult upbringing Standing at 56, Oprah is not the most physically imposing woman youll ever see. But you have the mental strength of a giant to overcome the nightmarish struggles imposed on her from a very young age. Her mother, Vernita Lee, was an unmarried teenager when she gave birth to Oprah on January 29, 1954. Lee left her child with her mother who lived on a farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Oprah was sent to move with Lee to Milwaukee at age six, spending many days in their inner-city apartment with Lees other children while their mom worked as a housekeeper. From ages 9 to 13, Oprah was sexually abused by multiple relatives and a family friend, according to USA Today. Sick of the abuse, she tried to run away, only to end up at a juvenile detention facility that didnt even have enough room for her. Oprah gave birth at 14 to a baby boy who died in infancy and started stealing money from Lee to impress her fellow classmates. She was then sent to Nashville, Tennessee to live with her father, Vernon Winfrey, in search of a fresh start. The strict discipline of her father was exactly was she needed. The structured environment brought the best out of Oprah. Attending East Nashville High School, she became an honor student, joined the high school speech team, and won prizes for oratory and dramatic recitation. Oprah is a groundbreaking media icon Oprah wasted no time making her way into the world of broadcasting. She began working at WVOL, a local radio station in Tennessee, as a 17-year-old while still taking classes at Tennessee State University. She eventually left school to work full-time at Nashvilles WLAC-TV as their youngest and first Black news anchor ever. Winfrey moved to Baltimore and Chicago, working in similar roles while quickly raising her profile. Her popularity reached such a high level that she earned the chance to create The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, starting a cultural phenomenon that lasted for over 20 years. Some of Winfreys questions have led to some backlash from critics, but the litany of celebrities and guests from different backgrounds that she spoke to generated a giant audience. Oprah ended in 2011, but the fallout from Winfreys tell-all interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry showed that she still has the ability to steal the spotlight whenever she chooses. Oprahs also acted periodically alongside her talk show host duties. Her first role was as Sofia in The Color Purple, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Shes also drawn acclaim in projects like Native Son, The Butler, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. What is Oprah doing now? The next @oprahsbookclub pick is Finding Me by @violadavis (out on 4/26)! Its a breathtaking memoir, that covers every chapter of her extraordinary life so far. pic.twitter.com/cxSwtpbOSJ Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) April 21, 2022 Once you attain a net worth of $3 billion dollars, its probably safe to slow down your work schedule. Oprah hasnt regularly been on television since a short-lived stint as a special contributor to 60 Minutes ended in 2018. The last print issue of O Magazine was published in December 2020. Oprah does have an overall content deal with Apple, but she is not attempting to be as visible as she was at her peak of relevance. Her main passion at the moment appears to be losing weight. Working to stay in shape has been a longstanding topic for Oprah she is a spokesperson and shareholder for Weight Watchers, having previously lost 40 pounds on one of their plans but the beginning of 2022 saw her renew her intent to lose a few pounds. How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. RELATED: Oprah Winfrey Reveals How She Took Her Talk Show From Fine to Phenomenal After Its First 3 Years on Air The FX series Under the Banner of Heaven cast Wyatt Russell as Dan Lafferty. Dan and his brother Ron (Sam Worthington) were found guilty of the murders of their sister-in-law Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her 15-month old. The series is based on Jon Krakauers book about the true case. Russell said he had another real-life experience that informed his character. Wyatt Russell | Michelle Faye/FX Russell was part of a Television Critics Association Zoom panel for Under the Banner of Heaven on March 29. He discussed his role in the show and the personal experience he brought to it. New episodes of Under the Banner of Heaven premiere Thursdays on Hulu. Wyatt Russell visited Zion before playing Dan Lafferty The Laffertys belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The series portrays the investigation among the Mormon community. Russell happened to have vacationed near Zion National Park, which is a significant Utah location for the LDS Church. Years ago, my wife and I would take van trips across the country, Russell said. We go to Colorado and drive that route three times a year. You always drive through St. George. You drive through Utah and you go right through Zion, so wed stop in Zion a lot. And we had done a canyoneering trip where they take you into Colorado City. They go, You cant canyoneer in Zion so they take you through a different route. And you go through Colorado City, where all the compounds are, where Warren Jeffs, his compound is now turned into a hotel. Under the Banner of Heaven reminded Wyatt Russell of the children he saw near Zion Russell observed the locals with curiosity. Filming Under the Banner of Heaven reminded him of them. RELATED: What Has Wyatt Russell Been in Outside The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? But I remember getting out at the trailhead and, like out of the show, a truck full of kids dressed in traditional garments, girls head to toe, got out. They started digging for gems and rocks in the stream as we were passing by and looking very modern in a harness and a helmet to go canyoneering. And I remember making eye contact with this one girl who was digging for rocks, and it struck something in me where it was just like, wow, shes just a kid. Shes 10. And there was 11 brothers and sisters, and they were all just going out to have a good time. But it was like they were out of a completely different time. It looked like they were in the 1800s. And it just struck me as something that was this dichotomy between the world that we live in and the world that they still live in. Wyatt Russell, Television Critics Association panel, 3/29/22 Under the Banner of Heaven doesnt vilify Mormons There is a tragic crime at the center of Under the Banner of Heaven. The show hopes to interrogate the community in which it happened. However, Russell confirms the show does not vilify the entire community. Not demonizing that person for being born into that situation was, I think, always an important part of portraying someone who ends up going down that fundamentalist route, Russell said. It is easy to feel like you are locked into a prison cell of your own birth when youre in that situation. And treating those people with humanity and not putting just devil horns on them immediately was really important in the research for Dan in particular. Gather yourself. FXs Under the Banner of Heaven starring Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, and @daisyedgarjones premieres April 28. Only on Hulu. From Executive Producers and Academy Award winners @dlanceblack, @realronhoward, and @briangrazer. pic.twitter.com/MfjOFOahJl FX Networks (@FXNetworks) April 4, 2022 Russell was able to listen to recordings of Dan Lafferty, who is still serving a life sentence. His brother Ron died of natural causes in 2019. It is a really hard thing because the minute you hear him speak, five minutes in you are going, I like him. How is this possible? How is it possible that Im hearing him speak and hes speaking with love and joy and faith? Russell said. You have to come back to the reality of what it was and what he had done. Theres sadness in it because it was someone who was born into this situation and led down this rabbit hole in a way that only fundamentalist, extremist views can kind of lead you down. RELATED: Under the Banner of Heaven TV Series Cast Includes Yellowstone Cast Member Collective behavior and swarm patterns are found everywhere in nature. Robots can also be programmed to act in swarms. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), Cornell University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed collectives of microrobots which can move in any desired formation. The miniature particles are capable of reconfiguring their swarm behavior quickly and robustly. Floating on the surface of water, the versatile microrobotic discs can go round in circles, dance the boogie, bunch up into a clump, spread out like gas or form a straight line like beads on a string. Each robot is slightly bigger than a hairs width. They are 3D printed using a polymer and then coated with a thin top layer of cobalt. Thanks to the metal the microrobots become miniature magnets. Meanwhile, wire coils which create a magnetic field when electricity flows through them surround the setup. The magnetic field allows the particles to be precisely steered around a one-centimeter-wide pool of water. When they form a line, for instance, the researchers can move the robots in such a way that they write letters in the water. The research project of Gaurav Gardi and Prof. Metin Sitti from MPI-IS, Steven Ceron and Prof. Kirstin Petersen from Cornell University and Prof. Wendong Wang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University titled Microrobot Collectives with Reconfigurable Morphologies, Behaviors, and Functions was published in Nature Communications on April 26, 2022. Collective behavior emerges from the interactions between the robots Collective behavior and swarm patterns are found everywhere in nature. A flock of birds exhibits swarm behavior, as does a school of fish. Robots can also be programmed to act in swarms and have been seen doing so quite prominently. A technology company recently presented a drone lightshow that won the company a Guinness World Record by programming several hundred drones and flying them side-by-side, creating amazing patterns in the night sky. Each drone in this swarm was equipped with computational power steering it in every possible direction. But what if the single particle is so tiny that computation isnt an option? When a robot is just 300 micrometers wide, one cannot program it with an algorithm. Three different forces are at play to compensate for the lack of computation. One is the magnetic force. Two magnets with opposite poles attract. Two identical poles repel each other. The second force is the fluid environment; the water around the discs. When particles swim in a swirl of water, they displace the water and affect the other surrounding particles in the system. The speed of the swirl and its magnitude determine how the particles interact. Thirdly, if two particles float next to each other, they tend to drift towards each other: they bend the water surface in such a way that they slowly come together. Scientists and cereal lovers call this the cheerio effect: if you let two cheerios float on milk, they will soon bump into each other. On the flip side, this effect can also cause two things to repel each other (try a hairpin and a cheerio). Three forces allow for reconfigurability The scientists use all three forces to create a coordinated, collective pattern of motion for several dozen microrobots as one system. A video shows how the scientists steer the robots through a parcour, displaying the formation that best suits the obstacle course, e.g. when they enter a narrow passage, the microrobots line up in single file and disperse again when they come out. The scientists can also make the robots dance, alone or as pairs. Additionally, they show how they put a tiny plastic ball into the water container and then aggregate the robots into a clump to push the floating ball along. They can place the tiny particles inside two gears and move the particles in a way that causes both gears to rotate. A more ordered pattern is also possible with each particle keeping an identical distance to its neighbor. All these different locomotion modes and formations are achieved through external computation: an algorithm is programmed to create a rotating or oscillating magnetic field which triggers the desired movement and reconfigurability. Depending on how we change the magnetic fields, the discs behave in a different way. We are tuning one force and then another until we get the movement we want. If we rotate the magnetic field within the coils too vigorously, the force which is causing the water to move around is too strong and the discs move away from each other. If we rotate too slow, then the cheerio effect which attracts the particles is too strong. We need to find the balance between the three, Gaurav Gardi explains. He is a Ph.D. student in the Physical Intelligence department at MPI-IS and one of the two lead authors of the publication together with Steven Ceron from Cornell University. A model for future biomedical and environmental applications The future scenario for such microrobotic collectives is to go even smaller. Our vision is to develop a system that is even tinier, made of particles only one micrometer small. These collectives could potentially go inside the human body and navigate through complex environments to deliver drugs, for instance, to block or unblock passages, or to stimulate a hard-to-reach area, Gardi says. Robot collectives with robust transitions between locomotion behaviors are very rare. However, such versatile systems are advantageous to operate in complex environments. We are very happy we succeeded in developing such a robust and on-demand reconfigurable collective. We see our research as a blueprint for future biomedical applications, minimally invasive treatments, or environmental remediation, adds Metin Sitti, who leads the Physical Intelligence Department and is a pioneer in the field of small-scale robotics and physical intelligence. Torrington Middle School was in the news this week. After receiving approval from their local Board of Education back in February, Torrington District administrators began enforcing a new cell phone rule for students. As the middle schoolers enter, they are required to put their cell phones in a specially-designed pouch that is then locked. When the students leave for the day, the pouch is unlocked and phones are returned to the students. Most school districts in Connecticut have rules regarding student cell phone use during class hours, but Torringtons approach takes things to the next level. Instead of asking students to obey and then expecting teachers to enforce the rules throughout the course of a morning or afternoon, Torrington is taking the cell phones completely out of students hands. We hope this program catches on locally and around the state. The program has garnered backlash from students and even from some parents who worry that their children, removed from their phones throughout the course of a day, would be deprived of the ability to communicate with them in case of an emergency, medical or otherwise. But while such apprehension is to be expected whenever a new, rather extreme program is enacted, its hard to see how removing cell phones from the day-to-day life of a student while in school puts anyone at risk. In case of emergencies, parents can and should be contacted by the schools themselves, and its hard to envision a scenario where that wouldnt happen. What it will do is eliminate a huge distraction. As cell phones have become smarter, they have become more and more a part of our lives. This isnt just true for students, but for all of us. Go anywhere, whether it be to a restaurant or a park, and youre likely to see people staring down at their phones as opposed to interacting with the person sitting or walking next to them. Even while attending events that are designed to hold our attention a movie or sporting event people can be seen scrolling through whatever content is appearing before them, courtesy of a seven-inch screen in their hand. Last year, Frances Haugen, a former employee at Facebook, testified before Congress about what she claimed to be the companys amplification algorithms and engagement-based rankings rewarding posts that get the most shares or likes used to determine what it is we see in our streams when logging on to the site. The basic thrust of Haugens testimony was that the algorithms funnel people, particularly teens, towards content that has led to everything from increased cyberbullying to body-image issues. It was explosive testimony that seemed to create, for the first time in a while, bipartisan interest in addressing the problem. Yet, Facebook is only one social media platform and harmful content is only one part of the equation, albeit potentially the most destructive. For many, including children in schools, the Internet has become addictive, enabled by those very algorithms designed to give you more of what it determines you want. Even if one is not inundated with harmful material, the very nature of social media is to keep a user using, whether they be at school, work, or out with friends. There is a longer conversation that needs to be had about how all of us interact with our phones and the online community, but after two years of a pandemic, where many students were forced to do their learning from home in front of a computer screen all day, limiting distractions in the classroom should be first priority. It may seem harsh to take a students cell phone and lock it up in a pouch for a few hours a day, but perhaps thats the healthiest thing for them. And adults should always be willing to do the unpopular thing if it leads to the healthiest solutions for young people. Torrington is making the right call, and we hope other school districts follow suit. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) Chairperson M R Kumar and Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey during a press conference, in Mumbai. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) Mumbai: Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) will give up its management control in IDBI Bank, said Dipam secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey. LIC and the government wants to exit management control from IDBI Bank and the process is already on, said the senior official of the department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM). We want LIC as the long-term value creator in the equity market. Furthermore, in the LIC IPO, the share surplus for participating will move to 10 per cent from five per cent. Notably, LIC has hinted toward further divestment soon. However, the details of further dilution by the government in LIC are yet to be disclosed. Pandey said that the government is not keen on launching a follow-up public offer (FPO) for LIC at least in the next one year. We arent going to bring in any other FPO for LIC in next one year, he said. Methodist congregations that know their future is not in the United Methodist Church (UMC) officially have a new place to land: the Global Methodist Church (GMC). Launching on May 1, the new denomination plans to uphold traditional, conservative Wesleyan theology but run on a lighter, leaner infrastructure that emphasizes grassroots accountability and ministry connections. After years of delays, with the next opportunity to vote on a proposal to split scheduled for 2024, some UMC congregations in the US are starting the disaffiliation process and plan to join the GMC as soon as they can. And though many leaders in Africawhere Methodism is growing rapidlyalign with the movements conservative stances on LGBT issues, theyre more inclined to wait. At least one regional body, in Europe, has already decided to switch all its congregations over to the Global Methodist Church; in the US, the denominations top court has yet to rule on whether regional bodies can disaffiliate together under current church law. For now, US churches are opting to join the GMC one by one. Mosaic Church in Evans, Georgia, plans to join the new Methodist denomination, but the process to leave the UMC will take months. From the pews, not much will change. Mosaics name and logo will remain the same, as will the format for Sunday worship. Lead pastor Carolyn Moore will continue emphasizing Wesleyan theology in her sermons, and the church will continue its work partnering with ministries that help the people who, in Moores view, tend to fall through the cracks of other churches. Even the pension plans for Moore and other staff members will still go through Wespath Benefits and Investments, the organization that manages UMC pensions. But behind the scenes, the church will belong to another body of believers. The property its warehouse meeting space sits on will no longer be held in trust by the United Methodist Church; Mosaic will own it. And Mosaic will abide by a new book of discipline, one that defines term limits for bishops, sets financial contributions based on church budget, forbids trust clauses, and creates an accountability system in which bishops report to clergy and laypeople, not just other bishops. We regard the front line of ministry as being the local church, and we believe the denomination exists to empower, equip, deploy the local church in ministry in the local setting and regional and global outreach, said Keith Boyette, the chairman of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, a conservative renewal group within the UMC, and the chairman of the GMCs transitional leadership council. Boyette and GMC leaders set out to build a denomination to bring Methodists together without what they saw as the bloated institutional structures of the UMC. The Global Methodist Church will have regional annual conferences, but they will play a supporting role for the local church rather than serving as the basic unit of ministry, as they do in the UMC. The GMC wont have programs like denominational seminaries or summer camps to fund. Our goal is to reduce the amount of money leaving the local church for denominational expenses by at least 50 percent, Boyette said. In the GMC, regional bodies in the US will be paired with bodies outside the US to partner in ministry and financial support. There will also be stronger accountability structures in place, according to Tom Lambrecht, who serves with the Methodist renewal group Good News and helped to draft the GMCs Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline. As you go through clergy and bishops, there will be enhanced accountability to ensure people are abiding by teachings and practices of the Global Methodist Church, Lambrecht said. For decades, the UMC had spotty enforcement around its doctrines on sexuality, which bar same-sex marriage and clergy in same-sex relationships. Certain churches and bishops permitted and promoted LGBT stances that violated those teachings. The differing stances on same-sex marriage have continued to drive the denomination apart. In 2019, parties in the UMC agreed on a plan for splitting the denomination, where conservative churches would be able to keep their property as they leave and receive $25 million to start a new denomination. But the pandemic forced the UMC to twice postpone its General Conference, delaying votes on the proposal called the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation. Earlier this year, the denomination announced that the General Conference must wait until 2024. Many United Methodists have grown impatient with a denomination clearly struggling to function effectively at the general church level, said Boyette, when he announced the plans to launch the GMC this year rather than wait for a vote to split. Theologically conservative local churches and annual conferences want to be free of divisive and destructive debates, and to have the freedom to move forward together. Mosaic is currently governed by the North Georgia Annual Conference. According to the conferences disaffiliation process and requirements, the church has to vote by a two-thirds majority to disaffiliate, pay the annual conference two years of denominational dues and prorated pension liability, and receive a ratifying vote by the annual conference. But what if an entire annual conference opts to go? Bishops have asked the Judicial Council, the UMCs highest court, to rule on whether annual conferences in the US can leave ahead of the General Conference. European annual conferences are taking matters into their own hands. Members of the Bulgaria-Romania Provisional Annual Conference voted unanimously on April 1 to leave the UMC and join the GMC, over the objections of its presiding bishop. But the birth of a new denomination doesnt mean Methodists around the world are ready to join just yet. Many United Methodists in Africa plan to stay with the UMC until 2024 in hopes that the General Conference will approve the protocol. Jerry Kulah, general coordinator for the renewal group UMC Africa Initiative, said he believes the protocol is a way to amicably separate the church so we dont have litigation and dont have to see one another as enemies. He points to examples from Scripture where believers parted ways and still worked together, including Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15 and Lot and Abram in Genesis 13. But despite the willingness of many Africans to wait for 2024 and the passage of the protocol, they still feel that progressive United Methodists in the US are trying to ignore their voices despite their numbers. African membership is poised to grow beyond the size of the church in the states. According to the 2019 UMC State of the Church Report, the number of United Methodist members in Africa more than doubled from 3 million to 6.2 million over the prior decade. By 2020, US membership had fallen to 6.3 million. There is a general mood across Africa, a holy discontent, for a church that doesnt respect us for who we are and wants to impose upon us a practice that is inconsistent with Scripture, Kulah said. Fellow African Methodist leaders have said they believe if the church had met this year to pass the separation protocol, a majority of African UMC churches would be readying to join the GMC. We pray for the new church, and we do share many beliefs with them, including their traditional position on homosexual practice, wrote Forbes Matonga in an opinion piece this month for Firebrand. Most Africans, however, will remain United Methodists until the Protocol is passed. We have comfort in the knowledge that should Americans split themselves, as is likely to happen, in either side we choose to join we will be the majority. Kulah said some annual conferences might join the GMC before the 2024 General Conference, especially in regions of Africa where conservative churches feel harassed by more progressive bishops. And Kulah said Africans are aware that the delay tactics might continue. He said that if the General Conference does not pass the protocol in 2024, he will decide to leave, and he believes United Methodists across Africa will also wrestle with the same decision. Many Methodists still hold on for an amicable separation. J. J. Mannschreck, pastor of Flushing UMC in Flushing, Michigan, plans to transfer his pastoral credentials to the GMC. He said his church will vote later this year on whether to disaffiliate with the UMC and start the process of joining the GMC. Mannschreck said hes excited to think that a smaller portion of his churchs budget could go to the denomination. Currently his church of 150 members sends nearly 15 percent of its budget to the UMC. If they join the GMC that amount could shrink to 7 percent, leaving more money for local ministry. He is also eager to move on from human sexuality being the dominant conversation at denominational gatherings, as it has been for years in the UMC. Instead, he welcomes the accountability of the GMC and its vision for being a global church that stands for church planting, racial reconciliation, and other values that weigh on his heart. What will not change is Mannschreks love for the United Methodist Church, including his UMC-ordained father. He plans to attend his regions annual conference gathering in June, noting it will probably will be the final one he will attend and sits with his father, who does not plan to leave the UMC. But we will still sit next to each other at Thanksgiving, he added. Moore of Mosaic Church said she encourages anyone considering affiliating with the GMC to prayerfully consider not just what God is calling them away from, but the kingdom work God is calling them to. We would love to gather in people from the Methodist tradition around the world who are ready to be part of something bigger than themselves, she said. We pray, God, in your mercy, keep us from being a bunch of angry people who used to be United Methodists. Thats not worth doing. Its not enough to just find an enemy. An enemy is not your call, and there is no enemy here. City approves church's private school after allegations of stonewalling over religious beliefs A Massachusetts school district accused of previously stonewalling the creation of a church-affiliated private school over its Christian worldview has agreed to allow the school to open. The School Committee of Somerville Public Schools approved the creation of the Real Life Learning Center at its regular meeting, which was held virtually on Monday evening. The private school is a project of Vida Real Church, a congregation largely made up of Hispanic immigrants, which accused the committee of stalling the school's application. Last month, the First Liberty Institute and the Massachusetts Family Institute sent a letter of concern claiming that the school district was going to reject the application because committee officials disliked the churchs beliefs. We are grateful that Somerville officials recognized that the government cannot ban a religious school because they disagree with its religious beliefs, said First Liberty attorney Ryan Gardner in a statement Wednesday. Because of the school boards decision, more families will be able to provide the education they desire for their children. During a reported Zoom meeting, at least one Somerville official worried that rejecting the churchs application to launch a private school would to legal action. I think its hard to have to vote for a school that has so many values that I dont agree with, but I see the law is what it is in this case, committee member Ilana Krepchin was quoted as saying in a release from the Massachusets Family Institute. I dont see we have much of an option, and I just have to say this whole process seems a bit nutty. In late March, First Liberty and Massachusets Family Institute sent their complaint letter to Superintendent Mary E. Skipper and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. Despite Vida Reals expressed desire to open RLLC as quickly as possible, the Committee has repeatedly stonewalled Vida Reals efforts to provide private, religious education for its community for over five months now, claimed the letter. Even more concerning, the Committee has expressed hostility towards Vida Reals religious beliefs, and multiple Committee members have stated that RLLCs desire to create a curriculum consistent with its religious beliefs is grounds for denying its private school application. Somerville officials denied any wrongdoing. A statement from Superintendent Skipper and School Committee Chair Andre Green was emailed to The Christian Post earlier this month. The Committee has not yet reached a determination about the RLLC application, and all inquiries from the Committee have been for the purpose of evaluating whether RLLC meets the legal standards for approval, the statement read. [I]f a private school is approved, the Committee does not engage in ongoing oversight or monitoring of that school; as such, the Committee considers a thorough review process, including a critical evaluation of whether an applicant has proposed and is capable of actually implementing a program that meets state requirements, to be essential to the Committees statutory obligations. Family of National Guard soldier who gave life to save migrants speak out The grandparents of the National Guardsman who drowned trying to save two migrants from the Rio Grande said they're not surprised the boy they raised died trying to save someone's life. Officials confirmed Monday that they had recovered the body of 22-year-old Specialist Bishop Evans, who went missing Friday in Eagle Pass, Texas, after attempting to rescue the two migrants who were illegally crossing into the U.S. and were smuggling drugs. Evans' family, who live eight hours away from the border in Arlington, Texas, traveled to the Rio Grande to assist in the search. After his body was recovered, they gathered for a Monday press conference to publicly share their grief. "He wouldn't ask you who you were before he tried to help you. He just wouldn't," his grandmother, Jo Ann Johnson, told WFAA and other local media on Monday. "It doesn't matter your nationality, how you look, your color hair. That's who my baby was." Evans' grandfather, Dannie Johnson, also remembered his grandson as a caring and exuberant person. "He would help you in need. He would die for you, he did die. He's going to be missed and always be loved and carried in our hearts," he said. We want to be positive about Bishop, because he was a positive person, and I would like to leave it at that." Jo Ann Johnson said it was "very tough" not knowing her grandson's fate for days as the search for him continued, adding that it was "hard to withstand." But now that Evans' body has been recovered, his grandparents said they feel they have at least gained some form of closure. "We can move forward, we can start healing and the family can grieve and then we can move on," Evans's grandmother said. Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Rangers and Border Patrol agents conducted the search and recovery efforts. In a statement to Fox News on Sunday, the Texas Military Department said that Texas Rangers confirmed from initial reports that the two migrants Evans attempted to rescue "were involved in illicit transnational narcotics trafficking." Evans was a field artilleryman assigned to A Battery, 4-133 Field Artillery Regiment in New Braunfels, joining the Texas Army National Guard in May 2019. He returned in the fall of 2020 after he was mobilized to Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait, a multi-component organization that maintains a U.S. military presence in Southwest Asia. As The New York Post reported Monday, Evans was stationed in Eagle Pass as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star. The governor launched the initiative in March 2021 to send the Texas National Guard to the border to help quell the massive increase in illegal border crossings under the Biden administration. According to a March 4 post on Abbott's website, since the program's launch, state troopers and National Guard members have apprehended more than 208,000 migrants and filed more than 11,800 criminal charges, including more than 9,300 felony charges. The Texas governor released a statement Monday about Evans' death, saying that "National Guard soldiers risk their lives every day to serve and protect others and we are eternally grateful for the way SPC Evans heroically served his state and country." On Monday evening, Abbott directed that flags be lowered to half-staff in Evans' honor. In a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Texas Democratic Sen. Roland Gutierrez criticized Abbott's Operation Lone Star initiative and called for an inquest into Evans' death, according to WFAA. "The death of this young man was highly avoidable and further proves that the Governor is ill-prepared to provide solutions for this issue," Gutierrez stated. After Evans' body was recovered Monday, Texas Rep. Chip Roy blamed the Biden administration's handling of the border for the guardsmen's death. The congressman also called for the two illegal migrants Evans attempted to rescue to face charges in relation to his death but did not specify the severity of the potential punishment. "This was a horrible tragedy that was completely avoidable if we actually enforced the laws of the United States," the congressman said in a statement to The New York Post. "This is a national guardsman who died jumping in the river and these people are moving narcotics." According to federal statistics submitted to a federal court earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security reported 221,303 total encounters at the Southwest Border and 123,304 total expulsions of noncitizens in March. House Republicans postpone special order hour on the importance of prayer UPDATE: 4:45 p.m. ET April 28: The special order hour on faith and prayer scheduled for Thursday has been postponed to May 16 after Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday evening. Allens office reported Thursday that Allen "tested positive for coronavirus on a PCR test during a pre-travel screening for a planned trip overseas." Allen is isolating and has no symptoms. Original: WASHINGTON Nearly three dozen House Republicans are slated to take to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss the importance of faith and prayer as the nation finds itself in the midst of spiritual warfare. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., and the House Republican Conference are hosting a special order hour on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday to allow members of Congress to talk about the impact prayer has on their lives. The special hour order is taking place exactly one week before the May 5 National Day of Prayer, which falls on a day that Congress is not in session. Allen told The Christian Post that Thursdays event will take place after the House finishes with the business of the day" and will be streamed live on C-SPAN. Special order hours, which usually occur after the legislative business is done for the day, are reserved by the House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican Conference to allow representatives to deliver speeches on topics of their choice. We have the second hour, the Democrats have the first hour, Allen said. Sometimes, they dont use all their time. He anticipated the Republicans special order hour would take place in the evening, with the exact time depending on when the House concludes its business and when the Democrats finish with their special order hour. Allen cited the current national climate as the reason why House Republicans will devote a special order hour to discuss what prayer means to them. He warned this nation is in the midst of spiritual warfare. The enemys kind of having his way with the culture right now, Allen proclaimed. Were seeing church attendance drop. Were seeing people confused, a lot of people dependent on drugs, alcohol and money. Allen believes many are embracing drugs, alcohol and money to fill a void in their lives intended to be filled with faith in Jesus Christ. "We know that emotional healths a problem. We know that a lot of people are without hope. A lot of people dont know who they are or whose they are," Allen said. Allen, a businessman who has served in Congress since 2015, sees the special order hour as an opportunity to remind Americans of the role Judeo-Christian values played in the founding of the U.S. He asserts that God set this country apart. [John] Adams said that our Constitution is for a moral and religious people only and that it will do for no other," the 70-year-old politician said. Some people take offense to that, but again, the Constitution was written for people of virtue [and] we have to continue to fight for that, he added. I believe that its time for people of faith to step forward in this country and to make our vote count and to put those very values that our founders put forth in the Constitution on the center stage. Thursday is not the first time that the House has held a special order hour devoted to talking about prayer, as a similar occasion has taken place every year at least since Allen was first elected to Congress in 2015. But this is the first one that Allen is heading up as chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus. He noted that the Congressional Prayer Caucus meets at first votes every fly-in day, and we pray for our constituents. We pray for the country, and of course, we send out cards to folks who are in need and express our thoughts and prayers to them. The term fly-in day refers to the first day of the week when Congress is in session, typically a Monday or Tuesday. A bipartisan group of 54 members from both chambers of Congress and the lieutenant governor of Montana are members of The Congressional Prayer Caucus. About one-third of the members slated to speak at the special hour order are part of the Congression Prayer Caucus: Reps. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., Tracey Mann, R-Kan., Tim Walberg, R-Mich., Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, Mike Kelly, R-Pa., Brian Babin, R-Texas, Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, Randy Weber, R-Texas and Glenn Grothman, R-Wis. Other House members scheduled to speak Thursday are Reps. Jerry Carl, R-Ala., Barry Moore, R-Ala., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Mike Garcia, R-Calif., Scott Franklin, R-Fla., Buddy Carter, R-Ga., Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., Austin Scott, R-Ga., Mary Miller, R-Ill., Pete Stauber, R-Minn., Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., Greg Murphy, R-N.C., David Rouzer, R-N.C., Fred Keller, R-Pa., Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., Michael Cloud, R-Texas, Pat Fallon, R-Texas, John Curtis, R-Utah, Burgess Owens, R-Utah, and Bob Good, R-Va. Allen said that the discussion of prayer on Capitol Hill extends far beyond the Congressional Prayer Caucus. He said many had been involved in Bible studies in this last session. He praised a bipartisan Bible study that takes place on Thursday mornings, which helps organize the National Prayer Breakfast each year. Additional Bible studies Allen participates in consist solely of congressional Republicans. But he stressed that members on the other side of the aisle may have their own Bible studies that they participate in. While Congress will not be in session on May 5 during the 2022 National Day of Prayer, Allen plans to spend much of the day praying. During the National Day of Prayer, Allen will be with several of his colleagues on a trip to Israel, where he predicts they will pray for the Middle Eastern country and world peace in light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Allen is concerned that the situation in Ukraine could cause a worldwide famine, adding, Weve got to pray that somehow we can overcome something like that. Ukraine is the breadbasket of several areas over there," he said. "They produce something like 30% of the wheat. And they dont even have decent fuel to put in their tractors right now. The congressman believes that with challenges facing the U.S. and the world, perseverance comes "through prayer." He contends that through prayer, God explains his word more clearly." He said it's essential to set aside quiet time to immerse in Gods word. Allen, the founder of a successful Augusta-based construction company, has a prayer room at his house in his home district and his home in the Washington, D.C. area. His use of the prayer rooms dates back more than two decades when he had a spiritual awakening at 49. Allens spiritual awakening resulted from his daughters active participation in their churchs youth group, which included mission work. He recalled how his daughter inviting him on a mission with her changed his life. From there, he began to view her as the spiritual leader of our family. The day that I said OK, Im going to change the way I do things was Aug. 14, 2001, Allen recounted. All I did is say, OK, Jesus is No. 1, family is No. 2, and this business is No. 3. Shortly after that, Allen said he began to get up at 5 a.m. to spend time studying the Bible in his prayer room. He quickly discovered that he couldnt get enough of it. Thirteen years after his spiritual awakening, Allen was elected to represent Georgias 12th Congressional District. He maintains that if it werent for my faith, I could not do this." New technology challenges old scientific conclusions about historic Christian relic An Italian scientist and his team claim their research shows the Shroud of Turin, a fabric purported to have been Christs burial garment, may have originated during the time of Jesuss death and resurrection. Using a new X-ray technique called Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering to examine a sample of the linen, Liberato De Caro of Italys Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council and his colleagues determined in peer-reviewed research the shroud could be around 2,000 years old. The researchers' findings were published in the international journal Heritage in April. The Shroud of Turin is preserved at the royal chapel of the cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Turin, Italy, and it depicts the image of a crucified man. Many have questioned the linens authenticity since its emergence in the 14th century. Beginning in the 1980s, the Vatican encouraged scientists to conduct further investigations into its legitimacy. The National Catholic Reporter reports that the research conducted in X-ray laboratories at the institute in collaboration with Professor G. Fanti of the University of Padua appears to contradict a 1988 carbon-dating study that suggested the fabric was only about 700 years old. The Shroud of Turin is the most important relic of Christianity. According to Christian tradition, it is the burial shroud that would have wrapped the body of Jesus after his crucifixion, De Caro wrote in an April 13 email interview with The National Catholic Reporter. The scientist believes that carbon dating, a method of age determination that analyzes radiocarbon decay, is not always reliable with fabric, explaining why the 1988 studys conclusion may be incorrect. "Fabric samples are usually subject to all kinds of contamination, which cannot always be controlled and completely removed from the dated specimen," he continued. "If the cleaning procedure of the sample is not thoroughly performed, carbon-14 dating is not reliable," he added. "This may have been the case in 1988, as confirmed by experimental evidence showing that when moving from the periphery towards the center of the sheet, along the longest side, there is a significant increase in carbon-14 (radiocarbon dating)." De Caro has been investigating the shroud for about 30 years and developing techniques to examine the scale of atoms through X-rays. Three years ago, the scientist and his team developed a new method for dating samples from linen fabrics. The new dating method, based on a technique called Wide Angle X-ray Scattering, was first tested on linen samples already dated using other techniques, on samples that had nothing to do with the shroud, and then applied to a sample taken from the Shroud of Turin, De Caro told The National Catholic Reporter. The scientist started researching the Shroud of Turin with his team in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed their work. The team eventually applied the new X-ray dating technique to the Holy Shroud, sending their findings to Heritage in March. The findings were published in April after a month of preparation and peer review from three independent experts and the journals editor. The new technique may also have found evidence that the shroud migrated from the Middle East to Europe. The seven centuries of documented history regarding the Shroud of Turin appear to show it has only ever been located in Europe, leading to further questions regarding its authenticity. But De Caro said an analysis of the shroud showed traces of pollen unique to the ancient region of Palestine trapped in its fibers. The scientist suggested that this means the shroud has spent a significant deal of time in the Middle East and not just Europe. The Shroud of Turin challenges science, and each new piece of research could clarify part of the complex puzzle this relic represents, De Caro wrote. For example, the Shrouds image has yet to find a definitive explanation from those who have studied it, an explanation shared by the entire scientific community. It is as if a photographic plate had been imprinted by radiation, he continued. By studying the traces left on the plate, one tries to trace the nature of the radiation and its properties. The same could be done for the Shrouds image. De Caro stated that this new dating technique is only in its infancy, and whether he uses it to continue studying the Holy Shroud depends on if there are new samples to analyze. The scientist also expressed a desire to use the technique to examine other relics associated with Jesus, such as the Sudarium of Oviedo and the Veil of Manoppello. The former is a cloth that allegedly was used to cover and clean Jesuss face after his crucifixion, and the latter, also called the Veil of Veronica, is a piece of fabric supposedly imprinted with the face of Christ during his walk to Golgotha. Parents of preteens in spiritual state of distress as adherence to biblical Christianity fades: study Parents of preteens, children younger than 13, are in a state of spiritual distress as American adherence to biblical Christianity fades even in churches, and a "tragic crash is coming as a result of the situation, according to new data from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University and the American Worldview Inventory 2022. While the warning signs are identifiable and unmistakable, it appears that parents, as well as their support system (i.e., churches, extended family, and parachurch ministries), are too distracted or disinterested to acknowledge and address the parenting crisis. It seems that a tragic crash is in store, said George Barna, director of research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian, in a release earlier this month. Parents, to whom the Bible assigns the primary responsibility for shaping the worldview of their children, are called to equip youngsters to grow up in relationship with and service to God. That requires the intentional and consistent development of a biblical worldview in the minds and hearts of children, since every persons worldview begins developing before their second birthday, Barna explained. Yet parents are not devoted to biblical worldview development in their children partly because they do not possess a biblical worldview to pass on to their progeny. The CRC research reveals that a paltry 2% of the parents of preteens children in the worldview development window has a biblical worldview. A big reason for the lack of a biblical worldview in parents today is syncretism. This ideology is described as the worldview that merges otherwise incompatible philosophies of life into a made-to-order worldview that incorporates enough biblical elements to be minimally Christian in nature. Under the sway of syncretism, according to Barna, the American Church has failed to contend earnestly for the Christian faith. The American Church has lowered the entry bar so much that it is difficult to identify any beliefs that disqualify one from claiming to be Christian. The parents of children under the age of 13 are a stellar example of this Christian nominalism that is widely accepted as spiritually normal and healthy, he said. Indeed, a worldview is comprised of a unified series of beliefs that then determine behavior. The alarm bell has not been rung because there is no single belief, or even limited series of identified beliefs, that are acknowledged as undermining Christianity or disqualifying an amenable adult from being considered a disciple of Jesus. Barna suggested that one explanation for the current crisis of faith is that the American Church is measuring the wrong indicators of faith. By emphasizing measures such as church attendance and participation in prayer, the emphasis is placed upon the quantity rather than quality of spiritual activity, and on overt participation rather than core developmental efforts, he noted. In other words, the emphasis is placed upon breadth rather than depth. But even more significantly, the spiritual warning signs have been misinterpreted. By looking for glaring deficiencies in the lives of self-described Christians, leaders have ignored the importance of numerous, less noticeable deficiencies. Their conclusion is that nobody is perfect, so while there are some identifiable spiritual and lifestyle defects among parents, they are not sufficiently disturbing to constitute a crisis or require a concerted call to action. Church leaders, explained Barna, have largely ignored the crisis of faith in the Christian community because indicators like church attendance, Bible sales and donations have remained sufficiently robust to feel reassured. Barna noted that while some commentators on the effect of syncretism on the American Church might minimize it as a rough patch, emerging data on children shows a different picture. The disinterest and even disrespect many children show to their elders is partially a reaction to the lack of authenticity and integrity they experience in the presence of parents, teachers, pastors, and other cultural leaders. Children sometimes feel compelled to ignore adults whose talk and walk are inconsistent, he said. When children are exposed to teaching through words or actions, whether formal or informal that are contradictory, they naturally conclude that the Christian faith is inherently contradictory and therefore may not be what they are seeking as a life philosophy, Barna adds. Young people may be interested in and intrigued by Bible stories, but unless the underlying life principles are both identified and exemplified, children are likely to miss out on those life changing truths. He suggested that the reason most Christians arent alarmed by the crisis of faith and parenting could be that the rest of the culture is syncretistic as well. Data published by ACU last year shows that of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6%, or 15 million of them, actually hold a biblical worldview. The study shows, in general, that while a majority of Americas self-identified Christians, including many who identify as Evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit. Strong majorities also errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities dont believe in moral absolutes; consider feelings, experience, or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance; and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue. According to Barna, If ever there was a time when our nation was desperate for a grassroots spiritual revival led by the remnant in the pews who still revere God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, and truth, now is that time. 'Shooter threat' shuts down Christian school in Pittsburgh; police investigate A Pittsburgh-area Christian school was closed Thursday due to what officials described as a shooter threat. Imani Christian Academy, located in the East Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh, was shut down as police investigated the threat. According to CBS Pittsburgh, the threat against the private school was made via email Wednesday evening. No specific timing or other details were included, CBS reported. Testing was scheduled for Thursday but is set to resume Friday, according to the schools website. The Christian Post's request for comment from Imani Christian Academy was not immediately returned. Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Cara Cruz told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that police were contacted late Wednesday night by the school's CEO about the shooting threat. If the school decides to reopen Friday, Cruz assured police officers would be present to monitor the situation. Imani Christian Academy has over 150 students ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The students come from more than a dozen low-income school districts in Allegheny County, according to its Facebook page. The school began in 1993 as a "faith-based alternative to a grossly under-resourced public school system struggling to serve low-income communities." The school initially grew from an initial roster of 30 students operating out of a single-family home. The school bills itself as one that provides "educational excellence in a safe, caring, learning, environment free of violence." Most of Imani's students are "African American inner-city youth," many of whom come from single-parent homes or are raised by a grandparent or guardian. The school seeks to give students "everyday exposure to positive role models" while tailoring "to the unique needs of African American students." The shooting threat comes over three years after a mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in the nearby Squirrel Hill neighborhood. A 15-minute drive from Imani Christian Academy, 11 people, including the perpetrator, were killed in the October 2018 attack on the synagogue. Meanwhile, seven others were injured. In December 2021, four students were killed and seven were injured in a shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. Lawsuits were later filed against Oxford Community Schools, claiming that school staff was negligent by not acting on warning signs displayed by the shooter in the days leading up to the shooting. In February, the school district denied wrongdoing. Virginia church leaving UMC over LGBT debate, joining theologically conservative network A United Methodist Church congregation in Virginia plans to join a theologically conservative alternative to the mainline Protestant denomination due to issues with the UMC's ongoing debate over homosexuality. Holston View UMC of Weber City, which has over 300 members, recently announced that it is pursuing affiliation with the Global Methodist Church and leaving the UMC. Meant to be a denomination where theologically conservative United Methodists can join to leave their churchs seemingly endless debate over LGBT issues, the GMC is scheduled to officially launch this Sunday. A significant issue was incidents of some UMC leaders refusing to enforce Book of Discipline rules banning the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions. Holston View Pastor Chuck Griffin told The Christian Post on Tuesday that his congregation had not yet left the UMC but rather it was planning to pursue separation once once a clear path develops. Our church's top administrative board, the Church Leadership Council, voted 10-0 on March 24 to announce our intent, with one person abstaining and one absent, he explained. We delayed the public announcement until we felt we had fully communicated the decision to church members. Griffin spoke well of the GMC, referring to the denomination as the obvious continuation of traditional Methodism, which goes back to the 18th century. The Methodist movement traditionally has treated Scripture as the inspired word of God, emphasizing specific biblical concepts like growing spiritually through regular engagement with God's abundant grace, Griffin told CP. We expect the GMC will be a place where some lost or poorly practiced traditions of Methodism will be recovered. The Rev. Tim Jones, director of communications for the Holston Conference, told CP that he was saddened to learn about the congregations plans. He noted that the regional body has a team working to create a fair and thoughtful process for churches to consider disaffiliation in a way that honors our relationships and complies with church law. Jones also provided CP with a statement from Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, acknowledging that some of our congregations and clergy are considering withdrawing from The United Methodist Church to become a part of another expression of Methodism such as the Global Methodist Church. It will sadden us if these churches and clergy discern to withdraw. However, we will send them forth with our blessing to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, she continued. Over the past few decades, the UMC has weathered increasingly divisive debate over its official stance labeling homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching, including a ban on clergy performing same-sex weddings or being in a same-sex romantic relationship. Many conservatives within the denomination have taken issue with liberal leadership refusing to enforce the UMC Book of Discipline rules on LGBT issues, leading some to consider leaving the UMC over the debate. Before the pandemic lockdowns began in early 2020, UMC leaders were planning to consider measures aimed at amicable separation for the denomination, to be voted on at that years General Conference. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the churchwide conference was postponed on multiple occasions, which only increased tensions among some liberals and conservatives. In March, UMC leadership announced that they were once again postponing General Conference, this time to 2024, citing ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest postponement led organizers of the Global Methodist Church to decide to launch the new denomination on May 1, rather than their previous plan to launch after General Conference approved a separation plan. Tyranny knows no tolerance: Will Americans learn this lesson? Recent events in multiple countries offer a picture of the tyranny and oppression that occur when government replaces God. The US Congressional-Executive Commission on China recently released its annual report. It documented the worsening state of religious freedom in that country: Authorities abandoned any pretense that the Chinese government respects religious beliefs and practices or ethnic minority cultures in its years-long campaign of sinicization requiring greater conformity with officially sanctioned interpretations of Chinese culture Officials demolished places of worship, denied participation in pilgrimages, intimidated parents and children to deter participation in religious gatherings, and forced some to renounce their beliefs. COVID-19 precautions were used as a pretext to prohibit religious activities, and religious believers continued to be arrested, with credible reports of torture in detention. The Chinese Communist Party also put in place a new law called the Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services prohibiting citizens and organizations from posting religious information on the Internet, unless they first obtain permission from the government. Reports suggest that even posting the word Christ online is a violation, as that term could cause incitement. Chinas crackdown may seem like a faraway threat, but egregious violations of religious freedom continue surfacing ever closer home. The Washington Examiner reported how religious communities in Venezuela and Nicaragua have been heinously targeted by the government: Religious freedom in Nicaragua has come under assault in recent years by President Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista party, as they have tightened their grip on powerVenezuelas ruling regime has unleashed the full weight of its repressive machinery against its opposition and civil society Last year, Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant leaders claimed that the Maduro regime harassed, intimidated, and retaliated against their communities for criticizing the regime and calling attention to the humanitarian crisis. This should remind Americans: Theres never any tolerance for religious freedom under tyranny. Repressive regimes must crush any dissent to exert complete control. And history repeatedly shows people of faith and houses of worship are often the first ones silenced and stripped of their liberties. But why do oppressive regimes have a particular disdain for religious communities and the rights of citizens to freely live out their faith? Because once a dictatorial, ruling elite succeeds at destroying religious freedom and subjugating the faithful, its only a matter of time until other fundamental freedoms economic, political, and social are ripped away as well. Authoritarians know that houses of worship and people of faith are the ultimate check on government power. Their allegiance isnt first and foremost to the government. A free people know their loyalty is to God, the true provider and source of our freedoms. Americas Founders understood this truth. Thats why the First Amendment which lists religious liberty as the First Freedom is such an ingenious provision. Among many other protections, this is the FIRST one in the Constitution designed to prevent government abuse and, ultimately, outright tyranny. Of course, what were seeing in China, Venezuela and Nicaragua is nothing new. Its the same formula used by countless authoritarians. Just 90 miles south of Key West, on the island of Cuba, Communist Party leader Fidel Castro clearly stated that people of faith had no place in Cubas political structure: The principle was established that religious believers would not be allowed to enter into the partys ranks. Castros regime also ripped away the liberty of parents to choose a religious education for their children when it began absorbing religious schools into the nationalized education system. Recently, The Christian Post reported a pastor being sentenced to eight years in prison for participating in a peaceful protest. Pastor Mario Lleonart Barroso a persecuted pastor who fled the island fearing for his life explained to First Liberty: Attacks on religious freedom are among the primary and most recurrent violations we see in those societies Destroying the foundations of any society and guaranteeing the oppression of a population whos been stripped of its rights requires these regimes to also destroy the certainty of Imago Dei, the idea that we have equal dignity because we are created by God, that our rights come from Him and not from government. We find further proof in the former Soviet Unions Constitution, which states: In the USSR, the church is separated from the state, and the school from the church. (Note: Unlike the Soviet Constitution, the phrase separation of church and state does not appear in the American Constitution). Historians have extensively documented that from its very start: Soviet Communism devastated religious life in the USSR. The Bolsheviks destroyed religious institutions, nationalized religious property, uprooted religious communities, and confined religious life. Its often said a person can learn a lesson the easy way or the hard way. This principle applies not only to individuals but also to our nation as a whole. When we see the way that freedom and civil rights quickly dissipated in many nations, there is proverbial wisdom in learning from the example (and sadly, the failures) of others. In this time when our rights are under attack like never before, Americans cannot ignore the terrifying results that come in the absence of religious liberty. Lets hope we do not learn this lesson the hard way, by having to live under the boot of tyranny and oppression. Originally published at First Liberty. The new system is aimed at streamlining the hitherto unorganised process, by following the solid waste management rules. (Representational Image/ DC) Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) on Thursday initiated the new door-to-door garbage collection system, by roping in around 300 workers and assigning them various streets and colonies. The new system is aimed at streamlining the hitherto unorganised process, by following the solid waste management rules. The move, however, has not gone down well with several resident welfare associations (RWAs), which are objecting to SCBs control over the waste management exercise. We have to be exempted from the new rules as we already have a system in place. We are managing on our own the safety, surveillance and cleanliness of our premises using our own funds, said Arvind Lingala, secretary, Vikrampuri Colony. The residents suggested that the authorities instead focus on regular cleaning and sweeping of roads. SCB officials say the RWAs are not segregating the waste at source, and that there were shortcomings in the way the waste management was being done. We will ensure that there is door-to-door garbage collection all through the year and even during festivals. The new Swacch auto tippers collect the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste separately, said A. Mahender, sanitary inspector, SCB. Ed Young says fellowship, worship essential to Christian life Pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church said God loves all Christians right where they are, spiritually with Jesus and relationally and physically when it comes to serving others. Still, they should always be attempting to grow in worship. The 61-year-old pastor told his Grapevine, Texas-based congregation Sunday that there are many forms of worship that are aspects of Christian fellowship. He stressed that all are needed to build the national and global Church. The first aspect of fellowship in the Church, Young said, is having a foundation built on Jesus. In Matthew 7, Jesus said we have a choice. We can either build our lives on the foundation of sand, [where] you will live in a sand trap, or you have an opportunity to build your life on the rock, Young preached in a sermon titled Heres The Church. The Church is here to glorify God; the Church is here. And we'll be here forever and ever, Young continued. The pastor emphasized that the Church has a lifelong purpose to allow Christians to live together in a community with the common goal of bringing glory to Jesus. It's the only thing Jesus ever constructed, the Church. Our foundation is Jesus. There are over 2.2 billion believers worldwide. There are more believers worldwide than in India and China combined, Young said. We have the juice to truly go after the world's problems. Universities don't. Governments don't. Parachurch organizations don't. We don't. The Church does. The Church is the hope of the world. The Church has this energy, he added. Learning and love are two parts of fellowship that the Church should strive to achieve, according to Young. God's love from above. That's the solution to our pollution. For God so loved the world. Love is not God. God is love. He's the initiative taker. He saw us and did something about it because of His love, Young expressed. God loves you. He loves you right where you are. But as we said around here, He loves you too much to allow you and me to remain where we are, he added. Young emphasized that obedience is the secret to the Christian life, adding: "God has the best idea. He has an ideal idea for your life. And the way to discover it is to get involved in the Church." "You have to know Jesus personally," he continued. "Then, you're a part of the family of God. You're born again into the family of God. You're part of the Church, and part of what's going to happen to you as you discover this ideal will be doing what the Lord Jesus wants you to." Worship is glorifying God and expressing love to God, Young said. There are different ways and styles of worship that should transcend everything a Christian does. Don't waste your worship. Realize it's all about Him. It's all about God. It's all about giving Him glory and honor, Young said. Fellowship is incomplete if a Christian does not allow other believers into their lives through sharing, demonstrating transparency about difficult issues. Some of us get into these groups or situations or friendships with fellowship and we're like, 'Man, I probably shouldn't share that because if I shared that, they might judge me. And they wouldn't. Just the opposite is true, Young said. Young encouraged his congregation to share what they are going through with others in small groups because, many times, support, empathy and sympathy can be the result. When we share what we're going through, I bet you cash money, somebody in your group or team is going to be like, I struggle with the same situation. I've gone through the same pain or I'm in that same flow with my career, he said. The Church should be hospitable and innovative to have fellowship that is pleasing to God, Young noted. We are to be welcoming. We are to be understanding and I just love that about fellowship. People want to do life with one another [in] hospitality, Young said. The pastor addressed those in the audience that are not regular church attendees. He advised them to make church a priority, as it's necessary for fellowship. It should be a priority in your life. If not, you're not living for the Lord. We're part of God's family. That's why this is so important; it is God's family, Young said, pointing the congregation to 1 Timothy 3:15. God is using the Church for His eternal purposes. The Church will last forever; the school will not last forever, sorry. Your organization will not last forever, your legacy will not last forever. Those trust funds you're trying to give to your kids will not last forever. What's your building? I mean, it's not going to last forever. The only thing that lasts forever is the Body of Christ, he added. Celebration Church report paints founders Stovall and Kerri Weems as abusive, mentally troubled Pastor claims report is 'character assassination without real basis' An internal report recently released by the 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, paints founding Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, as abusive, mentally troubled divas who constantly exploited church staff and finances until they were forced to resign from all their positions in the church earlier this month. The Weemses and Celebration Church, which they founded in 1998, are currently locked in a legal battle seeking to settle dueling claims of financial fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. The single word used most frequently to describe Stovall Weems was narcissist. Nearly every witness we interviewed used that specific word, states the 22-page report produced by the Nelson Mullins law firm. The law firm was retained to conduct an investigation after the church's board of trustees voted in January to suspend the Weemses over "questionable financial practices and other pastoral issues under the Weemses leadership." According to the report, the Weemses leadership has been inconsistent and unbiblical" since at least 2019. Investigators allege that Stovall Weems leadership was marked by rampant spiritual and emotional abuse, including manipulation, a profound sense of self-importance and selfishness, superiority and entitlement, overbearing and unreasonable demands on employees time, a lack of accountability or humility, and demands of absolute loyalty. On behalf of Celebration Church, attorneys said they interviewed more than 20 current and former senior leadership members, staff, former trustees, other advisors and consultants. Some reflected trauma as they shared their experience working with the Weemses. The Weemses refused to be interviewed as part of the investigation, the report says. In a statement to News4Jax, the Weems dismissed the report as concocted. This report is completely concocted by the Trustees and their lawyer as a character assassination without real basis. The charges are as they always were untrue and without a hard basis in fact, as a thoughtful investigation would show. Despite my numerous requests for the usual independent financial audit for 2021, as reflected in the board minutes, they have not done so, choosing instead to conduct their own misinformed investigation over months without input from those most informed, Weems' statement reads. How can they claim they conducted an investigation into improper financial transactions without a financial audit? If this is now a board-led church where is their responsibility for the Churchs dismal financial performance since I allowed them to take over with a new Lead Pastor at the beginning of 2020? And where is the oversight? As I have said all along, I have nothing to hide. That has not changed. I shall continue a righteous path with a new ministry despite these shameful efforts." One employee cited in the report alleged that Weems once made them drive to a liquor store to get a bottle of bourbon for his house late at night because he did not want to be seen purchasing liquor. Another employee claimed Weems had them buy a car and deliver it to his house, but never offered the employee transportation back to their own home. After the employee delivered the car as demanded, Weems told him to find his own ride home, the report states. The Weemses allegedly reveled in the comfort of private charter flights to exotic locations, a full house staff and personal assistants to respond to their exacting demands. The report claims that the "Weemses compensation, staff, travel and expense accounts comprised approximately 10% of the Churchs total revenue." Despite these privileges, the Weemses treated people who attended to them as inferior, the report says. In 2020, Weems drafted a document that instructed the Weemses assistants on how they were to keep each of the three residences so the Weemses would not be bothered during their transitions between homes. This was so the Weemses could focus on their spiritual acuity at all times. The report further claims that both Kerri and Stovall Weems began exhibiting mental instability following a Seder service on Passover in 2018, where Stovall Weems said he had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. During the service, which The Christian Post previously reported, Weems told his congregation that he met Jesus Christ on Good Friday and was surprised by His personality. "The first thing that I was taken back with is like Jesus' personality. This is how Jesus was when He was on the earth. I heard His voice ... the cadence of His voice. I can sense His mood. I can sense His presence, like He has a personality, Weems said at the time. I can't describe the closeness that I felt with Jesus. He didn't look at me. I never saw the front of his face. He was wearing a white garment. He had brown hair." According to the report, Kerri Weems allegedly became suicidal after her husbands personal encounter with Jesus, and the couple didn't take time off from ministry to address her struggle. Witnesses to the events at the Weems residence in the days following the Encounter describe Weems as visibly shaking and sobbing. They also confirmed that Kerri Weems was distraught and overwhelmed by her husbands behavior, the report reads. Kerri Weems has a history of clinical depression, a topic which she openly discussed. People close with Kerri Weems stated that she expressed being suicidal as a result of the Encounter and Weems behavior following it. Despite repeated requests by many, the Weemses refused to take any meaningful time off after the Encounter to process the event. Investigators didn't take a position on whether Weems' claims of an encounter with Jesus were real, stating there is no way for them to "confirm or deny legally or factually what was going on inside Weems mind during that time." "There is evidence that the Weemses were under a tremendous amount of personal stress during this time that may have impacted Weems mindset that evening," the report says. The church further detailed allegations of financial abuse previously alleged in a lawsuit earlier this year. The churchs filing contends that trustees analyzed the churchs financial position in December 2021 and discovered that the Weemses made several large financial transactions earlier in 2021 without notice to or authorization from the board. These transactions included multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward. The motion claims that the church had purchased a parsonage for $1.2 million that a company owned by Stovall Weems had purchased four months earlier for $855,000. Additionally, the board took issue with the advancement of nine months salary to Kerri Weems and seven months salary to Stovall Weems," claiming they were in violation of Florida statute and church policies because "neither Stovall nor Kerri Weems perform[ed] the duties of the offices that purportedly justified those salaries. The couple was also accused of using $1 million worth of Paycheck Protection Program loan funds improperly to purchase a speculative digital currency known as TurnCoin. Investigators for the church recommended seven actions against the Weemses. They include that the church "[a]ccept the resignation of Stovall and Kerri Weems as employees of Celebration effective April 15, 2022 without further compensation or benefits;" "pursue the removal of Stovall and Kerri Weems from any positions of authority relating to the church, Honey Lake Farms, Honey Lake Clinic and AWKNG;" and "require Stovall and Kerri Weems to account for and return to the church all funds misappropriated by them." PCUSA lost 51K members, 100-plus churches, 4 presbyteries in 2021: report The Presbyterian Church (USA) lost over 51,000 members in 2021, as well as over 100 congregations, and even four regional bodies known as presbyteries, according to a new report. The largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States announced the release of its annual statistics on Monday, which were compiled by the PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly. According to the latest numbers, PC(USA) saw its number of congregations drop from 8,925 in 2020 to 8,813 in 2021. It also saw its active membership decline from approximately 1.24 million in 2020 to 1.19 million in 2021. The mainline Protestant denomination also saw a drop in the number of clergy, going from 18,785 ministers in 2020 to 18,458 in 2021, or a decline of 372. In contrast to recent years, PC(USA) also saw a slight decline in the number of presbyteries that make up the denomination, going from a total 170 in 2020 to 166 in 2021. This loss of four regional bodies can be traced to two events, the first being the reorganization of presbyteries in New Jersey in March of last year, which saw the number of regional bodies in the state go from seven to four. The second took place in California last July, when the Presbyteries of Sacramento and Stockton merged to form the Presbytery of North Central California. The merger came in response to a drop in member congregations. In an announcement about the results on Monday, PC(USA) General Assembly Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson emphasized that the drop in membership was smaller than the year before. We have come to the realization that our church has been forever changed by this pandemic, explained Nelson. But this report shows that even though the number of active members continues to go down, we are seeing a slight slowdown in number of people leaving. While noting declines in various areas, the statistics also reported a slight increase in the number of youth professions of faith and professions of faith & reaffirmations. According to the numbers, youth professions increased from 5,319 in 2020 to 5,708 in 2021, while reaffirmations and professions of faith rose from 9,210 in 2020 to 10,921 in 2021. These numbers are both well below pre-pandemic levels, as 2019 saw 9,023 youth professions of faith and 21,408 professions of faith and reaffirmations. The challenge for the PC(USA) and other Christian denominations is reaching and retaining young people, developing new leaders for tomorrows church, said Nelson, as quoted in the announcement. I am encouraged to see this turning around and it will be imperative that we find new ways of being church in the years to come. Approximately 82% of the churches in the PC(USA) submitted data for the report, representing 91% of all denominational membership. Over the past couple of decades, as with most other religious groups in the U.S., PC(USA) has experienced a considerable decline in its membership and number of congregations. In 2011, the mainline denomination slipped below the 2 million active member mark, while in 2014 PC(USA) saw its total number of congregations go below the 10,000 mark. One factor in its decline has been its increasingly theologically liberal stance on LGBT issues, which has prompted hundreds of congregations to leave in protest in recent years. In 2010, the PC(USA) voted to allow presbyteries to ordain non-celibate homosexuals and changed its definition of marriage in 2015 from "a man and a woman" to "two people, traditionally a man and a woman." In 2019, PC(USA) church in Virginia ordained the first clergy candidate who identified as gender nonbinary. Jemar Tisby chides Grove City College for calling his invitation to speak in chapel 'a mistake' Jemar Tisby, a well-known Christian author and president of The Witness, a multimedia platform about race, religion, politics and culture, chided leaders of Grove City College in Pennsylvania for calling a decision to allow him to speak in the schools chapel about race in 2020 a mistake. A special GCC committee comprised mainly of board members of the unaffiliated Christian liberal arts college released a 23-page report on April 13. They defended the college from allegations of mission-drift. The move came after the college was accused in a petition launched by a group of parents and former students of promoting critical race theory. Grove City College has not changed. It remains a Christ-centered, conservative institution. GCCs Board and president are firmly committed to its historic vision, mission, values, and character, the committee wrote. In the report, the committee members highlighted the dangers of critical race theory and several reasons the theoretical framework is incompatible with a biblical worldview. The report also cited what it considers to be several missteps that led to the theorys promotion on campus, including allowing Tisby, whose works include The Color of Compromise and How to Fight Racism, to speak at the chapel. Most of those in GCC leadership with whom we spoke observed that the Jemar Tisby that we thought we invited in 2019 is not the Jemar Tisby that we heard in 2020 or that we now read about. They allow that, in hindsight, inviting Mr. Tisby to speak in chapel was a mistake, the committee wrote. And they say that in the future, such speakers should be treated as one of the many guest lecturers that visit campus to teach a class or speak in a lecture hall; inviting anyone to speak in chapel appears to place the Colleges stamp of approval on the speakers message. Critical race theory is a framework through which some scholars seek to understand how victims of systemic racism are affected by cultural perceptions of race and how they can represent themselves to counter prejudice. Scholarship on the theory, which is mainly taught in law schools, traces racism in America through the legacy of slavery, the civil rights movement and recent events. In his speech at GCC in October 2020, Tisby urged his audience to join the racial justice movement. His speech came just months after an explosive racial reckoning was triggered worldwide by the killing of African American George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that May. The morning of the chapel presentation, I made the settled determination not to douse the fire in my bones. Instead I drew inspiration from the Black church tradition and its hallmark of powerful, poetic, and prophetic preaching, Tisby wrote in op-ed on Substack last Friday. I went on to explain the urgency of the racial justice movement happening in our midst, and the need to address anti-Black police brutality, he added. I spoke of the complicity and compromise with racism that many Christians had displayed in previous eras, and how we as followers of Christ had to make a decision about whether we would stand on the side of justice in our day. He said that after his speech, students applauded and the majority of those with whom I spoke in the next few moments expressed support. Tisby wrote that he was surprised that he was branded in the petition from parents and alumni as an outspoken apologist for CRT. Im an outspoken apologist for CRT? No. I have studied history. Looking at the sordid acts of cowards who called the name of Christ and compromised with racism is what informs my views, he stressed. This group of parents and former students perpetuates the pernicious practice of labeling virtually any language or concept about race and justice as Critical Race Theory. After reactions from GCC President Paul J. McNulty and faculty members of Grove City College writing a response decrying the college's handling of the outrage from parents, the schools board of trustees formed a committee to review the situation and produced the report released earlier this month. The entire report reeks of fear and a reactionary posture inimical to the educational mission of a college or university, Tisby said. The committee cited racial separatism as a bogeyman even as they paid no attention to the racism that Black people and other people of color experience on a daily basis. A level of prejudice that necessitates we form spaces of refreshing and flourishing (hence the entire existence of historically Black churches and denominations), he added. In reaction to the claim that he had changed his views between 2019 and 2020, Tisby argued that it could be the leaders of the college who changed to appease their audience. Perhaps it is not I who changed, but the leaders at Grove City College, he wrote. Perhaps the social and political climate of the nation has caused institutions to more clearly declare their allegiances and some, such as Grove City College, have chosen to side with the forces that conserve business-as-usual when it comes to race. Christian group decries Turkeys life sentence for human rights advocate A U.S.-based Christian group has criticized Turkey's sentencing of human rights activist Osman Kavala to life imprisonment on charges of purportedly attempting to overthrow the government. Kavala, a 64-year-old philanthropist and human rights advocate, has called for the protection of non-Muslim cultural sites, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and the protection of religious minorities, International Christian Concern said in a statement Tuesday. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on Monday after he was convicted of trying to overthrow the government by financing protests in a case that was seen by Western powers as being politically motivated, Reuters reported, adding that seven others got 18 years for aiding an attempt to overthrow the government. The U.S. State Department called the sentencing deeply troubling and disappointing. His sentence is being seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogans defiance of warnings issued by Western countries last year. We again call on Turkey to release Osman Kavala, in keeping with European Court of Human Rights rulings, as well as to free all others arbitrarily incarcerated, it said in a statement. We remain gravely concerned by the continued judicial harassment of civil society, media, political and business leaders in Turkey, including through prolonged pretrial detention, overly broad claims of support for terrorism, and criminal insult cases. Authorities first detained Kavala in October 2017, accusing him of involvement in the 2013 Gezi Park protests. In 2019, the European Court of Human Rights ruled for Kavalas release. He was acquitted in 2020 of those charges, but the ruling was later overturned and combined with other charges in the 2016 coup attempt. And now, Kavalas sentencing comes one day after the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, which was committed in the early 1900s by Turkish authorities who remain in aggressive denial regarding these events, International Christian Concern noted. Osman Kavala has endured multiple hardships because of his human rights activism which only seeks the betterment of Turkeys religious minorities, ICCs President Jeff King said. His sentencing sends a warning to anyone who wishes to raise awareness about the human rights challenges experienced in Turkey. The timing of this announcement sends a particularly dire warning to the survivors of the Armenian genocide, who only just yesterday experienced multiple pressures from the authorities for commemorating the event, King added. Kavala continually advocated for more dialogue surrounding the Armenian Genocide, an Ottoman-era genocide that killed and displaced an estimated 2 million Armenian Christians, ICC said. In 2007, following the murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink by a Turkish nationalist, Kavala pushed for greater reconciliation between Turks and Armenian Christians. Last April, when President Joe Biden referred to the mass atrocity perpetuated by Ottoman-era Turkish authorities against Armenian Christians as a genocide, ICC had noted that designation was significant because the Turkish government has failed to take responsibility and has actively denied their role in this, allowing them to pursue genocidal policies against Armenians such as in Nagorno-Karabakh, a conflict that started in the 1980s when the Soviet Union began to fall apart. The Nagorno-Karabakh region, a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, is recognized internationally as part of Muslim-majority Azerbaijan even though it has a majority Armenian population and is controlled by ethnic Armenians. Turkey supported Azerbaijans aggressions against Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, ICC said at the time. Azerbaijani troops alongside Turkish-paid Syrian mercenaries invaded the region and took control after a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement in December, ICC added. Evidence of violence against Armenian civilians and destruction of religious sites during this conflict suggests some religious and ethnic hatred toward Armenian Christians still held by many, reminiscent of the genocide over a century ago. ICCs Advocacy Director Matias Perttula explained that Armenian Christians continue to suffer because of the systematic Ottoman campaign of 1915, and the United States owes it to the Armenian community to stand with them in solidarity by recognizing their suffering. As heirs to the oldest Christian nation, Armenians are an integral part of the global community of Christians and ought to enjoy freedom from persecution, Perttula added. SC Gov. McMaster signs bill protecting churches from forced closure during pandemics South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has signed a law that prohibits the state from placing greater restrictions on houses of worship than essential services during a state of emergency. McMaster signed House Bill 3105 into law on Monday, which states that the government may not limit the ability of a religious organization to continue operating and to engage in religious services during a state of emergency to a greater extent than it limits operations or services of other organizations or businesses that provide essential services. The legislation goes on to say that the state can require a religious organization to comply with neutral health, safety, or occupancy requirements during a state of emergency provided they are applicable to all organizations or businesses providing essential services and do not impose a substantial burden on religious services unless a compelling state interest exists. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm that has represented many churches that sued states over the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions that were considered unconstitutional, celebrated the news of the South Carolina law being signed. ADF Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen said in a statement released Tuesday that the First Amendment prohibits the government from treating houses of worship and religious organizations worse than shopping centers, restaurants, or gyms. This bill takes the modest step of ensuring that officials cannot use a public crisis to discriminate against religious operations in violation of the Constitution, stated Chafuen. We commend Gov. McMaster and the South Carolina Legislature for taking action to defend religious freedom in South Carolina. Chiefly sponsored by state Rep. Richard Yow of Chesterfield, HB 3105 passed the South Carolina Legislature earlier this month, with a vote of 39-2 in the Senate and 102-9 in the House. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many state and local governments were accused of treating churches worse than comparable secular entities when issuing lockdown policies aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. In November 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo that New York had unfairly singled out certain religious groups in its gathering restrictions. Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten, concluded the majority. The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendments guarantee of religious liberty. Earlier this month, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a similar law, which exempted houses of worship from specific emergency measures unless such houses have become unsafe to a degree that would justify condemnation in the absence of a state of emergency. USCIRF laments 'disastrous downward spiral' for religious freedom in Afghanistan WASHINGTON For the first time in 20 years, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is recommending that the U.S. State Department designate Afghanistan as a country of particular concern as the Talibans takeover has led to a surge in the persecution of religious minorities. At a press conference on Monday, USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza spoke about the 2022 Annual Report, which highlights both state and non-state actors that are engaged in the most egregious violations of religious freedom. USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. advisory body dedicated to promoting the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad, she said, explaining that the annual report classifies countries as either a country of particular concern or placement on a special watch list. USCIRF has been authorized to compile reports on violators since the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The report classifies countries as either a country of particular concern or placement on a special watch list. Maenza defined countries of particular concern as countries whose governments engage in or tolerate systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. Meanwhile, countries recommended for placement on a special watch list meet two but not all three of the systematic, ongoing and egregious categories, she said. The religious freedom violations in Afghanistan, where conditions have deteriorated following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country, loomed large in the report. Religious conditions there went into an immediate and disastrous downward spiral following the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021 and the immediate takeover by the Taliban," Maenza said. "While we had long been concerned about conditions in Afghanistan, the Talibans return to power has had a chilling impact on religious freedom and [the] broader human rights environment. Given this precipitous decline in 2021, USCIRF has taken the steps of recommending in this years annual report that the State Department designate Afghanistan under the de facto rule of the Taliban as a country of particular concern, or a [CPC] state, she added. USCIRF last recommended Afghanistan for designation as a country of particular concern in 2001, just before the ousting of the previous Taliban regime, which had controlled most of the country since 1996. According to the report, Afghans who do not adhere to the Talibans harsh and strict interpretation of Sunni Islam and adherents of other faiths or beliefs are at risk of grave danger. Reports indicate that the Taliban continue to persecute religious minorities and punish residents in areas under their control in accordance with their extreme interpretation of Islamic law. USCIRF has received credible reports that religious minorities, including nonbelievers and Muslims with differing beliefs from the Taliban, were harassed and their houses of worship desecrated," the report adds. "By years end, the one known Jew and most Hindus and Sikhs had fled the country. Christian converts, Bahais and Ahmadiyya Muslims practiced their faith in hiding due to fear of reprisal and threats from the Taliban and separately from the Islamic State-Khorassan Province. While Maenza praised the Biden administration for its continued prioritization of international religious freedom during the first year, she pushed for stronger condemnation of religious freedom violations in Nigeria. The State Department labeled 10 of the 15 countries USCIRF recommended for designation as countries of particular concern on its November 2021 list of such countries, but Nigeria and Afghanistan were two of the five additional countries singled out as religious freedom violators that did not make it onto the list. In addition to Afghanistan and Nigeria, the countries USCIRF also recommended for designation as countries of particular concern that did not make it onto the State Departments official list were India, Syria and Vietnam. Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan comprised the State Departments list of countries of particular concern, which overlapped with USCIRFs recommendations. The report urged the Biden administrations State Department to add nine additional countries to its December 2021 Special Watch List, which already includes Algeria, Cuba and Nicaragua. USCIRF recommended the addition of Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey and Uzbekistan to the Special Watch List. A third category, entities of particular concern, listed nonstate actors that engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom, according to the report. This year, the list of nine EPCs consisted of al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Houthis, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, and the Taliban. During the press conference, USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said, this year, we actually did not have any dissents on any of the chapters in the report. Bhargava remarked that the absence of dissents reflected that the commissioners agreed on recommendations that were made in the report. Maenza reported that traditionally, all chapters in the report are approved by a majority vote. The unanimity surrounding the recommendations in the report is notable because the commissioners represent different religious, political and professional backgrounds. USCIRF currently consists of three members appointed by Republicans and five appointed by Democrats. Commissioners include Republican-appointed Tony Perkins of the socially conservative think-tank Family Research Council, a Christian; Democrat-appointed Khizr Khan, a Muslim; and Democrat-appointed Sharon Kleinbaum, a Jewish rabbi. The report is nearly 100 pages long and devotes about 1,800 words to each of the 27 countries recommended for designation as either a country of particular concern or for placement on the special watch list. Maenza mentioned that USCIRF compiles longer, more in-depth reports about specific countries throughout the year. In a statement released Friday, Maenza said they were "disheartened by the deterioration of freedom of religion or belief in some countries especially Afghanistan." "Religious minorities have faced harassment, detention, and even death due to their faith or beliefs, and years of progress toward more equitable access to education and representation of women and girls have disappeared. Federal judge temporarily blocks Biden admin. from ending Title 42 border policy A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending Title 42 restrictions enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic aimed at limiting asylum seekers who can apply for protection at the U.S. and Mexico border. Judge Robert Summerhays, a Trump appointee, granted a motion for a temporary restraining order preventing the Biden administration from lifting Title 42 rules issued under the Trump administration in March 2020. A lawsuit against the administration's plan was filed by Missouri, Louisiana and Arizona. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced the restraining order on Monday. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention implemented the measure to limit the number of asylum seekers applying for protection at the U.S. and Mexico border. But the CDC announced its decision to end the order on April 1, with the Biden administration intending to implement the termination on May 23. "Today, the Court announced its intention to grant a temporary restraining order in Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona's lawsuit against the Biden Administration over their planned suspension of Title 42," Schmitt wrote. "This temporary restraining order is expected to keep Title 42 in place until further court proceedings, a critical win for border security and the rule of law. My Office will continue to fight to secure the border and protect Missourians." Former Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan, who now serves as a visiting fellow at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, told The Christian Post the judge's ruling the right decision for health protection in this country." Homan believes Title 42 has been very successful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and improving border security. The truth is we want to keep less infection from coming to the United States but also give border patrol more operational capability because when they close the borders, less people are coming, and that means border patrol ... can more than hold down the line, they're vigilant, to protect our national security, the former Trump administration official said. Several Democrats voiced opposition to lifting the public health directive, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly of Arizona. As Roll Call reported, the senators wrote in a March 24 letter to President Joe Biden that while Title 42 "should not be in effect indefinitely," it should remain in place until the administration implemented a better plan to process migrants' claims. The senators warned that abruptly ending a policy without a clear plan for replacing it would "significantly increase the strain on [Department of Homeland Security], border communities, and local nonprofits that are already near or at capacity." The senators also contend that the administration had not communicated with local government and community leaders in Arizona about changes to the policy. Last month when talking to reporters, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., also voiced opposition to lifting Title 42. "If anything we should be looking at permanency on Title 42," he said. "Maybe that would spur us to get a good immigration policy that works for Americans and secure our borders the borders have to be secure," he said. The progressive legal organization American Civil Liberties Union claimed in a March 29 statement that it believes Title 42 has been "misused as a border enforcement tool." "Our government has the tools it needs to safely screen people at the border, as our laws require, to determine whether they qualify for asylum or other humanitarian protections," the group wrote. "The CDC should resist any political interference from the White House and end Title 42 in its entirety." The CDC had voted to extend the Title 42 order in late January due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant. This past March, the CDC delayed implementing an order to rescind Title 42 until May 23 to allow Homeland Security to prepare for a dramatic increase in border crossings within the next few months. According to federal statistics submitted to a federal court earlier this month, DHS reported 221,303 total encounters at the Southwest Border during March. As CBS News reported last month, the government carried out 1.7 million deportations under Title 42. Black leaders criticize Papa Johns, Coca-Cola for supporting Black Lives Matter African American leaders with a conservative-leaning community activist organization are calling for American corporations to repent of their public support for Black Lives Matter and other organizations that are intentionally hurting communities by supporting movements to defund police departments. Pastor Marc Little, executive director for the conservative lobbying organization CURE America Action and board member of Concerned Communities for America (CCA), helped deliver a pledge last week to the headquarters of Papa Johns and Coca-Cola in Atlanta urging executives to signal support of police officers. CCA, which spearheaded the pledge initiative, aims to "equip and empower minority communities to pursue political liberation by shifting the narrative on political and social agendas via the promotion of economic empowerment, education, and social equity." Meanwhile, CURE America "advocates for conservative principles based on Christianity, Capitalism, and the Constitution," according to its website. The pledge argues that Papa John's vocal and financial support of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and its affiliates was short-sighted and did not fully contemplate the ramifications of their words and actions." Little told The Christian Post the agenda being pushed by corporations such as Papa Johns, Coca-Cola, Peloton and others is false and misleading. The narrative that corporate media would have us believe is that the black community stands against law enforcement. Thats not true, said Little. The black community realizes the reason why law enforcement is more focused in the inner cities where black and brown people live is because thats where more of the crime is concentrated. Thats just a fact." And to suggest that we want police taken out of our communities where most of the crime is committed just doesnt make any sense, he added. Little, an ordained pastor and graduate of Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, pointed to a 2020 Gallup poll that found roughly 81% of blacks want police to spend the same amount or more time in their area. Additionally, 20% of African Americans surveyed said they want more police in their areas. The pastor said thats a narrative quite different from the one pushed by mainstream media networks, particularly during the George Floyd protests and riots in the summer of 2020. The real community, the community you dont hear in Twitter, in Facebook, these platforms are controlling the narrative in our culture, theyre controlled by a whole bunch of bots and its a narrative that drowns out truth, he argues. Little called BLM leadership self-proclaimed Marxists and added that Marx himself eventually became a Satanist. He said corporate-led support for a group that has publicly espoused anti-Christian views needs to stop. Corporate America first has to stop funding things that hurt our communities. ... Thats what the pledge says, Little said. That we now realize the error of our ways, and were going to stop funding organizations that are intentionally hurting our communities by increasing the lack of safety by defunding police departments. He suggested companies instead pivot to efforts such as funding public-private partnerships, for instance, that help communities that cant afford police body cameras for officers and where funding either isnt available or city leaders don't have the willpower to stand against the forces of BLM. Little voiced empathy for employees of corporations like Papa Johns and others promoting what he described as an agenda that in many respects [that] can be determined to be Satanic. Its very real, people are dealing with it in real time, knowing the vaccine is not a vaccine, knowing the corporations they work for like Coke, Peloton, Papa Johns, who are behind an organization thats hurting our communities. He advises Christians working in such environments to connect more deeply with their convictions. What is your assignment? Are you really sold out for your assignment? he asked. Why does the Church exist? To glorify God (Matt. 5:13-16), and to make disciples of nations. So, wherever you are in the marketplace, do you understand your assignment? Little acknowledged the realities often faced by those employed in the medical profession and other sectors that often require some pretty difficult decisions. If I were working at a hospital and I was required to assist in performing an abortion, that would be my red line. I wouldnt do that, he said. But there are other sorts of environments by which, as believers, we are called to change the atmosphere, where were called to be salt and light. And how we do that really becomes the question. And so in the workplace and the marketplace, thats how we convert one coworker at a time. And then ultimately, the environment now is opposed to what leadership is doing and then what happens? Leadership doesnt have any support. Ultimately, Little believes corporate America is pushing an agenda that has little to do with capitalism or the free market and everything to do with ideological narrative-setting. Whether we wanna recognize it or not, when we look at [Critical Race Theory], when we look at the defund the police movement, these things are birthed out of radical leftist ideology that is being pushed by people who are no longer ashamed to say that they are Marxists," he argues. "We just gloss over that. Once upon a time, when you would say that, you would get a McCarthy-style hearing, once upon a time. We were running these people out of government. Now theyre allowed and theyre not ashamed. And we dont go after them anymore, why, I don't know. Probably because the people who believe as they do these are the people who have taken hold of our government and theyre not ashamed of it. Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurates a model house under Navaratnalu, Peadalandariki Iillu scheme during his visit to Pydiwada Agraharam village under Sabbavaram Mandal in Anakapalli District on Thursday. (Photos by Arrangement) Sabbavaram (Visakhapatnam): Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that with God's grace and peoples blessings, the YSRC government had resumed the housing for the poor scheme after 16 months, despite Opposition parties filing petitions in court against it. The YSRC government will give house sites to all eligible people irrespective of their political affiliations, caste and creed, the CM said, after launching the second phase of 'Pedalandariki Illu' (Home for the Poor) in Pydiwada Agraharam on Thursday and distributing pattas to beneficiaries. He also opened a model house and a statue for the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy at the planned YSR Park site at the mega layout. The CM said that the housing programme would boost economic activity, thus leading to a rise in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The housing project will generate employment in the form of 25.92 crore mandays, he added. Addressing an audience of thousands, Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government would develop the layouts with amenities such as electricity, water, parks, schools, grama sachivalayam, roads and street lights. Each house will be provided two fans and LED bulbs. While talking about the housing schemes progress, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he had promised during his padayatra before the 2019 election to give 25 lakh house sites to the poor, but had increased it to 30.76 lakh house sites after he became the CM. Nearly 16 lakh houses in phase-1 were under construction, while 3,03,581 house sites would be distributed in phase-2, he said. In Greater Vizag, house sites were given to 1,24,581 beneficiaries under phase-2, he added. While comparing the scheme's progress with what was done by the previous government, Jagan Mohan Reddy said, "Chandrababu Naidu could not construct even five lakh houses for the poor, but built a palatial house for himself in Hyderabad as CM. Freedom from addiction Many of us struggle with problems that have such a grip on us that we feel like well never shake them off. So how do we find freedom? Bill Wilson was a polite young man on the verge of getting shipped off to France for World War I. He was invited to a party before being deployed where someone handed him his first cocktail. He took one sip, and the rest was history. By the time the 1930s rolled around, Wilson was falling apart professionally and personally. Hed failed to graduate from law school because hed been too drunk to pick up his diploma. Hed nearly lost his job thanks to an intoxicated brawl. His fortune had evaporated in the stock market collapse, and his marriage was on the rocks. Hed detoxed multiple times; hed tried pills and abstinence groups. Nothing seemed to be able to shake him free from his addiction. One cold November morning, Wilson called an old drinking buddy over, but his friend told him that hed been sober two months. I got religion, his friend told Wilson. Realize you are licked, admit it, and get willing to turn your life over to God. Not a religious man, Wilson scoffed at this recommendation. A month later, he was admitted to a hospital and detox center that specialized in the vogue treatment for alcoholism: infusions of toxic and hallucinogenic belladonna. Desperately ill and despairing after days of this treatment, Wilson finally screamed into the silence of his room, If there is a God, let him show himself! Im ready to do anything! He later would write that no sooner had he said this than a white light filled the room, the pain immediately subsided, and he felt as if the wind was blowing over him. It burst upon me that I was a free man. Bill Wilson never touched alcohol again. He would freely admit that the temptation always lingered in the back of his mind, but it no longer controlled him. He went on to co-found Alcoholics Anonymous with Dr. Robert Smith and created the famous 12 steps that have helped many people with addictions find freedom over the decades. David Wilkerson, as someone who had walked alongside many people struggling with lifelong addictions, noted, You are never ever going to get victory over any sin until you give up control, until you lay it down and say, I am not in control. I am too weak. I am helpless. I can't do it. People said, Well, Ill bite the bullet. I'm going to get back in control, and that's what many of us do when we come up against a sin. We say, Well, bless me, God, I'm going to get victory over this somehow. One more time, Lord, try me one more time! I'll get it right next time. We are seeking to get back in control... If you think that you can fight your sin you think you're strong enough or Gods just waiting for you to be good enough; you are in control; God can't do anything all the theology of preaching is in vain until you say, Lord, I am not in control. I have failed and failed. As long as I think I'm in control, I'll keep on failing. That's why Jesus sent the controller to live in you. He went on to explain that the Holy Spirit puts a check on our sinful nature and makes it even possible for us to choose something other than our sins and addictions. This is why Paul wrote to the early church, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20, ESV). In many ways, AAs 12 steps have found their success because they encourage members to acknowledge that they are powerless over their sins, that God has the power to free us, that submission to God is necessary, to examine themselves frankly and identify the patterns of behavior that built into life-altering addiction and that they must honestly confess their failures to other people who will compassionately keep them accountable. These steps are not so different from the ones that we should follow if we wish to find freedom from life-controlling sins. Only God can set us free. Only the Holy Spirit can give us the strength to not fall back into those sins or not become entangled again in them if we do backslide. Its frustrating to admit that we dont have the control over ourselves that we might wish in order to avoid being embarrassed or to maintain a good image in church or among our friends. In Christs upside down kingdom, however, freedom is found in seeing our chains for what they are and submitting ourselves to God. Scripture gives us a powerful promise in our struggles with sin. The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:9). David Wilkerson noted, The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. He knows how. I said, God, I don't know how. You know how. I'm not in control; you're in control. My part is to believe you with all my heart. If I surrender to you and give you everything that I am, all that I have, you're going to give me the direction. Youll hear a voice behind you say, This is the way. Walk in it His whole desire for you is that you walk in liberty. He wants us to be free to serve him to worship. He doesnt want you to come in his house feeling guilty. He doesnt want you to come under condemnation. He doesnt want you to come into his presence fearful. If we have faith that God has dominion over sins that we may be experiencing not only that, but he knows exactly how to lead us out of our addictions this should give us fortitude in our struggle. The Bible states, From the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:9,12-14, ESV). David explained, Every time I try to do it myself, I'm going to back off and by faith it's an act of faith say, Jesus. I trust you have the power. You have the willingness; you have the might. You already defeated this devil. Now defeat him practically in my life right now. When we submit fully to God, then we will walk in freedom, no longer bound by the sins of the past. Stop sexually grooming children and quit gaslighting parents Evidence continues to pour in that insidious, widespread sexualization of children is taking place. As a journalist who has tracked some of this over the years, I have heard from parents whose political and religious views span the spectrum. Many contact me and are enraged, fuming over what they see happening to their kids. Such parents feel like they are going crazy. I usually assure them that, no, they are not being paranoid. What they are watching unfold with their very own eyes is real. I have compiled a sample of what has become a disturbing cultural trend. At some point it must be asked: How much do parents have to witness before they can know that these are not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern? Dare we call this grooming problem systemic despite how legacy media talking heads and others are posturing over the technical definition of grooming? Here are 12 examples Ive observed: To anyone breezily dismissing the mounting concerns of parents, or to those who might think that this is limited to the fringe of our politics, how many more anecdotes do you need before you see a pattern? When might you realize that these are not random one-offs? And before anyone asks, no, you will not hear me excusing grooming in conservative spaces or in religious settings. In my estimation, thats even worse because God's name and twisted theological claptrap are often used to cover it up. Yet when parents demand that their elected officials do something about this in the schools or in the wider culture, it is frustrating when they are told that they are not being "inclusive" enough or that it doesn't technically fit the precise definition of "grooming." Parse words all you want, if none of what I've listed here constitutes "grooming," nothing does. Please, let kids be kids. Stop sexualizing them. And for the love of God and all that is decent, quit gaslighting their parents. Mission Eurasia ministry center blown up in Ukraine, hundreds of Bibles destroyed: 'God will provide' The head of a nonprofit organization working to minister to Ukrainian refugees has expressed devastation after one of the ministrys buildings was destroyed in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with hundreds of Bibles demolished in the process. Mission Eurasia, a church-planting organization that trains, equips, and mobilizes national Christian leaders throughout the former Soviet Union and Israel, is one of several charities working to provide relief to Ukrainians displaced after Russia began its invasion of the Eastern European country two months ago. Mission Eurasia operates 17 Schools Without Walls in Ukraine, which are designed for training the next generation to get to the front line of the crisis ... as volunteers ... in their communities. In an interview with The Christian Post, Mission Eurasia President Sergey Rakhuba said that his organizations Field Ministries Training Center in Irpin, Ukraine, was destroyed by Russian troops late last month. Russians took it over, they used that for whatever purposes, he said. Weve heard reported they used it for their headquarters for their special forces. Additionally, he asserted that Russian troops used burned Scripture piles as shields during their shooting battles. Were very saddened by the loss, he added. Buildings can be replaced but we are reprinting hundreds and hundreds of copies of new Scriptures available into the hands of these young evangelists we train, these young volunteers we equip that continue reaching out to people who are in need. While no one who worked with Mission Eurasia was hurt in the blast because staff evacuated at the beginning of the invasion, Rakhuba lamented that some of the neighbors lost their lives due to the explosion. Dead bodies are right by the premises, he said. Rakhuba said the Field Ministries Training Center was a nerve center for new innovations, mission, strategic planning, [and] training where thousands and thousands of young leaders went through training. Rakhuba said there were lots of tears shed after we got the news" of the building's destruction but remains confident that God will continue providing. He vowed to continue bringing the Gospel to tens of thousands of devastated refugee families. Part of Mission Eurasias response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been to provide spiritual comfort. The group launched the Ukraine Crisis Prayer Initiative, which consists of a network of people who pray about the situation in Ukraine daily. Once a week, we have a Zoom meeting, Rakhuba stated. On a weekly basis, we present a number of prayer requests related to this ongoing war and related to our ministry, he continued. Through this prayer initiative, were encouraging people to get connected, to continue praying, praying for all the needs related to hardships due to this continued invasion, continued war. Mission Eurasia is also working to provide humanitarian relief to those displaced by the war. The charity organization has established refugee assistance centers in Warsaw, Krakow and Moldova in addition to four large food distribution hubs in four major locations in western Ukraine. Rakhuba recently spent nearly two weeks in Ukraine and Poland, returning to the United States ahead of Easter weekend. As a native of Ukraine who now lives in the U.S., Rakhuba has family members who've evacuated the country. He mentioned that his nieces, who are in their mid-to-late 30s, are abroad now after he helped to evacuate them and their families. However, the men in his extended family are still staying in Ukraine because they are heavily involved in this humanitarian relief. Rakhuba said food is the greatest need facing Ukrainian refugees at this time because food supply is totally blocked or paralyzed by the war activity. Rakhuba has a team delivering a large semi-truck with 20 tons of food to one of the northern Ukrainian cities close to the Russian border. We obtained food in large quantities from neighboring countries like Poland, Hungary, Romania and bring them to these large food packaging centers where volunteers mobilized by Mission Eurasia put them in family-sized food packages, he announced. It costs Mission Eurasia $50 to purchase food, to sort it, to put it packaged in this food package and also include a copy of the Scripture. Rakhuba estimated one family food package sustains a family of four or five at least for one week, or even longer. He rejoiced that his organization was able to place 20,000 food packages into the hands of needy families. He expressed a desire to compile an additional 50,000 packages in the next three months. Rakhuba attributed the efforts to provide food to Ukrainian refugees to support from organizations here in the [U.S.], Canada [and] other countries that share resources. Rakhuba praised churches for working to accommodate evacuees in need of shelter. He said church sanctuaries on the weekdays turn into shelters but on Sunday, continue to serve as places of worship. Rakhuba said medical assistance is another need facing Ukrainian refugees. He mentioned that Mission Eurasia has raised $4.8 million as part of its relief efforts. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Bell Semiconductor has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against computer chipmaker Micron Technology. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court contends that Boise, Idaho-based Micron is using without authorization a process for making semiconductor devices developed and patented by Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Bell Semiconductor. Bell Semiconductor is a technology and intellectual property licensing company. The patent cited in the lawsuit involves a layering process for fabricating semiconductor devices that has allowed the devices to become smaller, dramatically increasing their performance. Bell Semiconductor, called Bell Semic in the lawsuit, is seeking a jury trial, unspecified financial damages and a court order from the court barring Micron from using the process. Bell Semic is entitled to recover from Micron all damages that Bell Semic has sustained as a result of Microns infringement of the 259 patent, including without limitation and/or not less than a reasonable royalty, the lawsuit said. Micron spokeswoman Lara Krebs in an email Thursday said the company does not comment on ongoing litigation. Micron is one of Idaho's largest employers and the nations second-largest semiconductor maker, with product development sites in five other states and eight countries. The company in December announced plans to build a 500-worker memory design center in Georgia. Celebrity chef David Changs fried chicken pop-up, Fuku, returns to Houston starting April 29 after a tumultuous debut in the city last year. This time, it's sticking around for good with no planned end date. The acclaimed fried chicken sandwich began as a secret item at Changs lauded New York City restaurant Momofuku Noodle Barnot appearing on the menu, diners had to know to ask, a stunt that creates hype around trendy foods. Now called Fuku, the concept offers a range of dishes from spicy fried chicken sandwiches to waffle fries. It has two storefronts in New York and outposts in stadiums and arenas across the country. In April 2021, Houstonians were excited to get a taste of the famous sando when it announced its arrival in the Bayou City. But the pop-up was widely regarded as a disaster, with customers reporting three-hour wait times, cold food and missing items. The most curious allegations included a side portion with a mere four fries, and an order arriving a full day late. At the time, Fuku CEO Alex Munoz-Suarez apologized for the issues and told Eater Houston that order volumes at REEF vessels were significantly greater than anticipated, referring to the delivery platform they worked with. Fuku So, whats changed this year that will make Fuku run smoother in Houston? Munoz-Suarez confirmed Fuku received an overwhelming response last spring, and when asked how the company would operate differently in this latest iteration, he simply pointed to a change in partners. Fuku is committed to working with operating partners like Kitchen United that have proven track records of keeping up with delivery demand, minimizing wait times, and maintaining the highest brand standards, Munoz-Suarez said in a statement to Chron. We continue to work together with Kitchen United to ensure we're always delivering the best possible guest experience. Kitchen United MIX describes itself as a to-go food hall hosting restaurants in California, Texas, New York, Chicago and Arizona. Fuku and Kitchen United debuted their first location in Santa Monica, Calif., in December 2021. It does not appear to be garnering any widespread criticism similar to what the brand faced last year. Beginning April 29, Houstonians will be able to order from Fukus Kitchen United MIX location inside the Kroger at 1035 North Shepherd, for both pick-up and delivery; orders can be placed in person or through KitchenUnited.com. The food will also be available on UberEats, DoorDash, Grubhub and Postmates. Fuku and Kitchen United are planning to open 20 more outposts across the country. Munoz-Suarez promised Fuku would be back better, crispier, and spicier than ever. Lets see how that holds up. For small-business owners, preparing an income tax return is far from simple, which can increase the chances of making a mistake. Here are six steps that small-business pros say you can take to cope with that hair-on-fire feeling of discovering an error after youve filed plus how to get things fixed quickly so you can go back to running your business. 1. DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR WORK If you suddenly think somethings wrong with the tax return you already filed, make sure there is in fact a mistake before taking further action. Go back to the original preparer and verify what youre seeing first, says David Klasing, a certified public accountant and attorney in Irvine, California. Dont just assume the return is off, because your analysis could be wrong. Also, make sure you gave the preparer accurate information, says DeLisa Clift, who is a mentor with the Savannah, Georgia, chapter of SCORE, a national nonprofit that offers free resources to business owners. 2. STAY CALM If all youve done is make a simple math error, the IRSs automated systems may catch it, fix it and send you a letter saying so, Clift says. If the math error means you underpaid or overpaid, the IRS will let you know that, too, she adds. If you cant afford an extra tax bill right now, you may have time because the IRS offers payment plans that let people pay in installments. 3. FIGURE OUT WHOS GOING TO FIX THE MISTAKE If theres indeed an error on your tax return and its more than just you forgot to carry the one figure out who will do the fixing. Your contract with your tax preparer may detail whether you or the preparer has to handle the work, Clift says. You really shouldnt incur a cost if someone else has prepared your tax return for you, she says. 4. AMEND YOUR TAX RETURN Amending your tax return means filling out either an IRS Form 1040-X or an 1120-X, depending on your business structure. Dont try to DIY it, Klasing says. The preparation of a proper amended return involves so many steps that are counterintuitive, he says. Some of those steps include showing where and how your tax return changed, providing documentation explaining why youre amending your return , then remembering to actually amend your state tax return by filling out the new separate paperwork, if necessary. 5. GET READY TO PAY If the mistake resulted in you underpaying the IRS, the IRS may hit you with interest and penalties in addition to the taxes you mistakenly didnt pay. However, the IRS may give you a break on the penalties. Reasonable reliance on a professional is grounds for penalty abatement, Klasing says. But good luck getting your preparer to admit to an error. If you can get the preparer to throw himself under the bus and say, You know what? This is my error, not the clients error, youve got two things: Number one, you got grounds for penalty abatement; number two, youve got grounds for a malpractice claim. Thats why its so rare for them to do it, he says. 6. RESTRATEGIZE YOUR FILING HABITS Once youve fixed the error on your tax return, work on avoiding a repeat for next year. First, consider setting aside more time to review your return before filing it. In the eyes of the IRS, youre personally responsible for everything on your tax return even if someone else prepared it, Klasing says. Preparers make errors all the time, but you were under a duty to find those errors before you filed, he says. Second, you may want to review your relationship with your tax preparer. Some tax preparers may apply deductions or tax credits that you might find dubious, according to Klasing. They feel if they get the lowest tax liability in town, theyre going to have a line around the block, he says. It happens all the time. _______________________________________ This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Tina Orem is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: torem@nerdwallet.com. RELATED LINKS: NerdWallet: IRS Payment Plan or Installment Agreement: Tax Payment Options & How They Work NerdWallet: Form 1040-X, Amended Tax Return: What It Is and How to File One NerdWallet: Hit With a Tax Penalty? The IRS Might Give You a Do-Over NerdWallet: A Tax Guide for Small-Business Owners SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A South Korean army captain and a businessman have been arrested and indicted for allegedly stealing military secrets under the direction of a North Korean spy who lured them with cryptocurrency, Seoul officials said Thursday. Both have been formally charged with violating South Koreas anti-Pyongyang national security law, though authorities havent established the whereabouts of the North Korean spy, police and prosecutors said. The army captain allegedly passed login information of a military-run computerized command and control system to the North Korean spy, the prosecutors office said in a statement. Police said the captain received a cryptocurrency worth 48 million won ($37,710) from the spy. The 38-year-old businessman, who runs a virtual asset management firm, allegedly gave the captain a wrist watch with a hidden camera to support his intelligence stealing, though he ended up using his smartphone, police said. The businessman also faces a charge that he tried to use a USB-style hacking device to obtain bigger military secrets in a possible collaboration with the army captain after getting $600,000 in the form of cryptocurrency from the spy, according to a statement provided by the Korean National Police Agency. It accused the businessman of offering financial rewards to another military officer in exchange for confidential information but that officer rejected his proposal. Police said the businessman first came to know the North Korea spy in an online cryptocurrency community six years ago and talked with him on the phone. Police said the spy separately approached the army captain. They said both South Koreans knew they were communicating with a spy from North Korea. Its the first time for South Korea to detect a North Korean espionage attempt to get a South Korean military officer and a civilian to work together to obtain sensitive information, according to the police statement. South Korea's military on Thursday confirmed the arrest of the captain, saying it will sternly deal with any attempt to undermine national security. The two Koreas remain divided along the worlds most heavily fortified border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. At the height of Cold War rivalry, both Koreas routinely sent agents and spies to each others territory through the border, but no such incident have been reported in recent years. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Governors from eight Midwest states asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Thursday for a permanent waiver that will allow each state to continue selling ethanol-blended gas year-round without restriction. The EPAs decision last week to suspend restrictions of summer sales of the lower-carbon, lower-cost E15 gasoline is temporary and only applies to the 2022 summer driving season. E15 is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures. The bipartisan group of governors from Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin sent a joint letter to EPA Administrator Michael Reagan formally requesting the waiver. This letter sends the clear message that renewable fuels are the immediate solution to high gas prices, lower emissions, and restoring our energy independence, and we are proud to stand up and take this historic action, said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Renewable Fuels Association, which promotes use of ethanol, embraced the states' action. These governors should be applauded for pursuing a simple regulatory solution that will allow consumers in their states to benefit from E15s lower cost and lower emissions 365 days a year," said Geoff Cooper, the association's president and CEO. Once this notification is approved by EPA, it will mean lower pump prices for drivers in these eight states, lower tailpipe pollution, a more secure energy supply, and a more vibrant rural economy. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden traveled to corn-rich Iowa to announce that his administration will temporarily allow E15 gas, which is blended with 15% ethanol, to be sold this summer to help ease gas prices. Biden administration officials said the action will save drivers an average of 10 cents per gallon based on current prices, but at just 2,300 gas stations out of the nations more than 100,000. The affected stations are mostly in the Midwest and the South, including Texas, according to industry groups. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Sherry Fonseka joined millions in 2019 in electing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a military strategist whose brutal campaign helped end Sri Lankas 30-year civil war 10 years earlier. Now he is one of thousands who, for weeks, have protested outside the presidents office, calling on Rajapaksa and his brother, Mahinda, who is prime minister, to resign for leading the country into its worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain in 1948. With the island teetering near bankruptcy, Fonseka, who owns a small garment business in the capital, Colombo, has resorted to spending his own savings to pay the salaries of his 30 employees. But he knows he will soon have to let them go and is clear about who is to blame. All of us thought we made the correct decision (to elect Rajapaksa), but weve realized we were wrong. We should have the backbone to tell people, and the world, that we made a mistake, he said. In recent weeks, protests have erupted across the country demanding that Rajapaksa quit. The protests highlight the dramatic fall of the Rajapaksas from Sri Lanka's most powerful political dynasty in decades to a family grasping to retain power. Despite accusations of atrocities during the civil war, Gotabaya and Mahinda, who was previously president, remained heroes to many of the island's Buddhist-Sinhalese majority and were firmly entrenched at the top of Sri Lankan politics before the revolt by previous supporters like Fonseka. The pendulum has swung from its all about the Rajapaksas, they are the people who saved this country, to it is because of the Rajapaksas that the country is now ruined, said Harsha de Silva, an economist and opposition lawmaker. The unravelling of Sri Lankas economy has been swift and painful. Imports of everything from milk to fuel have plunged, spawning dire food shortages and rolling power cuts. People have been forced to queue for hours every day to buy essentials. Doctors have warned of a crippling shortage of life-saving drugs in hospitals, and the government has suspended payments on $7 billion in foreign debts due this year alone. The Rajapaksas, like an octopus, have held on to every aspect of public life in Sri Lanka, de Silva said. They have been running it as if it was their kingdom. They wished and they did - thats how it was and people were with them. President Rajapaksa has defended his government, partly blaming the pandemic and Russias war in Ukraine. This crisis was not created by me, he said in a speech last month, adding that his government was working hard on solutions. They include approaching the International Monetary Fund and World Bank for assistance, after repeated calls to do so. But as protesters seethed, the president and prime minister have changed tact in recent weeks. They have admitted to mistakes they made that exacerbated the crisis, such as implementing a short-lived ban last year on importing chemical fertilizers that badly hurt farmers and conceding that they should have sought a bailout sooner. Influential Buddhist monks have urged Rajapaksa to form an interim government under a new prime minister, signaling a further decline in the familys image as protectors of the countrys 70% Buddhist-Sinhalese majority. Some observers say its too soon to measure how much support for the Rajapaksas has fallen among their hardcore base, but for many their response has been too little and too late. There is now recognition across the government of several missteps, but its one thats come at a huge cost to the people, said Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at the Colombo-based Center for Policy Alternatives. The Rajapaksas were a powerful land-owning family which for decades dominated local elections in their rural southern district, before rising to the helm of national politics in 2005 when Mahinda was elected president. He remained in power until 2015, overseeing the end of the civil war against ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009, before losing to the opposition led by his former aide. Suicide bombings that killed 290 people on Easter Sunday in 2019 paved the way for the Rajapaksas return, this time as Gotabaya launched a high-pitched nationalist campaign that tapped outrage and disillusionment with the previous government over the attacks. He vowed a return to the muscular nationalism that had made his family popular with the Buddhist majority, and also to bring the country out of an economic slump with a message of stability and development. Tourism had dropped sharply after the bomb attacks and Sri Lanka needed badly to boost revenue to service a slew of foreign loans for splashy infrastructure projects. Some involved Chinese money and were commissioned under his brothers presidency, but had failed to create profits, instead collecting debt. Just days into his presidency, Rajapaksa pushed through the largest tax cuts in Sri Lankas history to spur spending even as critics warned that it would shrink the governments finances. According to Nishan de Mel, executive director of Verite Research, Sri Lankas tax base fell by 30%. When you do something like that, you have some kind of internal analysis or document that shows why these cuts could help the economy. There was nothing of that sort, de Mel said. The move triggered immediate punishment from the global market as creditors downgraded Sri Lankas ratings, making it impossible for it to borrow more money as its foreign exchange reserves continued to dwindle. Then the coronavirus hit, further crushing tourism as debts snowballed. Analysts say the Rajapaksas response to the economic challenges underscored the limitations of their strongman politics and their familys near-monopoly on decision making, heavily relying on the military to enforce policy and passing laws to weaken independent institutions. Three other Rajapaksa family members were in the Cabinet until early April, when the Cabinet resigned en masse in response to the protests. Their entire political ideology and credibility is in serious crisis, said Jayadeva Uyangoda, a veteran political scientist. But many fear that things will only get worse before improving. A divided and weak opposition without a majority in Parliament has kept the Rajapaksas in power. An IMF bailout could see austere measures intensifying hardships for people before there is relief. Meanwhile, the focus remains on the protests, which are drawing people across ethnicities, religion and class. For the first time, middle-class Sri Lankans have taken to the streets in large numbers, Uyangoda said. They include Wijaya Nanda Chandradewa, who joined the crowd outside the presidents office on Saturday. A retired government employee, Chandradewa said he fell for Rajapaksas promise to rebuild a Sri Lanka scarred by the 2019 bombings. He said there will be one country and one law -- now there is neither the law nor the country, Chandradewa said, adding that the only option now is for Rajapaksa to quit. He showed us a fairyland and cheated us and misled us, he said. We have to fix our mistakes and build a system to bring in the right leader. ___ Pathi reported from New Delhi. South Jacksonville trustees are scheduled to meet in special session at 6:30 p.m. today in Village Hall, 301 Dewey Drive. Trustees will meet in a closed session, after which action could be taken on the appointment of Clay Johnson as temporary village clerk and compensation could be added for additional duties of the village president. Fred Savage Fired from The Wonder Years Over Multiple... Click here to read the full article. Fred Savage has been fired from his role as executive... 3 Americans die in mysterious circumstances at Bahamas resort A fourth guest at Sandals Resort on Great Exuma Island was airlifted to a hospital. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas is suing Family Dollar over the discovery of more than 1,000 rodents in a distribution facility in the state that prompted the discount retail chain to recall items purchased from hundreds of stores in the South. The lawsuit, filed Thursday by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in state court, accuses the chain and parent company Dollar Tree of deceiving consumers, negligence and engaging in a conspiracy that allowed the infestation at the West Memphis facility to occur. This misconduct by Family Dollar Stores and Dollar Tree allowed them to maximize profits, while causing Arkansas citizens to purchase hazardous, adulterated and contaminated products," the lawsuit said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in February that it had inspected the distribution facility following a consumer complaint. Inside the building, inspectors said they found live rodents, dead rodents in various states of decay, rodent feces, dead birds and bird droppings. A Dollar Tree spokesman did not immediately return messages seeking comment Thursday. After fumigating the facility, more than 1,100 dead rodents were recovered, officials said. Family Dollar issued a temporary recall and closed 404 stores in six states Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee so numerous products that had been at the facility could be removed from shelves. Family Dollar in February said it was not aware of any illnesses related to the recall. The products included human foods, animal foods, cosmetics, medical devices and over-the-counter medications. The infestation has also prompted private lawsuits in several other states that have been filed on behalf of customers. During the news conference, Rutledge showed reporters video that a former employee had posted on social media of rats inside the facility. In one video, the former worker is trying to feed a potato chip to a large rat sitting on a stack of boxes. According to the lawsuit, state and federal inspections show Family Dollar had known of the rodent infestation at its facility since at least January 2020. Arkansas' lawsuit seeks up to $10,000 for each product that was distributed over the past two years by the facility to Arkansas consumers that was affected by the infestation, under the state's deceptive trade practices act. Rutledge is also seeking punitive damages and restitution for Arkansas consumers affected by the contamination. In her lawsuit, Rutledge also asks a state judge to suspend or revoke Family Dollar's authorization to do business in the state. We don't want to wipe out a source of groceries and medicines, but if those groceries and medicines are not safe then we need someone else providing that service," Rutledge said. ___ This story has been updated to correct that Dollar Tree, not Dollar General, is the parent company of Family Dollar. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON (AP) The experiences of panicked concertgoers who couldnt breathe and had no clear path to escape a massive crowd surge at last years deadly Astroworld music festival in Houston are featured in a documentary released Friday. But lawyers for Live Nation, which is being sued for its role as the festivals promoter, say theyre concerned that publicity from the documentary, Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy, could taint the jury pool. A gag order has been issued in the case, but Live Nations lawyers say an attorney who filed lawsuits related to the tragedy also co-produced the documentary. A spokesperson for Scott, who is also being sued, was also critical. Director Charlie Minn said he believes he has made a balanced and fair film that tries to show the public what happened. My job is to make the most truthful, honest, sincere documentary from the victims point of view. ... We need to know about these stories to prevent it from happening again, Minn told The Associated Press. Around 500 lawsuits have been filed since the Nov. 5 concert headlined by Scott, a popular rapper. Ten people died and hundreds of others were injured during the massive crowd surge. The documentary, showing in 11 Texas cities including Austin, Dallas and Houston, includes interviews with several people who survived. It also features cellphone video from concertgoers in which people can be heard repeatedly screaming for help. Its hard to explain to friends and family what we saw and what we actually went through and I think (the documentary) will give a lot of people the opportunity, if you werent there, to understand, said Frank Alvarez, who attended the concert but does not appear in the film. The film highlights what concertgoers experienced and what led to the tragedy, said Minn, who has also made documentaries about the deadly 2018 shooting at a suburban Houston high school and violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. The film suggests Scott could have done more to prevent the conditions that led to the casualties, but Minn said it isnt a hit piece toward Travis Scott. He said it also questions whether others, including Live Nation and Houston police, could have done more to improve safety or respond more quickly. Minn said Scott, Live Nation and Houston police declined to be interviewed for the documentary. Houston police are investigating the disaster. In a report released in April, a task force created by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott uncovered problems with permits for such events and called for clearly outlined triggers for stopping such a show. Attorneys for Live Nation expressed their concerns in an April letter to state District Judge Kristen Hawkins, who is handling all pretrial matters in the lawsuits. The involvement of plaintiffs lawyers in the film, and the publicity the filmmakers and producers are trying to generate for it raise significant issues about efforts to taint the jury pool, Neal Manne and Kevin Yankowsky, two of Live Nations attorneys, wrote in the letter. But the attorneys have not asked Hawkins to take any specific action regarding the documentary. Manne and Yankowsky did not respond to emails seeking comment. Live Nation has said its heartbroken by what happened but has denied responsibility. In a statement, a spokesperson for Scott faulted the documentarys conclusions that falsely blame Mr. Scott for the heartbreaking tragedy that occurred. The statement also criticized the involvement in the film of attorneys who have filed lawsuits over the disaster and said the films goal was swaying future juries and public opinion. The spokesperson did not know if Scott has seen the documentary. Mr. Scott remains focused on his philanthropic work in his hometown of Houston and in lower-income communities of color across the country, both of which are long-standing efforts, the spokesperson said in a statement. Cassandra Burke Robertson, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, said she would be shocked if the judge took any action regarding the documentary because of First Amendment concerns, even with the gag order. I think the public interest here in exploring what happened and avoiding similar tragedies in the future, thats a really big interest. That is likely to outweigh the interests of the particular outcome of the particular lawsuit, Robertson said. Brent Coon, an attorney representing about 1,500 concertgoers who was interviewed in the documentary, said he doesnt think the film would impact the ability to choose an impartial jury if the case goes to trial, which could be years away. I dont think any lawyer in this case could fan the flames much to change ... what the publics perception of all this is going to be, Coon said. Robertson, who is not involved in the litigation, said the fact that one of the films co-producers, Rick Ramos, is representing concertgoers who have filed lawsuits could raise some ethical concerns. Ramos declined to comment Thursday. Andrea Gomez, a spokeswoman for Ramos, said in an email Friday evening that any profit from the documentary will go to the Texas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a mental health organization that helped people impacted by the concert. I personally would not co-sponsor something like that during pending civil litigation. I dont think theres anything wrong with it. Its just something I wouldnt do, Coon said. Minn said the questions about Ramos participation are valid but he never hid his involvement. People have to watch the film and judge it for what that is, Minn said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A ransomware attack hit campus computers at Austin Peay University, but school officials said it was contained. The school announced the attack in a campus alert and on social media Wednesday afternoon, calling on students and staff to shut off computers immediately. About an hour later the university said it was contained, according to media reports. The university's technology staff is investigating the incident, and the attack won't alter any schedules, the university said. Wednesday was the last day of classes, and exams begin Friday. Ransomware attackers typically seize control of a network using encryption to block access and demand a ransom in exchange for encryption codes. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday that a newly created cannabis research center wont slow his review of whether he has the authority to singlehandedly legalize medical marijuana a decision that's likely to come this summer. The governor said he sees value in the cannabis center's formation, but added some lawmakers used it as a tactic to successfully block a bill that would have made medical marijuana legal. Beshear said he won't wait for the center to do cannabis studies before deciding whether to take action. I think we need to move toward legalization, even as the center gets up and going," Beshear said at his weekly news conference. "Theres a lot of research out there already. Its OK that we want to be a part of future research. But it shouldnt be used as an excuse to stall that momentum. The governor laid out a timetable for his review, which could lead to a decision on any executive action within months. Beshear instructed his legal team to analyze potential options for executive action that could create a framework to make medical cannabis available for people suffering from certain medical conditions. The governor's office has gotten 1,100 responses since setting up a website recently to receive public comments on the issue, and a medical cannabis advisory committee being formed will start gathering public input in May, Beshear said. That will culminate in a decision expected sometime this summer on whether he takes action on the long-running issue, he said. A measure creating the cannabis center at the University of Kentucky won final approval from lawmakers on the final day of this years legislative session earlier this month. In the final weeks of the session, key lawmakers resisting the legalization of medical cannabis pushed for the center as an alternative. They said it would allow more time to study the effectiveness of marijuana in treating certain ailments. A separate bill aimed at allowing Kentucky to join the majority of states that have legalized medical marijuana passed the Kentucky House but died in the Senate. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers. The legalization bill would have strictly regulated the use of cannabis for a list of eligible conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy and chronic nausea. After his review, Beshear cleared the way for the cannabis center to open. He issued line-item vetoes to broaden the centers work and allow more leeway in picking an oversight board. The vetoes will stand since the legislature wont reconvene until January for its next regular session. The Democratic governor has received pushback from some prominent Republicans for considering executive action on medical marijuana after the legislature failed to make it legal. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers said recently that 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 has said he would prefer lawmakers pass a measure legalizing medical marijuana but they failed to get the job done. People have waited a long time," the governor said Thursday. "And I hear some folks trying to say Well, you shouldnt take executive action.' And they were the same folks, in large part, that prevented this thing from getting a vote on the Senate floor. MIAMI (AP) The premier of the British Virgin Islands and the director of the Caribbean territorys ports were arrested Thursday on drug smuggling charges in South Florida, federal authorities said. Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie and Managing Director Oleanvine Maynard were taken into custody by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents at Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport and charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to launder money, according to a criminal complaint. Maynard's son, Kadeem Maynard, faces the same changes in the alleged scheme, according to the records. "Anyone involved with bringing dangerous drugs into the United States will be held accountable, no matter their position," DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement. "Today is yet another example of DEAs resolve to hold corrupt members of government responsible for using their positions of power to provide a safe haven for drug traffickers and money launderers in exchange for their own financial and political gain. Fahie and Oleanvine Maynard had been at the airport to meet Mexican drug traffickers, who in reality were undercover DEA agents, to see a shipment of $700,000 in cash that BVI officials expected to receive for helping smuggle cocaine from Colombia to Miami and New York, the complaint said. A DEA confidential source had previously met with Maynard and her son after being introduced by a group of self-proclaimed Lebanese Hezbollah operatives, according to the complaint. After Fahie became involved, it said, the BVI officials agreed to to let the smugglers bring the cocaine through the port at Tortola before continuing on to the U.S. Governor Of The British Virgin Islands John Rankin released a statement clarifying that Thursdays arrests in Florida were not connected to a Commission of Inquiry issued last year in the territory. That investigation was meant to focus on governance and corruption, not a criminal investigation into the illegal drug trade, Rankin said in a statement posted online. It isnt known whether the commission had found any suspected wrongdoing by Fahie or Maynard, but Rankin said he expects to have the results published urgently to avoid unnecessary speculation. The British Virgin Islands, with a population about 35,000 people, is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean Sea, located east of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The governor is appointed by the queen, the territorys ultimate executive authority, and acts on her behalf. The premier is the head of the government and is elected in a general election along with the other members of the ruling government. ORANGE PARK, Fla. (AP) Sheriff's deputies in north Florida fatally shot a suspect following a confrontation during a chase, officials said. The shooting happened Wednesday evening, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Twitter. They've released few details about the incident. The chase started with an emergency call in Orange Park, and deputies were later involved in a chase involving the suspect's vehicle, Sheriff Michelle Cook told news outlets. Officials have not said what the initial emergency call was about, or what led to the chase and confrontation. They also have not released a name or age of the person who was killed. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) For a record nine years, Tina Kotek sat at the front of Oregons House of Representatives, wielding the speakers gavel as the Democratic Party increased its power in the Legislature. Now the staunch liberal is seeking the states highest position the governors seat. While the May 17 primary will determine whether Kotek will be the Democrats' standard-bearer for governor, it's also another U.S. test of which wing of the Democratic party is ascendant progressives or moderates. During the last election cycle, progressives in some of the nations most liberal cities, including Seattle and New York, stumbled as frustrated voters opted for more moderate-minded candidates. In most election years, Koteks leadership experience, accomplishments, and political allies might guarantee her a win. But with many Oregonians upset by some of the nation's strictest and longest-lasting COVID-19 restrictions, the homeless crisis, lack of affordable housing, record homicide numbers in Portland, school closures, racial injustice protests that garnered national headlines, and months of delayed unemployment and rental assistance checks, the former lawmaker faces the challenge of convincing people that she can better the state while dodging blame for where it is today. Koteks critics say shes hyper partisan, with a progressive agenda that will mainly benefit Democrats and whose broken deals have left her with many foes. But supporters, including a third of Oregon's Legislature, argue her determination and record of getting things done at times, seemingly by all means necessary make her the candidate to improve the entire state. What I think voters really want is someone who can see a problem, bring people together and solve it, Kotek recently told The Associated Press. They want to see action. Koteks path to political prominence in Oregon was far less direct than taking Interstate 5 from Portland to the Statehouse in Salem. The daughter of a middle-class family whose parents are first-generation Americans after her grandparents immigrated from Eastern Europe, Kotek was raised in York, Pennsylvania, the seat of a conservative county two hours west of Philadelphia. Kotek moved to the Beaver State in 1987 and graduated the University of Oregon with a religious studies degree. In the quirky college town, Kotek was free to be herself, and she came out as a lesbian. If elected, Kotek, 55, would be the nation's first openly lesbian governor. As a University of Washington grad student, Kotek's application to live in married student housing with her then-partner was denied. At the time, same-sex marriage was illegal in the state. Kotek helped force the school to change its policy, and was introduced to activism. It was my first aha moment of like, You can change the world, Kotek said. Kotek worked in nonprofit organizations before her election to the House, representing north Portland, in 2006. In 2012, her colleagues elected her House Speaker. While Kotek's sexual orientation and political views produce backlash, one of the biggest obstacles she has faced is sexism, describing the Legislature as a bit of an old boy network. What Ive noticed for myself and my women colleagues is we all, I think, feel like we need to work harder and be at the top of our game all the time," she said. Because we are trying to prove something. If elected, she would be the third woman governor in Oregon history. While shes been endorsed by nationally-recognized women in politics including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, she doesnt have a coveted nod from the first woman to lead the state, Barbara Roberts, who was elected in the early 90s. Roberts endorsed Koteks biggest Democratic challenger, Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read. Oregon needs a governor with a statewide record of tackling tough issues, delivering results, and fighting for Oregonians living in every corner of this great state, Roberts said in a statement issued through Reads campaign. Before resigning from the Legislature this year to run for governor, Kotek steered and passed ambitious progressive agendas made possible by Democratic supermajorities, including the nations first statewide rent control, gun storage laws, criminal justice reform, paid family leave, and a requirement for metro counties to transition to clean diesel engines by 2025. Tina doesnt just talk about the issues impacting our communities, she gets to work, said Carmen Rubio, Portland City Commissioner. Cutting deals and whipping the vote have helped Kotek pass laws. In 2019, a bill reining in pension costs failed before Kotek intervened to get two more votes in favor, The Oregonian reported. But Koteks aggressiveness to provide results has also left a trail of distrust and political foes. In September, Kotek infuriated Republicans by rescinding a power-sharing deal. The agreement essentially gave House Republicans veto power over redrawn political maps if the minority party stopped blocking bills and halting sessions. In recent years the GOP has walked out or not shown up to work in protest. After a 2019 walkout to block a vote on a landmark economy-wide climate plan, Gov. Kate Brown deployed state police to try to round up Republican lawmakers who fled the Capitol. But Kotek voided the deal on the first day of the special session, saying Republicans werent engaging constructively. The Democrats' maps included a new sixth congressional district and were upheld in court. While Kotek said she made a tough decision in order to complete the maps in time, Republicans said they were cheated, resulting in another GOP walkout and causing further tension between the parties. She lied and broke her promise not just to us but to Oregonians, said former House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, another gubernatorial candidate. But perhaps one of Koteks biggest challenges is whether she can unite a growingly divided state. Several rural counties have discussed seceding from Oregon and joining Idaho, where their conservative values better align. Political experts describe the state as purple, with conservative rural swaths, and unaffiliated voters now outnumbering Democrats. Some say moderate, unaffiliated gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson will have more success. Kotek has also been thought to be too similar to Brown. Opponents have dubbed Kotek Kate Brown 2.0, perhaps hoping to taint her with the current governors historically low approval ratings. Both are liberal women who have represented Portland, identify as LGBTQ and held power as Oregon descended into disarray. But the Democrat has a simple message: Im Tina Kotek. Im not Kate Brown. ___ Cline 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 undercovered issues. TIRANA, Albania (AP) The European Union is working hard to convince Bulgaria and North Macedonia to end their dispute and open the way for EU membership talks for North Macedonia and Albania, a senior EU official said Thursday. Oliver Varhelyi, the EU s enlargement commissioner, was visiting Tirana, the Albanian capital, on Thursday after trips to neighboring North Macedonia and Bulgaria. He said Brussels' delay in launching EU membership negotiations with the governments in Tirana and Skopje was compromising its security and trust. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, has blocked those talks from starting, arguing that North Macedonia has failed to honor parts of a 2017 friendship deal between the two neighboring countries. Bulgaria wants North Macedonia to recognize an ethnic Bulgarian minority in its constitution but disputes that a Macedonian minority exists in Bulgaria. EU's security is getting compromised and that is why we should do that (talks launch) now and our trust is being questioned, said Varhelyi at a news conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Hastening the process of admitting new members has taken on more urgency for the 27-nation EU following Russias invasion of Ukraine. EU leaders gave Albania and North Macedonia the green light in 2020 to begin accession talks, although no date was set. Since the two countries bids are linked and launching accession talks requires unanimous approval from EU nations, the Bulgarian veto has prevented both from moving forward. Rama has said Albania may go it alone in its efforts to launch EU membership talks. But on Thursday Rama said his nation would wait until June before changing our course and not wait for Bulgaria infinitely. The EU membership is seen as an incentive driving democratic, political and economic reforms in the volatile Balkans. Six Western Balkan countries Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are at different stages in their quest to join the EU. ___ Follow Llazar Semini at https://twitter.com/lsemini MOSQUERA, Colombia (AP) An immense layer of toxic foam has spilled and blown from a contaminated river into the Colombian city of Mosquera, often breaking into cloudlike chunks that drift with the wind along streets and into yards. Environmental authorities blame discharges from an industrial zone as well as household detergents whip up the fetid foam in the city some 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside Bogota, the capital. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Three Florida correctional officers were arrested Thursday and charged with murder in the fatal beating of a handcuffed prisoner who had thrown urine at one of the officers, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced. The guards were removing the inmate from a cell in the mental health unit of a Miami-Dade County prison on Feb. 14 to transfer him to a north Florida prison. After the inmate threw urine on the officer, they handcuffed him and a beating followed, the department said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOISE, Idaho (AP) Jurors in the rape trial of a former Idaho lawmaker are weighing whether the case involves power in the wrong hands used to harm a 19-year-old female intern, or consensual sex after a friendly dinner date. The jury of six men and six women heard both takes during closing arguments Thursday after a dramatic three-day trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying I cant do this. Aaron von Ehlinger, 39, has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object both charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and maintains he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old legislative intern. Deliberations stretched for seven hours until nearly 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury decided to break for the evening and start again on Friday. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the woman in this case as Jane Doe at her request. Doe told her supervisors that von Ehlinger, who was then a Republican representative from Lewiston, raped her in March 2021 at his Boise apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant. Von Ehlinger resigned from the House of Representatives last year after a legislative ethics committee recommended that he be banned from the Statehouse because of his conduct with Doe. When the allegations became public largely because of the legislative ethics investigation Doe faced unrelenting harassment from some of von Ehlinger's supporters. Her name, photo and personal details about her life were repeatedly publicized in doxxing incidents. One of the people who frequently harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, but law enforcement banned the man from the floor where where case was being heard. Over the span of three days, jurors heard graphic and sometimes harrowing testimony, including from Doe, who briefly took the witness stand before abruptly standing and leaving the courtroom. Doe haltingly described the moments the alleged assault began. He laid me down ... he removed his clothes ... he climbed on top of me ... in just his boxers. White T-shirt, Doe said. He tried to put his fingers between my legs and I closed my knees. At that, she stood up. I cant do this, she said, quickly walking out of the courtroom. The judge instructed them not to consider her testimony after Doe fled before she could be questioned by the defense. During closing arguments, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley told jurors that the case was about power in the wrong hands" used to the great devastation of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and physical power over the petite intern, Farley said. He used that power to rape and forcibly penetrate her, Farley said, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she said, highlighting the testimony of law enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault. Words show lack of consent. Excuses of Why this shouldnt happen,' show lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an injury shows lack of consent, Farley said. But von Ehlinger's defense attorney Jon Cox told jurors the prosecution's case was made up of red herrings, and said von Ehlinger was a credible person who willingly took the stand to share his side of the story. Judge his credibility, that's all you can do, Cox said. For every assertion that the state has made, or any evidence ... Aaron has given you a, This is what happened. That, in and of itself, creates reasonable doubt." During his testimony, von Ehlinger often spoke in a clear, loud voice directly to jurors, telling them the sexual contact was the culmination of a first date with the intern. She was flirting with me, so I thought, 'Why not? Go out to dinner with a person? Why not?' he said. After eating at a fancy Boise restaurant, he and Doe decided to return to his apartment, where they began making out on the couch, he said. Things were going well, and I asked (Doe) if she would like to move to the bedroom, von Ehlinger said. She said Sure. We got up, held hands and walked into the bedroom. In the bedroom, things became hot and heavy, von Ehlinger said, and he stepped away to disrobe behind his closet door, carefully hanging up his suit jacket, tie and slacks, before returning to the bed. At his suggestion, Doe briefly performed oral sex, he said. He also denied carrying a gun that night, and said he seldom carries one. Very rarely, and certainly not with a suit on, von Ehlinger said. But while under questioning from Farley, he acknowledged that he described the events of that night differently in statements drafted by two different attorneys he previously hired to represent him. In those statements, he said he and Doe took each other's clothes off. He also said he generally carried concealed weapons when he did carry guns, most often a small handgun that he would place in the front pocket of his jeans or suit pants. Earlier this week, jurors heard from investigators and a nurse who performed a rape exam. They testified that Doe reported being pinned down while von Ehlinger forced her to perform oral sex, and that she knew he frequently carried a handgun and had placed it on a dresser near the bed at the time of the assault. A nurse also testified that Doe had a goose egg on the back of her head from striking the wall or a headboard while trying to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger's grip. BOONVILLE, Ind. (AP) A southern Indiana couple faces murder charges after they allegedly failed to regularly feed their infant son and the newborn starved to death. Caylin Monroe, 23, and Jakob Scott, 22, were denied bond Tuesday during their initial hearings on charges of murder and neglect of a dependent resulting in death. They are being held at the Warrick County Jail. Their two-month-old son, Silas Scott, died in February and a final autopsy report by the county coroner found the infant died due to neglect in the form of malnourishment and starvation. The autopsy showed the infant had nothing in his stomach at the time of his death. A probable cause affidavit states that Monroe said her son was born healthy, but she admitted to skipping his feedings, and said she would sometimes forget about him if he was quiet. Monroe told officers that the last time she remembered feeding the baby was after she got off work the afternoon before he died, WFIE-TV reported. Scott told detectives that the baby did not eat if he didnt cry, and he could not remember if his son had been fed on the day of his death. The affidavit shows child-welfare officials had previously investigated Monroe because of an incident with another child, after which she was required to keep a feeding log. A message seeking comment was left Thursday by The Associated Press for Monroe and Scott's public defenders. JERUSALEM (AP) Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's teenage son has received a death threat and bullet in the mail, Israeli officials said Thursday, he second such warning against the Israeli leader's family this week. The threats have come at a time of deep political divisions in Israel. In a major speech on Wednesday night marking Israel's Holocaust memorial day, Bennett had spoken out against the polarization in Israel, urging citizens not to let internal divisions rip society apart. Israeli police said that both incidents were being investigated, but gave few other details, including where the items were sent and who might have sent them. Bennett has been the target of fierce criticism from Israel's hard-line right wing since forming his governing coalition last year. In 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish ultranationalist opposed to his peacemaking efforts with the Palestinians. Bennett's government is made up of eight parties from across the political spectrum, including religious nationalists, centrists and an Islamic party. It is the first Arab party to be part of a governing coalition. These parties have little in common beyond their shared animosity to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They have agreed to put aside many of their differences while focusing on common ground, such as the economy, managing the coronavirus crisis and spending on education and social services. Netanyahu, now the opposition leader, has worked hard to undermine the coalition. Critics have accused Bennett, who leads a small, religious nationalist party, of abandoning his core hard-line beliefs. One member of his Yamina party was sanctioned this week as a defector for repeatedly supporting the opposition in hundreds of votes. Another member of his party recently resigned from the coalition, leaving the fragile alliance without a parliamentary majority. Bennett formed the coalition last June after four inconclusive elections that underscored the fissures in society over key issues as well as the polarizing effects of Netanyahu's 12-year rule. In Wednesday's speech, coming on one of the most solemn days of the year, Bennett implored the nation to put aside its differences. My brothers and sisters, we cannot, we simply cannot allow the same dangerous gene of factionalism dismantle Israel from within, Bennett said. That speech came a day after his family received a bullet in the mail for the first time. The episode prompted his 17-year-old son Yoni to express his sadness in an Instagram post. Its just sad to see that real people write such horrible things, he said. To think that he lives and breathes like me but has a brain that was created by the devil is crazy. Bennett is a former top aide to Netanyahu, and Yoni is named after Netanyahu's older brother, who was killed in a famous 1976 Israeli commando raid while rescuing a hijacked airplane in Uganda. An Israeli official familiar with the matter confirmed on Thursday that the second threatening letter and bullet had been sent to Yoni Bennett. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Police have imposed a gag order on their investigation, and officials declined to say whether there were any suspects. While many indications pointed to Jewish extremists, the threats also come at a time of heightened tensions with the Palestinians following a series of deadly Palestinian attacks in Israeli cities, Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank, and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site and cross-border fighting with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. LOS ANGELES (AP) One of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanuevas closest advisers says she was told to choose between retirement or demotion after raising questions about his handling of the investigation into a deputy kneeling on a handcuffed inmates head for several minutes. The March 10, 2021, incident was captured on video and Robin Limon, who was an assistant sheriff, said she watched it five days later with Villanueva and two other sheriffs officials, according to a legal claim -- a precursor to a lawsuit -- filed Thursday by Limons attorney. She expected Villanueva would act quickly but internal and criminal investigations of the deputy were delayed. Limon grew frustrated with Villanueva's handling of the case and overall oversight of the agency of the nation's largest sheriff's department, which has about 10,000 deputies. Things came to a head last month when Villanueva demanded she choose between two poisonous options:" retirement or a four-step demotion to the rank of lieutenant, the claim said. She instead took a leave. The reasons for the Sheriffs misconduct were twofold, to retaliate against the Complainant for being a whistleblower on several instances of illegal and other wrongful conduct and to further his cover up of an excessive use of force incident," the claim said, referring to the deputy kneeling on the inmate. Villanueva has denied any wrongdoing in his handling of the case. He maintains he did not see the video until eight months after the incident. A statement issued Thursday by the department said there would be no comment on Limon's claim. We look forward to presenting the facts in court," the statement said. Limon's claim is the second filed against the sheriff over the incident, which occurred in a county courthouse two days after jury selection began for the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murder for pressing his knee against George Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes. Both accuse him of orchestrating a cover-up to limit any political damage from the video Villanueva is running for a second term which came into the public domain last month when the Los Angeles Times reported on the incident and posted the video, which it obtained from an unidentified source. The Times was first to report on Limon's claim, which came two days after Villanueva held a news conference and said a criminal investigation was underway to determine how the video was leaked. He said the Times reporter who broke the news last month was part of the probe. That assertion brought quick condemnation from the paper, First Amendment advocates and local politicians. Within hours Villanueva walked back his remarks and said the agency was not pursuing charges against any reporters. The Associated Press and more than two dozen other media outlets and organizations sent Villanueva a letter Thursday saying his actions were "an affront to the First Amendment and a violation of your public trust with the people of Los Angeles. According to Limon, it was Villanueva's desire to avoid bad publicity" that led him to attempt to cover up the incident with the deputy. In the video, Deputy Douglas Johnson is shown directing inmate Enzo Escalante to move up against a wall in the courthouse. Escalante punches at Johnson and other deputies help wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him. Johnson then had his knee on Escalantes head for more than three minutes, the Times reported, even after the inmate had been handcuffed, placed face-down and did not appear to be resisting. Escalante who was awaiting trial on murder and other charges was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Johnson was removed from duty months later and is under criminal investigation, Villanueva said Tuesday. Prosecutors are reviewing Johnson's case but no charges have yet been brought. Escalante has pleaded not guilty to two counts of resisting an officer. He has filed a federal lawsuit against members of the sheriffs department, including Villanueva, that alleges his civil rights were violated. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscows forces retreated weeks ago. Ukrainian emergency services said 10 people were wounded when a Russian missile hit a 25-story apartment building in Kyiv on Thursday evening and set off a fire, which partially destroyed the first and second floors. The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Ukraine has become an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain. A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Ukraine says Russian offensive in east picks up momentum NATO chief says Finland, Sweden could join quite quickly Biden seeks new powers to use oligarchs assets for Ukraine A chilling Russian cyber aim in Ukraine: Digital dossiers After a rocket: One second and you are left with nothing Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had very substantive and warm talks on energy and defense cooperation with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov during his visit to Kyiv on Thursday. Zelenskyy said they agreed that damaged Ukrainian military equipment could be repaired at Bulgarian plants and then sent back to Ukraine. Another issue we agreed on was the supply of Ukrainian electricity to Bulgaria and the joint use of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline to diversify energy supplies in the region, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. Russia this week cut off natural gas supplies to Bulgaria and also to Poland, two NATO members which have been among the strongest European supporters of Ukraine in the war. Although Bulgaria gets over 90% of its gas from Russia, the cutoff does not immediately put the country in dire trouble because of other potential suppliers. The Trans-Balkan gas pipeline runs from Greece through Bulgaria and Romania to Ukraine. __ ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine An 11-year-old Ukrainian boy was one of at least three people wounded in what emergency officials are calling the first Russian strike in a residential area of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia since Russias invasion began. The city has been a crucial waypoint for tens of thousands of people fleeing the besieged southern port of Mariupol. The rocket strike came Thursday as parts of southern Ukraine prepared for a further onslaught by Russian forces who seek to strip the country of its coastline. Residents said at least eight homes in the modest neighborhood were damaged or destroyed. Glass shards cut the boys right leg to the bone. The injured boys father, Vadym Vodostoyev, said it just takes one second and youre left with nothing. __ KYIV, Ukraine Russia struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv shortly after a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday evening. At least one person was killed and several were injured, including some who were trapped beneath the rubble, according to rescue officials. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Shevchenkivskyi district in the northwestern part of the city was hit twice, causing fires in at least two high-rise buildings. The explosions, which sent plumes of black smoke into the air, came just shortly after the two leaders held a press conference in which Guterres condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia retreated. Authorities said the U.N. chief and his team were safe. Appearing to be one of boldest attacks on Kyiv since Russian forces retreated from around the capital weeks ago, the explosions came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing number of people have been out and enjoying the spring weather. __ KYIV, Ukraine Ukraines prosecutor on Thursday identified 10 Russian soldiers she accused of atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, one of the wars major flashpoints that helped galvanize Western support of Ukraine. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said on Facebook that the 10 soldiers in Russias 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Ground Forces Brigade who occupied Bucha were involved in the torture of peaceful people. She did not specifically say that her office had filed criminal charges, and appealed to the public to help develop evidence. The Russian government denies it targets civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently honored the brigades work, and Venediktova said he bears responsibility for the soldiers actions as their commander-in-chief. During the occupation of Bucha, they took unarmed civilians hostage, killed them with hunger and thirst, kept them on their knees with hands tied and eyes taped, mocked and beat them, Venediktova said, adding that the Russian soldiers threatened to shoot the hostages and looted houses. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, visiting Bucha on Thursday, called for a thorough investigation of alleged war crimes. Ukrainian authorities have said they are investigating thousands of possible war crimes, including killing of civilians, bombing of civilian infrastructure, torture, sexual crimes and use of prohibited weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address to his nation, renewed a pledge to hold Russian soldiers accountable for crimes. He added about the 10 suspects identified Thursday: Some of them may not, after all, live until a trial and fair punishment. But only for one reason: This Russian brigade has been transferred to the Kharkiv region. There, theyll receive retribution from our military. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is rejecting the idea that Russias war in Ukraine could grow into a larger proxy conflict between Moscow and the United States and NATO allies that may even bring the world closer to nuclear confrontation. At an event at the White House where Biden asked Congress for an additional $33 billion to aid Ukraine, the president said Thursday that the idea of a larger proxy war was concerning but not true. He blamed Russian authorities for exaggerating such speculation, saying it shows the desperation that Russia is feeling about their abject failure with the invasion of Ukraine. Instead of saying that the Ukrainians, equipped with some capability to resist Russian forces, are doing this, theyve got to tell their people that the United States and all of NATO is engaged, Biden said. He added that no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons and called doing so irresponsible. ___ LONDON The British government says a U.K. national has been killed in Ukraine, and another is missing. The Foreign Office confirmed Thursday that it is supporting the family of a British national killed in Ukraine. It also said it was urgently seeking further information on another Briton who is missing. The government did not provide further details. Sky News reported that the Britons were believed to have been fighting with Ukrainians against the Russian invasion. Volunteers from Britain and many other countries have traveled to Ukraine to fight, despite being discouraged from doing so by their governments. ___ ISTANBUL Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says both U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin have told him that their talks in Moscow earlier this week were positive. Erdogan told reporters before leaving for a trip to Saudi Arabia, that he held separate telephone calls with Guterres and Putin. Mr. Guterres ... informed me that the talks (with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov) were positive. In our discussion with Mr. Putin yesterday, Putin expressed the same views. Erdogan added that the Russian president had conveyed the opinion that a U.N. intervention is positive for the future. He did not elaborate. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian troops defending a steel plant that is the last Ukrainian bulwark in the key port of Mariupol say an intensive Russian bombing has inflicted more casualties. The Azov Regiment holed up at the giant Azovstal steel plant on Thursday posted a video showing people combing through the rubble to remove the dead bodies and help the wounded after the Russian bombing overnight. The Azov said the Russians hit an improvised underground hospital and its surgery room, killing an unspecified number of people and wounding others there. The video couldnt be independently verified. The Russian troops have pummeled the mammoth seaside plant with relentless airstrikes and artillery barrage, trying to uproot its defenders holed up in a 24-kilometer (15-mile) maze of underground tunnels, passages and bunkers. Ukrainian officials say that up to 1,000 civilians also were sheltering in Azovstal. They are demanding that Russia provides a safe exit for them under the United Nations aegis. ___ WARSAW, Poland Polands border guard agency says that it has recorded 3 million crossings into Poland from neighboring Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, while there have been 904,000 crossings into Ukraine. Border guard spokeswoman Anna Michalska said Thursday that the number includes people who cross a number of times because, for example, they regularly do shopping in Poland and then go back. Polish authorities say some 1.6 million refugees have applied for and received special ID numbers that will allow them to work and receive free health care and education in Poland. ___ VIENNA The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says radiation levels in excavations found in the exclusion zone around the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant were well below the maximum authorized levels for plant workers. Ukraines state power company said after Russian troops withdrew at the end of March that they received significant doses of radiation from digging trenches in the area. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said Thursday that, during a visit this week, experts from his agency took measurements from excavations probably made by occupying soldiers. He said that the levels were three times or more lower than the authorized levels for workers in areas exposed to radiation. As for whether anyone was actually exposed to those radiation levels, he said: We have asked about possible exposures or situations; we havent received any answer. Although that suggested the health risk wasnt as great as feared, Grossi stressed that its not a place to have a picnic or excavate. ___ BRUSSELS Senior European Union officials say countries or companies bowing fully to the terms of a Russian presidential decree insisting that they pay their gas bills in rubles will be in breach of the blocs sanctions. The Kremlin says importers should establish an account in dollars or euros at Russias Gazprombank, then a second account in rubles. They would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars and direct the bank to exchange the money for rubles. The officials warn that Russias central bank could hold on to the money before converting it and in essence use the funds as a temporary loan for the national economy or to prop up the ruble. The EUs sanctions prohibit any transaction with the Russian Central Bank. One official said Thursday that if the member states and the European companies apply strictly the decree it will constitute a breach of the sanctions. His job description does not allow him to be named publicly. The violation essentially comes with the use of the second bank account. The EUs executive branch, the European Commission, has said that companies could remain in compliance by paying in euros or dollars, as per their contract, and then notifying Gazprombank that their payment obligations are over. Ultimately, its up to the 27 EU countries to judge whether the rules are being broken. Some of those countries are heavily reliant on Russia for gas. By Lorne Cook. ___ TOKYO German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is defending his countrys ongoing purchase of gas and other fossil fuels from Russia. Speaking during a visit to Japan on Thursday, Scholz said that it is a challenge that many European countries, including Germany, are dependent on imports of fossil resources from Russia. Scholz said his government aims to end imports of Russian coal and oil this year. He said that the same will happen for gas, but that is a process that will require more time. Asked whether he was concerned Russia might stop shipping gas to Germany, like it did this week for Poland and Bulgaria, Scholz acknowledged that any interruption would have consequences for the economic situation. He said this was also the reason why there no sanctions have so far been imposed on energy supplies from Russia, adding this had been decided in close cooperation with our partners who themselves are energy exporters and therefore in a different starting position, such as the United States. Scholz said: Whether and what decisions the Russian government takes in this regard one can only speculate, but it makes little sense to do so. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the war in Ukraine in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders also discussed a prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia that took place in Turkey on Wednesday. Erdogans office said he told Putin on Thursday that Turkeys mediation in the exchange was an indication of the importance Ankara attaches to peace, dialogue and cooperation. He reiterated Turkeys readiness to mediate between Russia and Ukraine and its wish to establish peace in the region by increasing the momentum generated in face-to-face talks that were held between the two countries delegations in Istanbul late last month. It was the second telephone call between the two presidents this week. On Tuesday, Erdogan urged Putin to agree to direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is asking Congress or new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs as part of a new funding request to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion. In remarks at the White House on Thursday morning, Biden will formally ask for billions of dollars in additional U.S. spending earmarked for supplying Ukraines military, bolstering its economy and supporting the millions of refugees who fled Russias invasion two months ago. The White House said he will also seek new authorities from Congress to strengthen U.S. sanctions against the Russian government and those who profit from it, the White House said. Biden is asking lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government, double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of racketeering under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions. ___ MOSCOW Russia says that Turkey gave it advance notice before moving to bar Russian planes from flying to Syria over its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Turkey had asked Russia more than a month ago not to send Syria-bound planes over its territory. She added that the reasons for that were clear to us and the Russian side isnt using that route. Zakharova made the comment when asked about Turkeys weekend announcement that it had halted Russian flights to Turkey over its territory from the start of this month. It wasnt clear whether the move was related to Russias military operation in Ukraine. Turkey has close relations with both countries and has positioned itself as a mediator. Russia and Turkey have backed opposite sides in the Syrian civil war. ___ SOFIA, Bulgaria Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has said during a visit to the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka that he hopes Bulgarian lawmakers will agree next week to send military assistance to Ukraine. Petkov was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv later Thursday. He said after viewing damage caused to Borodyanka during the initial Russian advance that we cannot be indifferent. We cannot say that this is a Ukrainian problem, we cannot say some people are dying but we are not interested in that. He criticized the argument of some politicians in Bulgaria that denying military aid to Ukraine would bring about a faster peace. Petkov said: If this is the price of peace, if the Russian state continues to fire and no one can defend himself is this the peace we want? ___ KYIV, Ukraine Mariupol authorities are sounding the alarm about unsanitary conditions in the ravaged port city that they say pose a deadly danger to its remaining residents. Mariupol City Council said on the messaging app Telegram Thursday that deadly epidemics may break out in the city due to the lack of centralized water supply and sewerage, the decomposition of thousands of corpses under the rubble, a catastrophic shortage of drinking water and food. It said that the lives of 100,000 people who still remain in Mariupol, out of 450,000 pre-war residents, may be in danger pointing to diseases like cholera and dysentery. The Telegram post cited Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko as saying that the invaders are not able to provide the remaining population with food, water and medicines or are simply not interested in that. He said that living conditions in the ruined Mariupol are now medieval and that an immediate and complete evacuation is needed. ___ WASHINGTON A majority of U.S. adults say misinformation around Russias invasion of Ukraine is a major problem, and they largely fault the Russian government for spreading those falsehoods. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 61% of people in the United States say the spread of misinformation about the war is a major problem, with only 7% saying its not a problem. Older adults were more likely to identify the wartime misinformation as an issue, with 44% of those under 30 calling it a problem, compared with 65% of those 30 or older. Misleading social media posts, fake pictures or videos and propagandized headlines have proliferated on websites, from TikTok to Facebook, since Russias assault on Ukraine began in February. In recent weeks, Russian state media and social media accounts have operated in lockstep to push tweets, TV reports and posts that claim photos of bombed buildings and bodies across Ukraine have been staged or faked. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A Missouri member of a far-right extremist group has pleaded guilty to a felony charge for his role in the January 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Louis Enrique Colon, 45, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty Wednesday to obstructing law enforcement officers, federal prosecutors in Washington said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) Montenegrin lawmakers on Thursday approved a new, pro-Western government that promised to speed up European Union integration and make an effort to bridge a deep political divide in the small Balkan nation. The government of Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic won support from 45 lawmakers in the 81-member parliament while three votes were against. Pro-Serbian groups did not attend the session. The vote came weeks after the previous, pro-Serbian government was ousted in a no-confidence motion in February. The election of the pro-Western government in Montenegro is seen as a boost to U.S. and EU efforts at maintaining stability in the volatile Balkans amid the war in Ukraine. The Balkan region is a traditional Russian area of interest and Moscow has sought to maintain a strong influence there. I am a great optimist and I believe in the bright future of our Montenegro, Abazovic told parliament. We all must make an effort so that Montenegro becomes the next member of the European Union. And we should not wait long. Montenegro defied Moscow in 2017 to join NATO. But the country of 620,000 still remains split between groups favoring pro-Western policies and those seeking closer ties with fellow-Slavic countries Serbia and Russia. Abazovic served as a deputy prime minister in the previous, pro-Serbian administration formed after a 2020 election that removed the long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists from power. Abazovic, however, later cited stalled EU integration to initiate the government's ouster through the no-confidence motion. His new government is a minority Cabinet supported in parliament by the opposition DPS party of President Milo Djukanovic. That party ruled Montenegro for 30 years until the 2020 vote. A Western ally, Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and into NATO. But his party's popularity plunged over the years, mainly over allegations of corruption. Djukanovic has alleged that pro-Serbian parties in Montenegro want to restore the influence of Serbia and Russia. Pro-Serbian parties also have enjoyed support from the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Abazovic said in his speech Thursday that he wants to unite Montenegro's opposing factions under a vision of a democratic, corruption-free and economically prosperous nation that is part of the 27-member EU. We have an opportunity ahead of us that we must not miss, said Abazovic. Our future is a European one. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRUSSELS (AP) NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that Finland and Sweden would be embraced with open arms should they decide to join the 30-nation military organization and could become members quite quickly. Stoltenbergs remarks came as public support in Finland and Sweden for NATO membership mounts in response to Russias war in Ukraine. Media speculation in the two countries suggest the two might apply in mid-May. Its their decision," Stoltenberg said. "But if they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed, and I expect that process to go quickly. He gave no precise time frame, but did say that the two could expect some protection should Russia try to intimidate them from the time their membership applications are made until they formally join. Stoltenberg said hes confident that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way which is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden. NATOs collective security guarantee ensures that all member countries must come to the aid of any ally under attack. Stoltenberg added that many NATO allies have now pledged and provided a total of at least $8 billion in military support to Ukraine. Before launching the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that NATO stop expanding and pull its troops back from Russias borders. So the prospect of neighboring Finland, and Sweden, joining the trans-Atlantic alliance is unlikely to be welcomed in Moscow. Finland has a conflict-ridden history with Russia, with which it shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border. Finns have taken part in dozens of wars against their eastern neighbor, for centuries as part of the Swedish Kingdom, and as an independent nation including two fought with the Soviet Union from 1939-40 and 1941-44. In the postwar period, however, Finland pursued pragmatic political and economic ties with Moscow, remaining militarily nonaligned and a neutral buffer between East and West. Sweden has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, choosing a path of peace after centuries of warfare with its neighbors. Both countries put an end to traditional neutrality by joining the European Union in 1995 and deepening cooperation with NATO. However, a majority of people in both countries remained firmly against full membership in the alliance until now. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Fighting among gangs in recent days killed at least 20 people, wounded nearly two dozen and caused thousands to flee their homes, Haiti's Civil Protection Agency said Wednesday. Officials said the fighting began Sunday in four neighborhoods in the capital of Port-au-Prince, north of the international airport. At least a dozen homes were burned down as thousands of people fled their communities, with some temporarily staying in the yard of a local mayors office. The clashes come amid a spike in violence and kidnappings as gangs grow more powerful and seek to control more territory amid the power vacuum following the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The situation has angered and frustrated Haitians, who are demanding action from Prime Minister Ariel Henrys administration, which is receiving international help to boost an underfunded and understaffed police force. A family of eight, including six children, was among those killed since Sunday, authorities said. Schools and businesses in the area remain closed as thousands of families with children temporarily stayed in a park near a local mayors office. They need water, food, supplies, said Jean Raymond Dorcely, who runs a small grassroots community organization. They had to leave with nothing in their hands. He said that the neighborhood is usually quiet and that his child often plays in the park now turned into a makeshift outdoor shelter. I can see kids crying because theyre hungry and families dont have anything to provide to them, he said, adding that needs were growing as the fighting continued. I dont know what its going to be like tomorrow. Authorities said one bullet also hit an empty United Nations Humanitarian Air Service helicopter stationed near the airport. The conflict is likely to escalate in the coming days, leading to further casualties and new population migrations, the Civil Protection Agency said. Officials warned that main roads leading to Haitis northern region could be cut off as a result of the fighting. Gang violence in the Martissant community in southern Port-au-Prince already has cut off access to the countrys southern region, which is trying to recover from last year's deadly earthquake. The Martissant violence displaced thousands of families last year that have spent months in overcrowded, unhygienic government shelters in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. It wasnt immediately clear where the newly displaced families would be staying. The Civil Protection Agency blamed this week's violence on a fight between the Chen Mechan gang and the rival 400 Mawozo gang. which was involved in the kidnapping of 17 U.S. missionaries last year. Haitis ombudsman-like Citizen Protection Office released a statement condemning the violence. It criticized political leaders, saying their inaction and silence has brought a form of cynicism or contempt for human rights, particular the right to life and security. The office also questioned whether the area known as Plaine du Cul de Sac was becoming another Martissant and called on authorities to assume their responsibility to protect citizens. ___ Associated Press writer Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed to this report. SpaceX launches 4 astronauts for NASA to space station Xinhua) 10:19, April 28, 2022 WASHINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. private space company SpaceX launched an international crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) early Wednesday, the fourth commercial crew rotation mission for NASA. The SpaceX launch vehicle, which consists of a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket topped with a Crew Dragon capsule, lifted off with its crew at 3:52 a.m. Eastern Day Time (EDT) (0752 GMT) Wednesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft, dubbed Freedom by the mission's crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station at 8:15 p.m. EDT Wednesday. The Crew-4 flight carries three NASA astronauts - Mission Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Bob Hines, and Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, and one astronaut of the European Space Agency, Mission Specialist Samantha Cristoforetti. The four astronauts will spend several months aboard the space station conducting new scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit life on Earth, according to NASA. "Aboard station, Kjell, Bob, Jessica, and Samantha will carry out research investigations that will help NASA prepare for longer duration stays on the Moon - and eventually Mars," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Crew-4's launch, less than two days after the return of the first all-private mission to the station, exemplifies the spirit and success of the Commercial Crew Program to help maximize use of low-Earth orbit for years to come, testing the technologies we need for the Artemis program and beyond," said Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the station, said the agency. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars, starting with the agency's Artemis missions, which includes landing the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, said NASA. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The New Hampshire Senate on Thursday rejected two marijuana legalization bills, one that wouldve created a state-run monopoly for retail sales and another more modest plan to allow small-scale personal use and home cultivation of the drug. Both bills previously passed the House, but the Senate once again stood as a roadblock, ensuring New Hampshire for now will remain a holdout surrounded by states that have approved recreational legalization. But opponents said the fact that marijuana is legal in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts meant nothing to them. Im not ashamed of that, Im proud of that, said Sen. Bob Giuda, R-Warren. He and other opponents said they were concerned that legalizing marijuana would lead to increases in teen marijuana use and traffic fatalities. And they rejected arguments that polling has shown that most adults in the state support legalization. It may be what people want, but its not what we as a Senate should enable them to do because it will cause harm, he said. The more elaborate bill would have given the state Liquor Commission authority to regulate and administer the cultivation and sale of marijuana in at least 10 retail stores. That plan was rejected without debate on a voice vote, while the other bill was defeated 15-9. The second measure would have allowed adults to possess up to of an ounce of marijuana and to grow up to six plants. It could be traded or given away but not sold. Sen. Becky Whitley, D-Hopkinton, argued unsuccessfully that the bill was necessary to put the state more in line with its neighbors and with a more modern understanding of cannabis. She cast it as a racial justice issue, noting that Black people are disproportionately prosecuted for marijuana offenses. The so-called war on marijuana has not worked, she said. It does not make us safer, it wastes taxpayer dollars and it has needlessly ruined lives. Sen. Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, said passing the bills wouldve put constituents in the middle of a conflict between state and federal law. In that fight, we know who is going to win, and its not going to be us. And people are the ones who are going to be hurt, she said. Maybe theyre all going to smoke so much pot they wont care theyll be oblivious but we care, and we should care about putting our constituents in difficult situations. New Hampshire legalized medical marijuana in 2013. The House has approved recreational marijuana bills several times since then, but the Senate traditionally has opposed them, as has Gov. Chris Sununu. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Two people have entered guilty pleas after federal prosecutors accused them of orchestrating a $4 million Ponzi scheme through a fake hedge fund, according to a news release. Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said in a news release that Austin Delano Page, 26, of Grover, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Wednesday. Brandon Alexander Teague, 26, of Belmont, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to securities fraud on Wednesday, King said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LVIV, Ukraine (AP) Ever since Russian forces took the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in early March, residents sensed the occupiers had a special plan for their town. Now, amid a crescendo of warnings from Ukraine that Russia plans to stage a sham referendum to transform the territory into a pro-Moscow peoples republic, it appears locals guessed right. After Russian forces withdrew from occupied areas around Kyiv in early April, they left behind scenes of horror and traumatized communities. But in Kherson a large city with a major ship-building industry, located at the confluence of the Dnieper River and the Black Sea near Russian-annexed Crimea the occupying forces have taken a different tack. The soldiers patrol and walk around silently. They dont shoot people in the streets, said Olga, a local teacher, in a telephone interview last month after the region was sealed off by Russian forces. She gave only her first name for fear of reprisals. While the city has so far been spared the atrocities committed elsewhere, daily life is far from normal. All access has been cut off. Kherson suffers from a shortage of medicine, cash and many food products, and Ukrainian officials warn it could face a humanitarian catastrophe. With no cash deliveries to Khersons banks, the circulation of Ukraines hryvnia currency is dwindling, and credit card payments often fail to go through. Access to Ukrainian TV has been blocked and replaced by Russian state channels. A strict curfew has been imposed. Residents believe Russian troops have not yet besieged or terrorized the city as they did in Bucha and Mariupol because they are planning to hold a referendum to create a so-called Peoples Republic of Kherson like the pro-Russian breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine. Ballots are already being printed for a vote to be held by early May, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova warned this month. In an address to the nation on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke directly to residents of occupied Kherson, accusing Russia of planning an orchestrated referendum and warning them to safeguard their personal data from attempts to falsify votes. This is a reality. Be careful, he said. Kherson Mayor Igor Kolykhaiev said in a Zoom interview on Ukrainian TV that such a vote would be illegal since Kherson remains officially part of Ukraine. Russia has been silent about any plan to hold a referendum in Kherson, with Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko saying this week he knew of no such proposal. But there is reason for concern. In 2014, a disputed referendum in Crimea amid the Russian annexation was widely believed to be falsified, with results showing nearly 97% of voters supported joining Russia. A series of Russian moves this week have added to the growing sense of panic in Kherson. The mayor reported on social media on Monday that Russian troops had occupied City Hall, where the Ukrainian flag no longer flew. On Tuesday, the Russians replaced the mayor with their own appointee. Earlier, a prominent Russian commander, Maj. Gen. Rustam Minnekayev, announced plans to take total control of southern Ukraine and the Donbas, eastern Ukraine's mostly Russian-speaking industrial heartland, with the aim of setting up a land corridor to Crimea. Ukrainian military intelligence reported that Russia intends to forcibly mobilize the local population, including doctors, in the southern occupied territories to support the Russian war effort. Kherson is a strategically important city and the gateway to broader control of the south. From Kherson, Russia could launch a more powerful offensive against other southern cities, including Odesa and Krivy Rih. Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst at the Penta Center think tank in Kyiv, says the Russian militarys softer behavior in Kherson is because units from Crimea and separatists from Donetsk and Luhansk, who are either ethnic Ukrainians or have close connections to the region, are deployed there. The situation outside the city, however, in the surrounding Kherson region, tells a very different story with daily reports of kidnappings, torture, killings or rape. Thousands of people have been deprived of electricity, water and gas. The situation in the Kherson region is much worse and much more tragic, said Oleh Baturin, a local journalist. It is easier for them to take control of the villages; they are defenseless. Russian soldiers have also kidnapped local activists, journalists and war veterans, according to Kolykhaiev, the Kherson mayor, who said more than 200 people have been abducted. Among them was Baturin, who was seized near his home in Kakhovka, 60 miles (90 kilometers) east of Kherson. He was held in isolation for a week and interrogated every day; the soldiers asked for the names of organizers of anti-occupation protests, as well as local soldiers and veterans. From other cells, he could hear sounds of torture. After his release he fled the occupied territory with his family. Fesenko, the analyst, says the referendum plan indicates Russias intention to occupy the region long-term. In Crimea and Donbas, Russia had the support of the local population, but this is not the case in the south of Ukraine, where Ukrainians want to live in Ukraine, Fesenko said. During the first weeks of occupation, thousands gathered daily on Khersons main square, draped in Ukrainian flags and holding signs proclaiming, This is Ukraine. Videos on social media showed people screaming at Russias tanks and heavily armed soldiers. The protests are now held weekly. On Wednesday, Russian troops used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protesters. Mayor Kolykhaiev said that after the warnings about a Russian referendum and mobilization there has been a panicked rush to leave. The queues of people who want to leave our city have grown to five kilometers, he said, adding that around a third of the citys 284,000 people have fled. Following Zelenskyys address to the nation, Olga sent a WhatsApp message to the AP: The situation in Kherson is tense. My family and I want to leave ... but now the Russian soldiers dont allow it at all. Its becoming more and more dangerous here. Late Monday night, Kolykhaiev wrote on Facebook that armed Russian soldiers had entered the Kherson City Council building, took away the keys and replaced the guards with their own. On Tuesday, he posted again, saying he had refused to cooperate with the new Russian-appointed administration. I am staying in Kherson with the people of Kherson, he wrote. I am with you. TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) Prosecutors are weighing whether to pursue the death penalty for a Scotland man if he's convicted of shooting five people, including three fatally, in Bon Homme County. Francis Lange, 42, is scheduled for an October trial. He's accused of killing his former girlfriend, Angela Monclova, as well as her father, Librado Monclova, and Diane Akins. Vicki Monclova and a 5-year-old girl who has not been identified, were injured in the Nov. 9, 2021 shooting at a Scotland residence. SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) A warehouse along the Savannah River is holding historical treasures that evidence suggests remained lost for more than 240 years a cache of 19 cannons that researchers suspect came from British ships scuttled to the river bottom during the American Revolution. The mud- and rust-encrusted guns were discovered by accident. A dredge scooping sediment from the riverbed last year as part of a $973 million deepening of Savannah's busy shipping channel surfaced with one the cannons clasped in its metal jaws. The crew soon dug up two more. Archaeologists guessed they were possibly leftover relics from a sunken Confederate gunship excavated a few years earlier in the same area, said Andrea Farmer, an archaeologist for the Army Corps of Engineers. But experts for the U.S. Navy found they didn't match any known cannons used in the Civil War. Further research indicates they're likely almost a century older and sank during the buildup to the Revolutionary War's bloody siege of Savannah in 1779. In a timeframe of just over a year, 19 cannons were hoisted from the same area of the river a few miles downstream from Savannah, where Georgia was founded as the last of Britain's 13 American colonies in 1733. Theyre in remarkably good shape," Farmer said. Many were buried in clay and covered by silt and debris that kind of protected them. Now officials with the U.S. and British governments, as well as the state of Georgia, are working together on an agreement to preserve the newly found guns before putting them on display. Commodore Philip Nash of the British Royal Navy, a military attache based in Washington, viewed the artifacts submerged in metal tubs of water during a visit Thursday. Some of these pieces are in amazing condition and Im sure could tell some stories, Nash said. The cannons are being kept in water to prevent further deterioration until experts can carefully clean them. Meanwhile, researchers are looking for more definitive proof linking the cannons to British ships from the American Revolution. Farmer said researchers are very confident of the connection. Savannah had been under British occupation for about a year by the fall of 1779, when colonists planned an attack to retake the city with help from French and Haitian allies. When French ships carrying troops were spotted off the Georgia coast, the British hurried to scuttle at least six ships in the Savannah River downstream from the city to block the French vessels. The land battle that followed was one of the bloodiest of the war. British forces killed nearly 300 colonial fighters and their allies, while wounding hundreds more. Farmer said researchers suspect the cannons found in the river came from the British ship HMS Savannah and possibly a second ship scuttled at the same time, the HMS Venus. The longer guns appear to match cannons manufactured in France during the mid-1700s, she said. Researchers are looking for ship logs and manifests in hopes of confirming the armaments aboard those ships. It's also possible the cannons themselves and other artifacts found at the site pieces of anchors and a portion of a ship's bell once cleaned might bear markings or other clues to which ship they belonged to. The wood from those ships, Farmer said, decayed long ago or got destroyed by prior dredging projects over a series of decades. The question of who owns the artifacts gets a little murky. They were found in state waters of Georgia during a dredging project headed by the Army Corps, a U.S. government agency. The British government could make an ownership claim if there's strong evidence the artifacts came from British ships. Farmer said all of those parties are working on an agreement to preserve the cannons and ultimately have them displayed at the Savannah History Museum, which incorporates the battlefield where the bloodiest fighting occurred during the 1779 siege. Everybody wants to keep the artifacts in Savannah," Farmer said, "because that makes the most sense. EXETER, R.I. (AP) A Rhode Island company that owns a half-built $64 million greenhouse wants a judge to reconsider the cease-and-desist order issued by an Exeter zoning inspector. The attorney for Rhode Island Grows filed a brief on Tuesday to argue that the town's zoning board disregarded the states Right to Farm Act and zoning permissions for greenhouses after it halted the project on farmer Tim Schartner's property, The Providence Journal reported Thursday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina Rep. Murrell Smith was chosen to be the next speaker of the House on Thursday with the Republican vowing to work with all members in a chamber where nearly two-thirds of the members are Republicans. The unanimous election means Smith will take over leadership of the House when the General Assembly's regular session ends May 12, handling any special sessions. If he wins reelection to his seat, he'll have to be chosen speaker again for the 2023 session. Smith was nominated by current Speaker Jay Lucas, who wanted an orderly transition. Smith sounded a lot like Lucas, who pushed for inclusion and respect, as he temporarily put on Lucas' purple robe and thanked his colleagues for choosing him. Each one of us are elected by the same amount of people in the state and every member deserves a voice in what we do here. I believe this body should operate with a spirit of collaboration and collegiality but most importantly with mutual respect for all, Smith said. Smith said he learned the lesson that everyone deserves respect and a voice from his days as a public defender, fresh out of law school. He cited former President Ronald Reagan's quote if we love our country, then we should also love our countrymen. I promise you today that I will not be the speaker for one party or one region of the state but for the entire House and all the people of South Carolina Smith said. Along with running the business of the chamber, the House Speaker decides who sits on which committees and which committee hears legislation, which goes a long way toward determining what bills get through the body. Smith, 53, was first elected to the House in 2000 and steadily rose through the ranks. He was quickly elevated into leadership and Lucas' inner circle after Lucas became speaker when Bobby Harrell's indictment forced him to resign from the leadership position in 2014. Lucas picked Smith to be chairman of the House's budget writing Ways and Means Committee, kicking off Harrell's choice. How Smith will be as speaker is evident in how he treated the members of his key House committee knowing a group works best when every member is involved, Lucas said. Lucas cited a Latin phrase used to describe the prime minister of Britain's role in Parliament as first among equals." Our peers include a diverse collection of extraordinary public servants representing all of the state's citizens. And Murrell has truly distinguished himself in this body as a first among equals,"" Lucas said. Lucas watched Smith's speech from a desk on the floor, his first trip among the body since 2014. Lucas ran a kinder, gentler House after years of rancor with Harrell, whose leadership style was rough and tumble, tended to ignore Democrats and played favorites. Smith, whose 13-year-old daughter Bee and his 8-year-old son Murrell III sat at his desk as they waited for his election, said he wants to follow Lucas' path. He refused to talk about specifics goals as speaker, saying he wanted to wait until the 125th House session starts in January. Lucas isn't the only Republican leader leaving. House Majority Leader Gary Simrill also isn't running for reelection after 30 years. He is the only Republican currently in the House who served when Democrats were the majority in the chamber. Several other longtime members have decided to leave as well. But the House will endure, Lucas said Thursday. When some of us leave this chamber and fresh faces arrive, the world will not stop. The issues our state faces will not disappear," Lucas said. "I invite this body to embrace its new chapter. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. SEATTLE (AP) The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously rejected an effort to recall Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The justices upheld a Thurston County Superior Court decision that the charges made against Inslee did not provide factually or legally sufficient grounds to support a recall campaign. The recall petition was brought by a citizen group called Washingtonians to Recall Insleee. It alleged that the governors orders limiting activities and gatherings during the pandemic interfered with their rights. For example, the petition argued, Inslee violated the separation of powers by banning landlords from suing tenants for overdue rent; violated constitutional rights of assembly and to petition the government for redress of grievances by prohibiting public agencies from holding in-person meetings; and violated the right to assemble by limiting the size of in-person gatherings. The court, however, found that Inslees proclamations were well within his emergency powers. Governor Inslee has used his discretion to navigate this pandemic, making difficult decisions in an effort to balance the health and safety of Washingtonians with their individual liberties," Justice Debra Stephens wrote for the court. "While reasonable minds may disagree with the governors discretionary decisions, such disagreement is insufficient to support a recall. The recall backers did not explain how a temporary limitation on the ability of landlords to sue their tenants infringed on the power of the courts; there were adequate alternative means, such as telephonic or online meetings, to ensure public access to government; and restrictions on gatherings were not directed at suppressing speech but tailored to serve a substantial government interest, the justices said. Olympia resident C Davis, who brought the appeal of the superior court ruling last June, told The Associated Press on Thursday he had not yet read the Supreme Court opinion but the result was not too much of a surprise. Washingtonians to Recall Inslee is ready to support another recall effort, by a different proponent, that will make three new charges against the governor, Davis said. Washington faced one of the first known outbreaks of COVID-19 and was among the first states to implement sweeping restrictions in the early days of the pandemic. It has since eased or rescinded many restrictions, such as bans on large gatherings and vaccination requirements for such gatherings, while others, such as a mask requirement for healthcare settings, long-term care facilities and jails, remain in effect. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The mother of a 3-month-old baby kidnapped from their San Francisco Bay Area home said a woman arrested in the case met the family at church and had been spending a lot of time with them ever since she was nine months pregnant. Carolina Ayala told Spanish language television stations Wednesday that after she gave birth, Yesenia Ramirez was a constant presence at her home. She would go to my house a lot, she always wanted to be there, Ayala said in Spanish in an interview with KTST-TV, a Telemundo affiliate. Ramirez, 43, was arrested in the kidnapping of Brandon Cuellar along with Baldomeo Sandoval and Jose Portillo, who police said entered the family's second-floor San Jose apartment on Monday and took the baby while his grandmother unloaded groceries. Sandoval, who Ayala said is Ramirez's husband, was released without charges Thursday, San Jose Police officials said in a statement. Details regarding Sandovals involvement with this case have come to light and he will not be facing charges at this time, it said. Ramirez and Portillo were arraigned Thursday on kidnapping, felony burglary and conspiracy charges and are being held without bail. Attorneys with the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office, which is representing Ramirez and Portillo, did not immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press. Portillo, 28, was captured on surveillance video carrying a baby car seat and a small blanket and walking toward the apartment, police said. They said the motive for the kidnapping is still under investigation. On Monday, Ramirez offered to buy supplies for the baby and drove the baby and his grandmother, Victoria Mejia, to the store and back home, Mejia told the Telemundo affiliate. Police said Ramirez had been communicating with Portillo moments before he took the baby and drove away. Ayala said she was at work cleaning a home when her sister-in-law called her to let her know her child was missing. "I felt like half of my heart had left with him. I felt like I died, Ayala told KDTV-TV, a Univision affiliate. Police found the unharmed baby on Tuesday inside a home where Portillo lived. Ayala was reunited with her son hours later, a moment she described as having my soul return to my body. I cried out of joy, I cried until I got tired of crying," she told Telemundo 48. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Businesses were closed, teachers absent and public transportation interrupted as Sri Lankans heeded a call for a general strike Thursday to pressure the president to step down over a growing economic and political crisis. Business districts in the capital, Colombo, were closed, and bankers, teachers and other professionals held parades and joined the main protest site opposite the presidents office where demonstrators have gathered for weeks. Doctors and nurses said they would support the strike with demonstrations during their lunch break. Workers on vital tea and rubber plantations and in garment factories also protested. Sri Lanka is on the verge of bankruptcy with huge foreign debts and a lack of foreign currency, causing shortages of essential imported goods such as fuel, food and medicine. Doctors have warned of catastrophic shortages of medicines and equipment in hospitals. Indonesia on Thursday announced a donation of $1.6 million in medicines and hospital equipment, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said. Protesters who have crowded the streets since March hold President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family who have dominated nearly every aspect of life in Sri Lanka for most of the last 20 years responsible for the crisis. Sri Lanka earlier suspended repayment of its foreign debts, $7 billion of which was due this year. It has foreign reserves of less than $1 billion. The resulting shortages of imported essentials have forced people to stand in lines for hours to buy limited stocks. Government officials have blamed Russias war in Ukraine and the coronavirus pandemic for the debt crisis and say they have been discussing rescue plans and loan repayment with the International Monetary Fund, China and others. Rajapaksa reshuffled his Cabinet and offered a unity government in an attempt to quell the protests, but opposition parties refused to join a government headed by the Rajapaksa brothers. The weak, divided opposition has been unable to form a majority and take control of Parliament on its own. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, former President Donald Trump made his feelings known that he did not want a coronavirus-infested cruise ship off the coast of San Francisco to come to shore. I like the [nations case] numbers being where they are, he said in a Fox News interview. I dont need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasnt our fault. According to This Will Not Pass, an upcoming book from New York Times political correspondents Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns, Trump had earlier called California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the middle of the night complaining about the cruise ship possibly being allowed to dock. If we bring them ashore, Trump complained to Newsom, that could increase the total number of coronavirus cases in the country, Martin and Burns write in a passage reviewed by SFGATE. Newsom spoke with Martin and Burns for the book and recalled needing to talk Trump down at 4:30 a.m. California time, which is three hours behind Washington, D.C. The president was not a student of policy, Newsom knew, and sometimes he just sort of said stuff, Martin and Burns write. You had to wait him out and then ask for what you wanted which in this case, Newsom told him, was federal cooperation with bringing the boat into dock and processing the passengers for medical treatment or quarantine. The ship in question the Grand Princess was ultimately allowed to dock. Passengers and crew were removed from the ship and transferred to locations including Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield for quarantines. The book details Trumps other calls with governors in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as his highly transactional approach to the presidency. Martin and Burns report that governors found that Trump was most interested in helping people he got along with, and regions of the country he saw as Trump country. According to the book, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy went on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight in an attempt to communicate with Trump. (Newsom was unique among governors in having an easy cell-phone relationship with the president, Martin and Burns write.) In that April 15, 2020, interview which is around the time American conservatives really began to sour on lockdowns Murphy defended his states stringent rules to Carlson and apparently got a call from Trump afterward. Trump had seen the interview and wanted Murphy to know he agreed with him, Martin and Burns write. The Fox guys, he said, were bonkers about the pandemic [Sean] Hannity especially, Trump said. Murphy told Martin and Burns that Trump said Hannity was obsessed with the Swedish model of public health and said of the Fox News host, Listen, hes wrong. The Swedish model is a reference to Sweden never entering a lockdown in response to the pandemic. Onlookers are still debating whether the approach was a success. Not long after Trumps reported call with Murphy, the president fired off a series of tweets calling for other blue states to be LIBERATE[D], leaving governors confused. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told Martin and Burns he asked Trump what exactly the president wanted but never got a firm answer. Then, on April 22, 2020, Trump voiced his disagreement with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemps plans to reopen certain sectors of his states economy, stating, I think its too soon. The book states that the public rebuke came because Trump sought to make Kemp pay a price for his disobedience on earlier calls during which Trump and aides, influenced by former adviser Dr. Deborah Birx, asked him to slow the pace of reopening. According to Martin and Burns, Trump put White House aides Brian Jack and Kayleigh McEnany in charge of getting Kemp to stand down, but neither was successful. Trump is currently working to topple Kemp in Georgias 2022 gubernatorial primary (mainly over Kemps refusal to decertify his states election results), though that venture does not appear to be going well for the former president. The book releases on May 3 and covers the end of the Trump presidency and the first few months of the Biden presidency. WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, April 28, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service New York NY 405 AM EDT Thu Apr 28 2022 ...ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS TODAY FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT AND SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK... A very dry airmass will combine with gusty northwest winds, resulting in an elevated risk of fire spread today into early evening. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 to 35 mph are expected, with minimum relative humidities between 15 to 25 percent. For New York residents, the annual statewide burn ban is in effect until May 14. No burn permits are issued. Listen to NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio or visit our website at http://weather.gov/okx for further details or updates. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather 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 Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Christian Aid has appointed Patrick Watt as its chief executive on a permanent basis, following a spell as interim CEO. Watt joined Christian Aid in 2019 as director of policy, public affairs and campaigns. He became interim CEO when Amanda Khozi Mukwashi left to join the United Nations. Before joining Christian Aid, Watt worked for Oxfam, Action Aid and Save the Children on a range of issues. Lord Bishop John Sentamu, chair of Christian Aid, said: Patrick has proven himself as a leader for both Christian Aid and the international development sector as a whole. I look forward to continuing to work with Patrick and everyone at Christian Aid in our mission to turn hunger into hope and eradicate extreme poverty across the globe. Taking fresh approaches Christian Aid had an income of 86m for the financial year to March 2021, down from over 100m prior to the pandemic. Earlier this month the charity unveiled a new brand campaign to raise its profile and demonstrate its relevance. Today Watt said his priority would be to look at new ways to address poverty. He said: I feel enormously privileged to be given the opportunity to lead this great organisation on the next stage of its journey, in tackling the root causes of poverty and promoting dignity, equality, and justice. I look forward to working with our passionate and dedicated staff, supporters, partners, and sponsoring churches to realise our vision. Were confronted by stark challenges: the economic fallout from Covid-19, the climate crisis, and the war in Ukraine are combining to push millions of people into poverty. Ending the injustice of extreme poverty requires fresh approaches that tackle inequality, strengthen peoples voice and confront abuses of power. I am excited by the opportunity to work as part of a wider movement for change. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Elon Musks plan to acquire Twitter for $44 billion has raised concerns among numerous Twitter users, who have expressed fears that his remarks promoting unrestrained freedom of speech may enable right-wing trolls to engage in harassment with impunity, and that his promise to authenticate all humans will end anonymity on the platform. Others have raised another speech-related challenge: Musks interest in protecting free speech could run headfirst into the Chinese governments efforts to control the distribution of information about the country. China has some significant leverage over Musk in the form of Tesla, his electric-vehicle company, which has benefited from some unique concessions. Tesla is the first foreign-owned auto manufacturer in the country to own its auto-assembly plant outright. (Other auto manufacturers have typically been required to partner with local companies, who then own a majority stake in the factories.) Teslas Giga Shanghai plant, which produced almost half a million cars last year, was financed with a reported $1.3 billion in loans from Chinese banks; sales in China last year accounted for $14 billion, roughly a quarter of the companys revenue. Musk has historically responded by lavishing praise on the country, according to the Wall Street Journal. He has also refrained from criticismremaining silent, for instance, when Giga Shanghai closed for weeks in accordance with the Chinese governments covid regulations. As Alan Ohnsman notes at Forbes, Musk previously called milder restrictions in the US fascist. Twitter under Musk will need to confront Chinas leverage, the Wall Street Journal wrote. Fergus Ryan, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, explained in the Journal that China has a track record of pressuring businesses in order to extract political concessions. There will be lots of opportunities for Beijing to put the squeeze on Musk, Ryan said. Nina Xiang, an author and founder of the China Money Network, an investment platform, wrote that investors should expect high drama between Musk and China. As the owner of Twitter, which is banned in China, Beijing may feel that it is able to pressure Musk to take down content that it does not like, she wrote. If Musk refuses, Beijing could start squeezing Tesla. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, raised the same concern in a response to a tweet from Michael Smythe, a New York Times correspondent, about Teslas ties to China. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square? Bezos asked. Later, he added, My own answer to this question is probably not. The more likely outcome is complexity in China for Tesla. An opinion piece at Bloomberg argued that Twitter has a friendly face in charge of a global channel for informationand misinformationthat is central to Chinese authorities efforts to seed and amplify narratives favorable to the Communist Party. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that investigative journalism in China is almost nonexistent, as detailed by Helen Gao in the Times in 2018 and by Reporters Without Borders in a report last year, among others. Melissa Chan, a reporter with Vice, put Musks challenge in even starker terms, writing, If Elon Musk thinks because hes the worlds richest man that he can tell China to piss off if Beijing ever starts leaning on him about Twitter, hell find out how efficiently the Chinese state can gobble up that Tesla Shanghai factory. In an interview with CJR, Chan said Musk is already playing a somewhat risky game with Tesla, and adding Twitter to the mix exposes him even further to the whims of the Chinese government. If he decides to prioritize his Tesla operations in China and compromise on a few issues regarding Twitter, then he faces problems back home, Chan said. She added that many businesses figure out pretty quickly what Beijing likes/does not like. And they end up self-censoring or preemptively avoiding things. (At a press briefing Tuesday, a spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry said the government had no plans to pressure Musk or Twitter.) Twitter has been blocked in China since 2009, but the Chinese government has continued to make use of it as part of its external propaganda efforts, according to a number of China experts. In 2020, researchers said the government stepped up its use of Twitter in an attempt to counter negative reporting on its internment of Uyghur people in Xinjiang; earlier this year, it reportedly used bot accounts to flood the network with positive tweets to drown out criticism of the Olympic Games. Over the past few years, Twitter has taken down hundreds of thousands of fake accounts it said were being run by either the Chinese government or its agents, and the company has also labeled the accounts of government officials and state-run media. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Some China observers believe that the desire to use Twitter for propaganda may override the governments interest in censoring content. A free-speech absolutist approach (which Musk has said is his preference) could play into the Chinese governments hands, they say, making it easier to spread its propaganda messages. Id be stunned if Beijing doesnt use its leverage over Tesla to pressure Musk, Isaac Stone Fish, former Asia editor for Foreign Policy, told CJR. But I think it will be less about using Twitter to suppress negative voices on China, and much more about encouraging Musk to amplify positive voices. Others say China could pursue both avenues; in any case, Tesla may yet prove to be a crucial point of leverage. Heres more on Twitter and Musk: Disparaging : Under the terms of his agreement to acquire Twitter, Elon Musk is not allowed to criticize the company on the platform, Bloomberg reported . Musk isnt allowed to post tweets about his deal to buy Twitter if they disparage the company or any of its representatives, according to a new securities filing. However, a number of observers noted that Musk posted a tweet critical of both Vijaya Gadde, Twitters lawyer, and the company itself, for blocking a New York Post report about a laptop allegedly belonging to Hunter Biden. Musk called the decision incredibly inappropriate. Right up : Caroline Orr Bueno, a behavioral science researcher, said she has been tracking the growth in Twitter followers of a number of right-wing and conservative users, using a service called Social Blade, and many have shown abnormally large increases since Musk announced his acquisition offer for Twitter. For example, she said, Matt Gaetz, a conservative congressman, gained more than 21,000 new followers on Monday, far more than his daily average of about 1,300; Donald Trump Jr. got more than 87,000 followers on Monday, Orr said, about twenty times his daily average of 4,500. Consequences : Musk says he wants to ensure that Twitter remains a bastion of free speech, but that kind of approach could cause problems in a number of countries outside the US, Coda Story reports. That just doesnt work in a country like India, said Nikhil Pahwa, a tech expert and founder of Medianama, an India-focused tech policy publication based in New Delhi. We have real-world consequences from the kind of speech that Twitter enables. Pahwa said political operatives in India are adept at using the platform to essentially fuel hate. Inappropriate : For the past year, Twitter has censored tweets about a documentary exploring the origins of the QAnon movement, according to Gizmodo . The documentary, Q: Into the Storm, was broadcast in March 2021 on HBO Max. A Twitter spokesperson told Gizmodo the company decided to limit the visibility of the series on the network because it violated Twitters policy on inappropriate content. Twitter admitted that it was restricting the reach of tweets about the series after the director, Cullen Hoback, tried paying to boost his own tweet publicizing the films iTunes debut, Gizmodo reported. The documentary criticizes Twitter for playing a role in the spread of QAnon. Other notable stories: According to an internal document obtained by Motherboard, engineers at Facebook admitted to a fundamental problem with the vast amounts of data it collects on its users and their behavior: it has no idea where all of its user data goes, or what its doing with it. Imagine you hold a bottle of ink in your hand. This bottle of ink is a mixture of all kinds of user data. You pour that ink into a lake of water (our open data systems; our open culture) and it flows everywhere, the document reads. How do you put that ink back in the bottle? How do you organize it again, such that it only flows to the allowed places in the lake? The European Commission is proposing measures it hopes will protect journalists and others from frivolous or punitive lawsuits, The Guardian reports . In the first proposal of its kind in Europe, the European Commission is targeting so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation, or slapps , where wealthy individuals and companies attempt to use the law to intimidate or silence investigative reporters and non-governmental organizations, according to The Guardian . Under the draft EU directive, journalists and nongovernmental organizations would be able to appeal to the courts to throw out manifestly unfounded cases. Vogue writes about what female correspondents have brought to coverage of the war in Ukraine. It is their in-depth, empathetic, almost impressionistic emphasis on civilian lifethe upheavals, the sudden loss of normalcy, and the everyday ways people persist in the darkest of circumstancesthat has been defining the coverage, writes Michelle Ruiz for the magazine. This reporting has made the war viscerally present in novel scenes: at funerals and defiantly optimistic weddings, in encounters with children lamenting the pet hamsters they were forced to leave behind. The New York Times has doubled the number of staff in its Opinion section, to more than one hundred fifty people since 2017, according to a report by Axios , including the addition of new departments for audio and graphics, and more staff for the copyediting desk and fact-checking operation. The Times now has thirty-five people working on Opinion audio, up from one person at the beginning of 2020, said Kathleen Kingsbury, the papers Opinion editor. Kingsbury also said the resignation of former Opinion editor James Bennet, after he published an op-ed by Tom Cotton advocating an armed response to Black Lives Matter protests, pushed the Times to further address diversity among its Opinion staff. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, told a Canadian government committee that Meta has serious concerns about an online news bill that is under consideration in Canada, the Toronto Star reports . The bill would force tech companies to compensate news outlets for reusing their work on social media platforms, much like a similar law in Australia. Rachel Curran of Meta Canada told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is going through the proposed law in detail and looking at options, the Star wrote. Jonathan Sposato, cofounder and chairman of GeekWire, has launched a new ad-supported multimedia platform aimed at an audience of American Asians called the JoySauce Network, according to a report from Variety . The site, which went live Wednesday morning, boasts multiple channels of vibrant digital programming dedicated to celebrating both new and established American Asian talent, Variety wrote. In addition to dramatic content and documentaries, Sposato said, his new site will publish original editorial from some of the Asian communitys most talented writers. For CJR, Dalya Al Masri spoke with Dena Takruri , a senior presenter at AJ+, the digital video arm of Al Jazeera, who hosts one of the networks most popular series, called Direct From. Al Jazeera was one of the first news organizations that recognized social media platforms are used for social interactions and can be used for news dissemination, but it had to be packaged in a way that fit the social media platforms, Takruri said. We were talking to a digitally native young audience in their language, on their terms. Also, AJ+ has a social justice approach to the news. Its something were unapologetic about. Our social justice approach resonated with social movements. Rest of World published a feature looking at how authoritarian governments in Russia and elsewhere have cracked down on internet access. Over the past five years, the government of Vladimir Putin has created a sophisticated infrastructure of internet control, built partly with commercially available tools, that has allowed the state to block social media, including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, inside Russia and to disrupt circumvention tools like VPNs, Tor, and the web proxy software Psiphon, the site reported. Russia is a pioneer in the use of these tools but not an outlier. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Beefed up fire crews made major progress on a large prairie fire burning near the Nebraska-Kansas line on Tuesday and lighter winds allowed firefighters to keep flames from advancing significantly at big fires in the Southwest where some rural towns remain under evacuation orders. Stiff winds remained a challenge in the Midwest, but eased in Arizona and New Mexico where theyre expected to pick up again in the days ahead after fires destroyed dozens of home and charred a combined 225 square miles (580 square kilometers) last week. It was a very good day, said Terry Krasko, a spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team. More than 200 firefighters are now battling the blaze in Nebraska that killed a former volunteer fire chief, injured several firefighters and destroyed several homes last week. No injuries. No more structures lost, Krasko told The Associated Press Tuesday night from Cambridge, Nebraska. I think the biggest loss we had today was a few hay bales. Overall containment grew there from 47% to 74% on Tuesday. That means crews have dug fire lines around about three-fourths of the fire that has burned 65 square miles (168 square kilometers) of mostly grasses and farmland. The major footprint of the fire stayed where it was supposed to be despite 30 to 40 mph winds, Krasko said. Critical fire conditions were forecast to return on Wednesday, but not as windy. More than 3,000 firefighters and support personnel were assigned to multiple fires Tuesday in the Southwest, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The focus was on efforts to corral blazes in northern New Mexico, where evacuations remain in place and several small villages were threatened. Authorities have started to survey the damage but have yet to tally the number of homes and other buildings that were destroyed. The largest of the wildfires has blackened more than 94 square miles (245 square kilometers) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Crews continued to make progress on that fire Tuesday, but they were bracing for the weather to take a turn later this week with more hot, dry and windy conditions forecast for the area. San Miguel County Deputy Manager Jesus Romero described the situation as touch-and-go as the winds cranked up Tuesday afternoon. Everybody is eager to get back home. Its still not really safe right now, he said. Theres plenty of forest still to be burned, plenty of fuels and its plenty dry and were dealing with the wind. Some places are a little bit better than others, but right now its just too risky. In Arizona, crews are working to encircle and mop up a 33-square-mile (85-square-kilometer) wildfire on the outskirts of Flagstaff that burned 30 homes and additional structures last week. Aircraft helped firefighters battling a different major fire that continued to grow, burning 10 square miles (26 square kilometers) in the Prescott National Forest in north-central Arizona. Four new fires were reported Monday, two in Colorado and one in Oklahoma and Virginia, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Nationally, 11 large fires have burned about 342 square miles (890 square kilometers) in six states, the agency reported Tuesday. About the photo: The Calf Canyon Fire burns north of Las Vegas near the San Miguel and Mora County line Monday April 25, 2022. (Eddie Moore//The Albuquerque Journal via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. U.S. regulators are calling on Amazon to improve its procedures for dealing with severe weather like hurricanes and tornadoes that could threaten workers at its warehouses dotted across the country. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday sent a Hazard Alert Letter to the Seattle-based e-commerce giant on Tuesday following the agencys investigation into the deadly collapse of a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois in December. Six people died and another was critically injured in the tornado strike. The investigation raised concerns about the potential risk to employees during severe weather emergencies, according to the letter sent to Amazon that OSHA made public. The agency said its inspection found that, while the companys severe weather procedures had met minimal federal safety guidelines for storm sheltering, the company still needed to further protect its workers and contract employees. The letter requires Amazon to review its severe weather emergency procedures but the company wont face any fines or penalties. In interviews with Amazon and contract workers, OSHA officials found some employees couldnt recall ever participating in severe weather drills, or the location of the facilitys shelter. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, however, said employees receive emergency response training, which is reinforced throughout the year. OSHAs investigation did not find any violations or causes for citations, but were constantly looking to innovate and improve our safety measures and have already begun conducting additional safety and emergency preparedness drills at our sites and will carefully consider any OSHA recommendation that we have not already, Nantel said. Amazon has noted workers at the warehouse, known as a delivery station, had little time to prepare when the National Weather Service declared a tornado warning on December 10. About 10 minutes before the tornado touched down, the agency said managers directed workers to go to a restroom in response to tornado warnings and other weather alerts. But some employees unaware of the designated tornado shelter a restroom located in the northern portion of the building went to a separate restroom in the hard-hit south end, the agency said. All the injured and killed had taken shelter in the south side bathroom. John Felton, Amazons senior vice president of global delivery services, had said in December that most of the 46 people in the warehouse headed to a shelter on the north side while a smaller group went to the south end, where the loading docks were located and delivery vehicles were parked. The tornado that hit our delivery station was extreme and very sudden, with winds that were much like the force of a category 4 hurricane, and we believe our team did the right thing, moving people to shelter as soon as the warning was issued, Nantel said. In the inspection, the agency said it also reviewed contractor safety and training records as well as the facilitys written Emergency Action Plan. Officials took issue with the plan, writing in the letter it was not customized with specific instructions for hazards expected at the Edwardsville site. Though Amazon had posted evacuation maps at the facility showing the location of the designated shelter, officials found the written plan did not specifically identify the shelters location in the warehouse. Nantel said the companys buildings have emergency plans that identify exit routes and shelter areas. Separately, officials said a megaphone that was supposed to activate the sites shelter-in-place procedure was locked in a cage and not accessible, resulting in managers verbally telling workers on where to take shelter. These tragic deaths have sparked discussions nationwide on the vital need for comprehensive workplace emergency plans, William Donovan, OSHAs regional administrator in Chicago, said in a statement. Employers should re-evaluate their emergency plans for the safest shelter-in-place locations and prepare before an emergency to ensure workers know where to go and how to keep themselves safe in the event of a disaster. The agency has recommended Amazon makes its warning devices readily accessible, ensures all employees participate in drills for emergency weather events and include site-specific information in its emergency plans. It said it will also send hazard alert letters to three delivery service providers, who employed the injured worker and five of the employees who died. About the photo: This Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, satellite photo provided by Maxar shows a close-up of an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill., after severe storms moved through the area late the previous evening, causing catastrophic damage. (Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies via AP Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) A seafood processing plant has been fined $56,000 in connection with a 2021 COVID outbreak that left one employee dead. The Department of Labor and Industries announced the fine against Shining Ocean Inc. on Monday, Northwest News Network reported. According to the agency, a 65-year old employee of the Sumner company died after contracting COVID at a company staff meeting on November 4, 2021. During the meeting, the investigation found most of the 23 people in attendance did not wear masks. Sixteen workers contracted COVID, including the man who later died. In May 2021, L&I issued updated workplace masking guidelines. Under those rules, fully vaccinated employees were not required to wear masks. However, masks were still mandated for unvaccinated employees. The agency said Shining Ocean employees told investigators that the companys president had indicated to them it was a matter of personal choice whether to wear a mask. The company, reportedly, also didnt have a process in place at the time for verifying worker vaccination status. Management got complacent about workplace safety, and it cost a worker his life, said Craig Blackwood, assistant director of L&I, said in a written statement. The company did not respond to a call seeking comment. Shining Ocean has paid the fine in full, according to L&I. Because the violation is classified as willful serious, L&I said the company will face heightened scrutiny under the agencys severe violator program. The fine is the latest in a series of COVID-related workplace safety fines and settlements assessed by the state over the past year, including a $2 million settlement reached with Gebbers Farms Operations in Brewster, Washington last August after two farmworkers died from COVID-19 in 2020. A pair of inspections found 24 egregious willful violations, including unsafe sleeping conditions. Under the settlement, one of the largest in state history, Gebbers agreed to invest the $2 million in health, safety and housing upgrades. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Clifford Chance elects Kayode Oladipo to the firm's partnership further strengthening its Africa Practice Leading international law firm Clifford Chance today announces the promotion of Kayode Oladipo to partner. Kayode is part of a global cohort of 37 new partners drawn from all of the firm's market-leading practices and every region, demonstrating strong growth and investment in our future talent. Kayode works in our London Banking & Finance Group and is a key member of the firm's Africa Group, being the co-head of Anglophone West Africa (with Olamide Oladosu) and the Africa Practice Leader for Finance/Lending. Kayode joined the firm in June 2015. He is a dual qualified lawyer, admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2008 and subsequently as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2018. Recently, Kayode has been advising on strategic financings across the continent, including the up-to US$2 billion financing (including a structured bridge financing) for the Federal Republic of Nigeria in connection with the development of the Kano-Maradi Rail Project and the US$3.2 billion master debt framework agreement in relation to the development, refinancing and financing of infrastructure projects and related services in Angola. This appointment testifies the quality of our teams and the utmost importance of our thriving Africa practice to the Firm. Anthony Giustini, Regional Managing Partner for Africa, commented: "The election of Kayode to the partnership recognises his exceptional legal expertise and business acumen and illustrates our eagerness to promote and nurture African talents. Together with our 200+ lawyers accompanying our clients in Africa, he will continue to develop our market reputation and expand our footprint across all areas. Congratulations to him!" The promotions take effect on 1 May 2022. Read our full press release regarding partner promotions. 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. Weather Alert ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT EARLY THIS MORNING... * WHAT...Northeast winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt and seas 1 to 3 ft. * WHERE...Coastal waters from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee FL out 20 NM, Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM and Waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM. * WHEN...Until 4 AM EDT early this morning. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions. A sudden onset of rough seas may cause hazardous conditions, which may occur suddenly at jetties and inlets. These conditions could catch boaters by surprise. Boaters should use caution when entering or exiting the inlets and jetty areas. && Iranian president meets with Chinese defense minister Xinhua) 10:20, April 28, 2022 TEHRAN, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe. During the meeting, Raisi called for expanding the areas of cooperation between the two countries, and strengthening all-round cooperation, including in the military field. Iran and China share similar positions in international affairs and support each other, said the Iranian president. Iran, which opposes unilateralism, hegemonism and external interference, firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests, Raisi said, while expressing gratitude to China for its long-term support and assistance during Iran's difficult times. For his part, Wei said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Raisi have exchanged telephone calls and letters since last year, leading to new progress in building the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The Chinese minister said that his visit to Iran, which came against the backdrop of the current turbulent international situation, reflected the importance of the China-Iran relations, their firm mutual support and joint progress. He expressed China's strong support to Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and dignity, and its willingness to cooperate with Iran to deal with various risks and challenges, safeguard common interests, and jointly maintain regional and global peace and stability. The Chinese and Iranian militaries have expanded the areas of cooperation in recent years, Wei said, adding that the Chinese military is willing to maintain strategic communication with Iran, make good use of the cooperation mechanisms, and boost pragmatic collaboration so as to lift the bilateral military ties to a higher level. Earlier in the day, Wei held separate meetings with Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri and Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani. During the meetings, the two sides had in-depth exchange of views on the regional and international security situations, Iran's nuclear issue and the situation in Ukraine. They also reached consensuses on expanding high-level strategic communication, deepening military exchanges, and conducting joint exercises and personnel trainings. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) On the 25th of this April, the Iraqi army sent a large number of soldiers, accompanied by military vehicles, to Shingal and some nearby villages. It spread to fixed military bases, which angered the Yazidi community. Commenting on the issue, the co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in Shingal, Reham Hassan, said: "Instead of the Iraqi army mobilizing its forces in the areas witnessing the attacks of the Turkish occupation in southern Kurdistan, it is mobilizing them in Shingal." Reham Hassan indicated that the Iraqi army is mobilizing its forces in Sengal in conjunction with the attacks of the Turkish occupation army on the legitimate defense areas. This indicates the agreement of the Iraqi government with the Turkish occupation, and the continuity of the October 9, 2020, agreement, which was supported by Turkey. The Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Iraqi government had signed an agreement against Sengal on the 9th of October 2020, the day that coincides with the anniversary of the international conspiracy against the leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1998. 'Plain sight plot' Hassan pointed out that this mobilization by the Iraqi government came with Turkish support, as Iraq is now witnessing a crisis. Adding that it is a clear conspiracy in full view of the world, "Barzani, Al-Kazemi and Al-Halbousi met with Turkey, and after these meetings they began to take their steps to implement it." 'The AA will not back down from its project' Reham Hassan indicated that the goal of this mobilization is the implementation of the October 9, 2020 agreement. Whoever is addressing this agreement is the Democratic AA in Shingal, because it is an agreement that does not serve the interest of the people of Shingal. We have a project for a solution, which is the Autonomous Administration project doesn't violate the Iraqi constitution, but the Iraqi government does not abide by it. We in the autonomous administration, we will not retreat from our project because the genocides against the Yazidi people will not end. And Reham Hassan continued: "During the attacks of ISIS mercenaries in 2014, the Kurdistan Democratic Party abandoned Shingal, as well the Iraqi army at the time. There is any enmity between us and the Iraqi government, but the Iraqi government is trying to thwart this project, and this is what the Yazidi people will not accept becaue it means a new genocide against the Yazidis. The co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration in Shingal, Reham Hassan, concluded her speech by saying, "This crisis is not only related to Iraq or Shingal, but it is a global crisis, as we are approaching the end of the Lausanne Agreement, in 2023, so the world is witnessing a global war. If any new division occurs, it does not serve the interest of Shingal and does not serve the interest of the Iraqi government." A ANHA Nick Cleveland-Stout 22 has won a Fulbright Scholarship, a prestigious award for students interested in pursuing research or teaching opportunities abroad. Cleveland-Stout will travel to Florianopolis, Brazil, in February 2023 to study the nations international political policy. His proposal, Assessing the Impact of the 5G Race in Brazil Through the Lens of Florianopolis, provides an overview of his plans to study the political impact of the United States and China on Brazil. The two nations are both offering bids to Brazil with hopes of building its new 5G network. Florianopolis, a city in southern Brazil sometimes referred to as the Silicon Valley of Brazil, is the ideal place to do this, since it will likely be at the forefront of the creation of these 5G networks, according to Cleveland-Stout. To conduct this research, I will be working with two different groups at the Federal University of Santa Catarina who specialize in the Brazil-China relationship and international security, Cleveland-Stout says. Cleveland-Stout is a political science major from McMinnville, Oregon. At Colorado College, he has been involved in Model United Nations and the John Quincy Adams Society, a national organization dedicated to advocating for reduced American intervention abroad. He credits his time at Colorado College for preparing him to undergo this program. I really have to specifically thank Dr. Naomi Pueo Wood for creating a vibrant community of people interested in Brazilian culture on campus, Cleveland-Stout says. Because of that, I feel as though I have been able to explore my interest in Brazil more through CC events like Carnaval, capoeira classes, or even just going to a Brazilian restaurant. This award comes years after Cleveland-Stouts introduction to living internationally. During his gap year before college, he underwent a program called Global Citizen Year, during which traveled to Santa Catarina, Brazil, to live with a host family. I think it will be a good mix between new and old experiences, Cleveland-Stout says. Im looking forward to going back. 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. SOHR has reported that a commander of Al-Rahman corps in Eastern Ghouta has been seriously injured and another man when an IED attached to a military vehicle has exploded in Al-Ashrafiyah neighbourhood in occupied Afrin. Yesterday, Syrian Observatory reported that a commander of Al-Hamza Division mercenaries was seriously injured in an assassination attempt by unknown gunmen on motorcycles on Tiranda road in Afrin countryside. A.K ANHA 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 Mi-28NM Havoc is the successor to the Hind Mil Mi-24, which is a vast improvement over the older and large helicopter gunship. It has the same layout as the AH-64 Apache and came into service in the 1980s amid the cold war. But it still can stand toe to toe with NATO tanks and portable missile systems with armor and countermeasures like chaff to draw away INFRARED missiles and electronic scrambling for radar guide missiles. Meet the Soviet Super-Copter Deployed over the Syrian skies, the Night Hunter upgraded to the Mi-28NM called Havoc by NATO, reported View60s. Russia's Izvestia newspaper touted extras on the Havoc to make it a deadly night fighter with advanced sensors. That includes the N025E radar-equipped on export variants, cited the Nationalist Interest. The ball on top of the rotor is an antenna that receives and sends out radar pulses, and it is made up of radio-permeable material. This type of radar setup provides a circular view also and enables receiving a radar image of the landscape, allowing you to hide on uneven terrain behind manmade and natural obstacles while remaining invisible to the enemy. It enables the system to ambush attack enemies when they don't expect it; it weighs in at 9-ton with a top speed of 186 kilometers an hour, with a combat range of 450 kilometers. Mi-28NM Havoc can carry up to 2,300 kilograms with 30-millimeter cannon, armed with 9M120 Ataka anti-tank missiles and rocket pods, cited Army Technology. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President Russia's deployment of forces abroad underlined the Mi-28NM's new engine's ability to function in severe climes. It enables optimal operation in locations with a temperate environment and in desert areas with high heat and high mountain settings, such as in Syria, mentioned Tak Tikz. The attack chopper can connect to a battle network and other units. New electronic systems allow pilots to receive target designations from advanced aircraft designers and intelligence units. Ground forces and the helicopter can increase the effectiveness of interaction with ground forces by attacking detected targets nearly quickly. This system allows a battlefield connected compared to a more analog system before. Russian Attack Helicopters Modernized The Mi-28 and MI-35 series are included in the program are improvements designed expressly for them. Mi-35MV received upgraded armor, engines, and long-range optics, allowing them to detect and destroy targets at any time of day and in any weather from a distance of several kilometers. Helicopters will also receive an electronic warfare system and man-portable air defense systems protection. The new equipment will turn the helicopter into a modern flying airborne assault vehicle. It's worth noting how much of the technology promoted by Izvestia is already in use by Western forces. For example, since the late 1990s, the United States. Radar was installed on the top of the mast of the AH-64D Apache Longbow, and the networking and night operation equipment have been in use for a long time. Mi-28NM Havoc is getting the extras to survive a modern battlefield from the Cold War era it served from. Related Article: China Plans To Build Future Helicopters With More Advanced Technologies Than Super Choppers Built by the US @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 04/28/2022 Photo (c) da-kuk - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 81,202,344 (81,101,687) Total U.S. deaths: 992,798 (991,959) Total global cases: 512,057,112 (511,107,390) Total global deaths: 6,230,152 (6,225,901) Fauci walks back comments on pandemic Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Bidens top health adviser, says comments he made Tuesday about the pandemic are being mischaracterized. Fauci told PBS on Tuesday that the U.S. is "certainly, right now, in this country, out of the pandemic phase." On Wednesday, he told CNN that he didnt mean to say that the pandemic is over, making a distinction between pandemic phase and the pandemic itself. In his clarification, Fauci said the U.S. is in a transition phase. "We're not over the pandemic, Fauci said Wednesday. Don't let anybody get the misinterpretation that the pandemic is over, but what we are in is a different phase of the pandemic." Moderna seeks approval for pediatric vaccinations Moderna has petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of its COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of six months and five years. In its filing, the company said its vaccine was about 51% effective against the Omicron variant in children under two years old. It was less effective 37% in two- to five-year-olds. Researchers say the Moderna vaccine protection is less effective now than it was when it was first released. The dominant strains now are subvariants of the Omicron variant, which more easily evades the bodys immune defense. Dr. Paul Burton, Modernas chief medical officer, said children under six years old who receive two doses should have high levels of protection against severe illness. Denmark shutters its COVID-19 vaccination program Denmark has become the worlds first nation to suspend its vaccination program, at least for the time being. The countrys leaders cite high vaccination rates and a low number of new cases. Denmark's chief physician, Bolette Soborg, said the shutdown is basically just for the summer months. "We plan to reopen the vaccination program in the Autumn, Soborg said. This will be preceded by a thorough professional assessment of who and when to vaccinate and with which vaccines." Around the nation The Israeli Defense Force F-35I Adir flies this variation of the stealth fighter modified for their use only. Arriving at Israel's Nevatim Air Base added up a total of 33, but 17 are expected to be delivered to the IDF. Once the order is complete, there will be a total of 50 operational fifth-generation fighters arming Jerusalem. Israeli Air Force's Special Stealth Fighter Israel, the only F-35 operator in the Middle East, received three of its scheduled order of F-35s in September 2021, reported the View60s. Israel is the first foreign nation to choose the F-35 via the US government's Foreign Military Sales process after the Letter of Agreement was signed more than ten years ago in October 2010. In 2016 and on June 22, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) got the first F-35A at a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas facilities. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) was the first foreign military to consider buying the aircraft. One concern is raised that the stealth capabilities will be partly defeated in about a decade, even with the 30 to 40-year service life. To ensure the fighter could still be effective, Israel sought to develop its electronic warfare system (EWS) for the IDF use only, cited 19FortyFive. Before this, the US was not okay with the changes the IDF wanted; later, the EWS, including sensors and countermeasures, with the US systems. Additional modifications on the Israeli Defense Force F-35I Adir include an IAF-tailored visor display, IDF-specific datalink capability, and other enhancements that improved the F-35's already formidable data gathering and powerful processors. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President The mods on the version of the IAF prompted a name change and added 'I' on the F-351; this would be only a few of the F-35 variants, noted The National Interest. The IAF included the word 'Adir,' which means the mighty one in the Hebrew language. Stealth Fighter Upgrades Israel announced earlier that it would buy more than 100 F-35s modified to IAF specs which would cost more than $5 billion. There are older F-16 that are 50 in all; f-16s are getting obsolete. Based on the procurement negotiations, the 19 delivered first were in the ordinary F-35A variant, but the planes after it will be the 'I' variants of the IAF. IAF has 30 F-35s in service from September 2021 and currently operates three squadrons at Nevatim Air Base, located in the southeast of Be'er Sheva, close to moshav Nevatim. Squadrons with the stealth fighter us the Lions of the South (116 Squadron), which got them first, then the First Jet (117 Squadron) used for training pilots. Last is the Golden Eagle Squadron (140th group); it was reactivated in 2015 to get the Adir. Last May 22, 2018, Major General Amikam Norkin, a commander in the Israeli Air Force, reported to the media a first for any operator of these jets. The plane attacked and destroyed Syrian missile sites in the ground attack role. Another accomplishment is that Adir was used to shooting two Iranian drones in the sky for the first time. As the Middle East heats up, these planes are a game-changer for the IAF. Israeli Defense Force F-35I Adir adds to the capability of their air force using the stealth fighter and its advantages that will be something to reckon with. Related Article: Russia Unleash Mi-28NM Havoc Armored Flying Tank for Attacking NATO Ground Force @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Agesage.jp scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 14 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the agesage homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the agesage homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the agesage 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 agesage homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if agesage has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the agesage homepage on Twitter + the total number of agesage followers (if agesage has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE - DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS , , DVD, OTHER KEYWORDS The title found in the head section of the homepage. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Japanese SHIFT_JISJapanese DETECTED LANGUAGE Japanese Japanese SERVER Apache/2.2.23 (Unix) PHP/5.3.6 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Character set and language of the site. Type of server and offered services. The language of agesage.jp as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) 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 agesage.jp 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 description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who like website 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 type of Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. 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 NOT FOUND Congratulations, lara.gob.ve got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Lara.gob.ve scored 98 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 17 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. lara.gob.ve is very popular in Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. It is liked by 2 people on Facebook, it has 202 twitter shares, it has 18838 twitter followers and it has 7 google+ shares. Furthermore its facebook page has 4445 likes. The total number of people who shared the lara homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the lara homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if lara has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the lara homepage on Twitter + the total number of lara followers (if lara has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the lara homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the lara homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Bienvenidos al Sitio Web de la Gobernacion del Estado Lara DESCRIPTION Gobernacion del Estado Lara KEYWORDS Gobernador, Henri Falcon, Barquisimeto, Lara, Gobierno de Lara, Gobernacion de Lara, Barquisimeto OTHER KEYWORDS estado, del estado, divina pastora, divina, pastora, gobernacin, programa The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. 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 description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Spanish (Spain, International Sort) UTF-8Spanish (Spain, International Sort) DETECTED LANGUAGE Spanish Spanish SERVER Apache/2.2.16 (Debian) (PHP/5.3.3-7+squeeze9) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Operative System running on the server. The language of lara.gob.ve as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. 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 lara.gob.ve 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/pages/Gobernacion-de-Lara/182199611817815 DESCRIPTION http://twitter.com/GobiernoDeLara http://www.youtube.com/GobiernoLara LIKES 4445 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 223 PAGE TYPE Government organization TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. 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/#!/Gobiernodelara DESCRIPTION Cuenta Oficial de la Gobernacio n del Estado Lara. Informacio n sobre actividades ACCOUNT CREATED ON 27 Jan 2011 LOCATION Barquisimeto TWEETS 23488 FOLLOWERS 18838 LISTED 118 Zgywjw.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 20 Jul 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the zgywjw homepage on Twitter + the total number of zgywjw followers (if zgywjw has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the zgywjw homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the zgywjw 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 zgywjw homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if zgywjw has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the zgywjw homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE , DESCRIPTION ZC... KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. 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 URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003 Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. The language of zgywjw.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) 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 zgywjw.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The type of Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. 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. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Bernadette Piachek-Llanes Overview Bernadette Piachek-Llanes has been associated with one company, according to public records. The company was incorporated in Florida, Texas, California, Nevada, and New York ninety-three years ago. Background Report for Bernadette G. Piachek-Llanes Includes Age, Location, Address History for Bernadette G. Piachek-Llanes Includes Age, Location, Address History for Bernadette G. Piachek-Llanes Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records Social Media Profiles Social Media Profiles Possible relatives Possible relatives Full Background Report Get Report Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened the West on Wednesday, threatening "lightning" rapid strikes on any country that "interferes" with Russia's conflict in Ukraine. This week, Russia drew worldwide ire after suggesting that Western support for Kyiv during Russia's 60-day assault may lead to nuclear conflict. Despite requests from countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom to tone down the threatening rhetoric, Putin stepped up the rhetoric on Wednesday. As Russia intensifies its second attack in eastern and southern Ukraine, NATO nations and other allies have committed to continue to defend Ukraine. Defense officials have warned that the combat will be considerably more violent. Vladimir Putin Blames NATO Nations Moscow has defended its special military operation in Ukraine by claiming to attempt to "denazify" particular regions, a claim that Ukraine and the West have dismissed as demonstrably false. Russian forces have failed to make any significant military advances, and Western governments warned this week that they want Russia to fail in Ukraine and be debilitated to the point that it is unable to start another operation, Fox News reported. Putin pledged to complete the special military operation to reclaim Ukrainian land, which Moscow deems to be Russian historically. He criticized NATO and its partners for starting the conflict in Ukraine. He said NATO planned to invade Russia via Ukraine, claiming that the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and the separatist-held eastern Donbas border area would be used as a staging ground. According to Western sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, Russia has made gradual progress in the Donbas area in the east, with minimal advances, including the takeover of villages and small towns south of Izyum and on the outskirts of Rubizhne. According to authorities, the onslaught continues to be hampered by inadequate command, troop and equipment losses, adverse weather, and the fierce Ukrainian opposition. Some Russian forces have been moved from Mariupol, the devastated southern port city, to other areas of the Donbas. However, some people stay in Mariupol to resist Ukrainian soldiers who have taken residence in the Azovstal steel mill, the city's last stronghold. There were about 1,000 people there, along with 2,000 Ukrainian defenders. A Russian munitions storage burned on Wednesday in the Belgorod area, just across the border, after numerous explosions were reported. Authorities in Russia's Voronezh area claimed an air defense system shot down a drone, and explosions were reported near the Ukrainian border in Russia's Kursk region, according to Al Jazeera via MSN. Read Also: Switzerland Blocks German Request for Swiss Made Ammunition Destined for Ukraine, Cites Neutral Status in Hostile Conflicts Russia Plans To Hold "Referendums" in Cities of Ukraine According to the Latvian news portal Meduza, which cites sources close to the Kremlin, Russia plans to stage "referendums" in the eastern Ukrainian towns of Donetsk and Luhansk. The referendums were previously slated for the end of April but will now take place in mid-May. According to sources, a referendum might be held in Kherson, in the south. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the United Kingdom warned last week that Russia was plotting a staged referendum in the Kherson region to establish a land route to Crimea. The Ministry of Defense warned in an intelligence briefing that Russia is arranging a staged referendum in the southern city of Kherson to justify its takeover. The city is crucial to Russia's plan to build a land bridge to Crimea and control southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, the White House pledged today to continue pressing for the unconditional release of a former US soldier who is being held in Russia on spying charges. Paul Whelan, who has British, Canadian, and Irish passports, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage in 2020. He was apprehended red-handed with a computer memory stick holding a list of secret Russian spies, according to police. On the other hand, the former marine pled not guilty, alleging that a sting operation set him up and that the USB drive was supplied to him by someone else. Whelan was recently highlighted by a US-Russia prisoner trade that resulted in the release of Trevor Reed, another former US marine. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, stated that the US would continue to fight for his unconditional release, as per Sky News. Related Article: Moscow Accuses Azov Nazis of Holding Civilians Disrupting Humanitarian Corridor Established in Mariupol While Ukraine Hurls Accusations @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. According to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, President Biden's main medical adviser, the United States has now exited from the full-blown explosive pandemic phase, resulting in almost 1 million fatalities from COVID-19 and more than two years of pain and hardship. Dr. Fauci's comments came a day after he told PBS's 'NewsHour' that the country is no longer in the pandemic phase, and he expanded on and clarified that view Wednesday, saying that the pandemic is not over and that new waves of infections could still occur as the virus mutates and spins off highly transmissible variants. Fauci, Experts Hope To Avoid Another Surge However, Dr. Anthony Fauci and other infectious-disease specialists are optimistic that earlier illnesses and immunizations have given the population enough antibodies to prevent another terrible increase in hospitalizations and fatalities. His remarks come after a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the coronavirus had infected about 3 in 5 persons in the United States. During the winter wave triggered by the Omicron variety, around 1 in 4 persons were infected for the first time. These astounding figures show that the country has far more collective immunity than it had before Omicron. What is less apparent is how long that immunity will last and how new coronavirus types might be able to overcome it, Washington Post reported. The Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 is the most recent form to attract public health specialists' attention. It's gaining a foothold quickly, with the CDC estimating that it's responsible for around 30% of new illnesses as of Tuesday. According to preliminary estimations, it is roughly 25% more transmissible than the Omicron subvariant BA.2, which is itself more transmissible than the original Omicron strain, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. Read Also: 2022 Primary Season Begins In May: Here Are 7 Races To Watch For US Experiences Small Uptick in COVID-19 Cases Although fewer people are dying from COVID-19 now than they were during the majority of the epidemic, the last two months of the virus have been more lethal than most recent flu seasons, with over 400 fatalities per day. Although the coronavirus will not be eliminated, Dr. Anthony Fauci believes that if individuals are vaccinated regularly, maybe once a year, the virus's level in society can be maintained very low. Local health officials are still attempting to get more individuals completely vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 on the ground in the United States, according to CNN. Fauci's upbeat tone contrasted sharply with his severe warnings at the onset of the pandemic when he advised Americans to practice social isolation and masking. Despite this, the nation's top infectious disease expert recently lambasted a Florida federal judge's decision to overturn the Biden administration's decision to extend a regulation requiring masks on public transit. Fauci's remarks come as the United States sees a slight increase in positive COVID-19 infections caused by the virus's BA.2 subvariant. Several politicians, journalists, and government officials in Washington, DC, tested positive for the virus last month after attending numerous meals and gatherings. Meanwhile, Fauci stated earlier this month that the mutation does not appear to be connected with an increase in hospitalizations and severe illness, as per New York Post. Related Article: Biden Administration Wants More COVID-19 Patients Be Treated With Pfizer's Paxlovid As Hundreds Die Daily @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Microsoft conducted a study that found Russia has been using extensive cyberattack operations to support its military strikes on Ukraine since the war started on Feb. 24, a situation that has resulted in fears that the latter's power grid and cellphone system could be cut off. While none of these things happened, the report says that Russia's A-team of hackers conducted hundreds of subtle cyberattacks. The operations were timed to coincide with incoming missile or ground attacks. It suggested that the Russians were less skillful than defending Ukrainians. Russian Cyberattacks Tom Burt, who oversees Microsoft's investigations into the biggest and most complex cyberattacks that are visible through its global networks, said that Moscow brought destructive and espionage efforts. He noted that while Russia had "some success" they were mostly met with a robust defense from Ukraine that blocked some of the online attacks. The report also adds considerable subtlety to an understanding of the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war. At the time, shelling and troop movements were obvious and cyber operations were much less visible, as per the New York Times. The technology company said that at least six different Kremlin-linked hacking groups conducted roughly 240 cyberattacks against Ukrainian targets throughout the invasion. Burt said, "Russia's use of cyberattacks appears to be strongly correlated and sometimes directly timed with its kinetic military operations." Read Also: Old Vladimir Putin Video Threatening of Nuclear War if Russia Gets Attacked Goes Viral: Here's What He Said The recent report is the most comprehensive public record to date covering Russia's hacking efforts amid its war on Ukraine. The details it provides fill in some gaps in the understanding of Moscow's vaunted cyber capabilities and if they have been used during the invasion. According to CNN, Burt, who is also the vice president of Microsoft, cited a cyberattack on a Ukrainian broadcast company that was conducted on Mar. 1. It was on the same day when a Russian missile struck a TV tower in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, and when malicious emails were sent to Ukrainians that falsely claimed their government was "abandoning" them as Russian forces besieged the city of Mariupol. Credibility of Tech Companies Microsoft's report found nearly 40 destructive attacks, 32% of which directly targeted Ukrainian government organizations and 40% were aimed at critical sectors. Burt noted that the cyberattacks have not only degraded the systems of institutions in Ukraine but have also sought to disrupt people's access to reliable information and critical life services. The situation comes as Democrats in the United States are gearing up for an all-out war with some of the country's largest tech companies, including Amazon, Apple, and Google. The situation was caused by a controversial antitrust bill. However, the battle could be a risky move because the three companies employ more than a million people and provide services widely used across the nation. Furthermore, millions of American residents as well as some members of Congress own shares of the companies in their stock portfolios. Big Tech companies also spent $124 million on lobbying and campaign contributions in the 2020 election cycle. The non-profit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen said that it was at a time when Amazon's spending increased by 30%, The Hill reported. Related Article: Russian Diplomat Warns US, NATO of World War III and Nuclear Conflict Amid Bullying @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hacking groups closely linked to the Russian government have made nearly 40 destructive attacks against hundreds of Ukrainian targets since the start of the invasion, according to a report issued by Microsoft. The attacks have been largely, but not exclusively, targeted at Ukrainian government institutions, and Microsoft's report noted that these attacks have had damaging effects on the country's economy and civilian population, in addition to Ukraine's government and military. Operating under the apparent direction of three main groups the GRU military intelligence service, SVR interior ministry and FSB security service Russian-backed hackers undertook a huge range of offensive cyberoperations against Ukraine, ranging from phishing campaigns and misinformation to data theft and the destruction of critical systems, Microsoft said. Energy infrastructure has been a particular target of the hackers, according to Microsoft, which noted that nuclear safety organizations and regional energy providers have been targeted by data theft and system destruction attacks. But the energy sector is far from the only one in the hackers' sights, as media organizations, logistics providers and even, in one case, an agricultural firm were compromised. Pace of cyberattacks expected to quicken Microsoft said that the pace of attacks is likely to quicken as the invasion continues, given Russian President Vladimir Putin's public insistence that the war "would continue until objectives were achieved." A blog post accompanying the report said that the scope of Russia's offensive cyberactivities could even expand as the conflict wears on, noting that there are already indications of retaliatory measures being taken against the numerous countries providing material support to Ukraine. "The alerts published by CISA and other US government agencies, and cyber-officials in other countries, should be taken seriously and the recommended defensive and resilience measures should be taken especially by government agencies and critical infrastructure enterprises," the post said. Actions to protect against Russian cyberattacks The report also included a list of recommended steps for governmental and infrastructure IT security workers. Microsoft urged the adoption of multifactor authentication wherever possible, securing any internet-facing system, implementing an in-depth array of antimalware and endpoint detection solutions, and ensuring the availability of audit functionality for key systems. According to the report, some cyberattacks appeared to have been launched in tandem with real-world Russian attacks in Ukraine, but the exact degree of coordination between the hacking groups and the Russian military is difficult to determine. "[I]t is unclear if there is coordination, centralized tasking or merely a common set of understood priorities driving the correlation," the report said. "At times, computer network attacks immediately preceded a military attack, but those instances have been rare from our perspective." Global cybersecurity authorities have published a joint advisory on the 15 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) most routinely exploited by malicious cyber actors in 2021. The advisory is co-authored by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NZ NCSC), and United Kingdoms National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK). The advisory warned that malicious cyber actors aggressively targeted newly disclosed critical software vulnerabilities against broad target sets, including public and private sector organizations worldwide, last year. Whats more, malicious actors also continued to exploit publicly known, dated software vulnerabilities. Attackers target internet-facing systems with new exploits and dated vulnerabilities Globally, in 2021, malicious cyber actors targeted internet-facing systems, such as email servers and virtual private network (VPN) servers, with exploits of newly disclosed vulnerabilities, the advisory read. For most of the top exploited vulnerabilities, researchers or other actors released proof of concept (POC) code within two weeks of the vulnerabilitys disclosure, likely facilitating exploitation by a broader range of malicious actors, it continued. To a lesser extent, malicious cyber actors also continued to exploit publicly known, dated software vulnerabilities, some of which were routinely exploited in 2020 or earlier, the advisory continued. The exploitation of older vulnerabilities demonstrates the continued risk to organizations that fail to patch software in a timely manner or are using software that is no longer supported by a vendor. The UKs NCSC CEO, Lindy Cameron, said, NCSC and our allies are committed to raising awareness of vulnerabilities and presenting actionable solutions to mitigate them. This advisory places the power in the hands of network defenders to fix the most common cyber weaknesses in the public and private sector ecosystem. 15 most exploited vulnerabilities in 2021 Among the 15 most targeted vulnerabilities of 2021 are infamous exploits Log4Shell, ProxyShell and ProxyLogon, which impact Apache Log4j and Microsoft Exchange Server. Others include vulnerabilities in products from VMware, Fortinet and Pulse Secure. The 15 most targeted vulnerabilities of 2021 were: CVE-2021-44228 (Log4Shell): Remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Apache Log4j CVE-2021-40539: RCE vulnerability in Zoho ManageEngine AD SelfService Plus CVE-2021-34523 (ProxyShell): Elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-34473 (ProxyShell): RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-31207 (ProxyShell): Security feature bypass in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-27065 (ProxyLogon): RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-26858 (ProxyLogon): RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-26857 (ProxyLogon): RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-26855 (ProxyLogon): RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2021-26084: Arbitrary code execution vulnerability in Atlassian Confluence Server and Data Center CVE-2021-21972: RCE vulnerability in VMware vSphere Client CVE-2020-1472 (ZeroLogon): Elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Netlogon Remote Protocol (MS-NRPC) CVE-2020-0688: RCE vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server CVE-2019-11510: Arbitrary file reading vulnerability in Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure CVE-2018-13379: Path traversal vulnerability in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy In this list are three vulnerabilities that were routinely exploited in 2020: CVE-2020-1472, CVE-2018-13379, and CVE-2019-11510. Their continued exploitation indicates that many organizations fail to patch software in a timely manner and remain vulnerable to malicious cyber actors, the advisory stated. To mitigate the risks of falling victim to attacks that exploit such vulnerabilities, the advisory urged organizations to implement vulnerability and configuration management, identity and access management, and protective controls and architecture. You might have missed a poll from Sacred Heart University that showed Gov. Ned Lamont beating GOP challenger Bob Stefanowski by a hefty 18 points, 48 percent to 30 percent, if the election for governor were held today. The online poll, taken between March 24 and April 11 and released last Friday, was not widely reported despite high interest in the election. Thats because the fraternity and sorority of political chatterers and power brokers in Connecticut on both sides and in the middle believe the result is, um, not even close to believable. Most accounts have Lamont slightly ahead of Stefanowski, nothing remotely comfortable despite the advantages of incumbency and a 37percent-to-20 percent Democratic Party registration advantage. Unaffiliateds account for 42 percent of the electorate. So how can a poll by SHU, a generally credible public policy operation, with an established partner, Glastonbury-based GreatBlue Research, turn out a result well into double-digits for Lamont? The answers tell us a lot about polling in the fractured, all-digital, post-pandemic world of 2022. Its extraordinarily hard to reach a representative sample of the population at a slice in time and accurately project their opinions of the actual world. Possible problems First, maybe SHU/GreatBlue is right. Its possible we politicos, a smallish bunch currently enmeshed in a legislative session, are all wrong and Lamonts message about a Connecticut on the rise is reaching voters in a way were missing. Weve all messed up before, notably with the Trump-Clinton election of 2016. Although I called that one correctly, my record is spotty like everyone elses. Inconsistencies point to other problems in the SHU poll of 1,000 Connecticut residents. Its an all-digital poll, meaning respondents were asked to mark up 39 questions without a prompt from a real person, which can cause problems. And it was an existing panel of respondents, basically self-selecting, not a fresh, new, random sample the gold standard. The poll includes 19.7 percent who are not likely voters, by their own account, and yet everyone was invited to opine on who they might vote for in the race for governor. Who cares what non-voters think in an election poll? Not me. The 1,000 respondents were heavily weighted white 80 percent as compared with 69 percent of the states population. It was underweighted for Black people by a couple of points and woefully underweighted for the Hispanic and LatinX population 6.3 percent compared with a reality of 17 percent. When the poll asked who respondents were voting for in the governor race, it did not state the names of Lamont and Stefanowski but they were explicitly listed as the answer options/choices, an executive at GreatBlue told me in an email. That might not be enough of a prompt to separate support from name recognition. In other words, there may be people who will vote for the Republican nominee but who didnt easily identify Stefanowski as that person. The poll shows that 74 percent rated their overall quality of life in Connecticut as good or excellent, up from 69 percent in October, when a similar poll asked the same question. Thats a big number and it raises questions about how an incumbent governor in a strong majority party would only poll 48 percent. It also appears to skew toward New Haven County and underweight unaffiliated voters, which matters, since thats the group both parties are fighting to win. Would those factors tend to make a poll swing incorrectly to Lamont? Maybe, maybe not, but those discrepancies raise questions. Something has to be amiss somewhere and neither SHU nor GreatBlue explained it when I asked. The candidates react Lamont, wisely, told reporters he places no stock in the poll whatsoever. That of course is in keeping with Politics 101 for incumbents seeking reelection, thou shalt disavow all polls publicly. None. None. Seven months is a long way away, Lamont said when asked about the poll. Ive got a lot of work I gotta do between now and then. I did like the fact that theres an uptick in people who have a renewed appreciation for the quality of life in Connecticut. I think thats really important....You see that reflected in some people moving to the state. And he was off and running, talking about the new, improved Connecticut on his watch an allowable reference to polls in the handbook. The Stefanowski camp sees things differently. This from Liz Kurantowicz, Stefanowskis strategy consultant: Even in a significantly flawed survey, the governor still doesnt get 50 percent of the vote and thats because while hes bending over backwards to make people believe his version of the truth, they know Ned Lamont has made Connecticut less affordable and less safe while his administration is mired in scandals. Thats the great thing about polls. Right or wrong, they give us a lot to talk about. Lamont beat Stefanowski by 3 percentage points in 2018 in a high-turnout election. Ben Proto, the Republican state chairman, noted that President Joe Biden fetched a 39 percent approval rating in the poll, which raises questions about Lamonts supposed margin over Stefanowski. To repeat: Maybe Sacred Heart University and GreatBlue are right, that Lamont is on his way to far outperforming the national Democratic Party. The states political observers on both sides are all locked in for a tight race and Lamont is on the air with TV ads seven months out, meaning his camp sees a dogfight, not a walk in the park. Same ending as my earlier column this week about Lamonts and Stefanowskis wildly different views of the Connecticut economy: This is going to be fun. dhaar@hearstmediact.com President Biden has been flirting with the idea of some kind of student debt relief for years. But yesterday, in a closed-doors meeting with Democrats, he gave some indication that real, widespread forgiveness is a real possibility. The Washington Post reports that this likely wont take the form of a complete cancellation of federal student debt. Instead, Biden and lawmakers discussed plans which usually hovered around the $10,000 figure for immediate forgiveness, although he did make a winking reference to pushing the repayment deadline down the road indefinitely, reportedly telling California Rep. Tony Cardenas that he had extended it every time, with a smile. Despite the lack of a concrete proposal and the inevitably tepid nature of whatever Bidens plan turns out to be, the GOP is going absolutely nuts about this, unleashing a flurry of tweets and statements about how they oppose student debt relief (an overwhelmingly popular policy, per recent polling). The arguments come from two equally stupid and contradictory positions. One, represented by far right populists like J.D. Vance, is that forgiving student loans is a massive giveaway to the rich and college-educated elites (like, for instance, venture capitalist and Yale grad J.D. Vance). Forgiving student debt is a massive windfall to the rich, to the college educated, and most of all to the corrupt university administrators of America. No bailouts for a corrupt system. Republicans must fight this with every ounce of our energy and power. J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 27, 2022 The other, represented by centrist GOP dinosaurs like Mitt Romney, is that forgiving student loans is dangerous because it might inspire people to force the rich to pay for other things, like different kinds of debt forgiveness. Would forgiving student loans be good or bad for the rich? Republicans cant decide, only that they dont like it and it should definitely stop. Desperate polls call for desperate measures: Dems consider forgiving trillions in student loans. Other bribe suggestions: Forgive auto loans? Forgive credit card debt? Forgive mortgages? And put a wealth tax on the super-rich to pay for it all. What could possibly go wrong? Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) April 27, 2022 Theres also Jim Jordan, who just said it was dumb. Canceling student loan debt is stupid. Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 27, 2022 Forgiving student loans would help a massive amount of Americans 43 million, per the Department of Education in an immediate and tangible way. Its no secret that the Biden administration is searching for some kind of tentpole achievement they can give midterm candidates, and likely Biden himself in 2024, to run on, and so its no wonder so many Republicans are opposed to him canceling debt. As it stands now, the GOP is sitting in an incredibly good place for both election cycles, as their minority factions in both the House and Senate (the latter in particular) have been incredibly effective at blocking, gutting, or co-opting nearly every major piece of legislation the Biden administration has pushed for. Biden, meanwhile, has been more reluctant than his predecessor to rule by executive action, which would be the primary vehicle for delivering student loan relief if he chooses to do so. And he should: Tuesdays meeting was with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose members pointed out that Latinos in the U.S. are particularly burdened by student debt, with many of them still carrying 80 percent of their balance unpaid after a dozen years, per the Post. Hispanics are also a demographic that the GOP has made marginal gains with, in recent years capitalizing on their general dissatisfaction of Democratic politics. Swift, executive action is one way to win back votes at a time when his party needs them most, but its also a risk, as executive orders are prone to legal challenges and political exploitation if, for instance, the presidents party has messaging problems. Well see if the Biden administration has the guts to make a move. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jasmine Lotts/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Bill Snyder/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 BILOXI, Miss. (AP) The possible suspect in the fatal shooting of the owner and two employees of a Mississippi Gulf Coast motel and subsequent death of a person shot during a carjacking was found dead after a standoff with police Wednesday, authorities said. Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer identified the possible suspect as 32-year-old Jeremy Alesunder Reynolds. Following a warning from state officials, COVID-19 cases increased in Connecticut schools through the past week as students and teachers returned from April break, figures released Thursday show. In the past week, 1,653 cases were reported among students, up from 1,110 the previous week, state data shows. There were 627 cases among teachers and staff in the past week, up from 382 cases the week before. Most districts across Connecticut had April break either last week or the week prior. So the data released Thursday offers the first glimpse of cases since all Connecticut students and staff have returned to the classrooms. Despite the increase, the number of cases among students and teachers remains far lower than figures reported in January during the surge of infections spurred by the omicron variant. Ahead of students returning to the classroom, the states public health and education departments warned school administrators that cases could rise amid a broad increase in COVID-19 infections statewide. Over the past several weeks, COVID-19 transmission rates have been steadily increasing throughout Connecticut and surrounding states. Given these increases, which may be driven in part by recent holidays, school breaks, and associated travel, schools should plan for an increase in COVID-19 cases in their school communities over the next several weeks, the message to school leaders read. Despite maintaining authority to issue a broad school-based mask mandate, state officials remain committed to leaving decisions to local leaders. To date, no districts have instituted mask mandates, despite the rise in cases. The message to school leaders instead focused on reminding districts about proper mitigation strategies that include encouraging frequent testing, hosting vaccination clinics and keeping sick teachers and staff out of school. While no mention was made of reviving mask mandates, the message to school leaders did remind them to support those who choose to still wear a mask. It included a sample letter that districts could send to parents that contained a message urging people to wear masks if they are not feeling well. COVID infections overall remain high across Connecticut. The state reported a seven-day positivity rate of 8.92 percent on Thursday. In the past seven days, the state said 5,531 new COVID-19 cases were found among 62,002 new cases. Hospitalizations increased by a net of 57 patients in the past seven days for a total of 233, the highest figure in several weeks. There were 14 new COVID-19 deaths reported in the past seven days for a total of 10,840. While infections continue to rise, more communities are seeing increased spread of COVID-19. In the past week, 23 more municipalities have been added to the states red zone alert list, bringing the total to 131. For a community to be in the red zone, it has to have more than 15 infections per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. Driving the increase in cases is omicrons BA.2 subvariant, which now accounts for roughly 70 percent of all COVID-19 cases in New England, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Danburys federal prison was thrust into the spotlight this week when a Russian pilot, convicted of conspiring to smuggle drugs into the United States, was released from the facility as part of a high-profile prisoner swap that will free U.S. Marine Trevor Reed. Little is known about who exactly is housed in the federal prison on Route 37. But one of its inmates, 53-year-old Konstantin Yaroshenko, had been the subject of intense diplomatic negotiations for years between two countrie, even recently as they are at odds over the recent invasion of Ukraine. U.S. Attorney's Office Dimitar Dilkoff /AFP / TNS Left: Former Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko at the Republic of Liberia National Security Agency (RLNSA) headquarters on May 30, 2010, in Monrovia, Liberia. (U.S. Attorney's Office) Right: Former Marine Trevor Reed adjusts his face mask while standing inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing at Moscow's Golovinsky district court on July 30, 2020.(Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/TNS) Typically not among the federal penitentiaries to receive much attention, Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury is classified by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons as a low-security facility that houses just about 1,000 inmates. But on Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Yaroshenko, serving a 20-year sentence, had been freed from the facility and will return to Russia. Federal court records also confirmed that Yaroshenko had been housed at the Danbury prison. Danbury officials, including police, were not notified of the release, said John Kleinhans, spokesperson for Mayor Dean Esposito. Federal officials in the U.S. Attorneys office in the Southern District of New York who prosecuted Yarsoshenko, did not respond to a request for comment. Federal officials in Connecticut declined to comment. Yaroshenko was convicted in 2011 after a three-week trial, federal court records show. He was accused of transporting thousand-kilogram quantities of cocaine by air throughout South America, Africa and Europe, federal prosecutors said. Before he was taken into custody, authorities said Yaroshenko was working to expand his operation into the United States, which led to the charges in this country. How Yaroshenko came to be housed in FCI Danbury and why Russia officials keyed in on Yaroshenko is unclear. According to the U.S. Bureau of Prison, it is the agencys sole discretion where inmates are placed after sentencing. Typically, the agency attempts to place inmates within 500 miles of where they will be released, it says. It is not clear where Yaroshenko, who had an anticipated release date of 2027, would have been sent after his sentence was over. The Bureau of Prisons says that it weighs certain other factors including security, program and population concerns when determining where to place inmates. While little has been reported about Yaroshenko ahead of his release in the prisoner swap with Russia, his incarceration was a focus of top authorities in his native country. Russias High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova had asked then-President Donald Trump in 2017 to pardon the ailing Yaroshenko. In my letter, considering the humanitarian side of the issue, I asked the president to release Konstantin Yaroshenko from further serving his sentence, pointing to the length of his imprisonment and the progressive deterioration of his health, a statement from Moskalkova read. However, it appears the pardon was never granted. ABC News reported in 2019 that an attorney for Yaroshenko had heard rumors at the time of a prisoner swap involving Yaroshenko, but had heard similar rumors in the years since his arrest in 2010. Yaroshenkos release this week follows repeated efforts by the Russian pilot to garner release from the Danbury facility and sent home to Russia. He had sought a compassionate release from FCI Danbury in April 2020 based on medical conditions that he claimed would make him vulnerable to COVID-19, court records show. His ailments included arthritis, hypertension and post-traumatic stress, his lawyers wrote in court filings. He had sought instead to be sent home to Russia. The warden of the Danbury prison denied his release, court documents said. In September 2021, a federal judge also denied his request for compassionate release while noting the Danbury prison appears to have effectively contained the virus, a federal court ruling states. The judge also pointed out in the ruling that during sentencing the court referred to his illegal activities as a crime of this colossal size. He had served more than half of his sentence when the Biden administration began negotiating with Russian authorities for a prisoner exchange that would free Reed, reports said. Negotiations continued, despite high tensions between Russia and the United States over the Ukraine invasion, officials said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT A Fairfield man, who gained international notoriety following his arrest for allegedly yelling at and throwing a drink at the teenage employees of a local smoothie shop, was granted a pretrial probation program Thursday. Following a sometimes contentious hearing, Superior Court Judge Peter McShane granted accelerated rehabilitation for 48-year-old James Iannazzo, who became angry on that January day after he said the Fairfield Robeks shop employees made a drink containing nuts for his son who he said suffers from a nut allergy. He will forever be known as the Fairfield Smoothie Guy, said the judge. Thousands and thousands have watched the video, he went viral in a terrible way and thats something he will never fix. Under the program, Iannazzo, who previously pleaded not guilty to second-degree breach of peace, first-degree criminal trespass, and intimidation based on bigotry or bias, will be placed on one year of probation. If he completes that probation without committing a new crime the charges against him will be dismissed. The judge also ordered Iannazzo to make a $500 charitable donation. Iannazzos lawyer, Eugene Riccio, told the judge his client has already completed an anger management program. He had previously been ordered to stay away from the teenagers. But Timothy Aspinwall, the lawyer for one of the smoothie shop employees, vehemently objected to Iannazzo getting AR. He presented the judge with a petition signed by 200 people opposing the program for the defendant. Aspinwall quoted two recent articles on the rise in racism in Connecticut as he continued, he traumatized four high school students and assaulted one of them. Granting AR will send a cold message to the Black and Hispanic members of the community. Aspinwall, who later said he has filed a lawsuit against Iannazzo for one of the shop employees claiming battery and extreme emotional distress, also told the judge he believed the state should have filed more severe charges against Iannazzo. But Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Ann Lawlor said she had reviewed the police report of the incident and found no probable cause that Iannazzo had caused any physical injury to the young women. This was a serious case but the emphasis in the reports is the language that was used which was not acceptable, said Lawlor, who did not object to Iannazzo getting AR. These were young women working in a smoothie shop trying to make money. In the Jan. 22 incident, that was captured on a video that went viral, police said Iannazzo angrily confronted teenage employees at the Robeks shop, accusing them of earlier making a drink containing nuts for his son. The teen was later transported to a hospital after having an allergic reaction, police said. Police said Iannazzo demanded to know who had made the smoothie and became increasingly angry when employees could not respond. He is accused of using expletives and throwing a drink at an employee that hit their right shoulder. Iannazzo also made comments toward an employee referencing their immigration status, police said. Employees told police that Iannazzo had not told them about the peanut allergy, only requesting that no peanut butter was put in his drink. The incident was recorded on an employees phone and later released on social media gaining international attention. Iannazzo, who was fired from his job at Merrill Lynch after the incident, later released two statements apologizing for his actions. Riccio told the judge his client deeply regrets his conduct. Riccio said Iannazzos 17-year-old son collapsed on the floor and stopped breathing after drinking the smoothie. He said an EMT told Iannazzo they needed to know what was in the drink in order to treat the teen. When Iannazzo repeatedly tried to reach the shop by phone with no success, he decided to go to the shop, Riccio told the judge as his client stood beside him crying. But when he got there the teenage employees refused to help him, Riccio said. His emotions then took over, Riccio said. While McShane stated, Hate has no place in Connecticut or anywhere else, he pointed out that the state legislature did not exclude hate crimes from eligibility for accelerated rehabilitation. The situation of having your child unable to breath is sympathetic but his (Iannazzos) reaction to it is not, the judge said. But he added, I find that the defendant is not likely to offend again. We appreciate the courts decision in granting our application in this matter, said Riccio as he and Iannazzo left the Golden Hill Street courthouse. This unfortunate incident posed a significant health threat to a member of my clients family. While my client regrets his actions, the entire circumstances of this incident including, his repeated requests that the beverage not contain any peanuts due to his family members severe allergy, and his inability to obtain any information from the store regarding the contents of the drink places the matter in a more accurate perspective than has previously been portrayed. Amber Heard dated Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk while she was trying to reconcile with Johnny Depp, according to their defamation trial testimony. In pre-recorded deposition testimony aired for the jury in the multi-million dollar trial in Fairfax, Virginia, Christian Carino was asked about Amber Heard and Elon Musk's connection. Elon Musk Refuses To Testify for Amber Heard Against Johnny Depp He was then questioned how long it took him to find out Amber Heard was dating Tesla CEO Elon Musk after he helped arrange a reunion between the two in San Francisco. The court was given several of Carino's communications with Amber Heard, including one in which she expressed her dissatisfaction with her breakup with Elon Musk in 2017. Amber Heard's attorneys informed the jury during opening remarks at the start of the trial that Johnny Depp was obsessed with Elon Musk, prompting the Hollywood star to smirk in return. In his libel trial in the United Kingdom against The Sun tabloid, which he lost in 2020, a text message from Johnny Depp to Carino was discovered, in which he slammed the entrepreneur for his association with Amber Heard and dubbed him 'Mollusk,' as per Independent. Elon Musk will not testify on behalf of Amber Heard's ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in her defamation action, in which she is seeking $50 million in damages. Despite being named as a witness, Musk's attorney, Alex Spiro, confirmed to Fox News Digital that the Tesla CEO will not testify. No more explanations were provided. James Franco, 44, will also not testify in the case. Depp has claimed that Franco was one of Heard's boyfriends when the two were married. Franco paid Heard a visit on May 22, 2016, in the LA penthouse she shared with Depp, according to Heard. The visit happened only one day after Heard and Depp allegedly got into a fight, according to Fox News. Read Also: Elon Musk Twitter Headache: Expert Reveals Major Problem After Tesla Stocks Drop Jury Sees Bodycam Video of LAPD Meanwhile, a court has seen police bodycam evidence of a domestic dispute involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, in which the actor is accused of assaulting her - something the actor has consistently denied. In court today, Johnny Depp chuckled when a doorman testified that Amber Heard had once requested him to look into an intruder because his door had marks on it. "It was her dog," Alejandro Romero stated. During the testimony, Johnny was seen showing his attorneys some drawings he had been creating on a pad with felt tips. Before that, the court was shown the moment LAPD police knocked on Johnny Depp's penthouse door in Los Angeles on May 21, 2016. Police were summoned to the actor's residence after a domestic incident in which he and his now ex-wife Amber Heard, 35, had an altercation in which she claimed assault has been used against her. The video shows Josh Drew, Depp's next-door neighbor who leases the apartment from the start, answering the door. The cops are seen entering the flat and claiming that they had gotten notification of an incident, which is the second time LAPD officers had been dispatched to the location that evening. When asked why he had not filed a report about the incident, Officer Hadden told the court that he did not see any signs of broken glass, damage, or spilled wine during a protective sweep of the penthouse. When asked why he had not filed a report about the incident, the officer told the court that writing a report on a "verbal dispute only" was not common practice, Mirror reported. Related Article: Johnny Depp's Hired Psychologist Determines Amber Heard Has 2 Personality Disorders Leading to Anger Issues @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span was found guilty of murder Thursday and sentenced to life in prison in one of the cases against him after an earlier mistrial. Jurors took about 45 minutes to convict Billy Chemirmir, 49, of capital murder in the March 2018 smothering of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. Prosecutors said that after Chemirmir and Harris were both at the same Walmart, he went to her home, killed her and stole her jewelry. It was Chemirmirs second trial in her death, after the first jury to hear the case deadlocked in November. Prosecutors weren't seeking the death penalty, so state District Judge Raquel Rocky Jones immediately sentenced Chemirmir to life in prison without parole. Chemirmir, who has maintained that hes innocent, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 12 other women in Dallas County and five in nearby Collin County. Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot has said he plans to try Chemirmir for at least one more death. Relatives of those he's accused of killing praised Thursday's verdict at an emotional news conference. "This one conviction represents justice for all of the families, said Shannon Dion, whose 92-year-old mother, Doris Gleason, was killed in 2016. Defense attorney Kobby Warren said during closing arguments that prosecutors hadnt proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Chemirmir was ever at Harris home, calling the states case all bark, no bite. As in the first trial, the defense didn't call any witnesses and Chemirmir did not testify. Prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin told jurors that he gave them more than enough evidence to convict. This is an easy decision, mainly because we bit so much off, said Fitzmartin, who noted that when Chemirmir was arrested, he had Harris jewelry and the keys to her home. Jurors also saw surveillance video of Harris and Chemirmir at the same Walmart on the day she was found dead. Though Chemirmir was being tried this week only in Harris death, prosecutors also presented evidence to jurors about an attack that 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel survived the day before Harris was killed and the killing of 87-year-old Mary Brooks about six weeks earlier. Chemirmir was arrested the day after Bartel said a man forced his way into her apartment and held a pillow over her face. Fitzmartin said police subsequently found that a few days earlier there had been a report of a suspicious person at the independent living community where she lived. A license plate number led officers to Chemirmir. Police detectives testified about going to Chemirmirs nearby apartment complex and watching as he drove into the parking lot. Detectives said he threw items into a dumpster and then, as they got him out of his vehicle, he was holding jewelry and cash in his hand. Police have said that a large red jewelry box in the dumpster contained documents that led them to Harris home. They found her dead in her bedroom, lipstick smeared on her pillow. The number of people Chemirmir was accused of killing grew as authorities reinvestigated deaths previously thought to be natural. Most of the people were found dead in their apartments at independent living communities for older people, where Chemirmir has been accused of forcing his way into apartments or posing as a handyman. Some lived in private homes, including Harris and the widow of a man Chemirmir had cared for in his job as an at-home caregiver. M.J. Jennings, whose 83-year-old mother, Leah Corken, was killed in 2016, said she hoped the conviction would be the first step of healing for all of these families. Bartel died in 2020, but jurors heard a taped deposition of her describing opening her door the day she was attacked. She said she immediately focused on green rubber gloves the person was wearing, and tried to push the door shut but was overpowered. He said: Dont fight me, lie on the bed, Bartel said. She said her attacker slammed the pillow to her face and used all his weight to keep me from breathing. She said she couldnt remember details about the mans appearance. Bartel, who lost consciousness, later discovered she was missing her wedding band, diamond engagement ring and other jewelry. Prosecutors presented evidence that Chemirmir listed jewelry belonging to Bartel and Brooks for sale online. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate State utility regulators are ending a nine-year program that incentivized Connecticut homeowners to switch to natural gas. Connecticuts Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on Wednesday issued its 28-page ruling, giving the states three natural gas utilities 90 days to end the conversion incentives. In its written ruling, PURAs commissioners concluded the incentive program no longer furthers the states overall climate and energy goals .... (and) is no longer in the best interest of ratepayers. When it was first approved in 2013, the program was supposed to extend until the end of 2023. At the time, state environmental officials and the natural gas companies argued the cheaper natural gas prices would benefit consumers and warranted the conversion incentives and extending natural gas distribution networks into areas that were previously not served. But natural gas prices have since increased and the program struggled to find consumers willing to convert. Although the growth rate of new customers has declined for all three ... the average cost to connect new services has increased significantly, since the start of the program, PURAs ruling said. Mitch Gross, a spokesperson for Eversource Energy, said company officials were reviewing PURAs ruling. Gross said 38,189 customers in the companys natural gas service territory have switched since 2013. We recognize things have evolved since the System Expansion Plan was created and are looking at ways to ensure a seamless and equitable transition for our customers, he said. We look forward to working with our regulators and other partners to help Connecticut reach our shared goals for a cleaner energy future. Eversource provides natural gas to 249,000 customers in 74 communities. Officials with Orange-based Avangrid, which operates Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, could not immediately be reached for comment on PURAs ruling or to provide data on how many customers they have added since the program started. Representatives of a state home heating oil dealer trade group and a environmental policy organization praised PURAs ruling. Chris Herb, president of the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, blamed officials with the states Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for backing the plan during the administration of then-Gov. Dannel Malloy. Government cant legislate energy: Some of the same people who supported it then are still there today, Herb said. DEEP was wrong on the natural gas conversion plan and (Wednesdays) decision confirms it. Unfortunately, thousands of consumers were fleeced by the states promise of a clean, cheaper, and more reliable energy source, only to find out nearly a decade later that natural gas was dirty, more expensive, and unreliable. Shannon Laun, a staff attorney with the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation, said PURAs ruling is a huge step toward getting polluting, dirty fossil fuels out of our homes. Unfortunately, PURA is giving gas companies a grace period to sign up more customers for the incentive program, Laun said. The more new customers were allowing to be put natural gas, the more problems were going to have down the line. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A Superior Court jury has ordered Stamford Hospital to pay $12.5 million to the family of a Westport man who died following thigh surgery at the hospital in 2015. Following a trial, the 6-member jury found that an orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, Dr. Edward Feliciano, deviated from acceptable standards of care and caused the death of 63-year-old Keith Gilmore. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is appealing his conviction for murder in the killing of George Floyd, arguing that jurors were intimidated by the protests that followed and prejudiced by heavy pretrial publicity. Chauvin asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals in a court filing Monday to reverse his conviction, reverse and remand for a new trial in a new venue, or order a resentencing. Last June, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 1/2 years in prison after jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pinned the Black man to the ground with his knee on his neck for 9 minutes, 29 seconds. Floyd had been accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a convenience store. Three other fired officers face state trial this summer after being convicted in federal court earlier this year of violating Floyd's civil rights. Chauvins attorney, William Mohrman, laid out a number of challenges to his conviction, including that the trial should not have been held in Hennepin County, where Floyd was killed. The overwhelming media coverage exposed the jurors literally every day to news demonizing Chauvin and glorifying Floyd which was more than sufficient to presume prejudice, the brief said. In the months that followed Floyd's killing, protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and around the country to protest police brutality and racism. Some of that unrest was violent. Mohrman said several potential jurors expressed concerns during jury selection that if Chauvin was acquitted they would fear for their personal safety and worried about more violence. He said several of them said they were intimidated by the security measures implemented at the courthouse to protect trial participants from protesters. The filing also cited the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by a police officer in nearby Brooklyn Center that sparked mor protests during Chauvin's trial. It says jurors should have been sequestered after selection to avoid being prejudiced by reports of that slaying. It also cited a $27 million settlement reached between the city and Floyd's family that was announced during jury selection, saying the timing of that prejudiced jurors in the case. Mohrman cited several instances of alleged prosecutorial misconduct, claiming untimely sharing of evidence, failure to disclose and document dumping by the government. The filing also says the judge did not apply the sentencing guidelines correctly and should not have included abuse of a position of authority as an aggravating sentencing factor for the former police officer. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has 45 days to respond to Chauvins brief. The appeal came as the Minnesota Department of Human Rights released the results of a nearly two-year investigation launched after Floyd's slaying. It found the Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least a decade, including stopping and arresting Black people at a higher rate than white people, using force more often on people of color and maintaining a culture where racist language is tolerated. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New Yorks highest court on Wednesday rejected new congressional maps that had widely been seen as favoring Democrats, largely agreeing with Republican voters who argued the district boundaries were unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The decision may delay New Yorks primary elections by as much as two months and is likely a hammer-blow to Democrats national redistricting hopes, which leaned heavily on their ability to gerrymander New York state to maximize the number of seats they could win in the U.S. House of Representatives. The states Court of Appeals said the Democratic-led Legislature lacked the authority to redraw congressional and state Senate maps after an independent redistricting commission charged with crafting new maps failed to reach a consensus. The judges also said lawmakers gerrymandered the congressional maps to Democrats favor, in violation of a 2014 constitutional amendment designed to rout out political gamesmanship in redistricting. The Appeals Court handed authority to draw new district maps to an expert, known as a special court master, instead of the Legislature. Prompt judicial intervention is both necessary and appropriate to guarantee the Peoples right to a free and fair election, said the courts opinion, written by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore. The ruling didnt specify a deadline for the adoption of new maps. But the judges said they were sending the matter to a lower state court, which shall adopt constitutional maps with all due haste. It will likely be necessary, DiFiore wrote, to move the congressional and state Senate primary elections from June 28 to August, to give time for the maps to be redrawn and for candidates and elections officials to adapt their plans. The state elections board said it didnt anticipate that the primary date would change for other races, including governor and assembly. The decision comes as a major blow to Democrats in their struggle to prevent Republicans from retaking control of the U.S. House. Because of new population data from the 2020 census, New York is set to lose one seat in Congress in 2021. The maps devised by the Legislature would have given Democrats a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of the states 26 congressional districts. Right now, Republicans currently hold eight of the states 27 seats. Democrats hoped a redistricting map favorable to their party in New York might help offset expected losses in other states where Republicans control state government. While we are disappointed with the Courts ruling, we remain confident in Democratic victories up and down the ballot this November," said Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the New York Democratic Party. Former New York Republican Rep. John Faso called it a landmark decision" and told reporters on a call Wednesday evening that the ruling is a signal to future legislatures to follow the letter of the states voter-approved redistricting law. Itll force bipartisan cooperation and thats what the people voted for," he said. Under a process passed by voters in 2014, New Yorks new district maps were supposed to have been drawn by an independent commission. But that body, made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans, couldnt agree on one set of maps. The Democratic-controlled Legislature then stepped in and created its own maps, quickly signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat. The appeals court, made up of judges appointed entirely by Democratic governors, sided with the Republican plaintiffs who argued the Legislature sidestepped the process set forth in the 2014 reforms, including a provision in the state constitution barring the redrawing of districts for partisan gain. The legislature responded by creating and enacting maps in a nontransparent manner controlled exclusively by the dominant political party doing exactly what they would have done had the 2014 constitutional reforms never been passed, DiFiore wrote. Four out of seven judges on the Court of Appeals joined in the majority opinion, with a fifth agreeing that the Senate and congressional maps were unconstitutional on procedural grounds. Attorneys for Democrats argued the Legislature was legally allowed to craft its own maps when the redistricting commission failed to reach a consensus. Democrats also said their maps reflected population shifts and united similar geographic and cultural communities, split apart by earlier rounds of gerrymandering. But the judges took Democrats to task for crafting maps that reduced the number of competitive districts, and for asking the court to essentially nullify the 2014 reforms. In the majority opinion, DiFiore said upholding the tainted process would only encourage partisans involved in the Independent Redistricting Commission process to avoid consensus in the future, too, thereby permitting the legislature to step in and create new maps merely by engineering a stalemate at any stage of the IRC process. Two lower-level courts had also ruled the maps were unconstitutional and gave the Legislature an April 30 deadline to draw new maps or else leave the task to a court-appointed expert. That deadline has now been set aside. In the meantime, candidates have already begun campaigning in the new districts, despite being unsure whether those districts will still exist by the time voting begins. ___ Associated Press writer Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) A woman arrested in the kidnapping of a 3-month-old baby from his San Francisco Bay Area home is a friend of the family and was present when a man abducted the baby while his grandmother unloaded groceries, police said Wednesday. Yesenia Ramirez, 43, had driven the child and his grandmother on a shopping trip and had been communicating with Jose Portillo before he entered the second floor San Jose apartment and took the baby Monday, San Jose Police Sgt. Christian Camarillo said. A motive for the kidnapping is still under investigation, Camarillo said. Portillo, 28, was captured on surveillance video carrying a baby car seat and a small blanket and walking toward the apartment, he said. It was a clear indication that this was planned, premeditated, Camarillo said. Little Brandon Cuellar was found unharmed Tuesday inside a home where Portillo lived after detectives located a van they believed had been used in the kidnapping. The baby was taken to a hospital to be checked and reunited hours later with his mother, who was working at the time of the abduction. Another man, Baldomeo Sandoval, 37, was also arrested. Camarillo said Sandoval played a role in the kidnapping but gave no other details. The relationship among the three suspects was not disclosed to maintain the integrity of the investigation, Camarillo said. All three have been charged with kidnapping and are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. It was not immediately known if they have an attorney who can speak on their behalf. The baby's father is incarcerated and police don't believe he played a role in his child's abduction, Camarillo said. WESTPORT Some elementary schools in town are looking to create outdoor classrooms, making them among the first in the state to get learning spaces like this, officials said. The proposal would add a set learning space in the courtyard at Kings Highway school with a covering to protect from the elements thats 30 feet by 40 feet and 12 feet tall. There would also be flooring, outdoor seating and a variety of learning materials, including possibly an art station, greenhouse, sensory station, projector and an outdoor library. During the school year, this can serve as an outside classroom in a quiet and safe location, Tracey Carbone, Kings Highways principal, said at a recent school board meeting. It would cost about $55,000 for the whole project. School officials hope to use federal money awarded to Westport under the American Rescue Plan Act for the covering and flooring which would cost about $43,000 with $38,000 or so for the covering alone. The material for the covering lasts about 10 years and can be replaced, officials said. School officials have already requested ARPA money from the town for playgrounds at the middle schools and a ropes course at the high school. Superintendent Thomas Scarice said this project aligns with the districts plan to use the federal money for outdoor learning. He said school officials had originally looked at having outdoor classrooms like this at all five elementary schools but questioned if it was worth the investment for Long Lots, with the board currently deciding whether to replace or renovate the building. Theres a chance Greens Farm might have a similar project come before the board on Monday. Officials are looking at other projects at the remaining elementary schools. Its disappointing that only one elementary school after all this time has come forward with a concrete proposal, said board member Robert Harrington. Kings Highway started working on the idea in August, even before the federal money was available, with the plan to raise funds for the effort. The Parent Teacher Association is still contributing to the project. Its raising the other $12,000 for the Kings Highway project to cover the learning equipment, shed to store supplies and other aspects of the project, including permit fees. Other PTAs have done similar outdoor projects at the other elementary schools. Our PTA has been working really hard to raise money for the materials inside, Carbone said. Obviously this is something that we start with and build over the years as we start to use it more. The goal is to install the outdoor classroom this summer so its ready for next school year, she said. The space could be used for classes, group work and meetings. It could also be used by the summer camps when school isnt in session. It would not just be for Kings Highway, but were seeing it as a community space as well, Carbone said. She said research shows the benefits of outdoor learning, including activity breaks. There are also hopes to create sensory pathways on the existing sidewalks later. You often think of the outside for science lessons, but if you read more about it, it can really be used for any subject, Carbone said. ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) _ AvalonBay Communities Inc. (AVB) on Wednesday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results met Wall Street expectations. The Arlington, Virginia-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $316.9 million, or $2.26 per share, in the period. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of $2.26 per share. Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization. The company said it had net income of $262 million, or $1.87 per share. The apartment building owner posted revenue of $613.9 million in the period, missing Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $615.4 million. For the current quarter ending in July, AvalonBay expects its per-share funds from operations to range from $2.25 to $2.37. Analysts surveyed by Zacks had forecast adjusted FFO per share of $2.34. The company expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $9.38 to $9.78 per share. The company's shares have decreased almost 5% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P's 500 index has dropped 12%. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $240.78, an increase of 23% in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AVB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AVB This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday that Ukraine risks provoking World War III and said the threat of a nuclear conflict should not be underestimated. In an in-depth Russian TV interview, Lavrov blamed Ukraine for stalled talks between the two countries, and accused the United States and Britain of pressuring Kyiv not to reach agreement. Everyone is reciting incantations that in no case can we allow World War III, Lavrov said, and accused Ukrainian leaders of provoking Russia by asking NATO to become involved in the conflict. By providing weapons, NATO forces are pouring oil on the fire, he said, according to a Russian transcript on the Russian Foreign Ministrys website. Lavrov apparently made the remarks after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States wants to see Russia weakened to the point where it cant do things like invade Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that only discussions between Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would bring resolution. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: US promises new aid to Ukraine in fight against Russia To Europes relief, Frances Macron wins but far-right gains Russian officer: Missile to carry several hypersonic weapons Follow all AP stories on Russia's war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: NEW YORK The Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera are organizing a Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra to tour Europe and America from July 28 to Aug. 20. The orchestra is to gather in Warsaw on July 18 for rehearsals and will include musicians from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa plus Ukrainian members of European orchestras, the companies said Monday. Keri-Lynn Wilson, a Canadian-Ukrainian conductor who is married to Met general manager Peter Gelb, will lead musicians who include members of the Kyiv National Opera, National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra and Kharkiv Opera plus the Tonkunstler Orchestra of Vienna, the Belgian National Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The tour will open at Teatr Wielki, the Polish National Opera, on July 28 and include a televised performance at the BBC Proms in London on July 31. That will be followed by stops at the Choregies dOrange Festival in France (Aug. 2); Berlin (Aug. 4); Edinburgh, Scotland (Aug. 6); Snape Maltings in England (Aug. 8); Amsterdam (Aug. 11); Hamburg, Germany (Aug. 13); New York (Aug. 18 and 19), and Washington (Aug. 20). __ KYIV, Ukraine Ukraines foreign minister on Monday urged the U.N. chief to press Russia for an evacuation of the besieged port of Mariupol, calling it something the world body is capable of achieving. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press in an interview he was concerned that by visiting Moscow on Tuesday before traveling to Kyiv, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could be vulnerable to falling into a Kremlin trap in the war. Kuleba said Guterres should focus primarily on one issue: evacuation of Mariupol. An estimated 100,000 people are trapped in the seaside city while a contingent of Ukrainian fighters hold out against Russian forces in a steel mill where hundreds of civilians also are taking shelter. __ MARIUPOL, Ukraine Officials in the embattled Ukrainian city of Mariupol say a new mass grave has been identified north of the city. Mayor Vadym Boychenko said authorities are trying to estimate the number of victims in the grave about 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) north of Mariupol. Satellite photos released over the past several days have shown what appear to be images of other mass graves. Mariupol has been decimated by fierce fighting over the past two months. The capture of the city would deprive Ukraine of a vital port and allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014. __ ZAGREB, Croatia Moscow is accusing Croatia of having an anti-Russian policy for failing to provide humanitarian passage for 24 Russian diplomats and embassy staff who were expelled from the country over the war in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Monday that the government of Croatia is systematically destroying bilateral relations, according to the Russian TASS news agency. The inhumane, cynical attitude towards our fellow countrymen wont go without an answer, she added. Croatia has followed several other European Union states in expelling Russian diplomats for the bloody Russian invasion of Ukraine. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Monday that Zakharovas claims are Russian propaganda and that the expelled Russians already left the country, probably via neighboring Serbia. He added that Russia attacked Ukraine, which is our friendly country, killed women and children and we responded to it like most other countries. ___ UNITED NATIONS The U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are stressing the urgent need for effective access through humanitarian corridors to evacuate Ukrainian civilians and deliver humanitarian aid to communities impacted by the war. Guterres met Erdogan on Monday in Ankara and expressed support for Turkeys ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that they agreed to stay in contact to follow up on ongoing initiatives. The U.N. chief and the Turkish president reaffirmed that their common objective is to end to the war as soon as possible and to create conditions to end the suffering of civilians, Dujarric said. During the meeting, Erdogan also said Turkey would continue to work closely with the U.N. to end the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and to help in the evacuation of civilians, . Guterres is scheduled to travel to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and will then head to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. The Ukrainian leader has criticized the secretary-general for visiting Moscow before going to Kyiv. ___ LONDON The British government says it believes 15,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion two months ago. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said 25% of the Russian combat units sent to Ukraine have been rendered not combat effective, and Russia had lost more than 2,000 armored vehicles and more than 60 helicopters and fighter planes. Russia has acknowledged 1,351 military casualties. Wallace said Russia had failed in most of its military objectives so far. He told British lawmakers that we anticipate this next phase of the invasion will be an attempt by Russia to occupy further the Donbas in order to connect it via Mariupol to Russian-controlled Crimea. He said international aid and weapons are crucial to help Ukraine withstand the anticipated onslaught. Wallace said Britain had sent more than 5,000 antitank missiles, as well as air-defense systems and anti-air missiles, and would soon send a small number of Stormer armored vehicles equipped with missile launchers. ___ STOCKHOLM Two newspapers - one Swedish, the other one Finnish - are reporting that the governments of Sweden and Finland have agreed to submit NATO applications at the same time and that it will happen in the middle of next month. The Finnish newspaper Iltalehti said that the Swedish government has expressed a wish to Finland that they apply together in the week ending May 22, and Swedish government sources confirmed the information to Swedens Expressen tabloid. Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to growing support in Sweden and Finland, a Russian neighbor, for joining NATO. Though not members, both Nordic countries closely cooperate with NATO, allowing, among other things, the alliances troops to exercise on their soil. Helsinki and Stockholm have also substantially intensified their bilateral defense cooperation in the past years. ___ WASHINGTON -- The U.S. State Department says it has approved the sale of $165 million in legacy Warsaw Pact ammunition and other non-standard ammunition to Ukraine to help in its defense against Russia. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved the potential sale and has provided the legally required notification to Congress. Lawmakers can block weapons sales but are unlikely to do so because of strong support for Ukraine following the Feb. 24 invasion. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe, the State Department said in announcing the potential sale Monday. The sale came at the request of Ukraines government and includes rounds for mortars, automatic grenade launchers and howitzers. ___ Russia is expelling 40 German diplomats in response to Germany expelling the same number of Russian diplomats earlier this month. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that it had summoned German ambassador Geza Andreas von Geyr for a strong protest at the clearly unfriendly decision to expel the Russian diplomatic staff. The ministry said von Geyr was told that 40 members of staff at German diplomatic missions in Russia would be officially declared unwelcome in Russia. Germany announced the expulsion of 40 Russian diplomats on Apr. 4 following mounting evidence of civilian killings and mass graves in Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Environmental campaigners have used kayaks and a dinghy to stop a Russian oil tanker from unloading its cargo south of Norways capital, saying Norwegian companies are financing Russias warfare. Greenpeace says its members chained themselves to the Hong Kong-registered Ust Luga, leased by Russian oil company Novatek, as it arrived at its destination, an Essos terminal near Toensberg. The tanker with 95,000 tonnes of fuel had left St. Petersburg. Esso spokeswoman Anne Fougner told Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet that the oil had been bought before Russia invaded Ukraine. She added that Esso Norway does not have other contracts for the purchase of products from Russia. Several other activists were stopped by police before they could take part in the action, Norwegian news agency NTB reported. ___ THE HAGUE, Netherlands The International Criminal Courts prosecution office is joining a joint investigation team set up by Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland to probe atrocities committed during the war in Ukraine. The ICCs Prosecutor Karim Khan signed an agreement Monday to participate in the multinational effort that aims to facilitate investigations and cooperation. Eurojust, the European Unions judicial cooperation agency, says the agreement sends a clear message that all efforts will be undertaken to effectively gather evidence on core international crimes committed in Ukraine and bring those responsible to justice. Khan said last month he was opening an investigation in Ukraine and has sent investigators there and visited crime scenes himself. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian authorities say at least five people have been killed by Russian strikes on the central Vynnytsia region. The Vynnytsia regional prosecutors said another 18 people were wounded in Mondays Russian missile strikes on the towns of Zhmerynka and Koziatyn. Vinnytsia regional Governor Serhiy Borzov said earlier that the Russian missiles targeted critical infrastructure, but didnt elaborate. The Vynnytsia region is fully controlled by Ukraine and is far behind the front lines. ___ KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraine has said the United Nations should step in to oversee an evacuation route for civilians from the besieged steel mill in Mariupol which is Ukrainian troops last stronghold in the port city. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on the Telegram messaging app that a Russian announcement of a humanitarian corridor out of the Azovstal plant to operate later Monday was not agreed to by Ukraine. Vereshchuk added that Ukraine does not consider the route safe for that reason and said Russia had breached agreements on similar evacuation routes before. Ukrainian officials have said that up to 1,000 civilians have sheltered at the sprawling steel plant. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres is scheduled to visit Russia and Ukraine this week. Vereshchuk called on Guterres to be the initiator and guarantor of a humanitarian route out of Azovstal and for U.N. and International Committee of the Red Cross personnel to accompany any evacuees. ___ MOSCOW Russias Energy Ministry says a massive fire at an oil depot in western Russia will not cause fuel shortages. The ministry said in a statement that Mondays fire inflicted damage to a depot containing diesel fuel in Bryansk, and authorities are dealing with the consequences of the blaze. The ministry said fuel supplies to consumers havent been interrupted and noted that the region has enough diesel fuel for 15 days. The Emergencies Ministry said earlier that a huge blaze erupted overnight at the depot owned by Transneft-Druzhba, a subsidiary of the Russian state-controlled company Transneft, which operates the western-bound Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline carrying crude to Europe. It wasnt immediately clear what caused the blaze, and whether it could affect deliveries to Europe. ___ MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. and its allies of trying to split Russian society. Speaking Monday at a meeting with top officials at the Prosecutor Generals office, Putin said Russia has come under unprecedented Western sanctions amid its military action in Ukraine. He charged that the U.S, and its allies have sought to split the Russian society and to destroy Russia from within, adding that their plans have failed. Putin urged Russian prosecutors to act more quickly to block unsanctioned demonstrations organized from abroad. He also noted that they should focus on exposing open provocations against the Russian military allegedly involving international media and social platforms. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as encouraging and effective. Speaking in Mondays video address, he said the U.S. is offering powerful support to his country. Zelenskyy added that they agreed on further steps to strengthen the armed forces of Ukraine and meet all the priority needs of our army. He noted that ramping up sanctions against Moscow also was on the meetings agenda. Blinken and Austin said the United States had approved a $165 million sale of ammunition for Ukraines war effort, along with more than $300 million in foreign military financing. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine would expect the United States to lead other allies in offering a set of security guarantees in the future. The Ukrainian president also denounced Russia for launching strikes on Orthodox Easter Sunday, describing them deliberate destruction of life in Ukraine. ___ MOSCOW The Russian military says it will open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to evacuate from the besieged steel plant in Mariupol. The Russian Defense Ministry said a humanitarian corridor will open at 2 p.m (1100 GMT) Monday for all civilians to leave the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. It said Russian troops will cease fire to allow civilians to safely exit the plant. The mammoth steel plant, which has a sprawling maze of underground channels. has remained the last bulwark of Ukrainian resistance in the strategic Sea of Azov port city. Ukrainian officials have said that up to 1,000 civilians have sheltered there. They have repeatedly urged Russia to offer them a safe exit. ___ MOSCOW Russian authorities say a fire has engulfed an oil storage facility in western Russia. The Emergencies Ministry said a huge blaze at the depot in the city of Bryansk erupted early Monday. Its cause wasnt immediately clear. The oil depot is owned by Transneft-Druzhba, a subsidiary of the Russian state-controlled company Transneft that operates the western-bound Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline carrying crude oil to Europe. It wasnt clear if the depot was part of the pipeline infrastructure and whether the blaze could affect the deliveries. Russian news reported that another oil storage facility in Bryansk also caught fire early Monday, and that the cause wasnt immediately known. Bryansk is located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the border with Ukraine, where Moscow has waged a military campaign for two months. Last month, two Ukrainian helicopter gunships hit an oil reservoir in Russias Belgorod region that borders Ukraine, causing a fire. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian officials say the Russian military has unleashed a series of strikes on the countrys railways. Lviv region Governor Maksym Kozytskyy said a Russian missile hit a railway facility in Krasne, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Lviv, early Monday, sparking a fire. Oleksandr Kamyshin, the head of the state-run Ukrainian Railways, said a total of five rail facilities in central and western Ukraine have been hit by the Russian strikes. He said the attacks have delayed at least passenger 16 trains. There was no immediate information about the damage from the strikes. ___ NEAR THE POLISH-UKRAINIAN BORDER U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Russia is failing in its war aims after invading Ukraine on Feb. 24. Following meetings Sunday in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Blinken told reporters in Poland on Monday that, with Russia having pulled back its troops from around Kyiv and the north of Ukraine to focus on the eastern Donbas region, When it comes to Russias war aims, Russia is failing, Ukraine is succeeding. In footage of the meeting later released by the Ukrainian presidency, Blinken praised the extraordinary courage and leadership and success that youve had in pushing back this horrific Russian aggression. We got used to seeing you on video around the world, but its great, its good to see you in person, Blinken said with a smile. Austin said that the world has been inspired by Ukraine in the war and that America would continue its support. Boeing CEO David Calhoun on Wednesday revealed that the aerospace company received a massive $1.1 billion from its Air Force One deal with former United States President Donald Trump. Calhoun said he regretted the agreement and should not have accepted it, saying it was a one-off that he hoped would not be repeated. "Air Force One, I'm just going to call a very unique moment, a very unique negotiation. A very unique set of risks that Boeing probably shouldn't have taken. But we are where we are," he said. Boeing's $1.1 Billion Loss The aerospace company made the deal with the Trump administration in 2018 after the Republican businessman criticized the program's costs. The former president wrote "Cancel order!" and continued his tough rhetoric on China that risked consequences for Boeing and many other U.S. exporters. The Boeing CEO spoke during the company's quarterly earnings call where he promised investors a "very different philosophy" to fixing in advance the price for military projects. The company agreed to a fixed $3.9 billion price tag with the Trump administration but later encountered issues and higher costs that threatened to delay delivery of the two 747 jets until the end of 2026, as per CNN. Calhoun associated $660 million of the losses with delays and higher costs for the Air Force One program. In a securities filing, the aerospace company said that risks remain that they may be required to record additional losses in future periods within the program. Read Also: US Recession 2022: Deutsche Bank Economists Warn of 'Worse Than Expected' Economic Hit The deal requires Boeing, not the federal government, to eat any overruns in the cost of modifying the two Boeing 747 jets. Under the fixed-price contract, the aerospace company was set to deliver the two planes in 2024. However, a recent Air Force budget proposal from earlier this month suggested that the delivery will not be expected until 2026. According to CNBC, at the time the deal was agreed to, Trump bragged about it, saying, "Boeing gave us a good deal. And we were able to take that." The aerospace company spoke favorably about the deal four years ago. In February 2018, the company posted on Twitter saying that it was proud to bear the responsibility of building the next generation of Air Force One and provide American presidents with a flying White House. Trump's Air Force One Deal A Boeing spokesperson said that CEO Calhoun's remarks on Wednesday referred specifically to problems with fixed-price contracts in general. The official refused to answer questions that asked whether or not the CEO was directly blaming former President Trump. He said that Calhoun's comments spoke for themselves. The deal was made under then-CEO Dennis Muilenburg before Calhoun took over in January 2020 due to his predecessor's retirement. The managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, Richard Aboulafia, said that Calhoun should not be blaming Trump for Boeing's current predicament. He said that there was absolutely no evidence or indication that Trump's Air Force One maneuver is the cause of Boeing's problems. Aboulafia noted that the budget for the program has remained the same and argued that blaming the former administration was done to make the situation less of a fault of the aerospace company, Politico reported. Related Article: Judge Finds Donald Trump in Contempt; Ex-POTUS Faces $10,000 Fine Per Day Amid Subpoena Fight with NY AG Letitia James @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. FAIRFIELD Dr. Leon Chameides remembers fleeing east to modern-day Ukraine in the wake of the German invasion into Poland something he said is reminiscent of scenes playing out on in the news today. I dont need to describe the scene to you, because all of you have been watching TV, Chameides, a Holocaust survivor and current West Hartford resident, said speaking of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and of families fleeing west. This was the same. Chameides was one of several Jewish childrens experiences during the Holocaust described at the 37th annual Holocaust commemoration on Wednesday. The stories of the victims of the Holocaust began being told before the event even formally began, with a piece of paper handed out at the front door of the First Church Congregational that detailed the short life of Jan-Peter Pfeffer. He was born in Amsterdam in 1934 to Jewish parents who fled Germany because they were frightened by the Nazi dictatorship. He lived in the Netherlands even after Germany occupied the country in 1940. The Pfeffers were sent to a ghetto called Theresienstadt, and later to the Auschwitz concentration camp. He was killed by gas on July 11, 1944 at the age of 10. Adele Jacobs, the chair of the Holocaust Commemoration Committee, said she is the daughter of two Holocaust survivors. Even more than coming together to remember the victims of the genocide, she said people need to think about how the world stood silent to the horror stories coming out of Europe and did nothing. Jacobs told the story of Shlomo and Akiva Oksenhendler, two young boys who lived in Poland with their parents and five siblings who affectionately nicknamed them Shlomele and Kivele. In September 1939, their lives changed as they watched their world crumble, she said. Slowly, all their siblings were either taken away in terror-filled raids on their apartment building mostly in the middle of the night or they managed to get over the border into Russia. The brothers were hungry and scared, Jacobs said, and in August of 1942 they were taken with their parents, herded onto a train and transported to Auschwitz. Their last memory, the very last memory, of those two beautiful little boys, Shlomele and Kivele, then ages 6 and 8, were being herded into the gas chamber, surrounded by over 100 naked, frightened women, she said. We can imagine them clinging to their mothers legs as the Zyclon B gas was dropped from the holes in the ceiling murdering them. Their only two family members who survived the Holocaust lived to be 96 and 105, Jacobs said, her mother and her aunt. Shlomo and Akiva were uncles that she never had, she said, adding young people today should call out antisemitism when they see it. Chameides, the key note speaker for the commemoration, was born in Katowice, Poland in 1935, but fled to modern-day Ukraine after the German invasion of Poland in 1941. There, he and his brother were hidden in monasteries under the protection of the Uniate Church of Ukraine, where they were taught to speak Ukrainian and instructed in prayers and rituals so that they could pass as Christian children. He said his story is important during a very grave time in the world serving as a reminder of the harm humans are capable of inflicting on each other, but also of the goodness within their grasp. Chameides said anti-Jewish riots started almost immediately when the Germans invaded Lviv, then Lvov, Poland, in 1941 at first carried out by his familys Ukranian neighbors. He said he experienced his first pogrom at the age of 6. I remember sitting in a dark cellar with my mother listening to screams and the sound of shooting above, until we were finally discovered and pulled out, he said. I remember seeing my grandmothers bloodied face and her teeth knocked out. By August of 1942, Chameides said, approximately 50,000 Jews living in and around Lviv has been killed. He said his parents came to the conclusion that all of them would eventually be murdered, and so his father asked the church to shelter his children. He said he lived in a new world after that, adopting a new name and living at an orphanage. The Germans carried out raids every so often, and I would be whisked away, sometimes in the middle of the night in the middle of winter, he said of his two years living there, noting he later had to run away from the monastery because the USSR started suppressing the church when it liberated Ukraine in 1944. Chameides said he was able to take a carriage to Lviv, where he found no one in his family had survived, and so he was taken in by a Jewish woman who had lost her entire family. He eventually emigrated to the United States, where he attended medical school and served as the founding Chair of Pediatric Cardiology at Hartford Hospital and Connecticut Childrens Medical Center for 30 years. While there is a long and complicated history between Jews and Christians in Ukraine, Chameides said, the country has a rich Jewish culture. He said Ukraine has embraced diversity and democratic values since declaring independence. Our long and painful Jewish history has taught us about affliction and being abandoned, as well as about the precious gift of freedom, he said. Therefore, when others are afflicted and yearn for freedom, we must not remain silent. We must raise our voices and join theirs. Slava Ukraini. Glory to Ukraine. Samantha Renzulli, a senior from Fairfield Warde High School, said she believes one of the greatest ways to honor the generations of Jewish people that came before her is taking action to support the strengths and preservation of Judaism by combating antisemitism. An Anti-Defamation League team trainer, Renzulli spoke of facing antisemitism in school at a club meeting after school when she was a freshman, where the seniors in charge suggested playing an online game. Two of her fellow classmates used usernames that were derogatory toward Jewish people, Renzulli said, adding she could tell it was a joke to them. Its not a joke if it degrades someones identity. Its not a joke if it makes someone afraid, she said. A joke brings happiness. This brought me fear. Renzulli said she left the incident feeling as though she should have done more. But standing up is a process of growth, she said, and those speaking from ignorance will not know what they said is wrong until somebody tells them. With each similar incident she experiences, Renzulli said, she grows her voice and confidence in educating. We must dedicate ourselves to learning and teaching, and we must stand up, she said. joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Fairfield University and the Bridgeport Roman Catholic Diocesan Corp. are moving ahead Thursday with information sessions on their proposed North End college, despite a recent decision by the citys municipal law department that threatens the project. Attorney Raymond Rizio, who represents the diocese, said Tuesday the partner religious and academic institutions still want to try and give accurate information to the neighbors, as we do not feel their program has been property represented by the opponents. One of the most vocal of those critics, neighborhood City Councilwoman Michelle Lyons, said she will attend one of the two previously scheduled sessions one at 10:30 a.m., the second at 6:30 p.m. at diocese headquarters, 238 Jewett Ave. That is also the site of the planned, 200-student, nonresidential college Fairfield University wants to launch in unused space. Ill be there, Lyons said Tuesday. But she did not expect any new information or revelations that would sway the opposition. Its (the proposal) no different than Ive been telling people. I havent lied, Lyons said. Lyons and some of her constituents have argued the college, which would offer an associates degree to lower-income students who cannot afford Fairfields pricey tuition, will be too much for the mostly residential neighborhood, causing traffic headaches and hurting real estate values. If this doesnt go forward the city residents lose because this is going to be mostly available to city residents, Rizio said. He said the diocese is evaluating whether to challenge a legal opinion, issued late last Friday by R. Christopher Meyer, head of the municipal law department, that stated zoning regulations do not allow a college on the dioceses property. Meyer negated a prior decision by one of the lawyers working for him, Russell Liskov, that had paved the way for the project to proceed without a special permit from the planning and zoning commission or a public hearing. We have the right to appeal to the zoning board of appeals, Rizio said. He added, Were just trying to sort it all out. This overnight reversal was very troubling. In late March, Liskov determined that since the 238 Jewett Ave. building had housed Notre Dame Girls Catholic High School in the 1960s, the diocese did not need to come before the planning and zoning commission for a special permit for an educational use. The diocese had already submitted a pending application late last year. So Zoning Director Dennis Buckley via email informed Lyons that would be withdrawn. Liskovs legal opinion was questioned by Lyons and her allies, retired state Superior Court Judge Carmen Lopez and former state Rep. Christopher Caruso, who last week filed their own appeal with the zoning board of appeals. They claimed in part Liskov lacked the appropriate historic documentation to arrive at his conclusion. Last Thursday, Liskov acknowledged more research was being done to support his findings. What youre seeing is its a more complex question than what was asked of us originally, Liskov had said, adding, I was not asked whether or not a university was allowed to go there. Educational purposes are permitted. So I think people jumped to the conclusion as to what is permitted. My opinion doesnt say a university was allowed to go there. About 24 hours later, just after 5 p.m. Friday, Mayor Joe Ganim announced Meyer had determined a college is not a legal use in that particular neighborhood. And while that did not make it impossible for the diocese and university to proceed Rizio said they could apply for a variance from the zoning board of appeals it made it much more challenging. Ganim in a statement at the time echoed Lyons view that the college would be a too intense use for the neighborhood and suggested Fairfield look for a site in another section of town, such as part of the University of Bridgeports South End campus. But Rizio on Tuesday emphasized the college will not cause North End traffic issues. There will be no buses, he said. Its 100 students in the morning, 100 in the afternoon. Thats it. We dont believe it will create any traffic problems or any other kind of problems. Lyons for similar reasons five years ago successfully fought an attempt by her council colleagues and the school board to purchase 238 Jewett Ave. to relocate Classic Studies Academy Magnet School there. Rizio has also pointed out that if the college is rejected, the North End neighborhood could face worse development headaches. Specifically the land is zoned as mixed residential, which Bridgeports regulations define as intended for ... a wide mix of multi-unit housing types, including multi-unit houses, row houses, small apartment buildings, and larger apartment buildings. Lyons is proposing senior housing for the property. They dont all drive (and) have a car, she said, calling that concept like apples and oranges to a college scenario. But some who support Fairfield Universitys effort have suggested the North End is not the ideal spot for other reasons. Earlier this month, Rev. Stanley Lord, head of the Greater Bridgeport NAACP, whom university administrators consulted on their proposal, said the program has a lot of potential. Lord, however, said, If you were trying to get a community of color, thats not really where they are. We havent taken a real stand on whether its a good idea or not. Our question is, how are we gonna get our kids there? Asked if, given Meyers opinion and Ganims statement, she would like the diocese and Fairfield University to abandon their effort in the North End, Lyons declined to comment. She said she will continue to consult with Lopez and others on how to proceed. Were gonna be diligent on this, she said. UPDATE: Police have identified the victim of the fatal shooting in Bridgeport as Michael John Bernardo III. BRIDGEPORT Police said they found a 35-year-old fatally shot inside a store on Newfield Avenue Thursday. Police were called to the Garcia Mini Market around 12:20 p.m. Thursday about a disturbance. Once there, police found the store locked and did not hear an answer at the door, according to Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran. A second call came in around 1:05 p.m. about a possible robbery and a person shot inside the store. When police returned to the store, they entered and found a man who was unresponsive, Gilleran said. The man, who was not immediately identified, appeared to be shot to death, police said. Medics later pronounced the man dead. Police are notifying his next of kin. Shortly after the call, police identified a person involved in the incident. The Detective Bureaus Homicide Squad is investigating the incident and established a crime scene in the area of Newfield Avenue between Suggetts Lane and Jefferson Street. Newfield Avenue will be closed to traffic for the next few hours while they process the scene. Anyone with information regarding this incdient is asked to call Detective Keith Hanson at 203-581-5243. Tips can also be left by called the Bridgeport Police Tips Line at 203-576-TIPS (8477). This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) It started in 1948 as a society midnight supper, and it wasnt even at the Met. Fast forward 70-plus years, and the Met Gala is something totally different, one of the most photographed events in the world for its head-spinning red carpet though the famous carpeted steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art arent always red. Were talking Rihanna as a bejeweled pope. Zendaya as Cinderella with a light-up gown. Katy Perry as a chandelier morphing into a hamburger. Also: Beyonce in her naked dress. Kim Kardashian in a face-covering bodysuit. Billy Porter as an Egyptian sun god, carried on a litter by six shirtless men. And Lady Gagas 16-minute striptease. Not to forget, the Met Gala is still a fundraiser last year the evening earned more than a whopping $16.4 million for the Mets Costume Institute. Lets also not forget that it launches the annual spring fashion exhibit that brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the museum. But its the carpet itself (now watchable for everyone, on livestream) that draws the worlds eyes, with the guest list strategically withheld until the last minute a collection of stars from movies, music, fashion, sports, politics and elsewhere that probably makes for the highest celebrity wattage-per square foot of any party in the world. Herewith, a primer for the 2022 Met gala, which is on May 2: AGAIN, ALREADY? Yes, we just did this in the fall. The annual fundraiser for the Mets Costume Institute is traditionally held the first Monday in May, but because of the pandemic, a postponed gala was held in September. WHOS HOSTING THE 2022 MET GALA? This years hosts are Regina King, power couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Of course, Vogues Anna Wintour is supervising the whole shebang as she has since the 90s. Her fellow honorary co-chairs are designer Tom Ford and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Ford, also a film director, is one of nine directors whose work is featured in the new spring exhibit. IS THERE A THEME? Of course. The Met Gala theme for this year is Gilded glamour, white-tie, guests have been told. As usual, the sartorial theme comes from the exhibit the gala launches: In America: An Anthology of Fashion, which is the second installment of star curator Andrew Boltons two-part show exploring the roots of American style. This exhibit showcases overlooked figures in fashion history, many of them women and people of color, through the talents of some top film directors, including Sofia Coppola, Martin Scorsese, host King, and last years Oscar winner Chloe Zhao. Their work will be displayed in the period rooms of the American Wing, so expect some grand fashion related to the theme like those gowns from HBOs The Gilded Age. Artfully ripped jeans, this time? Not so much. DOES EVERYONE FOLLOW THE THEME? Not really. Some eschew it and just go for big and crazy. But expect some guests to have carefully researched the theme and to come in perfect sync with the exhibit. It was hard to beat the carpet, for example, when the theme was Catholic imagination and Rihanna came as the pope, Zendaya channeled Joan of Arc, and Perry navigated the crowd with a set of enormous angel wings. HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A MET GALA TICKET? Wrong question. You cannot just buy a ticket. The right question is, IF I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost? IF I WERE FAMOUS AND POWERFUL AND GOT INVITED, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? Well, you might not pay yourself. Generally companies buy tables. A fashion label Michael Kors, for example would then host its desired celebrities, or fashion muses. But each paid seat reportedly costs around $35,000, though some guests are invited for free. SO WHO GETS INVITED TO THE MET GALA? This year, there will be 400 guests similar to the September gala, and lower than pre-pandemic highs of 500-600. Trying to predict? Take out your pen and jot down some of your favorite names, the buzzier the better. Newly minted Oscar or Grammy winners, for example, are a good bet or perennial fashion favorites like former host Timothee Chalamet, who wore white Converse shoes last year. Do the same with pop music, sports, politics, fashion of course and Broadway, a special favorite of Wintours (and remember, Miranda's a host this year). Now, cross everyone off your list except the very top. At the Met Gala, everybodys A-list. THAT MUST BE AN EXAGGERATION. Not really. Ask Tina Fey. She went in 2010 and later described walking around trying to find somebody normal, e.g. not too famous, to sit and talk with. That ended up being Barbara Walters. HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED IN THE MET GALA? Well, these days you can watch the whole carpet unfold on livestream. And really, the carpet is the party. (Ask Gaga!) If you're in New York City you can also join fans across the street from the museum on Fifth Avenue, and even further away on Madison Avenue, pressed up against police barricades. You might get lucky: Last year, Chalamet ran over to greet his admirers. DO WE KNOW WHO'S COMING? AND WHO ISN'T? Like we said, its secret. But reports slip out, often about who is not coming. Fashion favorite Zendaya has confirmed she has other plans. And Rihanna is about to give birth, so wed assume shell skip, but then again, shes Rihanna so lets not assume anything. A fair assumption would be a heavy Kardashian presence. New York's mayor, Eric Adams, will be attending very happily, according to the New York Post. Also happily, Perry has said she's going, and indicated her hamburger-chandelier days may be receding in favor of more traditional garb. Another thing remains true: Nobody can come who isn't vaccinated. In addition to vaccine proof, guests had to take a PCR test. Masks are not likely to make much of an appearance since people will be eating and drinking the whole night. WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE THE MET GALA? Entering the museum, guests walk past an impossibly enormous flower arrangement in the lobby (one was over 250,000 white roses) and over to cocktails. Or, they head to view the exhibit. Two changes this year, per the museum: The dramatic lobby centerpiece will remain up for regular visitors to see for a few days. And cocktails will take place in the American Wing, making it very easy for guests to slip in and out of the exhibit. Around 8 p.m., theyre summoned to dinner perhaps by a team of buglers (Are they going to do that between every course? actor Gary Oldman asked aloud one year.) We cant personally describe anything beyond that, either dinner or the musical performance, but you can find clips of Rihanna singing on the table tops in the documentary The First Monday in May, and it looks fun. IS IT FUN FOR EVERYONE? Occasionally, someone says no. Fey, in a comic rant to David Letterman in 2015, described the gala as a jerk parade and said it included everyone youd ever want to punch, if you had millions of arms. Amy Schumer said she felt awkward and left earlier than should be allowed. But most profess to having fun. Then there was Joan Collins, who arrived channeling her imperious Dynasty character, Alexis, in 2018, ready to have a blast, but seeking liquid sustenance. Im having a great time, she told The Associated Press. Id be even better if I had a drink. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Recent changes in New Mexico election law are making it easier for unaffiliated voters to participate in the June 7 primary election if they chose to affiliate with a major party even briefly. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on Wednesday highlighted the opportunity for voters who are affiliated with a minor party or decline affiliation to participate in the statewide primary by picking a major party affiliation on site at election-day polling places and county clerks' offices. She said that registration-update process can take as little as five minutes, starting on May 10, and is reversible after the election. Same-day registration will be available at some additional early voting locations, as determined by county clerks. People already registered to vote under a major party Republican, Democratic or Libertarian cannot switch parties during the election period from May 10 through June 7. Toulouse Oliver said that new access to primary voting is especially important in competitive primaries that are likely to decide who takes office. Where the primary election is the only election, now these folks who previously have not been able to participate in that election do have an opportunity to make their voices heard, said Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat. New Mexico remains a closed primary state that requires affiliation with a major party in order to vote in a primary. People who decline to state a party preference or belong to a minor political party account for nearly one-fourth of registered voters in New Mexico. Bob Perls, founder of the voting-access advocacy group New Mexico Open Primaries, said the new provisions could influence the outcome of primary races with close margins and compel primary-election candidates to court a broader segment of voters. Toulouse Oliver is running for reelection as a Democrat without a primary competitor, prior to a three-way general election contest against Republican Audrey Trujillo and Libertarian Mayna Myers. File photo WESTPORT A Bedford Middle School teacher has been charged with sexual assault following an investigation into a report that a student had been inappropriately touched in a classroom, police said Thursday. Arthur Ellis, 72, of Westerly, R.I., was arrested on charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child after he turned himself in at the Westport Police Department, officials said. A Myanmar court has made a controversial decision to convict ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in prison for alleged corruption based on the testimony of the former chief minister of Yangon. The decision, which was made on Wednesday, was based on accusations that Aung San accepted roughly $1.3 million worth of gold bars and cash from her close political ally. The official publicly confessed that he delivered $600,000 in cash and about 25 pounds of gold to the ousted civilian leader in shopping bags. Myanmar's Controversial Guilty Verdict The defendant, whose trial was kept from the public and news media outlets, called the charges against her "absurd." The Myanmar court has forbidden her lawyers from speaking about the case in public. Her situation has caused concern among Southeast Asian nations and is expected to become a major point of discussion during U.S. President Joe Biden's meeting with regional leaders in Washington next month, as per the New York Times. The defendant's supporters who were familiar with the legal proceedings said that the prosecution presented no evidence, aside from witness testimony, against her proving that she received the money and gold bars. Aung San, who was arrested on Feb. 1, 2021, when the military staged a coup, was charged with 17 criminal counts that her defenders argue are fabricated. Read Also: Myanmar Residents Hold 'Silent Strike' in Opposition to Military Junta's Rule, Closing Businesses and Deserting Streets Aung San was previously convicted on five lesser charges and sentenced to six years in prison and if she is found guilty on all the remaining counts, she faces up to 163 years of imprisonment. The deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Phil Robertson, said that the conviction on "bogus corruption charges" shows the deep determination of the regime to silence the defendant. He said that the days of Aung San being a free woman are "effectively over" and noted that the destruction of popular democracy in Myanmar meant getting rid of the civilian leader. The defendant became a public figure in 1988 during a failed uprising against a previous military government where she helped found the National League for Democracy party, the Associated Press reported. Civilian Leader Aung San Suu Kyi The country's military staged the coup because of alleged massive electoral fraud despite independent election observers saying there were no major irregularities. Mass protests began in the nation after the January 2021 coup which was mostly met with violent actions from the military. The international community has condemned the operations of the Myanmar military in trying to control the people. Many protesters also face potential jail terms despite the majority of them staging only minor demonstrations. Some have also said that plainclothes police officers have begun following them around. Others said that they were forced to go into hiding in fear of their safety while many said their family members have been threatened or arrested. The military junta made sure to prevent residents outside the mainland from returning to their homeland. According to FairPlanet, the military terminated the citizenship of 33 high-profile dissidents in March, including Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations who expressed his support of Aung San. Related Article: Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi Gets 4-Year Prison Sentence Halved in Widely Criticized Trial of Civilian Leader @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Role of NATO after Cold War: Black hand which opens Pandoras box in Russia-Ukraine conflict 10:22, April 28, 2022 By Gao Ge ( People's Daily Online Cartoon by Ma Hongliang UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said recently that the Ukraine crisis could plunge more than one fifth of humanity, or up to 1.7 billion people, into poverty and hunger. The U.S.-led NATO cant absolve itself of responsibility in opening the Pandoras box in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a discussion he had with the former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in early 1990s, then U.S. Secretary of State James Baker gave the not one inch eastwardassurance about NATO expansion. However, the U.S.-led NATO broke this promise, engaging in a five-round eastward expansion of more than 1,000 kilometers toward the Russian border and increasing the number of its members from 16 to 30, pushing Russia into a corner with each step. In 1997, George Kennan, the former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, stated that expanding NATO would be the most fateful error of American policy in the entire post-Cold War era. Now, this prediction has come true. The Ukraine crisis has brought about immeasurable impact to the world. However, NATO is still stuck in a Cold War mentality, and continues to add fuel to the fire and create division and confrontation. The key to close the Pandoras box is in the hands of the U.S. and NATO. They should soberly reflect on their disgraceful roles in the Ukraine crisis, and assume their due responsibility. Related reading: Role of NATO after end of Cold War: Pawn for U.S. in seeking hegemony Roles of NATO after end of Cold War: Cancer cells of international conflicts (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) In a private meeting with House Democrats, President Joe Biden allegedly suggested he's considering the cancellation of some student loan debt. As a result, Senate Republicans are planning to introduce legislation that would restrict the president from acting alone on the issue. According to NBC News, the president has received pleas from members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to extend the payment moratorium on student loans and to eliminate at least $10,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers. The student loan payment moratorium has been extended till the end of August. Will Joe Biden Cancel All Student Loan Debt? In accordance with congressional aide, the president appeared to be more willing to forgive some federal student loan debt. While the president stated that he is likely to take action, he did not specify a dollar number or a time frame. The president's remarks come as progressive politicians and campaigners continue to press for the cancellation of student loans, with some calling for the president to erase $50,000 or more in debt and take unilateral action. The Senate Majority Leader is Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). He's been insistent about it, and the president is getting closer to acting on the student loan debt crisis, according to him. In the United States, student loan debt is presently $1.73 trillion, as per PennLive. Joe Biden talked with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Tuesday, where they discussed a potential plan to cancel a major portion of student loan debt. The claim comes after the US Department of Education stated that under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, 40,000 students' federal student loan debt will be forgiven immediately, citing chronic flaws in the administration of federal student loan programs. While it is unclear who would be eligible for student loan forgiveness right now, California Democratic Representative Tony Cardenas told CBS News that Biden indicated an openness to forgiving student loan debt for federal students who attended either a private or public university. Cardenas said that Biden did not indicate a precise sum that he would consider canceling and that the president did not suggest that he was going to wipe off all student debt. Cardenas further mentioned that Biden was very enthusiastic about Cardenas' request that he eliminate $10,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower. If Biden decides to take action to erase student loan debt, he might follow in the footsteps of his administration, which relieved 40,000 debtors earlier this month. Teachers, military personnel, and healthcare employees with ten years of federal loan payments were all given immediate relief under this measure. In addition, the proposal gave 3.6 million debtors at least three years of credit toward IDR forgiveness. The federal government has continued to freeze federal student loan payments since the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden extended the pause to August 31st earlier this month. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, was questioned about Biden possibly erasing all student debts at a news briefing on Monday, Newsweek via MSN reported. Read Also: China, Xi Jinping Reveal Plan To Save Crashing Economy Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns Sen. Romney Blasts Joe Biden's Proposal Senator Mitt Romney took to Twitter on Wednesday to oppose Democratic ideas to cancel student loan debt after President Joe Biden's announcement this week that he would seek to erase some student debt. The Utah Republican and 2012 GOP presidential contender speculated that Biden's action was made to boost his low support rating before the midterm elections in November. Biden endorsed partial student loan forgiveness during his 2020 campaign but has failed to move beyond extending a moratorium on student loan payments imposed by then-President Donald Trump during the coronavirus outbreak. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of Senate Republicans led by Minority Whip John Thune presented legislation to prevent Biden from delaying or canceling payments. The moratorium will remain in effect until August 31. Last year, Romney and Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema submitted a plan that they claimed would make college more accessible for more students by establishing educational savings accounts with some matched money, based on a similar Arizona scheme, according to Washington Examiner. Related Article: GOP Claims To Win the House and Senate in the Midterm Elections Citing Proof of Overwhelming Victory @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. North Korean dissidents are allegedly circumventing the dictatorship's media censorship. The process of modifying or eliminating constraints from a device is known as "jailbreaking." Two North Korean defectors were interviewed by experts, who provided their perspectives on the country's internet openness and jailbreaking. Both defectors reported jailbreaking their cellphones and those of acquaintances and indicated that jailbreaking is a service that is secretly given to other North Koreans for various reasons. North Korea's Restrictions on Internet, Media North Korea received a three-out-of-ten score from FreedomHouse, a non-profit that studies general and digital freedom. This is a low result that reflects the North Korean people's lack of control over their media consumption habits. Any material downloaded without a state-approved cyber signature is deleted on state-approved phones. By eliminating the signature layer from the phone's code, the hackers were able to circumvent the security features on their smartphones. The phones also collect and log screenshots at random, putting users in a condition of perpetual fear. The stakes are exceedingly high in North Korea, where residents have been killed for trivial offenses like viewing K-pop videos. North Koreans aren't very familiar with contemporary equipment. One of the defectors claimed to have attended an excellent technological school and had sneaked jailbreaking software onto their phone through a PC. Kwangmyong, which means 'bright star' in Korean, is the name of North Korea's heavily controlled internet. Many North Korean elites are above the law, and they use the internet to keep up with current events outside of the repressive state, according to The Sun. Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Wants to Remove Nuclear Power of 'Irresponsible' Russia Amid Dangerous Attacks How Do North Koreans Jailbreak Phones? North Korea does not have the same access to cell phones as the rest of the globe. The network in the nation is still on 3G, and mobile phone games are played through Bluetooth. North Korea's dictatorship has also been known to retaliate harshly against Chinese-made cellphones. North Koreans also lack direct access to Apple and Google's app stores. An increasing number of North Koreans are jailbreaking phones to get past governmental limitations, citing a recent analysis by the Stimson Center and 38 North. The paper describes how millions of government-approved Android-based cellphones have infiltrated North Korean culture, however, they come with digital limitations that prevent users from downloading any software or file that is not officially sanctioned by the government. However, the research also shows a glimpse of an unusual new group operating within that regime of digital repression: North Korean jailbreakers capable of discreetly regaining control of those devices and unlocking a world of banned international content. The North Korean government and its populace have been in a perpetual war over the use of technology: whenever a new technology is offered, people typically find a way to utilize it for some illegal purpose. But, until today, it hasn't been done through this form of hacking, said Martyn Williams, a researcher at 38 North. However, the story is based on interviews with only two nation defectors. However, each validated numerous specifics of how the hacking works separately. They utilized midrange North Korean Android phones to watch international media and install programs that were not sanctioned by the government. The regime installs a certificate in that version of Android, which both defectors said they could delete. The regime also built a system that took screenshots of what the phones were being used for, but they were able to stop it and destroy the screenshots. Furthermore, some people in North Korea charge with jailbreaking services. However, one specialist informed the magazine that the number of North Korean phone jailbreakers is still modest, according to National Interest. Related Article: Kim Jong Un Vows To Bolster North Korea's Nuclear Arsenal During Military Parade, Boasts of "Invincible Power" @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Two busy motorway service stations on the southern stretch of the M25 were the latest targets of the Just Stop Oil eco-mentalists yesterday. Self-styled 'saviours' of the planet used hammers and spray paint to disable petrol pumps at the start of the morning rush hour. They stuck themselves to the forecourt entrance to prevent drivers filling up, while the first police on the scene just stood and watched. Again. One 'protester' who superglued his hand to a diesel pump developed cramp in his arm. Poor lamb. The Old Bill looked on as his partners in crime wheeled a chair for him to sit on. Still, what else have we come to expect? Self-styled 'saviours' of the planet used hammers and spray paint to disable petrol pumps at the start of the morning rush hour When XR staged a sit-down demo on the northern section of the M25, a senior officer asked them if there was anything she could bring them. A few cushions, perhaps? A nice cup of tea and a packet of Hobnobs? And to hell with the thousands of motorists condemned to spend hours in an interminable traffic jam; the missed flights, doctors' appointments and business meetings; the ambulances unable to reach hospitals; the sheer aggravation adding to the everyday stresses of life. Yesterday's wanton vandalism closed the busy service areas at Clacket Lane and Cobham in Surrey for hours. The only surprise was that Plod didn't fetch one of those mini battering rams they use for bashing down doors from the boot of their patrol car and lend a hand. Go, go, go! Or rather, don't. Police chiefs appear to see their job as facilitating even the most fatuous and disruptive 'protests', not serving the wider public who pay their wages by keeping the Queen's highways open. Would they be so indulgent if this, say, had been a gang of Millwall supporters venting their frustration at a 1-0 away defeat by destroying a few petrol pumps? What do you think? They'd be scrambling the riot squad, all batons blazing and cracking skulls as a basis for negotiation. And rightly so. It's not as if this bunch of XR spin-off headbangers wasn't 'known to police'. They included a couple of clowns with plenty of previous, including tethering themselves to goalposts during Premier League matches at Everton and Tottenham. One of them has already been jailed for a month and a half for blocking the M25 last October. Not nearly long enough. Deportation would have been a better option. I hear Rwanda is nice this time of year. Police chiefs appear to see their job as facilitating even the most fatuous and disruptive 'protests', not serving the wider public who pay their wages by keeping the Queen's highways open Despite the attention they receive and the widespread disruption they cause, these lunatics are few in number and speak for nobody but themselves. Yet as I wrote recently, they have been allowed to succeed in bringing much of Britain to a standstill where Arthur Scargill's flying pickets during the year-long miners' strike failed miserably. The difference, of course, was that back then the Old Bill, under orders from the Government, sent in the heavy mob. Today, the police roll out the red carpet and send along the skateboard squad to join in the fun. This Rag, Tag and Bobtail collection of full-time agitators operates under assorted flags of convenience, from Insulate Britain to Animal Rebellion. They are not legitimate protesters, they're nihilists. They have no serious goals, other than self-indulgence and a despicable determination to cause as much misery as possible to their fellow citizens. Most of them are serial offenders, freed time and again by the courts to commit further acts of criminal damage and public nuisance. Even when the police can be bothered to arrest them, the courts are guaranteed to treat them with extreme leniency. For instance, in September 2020 Extinction Rebellion stopped millions of newspapers being delivered by blockading the gates of print works on Merseyside and in Hertfordshire for 11 hours. This selfish action prevented 1,100 shops receiving copies of the Daily Mail, The Sun and The Daily Telegraph, costing publishers 1.2 million at a time when sales were already badly hit by Covid. Lest you think this is special pleading on behalf of my trade, consider the effect on family newsagents struggling to stay solvent, delivery workers deprived of a day's income and readers denied their daily paper. Not to mention the outrageous attempt to silence our Free Press. Yet again, the police just stood back and let them get on with it. And this week, when two of these fanatics finally appeared in court, charged with obstruction, they walked away laughing in our faces. Despite the attention they receive and the widespread disruption they cause, these lunatics are few in number and speak for nobody but themselves The women involved were let off with a conditional discharge and ordered to pay 600 prosecution costs plus a 22 'victim surcharge'. Whatever happened to the punishment fitting the crime? This pathetic sentence hardly reflected the scale of the knock-on effects, let alone the cost. Where did the court come up with the 600 figure? You won't find many lawyers who'll get out of bed for six hundred quid. It'll cost more than that to heat the court for the day. As for the 22 victim surcharge, don't make me laugh. A speeding ticket will cost you five times that. How does less than the price of a round of drinks these days compensate publishers for a 1.2 million hit? Not to mention the revenue lost by newsagents, garages and convenience stores. Yet this kind of pathetic, kid-gloves mollycoddling is only too typical of the softly-softly approach towards anarchic eco-maniacs and others of a woke ilk by the alleged forces of law and order. Claiming to have a fashionable cause means never having to say sorry. Compare and contrast the sentence handed down to the XR print works pickets with the hardline treatment of a frustrated businesswoman in Southend who nudged a couple of Insulate Britain demonstrators with her car. They were blocking the road, stopping her getting to work and taking her 11-year-old son to school. Even though no one was hurt and she couldn't have been doing more than two miles per hour, she was charged with dangerous driving and had her licence suspended pending sentencing on May 6. That'll teach her to drive an 80,000 Range Rover. Face it, the police and those responsible for running the criminal justice system are no longer on the side of the law-abiding, tax-paying majority in this country. They have all been captured by the Left-wing Common Purpose conspiracy which infests every branch of so-called 'public service' and is hell-bent on furthering 'progressive' interests, including militant environmentalism. What's the betting that if and when the idiots behind yesterday's vandalism and disruption eventually appear before the courts, they'll be released immediately back on to the streets, with a pound from the poor box, to continue their deranged campaign of unapologetic criminality? These ego-centric exhibitionists in their designer hair-shirt, hi-viz vests care more about the bloody polar bears than other human beings. Do they really imagine that even a Government that bends the knee to every passing woke bandwagon is going to get rid of fossil fuels by tea-time, especially in the midst of a worldwide energy crisis and the looming threat of nuclear war? They are more like a rip-roaring bonkers, Waco-style religious cult than a legitimate pressure group with tangible aims. If there was any real justice in the world, they'd all be locked away in a padded cell wearing a jacket which does up at the back. Maybe then, they'd Just Stop It. An American woman took to TikTok to share her theory that her date had a secret girlfriend after spotting some very feminine touches in his room. Jess, from Arizona, shared a video on the social media platform revealing texts between herself and the man, explaining how he had messaged her a photograph of the empty side of his bed, saying: 'Your spot right there'. However she became suspicious that the unnamed man might have a girlfriend after noticing a 'love' sign on his console, which she labelled as 'very feminine.' After sharing the photo online, other users were quick to comment he likely had a secret partner because the space was 'too clean' to be a single man's bedroom. TikTok user Jess, from Arizona, took to TikTok to share her theory that her date had a secret girlfriend after spotting some very feminine touches in his room However she became suspicious that the unnamed man might have a girlfriend after noticing a 'love' sign on his console, which she labelled as 'very feminine' (pictured left and right) Her post added that the bed sheets were smooth and tidy, another thing that in her opinion was down to a woman. Captioning the clip, she wrote: 'Just when I thought he was being cute. You can't tell me this is a man's room'. Meanwhile she ended the footage with herself looking sad, using a filter. Her clip has racked up more than 88,000 likes and 762,000 views since it was posted. The TikTok user said she couldn't be convinced it was the bedroom of a single man because the bedsheets were 'too clean and tidy' The majority of the other social media users agreed with her comments that it couldn't be a single man's bedroom, with one writing: 'Too clean.' Another added: 'The white sheets were a tell all. I ain't never see men with white bedding!' And a third person said: 'That room gives me female vibes all the way, from the white bedsheets to the decor.' Many other TikTok users were suspicious of the man's bedroom, with one calling it 'female vibes' from the 'white bedsheets' to the 'decor' However some suggested the reason for the clean bedsheets and feminine decor might not be suspicious, with many pointing out he could be staying at his mother. One person commented: 'Maybe at mom's,' while another commented: 'Maybe his mama's room.' Others said: 'Looks like a hotel' and 'Looks like an Airbnb to me.' A size 26 traveller has divided opinion after sharing a viral TikTok slamming Ryanair for the size of its seats, with some critics telling her it was 'not the airline's fault.' Kirsty Leanne, 29, from Shropshire, filmed the clip while flying with the budget carrier from London Stansted to Hamburg on April 21, revealing how she struggled to fit down the plane's narrow aisle, couldn't use the tray table due to lack of space, and could barely move in the tiny toilet cubicle. Kirsty, who blogs about her experiences travelling as a size 24-26, wanted to highlight issues she encountered to others. However others claimed Kirsty 'only has herself to blame' and should treat the moment as a 'wake-up call'. Kirsty Leanne, 29, from Shropshire, shared a viral TikTok slamming Ryanair for the size of its seats and aisle has divided opinion - but was met with criticism by some, who told her it was 'not the airline's fault' She criticised the airline as she said she struggled to fit down the plane's narrow aisle, couldn't use the tray table due to lack of space, and could barely move in the toilet cubicle Meanwhile the TikTok user and plus size-blogger said using the tray table was a 'big fat no' due to lack of space MailOnline has contacted Ryanair for comment. Recalling the problematic flight, Kirsty explained: 'The first issue I faced was walking down the plane aisle. 'I was one of the last people on the plane because I was running a little late so I felt the stares of people. All I could think was that they didn't want me to sit next to them.' 'I got to my seat and thankfully the one next to it was empty, giving me a little more room.' Meanwhile she went on to reveal there was little space between the seats on the plane, saying: 'In terms of legroom, there wasn't much space but this is also because I had an under seat bag, it was definitely manageable though.' The 29-year-old said she had concerns over sitting in the middle seat (left) as well as issues with using the tray table due to her size (right) Kirsty also revealed another issue she faced was the bathroom on board the plane, which she called 'one of the smallest she'd ever seen' The plus-size blogger also revealed how she was unable to do work because she didn't have space to use the tray table. She said: 'I was going to use the tray table to do some work on the way but when I couldn't put it down, I quickly decided that it was not going to happen.' Meanwhile she continued: 'The bathroom was another issue I faced, because I was running late I didn't get to use the bathroom before I boarded. 'I thought I'd chance using the one on the flight but unfortunately, it's probably one of the smallest bathrooms I've ever seen and I decided against trying to squeeze in.' She added: 'In terms of the seats, I was comfortable but I think it's because the seat next to me was empty and I had that little bit of extra space. 'I needed to use a seatbelt extender but this is something I am used to and the flight attendant handed it me discreetly as I asked when I boarded.' After her clip went viral on TikTok, Kirsty was flooded with comments from other users, with some saying it 'wasn't RyanAir's fault' she was uncomfortable when flying In the now-viral clip, which she shared to her TikTok account, Kirsty can be seen showing her computer screen where she has been allocated a middle aisle seat. Her post showed how little space she had on the flight as she tried to squeeze into the plane, before she also shared a photo of the seatbelt extender. Meanwhile she shared a short clip as she attempted to use the tray table, which she said was a 'big fat no', and revealed she had little space to move in the airplane's bathroom cubicle. She captioned the clip, which has racked up more than one million views, 'Flying Ryanair with no upgrades'. However despite her criticism of the flight, some people on the app had little sympathy for her and argued that airplanes shouldn't have to accommodate her. The blogger also shares her adventures on her travel blog, Plus Size Travel Too , where she talks about travelling as a plus size person However other users were quick to defend the plus size blogger, with some saying she 'wasn't hurting anyone' One user said: 'Acting like it's their fault.' 'This should be a massive wake up call,' another person argued. One person wrote: 'There's only one person to blame.' Someone else said: 'Honey it's not the airlines fault.' 'There's only one person to blame,' added another user. However others were quick to defend the plus-size blogger, with one person writing: 'What is everyone's problem? 'She's not hurting anyone, just showing her struggle with travel and how people in the same position can make it work!' However despite her criticism of the flight, some people on the app had little sympathy for her and argued that airplanes shouldn't have to accommodate her Pictured: Kirsty during a recent visit to Disneyworld. The traveller loves to update her fans on her journeys with snaps Kirsty during a recent trip to Gent, in Belgium, where she toured vintage shops and chocolate maker shops The blogger also shares her adventures on her travel blog, Plus Size Travel Too , where she talks about travelling as a plus size person and says the experience is less than comfortable for larger people 'Why are the comments so rude?' another user said, 'She never said she was blaming the airline she is just showing you her experience travelling. 'Do you girl! Love the video.' Someone else added: 'People saying that it's so easy to just lose weight. Some people have diseases and metabolism issues and it would be difficult for them to do so though.' 'People acting like being plus size is a choice/something to be ashamed of?,' one person added. It comes after the blogger first hit the headlines a few months ago when she was allegedly told to buy two seats for herself due to her body size. The blogger also shares her adventures on her travel blog, Plus Size Travel Too, where she talks about travelling as a plus size person and says the experience is less than comfortable for larger people. Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com may earn an affiliate commission. Ashley Roberts always treats us to a fashion show as she heads to Heart Radio in London to host her breakfast show. She's always head-to-toe stylish in brands ranging from River Island and Nasty Gal to more expensive designers like AllSaints and Reiss. As always, the former Pussycat Dolls star garners a lot of attention for putting together flawless ensembles, with an eye for matching accessories such as boots, sunglasses and handbags. Here, she's sporting a look we can totally get behind: a short-sleeve denim minidress with cutout detail at the waist. This dress hails from Nanushka, a vegan and organic brand that celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian, Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid have championed. She added Maxine Shoes 'Ash' boots and a Saint Laurent tote bag to complete the look. Nanushka organic cotton denim dress at Yoox Nanushka's use of low-impact fabric means we can splurge without guilt. Here, Ashley's organic cotton denim dress features short sleeves and interesting details like cutouts at the waist and a drawstring tie closure. The best part is that this dress is currently on sale. Shop it now! Shop Do denim! Ashley Roberts headed to work in this short-sleeve denim dress with cutout details and a drawstring waist. Hers is Nanushka's organic denim dress available online Nanushka is a Budapest, Hungary-based brand that specializes in responsible production. That means the label uses low-impact materials such as faux leather and organic cotton. Ashley's denim dress is a perfect example of Nanushka's aesthetic: organic cotton, crisp tailoring and interesting details like cutouts at the waist with a drawstring closure. The light-wash denim fabric is also calling our name. We can easily envision this dress going from work to an outdoor concert or even out to dinner. Just add heels for an elevated look. Fortunately, for all of us, Ashley's dress is currently on sale at Yoox for $322. Grab it now before others catch on and it's gone forever. Show Me Your Mumu Outlaw Dress at Revolve If you like Ashley's denim look but want to shop around, check out this number from Show Me Your Mumu. We love the lapel collar, braided belt and four-pocket details (two pockets are on the back). It's available now at Revolve and won't break the bank either. Shop Asos Design tall denim fitted shirt dress in midwash If you're watching your pennies but would like to emulate Ashley's look, have no fear. There are plenty of high-street options. You don't have to spend more to be socially conscious either. This Asos Design version is part of the brand's Better Cotton Initiative which is responsibly-sourced. Shop Wash Lab Denim tie one on short-sleeve denim minidress at Nordstrom We love the versatility of a denim dress. It can go from from the office and dinner to a casual weekend out on the town. This version by Wash Lab Denim features frayed hems, two front pockets and a lace-up detail that cinches the waist. Love! Shop R13 oversized boxy dress at Shopbop If you're looking to splash some cash on a denim dress, R13's oversized boxy dress at Shopbop is the pick. This dress features dolman short sleeves, a high-low hem, faded wash and a distressed edges. Just the perfect amount of worn-in. Shop Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has been getting up close and personal with fans, with the casual royal seen laughing and taking photos during her whirlwind three-day tour of Bangladesh. The 50-year-old royal shook the hands of locals and graciously waved at the surrounding crowds and one image captured the moment she posed for a selfie with fans eagerly awaiting her arrival. The Danish royal opted for a comfortable, casual look wearing a red patterned shirt, khaki pants and a matching cap. Crown Princess Mary shook the hands of locals and graciously waved at the surrounding crowds during her short trip to Bangladesh One image captured the moment she posed for a selfie with a fan who was at the front of the crowd waiting for her arrival (pictured) The beloved royal seemed poised and in high spirits as she spoke to the community The Rohingya people and communities seemed to be thrilled to catch a glimpse of Princess Mary and exchanged floral gifts. She began her working trip in Dhaka, where the mother-of-four was greeted by Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed. Earlier this week the princess shared a delightful selfie-style video with her fans while travelling around Bangladesh. The Rohingya people and communities seemed to be thrilled to catch a glimpse of Princess Mary and exchanged floral gifts The Danish royal opted for a comfortable, casual look wearing a red patterned shirt, khaki pants and a matching cap Afterwards, accompanied by the Minister for Development Cooperation Flemming Mller Mortensen, Mary met with representatives from Danish companies based in Bangladesh in hopes the two countries can collaborate on green, Earth-friendly products. The Princess took to the Danish royal family's social media accounts to explain the purpose of her visit there. 'On this journey, the focus is on the consequences of climate change for the population, nature and biodiversity, for Bangladesh is one of the world's most climate vulnerable countries, and it is expected that by 2050, up to 20 million people will be displaced,' Princess Mary said. The 50-year-old royal began her working trip in Dhaka, where the mother-of-four was received by Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed 'We need to focus more than ever on the diversity of nature and to promote projects aimed at conserving and protecting nature. 'In Bangladesh, there is a worrying pressure on natural resources. At the same time, the country is one of the most vulnerable countries in relation to the negative consequences of climate change - also for the population. 'This means, among other things, that people often have to move because they can no longer grow their crops or because areas are flooded.' The Princess took to the Danish royal family's social media accounts to explain the purpose of her visit there For the meeting Mary wore a blue and white silk dress by Beulah London and Dulong pearl and diamond earrings, a favourite of the royal's For the meeting Mary wore a blue and white silk dress by Beulah London and Dulong pearl and diamond earrings, a favourite of the royal's. 'Love this dress on Princess Mary. The colours and fabric look light and fresh for Bangladesh's warm climate, and Mary looks cool and collected and ready for business. I like the pleating - it give a breezy look as well as some shape to the dress. Overall very nice look indeed,' one royal commenter remarked. 'It's so good to see countries working together to combat world issues. Thank you for all that you do,' said another. A third added: 'We love our Princess! Sending luck from Australia'. A human rights campaigner has divided opinion after claiming teachers should not tell parents if their children disclose to them they're transgender. Last week Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi claimed schools 'have a duty to safeguard' children by informing their parents if they disclose to a teacher they are transgender. Transgender teacher and activist Debbie Hayton, 54, appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, 70, to discuss the issue today. Debbie claimed that while personal information should always be disclosed in a controlled and respectful way, teachers should not 'keep secrets' from their student's parents. However Peter said children have the same right to privacy as adults and that telling parents they are transgender could put kids at risk of 'emotional and psychological bullying'. human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, 70, believes that children have the same right to privacy as adults and that sharing personal information will lead to a breakdown of trust between pupils and teachers He said: 'The number one priority is what is in the interest and the welfare of the child, that must come first. 'Having said that children do have a right to privacy like everyone else and if we have a situation where teachers are spies and snitches then it will break down trust. Pupils won't feel confident divulging things to teachers.' The campaigner said that divulging a child is transgender could put them at risk from parents who may pressure them into changing their gender identity. 'It could of course put some trans children at risk', he said. 'If parents are informed without the consultation of the child, there are some parents who are very hostile to having a trans child and we know that some trans children are subjected to emotional and psychological bullying to stop them being trans. Viewers were divided over the issue - with several claiming parents should be informed so they can support their children, will others felt a child should be able to come out when they are ready 'Obviously it would be ideal for parents to be informed but teachers should consult with the child, what the child wants. [Consider] would it be safe to tell the parents, if the child is happy about it maybe the best thing is the child should be present when the issue is discussed with the teacher. That is probably the best approach but no approach is perfect. Debbie agreed that the best way to tell parents is a 'controlled disclosure' arguing that 'if we keep secrets' schools could risk an 'uncontrolled disclosure' taking place later. 'My take as a teacher is schools should share details of significant events in children's life, schools should share that with parents,' she said. 'That is the way we operate with everything else, that is standard practice across the school. If a child discloses something to you, my basic training as a teacher is to make sure the child is honest with the parent before reporting it within the school using the normal procedures.' She explained that teachers shouldn't tell parents about personal issues in an uncontrolled way, for example over the phone, but that they should be informed so 'parents and schools can work together to support the child'. However Peter believes that children have the same right to privacy as adults and that sharing personal information will lead to a breakdown of trust between pupils and teachers. Transgender teacher and activist Debbie Hayton, 54, appeared on Good Morning Britain where she claimed schools have a 'responsibility' to tell parents if a child reveals they are transgender Viewers were divided over the issue - with several claiming parents should be informed so they can support their children, will others felt a child should be able to come out when they are ready. 'Of course parents should be informed if a child tells a teacher they believe they're trans or non binary', wrote one viewer. 'Unless the family has a history of child protection issues this is far too important to keep from parents!' Another agreed: 'Of course teachers should tell parents if their child thinks they're trans. Children need support and counselling, teachers should gate keep not secret keep'. Meanwhile, others disagreed with one writing: 'It's not their duty at all it causes is troubles for the trans pupil with other pupils who parents have a different outlook on trans people. teachers shouldn't inform anyone their job is to protect.' 'Seems like a lot of people think they know better than the parents of trans children, even though they seem to say they are glad their child was able to come out to them when THEY were ready, not when a teacher did it for them #gmb', said another viewer. Deborah James has been hailed an 'inspiration' after she opened up about her battle with incurable bowel cancer on Lorraine. The BBC podcast host, 40, said on this morning's show that she 'doesn't really know' how she is alive and that her 'body is tired' after spending 'about 80 per cent of this year in hospital'. Deborah, who lives in London, has been living with stage four bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021. The TV interview, which is part of ITV's 'No Butts' campaign, was filmed last month at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where Deborah had spent a month as an in-patient with sepsis. Mother-of-two Deborah opened up about feeling 'fragile' following a terrifying incident in January, when she 'thought she wouldn't get through the night' after a varicose vein bleed. BBC podcast host Deborah James, who has incurable bowel cancer, says she has spent 'about 80 per cent of this year' at the Royal Marsden Hospital. She is pictured in hospital in December last year In a candid interview with ITV's Lorraine Kelly, she opened up about feeling 'fragile' following a terrifying incident in January, when she 'thought she wouldn't get through the night' after a varicose vein bleed 'If I'm being honest, I don't really know how I'm alive,' she said. 'This year has been really crazy. I've spent about 80 percent of this year in hospital in some capacity. In January, I had a very scary experience where I had a varicose bleed. I thought that was it. 'I can only now talk about it without crying. In a split second, I went from living to thinking that I wouldn't get through the night. And none of my family did. My body is tired.' Viewers were quick to take to social media with praise, with several commenting on how they were inspired Deborah's positive attitude in the face of her illness, with one branding her 'one of life's heroes'. 'Already crying at @bowelbabe what an amazing woman. Such an inspiration one's of life's heroes. Sending so much love to you and your family', wrote one viewer. Speaking in the interview, filmed last month, Deborah said 'I don't really know how I'm alive' and that her 'body is tired' after spending 'about 80 per cent of this year in hospital' Earlier this week, Deborah updated her Instagram followers in full on her health after more than a month in the hospital as an in-patient with sepsis Another said: 'What an inspiration Deborah is, I'm now gonna update my wardrobe with bright colours. Please pass on my good wishes.' 'This gorgeous woman, Deborah James, is an absolute inspiration. #Lorraine', said a third. When asked by Lorraine, 62, how she was feeling Deborah said: 'Fragile. I'm wearing makeup and I've brushed my hair, which in a weird way is progress, to be honest with you. The cancer campaigner admitted she might have 'underestimated' the effects of sepsis on the body and said a full recovery can take a 'really, really long time'. Pictured, Deborah in hospital BBC podcast host Deborah James, who has incurable bowel cancer, revealed earlier this month she has been discharged after more than a month in hospital. Pictured, leaving the Royal Marsden Hospital Family time: Deborah (pictured left) was allowed home to spend Mother's Day with her family 'Three weeks ago, I couldn't get myself out of bed to go to the toilet, I couldn't stand up.' THE SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum. Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. Symptoms include: Bleeding from the bottom Blood in stools A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks Unexplained weight loss Extreme, unexplained tiredness Abdominal pain Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they: Are over 50 Have a family history of the condition Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease Lead an unhealthy lifestyle Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy. More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis. This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages. According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK. It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute. Advertisement Speaking of the importance of the No Butts Campaign, Deborah told Lorraine: 'I have lived with bowel cancer for over five years, which is amazing. But had my cancer been caught early, I wouldn't be living on a knife edge. 'So for me, the "No Butts" campaign is all about just catching things early, because we know that when cancer is caught early, it's really curable. We want people to not be embarrassed to talk about everything when it comes to poo. 'I'm going to get through this and I'm going to do it in a way that I feel positive about it. I find wearing bright colours just makes you feel a little bit better.' Deborah warned viewers to always get symptoms checked out early, admitting that she wishes she had 'pushed and pushed' her doctors six months before her diagnosis. 'Trust your gut', she said. 'Don't ever feel like you're wasting somebody else's time, especially not a GP's time. 'I wish that I had pushed and pushed and pushed six months earlier. Just got to remember to trust your gut. There's No Butts about it!' Earlier this week, Deborah updated her Instagram followers in full on her health after more than a month in the hospital as an in-patient with sepsis. She was allowed home from hospital on 8 April and visited the Royal Marsden for daily IV treatment. But she told her followers that she reacted badly to her oral antibiotics and spent the next five days vomiting with her temperatures spiking. The mum went back into hospital on 14 April to have some emergency procedures to drain abscesses and infections. She added that she was in intensive care over the Easter weekend and since then doctors have been working to get her the right combination of antibiotics for her sepsis. Deborah said she is back down to four antibiotics and that doctors are seeking to improve her liver function to get rid of the infection. They have added a new drain from one part of her liver and another new stent. She added that she has been able to have some 'day releases' from hospital. A pair of childhood friends who hadn't seen each other since 1951 despite living in the same area have revealed how they were reunited at a residential care home after more than 70 years apart. Audrey Sishton and Margaret Moore, both 86, were best friends at Belt Road School for Girls in Cannock, Staffordshire, during the late 1940s and early 1950s. However, the pair went their separate ways in 1951 after finishing school, before going on to marry and raise their own families. After more than seven decades apart, the old school friends were reunited when Audrey temporarily moved into Littleton Lodge care home in Hednesford, Staffordshire. Calling the coincidence 'incredible', Audrey said she 'recognised her straight away', adding: 'It was lovely to bump into Margaret again and we had some fascinating chats, remembering what we had got up to at school and filling each other in on the rest of our lives.' School friends Audrey Sishton and Margaret Moore, both 86, (pictured) were reunited at Littleton Lodge care home in Hednesford, Staffordshire after more than 70 years apart Audrey (circled left) and Margaret (circled right) had been best friends while at Belt Road School for Girls in Cannock, Staffordshire, during the late 1940s and early 1950s Both women were born in 1936, three years before the outbreak of World War Two. Their primary years were coloured by the war and although it was over by the time they started secondary school in 1947, food rationing was still a part of everyday life. Audrey and Margaret last saw each other in 1951 when they were both 15-years-old despite both still living in the same area. Audrey temporarily moved in to the residential facility while her property was undergoing repair work and immediately recgonised her old classmate. Audrey and Margaret last saw each other in 1951 when they were both 15-years-old despite both still living in the same area (left, Audrey at school in 1949, and right, Margaret) The pair quickly rekindled their friendship and reminisced about their time at the school together shortly after the end of the Second World War. Staff planned a special vintage afternoon tea so Audrey and Margaret could catch-up properly over hot drinks, sandwiches, fruit cake and scones. Audrey, a mother-of-one who has lived alone since the death of her husband Harold in 1989, said: 'It was an incredible coincidence really. 'I'm disabled and had to move into the care home for five weeks while works were being done on my home. Margaret, who has been living at the luxury care home since June 2021, said it was a real surprise when Audrey turned up. Pictured left: Margaret with her late husband Bob in the 1950s and right on her son's bike in the 1960s 'When I arrived at the care home, I recognised her straight away. As soon as I said my name she remembered me too. 'I left school at 15 and went straight into shop work so it was many years ago that we last saw each other. 'We lived in the same area but I had never even seen her around the town for 71 years. 'But, I knew her face straight away. She is exactly the same except for the grey hair. 'It was lovely to bump into Margaret again and we had some fascinating chats, remembering what we had got up to at school and filling each other in on the rest of our lives. Meanwhile Steve Moore, 59, said his mother Margaret was born in 1936 within view of the care home she is in at the moment (Pictured: Margaret with her late husband Bob in the 1950s) 'I do remember that at school Margaret was definitely the cheeky one.' Margaret, who has four children and seven grandchildren, has been living at the luxury care home since June 2021. The retired factory worker said: 'It was a real surprise when Audrey turned up at Littleton Lodge. 'I was here and Audrey just walked in. We recognised each other straight away. Audrey said, "I recognise you from years ago". 'She hadn't got any photographs, but she remembered my name. 'We were at the same school and the same class at Belt Road School and we had a lot of fun talking about our school days.' Margaret and Audrey caught up over afternoon tea after Audrey temporarily moved into the residential facility while her property was undergoing repair work Margaret's son, Steve Moore, 59, added: 'My mum was born in 1936. She was actually born within view of the care home she is in at the moment. 'She went to the girls school in Belt Road - the same school and class as Audrey. 'She left there and went to work for the Swallow raincoats company in Hednesford where she pressed studs on raincoats. 'She did that job until the early 1960s when she started to have children. 'Then she raised four children and had 30 years off work before returning to work at a biscuit factory in Uttoxeter. 'She retired at 65 to spend more time with her husband Bob. He died in 2004 after 45 years of marriage. 'Together, they had four children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Rachel Ellis, who is home manager, said it was heart-warming to see Audrey and Margaret (pictured) catching up after 71 years 'But Audrey and Margaret having this chance reunion at this care home is an amazing story. 'It has totally taken my mum by surprise.' Home manager Rachel Ellis said: 'It was heart-warming to see these two lovely ladies catching up after so long. After 71 years, they had much to talk about. 'It was certainly a shock to us all when Audrey revealed that Margaret was a bit cheeky at school. 'During her time at Littleton Lodge, she has been nothing but the picture of politeness.' Prince Charles and Camilla were in high spirits as they visited the BBC's Broadcasting House this morning. The Prince of Wales, 73, and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, visited the iconic newsroom to mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service. The couple met with the World Service staff and learned how they are maintaining operations across Ukraine, Russia and Afghanistan in order to provide first-hand reports of these zones of conflicts. Royal jester Charles could not resist telling the newsreader he'd 'ruin her programme' as he met her on set. After the visit, Charles travelled to the West London Welcome community centre to meet its staff and beneficiaries. Scroll for video The Prince of Wales, 73, and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, visited the BBC World Service at Broadcasting House to mark its 90th anniversary Camilla's platinum locks were styled in an impeccable blow-dry, and she sported a glamourous day makeup with a dash of eyeliner and mascara and some bronzer complimenting her natural glow. As they met with Sana Safi, a Senior Presenter at BBC Afghanistan, Charles joked he was going to 'ruin her programme.' Sana politely replied he wouldn't, and went on to explain her programme would air later today. She then went on to talk the couple through the rundown of her show, and gave them a demonstration, introducing the programme in Arabic for the camera. After meeting with Sana, Charles and Camilla went on to tour the World's Service newsroom, where they met with staff, journalists and news producers. They chatted with Sana Safi, an Afghan Senior Presenter, who told them about the efforts the BBC had deployed to cover the situation unfolding in Afghanistan Sana, who is BBC Afghan's Senior Presenter, could be seen speaking with the Prince of Wales as they spoke through her script The royal couple were left in stitches after chatting to the news presenter during the visit earlier today (pictured) The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales were perfectly coordinated in their navy outfits during the outing The Duchess of Cornwall opted for an elegant blue twin-set with a knee-length woolen skirt and matching jacket. A golden royal brooch with a little crown was pinned to the lapel of her jacket, and the Duchess was also sporting a tasteful pair of gold drip earrings adorned with pearls. She wore a pair of sensible heels for the visit who required her to walk around Broadcasting House. Camilla also stored her essentials in a small blue leather handbag. Meanwhile, Prince Charles looked dapper in a pinstriped blue suit, which he wore with a crisp white shirt, a light blue tie and a striped pocket square The royal couple watched on as Sana chatted to staff behind the camera in the studio (pictured) Her platinum locks were styled in an impeccable blow-dry, and she sported a glamourous day makeup with a dash of eyeliner and mascara and some bronzer complimenting her natural glow. Meanwhile, Prince Charles looked dapper in a pinstriped blue suit, which he wore with a crisp white shirt, a light blue tie and a striped pocket square. The couple looked relaxed as they were greeted by a crowd of royal fans at Broadcasting House this morning. They went on to meet with staff members, presenters and producers working at the BBC World Service. Meanwhile the Duchess of Cornwall appeared in high spirits during the visit to BBC World Service earlier today They talked the heir-to-the-throne and his wife through the work they do for the World Service. Ukraine journalist Olga Malchevska handed Charles a hand drawn card made by her daughter showing a British and an Ukrainian flag. The heir-to-the-throne congratulated Clive Myrie and Lyse Doucet on their coverage of the Ukraine crisis. The couple looked relaxed as they were greeted by a crowd of royal fans at Broadcasting House this morning Prince Charles paired his suit with a light blue tie and a pocket square. He appeared relaxed and in good spirits After waving at their fans and exchanging a few pleasantries with them, the couple moved on to the rest of their engagement Charles toured the World Service newsroom where he met with journalist, producers and other member of staff The couple arrived this morning and were greeted by a horde of enthusiastic royal fans. They graciously waved The heir-to-the-throne congratulated Clive Myrie and Lyse Doucet on their coverage of the Ukraine crisis Lyse said she wanted to inform the British public on the Ukrainian war to the best of her abilities Ukraine journalist Olga Malchevska handed Charles a hand drawn card made by her daughter showing a British and an Ukrainian flag The heir-to-the-throne listened intently to the explanation of members of staff of the World Service The couple were both sporting navy outfits for their BBC visit, Camilla in a colour block twinset and Charles in a pinstriped suit Sana Safi BBC Afghan Senior talked the couple through the behind-the-scenes of her news programme as members of staff looked on, right After his visit to the BBC, the Prince of Wales took part in a video call during a visit at World Jewish Relief Office, in London The heir to the throne heard from Aleksey Tolkachov, based in Kyiv, during a video call on his visit to the WJRO After his visit to the BBC with Camilla, Charles headed to a community centre for refugees and asylum seekers, and met with staff and beneficiaries. He learned the ordeals some of the people staying at the refuge had been through, and was particularly touched by his conversation with Kudirat, a victim of human trafficking. The Prince of Wales brought his good humour to the refugee and shared jokes with the beneficiaries staying at the centre. He particularly seemed to be having a lovely time laughing with a 30-year-old Afghan refugee named Betul who casually patted his arm as the two of them shared a laugh. In a day filled with engagements Charles also visited the World Jewish Relief Office, where he took part in video calls with Ukrainian refugees and their relatives. The Prince of Wales shook hands with a star-struck journalist during his visit at Broadcasting House A little girl playing around the centre stole the show as she captured Charles' attention during his visit The asylum seeker let out a big laugh as she and the Prince of Wales joked around during his visit Kudirat, right, who was the victim of human trafficking, shared her poignant story with the Prince of Wales As he learned more about Kudirat's story, Prince Charles extended an arm in sympathy during their conversation The royal jester was seen laughing with one of the volunteers who had prepared a meal for his visit Kudirat shook hands with Prince Charles during his visit. He seemed moved to make her acquaintance Staff members and camera looked on at Charles sat down with two female refugees at the centre Prince Charles learned more about the stories of some of the centre's beneficiaries. The centre welcomes refugees, asylum seekers, migrants Charles sat with Betul, who had been entertaining herself with colouring books at the time of his visit The heir-to-the-throne sat down with some of the centre's beneficiaries and staff members today Prince Charles met refugee at a centre in West London. He took a look at the lunch volunteers had prepared A Samsung advert featuring a woman jogging alone at night in London, with headphones on, has been branded 'tone deaf' by viewers. Critics - who claim 'women wouldn't feel safe doing that' - said the one-minute ad plugging the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Buds 2 and the Galaxy SS2 phone was 'naive' and 'insulting'. The commercial - called Night Owls - sees a sporty woman checking her watch at 2am, before putting in earbuds and heading out into the dark for a night-time jog in the British capital. Some people on Twitter felt that the advert was unrealistic, claiming women would never feel safe enough to go job by themselves at all hours of the night, with earbuds on. In a statement, Samsung told Femail the campaign aimed to celebrate individuality and that it was never meant to be insensitive to 'ongoing conversations around women's safety.' A Samsung advert featuring a woman jogging alone at night has been slammed over female safety fears (pictured) Critics (above) said the one-minute ad plugging the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Buds 2 and the Galaxy SS2 phone and was 'naive' and 'insulting' In the advert, the woman wakes up at 2am, and decides to go for a job around the streets of London. She can be seen running down a dark, empty, street as a large owl watches over her, before passing a skateboarder, some clubbers, a ballerina, a security guard, a construction worker and a hoard of other night-time runners. She then chats with a man on a bike on a deserted bridge. Throughout the jog she checks her progress with a Samsung smartwatch as a voiceover says: 'Sleep at night. Run faster. Push harder. 'Follow the herd. Not for me. I run on a different schedule: mine.' Reaction: People said the advert did not work and said it looked like the writers had 'never even met a woman' But customers suggested how unrealistic and dangerous it would be for a woman to go running through a city at night, wearing earphones. 'Every time it comes on, I find myself saying "No woman would ever do that",' one said. 'She definitely wouldn't be smiling about it, or smiling at random strangers on her own, in the dark,' they added. 'The writers of that ad have clearly never even met a woman.' 'My daughter's first comment "Can't you just tell a man came up with this advert",' another wrote. 'I'm so staggered by it. It's just so tone deaf, especially with everything that's happened lately,' one said. In the advert, the woman runs into other female joggers who've decided to spend the night running, pictured Some said a woman would never go for a solo jog at night and wouldn't be smiling at strangers with earbuds on 'Don't get me wrong, I'd love to live in a world where a woman can go running at 2am. But we ain't there,' one regretted. 'What's she doing engaging with the cyclist on a deserted bridge in the middle of the night? So many issues with this advert,' another said. Someone else wrote: 'With everything that has happened with regards to women's safety - I feel this advert is in poor taste.' And one man - called George - wrote: 'I'm a 6'6 18 stone man living in a relatively safe area and I wouldn't bloody run at 2am with headphones in.' It comes after the Government plugged 5million into protecting women's safety at night last year amid a terrifying spate of drink spiking incidents and the harrowing murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa. Both young women were attacked and murdered while walking alone at night. Would you go for a run in the dark? An aerial shot shows the woman taking isolated routes during her job The advert shows the jogger high fiving another woman by a construction site during her night-time run And recent data shows four out of five women felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a park or other open space, while one in two women felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a quiet street near their home. In a statement, Samsung told Femail: 'The "Night Owls" campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours. 'It was never our intention to be insensitive to ongoing conversations around womens safety. 'As a global company with a diverse workforce, we apologise for how this may have been received,' it went on. Prosecutors stated Wednesday that the suspect in the killing of 10-year-old Lily Peters in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, is a 14-year-old eighth-grader. According to District Attorney Wade Newell, he is charged with first-degree intentional killing, and first-degree sexual assault of a minor under the age of 13 resulting in serious bodily damage. Police Arrest Juvenile Suspect in Lily Peters' Killing When they walked down the forested route where her corpse was recovered on Monday, the defendant who was detained on Tuesday told the police that "his objective was to rape and kill the girl from the start," the prosecution stated at a hearing. Given the seriousness of the sentence he may face for the accusations against him, Newell contended that there was a need to safeguard the community as well as a worry about the defendant leaving. Judge Benjamin J. Lane granted the state's request for a $1 million cash bond, subject to the defendant, named only as 'C.P-B,' having no contact with other minors and having no hazardous weapons. Karl Schmidt, a defense counsel, has maintained that his client is not a flight danger. The juvenile defendant's next hearing is scheduled for 4:30 pm, according to Newell. He allegedly struck the victim in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, basically strangled her, whacked her with a stick, before strangling her to the point of death, and sexually assaulting her. On May 5, at 8:00 pm ET, he will appear through video rather than in person. The child's attorneys requested a $100,000 cash bail, which Lane refused. The judge ordered the youngster to stay away from kids and not possess any firearms, save for supervised contact with his siblings. Read Also: Wisconsin Girl, 10, Found Dead in the Woods; Police Launch Homicide Investigation as Victim Went Missing While Visiting Aunt's House Missing Wisconsin Girl Found Dead in Wooded Area Peters, who knew her alleged murderer, had been visiting her aunt in Chippewa Falls over the weekend when her father reported her missing when she failed to come home. Her corpse was discovered the next morning in a forested area near a walking route, just a few blocks from her aunt's house. Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said a minor had been detained in connection with the crime on Tuesday evening, but he declined to release any other information, CNN reported. Chippewa County Coroner Ronald Patten told The New York Post that coroners have been working on an autopsy since early Tuesday and that a preliminary report might be available as early as Thursday. The story gained national attention after Chippewa Falls police reported the youngster, who went by the name Lily, missing and asked for public assistance. Her corpse was discovered in a forested area near the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., later Monday morning. After learning of her death, other classmates and others adorned fences and left tributes at Parkview Elementary School, where she was a fourth-grader. Lily's father reported her missing when she failed to return from a visit to her aunt's house on Sunday evening, prompting police to launch an investigation. Later that night, a bicycle thought to be hers was discovered near a walking route not far from the Leinenkugel's brewery parking lot. Even as additional information about Lily's death became out Tuesday, many individuals in the neighborhood were disturbed. To guarantee the safety of youngsters, police increased patrols near local schools. Volunteers attached purple ribbons to trees and lights in the city's downtown to show sympathy for Lily's family and friends, while her classmates made a tribute of flowers, teddy animals, and other items outside of her school, according to USA today. Related Article: New York Mercy Flight Air Ambulance Helicopter Crashes During Doomed Training, Leaving 2 People Dead @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A young mom has claimed that doctors said her excruciating back pain was caused by 'bad posture' while working from home - only to find out that it was actually a tumor the size of a baby's head at the base of her spine. Ellie Chandler, 25, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, first developed back pain after giving birth to her twins, Brooke and Parker Chandler, in December 2019, and when the pandemic hit months later, her symptoms worsened. The mom-of-two said she went to the doctor several times in October 2021 as the pain increased rapidly, but was encouraged to buy a support pillow for her chair and take painkillers - after they claimed that it was likely caused by sitting badly at her desk. The former loan officer spoke to multiple different professionals, and she even visited an orthopedic specialist and received a clear X-ray. Eventually, the tumor grew so big that it started to effect her ability to use the bathroom; the large mass began 'compressing' her bladder and 'smushing' her bowel. A young mom claimed doctors said her excruciating back pain was caused by 'bad posture' - only to find out that it was actually a tumor the size of a baby's head at the base of her spine Ellie Chandler, 25, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, first developed back pain after giving birth to her twins, Brooke and Parker Chandler, in December 2019 When the pandemic hit months later, her symptoms worsened. The mom-of-two said she went to the doctor several times in October 2021 as the pain increased She was encouraged to buy a support pillow for her chair and take painkillers - after doctors claimed that it was likely caused by sitting badly at her desk. Her tumor is pictured But once again, doctors brushed off her problems and told her she probably had an overactive bladder or intestine problems. The pain got so severe that Ellie said she was often brought to tears, and she couldn't sleep or sit. Desperate for answers, Ellie went to see her gynecologists - who finally discovered the tumor after performing a rectal exam and feeling the huge mass inside her rectum. After running emergency tests, the 25-year-old was eventually diagnosed in mid-December with a rare, five and a half-inch giant cell tumor at the base of her spine. By the time they discovered it, the tumor, which is non-cancerous, had grown so big that it was the size of a baby's head. Ellie is now undergoing intense treatment - receiving monthly injections in an attempt to shrink the tumor - but she still has a long road ahead of her. She is preparing to undergo surgery to try to remove it, however, the procedure is going to be extremely risky and complex due to the location of the tumor. She could potentially lose bowel and bladder function permanently if anything goes wrong, since the tumor is surrounded by so many nerves. She is now speaking out to in an attempt to urge other people who are suffering from back pain to take it seriously - as what she thought were simple aches caused by bad posture, turned out to be an extremely aggressive tumor. Ellie said: 'It went from what I thought was normal back pain from giving birth, then what I thought was caused by working from home and poor posture, to just excruciating pain. The pain became so severe that Ellie was often brought to tears, and she couldn't sleep or sit. The tumor also started to effect her ability to use the bathroom Desperate for answers, Ellie went to see her gynecologists - who finally discovered the tumor after performing a rectal exam By the time they found it, the tumor, which is non-cancerous and sits at the base of her spine, had grown so big that it was the size of a baby's head She is preparing to undergo surgery to try to remove it, however, the procedure is going to be extremely risky and complex due to the location of the tumor 'My back pain really started in December 2019 when I gave birth to twins. It never really got better - it got worse - but of course we had the pandemic and I started working from home. If something goes wrong, she could potentially lose bowel and bladder function permanently, since the tumor is surrounded by so many nerves 'I figured I wasn't set up the best way at home and had bad posture. I let it get pretty bad because life is busy and I had twins. 'I was working full time and my partner travels for work. I had an annual physical with my primary care doctor [around October 2021] and mentioned it. 'She told me to go ahead and get a special pillow to sit on while I was working and take some Ibuprofen. I did that but it just kept getting worse at a rapid rate.' Ellie explained that her condition rapidly deteriorated after she suffered from a fall at her home, which she believes shifted an area of the tumor. She said she was told by doctors that she had likely suffered a fracture, but when an X-ray came back clear, she was given pain medication and sent home. However, months went by with no improvement, and she also started to develop problems with her intestines. The mom-of-two then went to hospital after fearing she had developed a urinary tract infection, but doctors still didn't discover the tumor. They believed she had an overactive bladder or was suffering from a condition called IBS - a common disorder that affects the large intestine. 'It became excruciating pain. But when I went to the doctor then, they said, "Oh, if you had a fall it's probably a fracture or a bruised tailbone,' recalled Ellie. 'They did an X-ray and couldn't really get a good image. Now, looking back, soft tissue tumors don't show up on an X-ray. She is now speaking out to to urge others to take their back pain seriously - as what she thought were simple aches caused by bad posture, turned out to be an aggressive tumor Ellie is undergoing intense treatment - receiving monthly injections in an attempt to shrink the tumor - but she still has a long road ahead of her 'They gave me more pain medication and told me to come back in a couple of weeks. I came back four weeks later and it still hadn't improved at all. What is a giant cell tumor? Giant cell tumors are non-cancerous tumors that develop in the bone They most often affect people between ages of 20 and 45 years old They are benign but aggressive, rapidly growing and causing damage to soft tissue. They can become malignant Symptoms include pain, swelling, fractures due to bone weakness and restricted movement Treatment can include surgery or biological therapies, such as Denosumab, which Ellie is currently receiving Source: Sarcoma.org.uk Advertisement 'In that time, I started having bowel and bladder symptoms. I had gone the weekend of Thanksgiving to another urgent care as I thought I had a UTI. 'That all came back negative and they said I might have an overactive bladder. 'I thought I might have some kind of bladder thing going on and I started having constipation issues because the tumor was obstructing my rectum. Then I was told I might have IBS. 'By the time I went back to the orthopedic doctor, they did another X-ray and said, "your tailbone looks crushed so it's definitely broken, but it should resolve." 'I brought up my bowel and bladder symptoms. They had a chuckle and said it's probably IBS.' Later that day, Ellie had an annual pelvic exam with her OB-GYN, but the doctor said she was unable to do the check-up because she could feel a large mass inside her. It was only after an ultrasound and CT scan that she was finally diagnosed with the tumor - more than six weeks later - in mid-December, by which point the pain had gotten so bad that she couldn't sleep and would cry whenever she drove. Ellie continued: 'When I went to the pelvis exam, she went to do the exam and said she couldn't do it because she was feeling something in there. 'She did a rectal exam and said she could feel it in there as well, it was a rather large mass. Ellie, who is unable to work due to her condition, said she feels extremely frustrated that 'so many' professionals missed the tumor She wants to warn young people that back pain is 'really not normal,' and hopes that sharing her story will help others going through something similar push for answers 'I then went to get an ultrasound the same day, a CT scan the next day and they found the tumor then. 'The pain was so bad at that point that I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sit, I was driving around for work and I was crying in the car some days because it hurt so bad. 'From there, I was admitted into the hospital for about a week where they did a biopsy. It came back as a giant cell tumor, which is not cancerous. 'Because of where mine is located, in my tailbone and lower spine, there's so much space that it can get massive before you start to experience symptoms. 'Giant cell tumors are quite common in young people, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. 'Doctors don't necessarily think it's going to be a tumor because you're young and healthy, they think of other things first. 'All that contributed to how it got so massive. It was the size of a baby's head by the time they found it. The measurements were all between 10 centimeters and 14 centimeters when they found it.' Ellie has to go to a local cancer center for injections every four weeks, but added that there are not many treatments out there for her tumor. She hopes to shrink the large mass before undergoing a risky and 'morbid' surgery to remove it - which could potentially cause her to lose bowel function altogether. 'I've had some success with the injections. My tumor shrank about two centimeters after my 90-day trial of it. I'm going to go ahead and do 90 days more treatment,' she said. 'Usually, surgery is the primary treatment but because of where it is in my spine and all the nerves around there, surgery is going to be quite complex and morbid. She often speaks out about her situation on TikTok, and has racked up more than 185,000 likes across her videos The 25-year-old is able to joke about the situation, and hopes that her videos will help raise awareness and prevent others from going through the same thing 'I could lose bowel and bladder function permanently if those nerves are compromised. We're trying to shrink it as much as possible before surgery. 'If we can remove the tumor in one piece, it reduces the chance of reoccurrence. We're looking at neurosurgeons, orthopedics, plastic surgeons, surgical oncologists, colorectal surgeons, all of that. 'We're hoping that with surgery we can prevent it from coming back and get back to some more normal function. 'I had to have a catheter for three months because my urethra and bladder were so compressed that I kept retaining urine. 'I'm on a heavy regiment of laxatives right now because my bowel is so smushed against this tumor so nothing comes out otherwise.' 'Back pain is so normalized, especially with people working from home these days, but it's really not normal and you should take it seriously if it's impacting your daily life,' she concluded Ellie, who is unable to work due to her condition, claimed that she feels like she is now going through stages of grief, and feels extremely frustrated that professionals missed the tumor so early on. She wants to warn young people that back pain is 'really not normal,' and hopes that sharing her story will help others going through something similar push for answers. She often speaks out about her situation on TikTok, and has racked up more than 185,000 likes across her videos. Ellie added: 'I really went through, and I'm still going through, the different stages of grief. I was really angry at first and scared. 'After that, I was really angry that I went to so many different doctors and nobody caught this. 'I did bring up red flag symptoms. Back pain shouldn't really be considered normal for young people, but it generally is. 'Once I brought up neurological symptoms like bowel and bladder issues, they should have been red flags to the orthopedic doctor that I saw. 'I'm so glad I went for that check up with my OB-GYN because she was ultimately the one who found it. 'My OB-GYN is a young female doctor and I don't know if that had any play into it, if she was more willing to listen to my pain and the seriousness of it all. 'I was definitely angry realizing I'd been to so many doctors and nobody caught it because over that span of weeks, the tumor did grow significantly to the point where I was having intermittent issues with going to the bathroom. 'Back pain is so normalized, especially with people working from home these days, but it's really not normal and you should take it seriously if it's impacting your daily life. 'Especially young people, don't put off going to the doctor. Don't let it get to the point that it's so bad you're having issues functioning. 'Look out for red flag symptoms, so if you're having other symptoms along with back pain, those could be signs that you have a tumor in your spine.' Sir Ed Davey revealed the pain of having to administer morphine to his terminally ill mother as a child as he opened up about life as a young carer. The Lib Dem leader was just four when his father John George died and at the age of 12 was left to care for his mother Nina when she was diagnosed with incurable cancer. Davey, 56, appeared on ITV's Loose Women today where he spoke candidly about his childhood, revealing his mother was sometimes in so much agony she would give herself electric shocks to divert the pain. The politician currently helps wife Emily care for their daughter Ellie, eight, and son John, 14, who was born with an undiagnosed neurological condition meaning he cannot walk or talk. Sir Ed Davey currently helps wife Emily care for their daughter Ellie, eight, and son John, 14, who was born with an undiagnosed neurological condition meaning he cannot walk or talk Davey, 56, appeared on ITV's Loose Women today where he spoke candidly about growing up as a young carer after his father died aged four and his mother was diagnosed with incurable cancer aged 12 Speaking about his mother, Nina, Davey said: 'First of all she was mobile, but gradually she was bed ridden and in a lot of pain. 'We used to have to give her morphine for the pain. It was a whole bell jar of morphine. 'Her pain was so bad we had to put these pads on her where she could give herself electric shocks to divert the pain and distract herself. She was in a lot of pain which was where the emotional side came in.' He revealed that he often felt ostracised growing up because his role as a carer meant he couldn't take part in activities after school. 'At school I think one or two friends knew about it, but there was a sense of slightly being isolated or different,' he said. 'You couldn't always go to the parties, I had to give up rugby. Once or twice I was being bullied because I wasn't joining in. I think a lot of young carers feel that.' Davey's experience as a carer drives much of his politics and he often campaigns for increased NHS investment and further government help for carers Davey was incredibly close with his grandparents, who along with kindhearted neighbours helped him and his brother cope while caring for his mother. When his mother died when he was 15, Ed moved in with his brothers and then his maternal grandparents, eventually securing a place at Oxford studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics. 'Previously I had worked to make my mum happy and I went through this rubicon where I thought "I'm doing this for me now",' he explained. 'It was like a lightbulb, it made me focus on what I wanted to do in life... there was that moment and I think it does focus young minds.' Davey married Emily Gasson, a former Liberal Democrat candidate for North Dorset, in the summer of 2005 and the couple had their first child John two years later. The couple, who live in Surbiton, London, currently care for their disabled son with some help from external carers and Davey said that John will likely need full-time care for the rest of his life. Explaining that his wife takes on the majority of the care, he said: 'I like to be engaged because he's my lovely boy. So most of my caring is done in the morning or the weekends.' Davey and his wife Emily currently care for their disabled son Jon, who Davey says will likely need full-time care for the rest of his life. Pictured, the couple together in 2019 When asked about his son's condition, he explained: 'We genuinely don't know....we felt when he was about four months and he wasn't developing well. 'We got to about nine months and we thought "Something is wrong here". He wasn't really sitting or engaging. 'They initially diagnosed him with cerebral palsy, but it wasn't cerebral palsy as it then transpired and Great Ormond Street Hospital were fantastic.' Davey's experience as a carer drives much of his politics and he often campaigns for increased NHS investment and further government help for carers. 'I think caring roles should be valued far more', he said. 'Because I think they're quite tough actually. There's the emotional impact and then and actually caring is tough work, all hours it's not glamorous.' A mum has been warned of a potentially 'dangerous' issue she was unaware of after sharing an image of her bathroom to a home design Facebook group. Michelle, from New South Wales, was delighted to add a chic wooden stool to her shower to assist when shaving her legs. But many quickly warned how the surface of wood quickly grows mould when placed in or near damp or wet areas. Michelle, from New South Wales, was pleased to add a wooden stool to her shower to assist with shaving her legs (pictured). But many quickly warned how the surface of wood grows mould when placed in damp or wet areas After seeing the Facebook post, a professional cleaner said mould grows fast on wood and suggested opting for a different product. 'It's going to get so mouldy so fast just FYI. Like within two weeks kind of thing. I'm a cleaner and see clients with these and other seats that are COVERED in mould,' the woman wrote. Another person said: 'I've had a timber stool near the shower before, it got water stains and mould after a while.' A third added: 'Or a plastic one, remember to put out in sun or the wood will go mouldy.' Mould is a type of bacteria that grows in damp, wet climates or moist areas and can cause serious health problems. Alternatively to a wooden stool, many suggested using a steel or plastic stool instead. Michelle was shocked after reading the comments but was glad she was told. 'Thanks to everyone for their feedback on my shower chair....didn't know about the mould thing but the chair has been sealed with a waterproof sealer so I hope this will stop the mould. Fingers crossed!' Michelle wrote. Ensuring the wood is waterproof will lessen the risk of mould growing, but it also should be placed in the sun to dry when not being used. When removing mould it's best to inspect the area or product with gloves and seek assistance from professionals if needed. A doctor has revealed the simple tools everyone needs to know in order to navigate through feelings of anxiety, sadness, and stress or complications that arise when working through grief or facing criticism. Doctor Julie Smith worked one-on-one as a clinical psychologist for a decade before realising she could help people en mass by sharing her most sought-after advice. The 38-year-old mother-of-three has written a book titled 'Why has nobody told me this before' which touches on issues every single person is destined to face including low self-confidence, 'low' moods and forming healthy relationships. Doctor Julie Smith worked one-on-one as a psychologist for a decade before realising she could help people en mass by sharing her most sought-after advice Speaking with FEMAIL from her home in the UK the author said she touched on feelings every person has at some point in their lives. 'I have had so many people who have come to me for a session or two and have been able to go on and create meaningful change just from these tips,' she said. 'It is incredible how many people have thanked me and wondered out loud why they had never been given the advice before. How to slow down anxiety and panic in real time with the SQUARE METHOD Dr Julie suggest the square method for people experiencing the emergency response associated with anxiety. This method is a simple breathing technique and works well because uit can be done almost anywhere. What is the square method? 1 - Locate something in the shape of a square or rectangle 2 - Starting in the bottom left corner move your eye to the top left corner, breathing in to the count of four 3 - Breathe out to the count of four when you get to the corner then work along the top of the square to the next corner, breathing in to a count of four again 4 - Work your way around the square breathing in and out until you feel your pulse slow down and the panic disappear Advertisement 'That's how I decided on the name for the book because it is all information that seems so obvious or useful once you know it that you can't help but wonder why it hadn't been passed down previously,' she said. Other helpful advice includes tips on increasing one's motivation - with the doctor revealing whether you are either born with it or not. 'People tend to think that motivation is something that comes naturally and if they don't have that drive then there's nothing they can do about it. But they can,' she said. 'It is incredible how many people have thanked me and wondered out loud why they had never been given the advice before,' she said How to change your MINDSET: The secret to growth and confidence 1. Make a habit of looking out for signs of a fixed mindset. The goal of a growth mindset is never complete. Like motivation, you have to keep working at it every day. To do this, keep tabs on it. 2. Listen out for any thoughts or self-talk that sounds like this: 'I can't do it. I won't be able to' 'If I make a mistake, they will laugh at me' 'I'm going to look foolish' 'That person is better than me. I hate them'. 3. When you try something and don't achieve it, or you don't do as well as you hoped. Add this important word to the end of this thought. 'I can't do this..YET!' This one word takes you from fixed (why bother trying again) to growth (lets work out how to make it better next time). You are much more likely to persist. Never behave as if mistakes are negative. They are essential to learning. 4. When faced with the choice of something safe versus a big challenge, choose the big challenge. When there is more chance of failure, there is more chance for learning and growth. 5. When you hit problems and difficulties, respond to yourself with compassion (see my other posts on compassionate self-talk). Then ask, 'what can I learn from this?' And 'what can I try next?' 6. When you see someone doing better than you, learn from them. Turn jealousy and envy into inspiration and mentoring. Advertisement Dr Julie didn't plan on writing a book at first - the idea formed after she became a hit online. 'I decided to do videos with these tips on Youtube, and assumed it would be one of those projects which just fizzle out, but it never did.' In fact she exploded in popularity and has more than three million followers across her 'Dr Julie' social media accounts. This is probably down to timing, she admits, as she started making the videos just a few months before the beginning of the Covid pandemic. 'When lockdowns first started more and more people went online in search for answers to their mental health,' she said, adding that there was a wave of deteriorating mental health stemming from general health anxiety, financial anxiety and fast-paced un-planned social change. The mother-of-three shares her 'therapy room secrets' online after realising many of her clients didn't need intensive sessions, just some simple tools 'We are going through a period where so many people are feeling traumatised at the same time, it is something that hasn't really happened before at this scale in living memory. 'There have been other big events, like stock crashes that have impacted a lot of people but nothing that has left such a mark as the pandemic,' she said. What key everyday issues are covered? 1 - Managing anxiety and stress 2 - Dealing with criticism 3 - Battling a low mood 4 - Building self-confidence 5 - Finding motivation 6 - Forming healthy relationships 7 - Working through grief Advertisement Dr Julie was inundated with questions for help from all over the world and would doggedly address them in her informative videos. She realised there was a huge upward trend in people asking for advice to deal with common forms of bad mental health. So she wrote her book in lockdown, while her husband acted as school teacher to their three children in the next room. 'My poor husband I could hear him coaxing them to pick up their pencils, to sit down, while I was up here writing,' she laughed. The book for that reason also touches on relationship pressures, which many people felt intensified in lockdown. 'If you have a difficult relationship with someone, especially someone you live with, it is easier to let it go if you only see them for a couple of hours per day. 'I had people writing into me because they were really struggling with lockdown and having that time with their partner, friends, housemates, parents, go from a few hours to constant,' she said. The core feelings we all face in life were intensified in the pandemic, Dr Julie explained. 'There is a feeling of trauma around this whole pandemic, I believe that's what most people are feeling, a trauma response.' Dr Julie's book is written with adults in mind and made to be an easy-to-follow guide for people to drop in and out of depending on the advice they need on hand Dr Julie says it is interesting to see that most people are looking for help for many of the same issues now. Five years ago there was no 'blanket issue' or feelings - people would come as a result of individual grief and trauma. Dr Julie says people showing a huge interest in mental health is a step-in-the-right-direction. Has there been a change in 'mental health trends'? According to Dr Julie the major change is there is now a trend, because more people are having similar mental health struggles at the same time as a result of the global pandemic. Financial instability, health anxiety and mental health issues arising from unstable relationships and social interaction have soared. Five years ago people would see Dr Julie and her colleagues for a range of things from grief after losing a loved one, to relationship break downs and general anxiety. But Those issues have been intensified since 2020, especially through lockdowns, as have everyday feelings of sadness, anxiety and stress. Advertisement 'I would love people to have the same level of respect for mental health as they do for physical health. 'People who have had experiences with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety are quick to point out it can have just as strong effect as a physical illness or injury.' She says she would like workplaces to acknowledge mental health and for them to become more flexible in accommodating needs of people experiencing it. 'This might not mean time off, but of course if they are going through something like burnout then they need that to get better. 'For other issues it could be implementing a plan set by their psychologist,' she said. This could be as simple as being aware of the issue, key triggers, needs for longer breaks or shorter days or increased communication. Dr Julie's book is available in book stores and online and is available as a physical book, audio book and digital book. Popular mummy blogger Constance Hall has responded to backlash she's received for sleeping with her children on a mattress in the living room. The 38-year-old mother, from Western Australia, spoke openly in a detailed Facebook post about the family's 'sleep nest'. The photo shared online depicts three kids lying happily on the mattress and another child cuddling the family dog on the couch. The mattress is positioned in the middle of the room running alongside two leather couches, creating a huge sleeping zone with blankets and pillows. 'I pretty much always co-slept with my babies, I just loved it, I still love it,' Constance wrote. Mummy blogger Constance Hall (pictured) has divided opinions online after revealing she and her children sleep on a mattress in the living room The 38-year-old mother, from Western Australia, spoke openly in a long Facebook post about the family's 'sleep nest' (pictured). The photo depicts three kids lying happily on the mattress and another child cuddling the family dog on the couch Constance explained she and her seven kids have been living at her mum's house for almost 12 months, and five kids sleep in the living room. 'While it's a four-bedroom house, two of the rooms don't get used and we have two mattresses on the floor in the lounge room surrounded by couches,' she said 'Last night as I lay on one of them with 5 kids surrounding me, all drifting off in between giggling, fighting, dobbing and 4000 "I love you's" and finally sleep I felt extreme contentment.' The busy mum says she feels content knowing her children are able to feel comforted if they have a nightmare and never wake up alone. 'It's not for everyone. It doesn't have to be,' she added. The busy mum says she feels content knowing her children are able to feel comforted if they have a nightmare and never wake up alone The sleeping arrangement allows the family the spend an excess amount of time together rather than being separated and alone in bedrooms While she's received negative comments previously, hundreds of mums shared words of praise in response to the Facebook post. 'Just beautiful and I wish this was the norm. I never turned my kids away from sleeping with me, I would never deny them that comfort and safety,' one mum wrote. 'I couldn't love this any more! Such a healthy attitude to parenting. You sound like an amazing mum,' another wrote. A third added: 'You will never look back on life and think, "I spent too much time with my kids".' Constance said she introduced the sleeping arrangement after speaking to a 'child whispering midwife' who claims dinner time and food should be an 'enjoyable part of life'. 'I've applied a similar ethos to our sleeping routines,' Constance wrote. More importantly, it allows the family the spend an excess amount of time together rather than being separated and alone in bedrooms. It follows after Constance took time to reflect on her relationship with her husband Denim Cooke, who she married in 2018. It follows after Constance took time to reflect on her relationship with her husband Denim Cooke, who she married in 2018. She has been living apart from her husband after he almost died falling off a motorbike in 2020 She has been living apart from her husband after he almost died falling off a motorbike in 2020. 'He just completely checked out of life after the accident," she said. Denim, who recently avoided a stint in jail despite driving with ice in his system and having an unrestrained child in his car, was involved in a horror motorbike crash in August, 2020. The 46-year-old was airlifted to a trauma ward at Royal Perth Hospital suffering seven broken ribs, punctured lungs, multiple infections and a brain injury after skidding off his bike. 'I think when he woke up from the accident, I was very excited. And there was this sort of false hope,' Constance said. 'I spoke to the doctors, and they said Denim doesn't have motivation anymore. The frontal lobe damage has taken any of that away that he might have had before. 'His psychiatrist said really recently, and it was really clever, "He loves you. He loves his family. He needs to work for you rather than just getting you and all the things you do and provide... and that's not gonna happen unless he's removed from the family home."' The couple began to look into an assisted care facility to get a few nights away from each other and heal but Constance was reminded constantly that he was 'becoming a shell of a man'. Final post? This photo of Constance, Denim and their son Raja shared on July 23 is the last time he appeared on his wife's Instagram account They were fighting and the mother-of-seven could see their relations were spiralling. So Denim went to stay with 'his bestest friend' who lives in Esperance, a 10 hour drive away from Constance's home in Margaret River. 'I spoke to him the next day, and there was just this light in his face... like he was just his old self again. He was clear. He was awake and alive and around lovely people,' she said. Her empathy, compassion and desire soon returned and Constance thanks her husband's psychiatrist for stepping in when he did to 'help them'. Women are being forced to take days off work because of a crippling shortage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the NHS. Surging demand and supply issues have left many struggling to access the drugs that soothe the debilitating symptoms of the menopause. Campaigners say it has sparked a 'gold rush', with women racing to pharmacies to get their hands on supplies. Desperate women have resorted to swapping drugs in car parks, buying on the black market and going abroad to source the medicine. Some GPs have now started rationing stock, giving women only one month's worth of the drugs to ease the pressures. Experts fear the shortage will see women forced out the workplace, either trying to hunt for the drugs or because they are too unwell to work. Women like 52-year-old Julie Macken have had to spend mornings off work in search of HRT after missing out on the medication for days. Menopause can cause brain fog making concentrating on tasks difficult as well as crippling hot flushes, fatigue and anxiety. There were about 512,000 NHS prescriptions written for 'female sex hormones and their modulators' in England in February, the latest official data shows, compared to 265,000 in March 2017. Many of these will be HRT medications but some may include other female hormone drugs such as contraceptives File photo of a woman taking HRT. Shortages have been so severe that some women have been forced to spend hours visiting different pharmacies in search of it Woman says she will have to give up work if she runs out of HRT amid shortage A woman has described her dependence on HRT amid a supply shortage of a certain type of the drug, saying that running out would be 'catastrophic' for her physical and mental wellbeing. Shortages of the medicine, which is used to treat the symptoms of menopause, have been so severe some women have been forced to travel hundreds of miles in search of it. Around a million women in the UK rely on HRT. Sarah Smith, 53, from London, said: 'It will be catastrophic for me if my supply runs out and I stop abruptly. It will cause a mental and physical impact that will likely see me have to give up work.' Describing her experience of menopause before she used HRT, Ms Smith said she experienced approximately 30 hot flushes each day and 'intense brain fog'. 'I forgot how to do my job. Menopause ruined my life. 'I had completely lost sense of my identity, and all joy in life. I just existed and was, like a lot of women, considering giving up work as I could not cope with it. 'It's taken me about seven years to get what's called the gold standard of HRT. This current gold standard treatment allows me to make the journey back to who I used to be.' Advertisement Sarah Smith, 53, from London, said 'intense brain fog' from menopause prevented her from doing her job before she started taking the treatment. Losing HRT abruptly would force her to 'give up work', she said. The main issue is with Oestrogel, which is used by around 30,000 women in the UK. Alternatives have also taken a hit as women are switched to different medication until stocks are replenished. Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, founder of the Pausitivity campaign, told The Times: 'For the past three years on and off women have struggled to get hold of HRT. 'At the moment the main problem is Oestrogel. But that is having knock-on effects on other brands. 'Women are having to spend hours trekking back and forth between their GPs and pharmacists to get hold of it.' Businesswoman Ms Macken had to visit seven pharmacies in Oxfordshire before she finally found the drugs. And teacher Clare Woodward, 47, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, said she was signed off work because alternatives to the gel were not helping her symptoms. She is using the medication to recover from a hysterectomy in 2019 that has limited her oestrogen levels. Initially she tried self-rationing the gel but found her symptoms including fatigue and anxiety were returning, so she was given patches as a substitute. But she says the new drugs do not stick and she does not 'feel great on them at all'. Others have faced issues getting any drugs at all, with GPs restricting their prescriptions and some reportedly 'refusing' to offer a 12-month script. A clinical pharmacist in Truro, Cornwall, told a patient all HRT products were suffering from supply issues. In a letter seen by The Daily Telegraph the pharmacist said: 'It is a case of ringing around pharmacies to see who has stock. 'If your pharmacy has no stock when you next need it, please contact us again and we will issue a new script. 'However, at the moment we can only issue one month at a time, to try and take pressure off the existing stock and allow everyone who needs it a smaller supply.' (left to right) Dr Louise Newson, Mariella Frostrup, MP Carolyn Harris, Penny Lancaster and Davina McCall with protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London demonstrating against ongoing prescription charges for HRT Oestrogel, which is used by around 30,000 women in the UK, has been in short supply lately, leading to a HRT 'gold rush' as women race to pharmacies to get their hands on dwindling stock Davina backs campaign Davina McCall is backing a campaign to bring forward the date for cheaper HRT medicine for women Davina McCall is backing a campaign to bring forward the date for cheaper HRT medicine for women. Last year Labour MP Carolyn Harris, co-chairman of the UK menopause taskforce, managed to get costs cut in England, saving women up to 200 a year. But this will not come into effect until April 2023. Now, a petition by campaign group Menopause Mandate is calling for the Government to implement it sooner. Miss McCall, one of the group's founders, said that it is 'insane' women are 'scrabbling about on the internet' and easing HRT costs is needed urgently. Advertisement Meanwhile, Facebook menopause support groups are being flooded with women tipping each other off, with 'Quick, try here' messages being shared. Others have likened it to the home front in the Second World War, when families would tip each other off when rations were restocked. 'It's just a terrible situation to be in, almost like a gold rush,' said Katie Taylor, of menopause support group Latte Lounge. 'Women in our FB group are panic buying, tipping each other off when they hear of any pharmacies who have stock of Oestrogel in place. 'Some are saying they feel like they've won the lottery, others are offering to share their supplies.' Jane Pangbourne of the HRT Truth Collective support group, said there is an 'HRT frenzy'. She said women were travelling across the country after ringing pharmacy after pharmacy or getting tipped off by friends about where stock is available. She added: 'There was somebody in the group the other day who had travelled four or five hours to get her gel. 'And even when women manage to get, let's say, a month's supply of whatever it is they need, they're then already starting to plan: "What the hell do I do for next month?" 'So the stress doesn't end the moment they get their prescription if they get their prescription at all.' Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, a menopause campaigner and blogger, said desperate women are relying on one another for support and advice. 'Women in Facebook groups have turned into mini support centres, telling each other where they've got Oestrogel from and if they had any left,' she said. 'It reminds me of my mum talking about the war when women would pass on where the latest ration supplies had come in.' The Daily Mail this week revealed a postcode lottery in England for alternative treatments, following extensive coverage of supply chain issues going back years. A spokesman for Well Pharmacy, which has nearly 800 branches, said: 'Some of our pharmacy teams have seen an increased number of requests from new patients looking for specific HRT products.' The UK's most senior GP has warned the HRT supply crisis must be resolved quickly because 'so many women' are experiencing distress and some are risking side-effects by using medication prescribed to others. Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, told the Guardian: 'While we appreciate the seriousness of the current situation and the frustrations women are experiencing, we urge them not to share HRT medication as this could lead to serious side-effects.' A child has died of suspected hepatitis in the US, with six states now investigating cases of the mystery illness sweeping the world. Wisconsin's Department of Health Services announced four youngsters have been struck down with unusual liver damage. One died and another needed a transplant, officials said. If the death is confirmed to be down to the unusual type of hepatitis, it would be the first confirmed in the US and second in the world. Cases of the peculiar illness have already been spotted in Alabama, North Carolina and Delaware. Health chiefs in Illinois and New York are currently probing reports of similar occurrences. In total, there have been at least 20 suspected cases in the US. Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, said the cause of the illness is 'still a mystery'. Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries. At least 18 have needed liver transplants. Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries since last October *cases in Canada, Japan and Wisconsin, Illinois and New York are still yet to be confirmed Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, said the cause of the illness is 'still a mystery' Medics have been left puzzled by what is behind the spate of cases with the usual hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses excluded from laboratory test results. Health chiefs believe the illness may be triggered by an adenovirus, which usually causes common colds. Dr Fauci told Bloomberg: 'Its still a mystery. It seems to be associated with adenovirus, but it isnt a slam dunk.' Alabama was the first state to announce cases of the severe liver injury two weeks ago. Nine children were hospitalised in the state between November and February. Three had acute liver failure and all of the children tested came back positive for adenovirus. Two required liver transplants but all of them survived. North Carolina identified two cases last month, with both children recovering. Neither had adenovirus. Delaware this week reported that a child younger than five was hospitalised by the same mysterious hepatitis. They are still undergoing treatment. One child has now been confirmed dead in Wisconsin, with officials yesterday revealing they are investigating whether their liver injury was linked to the same cluster of cases. The Wisconsin DHS said: 'Since being notified of this adenovirus-associated hepatitis cluster, DHS is now investigating at least four similar cases among children in Wisconsin. 'This includes two children who had severe outcomes, one liver transplant, and one fatality.' Illinois officials said they had spotted three probable cases of severe hepatitis on Monday and one child required a liver transplant. Dr Tina Tan, pediatric infectious disease physician at Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago, said the cases are most likely to be caused by a virus because they are appearing in clusters. She told Bloomberg: 'Whats most unusual about all of this is that adenovirus does not usually cause severe hepatitis in kids with no underlying health conditions.' And health officials in New York state yesterday revealed they are investigating a cases that appears to match descriptions of the mystery illness. The condition which was first spotted in Scotland at the end of March has been detected 114 times in Britain. Covid lockdowns may be behind the mysterious spate of hepatitis cases in children because they reduced social mixing and weakened their immunity, experts claim Experts say lockdowns may have weakened the immunity of children and left them more susceptible to the virus, or it may be a mutated version. Investigations are ongoing but officials have yet to rule out a new Covid variant being to blame. Another theory is that children may have been battling the adenovirus at the same time as Covid. UK health officials have ruled out the Covid vaccine as a possible cause, with none of the ill British children having been vaccinated because of their young age. Liver experts described the spate of cases as 'concerning' but said parents should not worry about the illness affecting their children. A vegan who drinks his own month-old urine and smears it all over his face claims his sister now hates him because of his disgusting habit. 'Open-minded' Harry Matadeen, from Hampshire, began consuming his own waste in 2016 because he was 'desperate to heal' his mental health problems. He said his urine, which he drinks 200ml of every day, left him feeling 'a new sense of peace, calm and determination' and cured him almost immediately. And the 34-year-old who sometimes cups his own stream and splashes it on his face claimed it's the 'secret to eternal youth'. But Mr Matadeen, who has written books about the supposed health benefits of his habit, said he has been rejected by his sister because of his so-called urine therapy. Advocates say urine, which is 90 per cent water, cures everything from autoimmune disorders to chronic pain. But medics warn there is no proof urophagia has any benefits whatsoever. They say the practice thought to have originated in ancient Egypt speeds up dehydration and exposes drinkers to bacteria. Madonna has previously claimed to drink urine, as well as singer Kesha. Harry Matadeen (pictured), 34, from Hampshire, began drinking urine in the summer of 2016 because he was 'desperate to heal' his depression and 'open-minded' on how to do this He said his urine, which he drinks 200ml of every day, left him feeling 'a new sense of peace, calm and determination' and took years of his appearance. But Mr Matadeen, an author who has penned books about the supposed health benefits of his habit, said he has been rejected by his sister because he practices so-called urine therapy Mr Matadeen drinks 200ml of mostly his one-month old urine every, which he tops up with fresh urine. Pictured: Jars of his urine Mr Matadeen (pictured in 2016 before he started drinking urine) began drinking his urine after reading about its alleged health benefits. He said: 'It was beyond my wildest imaginations how powerful it was when I drank it. 'From the moment I drank the urine, it woke up my brain and removed my depression Madonna (left) has previously claimed to drink urine, as well as singer Kesha (right) Why you really should NOT drink your own urine Urine therapy is said to date back to the Bible. Historical documents suggest that the Aztecs disinfected wounds with it, while the benefits are also mentioned in Indian and Chinese literature. Fans of 'urotherapy', a term used to describe drinking your own pee, include Madonna. In 1945, John W. Armstrong, a British naturopath, published a book claiming that drinking urine could cure all major illnesses, however there is no scientific proof of this. Urine consists of 90 per cent water. During the digestive process, the liver deals with toxins and removes them to be excreted. The blood then goes to the kidneys where it is filtered again and extraneous components the body no longer needs are collected in a sterile solution which is then passed as urine. But GP Dr Rob Hicks told the Mail: 'Over the years many people have claimed health benefits from drinking their own urine, but as far as I'm aware there is no scientific evidence to back-up these claims. 'The kidneys are an efficient filtering system getting rid of what the body doesn't need, so to put this back into the body seems counter-productive. 'Personally, I believe there are better - and more palatable - ways to keep the body healthy including not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and keeping stress under control.' Medics warn drinking urine can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and cause an electrolyte imbalance which speeds up dehydration. Health expert Aisling Pigott, dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, added that urine contains toxins expelled from the body and kidneys, and drinking it could therefore be harmful and cause infection. Dr Jeff Foster, a GP in Warwickshire, said: 'There are no known reported health benefits from either drinking or rubbing your own urine onto your body (or anyone else's urine). 'Orally, it is much worse it can actually speed up the dehydration process and potentially introduce bacteria. 'Bottom line is if you would not eat or rub in your own faeces, then don't think applying the same principle with urine is any healthier. 'Waste products are waste for a reason.' Advertisement Mr Matadeen turned to drinking urine six years ago after reading about its alleged health benefits. He said: 'It was beyond my wildest imaginations how powerful it was when I drank it. 'From the moment I drank the urine, it woke up my brain and removed my depression. 'I felt a new sense of peace, calm and determination. I thought "wow I can make it for free and always keep myself in this happy state".' He has previously wrongly claimed drinking urine can reduce the risk of developing cancer, Alzheimer's, dementia, heart disease and strokes. Despite his claims of health benefits, Mr Matadeen has received fierce backlash from family members and friends. He said: 'My family never approved of it and thought it disgusting from the beginning. 'My sister doesn't speak to me and one reason is my partaking in urine therapy. 'I've chosen all of my friends now and all of them either do aged fresh urine therapy or approve of it. 'If they didn't I wouldn't have them as friends simple as that.' Mr Matadeen drinks 200ml of mostly his one-month old urine every day, which he tops up with fresh urine, and 'not much else'. He eats one meal a day and follows an intermittent fasting diet. Mr Matadeen said: 'Fresh urine is never as bad as you imagine it is neutral smelling and not a bad taste unless you are really toxic. 'But the aged urine is always smelly and the taste is a refined and acquired one. I'll just say it takes some getting used to. 'I actually like the smell and taste of my aged urine now, due to neuro-association of what benefits and joy it gives me after I take it into my system.' He also rubs his urine into his skin and claims it has left him looking a decade younger and is the key to 'eternal youth'. He said: 'Urine has made me look a lot younger. 'Drinking the aged urine has revitalised my face to its youthful years and when I rub it on my face, the difference is instant and obvious. 'My skin is young, soft and glowing. Aged urine is the best food for the skin that I have found to date. 'When you rub it on, it softens the skin and keeps it youthful and elastic. I don't use any other skincare other than urine. It's the secret to eternal youth. 'Sometimes when I'm in the urinals and no one is watching I will cup my hand and splash the fresh urine I am excreting on my face and rub it in. 'Urine therapy has changed my life.' Dr Jeff Foster, a GP in Warwickshire, said: 'Urine is a waste product that contains about 90 per cent water. 'The rest is ammonia and salts, some bacteria and other waste products. 'There are no known reported health benefits from either drinking or rubbing your own urine onto your body (or anyone else's urine). 'Orally, it is much worse it can actually speed up the dehydration process and potentially introduce bacteria. 'Bottom line is if you would not eat or rub in your own faeces, then don't think applying the same principle with urine is any healthier. 'Waste products are waste for a reason.' Mr Matadeen (pictured) turned to drinking urine six years ago after reading about its alleged health benefits. He said: 'From the moment I drank the urine, it woke up my brain and removed my depression Advertisement Up to two-thirds of GP appointments were not conducted by patients' actual doctors in parts of England last month, official data revealed today. NHS figures shows just 36 per cent of patients were seen by a qualified GP in North East Lincolnshire in March, with the rest seen by other staff, including nurses, physiotherapists or even acupuncturists. Nationally, just half (51 per cent) of appointments were with a doctor last month and the rate was below 40 per cent at seven clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Unions claimed more doctors are needed to deal with the 'untenable' increase in demand on surgeries, while doctors urged the Government to 'make good on its promise of 6,000 more GPs' by 2024. But NHS bosses claimed the data showed 'more people's needs are being met' than last month, with the number of appointments now back to 'pre-pandemic levels'. Just 62 per cent of appointments were made face-to-face last month. It was up on the previous month (61 per cent) but far below the more than 80 per cent being recorded in 2019. And the figures also show nearly one in six appointments whether with a GP or not were over within five minutes. It comes amid a huge row over the working hours and conditions of family doctors and a 'postcode lottery' that has seen people in some parts of the country struggle to get an appointment of any kind. Patients have for years complained of struggling to access their GP, with consultations dropping during the pandemic and struggling to recover. NHS Digital figures showed just 36 per cent of patients were seen by their actual GP during appointments in North East Lincolnshire in March. The rest were seen by other staff at practices, including nurses. Less than 40 per cent of patients were seen by their doctor in seven clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) across the country Just 62 per cent of appointments were made face-to-face last month. It was up on the previous month (61 per cent) but far below the more than 80 per cent being recorded in 2019 Overall, only 51 per cent of patients in the country were seen by their actual GP. 46 per cent were seen by other practice staff, including nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists Meanwhile, 1.3million appointments were missed by patients four per cent of all organised consultations in the country making it even harder for those who need them to get one A fifth of appointments lasted between just six and 10 minutes, with the second most common timeframe (17 per cent) being less than five minutes Some 45 per cent of appointments were booked on the same day, but 21 per cent were forced to wait for more than a week to see their doctor GPs are urged not to use language that could belittle patients Woke medics are calling for a revamp of language used by doctors so it does not 'belittle' patients. Common medical phrases like 'take' a test or 'send' someone home may potentially make patients feel 'childlike', they said. Instead of saying things like the patient 'denies' chest pain, doctors should use the word 'reports' so it does not sound like the patient is being doubted. Saying medication 'failed' to work implies it was the patient's fault so doctors should say a drug was 'not effective' instead. The recommendations were made by consultant physician Dr Zoe Fritz and junior doctor Dr Catriona Cox, both from the University of Cambridge. They laid out an argument for more empowering language in an editorial published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The changes are 'not a matter of political correctness', the medics argue. Simple words or phrases, both verbally and in written notes, can 'insidiously' affect the relationship between doctors and their patients, they claim. Advertisement Pressure groups today upped the onus on doctors to turn up to appointments and make sure they are done in-person. John O'Connell, chief executive of pressure group the TaxPayers' Alliance told MailOnline: 'Taxpayers expect to see their doctor face-to-face, given the huge amount they pay for the NHS. 'Health professionals should ensure that all patients get the level of service they need.' The NHS data shows North East Lincolnshire had the lowest rate of patients seen by their actual GP at appointments in England. It was followed by Bradford District and Craven, North East Essex, Portsmouth, and Ipswich and Sussex. Just 37 per cent of all appointments were definitely attended by a GP. Some 45 of England's 107 CCGs saw fewer than half of appointments attended by fully-qualified GPs. GPs claimed some patients can gain more appropriate care from other healthcare professionals at clinics, including nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists. Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told MailOnline: 'General practice is a team profession and sometimes a GP is not the most appropriate healthcare professional to meet a patient's health needs. 'We lead teams of highly-trained practice nurses, pharmacists, physios, link workers and other health professionals in order to ensure patients receive the care they need. 'Working in multi-disciplinary teams also frees up GPs' time to see those patients who need our medical expertise, such as those with multiple and complex health conditions.' The figures are based on data provided by NHS Digital. They are calculated based on the number of sessions with a GP in attendance as a proportion of all appointments, which include some appointments where the type of healthcare professional was not recorded. This means there may have been slightly more appointments that were attended by GPs than are reflected in the data. A fifth of appointments with or without a doctor were done in between six and 10 minutes. One in six were finished in less than five minutes. The British Medical Association (BMA) a trade union representing nearly 160,000 doctors advises all appointments last at least 15 minutes to ensure 'the quality of care provided, preserve patient satisfaction, and reduce the need for repeated consultation with patients'. Appointments are supposed to be fixed at 10 minutes according to NHS best practice. More than half (52 per cent) of appointments lasted less than 15 minutes, according to the figures. Dr Kieran Sharrock, BMA England GP committee deputy chair, told MailOnline: 'While shorter appointments may be perfectly suitable for some queries and conditions, we know that longer appointments give more opportunity for safer, quality care when the issue is more complex. 'However, with a dwindling workforce they have been increasingly harder to provide to meet mounting demand in a timely way. We do though need to approach this new data with caution, before drawing any firm conclusions about length of appointments. 'While practices are now required to record all appointments, as NHS Digital itself says, the way in which appointment length is logged will vary by software system and from practice-to-practice.' The GP Worklife survey found more than half of family doctors worked for six sessions a week or less every week in 2021, with each session being four hours and 10 minutes. Nearly a fifth of the workforce saw patients for four sessions or less, while 12.4 per cent worked for five sessions and 27.9 per cent worked for six The graph shows the number of GP appointments per day in January. Since 2019, GPs have been asked to work evenings and weekends. But just 22,000 patients were seen on the average Saturday in January, compared to around 1.2million per week day GPs have a duty to see patients face-to-face, medical regulator rules Doctors will have a duty to respect a patient's wishes for face-to-face appointments under new guidance from the medical regulator. It says medics should agree with a patient what type of appointment would best suit their 'needs and circumstances'. And they should ensure care is 'safe and effective' whether delivered face to face or remotely, the General Medical Council says. The new directive is included in a revised version of the GMC's core guidance for all doctors, known as 'Good medical practice'. It is the modern day equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath, outlining the professional values, knowledge and behaviours expected of UK doctors. The 16-page document is being updated for the first time since 2013 to reflect societal changes, including sexual harassment and the increased use of social media. A draft update was published yesterday as part of a 12-week public consultation. It says doctors must not use digital communications channels to harass or mislead, and they should 'make reasonable checks' to avoid doing so. Some doctors have large followings on the likes of Twitter and TikTok and use the platforms to promote products, give advice or express political views. Advertisement Meanwhile, 1.3million patients failed to show up to their appointment, accounting for four per cent of the total 29.6million consultations during the month. Some 45 per cent of appointments were booked on the same day, but 21 per cent were forced to wait for more than a week to see their doctor. Unions claimed there are not enough doctors to provide safe treatment to patient, with doctor-to-patient ratios getting ever worse. Dr Sharrock said: 'Last month appointments in England were up by 4million while GP numbers continued to spiral downwards. 'This is completely untenable for practices, for GPs and for patients.' There are now 369 fewer full-time, fully-qualified GPs in England than this time last year. There were around 35,000 working NHS GPs in 2020. He added: 'This trend, of demand rocketing while we haemorrhage doctors, is pushing the remaining staff to breaking point as they take on more and more each day, to a point which is not safe for them and certainly not safe for patients. 'The whole healthcare system is under pressure like never before, with record waits for operations and procedures, meaning more patients waiting often in a huge deal of pain and seeking support from their practice. 'While today's figures demonstrate practice staff going above and beyond to meet the needs of their patients, working at these unsafe levels is not sustainable and will only drive more GPs away from the profession leaving more patients without their family doctor. 'We urgently need the Government and policymakers to listen to the alarm bells being rung by practices around the country, and work with the profession to come to solutions that ease the pressures, turn the tide on the exodus of GPs and enable them to provide safe care that patients deserve.' Doctors warn the solution to staffing crises will not be easy, with GP specialty training taking three years after medical school and foundation training, which take at least six years to complete themselves. Professor Marshall said: 'It is clear from today's figures that GPs and our teams are continuing to work exceptionally hard, delivering more than 30m patient consultations in March more than in the same month before the pandemic with 44 per cent on the same day they were booked. 'The data shows that GP teams are trying their best in the face of intense workload and workforce pressures to ensure their patients receive timely and appropriate care.' He added: 'GPs and our teams are doing a very good job in difficult circumstances. Ultimately, we need more GPs and more members of the practice team, so that we can deliver the care our patients need and expect. 'This is why we urgently need the Government to make good on its promise of 6,000 more GPs and 26,000 more members of the wider practice team by 2024.' Despite the strain on both patients and doctors, NHS bosses praised the work done by GPs and claimed more patients are being met. Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said: 'This data shows that primary care teams continue to work flat out to address increasing and more complex demand, seeing 17 per cent more patients in March than the previous month and back to pre-pandemic levels of activity. 'Of those, a clear majority of patients 63 per cent were seen face-to-face or at home, another monthly increase and 44 per cent of appointments took place on the day they were booked. 'It is testament to the perpetual hard work of all those working in primary care that more people's needs are being met, including patients being supported as they wait for care from other parts of the NHS.' Maternity services should use 'inclusive' terms like 'chestfeeding' so trans pregnant people aren't offended, a Government-funded report says. The report, from the LGBT Foundation, made the recommendation after surveying 121 trans Britons on their experience of pregnancy. Another example of a gender-loaded term is 'vaginal birth', recommending 'frontal' or 'lower birth' instead. The report said inclusive terms should be used across NHS services and people and national guidance should be introduced to ensure pregnant trans have the option of their preferred words. 'It is not possible to guess the language someone might use to describe themselves based on how they look or sound, or who they are in a relationship with,' the report reads. The charity also says some trans and non-binary people would benefit from having a private space in hospitals to give birth, so that they are not made uncomfortable by seeing women. It detailed the experience of one trans person, who said: 'I didnt have to go to a ward full of women after giving birth, I was actually provided with a private room for me and baby which was very helpful and accommodating for me and my gender identity.' NHS services are currently in a 'woke' storm of de-gendering language surrounding women and pregnancy. Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust is now referring to breastmilk as 'human milk' in official guidance. The new report was commissioned by the Health & Wellbeing Alliance, a partnership between charities and the NHS, which is managed jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Meet 'Cam' (on the right) a fictional 'Black Caribbean non-binary transmasculine person going through their second pregnancy' that the LGBT Foundation have used as an example of they way maternity services in Britain could be improved for pregnant trans people It lays out a series of recommendations in its 'Trans + Non Binary Experiences of Maternity Services' report. The charity said a third pregnant trans and non-nonbinary parents surveyed reported not engaging with perinatal care during their pregnancy. This compares to just 2.1 per cent of the general population. Of the survey respondents, 59 per cent said healthcare professionals did not speak to them in a way which reflected their gender. Midwives are being taught at university how to help biological men with penises give birth as experts slam trans 'inclusive' manual Midwifery students at a top Scottish university were wrongly taught biological men could get pregnant and trans men could give birth even if they have a penis. MailOnline can reveal the 9,000-a-year undergraduate course at Edinburgh Napier University included a woke module on caring for 'birthing people'. In a coursebook that has since been revised, trainee midwives were given detailed instructions on how to treat a male-to-female trans person during childbirth. It is not possible for someone born a man to get pregnant or give birth with current technology or medicine. The book's introduction stated: 'You may be caring for a pregnant or birthing person who is transitioning from male to female and may still have external male genitalia.' Another section with photo demonstrations detailed how to fit a catheter in a person with a penis and scrotum during labour. The book also included special instructions for people with prostate glands which are exclusive to biological men who may feel particular 'discomfort'. Several experts criticised the university, describing the woke course material as 'remarkably ignorant about basic biology, sex and anatomy'. Bosses at the university have changed the wording to say 'people transitioning from female to male' rather than 'male to female', following the uproar. Advertisement Additionally, 28 per cent of respondents said they had not been treated with 'dignity and respect' during both labour and birth. One respondent, described as a disabled, non-binary, queer, Black British African, said: 'I felt there was no framework of language that was inclusive of people who do not identify within the gender binary so it was consistently a triggering experience.' Another trans person said a midwife attributed their postnatal depression to them knowing 'deep down' that they should stop the transition. 'When I suffered from some depression after having my baby a midwife suggested it was because "deep down I knew I didnt want to transition anymore" this was deeply unhelpful and made me feel even worse,' they said. And fewer than half of those surveyed said their decisions around how to feed their baby were respected by midwives. This, the LGBT Foundation claimed, 'suggests potential harm for the birthing parent through disrespectful interaction, and to the baby where there are unresolved questions about feeding.' They detailed the experience of another trans person, who said his baby's tongue-tie, a condition where the shape of a child's tongue makes it harder to breastfeed, was missed as medical professionals 'assumed' he could not produce milk. 'My baby's tongue tie was not treated early because it was assumed I wouldn't chest feed at all, when in fact I could have,' he said. The report's authors also said racism experienced by Black and Asian trans people was also a factor in poorer pregnancy care for these demographics. In its report, the LGBT Foundation name a fictional person called Cam, a 'Black Caribbean non-binary transmasculine person going through their second pregnancy', as an example of how NHS maternity services should be run. 'Cam' had a traumatic first birth where they concealed their gender identity and is, therefore, reluctant to engage with perinatal care services. The LGBT Foundation list a variety of ways services could be made more inclusive for Cam, such as using language like 'pregnant people' instead of 'pregnant women'. It also recommends the use of terms like 'chestfeeding' or 'bodyfeeding' instead of breastfeeding. Other examples include having NHS staff with identity badges which show their preferred pronouns, gender-inclusive training for midwives, and NHS data tracking outcomes for trans and non-binary pregnancies. The survey responders were recruited via social media between November 2020 and March 2021 and were then interviewed about their experience by the LGBT Foundation. Because of his ties to convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, Prince Andrew was deprived of his position as a freeman of the City of York on Wednesday. At City of York, Councillors unanimously opted to revoke the honor bestowed on him in 1987 during a special meeting in northern England. ITV reported that councilors unanimously agreed to deprive the 62-year-old of his Freedom of the City of York distinction during a meeting at York Racecourse on Wednesday night. Prince Andrew Stripped of Freedom of City Honor The Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth II's third child, was bestowed the title in 1987, shortly after his marriage to ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The push to have the honorary title removed coincided with the royal's involvement with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's links to Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault case. Prince Andrew retains the title of Duke of York, which the queen conferred upon him. York councilors, on the other hand, have called on the prince to resign his title. Andrew's military titles and patronages were removed from him by the queen in January. He is still a member of the throne's line of succession. He is presently ranked ninth, behind the two children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Andrew, on the other hand, is not permitted to refer to himself as 'His Royal Highness.' The Duke of York title is generally held by the Prince or Princess of Wales's next sibling in line of succession. Prince Charles, Andrew's brother and the first in line to the British throne, has that title. Prince Andrew, together with the queen, attended a thanksgiving ceremony remembering his late father, Prince Philip, on March 29. The choice of escort by the reigning queen was seen as support for her son after he resolved a lawsuit related to his relationship with Epstein. Read Also: Will Smith Travels to India for "Spiritual Purposes" Despite Not Personally Apologizing to Chris Rock for Oscars Slap Prince Andrew's Settlement With Virginia Giuffre Even after the palace was shaken by the scandal, Prince Andrew's involvement demonstrated that he is still a member of the royal family. After Giuffre sued him, Prince Andrew vehemently disputed her charges. She claimed the British royal sexually abused her while she was 17 and traveling with Epstein in 2001. After a court denied Andrew's request for early dismissal of the lawsuit earlier this year, Giuffre, 38, agreed with him. According to the statement, Prince Andrew admitted that Epstein exploited countless young girls over a long period and expressed remorse for his connection with Epstein. He also praised Giuffre and other survivors for speaking out for themselves and others, according to Fox News. Despite reports that the Duke would depart because he couldn't afford to keep the house without help, a royal insider said it's now extremely improbable that he will. This new humiliation might be the Palace's next action in response to calls for Andrew to relinquish his Duke of York title and cut ties with the city. He is the first VIP to lose his firemanship since Jimmy Savile's freedom of Scarborough was taken away when information about his heinous crimes was made public after his death in 2011. In February, only days after Andrew's settlement was disclosed, councilors stated that they would try to withdraw his freedom of the city of York. The decision was decided during a meeting convened on Wednesday evening at York Racecourse. It was a far cry from the outpouring of support he received when he was honored. In 1987, around 200,000 people flocked to the old city's streets to witness Andrew's inauguration as the Freedom of York. After every family in the city was encouraged to apply for tickets, a mob gathered outside York Minster yelled "we want Fergie." The award, which dates back hundreds of years and recognizes persons of distinction who have made significant contributions to the city, is given out annually, The Sun reported. Related Article: Unearthed Clip Shows Prince William Sulks as Princess Diana Tells That Prince Harry "Will Have All the Fun" During Hide and Seek Game @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Eight hours is no longer the ideal duration of sleep each night in middle age, according to science. Cambridge University researchers are now recommending people get seven hours which they say is the sweet spot for general health and warding off dementia. The downgrade comes after studying the sleep pattern of half a million Britons aged 38 to 73. People who got more or less than seven hours per night scored worse in tests for thinking speed, attention span, memory and problem-solving. Until now, getting eight hours of undisrupted sleep was thought to be the Goldilocks zone for sleep, providing the best overall health benefits. But disruption to sleep which happens to both those who sleep too little and for too long is associated with a buildup of plaque in the brain a tell-tale sign of dementia. The Cambridge University study shows the link between hours of sleep per night and different measures of brain function (blue lines), including memory and reaction time, as well as mental health, including depression and anxiety. The findings suggest those who get seven hours of sleep are at the best cognitive performance and mental health, with more or less sleep resulting in poorer performance (shown in U-shaped curve) Sleep is essential for brain plasticity its ability to process information and remember things as well as removing waste products from brain cells, regulating metabolism and maintaining the immune system. The NHS recommends six to nine hours of sleep every night for adults, whereas the developing brains of children need up to 12 hours per night. But middle-age and older adults often find it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Experts believe this speeds up cognitive decline and can spur on psychiatric problems in our senior years. HOW MUCH SLEEP SHOULD I GET? Most adults need between six and nine hours of sleep every night. Going to bed and getting up at a similar time each night programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine. But few people manage to stick to strict bedtime patterns. To get to sleep easier, the NHS advises winding down, such as by taking a bath, reading and avoiding electronic devices. The health service also recommends keeping the bedroom sleep-friendly by removing TVs and gadgets from the room and keeping it dark and tidy. For people who struggle to sleep, the NHS says keeping a sleep diary can uncover lifestyle habits or activities that contribute to sleepiness. Source: NHS Advertisement The researchers examined data from 498,277 adults aged 38 to 73, gathered from the UK Biobank a database of patients monitored for 10 years. Participants were quizzed about their sleeping patterns, mental health and wellbeing and took part in a series of cognitive brain tests completed on a touchscreen tablet including assessments of their reaction time and memory. The results, published in the journal Nature Aging, shows both insufficient and excessive sleep duration is linked with impaired cognitive performance, such as processing speed, visual attention, memory and problem-solving skills. Those who got seven hours of sleep per night had the healthiest brains. They had the best cognitive performance and mental health with lower levels of anxiety and depression and better wellbeing compared to those getting more or less than seven hours sleep. The researchers said one reason for their finding could be that those getting fewer than seven hours were suffering disruption to their slow-wave deep sleep. Those getting too much sleep could also be affected, because extended shut-eye can cause poor-quality and fragmented deep sleep. Interruptions to this type of sleep have been linked with a build-up in the brain of a protein called amyloid, which is one of the leading theories about how dementia develops. Amyloid occurs naturally but high levels of it causes the protein to clump together and form plaques that cause 'tangles' in the brain and disrupt cell function. The researchers noted that a lack of sleep may also make it harder for the brain to rid itself of toxins. And brain imaging data from around 40,000 of the participants showed a link between sleep duration and the structure of brain regions involved in cognitive processing and memory. Those who had more or less than seven hours had bigger changes in these areas including the precentral cortex, lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the hippocampus the team found. The researchers also noted that consistently getting seven hours of sleep each night 'without too much fluctuation in duration' was important for brain function and mental health. Professor Barbara Sahakian, a neuroscientist at the university and study co-author, said: 'Getting a good night's sleep is important at all stages of life, but particularly as we age. 'Finding ways to improve sleep for older people could be crucial to helping them maintain good mental health and wellbeing and avoiding cognitive decline, particularly for patients with psychiatric disorders and dementias.' Professor Jianfeng Feng, a brain expert at Fudan University in China and study co-author, said: 'While we can't say conclusively that too little or too much sleep causes cognitive problems, our analysis looking at individuals over a longer period of time appears to support this idea. 'But the reasons why older people have poorer sleep appear to be complex, influenced by a combination of our genetic makeup and the structure of our brains.' Advertisement The rate of COVID-19 deaths in New York City, the hardest struck city in the world by the virus, has shrunk to only two per day, as the virus recedes in America and a majority of the population heads towards a return to 'normal'. In New York, where around 90 percent of the adult population has received one shot of the vaccine, life has largely returned to normal, even as some official attempt to keep Covid guidelines in place. The Big Apple is one of the shrinking list of cities in the U.S. to still have some Covid related mandates in place, with travelers still required to mask in airports, on the subway and on local busses. Just across the Hudson river, in New Jersey, travelers are not required to do so. '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 earlier this month. '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.' As the virus plays less of a role in Americans' lives, uptake of the vaccines has dropped as well. Even despite a recent uptick because of the approval of fourth jabs for those aged 50 and older, demand for the vaccine is at one of its lowest points during the rollout right now. The daily average death total from Covid in New York City has fallen to two per day, the lowest daily average since the start of the pandemic. The city has been one of the hardest struck cities in America More than 150 million Covid vaccines are sitting in storage or have been thrown away across the U.S., official data shows but regulators are still mulling over green-lighting shots for children under five years and extra boosters for adults. Federal data revealed the huge excess supply, with 570 out of the 720million shots delivered to states being administered into people's arms. Amid the mounting stocks the U.S. vaccination drive is slowing, with the number dished out dropping almost a fifth in a week just a month after second boosters were rolled out to over-50s. But despite the lagging uptake Moderna today applied for children aged six months to five years to get its jab, becoming the first in the country to do so, while Pfizer asked on Tuesday for its booster to be rubber-stamped for children aged five to 11 years. Many scientists say children do not need a Covid jab because they are at so low risk if they catch the virus, with Government estimates showing three in four have already caught the virus. They make up less than 0.01 per cent of the almost a million Covid fatalities in the U.S. There is also lower uptake overall than when the vaccine was first approved, with more than half of Americans eligible for a first booster dose still yet to get the shot more than seven months into the roll out. A total of 94million are not yet fully vaccinated. Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston Children's Hospital, told ABC News it was likely anyone who has not been jabbed would remain 'unconvinced of the importance of vaccine-induced protection' especially with cases 'at such low levels and restrictions being lifted'. It comes as U.S. Covid cases rose 59 percent in two weeks to an average of 53,000 infections a day amid the spread of an even more infectious Omicron variant. All but four states Texas, Arizona, Mississippi and Washington are now reporting an uptick in infections. Hospitalizations across the U.S. are down eight percent in two weeks, however, with about 13,000 hospitalized every day while deaths are down 38 percent to 350 every 24 hours. The Biden administrations top medical adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, said Tuesday that the U.S. was 'out of the pandemic' although he attempted to backpedal on the comments Wednesday amid suggestions he misspoke. The above graph shows the number of Covid vaccines handed out in the U.S. by day. The drive is slowing again, dropping almost a fifth in a week with 390,000 jabs now being dished out every day The above graphs show the number of doses of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson that have been delivered to states, and that have also been dished out The above map shows the proportion of people vaccinated in each state of the U.S., and that overall 66 per cent of Americans are now double-jabbed. Uptake has stalled in recent times amid the spread of the virus, with three in five Americans now thought to have been infected including three in four people aged 17 or younger The above graph shows daily Covid cases across the U.S., they are now up 59 per cent in two weeks, and rising in all except for four states Texas, Arizona, Mississippi and Washington The above graph shows the number of deaths from Covid or involving Covid recorded in the U.S., these are down 38 per cent at 350 every 24 hours Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data revealed the number of Covid vaccines that had been delivered. It did not break down un-used doses by whether they are still in storage or were wasted. States said doses had been lost through being trashed, either from vials having to be discarded partially unused after being opened or because they have hit their expiration date. But many are also still sitting on shelves, with both Moderna and Pfizer jabs having a shelf-life of up to a year providing they remain ultra-frozen and a month once they are thawed. Denmark ends its Covid vaccination drive Denmark has become the first country in the world to halt its Covid vaccination program. The Danish health authority said today: 'Spring has arrived, vaccine coverage in the Danish population is high, and the epidemic has reversed. 'Therefore, the National Board of Health is now ending the broad vaccination efforts against Covid for this season.' It said residents would no longer be invited for vaccines from May 15, although everyone would be able to finish their course of vaccination. More than 4.8million Danes or 80 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated, while 3.6million or 62 per cent are boosted. It also started offering fourth Covid vaccine doses, or second boosters, to the vulnerable in January. Advertisement America has purchased more than 1.2 billion Covid vaccine doses, enough to distribute three shots to every member of the population. Uptake of the shots was initially high when they first became available, surging to a peak of more than 3.5 million shots being dished out every day on average in April 2021. It also rose to as many as 1.8 million a day at the height of the booster program amid concern over the Omicron variant, and recently ticked up to 470,000 every 24 hours after second top-ups were approved. But now the inoculation drive is slowing again as the more mild Omicron variant makes up almost every case in the U.S. and almost all virus-related restrictions such as face masks are lifted. A total of 390,000 jabs are now being dished out every day, latest figures show, down 18 per cent in a week. CDC figures show Pfizer is the jab most likely to still be sitting on shelves or to have been wasted, with 86million doses delivered still yet to be put into people's arms. It was followed by the Moderna jab, with 52million, and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, with 12million. The CDC does not break its figures down by state, meaning it is not clear which still has the most doses that have not been administered to Americans. But official figures show Alabama has the lowest vaccine uptake in the U.S., with 51 per cent of people there double-jabbed. Wyoming and Mississippi have the second lowest uptake, at 52 per cent, followed by Louisiana, at 53 per cent. At the other end of the scale Rhode Island is the most vaccinated state in the U.S. with 82 per cent of residents getting two doses. It is followed by Vermont, 81 per cent, and Maine, 79 per cent. But despite the drop-off in demand Moderna and Pfizer are now looking to get their jabs approved among children, sparking controversy. On one side, many parents and even officials at leading regulatory bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC are clamoring to have the shots approved in young children, in a bid to extinguish even the slight risk presented to them by the virus. But on the other, many health experts believe the shots are not needed for the youngest of Americans. The risk they face from the virus is already minimal, and the mRNA jabs have not shown much durability to prevent infection long term. Young children who receive the shot are also at a minimal risk of myocarditis from the vaccines, which some fear outweighs the potential benefit offered by a vaccine. Submitting its request, Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said: 'We believe mRNA-1273 will be able to safely protect these children against SARS-CoV-2, which is so important in our continued fight against COVID-19, and will be especially welcomed by parents and caregivers.' No Covid vaccines have been approved for children younger than five in the U.S. equivalent to 18million people to date. FDA director for biologics evaluation and research, Dr Peter Marks, said this week that getting vaccines approved for children were 'one of our highest priorities'. It is not clear when the applications from Pfizer or Moderna may be approved. Last month America became one of only a handful of other countries to sign-off on second boosters, or fourth doses, for everyone over 50 years old. Israel and Belgium are among others to approve the program, although many nations have instead opted to just approve the extra jabs for those who are immunocompromised. It is expected the roll out could be widened and even fifth shots could be approved this fall in preparation for the third winter of the pandemic. But many experts warn the U.S. is already at risk of sleepwalking into a situation where it keeps rolling out top-up boosters every year even if they are not needed. Some say immunity against severe infection from the current jabs is 'holding up well'. Talking about the wastage of vaccines, Dr Buddy Creech from the vaccine research program in Nashville, Tennessee, told ABC: 'It is a tremendous loss of opportunity for these vaccines to not make it into the shoulders of those who need them. 'Not only is it a financial loss for the purchaser of vaccines the U.S. government but also a significant health loss for those who are not yet protected from Covid and its complications.' Dr Stephen Morse, an epidemiologist at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, warned so many doses were wasted because officials 'underestimated' the extent of vaccine hesitancy. 'The vaccine development was both one of the miraculous triumphs and one of the tragedies of the COVID response,' he said. 'We naively underestimated the extent of vaccine hesitancy and resistance, some driven by what World Health Organization called the "infodemic" of misinformation and disinformation, which persists to this day.' Deborah Lee, chief executive of an NHS hospital said her husband opted to drive her to A&E rather than wait for an ambulance An NHS hospital boss suffering a suspected stroke was directly driven to hospital by her husband who feared an ambulance would arrive too late to save her. Deborah Lee, chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust, detailed the experience in a series of Tweets today and said Government needed to take urgent action. She described how she had a bit of 'turn' on April 22, which left her lop-sided and unable to speak. Now recovered from the ordeal she said: 'I cant get one thing out of my head: What if my husband hadnt been there and my daughter had called for an ambulance and Id been put in the Cat 2 "stack".' Ambulance response times in England have risen to their worst levels on record, official figures show. Over-stretched paramedics have even urged Brits to make their own way to A&E due to the demand on services. Last month the average response time last month for ambulances in England dealing with the category one incidents the life-threatening illnesses or injuries was nine minutes and 35 seconds. This is up from eight minutes and 51 seconds in February and is the longest average since current records began in August 2017. Mrs Lee, who has worked in the NHS for over 30 years, said her husband had heard her 'lamenting' about ambulance delays, so chose to drive her to A&E when she displayed symptoms of a stroke last Friday, rather than call 999. Mrs Lee, who was suffering signs of stroke, is head of Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust (pictured here) On Twitter Mrs Lee described how husband bundled her into a car rather than wait for ambulance after hearing her 'lament' over handover delays Mrs Lee said the South West has the worst ambulance handover delays of any region She also urged the Government to take action in social care to ensure people could get out of hospitals freeing up space for ambulances to drop patients off. What are the symptoms of a stroke? A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Symptoms of a stroke The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word FAST: Face the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped. Arms the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm. Speech their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you're saying to them. Time it's time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms. Advertisement The act was contrary to official NHS guidance on strokes which advises people to dial 999 if they see someone experiencing the signs of stroke. In the South West, where Mrs Lee works, the average response time for a category two calls, which include strokes and heart attacks, is at one hour 53 minutes the highest in England. The target response time for this category of calls is 18 minutes. Mrs Lee said that 'my system is working unrelentingly' to bring response times down, but added that this was 'to no great avail'. '[There is] no silver bullet and I dont have the answer, but government has the power to generate one', she said. England's ambulance delays have partly attributed to a lack of capacity within social care services, meaning patients cannot be discharged from NHS hospitals. This means NHS beds are not free to take ambulance patients, forcing them to wait and sometimes even be treated in the vehicles outside of A&E. Mrs Lee called on the Government to overhaul social care by improving training and pay for staff, adding that it needs to 'build a sector that people want to join, stay in and feel proud to belong to'. Earlier this month it was revealed volunteer drivers will be sent to drive patients who call 999 to hospital in a bid to tackle the soaring waiting times. The NHS-funded scheme will be piloted by the London Ambulance Service (LAS). These drivers will help patients who need an urgent response within two hours, classed as 'category three', and those who need help because of mobility problems. It is hoped the move will free up ambulance crews following multiple reports of heart attack and stroke victims waiting hours in agony for ambulances to arrive. NHS England data shows medics took an average of one hour, one minute and three seconds last month to respond to emergency calls, such as heart attacks, strokes, burns and epilepsy, in March. The figure is up from 42 minutes and seven seconds in February and is the longest time on record (red bars). It is also more than triple the NHS target of 18 minutes Frail elderly mother is left screaming in pain as she waited TEN hours for an ambulance 'which should have arrived within 18 minutes' after her desperate son was told 'there were none available' A frail and elderly mother was left screaming in pain as she waited 10 hours for an ambulance as the appalling wait times for emergency care continue to be laid bare. Stuart Donald was alerted by his mother's care provider at North Lincolnshire Council that she had pushed the emergency button on her lifeline alarm that she wears around her neck after being unable to get out of bed. The care provider contacted Mr Donald at 7am that morning, who told carers his 'frail' mother required an ambulance. He dialled 111, who told him his mother required emergency care. Two hours later, Mr Donald was contacted by the East Midlands Ambulance service who promised to send an ambulance 'within six hours'. His elderly mother's realised she couldn't put any pressure on her legs without experiencing severe pain, but without the prospect of any medical assistance arriving her son drove 20 miles to go and help her. Arriving at her Scunthorpe home, Mr Donald called for a family member to help him move his mother, but they failed so he again called for an ambulance six hours later. 'I said: 'My mother is sat in absolute agony and we physically can't move her, we need help - you must have capacity', and he said, 'No, not at the moment, but as soon as someone becomes available we'll send someone'. After upgrading the incident to a 'Category Two' response six hours later, medics should have arrived at the property within 18 minutes. Despite this, it took the ambulance service 10 hours to finally arrive. They have since apologised for the incident and explained they must 'prioritise the sickest and most severely injured patients first'. Mr Donald slammed the service for 'failing to protect the public' after his mother's ordeal. Stuart Donald was alerted by his mother's care provider at North Lincolnshire Council that she had pushed the emergency button on her lifeline alarm that she wears around her neck after being unable to get out of bed After first realising she was unable to get out of bed without screaming in pain, Mr Donald's mother pushed her alarm button at 7am on Sunday, April 24. North Lincolnshire Council, her care provider, initially contacted Mr Donald's brother, who was in intensive care, but reached him who told them his mother required an ambulance. After trying to move her himself, he explained: 'She said she couldn't stand up and that she'd been stuck there and she daren't move sideways because she couldn't put weight on her legs, and she was scared she'd fall off the bed. 'I couldn't move her so I rang another family member to help move her, but we couldn't. 'We tried to lift her up and she just screamed in pain. We knew then it was an emergency because we had a frail old lady who had been sat on the edge of the bed for six hours, shaking and shivering. 'It was awful. I rang back and spoke to a very professional lady who said they recognised they hadn't got to my mum but that it had been upgraded to a Category Two incident'. According to the East Midlands Ambulance Service website, Category two incidents are classed as an emergency and should be responded to within 18 minutes Elsewhere, patients have shared their stories of agonising waits for ambulances as NHS England last month admitted it is struggling to cope with a surge in demand and high staff absence rates. It comes as dozens of others across the country have reported 'horrendous' waiting times, with the Liberal Democrats describing the ambulance services as being at 'breaking point'. The ambulance crew eventually arrived at 7.10pm - around ten hours after Mr Donald first called the ambulance for his mother. He said: 'They were brilliant with my mum, I can't fault them at all. 'They did checks and said she needed to go to hospital because she's clearly not right, and she needed hospital care. They took her in an ambulance at about 7.50pm. 'But they're playing a gambling game. 'There cannot be adequate cover if it takes nine-plus hours for an emergency response. What would have happened if my mum had deteriorated? 'She was screaming in pain and I was crying because I couldn't lift her. I was so frustrated because I just didn't know what else I could do.' Sue Cousland, Divisional Director for Lincolnshire at East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) said: 'We are really sorry that we were not able to get to her sooner and this is not the level of service we aim to provide for our patients. 'Unfortunately, we continue to experience a sustained level of life-threatening and serious emergency calls and we continually work to prioritise the sickest and most severely injured patients first. 'We are working very closely with all of our health and social care partners to improve the response to patients in Lincolnshire.' The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to ban the use of menthol cigarettes in America, a move that had been called on by anti-tobacco groups, anti-teen smoking groups, racial justice groups in America. The move had been expected since the beginning of the Biden administration last year, when the President made it a priority to tackle upward trends in teen smoking. Menthol cigarettes - often colloquially referred to as just 'menthols' - are known for their mint-like flavor, and have been associated with the higher rates of smoking, and smoking-related illnesses, in black Americans over recent decades. Flavored cigars, like cigarillos, are set to be banned as well. Both moves come as part of a larger effort by the FDA to crack down of flavored tobacco products - blamed for an increase in teen smoking. The FDA is moving to ban menthol cigarettes, as their minty flavor has made them popular among many black and teen communities Robert Califf, new commissioner of the FDA, previewed the announcement in congressional testimony, saying the proposal would reduce disease and death by helping smokers quit and stopping younger people from starting. Menthol accounts for more than a third of cigarettes sold in the U.S, and the mint flavor is overwhelmingly favored by Black smokers and young people. The FDA has attempted several times to get rid of menthol but faced pushback from Big Tobacco, members of Congress and competing political interests under both Democratic and Republican administrations. The agency has been under legal pressure to issue a decision after anti-smoking and civil rights groups sued the FDA for 'unreasonably' delaying action on earlier requests to ban menthol. Menthol's cooling effect has been shown to mask the throat harshness of smoking, making it easier to start and harder to quit smoking. The FDA will also seek to ban menthol and dozens of over sweet and fruity flavors from small cigars, which are increasingly popular with young people, especially Black teens. The agency's proposals on both cigarettes and cigars will only be initial drafts. FDA will take comments before issuing final rules, which then could face years of legal challenges from tobacco companies. The move from the FDA comes as part of a larger effort by regulators to decrease use of tobacco and nicotine in America, especially among more vulnerable groups Menthol is the only cigarette flavor that was not prohibited under the 2009 law that gave the FDA authority over tobacco products, an exemption negotiated by industry lobbyists. The act did, though, instruct the agency to continue to weigh a ban. The cigarettes have commonly been associated with the brand Newport, the leading seller of menthol cigarettes in America. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which owns Newport, told DaailyMail.com in a statement: 'We strongly believe that there are more effective routes to deliver Tobacco Harm Reduction than banning menthol in cigarettes. 'Evidence from other markets, including Canada and the EU where similar bans have been imposed, demonstrates little impact on overall cigarette consumption.' 'The scientific evidence shows no difference in the health risks associated with menthol cigarettes compared to non-menthol cigarettes, nor does it support that menthol cigarettes adversely affect initiation, dependence or cessation. As a result, we do not believe the published science supports regulating menthol cigarettes differently from non-menthol cigarettes. Not all experts agree with these types of bans, though. 'We need to be careful about how we implement flavor bans,' Dr Michael Steinberg of Rutgers University told DailyMail.com earlier this month. Later adding that '...we need to respect people's freedom, and the choice over their personal health.' Flavored products in particular are often the target of regulations because they are easier to use as a gateway for people that do not smoke already, since one of the primary deterrents to picking up tobacco is the taste. It especially plays a role for younger smokers who use vape devices like a JUUL, a popular refillable nicotine device. While they may not enjoy the taste of nicotine, it is much easier to get hooked on the fruity, tasteful, flavors. '[The bans last April] will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these deadly products,' the FDA wrote in a statement last year. 'With these actions, the FDA will help significantly reduce youth initiation, increase the chances of smoking cessation.' Earlier this month, the agency also gained the power to regulate synthetic nicotine, closing a loophole that opened after the agency required all e-cigarette and vape manufacturers to pull products from shelves unless they received approval from the agency. Last year, the FDA began a crack down on flavored nicotine products, forcing any product that wants to sell in America to first receive approval from the agency Under the new rules, a company hoping to market a fruit or mint flavored refillable device must first receive approval from the FDA - which rejected hundreds of them. To get around these orders, many companies started to use synthetic forms of the drug in their devices to circumvent regulators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also published a study last month finding that more than 2.5 million U.S. students had used a tobacco product of some sort in 2021 - a definition that includes nicotine devices that do not disperse tobacco. Officials reported that 80 percent of tobacco use was attributable to disposable e-cigarettes and cartridge products - like a JUUL. In the study, around 2.06 million high schoolers - 13 percent of the study population - and four percent of middle schoolers - 470,000 participants - reported 'current' tobacco use. For comparison, in 2020 the CDC reported that eight percent of high schoolers and three percent of middle schoolers were current tobacco users. Teen usage of tobacco and nicotine has increased in recent years, reversing years of downward trends Students were also asked if they had ever used tobacco products in their life, with 34 percent of high schoolers and 11 percent of middle schoolers reporting at least one use. E-cigarette devices were most to blame for the increase in nicotine and tobacco use over the past year, according to the CDC study. Of the students who did report being current smokers, 54 percent use a disposable e-cigarette and 29 percent reported using some sort of refillable device - similar to a JUUL. Opponents to these bans say that they will push teens to using more harmful tobacco products like cigarettes, instead of nicotine, which carries less risk. 'By bashing safer nicotine products such as vaping we are going to inadvertently encourage high schoolers to smoke instead, which will be an awful outcome,' Mark Oates, director of consumer advocacy group We Vape, told DailyMail.com in March. Seven more cases of severe hepatitis have been detected in California, and a child has died in Wisconsin, as the mysterious disease spreads throughout the country. California's Department of Health said it had detected the cases in 'young' children, who had all been taken ill since October. It takes the U.S. total for suspected hepatitis cases to 27, with the condition now being spotted across seven states mostly east of the Mississippi river. Wisconsin is the only state to report a suspected child death from hepatitis. If confirmed, it will be the first in the country and second in the world. State officials confirmed to the DailyMail.com that the child had developed the disease after being infected with the adenovirus. Cases of the peculiar illness have already been spotted in Alabama, North Carolina and Delaware. Health chiefs in Illinois and New York are currently probing reports of similar occurrences. The cause of the mysterious illness remains a 'mystery', chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, Dr Anthony Fauci says. But experts have raised concerns that lockdowns weakening immunity in children s or even Covid infections could be to blame. Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries. At least 18 have needed liver transplants. Nearly 200 children have been sickened by the condition across the world in up to 14 countries since last October *cases in Canada, Japan and Wisconsin, Illinois and New York are still yet to be confirmed Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, said the cause of the illness is 'still a mystery' The California department of health said it was unclear whether adenovirus which typically causes colds was behind the illnesses, or if the cases were connected. Medics have been left puzzled by what is behind the spate of cases with the usual hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses excluded from laboratory test results. Health chiefs believe the illness may be triggered by an adenovirus, which usually causes common colds. Dr Fauci told Bloomberg: 'Its still a mystery. It seems to be associated with adenovirus, but it isnt a slam dunk.' Alabama was the first state to announce cases of the severe liver injury two weeks ago. Nine children were hospitalized in the state between November and February. Three had acute liver failure and all of the children tested came back positive for adenovirus. Two required liver transplants but all of them survived. North Carolina identified two cases last month, with both children recovering. Neither had adenovirus. Delaware this week reported that a child younger than five was hospitalized by the same mysterious hepatitis. They are still undergoing treatment. One child has now been confirmed dead in Wisconsin, with officials revealing they are investigating whether their liver injury was linked to the same cluster of cases. The Wisconsin DHS said: 'Since being notified of this adenovirus-associated hepatitis cluster, DHS is now investigating at least four similar cases among children in Wisconsin. 'This includes two children who had severe outcomes, one liver transplant, and one fatality.' Both the child that died and the one that required a liver transplant are confirmed to have been infected with adenovirus. Illinois officials said they had spotted three probable cases of severe hepatitis on Monday and one child required a liver transplant. Dr Tina Tan, pediatric infectious disease physician at Lurie Childrens Hospital in Chicago, said the cases are most likely to be caused by a virus because they are appearing in clusters. She told Bloomberg: 'Whats most unusual about all of this is that adenovirus does not usually cause severe hepatitis in kids with no underlying health conditions.' And health officials in New York state yesterday revealed they are investigating a cases that appears to match descriptions of the mystery illness. The condition which was first spotted in Scotland at the end of March has been detected 114 times in Britain. Covid lockdowns may be behind the mysterious spate of hepatitis cases in children because they reduced social mixing and weakened their immunity, experts claim Investigations are ongoing but officials have yet to rule out a new Covid variant being to blame. Another theory is that children may have been battling the adenovirus at the same time as Covid. UK health officials have ruled out the Covid vaccine as a possible cause, with none of the ill British children having been vaccinated because of their young age. Liver experts described the spate of cases as 'concerning' but said parents should not worry about the illness affecting their children. PARANORMAL THE PREMONITIONS BUREAU by Sam Knight (Faber 14.99, 256pp) Do we take premonitions seriously enough? I had a premonition earlier that I was going to have a bowl of Rice Krispies for breakfast, and so it came to pass. But for a few, slightly bewitched people Sam Knight calls them seers premonitions could not be more serious. Imagine that you had a vision of some terrible event, a fire maybe, or a hideous road crash, that hadnt happened yet. Who would you tell? What would you do? Could you prevent it occurring? The story of the Premonitions Bureau, which actually existed, begins with the Aberfan disaster of 1966, when a huge, unstable heap of coal slurry overbalanced, fell down a hill and completely buried a primary school below. Sam Knight explores the history of premonitions starting with the Aberfan crisis. He uncovers that two men predicted the Hither Green railway crash in Lewisham One hundred and forty-four people died, among them 116 children, most of them aged between seven and ten. A dead girl was found holding an apple. A boy had four pence in his hand. The terrible thing is that quite a few people had had presentiments that something of this sort was going to happen. A 42-year-old psychiatrist called John Barker, who had a keen interest in unusual mental conditions, became fascinated by this, and asked people for their stories, which flooded in. With an Evening Standard journalist called Peter Fairley, later to become more famous as ITVs Science Editor and the face of space during the moon landings, he set up the Premonitions Bureau in the Standards office, hiring a woman called Jennifer Preston to administer it. Hordes of people wrote or rang in to detail their dreams of catastrophe. Few of them actually came to anything, but enough did to make the project worthwhile and to distract Barker from his terrible job as a senior shrink at a shambling old Shropshire mental hospital, full of people who had been abandoned there by relatives sometimes decades before. In particular, Barker found two seers whose predictions often came true: Miss Middleton, a music teacher from Edmonton, North London and Alan Hencher, a London-based telephone engineer. THE PREMONITIONS BUREAU by Sam Knight (Faber 14.99, 256pp) Both, in different ways, predicted the Hither Green railway crash in Lewisham, when a train was derailed and ripped apart, killing 49 and slightly injuring toothsome Bee Gee Robin Gibb and his teenage girlfriend. At the time of the crash, Hencher was in the middle of his shift and complained of a headache so crippling he had to go to the sick bay. Four days earlier Miss Middleton had reported feeling acutely depressed and, sitting in her kitchen, saw a streak, then a flash of light and then a sort of grey mist. In her letter to the bureau, she wrote: I see a crash, maybe on a railway... a station may be involved... people waiting in the station and the words Charing Cross [where the train was headed]. The sound of A CRASH. The following day the London Evening News led with a story entitled The Strange Case of the Two Who Knew and interviewed the visionary pair. Somehow, while dreaming or awake, they can gatecrash the time barrier ... see the unleashed wheels of disaster turning before the rest of us. Barker told the paper, They are absolutely genuine. Quite honestly, it staggers me. Where has this story been hiding? What a gift it is for young Sam Knight, a staff writer on the New Yorker, and what a magnificent job he has made of it. Although the actual story is relatively straightforward, Knight ventures far and wide in support of it, pulling in such subjects as the Soviet Unions space program, the death of Donald Campbell on Coniston in the Lake District while trying to break the water speed record, the murder of Bobby Kennedy and the phenomenon of sudden unexplained deaths in animals and humankind. None other than Hilary Mantel, on the back cover, calls it a fluent and enticing book, skilfully navigating the tricky and marginal subject of the paranormal, and shes not wrong. Theres even a good ending. When Miss Middleton started telling Barker to be extra-careful because she thought his life was in danger, he listened to her. At the same time Hencher started asking for money for his premonitions. Fairley, very much the man about town, disliked and distrusted the two suburban seers, and thought they should be quietly let go. Barker disagreed: he recognised that Hencher was not the easiest man in the world to deal with, but he wanted to expand the range of the Premonitions Bureau, find more and better seers to predict more and better disasters. Then he started getting these terrible headaches ... The Premonitions Bureau is not a long book but its a very good one. I have a feeling you might even call it a premonition that a lot of people will really enjoy it. The average battery-powered car sold in Britain can now travel almost 260 miles on a single charge with electric vehicle ranges more than trebling in the last ten years. Battery models in showrooms today have an average claimed range of 257 miles compared to just 74 miles in 2011, says industry trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It says the number of plug-in vehicles on the market has surged almost 15-fold in that period, which it has dubbed the first 'electric decade'. EV ranges have more than trebled in the first 'electric decade': The average electric car on sale in 2011 had a single-charge driving distance of just 74 miles. The average today is up to 257 Electric vehicles have certainly come a long way since 2011. This was the year Britain's first mass-market electric model - the Nissan Leaf - was made available to the UK market. The Sunderland-produced EV debuted with a claimed range of 93 miles, which would have only been enough to take drivers from London to Northampton on a single charge. Fast forward a decade and Nissan's current Leaf+ can travel up to 239 miles, which is enough to get from the capital to Liverpool without needing to stop for a charge. Of all the electric models currently on sale in the UK, Mercedes' EQS offers the longest range. The EQS 450+ has a whopping single-charge driving distance of up to 453 miles - though you will have to fork out 102,160 for the privilege. The SMMT listed each EV in showrooms right now, as well as the battery powered models - both fully-electric and 'range-extending' hybrids - that were available to Britons in 2011. ELECTRIC CARS ON SALE IN THE UK IN 2022 BY SINGLE-CHARGE RANGE MANUFACTURER MODEL RANGE (CLAIMED) Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium Plus 453 Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range SUV AWD Auto 1SP 335 Kia Kia EV6 77.4kWh Air RWD 328 Skoda ENYAQ iV 80 Sportline 324 BMW i4 M50 316 Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Max 77 kWh 299 PS 301 Audi e-tron GT quattro Vorsprung 298 BMW iX3 M Sport 286 Kia Kia Niro EV (Pre-production) 282 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Ultimate 73kWh AWD 281 Genesis GV60 280 MG Motor MG 5 EV Long Range 61kWh Exclusive & Excite 273 Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo 265 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4MATIC AMG Line Premium 66.5 kWh battery and a 100 kW DC on-board charger 260 Volvo XC40 Recharge Pro 260 Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Pro 260 BMW iX xDrive40 257 Nissan Leaf+ 239 Citroen e-C4 134bhp electric motor, 50Kwh Shine Plus 217 SsangYong Korando e-Motion Ventura 211 Vauxhall Mokka-e 201 Fiat New 500 Icon 199 MG Motor MG ZS EV MG ZS Trophy standard range 198 Citroen e-Berlingo Flair XTR M 174 Peugeot e-Rifter Standard 172 Mini Electric Shadow Edition 140 Honda Honda e Advance. Modern Steel Metallic 137 Fiat 500 Action 118 Source: SMMT ELECTRIC CARS ON SALE IN THE UK IN 2011 BY SINGLE-CHARGE RANGE MANUFACTURER MODEL EV TYPE RANGE (CLAIMED) Chevrolet Volt Range Extender 93 Nissan Leaf Fully Electric 93 Vauxhall Ampera Range Extender 84 Citroen C-Zero Fully Electric 83 Mitsubishi i-MIEV Fully Electric 50 Source: SMMT Of all the electric models currently on sale in the UK, Mercedes' EQS offers the longest range at 253 miles As well as offering longer ranges, the increased availability of different plug-in cars - both fully-electric and plug-in hybrid - has seen low-emission vehicle sales sky-rocket in compared to a decade ago. Some 140 models with a plug are now on sale in Britain. And while just 1,082 pure electric models were sold in 2011, that figure grew to over 190,727 last year. The SMMT said such progression is testament to the automotive industry's 'ingenuity and investment' and promised that this trend will continue with all of Britain's leading car manufacturers and importers committed a further 150 new and updated plug-ins for the UK market by 2025. These figures will be music to the ears of Boris Johnson, who continues to press ahead with plans to ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 - and hybrids from 2035 - in a bid to achieve ambitious net-zero targets. These are just some of the fully electric and plug-in models currently on sale in Britain In 2011, the first-generation Nissan Leaf (left) had a claimed range of 93 miles, which would have only been enough to take drivers from London to Northampton on a single charge. Fast forward a decade and the current Leaf+ (right) can go for 239 miles - taking you from the capital to Liverpool without needing to stop for a charge But while manufacturers are holding up their end of the bargain by making available more accomplished battery-powered vehicles, both industry and consumers are being let down by the limited number of public chargers on Britain's roads, the trade body said. Earlier this month, the Department for Transport confirmed the number of public chargers available in Britain had surpassed 30,000 - an increase of a third in a year. The Government has already outlined that it wants to have 300,000 chargers available in total by the end of the decade. However, car makers have concerns. They suggest this number won't be enough to match demand, are worried that there will be a serious lack of fast chargers and raised issue with the postcode lottery of charging solutions around the UK, with areas such as Northern Ireland and the North West of England having far fewer devices than other parts of the country. For instance, the North West has 5.9 rapid chargers per 100,000 people compared to 111 in London. Motor industry bosses are concerned that there already are not enough public EV chargers across the country, certainly in particular areas Add to the equation rising energy prices, which will see average charging costs rise by around 200 a year, along with a lack of dedicated EV tariffs - and the slashing of plug-in vehicle and homecharger grants in recent months, and the SMMT said ministers have plenty to resolve ahead of 2030. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: 'To turn this nascent demand into a mass market, however, motorists need choice, affordability and the confidence to charge. 'The UK has an ambitious timescale to deliver net zero and road transport must shoulder the biggest burden delivering that goal. 'The industry is up for the challenge but we need all stakeholders, including government, charge point providers and energy companies, to match manufacturers' commitment by providing the competitive incentives and infrastructure that assures a zero-emission future.' Car dealership chain Inchcape has announced a deal to offload its business in Russia following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The London-listed firm, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year, said that local management in Russia had agreed to pay 76million (63million) to take over the business. Completion of the deal is anticipated to close next month, and will see payment of the acquisition price deferred and made in annual instalments over a five-year period. Big Brands: Inchcape's Russian business consists of retail-only operations for some of the world's most famous car brands, such as Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Toyota However, it expects to record a non-cash loss before tax of around 240million from the transaction, with 140million deriving from foreign exchange translation losses. Inchcape declared its intention to leave Russia on 15 March when it stated that owning business interests in the country was 'no longer tenable' given the conflict in Ukraine and the worsening humanitarian situation that has resulted. Its Russian division consists of retail-only operations for some of the world's most famous car brands, such as Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Toyota, and was responsible for around 740million, or 10 per cent, of its total revenue last year. The firm had previously run Toyota and Audi dealerships in St. Petersburg before selling those operations for 70million in April 2021 as part of a move towards boosting its automotive distribution operations and reducing its reliance on retail. Yet while the departure from Russia will cause a financial hit for the business, Inchcape revealed an upgraded forecast today as high demand for vehicles in short supply boosted sale prices. As a consequence, reported revenue in the first three months of 2022 grew by 6 per cent, with its distribution division experiencing 9 per cent growth, while total organic sales increased by 13 per cent. Quieter month: Industry trade body The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed today that car production in the UK plummeted by a third in March Pre-tax profits of 'at least' 300million, excluding Russia, are now expected for this financial year, compared to the previous estimate of 'around' 300million, a jump of a quarter on last year. Strong sales expansion was noted by the group in multiple markets, including the UK, despite the low supply of vehicles, the Americas, Africa, and Australasia, where there was a 'robust' performance in the aftermarket division. 'So far in 2022, we have experienced a continuation of the trends from last year, with demand ahead of supply, and high margins. We expect this trend will continue for at least the remainder of the year,' the company remarked. Inchcape shares rose 6.4 per cent to 708.5p on Thursday, although their value has still fallen by more than 20 per cent in the past three months. Inchcape's trading update comes on the same day that car production in the UK was revealed to have plummeted by a third last month, according to industry trade body The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). British factories only produced 76,000 automobiles in March, the worst figure for that month since the global financial crisis in 2009, which the SMMT blamed on a shortage of chips, the Ukraine war, and increasing energy costs. The new chief executive of Barclays has had to apologise for a costly trading blunder. As the bank released its first-quarter results, CS Venkatakrishnan said he was disappointed by the recent discovery of the error in the US which was entirely preventable. The American banker known as Venkat took over from Jes Staley in November and has had a rocky start. Barclays boss CS Venkatrishnan (pictured) said he was 'disappointed' by the discovery of a trading error in the US which he admitted was 'entirely preventable' Barclays has been hit by three historic scandals since he took the reins a timeshare mis-selling debacle, the US bond-trading issue and an accusation from the Bank of England that it is gaming the rules on pensions. The fiascos are embarrassing for Venkat, who was chief risk officer between 2016 and 2020. But he denied Barclays has a culture problem, saying: Very strong risk management and culture is important, as well as a harmonious relationship with regulators. The US trading error, where Barclays sold more financial products structured notes than it was allowed to, means the lender has now paused its share buyback, which would have seen 1billion of spare capital returned to investors. Venkat stressed this was only pending the outcome of talks with US regulators, and that the buyback would probably resume in the third quarter. Its a question of when, not if, he said, urging investors to focus on results, which were exceptional compared to our competitors. He said the bank would complete a full investigation into the error itself. He declined to reveal how high up the hierarchy the probe could reach, but did not rule out clawing some pay back from former finance boss Tushar Morzaria. First-quarter results show profits fell 6.9 per cent to 2.2billion. It has set aside 540million to deal with the US trading issue. The banks shares rose 3.1 per cent, or 4.38p to 146.3p. The Treasury has launched a shake-up of the rules governing insurance firms to unlock billions of pounds of investment. Economic Secretary John Glen said the review of the EU's 'Solvency II' regulations would let insurers invest policyholders' money more freely, including in green energy and infrastructure. Boris Johnson has said such a move could unleash an 'investment big bang'. Shake-up: Economic Secretary John Glen (pictured) said the review of the EU's 'Solvency II' regulations would allow insurers to invest their policyholders' money more freely And Glen said: 'Our reforms will unlock tens of billions of pounds of investment in the UK economy, spur innovation in the market while protecting policyholders, and will cement the UK's position as a global hub for financial services.' Solvency II rules dictate how much spare capital insurers must hold to cover losses if investments turn sour. Many in the industry say they are too cumbersome. The Prudential Regulation Authority has said suggested changes 'would involve an increase in the risk of insurer failure compared to the current position'. Russia reportedly deployed trained military dolphins at its naval base in the Black Sea, presumably to shield its fleet from an underwater attack, according to the US Naval Institute (USNI). The USNI analyzed satellite photos of the Russian naval station at Sevastopol harbor and concluded that a couple of dolphin pens were transferred to the base at the beginning of the Russian-Ukraine war in February. Russia has a long history of employing dolphins for military activities, including retrieving items or repelling enemy divers, as per a report from The Guardian. The Russian army sees the Sevastopol naval station as a crucial facility since it is located on the southern edge of Crimea, which Moscow captured in 2014. Many of the Russian ships stationed there, while out of missile range, could be exposed to submarine assaults, according to the USNI's study. Trained Russian Navy Dolphins are Protecting Black Sea Naval Base, Satellite Photos Show - USNI News Images from @Maxarhttps://t.co/lFbNArGNkj pic.twitter.com/ZkOnwSwHLQ U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) April 27, 2022 In a program developed from a Soviet-era initiative that went into inactivity in the 1990s, Ukraine had also trained dolphins at an aquarium near Sevastopol. Training Sea Creatures for Military Purposes Since Cold War During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union experimented with using dolphins with echolocation ability to identify underwater items such as mines. Since 1959, the US Navy has trained dolphins and sea lions as comrades to help Sailors and Marines defend against threats underwater. In the 1960s, Point Loma has been home to the Navy's Marine Mammal Program. More than a dozen diverse species of marine mammals, as well as sharks, rays, sea turtles, and aquatic birds, were tested, and their sensory and physical capacities were explored in the early years of the program. At present, the Navy relies on two species: the Bottlenose dolphin and the California sea lion. According to the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific website, "Both are known for their trainability and adaptability to a wide range of marine environments." Read Also: Vladimir Putin Sends Warning to US, Ukraine Allies: Russia Will Retaliate With "Lightning Speed" Strikes If They Interfere in War The San Diego-based US Navy marine mammal training program was declassified in the 1990s. This made it simpler for officials to refute animal rights groups' allegations that the creatures were deployed as weapons, a concept popularized by the 1973 science-fiction film "The Day of the Dolphin." In the movie, a scientist trains dolphins to communicate with humans, but they are kidnapped to be utilized in a political assassination scheme. Does Russia Train Dolphins To Attack Enemies? During the Soviet era, Russia allegedly used the Sevastopol facility to train dolphins for military objectives, including putting bombs on ships or detecting mines. It's debatable whether they were ever used in military actions, per Washington Post. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Ukraine used the Sevastopol facility to teach dolphins for treatment sessions. The Moscow Times reported at the time that after taking control of the port city in 2014, Russia restarted the training of military marine mammals. According to media accounts, a white whale wearing a harness appeared in Norway in 2019, prompting local marine specialists to assume that they'd come across a species part of a Russian naval training program. Subsequently, locals named the whale "Hvaldimir," a mix of the Norwegian term for whale and Russian President Vladimir Putin's first name. Related Article: Vladimir Putin's 'Girlfriend': 5 Things To Know About Alina Kabaeva @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter appears to have led to a split in users' fortunes along ideological lines - with conservative figures gaining followers while leading 'Wokerati' go in the opposite direction. The Tesla founder's $44billion bid was unanimously accepted by Twitter's board on Monday. Shortly afterwards, prominent American right-wingers, such as Donald Trump's son, Don Jr, saw their follower counts shoot up while Democrats, like the congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, suffered falls. The same dynamic is occuring in the UK, with statistics from Social Blade showing Nigel Farage added 3,912 followers yesterday as he enjoyed his most successful period for at least two weeks - while left-wing talking heads James O'Brien and Owen Jones lost 241 and 546 each. JK Rowling, despite being a critic of the Conservative party, has become unpopular with many left-wing Twitterati due to her stance on gender issues. Yesterday, she saw her followers increase for the first time in weeks. Meanwhile, Harry Potter star Emma Watson appeared to be losing her magic touch - down 5,168 yesterday - while former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn shed 850 followers and Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, 146. Actress Jameela Jamil, who has threatened to leave Twitter over Musk's takeover, lost 615. The picture was far rosier for right-wing figures, with journalists Douglas Murray, Fraser Nelson, Toby Young and Julia Hartley-Brewer seeing their follower counts rise 4,784, 24, 286 and 655 consecutively. The number of Twitter followers gained or lost by right- (top) and left-wing (bottom) figures yesterday following Elon Musk's takeover on Monday The fluctuation in follower numbers in the US triggered a wave of theories seeking to explain the phenomenon. Some suggested 'free speech absolutist' Musk's takeover prompted developers to change the social media giant's algorithm to highlight conservative accounts and suppress left-leaning ones - a theory that was slapped down by people who pointed out that Musk will not officially complete his purchase of the platform for months. Others argued 'woke' Twitter programmers, who have been accused of silencing right-wing voices by suspending or banning controversial accounts whose views they disagree with, had adjuged the algorithm to be more balanced in an attempt to cover up their previous biases. But Twitter blocked its staff from making programming changes to the app to prevent it being sabotaged, suggested that theory was off the mark. Today, Carrie-Ann Sudlow, a digital marketeer and social media expert, insisted the changes were not the result of 'an algorithm issue or a conspiracy'. 'When something like this happens in the world, the influencers like Nigel Farage have an opinion on it, and it's either popular or not popular and that leads to them gaining or losing followers, she told MailOnline. This is a big takeover from a very influential man. With influence comes strong opinions. Elon fans seem to be for or against with few sitting on the fence. 'Hes making a big impact on all areas of the world, his sceptics will not want to fund him so leave Twitter. His supporters will rejoice and jump on the back of the news hence gaining followers. JK Rowling, despite being a critic of the Conservative party, has become unpopular with many left-wing Twitterati due to her stance of gender issues. On Wednesday, she saw her followers increase for the first time in weeks, although she is still down since Musk's takeover - perhaps due to followers leaving her over a string of controversial tweets. Nigel Farage added 3,912 followers yesterday as he enjoyed his most successful period for at least two weeks In contrast, left-wing talking heads such as James O'Brien (pictured) and Owen Jones lost 241 and 546 each Actress Jameela Jamil - who threatened to leave Twitter over Musk's takeover - has been shedding followers in recent days Conservative talk show host Julia Hartley-Brewer gained 665 followers yesterday in what is proving to be a successful week Twitter has also insisted the changes are 'organic' rather than a result of any changes on its part. 'While we continue to take action on accounts that violate our spam policy which can affect follower counts, these fluctuations appear to largely be a result of an increase in new account creation and deactivation,' a spokesman said. In the US, Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr. and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - three of America's most forthright conservative mouthpieces - have experienced an influx of 175,960, 301,570 and 286,559 followers respectively since the news of Musk's takeover broke on Monday. Meanwhile on the left, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Hillary Clinton and Ellen DeGeneres have witnessed an exodus of 26,072, 21,424 and 27,141 Twitter followers in the past four days. More than 30 members and associates of a notorious criminal organization that controlled street gangs in southern California have been indicted as part of a racketeering case, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed Wednesday. The indictment was unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, accusing 31 Mexican Mafia leaders and their underlings of two murders, six attempted killings, extortion and drug trafficking in Orange County. Prosecutors said the case would not eradicate the organization, which mainly operates from behind bars to call shots on crimes in prison and on the streets. However, the prosecution hopes to disrupt the leadership that arose when Johnny Martinez, 46, the longtime kingpin who for decades controlled gang activity in Orange County, was convicted of racketeering in 2016. Federal authorities dealt a blow to the California-based Mexican Mafia when the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment that charged three members and 28 associates of two murders, six attempted killings, extortion and drug trafficking in Orange County Authorities say 30 of the 31 defendants were arrested or already in custody while one person is on the run Johnny Martinez rose to the top of the Mexican Mafia while in prison after Peter Ojeda, the head of the criminal organization in Orange County, died in prison in 2018 'The violence, drug-dealing and other criminal acts being committed in our communities by gangsters associated with the Mexican Mafia is being met with the strongest possible response by law enforcement,' said United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. 'The message that this case sends is that if you rise to power in that vacuum, we will come for you,' Wilkison added. 'No gang member is beyond our reach.' The Department of Justice said 21 of those who have been charged were already in custody. Nine were arrested between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Authorities are still looking to arrest Mark Cooper, the only fugitive. The 106-page indictment charges members of the group with conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, committing violent crimes to aid racketeering, conspiring to traffic drugs, dealing methamphetamine and heroin, and firearms charges. The Mexican Mafia, which is also known as La eMe, was founded in the 1950s at a juvenile jail and grew to an international criminal organization that controls smuggling, drug sales and extortion inside California's penal system, is made up of leaders of different street gangs. Leaders direct associates to collect 'taxes' on drugs proceeds and order hits on enemies or people who betray them or violate their rules. For decades, Peter Ojeda was the head of the Mexican Mafia in Orange County, calling shots from inside prison. After Ojeda's racketeering conviction and subsequent 2018 death in prison, Martinez, Robert Aguirre, 49, and Dennis Ortiz, 59, filled the leadership void, prosecutors said. 'The triumvirate of new leaders had expanded the Mexican Mafia's control over the street gangs and Latino inmates in Orange County jails,' Wilkison said. 'Those gang overseers stepped up punishment of those who violated their rules.' It wasn't immediately clear if Martinez, Aguirre and Ortiz had lawyers who could comment on their behalf. The indictment describes a series of crimes carried out as part of the racketeering conspiracy that range from shaking people down for money or dealing drugs to murders plotted for showing disrespect or violating orders. Tracy Wilkison, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, applauded the efforts of federal law enforcement following the announcement of the indictment of three Mexican Mafia members and 28 other associates. 'The violence, drug-dealing and other criminal acts being committed in our communities by gangsters associated with the Mexican Mafia is being met with the strongest possible response by law enforcement,' she said Mark Cooper was indicted by a federal California court as part of the operation to take down the Mexican Mafia. He has not been arrested yet Robert Rios was shot to death in January 2017 during an armed robbery that had been ordered. Richard Villeda was lured into a car in August that year and shot dead for failing to pay a drug debt to Martinez, according to the indictment. Two of the defendants in the case were also targets of violence but managed to survive vicious attacks. Gregory Munoz was shot seven times on the street in August 2017 after Martinez ordered him to be removed as a so-called shot caller, the indictment said. He survived and is among the defendants. Cooper, survived two hits - in January 2018 and another attack on New Year's Eve 2019. Martinez allegedly ordered the killing because Cooper had ordered a hit he hadn't sanctioned and was also suspected of causing a police raid on a gang. Cooper was stabbed multiple times in the head and back area in the first attack in Calipatria State Prison and cut in the throat and face the second time. At least four others survived attempted slayings for allegedly abusing their authority, warning others they were targets of violence and showing disrespect to Martinez. One man had his throat slit for allegedly talking about snitching on the Mexican Mafia. Brian Gilhooly of the FBI said that one of the goals of bringing the case is to lock up leaders farther from their home turf in federal prisons, where it's harder to smuggle contraband. Despite being locked in prisons where cellphones are banned and communications are monitored, the Mexican Mafia operates through a crude but elaborate communication network of speaking in code with smuggled phones, notes passed between inmates and instructions sent through girlfriends and confidantes who visit. 'We are going to make sure that these individuals get lengthy sentences, and get sent to other prisons throughout the country,' Gilhooly said. The 33-year-old is suing the billionaire family for $108million, alleging that the Kardashians deliberately axed her and Rob's reality TV show An emotional Rob Kardashian has testified that he feared for his life on a night in 2016 when his then-fiancee Blac Chyna pointed a gun at his head, pulled a phone-charging cable around his neck and repeatedly hit him with a metal rod while under the influence of substances. Kardashian, 35, told a Los Angeles courtroom that he felt in retrospect that the couple's love was never real, and that he had been at the 'weakest, worst point' in his life when their relationship began in January 2016. He said the coupling was 'toxic' from the start, and that Chyna, 33, beat him at least five times during the year-long relationship. 'She strangled me, she put a gun to my head twice, she was on cocaine and alcohol,' Kardashian said, his voice rising nearly to a shout in a Los Angeles courtroom as Chyna's attorney Lynne Ciani sought to cast doubt on the attack and its severity. 'Strangling someone, beating someone, that's not a family,' he said. 'That's not love to me.' Chyna is suing Rob Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, alleging they spread false reports of her assaulting him in order to have her 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' spinoff 'Rob & Chyna' canceled and ruin her reality TV career. An emotional Rob Kardashian has testified that he feared for his life on a night in 2016 when his then-fiancee Blac Chyna pointed a gun at his head, pulled a phone-charging cable around his neck and repeatedly hit him with a metal rod while under the influence of substances. Pictured: Kardashian and Chyna in Las Vegas on May 28, 2016 Blac Chyna is all smiles as she is spotted leaving court on Wednesday during the defamation trial Rob Kardashian leaves first in his car from the Superior Los Angeles Court house after testifying on Wednesday During an emotional and contentious hour on the stand, Rob Kardashian grew angry when Ciani asked him why photos and video from the days that followed didn't show any marks on him, despite his testimony that she had hit him repeatedly with a 6-foot metal rod. 'Did you have as much as a Band-Aid on you?' the attorney asked. 'I just told you it didn't leave a mark on my face!' Rob Kardashian said. 'And the gun to my head two different times during the night didn't leave a mark to my temple!' Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian watched the testimony from the front row of the gallery, and had no visible reaction. Chyna testified earlier in the trial that she was never violent toward Rob Kardashian. She said that on the night of December 14 and the morning of December 15, 2016, the couple had been celebrating the news that 'Rob & Chyna' was getting a second season. The all-night celebration turned into a bitter fight by morning, when he took her phone and shut himself in a closet, looking for evidence of communications with other men, she said. She testified that earlier in the evening, she had wrapped a phone-charging cord around Rob Kardashian's neck playfully because he was ignoring her, and picked up a gun he kept around, always unloaded, from a nightstand as a joke. The chain of events would lead to the end of the relationship, and their show. Rob Kardashian, the youngest of Kris Jenner's four children with the late Robert Kardashian, has kept a much lower public profile than his mother and sisters. He was mostly an offscreen character, and only occasionally appeared, on the family's reality show. He broke from the pattern in 2016, spending a year in the limelight before it went bad. He and Chyna began dating in January, announced their engagement in April, announced they were having a child together in May, had their own reality show premiere in September, and had a daughter, Dream, in November. Earlier Wednesday, Corey Gamble, a key witness backing up Rob Kardashian's account of the assault, insisted that he saw Chyna punch him and whip him with a phone-charging cord, as Ciani tried to poke holes in his story. 'I said that she attacked him,' testified Gamble, the longtime boyfriend and sometime co-star of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' matriarch Kris Jenner. 'What I saw is what I saw.' Gamble said he rushed to the house the couple was staying in after Kris Jenner got an early morning call from her son, who sounded deeply distressed. When he arrived, he said, Chyna was holding some sort of metal rod, and threw it down. She rushed toward Rob Kardashian, whipping the phone cord at him then punching him. 'By the time she got to him, she started hitting him,' Gamble testified. 'I was able to get in the middle of them two. I even got hit two or three times.' Gamble said Chyna threw a chair at Rob Kardashian's car as he was leaving, then attempted to pick up a table but Gamble stopped her. Blac Chyna hides her face after Rob Kardashian testifies in court about Blac Chyna holding a gun to his head on Wednesday During cross-examination, Ciani had Gamble read from a declaration he submitted in the case two years earlier, in which he said he arrived to find Chyna hitting Rob Kardashian with her fists, but made no mention of any of the objects. 'You didn't see sufficient to mention the metal rod, the cord or the table?' Ciani asked. 'I don't know why I didn't include those details,' Gamble said. Also on Wednesday, the defamation trial heard Chyna was never guaranteed a second season of E! reality series Rob & Chyna in her contract with the network. The reality star's former lawyer and manager testified on Wednesday, telling the court that the network began filming season two of the series at the end of the show's first season before abruptly coming to a halt. Under cross examination from Kardashian attorney Michael Rhodes, Walter Mosley acknowledged that Chyna, under her talent contract with E!, was never promised an additional season of the spinoff starring her and ex Rob Kardashian. Mosley, who was also executive producer on the show, admitted that neither he nor Chyna, 33, had received written confirmation - a legal requirement in her original contract - from E! that there were plans for future production of the series. E! never did greenlight a second season, said Mosley, who revealed he had negotiated a $100,000 'kill fee' for Chyna, plus another $370,000 contract for her to film four episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians in a Rob and Chyna storyline within KUWTK. Chyna has disputed signing such a contract and in an earlier declaration raised today by Rhodes - in which she was asked if she thought Mosely and an agent 'did something wrong' in getting her into the deal - she replied: 'Absolutely.' Mosley also told the jury today that his observations of her relationship with Rob were that it was 'loving and wonderful.' He attended the couple's engagement party where, he said, 'Rob told me he was happy.' An LA judge on Tuesday ruled against Blac Chyna's motion demanding E! reveal how much it earned in profits from her short-lived reality show Rob & Chyna, after she 'failed to show good cause to seek trade secrets'. The 33-year-old is seen arriving at court in LA Wednesday morning as her defamation trial against the Kardashians continues Chyna accuses the Kardashians of plotting to cancel her hit reality show Rob & Chyna Mosley told the court he wasn't aware that Chyna 'is considering possible legal claims' against him. The testimony comes after Chyna's request to subpoena the network to disclose the profits it earned from the spin-off series during its seven-episode run in 2016, was quashed by a judge. Chyna's attorney, Lynne Ciani, had argued that details surrounding the profits E! reaped from the series is vital to her claim for damages against the billionaire family. But E! attorney Rochelle Wilcox filed an opposing motion, telling Judge Gregory Alarcon Monday that such information is a 'privileged trade secret' that should not be disclosed in public. Judge Alarcon granted the network's motion Tuesday in a written ruling after 'finding that plaintiff (Chyna) has failed to show good cause to seek trade secrets.' Chyna is suing members of the Kardashian family for $108million, accusing them of defamation and 'intentional interference with contract' that led to her show being canceled. During the seventh day of proceedings Tuesday, Kim Kardashian admitted in court that she resented having to film episodes of Keeping up with the Kardashians with Chyna after she allegedly beat her brother with a metal rod. The E! Network, which aired both reality series, paid Chyna $370,000 to film four episodes of KUWTK after season one of Rob & Chyna show ended. But that deal was inked without consulting the Kardashians, said Kim, who protested in an email that at E!: 'Nobody listens to usNo one respects us', the court heard. She then reportedly urged her sisters in a text to 'get on the phone today' with E! executives following the December 2016 fight. 'I was upset that Rob was so emotional and upset,' the reality star explained to jurors at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. 'I remember trying to be supportive of my brother - he was being so emotional. 'It's all such a blur,' she added, remembering that her brother, Rob, 'looked red and puffy and exhausted and drained.' 'It was our show and she's not a family member.' Court filings obtained by DailyMail.com reveal a judge granted E!'s motion to quash Chyna's bid An LA judge on Tuesday ruled against Blac Chyna's motion demanding E! reveal how much it earned in profits from her short-lived reality show Rob & Chyna, after she 'failed to show good cause to seek trade secrets'. She is pictured leaving court Tuesday In court on Tuesday, Chyna's attorney, Lynne Ciani, grilled Kim about the intent of the text message she sent to her sisters - and whether they ever had a family meeting about canceling the second season of Rob & Chyna. The lawyer pointed to an email from Kim to the producers of KUWTK in which she talked of taking a break from the show and warning them that 'you'll lose the rest of the Kardashians and Jenners' if they continued filming with Chyna. 'You already got Chyna off her show (Rob & Chyna) and now you didn't want her on your show (KUWTK) either?,' Ciani asked the reality star. 'I'm just saying this is our show,' Kim responded. 'We have the discretion of what we're going to film content wise. 'Why would you want to put my brother in this situation if he's going to end up crying and she's (Chyna) just going to show up to film and not be with him? 'Why would we film with her on our show? It was our show and she's not a family member.' Kim also told the lawyer at least four times that she did not remember why she sent the urgent text to her sisters. Also on Tuesday, Kim's sister, Khloe, testified that she, too, was worried about 'something crazy happening down the line' if there were a second season of the KUWTK spin-off. She confirmed Kim's comments about the metal rod, saying: 'I know it was a metal rod. I saw red indentations on my brother's neck.' E! Network executives paid Chyna $370,000 to film four episodes of KUWTK after season one of Rob & Chyna ended. She is seen at right in one of those episodes with Kim Kardashian Before things went south, Chyna had a friendly relationship with the Kardashian sisters and was seen attending social events with the family But, she said, the family had 'no control' of whether E! would cancel Chyna's contract - a claim later confirmed by Adam Stotsky, the former president of the network. 'With all due respect to [the Kardashians], they do not have the authority to kill Rob & Chyna, only E! has the power to do that,' Stotsky said in court. And when the Kardashians' attorney, Michael Rhodes asked him: 'Did the Kardashians do anything whatsoever to cause you to say, 'No season 2,' Stotsky replied: 'No.' Instead, he said, the original premise for Rob & Chyna was the couple's 'newly blossoming relationship' with a light-hearted, romantic comedy feel to it. But when that relationship started 'falling apart' - with Rob and Chyna first fighting, then not even speaking to one another, he said, 'it was kind of gross.' Asked about the TV ratings for Rob & Chyna, Stotsky said: 'It was a top performer - it did very well.' When Rhodes questioned Stotsky about the defamation part of Chyna's lawsuit in which she alleged that the Kardashians 'made false claims about her' to E!, he told the court the family told him nothing that 'influenced our decisions about Rob & Chyna. And when Rhodes asked him about the part of Chyna's lawsuit in which she accuses the Kardashians of 'interfering' with her contract, Stotsky told him: 'There was nothing your clients did that affected our view of Chyna's contract.' American Idol's Ryan Seacrest - an executive producer on both Keeping up with the Kardashians and and Rob & Chyna - was the next witness to be called upon. Seacrest was not in court today so a video deposition he gave in May 2019 was played to the jury. But as it turned out, the deposition shed no new light on the case since he answered 'I can't remember' or 'I don't recall' to most of the questions he was asked. Chyna, 33, is seeking $108million in damages, charging the Kardashians with defamation and 'intentional interference with contracts' that led her to lose money on TV, personal appearances and social media 'influencing' Khloe, 37, (far left) and Kim Kardashian, 41 (second from left), and younger sister Kylie Jenner, 24, (second from right) with their mother, family matriarch Kris Jenner, 66, (far right) are all named defendants in the case and are expected to be in court as they were last week When the Rob & Chyna TV spinoff was pitched to him, he said he thought Chyna was 'bold and memorable' though he also admitted: 'I do not think I ever met Chyna.' He said he couldn't recall ever speaking to any of the Kardashians about a second season of Rob & Chyna. Nor could he remember hearing from any of the Kardashians about Chyna being physically abusive to Rob or 'beating the s**t out of his face.' 'Did Rob ever talk to you about being physically abused by Chyna?' he was asked in the depo. 'I don't remember him saying that,' said Seacrest. When he was asked if he ever had any discussions with the E! network about Chyna's contract, he answered, 'I'm not aware of one.' A 2019 deposition of Ryan Seacrest - an executive producer on both Keeping up with the Kardashians and and Rob & Chyna - was played to the jury on Tuesday Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble also took the stand Tuesday, telling the jury how he watched Chyna punch and hit her fiance Rob Kardashian in a drunken rage, screaming death threats and abuse at him. Gamble, 41, said he and Kris were awoken just before daybreak the morning of December 15, 2016 by a phone call from Rob on the speaker phone. As Rob was speaking, 'Chyna was screaming in the background, 'F**k you, you fat motherf***er', said Gamble. 'I could tell it was a hostile situation and needed to go there and help them.' Gamble told the court he got dressed and drove the few blocks to Kylie Jenner's home where Rob and Chyna were living at the time. But before he could even get through the front door, he said, 'I could hear her screaming at Rob. She was telling him she hated him, she would kill him, she didn't like him.' When he got in the house, he recounted, Chyna was standing in the bedroom doorway with Rob about seven or eight feet away from her. 'When she saw me, she threw down whatever she had in her hand (he later said it was a rod a few feet long)..Then she ran toward Rob and she picked up a charger cord and started whipping it at him. 'When she got to him she started hitting him till I got in the middle of them. She also hit Rob when she was trying to hit Rob. 'I could smell the heavy alcohol on her..she was intoxicated. She was obviously very angry. She wanted to fight him, she wanted to hit him.' Former E! Network president Adam Stotsky also testified on Tuesday that the spin-off show Rob & Chyna was supposed to be about their 'newly blossoming relationship' but when it started 'falling apart ... it was kind of gross' E!'s Keeping up with the Kardashian ended its 20-season run in June 2021 Gamble said that he didn't know where the couple's young daughter Dream was in the house while the fight was happening. But he added, 'The house was a mess. There was stuff everywhere. Obviously stuff had been thrown and smashed.' After 'physically separating' the couple, he told the court that he told Rob to get his keys and wallet from the bedroom and to get in his car and leave. As Rob was getting to his car, Chyna 'jumped on him again and was punching him and hitting him in the side of the head,' said Gamble, who added that she picked up a chair and threw it at Rob's car as he left.' He stayed back at the house with Chyna, 'to make sure she didn't get in one of her cars and chase Rob,' he said. 'I put her keys somewhere so she could not get them.' A female friend of Chyna was also in the house at the time and, said Gamble, 'She told me Chyna's been drinking all night and she's been fighting with Rob.she's been yelling the same stuff, 'I hate him I don't like him.I would not like this fat f*** if he was not part of this family'. Asked by Chyna's lawyer, Lynne Ciani, if he had ever witnessed Chyna abusing Rob prior to December 15 2016, Gamble told the court: 'That was the first time I witnessed it. 'But it was not the first time I heard about it. I heard that when she drinks or allegedly does drugs, she gets volatile. 'I heard that she had been drinking and hit him before - I heard that from Rob and the nanny who worked for them.' When he was asked how Rob looked when he got to the house that morning, Gamble said, 'He was scared. He was red around the neck. His face was red.' Oregon's governor has been condemned for granting clemency to a killer who shot a teenage girl - and not bothering to tell the victim's family that he was back on the streets. Kate Brown freed Kyle Hedquist earlier this month, despite Hedquist being jailed for life without parole for murdering Nikki Thrasher in 1994 when she was 19. Hedquist, now 45, led Thrasher down a remote logging road and shot her in the back of the head to stop her telling people about a burglary spree he'd embarked on. Brown says the fact that Hedquist was 17 at the time of the murder means he shouldn't be locked-up for life. She said: 'Teenagers, even those who have committed terrible crimes, have a unique capacity for growth and change. We are a state and a nation of second chances.' But her decision to free Hedquist has infuriated Thrasher's mom, as well as local police and prosecutors, who've accused the Democrat governor of undermining public safety. 'He took the life of my daughter in cold blood. It was a cold-blooded murder. He planned it,' Holly Thrasher, who wasn't even aware of Hedquist's clemency, told KOIN 6. 'I am upset. I wasnt even told.' She also said she was never asked her opinion on his release, despite Brown's recent statement 'always' reaching out to victim's families so that the 'victim can have a voice.' Oregon Governor Kate Brown faces backlash after granting a killer clemency and neglecting to inform the victim's family. She justified his release by saying he was a teen when he killed another teenager and that criminals can 'grow and change' Kyle Hedquist (pictured) killed Nikki Thrasher when he was 17 in 1994. He led the teenager down a remote logging road, then shot her in the back of the head because he feared she might tell police about burglaries he committed Thrasher also said she worries for her and her son's safety now that her daughter's killer is free, according to KOIN 6. Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said on Tuesday: 'The executive clemency granted by Governor Brown in this case is shocking and irresponsible.' Hedquist, now 45, was convicted in Douglas County Circuit Court in 1995. The county refused to allow Hedquist to return there after being granted clemency due to community safety concerns. In a detailed letter to the Governor, Douglas County District Attorney Richard Wesenberg said Hedquist was 'uninterested in having his version of events be based in reality.' 'There are thousands of pages of discovery on this case, and yet large swaths of Hedquists petition are completely unsupported by any of them. In fact, many statements fly in the face of the evidence,' he wrote. 'This office has concerns that clemency for Mr. Hedquist will erode faith in the justice system. Specifically, clemency for Hedquist will demonstrate that a life sentence without the possibility of parole does not really mean a true-life sentence.' Even Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson agreed, saying 'these types of decisions are not reflective of public safety, theyre not reflective of good decisions.' She also said the decision would erode citizen's sense of justice and 'tell them [that] they dont matter, that these offenders are being prioritized over them and over what happens to them, their families, and what is appropriate for public safety,' 'We need victims to trust us. We need them to participate. We need them to be willing to come to court and to hang in there with us,' she told KOIN 6. She also said Brown's direction 'is putting the average citizen and our state at risk.' Marion County denied the Governor's Office to release the killer to an address in their jurisdictions as well. This month, Hedquist was released to the Salem home of a former prison chaplain after a suitable place could not be found for him in Douglas or Marion Counties, Clarkson and Sheriff Joe Kast, whose county includes Salem, issued a public safety notice on Saturday in which they expressed 'significant safety concerns surrounding the sudden and ill-planned governor's commutation.' 'Hedquist tricked the victim into driving him to a rural Douglas County location where he shot the victim execution-style in the back of the head and dumped her body along the road,' Clarkson and Kast said. 'Hedquist admitted killing her to eliminate a witness in hope of preventing his own capture.' Clarkson also told KOIN 6: 'This particular release into this community just seemed inappropriate for Marion County and wasnt done with the appropriate protocol and the proper risk assessment and safety measures in place. The only thing that my sheriff and I were left to do was just let people know that it was happening.' Brown, however, defended her clemencies, comparing them to President Joe Biden, who granted clemency to 78 people on Tuesday, though those were all for nonviolent crimes. The US Supreme Court, in a 2012 ruling, said only the rare, irredeemable juvenile offender should serve life in prison, but that applies in federal cases. Marion County DA Paige Clarkson (pictured) slammed Brown's decision, saying it's makes the public distrust the justice system. She also denied allowing Hedquist to come back to the county upon his release due to safety issues Some two dozen states have banned sentencing juveniles to life without parole, according to the Washington DC-based Sentencing Project, which advocates for humane responses to crime. The Democrat-dominated Oregon Legislature passed such a law in 2019, but the state Supreme Court has ruled it's not retroactive. The clemency of Hedquist has fueled Republican complaints that Brown, a Democrat who is not running for reelection this year because of term limits, is soft on crime. 'As with many others, the facts of this case is outrageous and brutal,' Oregon Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp said on Tuesday. 'The Governor continues to let violent criminals out of prison, and Democrats in the majority remain silent.' However, Brown said she has denied most clemency requests. 'Clemency is an action I reserve for individuals who have demonstrated that they have made incredible changes in their lives to rehabilitate themselves, take accountability for their crimes, and dedicate themselves to making their communities a better place,' Brown said. While locked up in the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, Hedquist spent over 20 years volunteering for hospice care services, said Liz Merah, Brown's spokeswoman. Hedquist wrote about caring for the dying inmates in a piece that was awarded 'honorable mention in memoir' in PEN America's 2019 Prison Writing Contest. 'I couldn't have known all those years ago that death would bring my humanity back,' Hedquist wrote. 'So I sat, I listened, their teary-eyed regurgitation of their crimes burned my ears, they left a bitter taste in my mouth as I consumed the confessions...but somehow just being with them and listening lightened their burden before death stepped in to take them.' Brown also accused 'several district attorneys' of scoring political points by stoking public fears in these cases. Oregonians granted clemency have demonstrated they have turned their lives around and pose a low risk to the public, she said. The governor was seen hugging President Joe Biden, 79, at the Portland International Airport on April 21 The governor recently praised Biden for issuing 78 clemencies to nonviolent offenders. In her statement, she also said that she 'always' reached out to victim's families so that 'victims can have a voice,' despite not reaching out to Nikki's mother, who wasn't even informed of her daughter's killer's release Merah, Brown's spokeswoman, said Hedquist's conditions of sentence commutation include lifetime supervision and GPS ankle monitoring for at least six months. 'If Mr. Hedquist violates any terms of his post-prison supervision, the governor can revoke his commutation,' Merah said. Since taking office in 2015, Brown has granted 1,148 sentence commutations - 963 of them to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, Merah said. Also among the total were 41 commutations for inmates who fought wildfires and 72 who committed crimes as juveniles and were sentenced to more than 15 years. Brown also granted 63 pardons. Commutations reduce prison terms, while pardons forgive defendants of crimes. A Pentagon report reveals that billions of dollars in weapons and military equipment transferred to the Afghan government was left behind in Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country. In all, about $7 billion worth of hardware remained in the country after the Taliban seized control, according to the report prepared for Congress which was obtained by CNN. That includes almost $1 billion of aircraft - rendered inoperable and dumped at Hamid Karzai International Airport - some 22,000 military Humvees and almost all the communications equipment supplied during the course of the conflict. In the weeks after the U.S. withdrawal and the collapse of Kabul, Taliban troops delighted in posing for pictures with sophisticated night vision goggles and driving abandoned vehicles. It means the equipment is now in the hands of the foe that the U.S. was trying to vanquish. A new Pentagon report revealed the full extent of U.S. weapons and military equipment supplied to the Afghan armed forces but left behind when President Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of American troops last year. The U.S. left behind about $7 billion in gear, it said A Taliban fighter poses with a US-made Afghan air force Blackhawk helicopter at Kandahar airfield in August last year, as weapons fell into the hands of the country's new rulers Taliban forces showed off their new military hardware during a victory parade in Kandahar last September as they celebrated the retreat of U.S. forces and their capture of Afghanistan Republicans have raised the alarm about leaving behind deadly technology and former President Donald Trump has repeatedly condemned his successor for failing to bring out more of the gear. But the report says the Defense Department has no plans to return to Afghanistan to 'retrieve or destroy.' Instead it describes how 'much of the remaining equipment' requires 'specialized maintenance that DoD contractors previously provided' to Afghan troops 'in the form of technical knowledge and support.' Even so, the list of equipment left behind reads like a Taliban wishlist of armaments. It includes a total of 9,524 air-to-ground munitions - which can include bombs, machine guns, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, air-launched cruise missiles, carried by warplanes - valued at $6.54 million. A Taliban fighter takes a picture of a damaged MD 530 helicopter that was abandoned at Kabul airport by retreating troops Taliban fighters sit on an Afghan army Humvee on August 15. Much of the equipment the US has given Afghanistan has 'fallen into the hands of the Taliban,' according to a US official The Taliban last year released propaganda footage of body armour-clad 'special forces' with night vision goggles, which may have come from abandoned Afghan army stores The U.S. left 78 aircraft in Kabul, according to the report. And more than 40,000 of almost 100,000 vehicles supplied to Afghan forces remain in the country. 'The operational condition of the remaining vehicles' is 'unknown,' the report is quoted as saying. More than 300,000 of 427,300 weapons delivered to Afghan security forces were left behind, as Kabul's opposition to the Taliban crumbled and troops melted away. The report also said 'nearly all' 42,000 pieces of night vision, surveillance, 'biometric and positioning equipment' had been left in Afghanistan. The Taliban has released propaganda footage of body armor-clad 'special forces' with night vision goggles. The extremists also released footage in August last year as they tested a captured $6m US-made Blackhawk helicopter by taxi-ing it around an airfield. A Russian Mi-17 helicopter is pictured alongside Taliban fighters after it was seized from retreating western troops The Taliban used weaponry left behind by American troops (pictured: Taliban using US armoured vehicle) to crush the last pockets of resistance to its takeover of Afghanistan At the time of the Taliban takeover, the Afghan military had more than 150 aircraft, according to a report published last month by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. It included four C-130 transport aircraft, 23 Brazilian-made A-29 'Super Tucano' turboprop ground-attack aircraft, 45 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and 50 smaller choppers. Afghan forces were also given more than 30 military versions of Cessna single-engine fixed-wing aircraft. The Taliban also showed off advance weaponry weaponry left behind by American troops last September as they tried to crush the last pockets of resistance to its takeover of Afghanistan. The rebels appeared outgunned by Taliban fighters using US armored vehicles, mortar missiles and high-powered artillery. Videos showed Taliban gunmen brandishing US military M4 and M16 rifles and wearing night-vision goggles. A top professor says concerns about a nightmare flu season are overstated, despite influenza cases tripling in NSW between March and April and another expert warning of a flu epidemic this winter. At least 1237 influenza cases were reported in April in NSW, which is more than triple March's figure of 341 infections. Professor Ian Barr, deputy director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, told the Sydney Morning Herald cases will dramatically rise in the coming weeks. 'The way things are heading, we will have a significant epidemic outbreak, but whether that will peak in August, or slightly later in September, is unclear,' Barr said. He warns there will be a spike in flu cases over the coming months as less Australians take up their flu shots due to vaccine fatigue from the pandemic. 'While people might be sick of vaccination - and there is definitely less of an appetite for vaccines after COVID-19 there needs to be an awareness flu is back and vaccination is the best tool to protect against illness.' However, infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon told Daily Mail Australia he believes the prediction of a massive influenza epidemic in the coming months has been wildly exaggerated. He says a potential epidemic would be more likely to break out next year when overseas travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. 'My feeling is we will have a moderate amount of influenza this winter. I'd be more worried about 2023 when we get to normal movements of people.' 'It'll take another year to get back to those normal levels of movements.' Professor Collignon says the country has seen far worse flu seasons, citing the 2017 flu epidemic where 9330 NSW residents alone were admitted to hospital over the course of the year and 1181 Australians across the nation died from the virus. Some experts have warned of a spike in flu cases over the coming months as less Australians take up their flu shots due to vaccine fatigue. Another reason for the spike in infections is the reopening of international borders. (Pictured: Queues of people at Sydney domestic airport) Infectious diseases expert Peter Collignon (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he was not surprised by the recent spike in flu cases but he downplayed the likelihood of a flu epidemic in 2022 Flu vaccine uptake in NSW had dropped significantly in comparison to the previous two years. In April 2020, almost 1.5million NSW residents had their flu shots. This fell to 857,000 in 2021 over the course of the same month and to just 612,000 in April 2022. Many experts have attributed this to vaccine fatigue following the pandemic where most Australians took up two doses of a Covid vaccine and subsequent booster shots for protection against Covid. Not a single influenza death was recorded in Australia in 2021, and only 36 were noted in 2020. It's a big difference from previous flu seasons where 902 deaths were reported in 2019 and 1181 in 2017. Again, experts have said these lower figures is was due to Covid restrictions isolating the community for large periods of time and stringent Covid-safe measures. Jennifer Lang, chair of the Actuaries Institute's working group on Covid, told the Guardian in 2021: 'It's the fact that we've taken steps to avoid infection from Covid, which has helped us to avoid being affected by a whole lot of other respiratory diseases.' 'It's been all of the different measures that people are taking to avoid mixing which has reduced the level of flu in circulation worldwide.' Elon Musk has defended himself against The Washington Post's claim that he set his online 'attack dogs' on Twitter executives, pointing out that the newspaper attacks him 'all the time'. Musk, who on Monday agreed the terms of a $44 billion buyout of Twitter, on Tuesday took issue with a decision made by the company's top lawyer, Vijaya Gadde. And on Wednesday he refuted claims that making such public criticism had directed bullies towards Gadde, who earns $17 million-a-year and is known within Twitter as the firm's 'moral authority.' Musk wrote: 'The Washington Post targets me relentlessly! Their insults could be higher quality, but some are not bad. I gave them 3 stars on Yelp.' The Post has been accused of hypocrisy because it is owned by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos. On Monday, Bezos queried whether Musk could be influenced by China after buying Twitter because the communist nation is a crucial market for Tesla. He made the remark even though Twitter is banned in China. And Bezos failed to mention his own firm's kotowing to China, which included removing less than glowing reviews for a book of President Xi Jinping's speeches. He also replied to a tweeter who speculated that the New York Times Twitter account buys fake followers, because so few of its 50 million followers retweet or interact with its posts. Gadde hit the headlines for breaking down in tears in a Monday meeting while briefing her 350 employees over what changes Musk could make to the company. When political podcast host Saagar Enjeti tweeted that Gadde was instrumental in the decision to temporarily suspend The New York Post's account for its reporting on Hunter Biden's laptop, Musk replied: 'Suspending the Twitter account of a major news organization for publishing a truthful story was obviously incredibly inappropriate.' On Wednesday he doubled down on the criticism of Gadde, sharing a meme with his 86 million followers showing Gadde and suggesting the company's decisions are affected by a 'left wing bias.' The Washington Post, in response, published an article entitled: 'Elon Musk boosts criticism of Twitter executives, prompting online attacks'. The paper quoted April Glaser, a senior research fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, as saying: 'Musk has actually used Twitter as his slingshot when going after critics. It's not surprising he would then want to have greater control of that slingshot.' Elon Musk continues to take a freewheeling approach to tweeting, and is not letting a non-disparagement clause in his deal to buy Twitter stop him from insulting top execs The Washington Post on Wednesday called out Musk for criticizing Twitter executives Musk posted several tweets critical of Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's chief legal officer, who was instrumental in banning Trump from the platform The world's richest man then suggested The New York Times was buying followers. Conservative commentator Dave Rubin tweeted: Hey @elonmusk, as long as your digging, check into how @nytimes @forbes etc., bought their Twitter followers to fake influence. 'NY Times has 53 million 'followers' and rarely gets 50 RT's. 'I could post a banana emoji and a pic of a 80's sitcom star and get more. (See next tweet.)' Musk replied: 'Yeah, I noticed that too. Pretty weird.' Earlier on Wednesday, Musk, 50, bashed Donald Trump's rival service Truth Social for its 'terrible name'. 'Truth Social (terrible name) exists because Twitter censored free speech,' Musk wrote in a tweet, adding, 'Should be called Trumpet instead!' He noted the Truth Social app is currently beating Twitter and TikTok in Apple's App Store, sharing rankings of the most-downloaded free apps. Reports on Wednesday continued to emerge of staffers upset and angry about Musk's takeover. 'We're all going through the five stages of grief in cycles and everyone's nerves are frazzled,' one senior staff software engineer reportedly wrote on the company's internal Slack channel. The staffer called Musk an 'a**hole,' and tried to console his colleagues. 'We're all spinning our wheels, and coming up with worst case scenarios (Trump returns! No more moderation!). 'The fact is that [Musk] has not talked about what he's planning on doing in any detail outside of broad sweeping statements that could be easily seen as hyperbolic showboating,' he added. One site reliability engineer wrote that it was 'physically cringy watching Elon talk about free speech.' A senior staff video engineer announced his plans to quit, saying: 'Not the place to say it perhaps, but I will not work for this company after the takeover.' Musk perhaps did little to allay Twitter staffers fears as he posted several tweets critical of Gadde, Twitter's chief legal officer. She was one of the key executives in the decisions to ban Trump from the platform and censor reporting on Hunter Biden's laptop. Elon Musk, 50, on Tuesday responded to a report about Twitter's lawyer Vijaya Gadde (left) crying at the news of his takeover The tweet Elon Musk replied to is pictured, top, with the tycoon's scathing attack on Vijaya Gadde's behavior right underneath The merger agreement contains a clause forbidding Musk from insulting Twitter representatives in tweets about the merger agreement TOP LAWYER IS TWITTER'S 'MORAL AUTHORITY' Vijaya Gadde, 48, was described in a 2020 Politico profile as 'the most important Silicon Valley executive you've never heard of.' Managing a team of 350, in 2021 she earned $17 million: a base salary of $600,000, plus a bonus of $450,000 and almost $400,000 in personal security. The rest was from shares. Born in India and moving to Beaumont, Texas, when she was two years old, she recalls her engineer father having to go to the KKK to ask permission to sell insurance door-to-door. The family later moved to New Jersey, and Gadde graduated with a law degree from New York University in 2000. 'I felt very strongly that I needed to be in a position where I understood my rights, or my community's rights,' she told Politico. 'I didn't ever want to be taken advantage of.' Gadde joined Silicon Valley law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she worked for a decade before becoming Senior Director in the legal department of Juniper Networks in Silicon Valley. She joined Twitter in 2011, and became co-founder and then-CEO Jack Dorsey's right-hand woman, sitting next to him and accompanying him on his meetings in Congress and at the White House. In October 2019 she was the architect of the idea to stop political advertising on the platform, and shortly before the election she played a key role in the decision to suspend The New York Post's account when it reported on Hunter Biden's laptop. Twitter claimed it violated the company policy against promoting hacked material; critics were angered by the heavy-handedness, and Twitter later apologized. In January 2021, it was Gadde who rang Dorsey - on vacation in Hawaii - to inform him they were banning Donald Trump, for violating policies against inciting violence. Married to Ramsey Homsany, a lawyer and co-founder of Octant Bio, a synthetic biology company, the pair welcomed a child in 2020. Gadde is also a co-founder of #Angels, an investment collective that backs start-ups and helps ensure that women receive equal compensation at successful companies. She is also on the board of medical charity Mercy Corps. Advertisement Musk himself also singled out Jim Baker, Twitter's lawyer, after conservative commentator Mike Cernovich called out Baker's work. 'Twitter lawyer Jim Baker, when general counsel of the FBI, personally arranged a meeting between the FBI and Michael Sussmann. In this meeting, Sussmann presented fabricated evidence in the Alfa bank matter,' Cernovich tweeted, referring to the Crossfire Hurricane probe into Trump's 2016 campaign. '@elonmusk, this is who is inside Twitter. He facilitated fraud.' Musk then replied: 'Sounds pretty bad ' The tweets critical of Twitter executives raised questions about whether Musk was running afoul of his own agreement to buy the company, which states in part that he is allowed to tweet about the buyout 'so long as such Tweets do not disparage the Company or any of its Representatives.' It's unclear what mechanism, if any, Twitter has to enforce that part of the agreement, and whether the company's board would attempt to do so. The clause also applies only to tweets that are about the merger agreement itself, leaving it open to interpretation whether Musk's criticisms of Twitter executives are implicitly related to his plans to buy the company. He is likely to slash Twitter's policies on hate speech and misinformation, having previously branded himself a free-speech absolutist. Twitter staff have been told their jobs are safe for the six months the transfer of ownership is expected to take. But after that, workers like Gadde are likely to be among the first to get the boot. She was pivotal in the decision to ban Donald Trump from the platform for inciting unrest, and also played a key role in the decision to remove The New York Post's account when they tweeted their reporting into Hunter Biden's laptop. Twitter initially froze the New York Post's main account after it published the story and demanded it delete tweets linking to the Biden articles. It justified the ban by citing a prohibition of distributing hacked material, before backing down when the story was proven to be legitimate. Saagar Enjeti, host of a conservative YouTube show, tweeted a link to Politico's report about Gadde's tears, commented: 'Vijaya Gadde, the top censorship advocate at Twitter who famously gaslit the world on Joe Rogan's podcast and censored the Hunter Biden laptop story, is very upset about the @elonmusk takeover.' Gadde's tears, Politico reported, were in response to concerns about how the company could change. Twitter spokesperson Trenton Kennedy told Politico that Gadde 'became emotional when discussing her team's impact and the pride she feels in them.' Having joined Twitter in 2011, she is central to the social media's policy on hate speech, misinformation, advertising and censorship. Musk has made clear that he intends to remove many of the restrictions currently in place, and open Twitter up as a forum for free speech. Critics have expressed concern about how this will play out. There are growing fears thousands of tradies will go bust as Australia faces a nationwide timber shortage that could see the country run out of supplies within eight weeks. That's on top of already soaring prices of building materials, other supply chain issues, a critical skills shortage and rising labour costs. A host of construction companies have already gone bust, and tradies say thousands more operators are on the brink of collapse. Arc Joinery's Andrew Jlavery said the timber shortage would place more mounting pressure on small operators battling to make ends meet. Tradies fear the worst with timber supplies expected to dry up within 2-3 months (stock image) 'The biggest pinch we are feeling is all around to do with materials, and from what I've been hearing amongst my peers, we are looking at 8-12 weeks, and we will be running out of timber products in Australia,' he told the Today Show on Thursday. 'You have got that whole situation in Ukraine and Russia, and there is in Ukraine and Russia, and there is a potential embargo on Russian products coming into the country as well.' Operators are also set to be hammered by other factors they have no control over. A shortage of skilled workers from overseas due to closed borders since the onset of the pandemic has also crippled the industry with soaring labour and material costs. 'I think it is a bit of a perfect storm. COVID has impacted the world, not just Australia,' Mr Jlavery said. Andrew Jlavery (pictured) said a looming timber shortage will place more mounting pressure on small operators on the brink of collapse ProBuild is one of several major construction companies that have collapsed in recent weeks 'I really feel for the small businesses you hear about in the news. 'They are small businesses that are actually really solid businesses and they have just been victims of unfortunate circumstances outside of their control.' 'With the borders being closed as well, there was a lot of labour they were relying on from coming overseas and it has pushed the labour costs up. 'And same thing with material.' Mr Jlavery said he feels for the consumers for the end of the day who will have to deal with rising prices and has called for governments to work alongside the construction industry to stop the crisis escalating. A former intern who says she was raped by an Idaho state lawmaker fled a courtroom in distress and refused to return as she was asked to recount the alleged attack. 'I can't do this,' the unidentified victim said during Wednesday's hearing in Boise as prosecutors asked her to recount former Re. Aaron von Ehlinger's alleged assault, which is said to have taken place in March 2021. She refused to return, with a judge ordering jurors to ignore the questions she did answer, because defense lawyers were unable to cross-examine her. The woman, anonymized Jane Doe, was a 19-year-old intern for a fellow Republican when she told her supervisors that then-Rep von Ehlinger, from Lewiston, raped her in March 2021 at his Boise apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant. Aged 38 at the time, he resigned from the House of Representatives after a legislative ethics committee in April 2021 recommended he be banned from the Statehouse. In May 2021 von Ehlinger, who is believed to be single and childless, left the U.S. for Central America, and when he returned in September he was arrested. Von Ehlinger, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, pleaded not guilty in November to felony charges of rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object, and maintains the two had consensual sex. Former Idaho state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger is pictured in court on Wednesday - the second day of testimony in his rape trial. His accuser was testifying, but told the judge: 'I can't do this' and fled the court During testimony Wednesday afternoon, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley asked Doe to describe an article of clothing worn by von Ehlinger that day, presumably to identify him to the jury. 'Blazer,' Doe said, taking long looks around the room. When Farley asked her to describe the color of von Ehlinger's tie, Doe answered, 'I can't.' Most of Doe's answers were often one or two words long, and she frequently looked toward the jury or the exit door in the back of the courtroom. At other times her gaze landed on the defense table where von Ehlinger sat with his defense attorney, Jon Cox. Behind the attorneys, the gallery of the courtroom was full. Journalists, representatives from victim services and other onlookers sat side-by-side. One of the benches was reserved for a woman with a service dog - the animals are sometimes used to provide a supportive presence for witnesses who are asked to give difficult testimony. Doe's voice was quiet, and Cox repeatedly interrupted her answers to say that he couldn't hear her. That prompted the judge to repeatedly ask Doe to scoot closer to the microphone, and lean in. 'I need you to look at me,' Farley told Doe, again. Von Ehlinger is pictured in his October booking photo 'I can't,' she responded, looking again toward the rear exit door. In response to Farley's questions, Doe said she ate at a restaurant with von Ehlinger and that afterward he drove her to his apartment in his car. Inside, she sat down and had cookies. 'Oreos,' she said. Then, she said, von Ehlinger picked her up and carried her into his bedroom. 'He laid me down ... he removed his clothes ... he climbed on top of me ... in just his boxers. White T-shirt,' Doe said. 'He tried to put his fingers between my legs and I closed my knees.' At that, she stood up. 'I can't do this anymore,' she said, fleeing the courtroom. The judge gave the prosecuting attorneys 10 minutes to find her and see if she would return. When she did not, Reardon told the jurors they had to 'strike (Doe's testimony) from your minds as if it never happened,' because the defense could not cross-examine her. Jane Doe said that von Ehlinger placed the handgun he always carried on a dresser near the bed while he raped her It was the second day of the trial. Earlier on Wednesday, Jane Doe's mother testified for the prosecution, describing a phone call from her daughter on March 11, 2021, KTVB reported. She said her daughter sounded afraid, and had been crying. The mother told her daughter to report her attack, and Jane Doe went to the assistant sergeant-of-arms for the Idaho House, Kim Blackburn. Blackburn said on the stand that Jane Doe - who she had met as a high school House page the previous year - recounted what had happened and named von Ehlinger as her assailant. Blackburn took the report directly to Speaker of the House Scott Bedke, she testified. The intern had previously suggested that she would find testifying in court difficult. In April last year, speaking to the ethics committee, she testified that von Ehlinger repeatedly approached her when she worked at the Statehouse, once inviting her into his office and visiting her office roughly 10 times. She said she hoped the dinner would be an opportunity to network as well as a chance to eat at a fancy restaurant - something that she would never normally be able to afford, as someone who earns $8 an hour. The intern told the jury that appearing in the hearing and all the proceedings leading up to the hearing have been difficult. 'How do I explain that - vomiting on myself in the bathroom ... calling my mom because I'm terrified ... how do I explain that to the committee, what you've done to me?' she said about being required to testify. 'I came here fighting and earning your respect. But I don't blame you. I forgive you. You're doing your job, and I am too.' Some of von Ehlinger's Republican colleagues named his accuser publicly during the ethics committee hearings, and tried to discredit her as a liberal orchestrating a smear campaign. One, Priscilla Giddings, a Republican lawmaker representing White Bird, revealed the teenager's name and other personal details in a newsletter to her constituents, claiming the allegations were a 'liberal smear job'. Giddings, who was also in the committee room, scoffed and laughed at times during the hearing, including when the intern's attorneys suggested that the bullying the intern had experienced would make other women less willing to report sexual assault. In November, the Idaho state legislature formally censured Giddings and voted to remove her from one of her three assigned committees over conduct unbecoming of a legislator. Von Ehlinger is pictured in a photo on his Facebook page, where he shows off his NRA membership District Judge Michael Reardon speaks to attorneys on Wednesday in the Boise courtroom Deputy prosecuting attorney, Katelyn Farley, confers with a colleague during a break in testimony on Wednesday Defense attorney Jon Cox makes arguments during the second day of testimony Von Ehlinger looks on from the defense table during Wednesday's dramatic day in the Boise courtroom Jane Doe underwent a sexual assault exam at FACES of Hope and spoke to Boise Police detectives the same day. On Tuesday, jurors heard from police detectives and the nurse who completed a rape examination on Doe roughly 48 hours after she said the assault occurred. The nurse testified that Doe told her that she tried to stop von Ehlinger's sexual advances by saying she hadn't shaved, that she wasn't on birth control and that she was menstruating. Doe also told her that von Ehlinger had placed the handgun he always carried on a dresser near the bed, and that he pinned Doe during the assault by climbing on top of her and kneeling on her upper arms. The detectives and nurse also told jurors that Doe reported she told von Ehlinger 'no' during the assault and said he was hurting her. The nurse said Doe reported arm pain during the exam, and that she had a swollen 'goose egg' on the back of her head that she said happened when she tried to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger's crotch, hitting the wall or a headboard. Jurors also heard from forensic scientists who said that DNA from bodily fluids collected during Doe's rape exam matched von Ehlinger. Von Ehlinger is pictured on the campaign trial. He resigned in April 2021, following an ethics committee report After Doe left the courtroom, the prosecutor called Laura King, an associate criminal justice professor from Boise State University who is an expert in sexual violence victimization. King told jurors that victims of a sexual assault often fight, flee or freeze during the assault, and that the hormones that trigger those responses can also cause a person to experience temporary paralysis or dissociation, a mental state where they feel disconnected from reality. Those same physiological responses including dissociation can also happen when sexual assault survivors describe the assault, King said. Such behavior may seem strange, but it is a natural reaction to an assault, she said. Cox asked King whether she knew anything about von Ehlinger's case. King said she did not. 'You talk specifically about these conditions - fight, flight, freeze, dissociative events, tonic immobility - but you have no idea because you don't have any information about this case specifically, right?' Cox asked King. King agreed, saying she was talking generally about the research on sexual assault victims. After King's testimony, Farley said the prosecution's case was over. Cox said he would let the judge know on Thursday morning if von Ehlinger will testify in his own defense. If convicted, von Ehlinger could face a maximum penalty of life in prison on each charge. A tradesman has posted a video of the call-out he got to a house from hell. The plumber was called out to an address in Surry Hills in inner-city Sydney to fix a leak. But this turned out to be anything but a routine call - the whole place was strewn with years of hoarded rubbish and human waste. He was so shocked he had to video the scene to record the shocking conditions. On the clip, a voiceover in the style of an ominous film trailer said 'Suicide Towers, Surry Hills, Sydney.' Viewers on social media praised the plumber for the sensitivity he showed to the woman in the house. Barely any of the floor is visible in the property as almost every centimetre is covered with rubbish from wall-to-wall (pictured) But the reality on the screen is almost beyond belief. There are bags filled with rubbish, empty containers and dirt, including what seems to be human waste, everywhere. There is barely any of the floor visible as almost every centimetre is covered from wall-to-wall. The tradie is heard telling the woman in the house that it needs to be 'cleared up'. As he walks through half-eaten pizza slices and trash, he uses a plumbing pipe to push items out of his way. Even the shower is full of rubbish, including a blue bucket which may at some point have been used for a leak. Then a dog is seen jumping through the dirt and the viewer's thoughts may turn from thinking the house not is not fit for humans to thinking it's also not fit for animals. 'Yeah, definitely can't do this tonight,' he told the woman. 'No,' she replied gently, presumably understanding why he can't take care of the job right now. 'What I'm going to do,' he said as he approached what looks like human waste on the floor, 'is I'm just going to let them know that it needs to be cleared up first. 'Because we can't actually work in here. It's a bit of a health risk.' A plumber told a customer 'we can't actually work in here. It's a bit of a health risk,' after seeing the property pictured The woman, who was wearing flip flops as she walked through puddles of water and filth splashing her feet, seemed to agree with the plumber. 'That's something else I've got to do,' she said. 'Yeah, that's alright,' the plumber replied. 'Yeah, once that's taken care of, I guess we'll go ahead and do what we gotta do.' When the video was posted on TikTok, many commenters praised the plumber for how sensitive he was with the woman in the house. 'So sad,' said one. 'At least the plumber was respectful and non judgmental, the person may be suffering some serious issues depression or disabled etc.' 'Thank you for being so professional,' said another. Most posters were very concerned for the woman. 'Oh wow. It's devastating that people live like this. How sad and lonely they must be for their lives to end up like that,' one said. But some were shocked the plumber even made it past the front door. 'I would NOT have even stepped one foot in that place. that's one [of] the most feral things I have ever seen,' said one person. Others were concerned for the dog seen in the video, but the plumber addressed their concerns. 'This dog is fine and was relocated long ago,' he assured them. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report indicating that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may have been double-billed for the funerals of hundreds of persons who succumbed to COVID-19. The GAO discovered 374 people who died and were included on multiple COVID-19 Funeral Assistance fund applications. According to the report, this equates to nearly $4.8 million in assistance that could have been erroneous or even fraudulent payments. According to FEMA spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg, this was not a case of major fraud, and the amount of funeral assistance identified as at-risk was relatively minor, as per a CBS News report. This is due to FEMA's "multi-layered internal quality controls and fraud controls" that led to improper payments of below 1%. In a statement, Rothenberg admitted that "fraud, particularly identity theft, is common," but FEMA can detect instances "and can and will prosecute anyone who would apply for assistance fraudulently." What Happened? The report said that FEMA informed the GAO that some duplicative applications were wrongly awarded funeral assistance due to processing problems. Benefits were not paid twice in some circumstances. According to Chris Currie, who leads GAO's work on emergency management and disaster response and recovery, and Rebecca Shea, who oversees GAO audits to identify fraud, waste, and abuse, the cases have been sent to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, which will decide whether to start any fraud investigations. Shea stated that they were unable to confirm whether FEMA paid twice in all of the cases. She believes scammers targeted the fund and that some of the issues are due to data input errors. Read Also: COVID-19 Cases in US: Dr. Anthony Fauci Confirms 'Pandemic Phase' Is Over, But There's No End in Sight Meanwhile, a report released by federal investigators said that the multibillion-dollar funeral assistance program for COVID-19 victims reimbursed families for some ineligible items such as flowers, catering, and transportation, according to a Virginian Pilot report. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the program, received a "management alert" from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office. It requested that FEMA's administrator change the agency's operational procedures to conform to long-standing policy. "FEMA is putting millions of taxpayer dollars at an elevated risk of waste and abuse by reimbursing funeral expenses identified as ineligible by its own policies," the inspector general's report stated. FEMA stated on Wednesday that it had granted more than $2.1 billion to more than 355,000 people. What Are the Services Covered by the Assistance Program? Funeral services, cremation, and interment are all covered under the FEMA program, as are the costs of caskets or urns, burial plots or cremation niches, markers or headstones, transportation or transfer of remains, clergy or officiant services, and the use of funeral home equipment or personnel, per NPR report. The program is supported by government stimulus funds, which are still available. Though, there are no online applications accepted. According to FEMA, determining eligibility normally takes less than 30 days once all necessary documents are submitted and validated. Applicants who prefer direct deposit may get funds within days once their eligibility is confirmed. Applicants who want a check may have to wait longer. Related Article: Biden Administration Wants More COVID-19 Patients Be Treated With Pfizer's Paxlovid As Hundreds Die Daily @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has accused Russian forces of committing war crimes during Vladimir Putin's 'aggressive and outrageous' invasion of Ukraine as she urged countries at the United Nations to focus on fighting for justice and holding the perpetrators to account. 'Ukraine is, today, a slaughterhouse. Right in the heart of Europe,' Clooney told an informal UN Security Council meeting on accountability in Ukraine, organized by France and Albania, on Wednesday. Clooney implored the UN to fight for international justice so evidence of war crimes committed in Ukraine does not sit in storage - as it has done for the victims of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Iraq and Syria. The Lebanese-British barrister, who is part of an international legal task force advising Ukraine on securing accountability for Ukrainian victims in national jurisdictions, said she feared 'politicians calling for justice but not delivering it.' 'My fear is that you will get busy and distracted and that each day there'll be a little bit less coverage of the war and people will become a little bit more numb to it,' Clooney said. 'And that Ukraine will end up alone in pursuing the perpetrators of these atrocities. We cannot let that happen,' said the lawyer, who runs the Clooney Foundation for Justice with her husband. Clooney spoke as Ukraine said Russian forces had used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a pro-Ukraine rally in Kherson, the first big city it has seized. A series of powerful explosions caused by rockets hit the centre of Kherson late on Wednesday, Ria News agency reported. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney (pictured at the UN meeting in New York on Wednesday) has slammed Vladimir Putin's 'aggressive and outrageous' invasion of Ukraine as she urged countries at the United Nations on Wednesday to focus on international justice for war crimes committed there Emergency workers remove the body of a man killed during a Russian bombardment in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said a record 43 countries have referred the Ukraine situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is responsible for prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. He opened an investigation March 2, and said nine other European nations are also conducting probes. On Monday, he said, the ICC signed an agreement for the first time for a joint investigative team with Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. 'This is a time when we need to mobilize the law and send it into battle, not on the side of Ukraine against the Russian Federation or on the side of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, but on the side of humanity to protect, to preserve, to shield people who have certain basic rights,' Khan said. Calling this 'a critical juncture,' he said it's time to uphold the law and move quickly on collecting evidence. He said he deployed a team to the region immediately after announcing the investigation and has visited Ukraine twice and will do so again. Khan told the council he sent three communications to Russia and had not received a reply, and he welcomed Leonidchenko's presence before the Russian spoke. 'My door is open,' Khan told him. Clooney condemned Putin's war as 'aggressive' and 'outrageous' as she pointed to how Russian troops have been accused of raping women and girls in the streets as well as torturing and shooting dead civilians. Clooney recalled how Putin's forces bombed a theatre in the southern city of Mariupol where hundreds of civilians, including children, were sheltering. An estimated 300 people died in the attack in March, which saw Russian troops shell the Mariupol Drama Theatre - despite Ukrainians writing 'children' in large white letters in Russian in front of and behind the theatre building. 'Putin's aggressive war is so outrageous that even after repeated warnings from the U.S. and Russia's long criminal record, Ukrainians couldn't believe that this could happen,' Clooney said. 'And I still read news headlines not knowing quite how to process them. Could it be that thousands of children are being forcibly deported to Russia? 'Could it be that teenage girls are being raped in the street in front of their family and their neighbors? 'Was a building that had the word 'children' on it, really bombed, and are civilians today in Mariupol systematically being tortured and starved to death? Unfortunately, the answer is yes.' During the meeting Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, who has opened over 8,000 investigations into alleged violations of the laws and customs of war, said that 'Russia's actions amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes' and the pattern 'resembles the crime of genocide.' Russian forces bombed a theatre where hundreds of civilians, including children, were sheltering in the encircled port city of Mariupol in March, the city council said An estimated 300 people died in the attack in March, which saw Russian troops shell the Mariupol Drama Theatre - despite Ukrainians writing 'children' in large white letters in Russian in front of and behind the theatre building 0 A picture taken during a visit to Mariupol organized by the Russian military shows destruction inside the destroyed Drama Theatre in Mariupol on 12 April Clooney attends ensuring accountability for atrocities committed in Ukraine meeting at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday Clooney recalled a 2017 Security Council vote to approve a measure she helped lobby for the creation of a UN team to collect, preserve and store evidence of possible international crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq. It was the same year her son, Alexander, and daughter, Ella, with actor George Clooney were born. 'My children are now almost 5, and so far most of the evidence collected by the UN is in storage - because there is no international court to put ISIS on trial,' she said in the New York UN headquarters. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which handles war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression, has no jurisdiction because Iraq and Syria are not members. Clooney is part of an international legal task force advising Ukraine on securing accountability for Ukrainian victims in national jurisdictions and working with the Hague-based ICC. Local boys Faddei and Oleksandr play in front of a church damaged during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in the village of Kolychivka, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney attends an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Wednesday Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka, who co-sponsored and chaired the meeting, said that as a veto-holding member of the Security Council, Russia is supposed to be a guardian of international peace but has 'embarked on a war of choice against a neighbor committing immeasurable crimes in the process.' France's deputy U.N. ambassador, Nathalie Broadhurst, the other co-sponsor, said the images of atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha and other areas after Russian forces withdrew 'are unbearable' and may amount to war crimes. Beth Van Schaack, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, said the United States has concluded Russia committed war crimes, pointing to credible reports of individuals killed execution-style, bodies showing signs of torture and 'horrific accounts of sexual violence against women and girls.' She said Russia's political and military leadership and rank and file will be held accountable. The legal chief at Russia's U.N. Mission, Sergey Leonidchenko, dismissed their statements, saying: 'What we heard today was another portion of unsubstantiated claims and even fakes seasoned with lies, hypocrisy and pompous rhetoric.' Russia has denied responsibility for any atrocities and repeatedly blamed Ukrainian nationalists and 'neo-Nazis.' Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney attends an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Wednesday Leonidchenko described the ICC as a 'political instrument.' He accused the United States and Britain of hypocrisy for supporting the ICC inquiry in Ukraine after doing 'everything imaginable to shield their own military.' Khan told reporters afterward that he is not for or against Russia or Ukraine, saying the court is interested only in upholding the law. British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said the United Kingdom 'is supporting international efforts to see justice delivered' and will provide $1.25 million (1million) in additional funding to the ICC. France's Broadhurst said her government has sent two judges and 10 investigators to join the ICC team in Ukraine and made an additional 500,000 euro ($525,000) contribution to support its work. Van Schaack said the United States, which is not a party to the ICC, is supporting its investigation into atrocities in Ukraine. Norwegian judge Erik Mose, who chairs the U.N. Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry, said it is recruiting staff and will investigate all alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, building on the work of U.N. human rights monitors in Ukraine. He said it will establish contact with the ICC 'in the near future' and will seek to contact Russia and Ukraine, victims, civil society groups, governments and others. 'Mose stressed his commission's independence and its mandate 'to identify where possible individuals and entities responsible for violation or abuses of human rights of international humanitarian law or other related crimes.' Carolina (C), who is 9 years old, sits with her mother Kateryna (right), 33, and her 7-month-old sister in the bunker of a closed glass factory in Lysychansk, eastern Ukraine on Wednesday Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. human rights chief, reiterated that war crimes may have taken place 'and efforts aimed at redressing violations must begin now.' As of Wednesday, she said, her office had documented and verified 2,787 civilians killed and 3,152 injured, with actual numbers 'considerably higher' and rising. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova's office has told Reuters it is preparing war crimes charges against at least seven Russian military personnel. Since the Russian invasion force was driven back at the outskirts of Kyiv last month, Moscow has refocused its operation on eastern Ukraine, starting a new offensive to fully capture two provinces known as the Donbas. Moscow's generals have also said their aim is to push out from Kherson - on the Black Sea coast and the only major city to fall to Putin's forces so far - and capture Mykolaiv and Odesa, cutting Ukraine off from the ocean. Western nations have rallied to support Kyiv, with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declaring earlier this week that Ukraine will be given all the weapons it needs to 'win' the war and 'weaken' Russia to the point where it cannot attack again. Liz Truss, British defence secretary, explicitly spelled out the victory condition in a speech last night - saying arms deliveries will 'keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine'. That would mean not just re-taking the parts of Ukraine Russia has occupied since Putin ordered the invasion in February this year, but re-taking the parts attacked and annexed since 2014 - namely Crimea and rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ms Truss argued that the war could last for ten years, but that the West must be prepared 'for the long haul.' If Putin succeeds in his war aims, she warned, then there will be 'untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe'. A wrecked car is seen in the city of Mariupol on April 26, amid Russian shelling Members of the Ukrainian army guard a checkpoint near the frontline at Huliaipole district, in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on Wednesday On the battlefield, fighting continued in the country's east along a largely static front line some 300 miles (480 kilometers) long. Russia claimed its missiles hit a batch of weapons that the U.S. and European nations had delivered to Ukraine. One person was killed and at least two were injured when rockets hit a residential neighborhood in Kharkiv. Western officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said Russia has made slow progress in the eastern Donbas region, with 'minor gains,' including the capture of villages and small towns south of Izyum and on the outskirts of Rubizhne. An estimated 22,800 Russian soldiers have died so far, according to Kyiv's estimates. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, conceded that Russia has made some progress in its advance on Rubizhne through its nearly constant bombardment, but that Ukrainian troops are fighting back and retreating only when there is nothing left to defend. 'There is no point in staying on territory that has been fired on so often that every meter is well known,' he said. Maxim, a Ukrainian tank commander in the Donbas who didn't give his last name, offered his rationale for why Ukrainian forces have been able to hold back the better-equipped Russian army: 'The strength is not in the tank; the strength is in the people.' The Western officials said some Russian troops have been shifted from the gutted southern port city of Mariupol to other parts of the Donbas. But some remain in Mariupol to fight Ukrainian forces holed up at the Azovstal steel plant, the last stronghold in the city. About 1,000 civilians were said to be taking shelter there with an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian defenders. 'The situation is very difficult. There are huge problems with water, food,' Serhii Volynskyi, commander of the marine unit inside the plant, said in a Facebook video message. He said hundreds of fighters and civilians were wounded and in need of medical help, and those inside included children, older people and disabled people. In the Black Sea port city of Kherson, which Russian forces have occupied since early in the war, a series of explosions boomed late Wednesday near the television tower and at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air, Ukrainian and Russian news organizations reported. Just across the border from the Donbas in Russia, an ammunition depot in the Belgorod region burned after several explosions were heard, the governor said. Blasts were also reported in Russia's Kursk region near the border, and authorities in Russia's Voronezh region said an air defense system shot down a drone. Earlier this week, an oil storage facility in the Russian city of Bryansk was engulfed by fire. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak hinted at the country's involvement in the fires, saying in a Telegram post that 'karma (is) a harsh thing.' With the help of Western arms, Ukrainian forces managed to thwart Russian forces' attempt to storm Kyiv. Moscow now says its focus is the capture of the Donbas, Ukraine's mostly Russian-speaking industrial heartland. A defiant Putin vowed Russia will achieve its military goals, telling parliament, 'All the tasks of the special military operation we are conducting in the Donbas and Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, will be unconditionally fulfilled.' Concern has increased over the prospect of the conflict widening to neighbouring Moldova, where pro-Russian separatists have blamed Ukraine for reported attacks this week in their region, occupied since the 1990s by Russian troops. The dark side of gambling in Australia has been thrown back into the spotlight as many call for pokies to be removed from pubs and clubs. Michael Miller, the Australian correspondent for the Washington Post, this week published a piece detailing the impact pokies have had on countless Australians. He said he was shocked upon moving to Sydney to see slot machines in most pubs and clubs - not just in casinos. 'In much of the world, slots are confined largely to casinos. But in Australia, pokies - as the machines are called here - are everywhere,' he said. The NSW Greens party has led calls to abolish the gambling machines altogether. The dark side of gambling in Australia has been thrown back into the spotlight as many call for pokies to be removed from pubs and clubs 'NSW is addicted to poker machines,' the party said upon releasing their 'People Before Pokies' plan in 2019. 'NSW loses more money per person to gambling than any other jurisdiction in the world, has over half of Australia's poker machines and is second only to Las Vegas when it comes to machine numbers.' Poll Should pokies be banned in Australia? Yes No Should pokies be banned in Australia? Yes 0 votes No 0 votes Now share your opinion The party devised an eight-step plan to slowly eradicate slot machines from the pubs and clubs where gamblers can spend all day without stopping trying to win big. The Greens hoped to introduce a $7billion transition package to phase pokies out of society. 'Pokies in pubs will be phased out over five years and pokies in clubs will be phased out over 10 years with a support package for clubs and communities,' the plan said. Councils would also have the right to cap the number of machines set up in pubs in the area under the plan. Advertising of gambling on public transport and in sport would also be scrapped under the Greens' initiative. Their stance on the issue was echoed by former Deputy Leader of the NSW Science Party - now known as Fusion Party - James Jansson. In 2019 Mr Jansson detailed his dreams of abolishing pokies in NSW by this year. Previous statistics showed that Australia had more pokies per person than anywhere else in the world, except for in resort towns like Monaco and Aruba 'For too long, state governments under both Labor and Liberal have been addicted to pokies revenue, so they can say that the trains run on time,' he said. 'Problem gambling is taking the food off the table of families around the state, unnecessarily harming people from all walks of life.' Previous statistics showed that Australia had more pokies per person than anywhere else in the world, except for casino-tourist locations like Monaco and Macau. Mr Miller said upon moving to Sydney last year and heading out for dinner at the local pub, he was 'struck by the sight of a room full of slot machines'. 'They're in thousands of hotels and pubs, in big cities & small towns. They've transformed neighbourhood social clubs into gambling palaces. 'In many cities, it's hard to walk more than a few blocks without encountering a 'VIP Room' or 'VIP Lounge.' Western Australia only allows pokies in its Crown Casino in Perth (pictured) but the machines are not accessible in pubs and clubs Michael Miller, the Australian correspondent for the Washington Post, said he was shocked to see there were so many pokie machines in Sydney pubs Mr Miller was so taken back by the nation's gambling problem that he wrote an article titled: 'In Australia, slot machines are everywhere. So is gambling addiction,' for the Washington Post. It reveals that Australia is only home to 0.3 per cent of the world's population, but 20 per cent of its pokies. He also highlights a damning statistic that Australia leads the planet with an average $1,000 in gambling losses per adult per year. In his article, Mr Miller reveals there's little political will to do much about Australia's pokie problem because the gambling industry generates so much income for state governments. 'The gambling industry donates millions of dollars to the major political parties and pays billions in taxes to states and territories,' he explained. However he warned that lack of action about the problem is causing horrific consequences for the nation's gambling addicts. 'I'm not the first to write about the gambling industry Down Under, including political influence that opponents liken to the American gun lobby. The industry pays billions in taxes, and supporters say pokies are legal, regulated and enjoyed responsibly by millions of Australians. Pokies are available at most pubs and clubs in NSW 'But I wanted to show the personal impact of having a de facto 'casino on your doorstep.' I heard a burly man choke up as he recounted stealing from his kids' piggy bank to fuel his habit. I saw a woman who'd turned to pokies to escape trauma struggle to avoid catastrophe. 'I watched a mother at wit's end try to save her addicted son. And I saw a suicide go from a rallying cry for reform to another example of inaction.' According to a recent study from Gambling Research from last year, the number of Australians with a gambling problem has doubled over 10 years to more than 1 per cent. There are more than 190,000 electronic gambling machines in Australia more per capita than almost any other major jurisdiction, aside from Nevada, data from 2019 shows. The spotlight on Australia's gambling problem comes after the NSW Government hinted at plans to drop a controversial cashless gaming card proposal that was supposed to help solve the issue. The card policy was intended to stop problem gamblers and criminals using pokie machines to launder money. Under the plan devised by former gaming minister Victor Dominello, gamblers would have to register and pre-load money to the card. However current gaming minister Kevin Anderson, who took over the portfolio in December, is set to ditch the idea but says he is still in favour of using digital payments to reduce problem gambling. Earlier this year the Rose and Crown Hotel in Parramatta in Sydney was fined more than $100,000 after managers and even a security guard loaned cash to help pokie users keep gambling. Staff gave gamblers free booze and cigarettes, loaned cash from the pub's safe to them and allowed punters to make at least $145,000 in credit and debit withdrawals from the eftpos machine. In 2018, 45-year-old Gary Van Duinen took his own life after a 13-hour pokies session in a Sydney RSL. Western Australia only allows pokies in its Crown Casino in Perth but the machines are not accessible in pubs and clubs. Dr Anthony Fauci has performed his latest u-turn by insisting the US has not left the pandemic stage of the COVID outbreak - just hours after saying that it had. The White House COVID tsar claimed his remarks from Tuesday night - which were taped and reported verbatim - had been 'misconstrued' in a subsequent interview Wednesday. 'We certainly can't say the pandemic is over. It is not over,' Fauci, top medical advisor to President Joe Biden, told CBS News Wednesday afternoon. Fauci - famed for his flip-flops on issues including masks - did not comment further on how his earlier remarks had been misconstrued - even though they appear to directly contradict his 'correction.' He instead clarified that the COVID threat in the U.S. was not as 'acute and accelerated' as it was earlier in the pandemic and the nation had reached a new 'decelerated and controlled' phase of the pandemic over the past several months. 'That does not mean we are out of the woods,' he said, adding that the number of COVID positive cases is starting to 'creep up' again. The remarks which saw Fauci flip flop were broadcast by PBS NewsHour Tuesday night. 'We are certainly right now in this country out of the pandemic phase,' he said. 'Namely, we don't have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now.' Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured Tuesday), has flip-flopped on his pandemic guidance once again, now alleging the U.S. is not in the clear to return to a state of pre-virus normalcy Facui said Wednesday afternoon 'we certainly can't say the pandemic is over' in America, despite claiming Tuesday night that it was Fauci on Wednesday urged Americans to remain on guard, warning citizens should be vigilant and prepared for surges and new COVID variants, should they arise. He also stressed the U.S. 'needs to avoid another spike in hospitalizations.' Despite his warnings - a complete turn from his Tuesday remarks - Fauci noted how improved treatments and vaccines have put the U.S. in a much better position than other countries, such as China and Hong Kong, that continue to deal with serious virus situations. He also pointed pointed to Paxlovid, an antiviral medication developed by Pfizer that is being used to treat COVID, claiming he believes it will make a huge difference in the battle against the virus once it becomes readily accessible. The pill designed to keep high-risk COVID patients out of the hospital, reducing their risk of serious illness by as much as 90 percent. Vice President Kamala Harris is currently taking Paxlovid to manage her symptoms after she received positive rapid and PCR tests. Her COVID diagnosis was announced Tuesday night. America is currently recording 54,840 daily COVID infections, a 45 percent increase over the past week - but more than 90 percent lower than the virus's peak of 800,000 per day Daily death totals have dropped 14 percent over the past week, to 363 per day The US averages 54,840 infections per day - just six percent of the virus's peak of 800,000 daily cases in mid-January Fauci on Tuesday declared the U.S. was 'out of the pandemic phase' of COVID as cases and hospitalizations continue to plummet. The immunologist, who continually lobbied for draconian mask and vaccine measures for the last two years, said 'we are at a low level right now.' But, he cautioned the virus cannot be stamped out completely and long-term vaccination programs may need to continue on a yearly basis. 'So, if you're saying, are we out of the pandemic phase in this country, we are. What we hope to do, I don't believe and I have spoken about this widely we're not going to eradicate this virus,' Fauci said. 'If we can keep that level very low, and intermittently vaccinate people and I don't know how often that would have to be. 'That might be every year, that might be longer, in order to keep that level low. But, right now, we are not in the pandemic phase in this country. 'Pandemic means a widespread, throughout the world, infection that spreads rapidly among people. So, if you look at the global situation, there's no doubt this pandemic is still ongoing.' Fauci, whose comments were buried at the end of his PBS NewsHour interview (pictured), caused some confusion Tuesday by saying the 'pandemic phase' was over at home but 'is still ongoing globally' Fauci, whose comments were buried at the end of his PBS NewsHour interview, caused some confusion by saying the 'pandemic phase' was over at home but 'is still ongoing globally'. Health experts questioned his claim, pointing out he appeared to have bungled his choice of words and should only have said 'US is in a phase of lower hospitalization rate'. America is currently recording 54,840 daily COVID infections, a 45 percent increase over the past week - but more than 90 percent lower than the virus's peak of 800,000 per day. Daily death totals have dropped 14 percent over the past week, to 363 per day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said Tuesday nearly 60 percent of Americans have been infected with COVID. Officials cautioned this data does not mean those Americans have immunity against the virus because of their prior infections. COVID restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere in America. One of the few existing mandates left is in New York City, where residents are still required to wear masks on the subway, public busses and at the airport. Masks are also required on public transit in Los Angeles. Philadelphia brought back its mask order for four days last week before almost immediately lifting them again. Children under five years of age in the New York City public school system are still subject to 'close-contact restrictions' including mask wearing, a bizarre break from the rest of the city where there is no indoor mask mandate even as medical experts and virologists widely agree that the risk of children becoming seriously ill or dying from Covid is extremely low. While children are less likely than adults to be hospitalized or to die from COVID, the CDC reported on Tuesday that in the United States, 475 children under the age of five have died from the disease. There is still no vaccine for this age group meaning the pandemic won't be over until it becomes available, which could be several more months. The federal government's nationwide mask order for public transit, commercial flights and transportation centers was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this month. The CDC also revised its face-covering guidance in February, recommending that indoor masking only remain for communities thought to be at high risk for Covid, and mask mandates at large public gatherings such as sporting events are no longer in force. A baffling outbreak of hepatitis affecting children and spreading across the globe has crept closer to Australia with new cases reported in Asia. The origins of the outbreak are unknown but there are now more than 169 cases of affected children in Europe and America. The acute liver disease has now been detected closer to Australia in Japan, while Canada investigates similar cases. The children have been aged between 1 month and 16 years old, and most weren't vaccinated against Covid-19, ruling out a link between the vaccines and hepatitis. The leading theory is viral infection, probably with a strain of adenovirus - a family of common viruses that can cause cold-like symptoms, including fevers and sore throats. One kind of adenovirus commonly causes acute gastroenteritis, and there have been reports of it causing hepatitis in immunocompromised children, but never previously in healthy children. The World Health Organisation reported that the adenovirus was found in at least 74 of the infant hepatitis cases worldwide, while 20 cases had Covid-19. There were an additional 19 cases that were co-infected with Covid-19 and the adenovirus. Professor Peter Collignon (pictured) is an Australian microbiologist and infectious diseases expert Public Health Scotland's director, Jim McMenamin, said work was underway to establish if the adenovirus involved had mutated to cause more severe disease, or if it could be causing the problems 'in tandem' with another virus, including possibly SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon said children who weren't exposed to typical viruses due to two years of Covid lockdowns could be at risk of the condition. 'If you get infections when you're very young, you seem to have better immune protection,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Professor Collignon warned of the key signs families should keep an eye out for, saying the disease causes a range of unpleasant symptoms from dark urine to fatigue and joint pain. 'Basically hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, so you go a yellow colour, the whites of your eyes go yellow and you often feel unwell,' Professor Collingnon told Daily Mail Australia. The yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice, is caused by higher levels of bilirubin, also associated with the darkening of urine. 'If anybody has hepatitis the only way to know that is to do a blood test, but what makes you suspicious is that they'll feel unwell, they've got a tinge of yellow in the whites of their eyes and their urine has gone a darker colour.' The best way to protect your family, Professor Collingnon said, is to ensure children are following good hygiene practices like washing their hands (pictured) before eating food Among the varieties of the disease - hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E - some are transmitted blood to blood, others can spread like Covid through the respiratory system. Types A and E travel via the 'faecal-oral route' where they can spread like cholera through faecal material, fingers, food and even via flood waters. Professor Collingnon said if the the current hepatitis strain circling the world is from an adenovirus, it could be spread via the faecal-oral route or the respiratory route. 'It may be a mixture but we don't know enough about this particular strain that may or may not be causing it,' he said. Professor Collingnon believes in the short term the best protection for families with young children is to stay away from others who are sick and maintain good hygiene standards. 'The bottom line is that you need to have good hygienic practices all the time,' he said. 'What it means is washing your hands before you eat and avoiding contaminated water... that decreases your risk of the faecal-oral transmission. 'The thing for the respiratory route is mainly to keep away from people who are sick and be outdoors more than indoors.' Children appear to be especially susceptible to the disease after years of Covid-19 restrictions (stock image) Health officials in the UK are investigating 108 cases of sudden-onset hepatitis in children since the beginning of the year - eight were so ill they had liver transplants, the BBC reported. The European Centre for Disease Control also said a number of childhood hepatitis cases have been detected in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. There are also nine new cases in the US. Professor Collignon said there has not as yet been a spike in hepatitis infections among Australian children but warned 'it's entirely possible it could happen'. Being exposed to adenoviruses at a slightly later stage could cause children's immune systems to overreact and trigger hepatitis (stock image) 'The BBC article is speculative - these are theories and they will be explored,' he said. 'Hepatitis is a serious condition and we do need to sort it out.' Despite the rise of hepatitis cases internationally, Mr Collignon said the number of people who have the condition is still very small, but urged parents to watch for symptoms. 'If anyone is worried, see a doctor or go to hospital,' he added. Twitter employees have warned of a 'mass exodus' of staff when Elon Musk takes over the company, with one describing the world's richest man as 'a person with questionable ethics'. Staff on Monday were invited to an 'all-hands' meeting via videolink, hosted by CEO Parag Agrawal and Bret Taylor, the chair of the board. Questions submitted by staff during the 45-minute meeting were read out by the chief marketing officer, Leslie Berland. One question asked in a recording obtained by Project Veritas was: 'How does the board and Mr Musk plan on dealing with a mass exodus considering the acquisition is by a person with questionable ethics?' Taylor replied that 'one of the themes of today is continuity'. He said: 'The question of attrition: As Parag stated, one of the themes of today is continuity, and ensuring that Parag and this leadership team continues to operate the business successfully on behalf of our users, on behalf of our customers, and that has obviously been a big topic of discussion at the board. 'And as I mentioned, an area that is important to Elon Musk as well, because of the importance of Twitter as a service.' Leslie Berland, the chief marketing officer, on Monday read out questions submitted by Twitter staff Musk, the world's richest man, was described on Monday by one future employee of his as 'a person with questionable ethics' Twitter's San Francisco headquarters is pictured on April 25. During Monday's meeting, many staff asked whether they would still be allowed to work from home Agrawal said he had seen many questions about the process, about share schemes, and about working conditions in the future. He said much was still to be clarified. Staff were told there would be no layoffs 'at this time' - but no guarantees were provided when Musk takes over. But in a sign of the possible internal unrest, new product launches were delayed amid fears, Bloomberg speculated, that employees could 'go rogue' and 'push something or mess with the product on the way out the door.' Agrawal told employees that their stock options would convert to cash when the deal with Musk closes, which he estimated would take three to six months. According to The New York Times, he also said that they would continue to receive bonuses according to Twitter's vesting schedule. Employees would receive their same benefits packages for a year after the deal was finalized, Agrawal added. He said he would try and arrange a staff forum with Musk, and said that he would remain at the company as CEO, at least until the deal was finalized. 'He wants Twitter to be a powerful, positive force in the world, just like all of us,' Agrawal said of Musk. 'He believes Twitter matters.' He urged employees to 'operate Twitter as we always have,' adding that 'how we run the company, the decisions we make and the positive changes we drive that will be on us, and under our control.' Twitter employees are sharing their concerns in internal chatrooms, messages seen by the New York Post show. 'We're all going through the five stages of grief in cycles and everyone's nerves are frazzled,' one senior staff software engineer reportedly wrote on the company's internal Slack channel. The staffer called Musk an 'a**hole,' and tried to console his colleagues. 'We're all spinning our wheels, and coming up with worst case scenarios (Trump returns! No more moderation!). 'The fact is that [Musk] has not talked about what he's planning on doing in any detail outside of broad sweeping statements that could be easily seen as hyperbolic showboating,' he added. One site reliability engineer wrote that it was 'physically cringy watching Elon talk about free speech.' A senior staff video engineer announced his plans to quit, saying: 'Not the place to say it perhaps, but I will not work for this company after the takeover.' The employee unrest begun as soon as Musk's successful takeover was confirmed on Monday. 'I feel like im going to throw up..I rly don't wanna work for a company that is owned by Elon Musk,' one staffer said, according to New York Times reporter Talmon Smith. Smith's source told him that it was 'absolutely insane' in the internal chat rooms. Another Twitter employee reportedly complained: 'I don't rly know what I'm supposed to dooh my god, my phone's been blowing upWe have a meeting about it at 5pmthe CEO is going to address everyone about it' (it=elon). 'I hate him, why does he even want this?' The Tesla magnate, 50, agreed to pay shareholders $54.20 in cash for each share of common stock before the bombshell deal was struck Musk vowed to protect free speech on Twitter, 'defeat the spam bots' and 'authenticate all humans' as he welcomed the acquisition. He also revealed he planned to 'enhance the product with new features' and 'make the algorithms open source to increase trust'. But within the company, there was turmoil at the announcement. 'I feel like he's this petulant little boy and that he's doing this to trollhe doesn't know anything about our policies and what we dohis statement about our algo was f****** insane 'Were just gonna let everyone run amok?nobody knows,' the employee said, according to the New York Times. Some Twitter staff were 'openly rebelling' against Musk, one observer noted, posting a screen shot of Twitter's official Github site and posting a public response entitled 'The Algorithm' - with zero code. Prison guards will be banned from describing criminals as clients in a war on woke language behind bars. Ministers want to stop officers using wishy-washy, politically correct phrases such as residents, which suggest inmates enjoy a comfortable life in their prison rooms. Under a new style guide being issued today, prison and probation staff have been ordered not to use the terms resident, client or service-user to refer to a criminal. Instead, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab wants to call them prisoners, people in prison or offenders. Under a new style guide being issued today, prison and probation staff have been ordered not to use the terms resident, client or service-user to refer to criminals. Ministers want to stop officers using wishy-washy, politically correct phrases The style guide for prison communications unveiled at a meeting with senior prison and probation figures last night suggests released convicts should be referred to as ex-offenders or prison leavers. But staff can use a vaguer term for those let out on licence people resettling in the community. The guide also says prison cells should never be called rooms. Mr Raab ordered a blitz on political correctness after concerns that the wishy-washy terms have become widely used and were damaging confidence in the justice system. In a speech last year, Jo Farrar, chief executive of the Prison and Probation Service, said: All prison governors will be given funding to spend on in-cell activities and extra technology to help our incredible staff support residents. Guidance at Wandsworth prison in south-west London says: Residents have phones in their rooms and are able to make outgoing calls. The move away from referring to inmates as prisoners was part of efforts to avoid labelling people as offenders in the belief that it will help their rehabilitation. But prison officers have voiced alarm at the language, saying it sends mixed messages. Solicitor General Alex Chalk insisted last May that staff must not pretend that these people are angels residing in a cell out of choice. But he stopped short of calling for a formal ban on specific terms. Andrea Albutt, president of the Prison Governors Association, said: The word prisoner is inoffensive, it refers to everyone whos in prison whether they are on remand and unconvicted or convicted. It doesnt really matter what crime they may have committed they are a prisoner. Weve had residents, weve had clients, weve had service users all sorts. It muddies the water. A government source said: The Justice Secretary is determined that our prisons up their game in rehabilitating prisoners to drive down re-offending, cut crime and protect the public. But wishy-washy, politically correct phrases like room or client dent public confidence in our ability both to reform and to punish those who have broken the law and caused harm to others. The Justice Secretary believes in calling a prisoner a prisoner.' President Joe Biden will visit Japan and South Korea next month to underscore his commitment to a region where China has been trying to assert dominance and where North Korea has been stepping up missile tests, the White House announced Wednesday. The trip will focus attention on a part of the world overshadowed by the war in Ukraine for the past two months. Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the visit, from May 20 to May 24, would 'deepen ties between our governments and people.' He will meet with Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol, who is due to be inaugurated on May 10, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. There will also be a meeting with the other three leaders of the Quad grouping of Australia, Japan, India. 'This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administrations rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to U.S. treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan,' said Psaki. President Joe Biden will visit Japan and North Korea next month as his administration seeks to keep a focus on Asia despite two months of war in Ukraine Kim Jong-un appeared this week at military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army in Pyongyang, North Korea Multiple rocket launcher vehicles take part in a nighttime military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missiles take part in a nighttime military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea The trip will be Biden's fourth overseas visit since taking office. He traveled to Poland and Belgium in March following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Asia trips come as China has been growing more assertive in the Indo-Pacific region, laying claim to territory and stepping up its aggressive rhetoric directed at Taiwan. At the same time, North Korea has launched a string of missile tests. The country's leader Kim Jong-un this week promised to 'strengthen and develop' his nuclear forces. The trip comes at an important moment in the Biden presidency, as he tries to keep allies united against Russia at a time when he had been working to direct U.S. foreign policy towards Asia as part of an effort to counter China's rise. In a sign of the forces at work, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a rare phone call with his Chinese counterpart last week who warned him that Taiwan is part of China amid signals that Russia's war on Ukraine is impacting how planners are viewing a potential conflict. Taiwan is a part of China and no one can change that, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Wednesday during a rare phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, according to a statement from Beijing. 'If the Taiwan issue were not handled properly, it would have a damaging impact on Sino-U.S. relations,' Wei added, according to statement published by the defense ministry. Wei 'expounded his solemn position on the Taiwan issue and stressed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. It is a fact and reality that no one can change,' according to the Beijing readout. The call comes as the U.S. has repeatedly urged China not to provide military support to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow, in turn, has fired off a diplomatic letter to Washington urging the U.S. to stop arming Ukraine. Activist Grace Tame and her fiance Max Heerey burst into tears when Labor leader Anthony Albanese discussed his tough upbringing, as she interviewed him in a friendly chat for a women's magazine. The cosy interview for InStyle Australia came alongside a stylish black-and-white photoshoot where Mr Albanese, dressed in a chic coat, wouldn't look out of place at a Paris fashion show. In stark contrast to the frosty behaviour she shows to Scott Morrison, sexual assault campaigner Ms Tame revealed she regularly exchanges texts with Mr Albanese - including jokes and birthday messages. At one point in the chat, the Labor leader recounted how his single mother, Maryanne, struggled to bring him up in her Camperdown council house in Sydney's Inner West in the 1960s - bringing Ms Tame to tears. Midway through the video link interview, Mr Albanese suddenly broke off his story when he noticed the tears streaming down Ms Tame's face. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you there' he told the former Australian of the Year. Ms Tame replied: 'No, its just, yeah, I respect that so much...' Activist Grace Tame and her fiance Max Heerey burst into tears when Labor leader Anthony Albanese relived his childhood as she quizzed him for a women's magazine Grace Tame told Anthony Albanese he has a future career in modelling after his photoshoot to go with the InStyle feature article She then looked off camera and revealed her fiance was also sobbing over Mr Albanese's story. 'Max is crying! Oh, I want to give you a hug,' she said through her tears. The Labor leader had been speaking about how his mother had been abandoned by her lover who she became pregnant with, then married another girl from his hometown in Italy. But his mother insisted on keeping her son, taking her lover's surname and then pretending he had died in a car crash as she brought Mr Albanese up alone. Ms Albanese scraped a meagre living as a cleaner to keep them both and put her son through university before later being crippled by arthritis and dying at the age of just 65 in 2002. Ms Tame made headlines earlier this year when she grimaced and side-eyed Prime Minister Scott Morrison at an Australian of the Year function in January - a very different reaction to what she gives the Labor leader The InStyle interview was conducted by video link as part of International Women's Day, with Ms Tame in Adelaide and Mr Albanese in Sydney Anthony Albanese was recounting how his single mother, Maryanne, (pictured) struggled to bring him up in her Camperdown council house in Sydney's Inner West in the 1960s 'It's one of the things that has focused me and a part of who I am,' Mr Albanese told Ms Tame. 'She always respected everyone and I grew up with the confidence of having a mum who lived a lot of her aspirations through me. 'And so she's the most important role model in my life and she's very much still part of who I am today.' The final comment proved too much for Ms Tame who broke down in tears. She later added: 'Oh, I'm still just, I'm still just processing your story. I'll probably go and cry about it later and I'm not ashamed of that!' Mr Albanese said he had 'done okay' and she replied: 'No, you've done better than okay. A lot of respect for you, Anthony.' He added: 'Where I grew up there was a much better chance of going to jail than going to Parliament.' Anthony Albanese was styled like a 1950s spy for the magazine feature, wearing a retro-styled pea coat for the photoshoot Grace Tame was in tears at Mr Albanese's story then looked off camera and revealed partner Max Heerey (pictured) was also sobbing over his childhood story Ms Tame said she could relate it to her own mother who grew up in Tasmania as the youngest of five girls. 'My nan raised them all by herself for the most part, on a secretarys wage,' Ms Tame told Mr Albanese. 'And they had to do everything themselves.' Ms Tame made headlines earlier this year when she grimaced and side-eyed Prime Minister Scott Morrison at an Australian of the Year function in January. And she took the chance to have another crack at the PM in the chummy chat with Mr Albanese. 'Ive tried to go through this whole interview being very conscious of the fact that I'm talking to you and to avoid criticising old mate Scott,' she said. 'But if I was to make one observation You've touched on the lack of authenticity, that's one of them. But another is that he just seems to be completely averse to owning any mistakes, and that's a weakness.' Mr Albanese replied: 'It's always someone else.' The initial interview - conducted as part of International Women's Day, with Ms Tame in Adelaide and Mr Albanese in Sydney - begins with Ms Tame admitting: 'This would be the first time that I've asked anyone the questions' The chat covered women's role in society and gender diversity before moving on to First Nations representation and the pandemic. The Labor chief said he had deliberately taken a back seat during the Covid crisis to 'put the national interest first' and be constructive. 'But it meant that it wasn't politics as usual.' he admitted. He agreed as Ms Tame added: 'I guarantee you, if you had tried to occupy too much space and hold the microphone, you would have just been completely shredded.' In the latter half of the interview, Ms Tame almost speaks more than Mr Albanese, as she addresses some of the issues which she's faced in the past year since her high profile role as Australian of the Year. Mr Albanese told her that she's made a huge difference, but she replied that she 'stands on the shoulders of giants.' She added: 'You get sucked into being sort of painted in a very one-dimensional way. 'To be a leader, its not about standing above people and having power over them. It's about empowering - that's quite a difference.' She also referred to the controversial picture of her with a bong which Daily Mail Australia revealed she had suddenly deleted earlier this year. Grace Tame also referred to the controversial picture of her with a bong which Daily Mail Australia revealed was on her Instagram account before suddenly being deleted 'I've come sort of blustering into this space with no sort of real expertise and that's true,' she admitted. 'You know, Anthony, I didn't go to university - while a lot of people were in university, I was battling through trauma. 'We all saw the bong photo, that's what I was doing, I was in another country, I was escaping, I was doing things that I probably shouldnt have been doing. 'I was in a destabilising domestic violence relationship, it was a bad time for me - but I do have lived experience.' The interview ran out of time and Mr Albanese thanked her for the birthday messages she sent the week before as she laughed about her 'bad sense of humour'. He added: 'Thats a good thing. Youve got to laugh in this life because it can be difficult and it throws stuff at you. 'Thats actually a big part of why youve been so effective; you bring out that warmth. 'For people whove experienced trauma like you have, it would be reasonable for you to just be introverted and a different person, but youre incredibly warm and out there and making a difference.' It ended with Ms Tame telling Mr Albanese he has a future career in modelling after his photoshoot to go with the InStyle feature article. He replied: 'Yeah, I dont know about that, but it was a bit of fun.' A U.S. District Court judge said Hillary Clinton's tweets claiming former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia will not be admitted as evidence in the trial against her 2016 campaign lawyer. Judge Christopher Cooper on Wednesday denied Special Counsel John Durham's request to allow the tweets in the Michael Sussmann upcoming trial for lying to the FBI. He ruled that Clinton's tweets would be excluded as hearsay and that it would be 'duplicative of other evidence,' the Washington Examiner reported. The two tweets come from October 31, 2016, when Clinton highlighted a Slate article uncovering the Trump Organization's alleged communications with the Kremlin-tied Alfa Bank, allegations that have since been heavily scrutinized by the FBI yielding to no further action by authorities. 'It's time for Trump to answer serious questions about his ties to Russia,' Clinton had tweeted at the time. 'Computer scientists have apparently uncovered a covert server linking the Trump Organization to a Russian-based bank,' she added in a follow up tweet. Prosecutors - led by special counsel John Durham - said the source of the article and allegations against the Trump Organization stem from Sussmann. He is accused of lying to the FBI in September 2016 saying he didn't work for the Clintons when he presented the 'purported data and 'white papers' that supposedly demonstrated a 'covert communications channel' between Trump and Alfa Bank. A U.S. District Court judge denied Special Counsel John Durham's request to allow Hillary Clinton's tweets in the trial against her former campaign lawyer, Michael Sussmann (above) The two tweets come from October 31, 2016, when Clinton highlighted a Slate article uncovering the Trump Organization's alleged communications with the Kremlin-tied Alfa Bank, allegations that have since been heavily scrutinized by the FBI Durham had argued that the tweets should be allowed in court because Clinton had allegedly presented them as 'truth' and that the tweets 'show the existence of the defendant's attorney-client relationship with the Clinton Campaign, which is directly relevant to the false statement charge.' Sussmann's lawyers, however, argued that the tweet is hearsay and irrelevant and would only confuse the jury into thinking Clinton was part of an alleged conspiracy. 'The tweet, which was posted on October 31, 2016, does not reveal anything about Mr. Sussmann's state of mind over a month earlier, when he purportedly made the alleged false statement,' the defense wrote, according to court records. 'There is a real danger that if the tweet were admitted, the jury would believe that Hillary Clinton herself was part of the Special Counsel's uncharged conspiracy and that she had a direct interest or involvement in Mr. Sussmann's efforts. 'Drawing the candidate herself into this matter in this way would be unfair to Mr. Sussmann.' The defense previously accused Durham politicizing the trial by claiming that Clinton spied on Trump in court filings in February. Sussmann's lawyers argued that the tweet is hearsay and irrelevant and would only confuse the jury into thinking Clinton (pictured in April) was part of an alleged conspiracy against her then-presidential opponent Donald Trump According to Durham's indictment, gave the FBI evidence of potential cyber links between the Trump Organization and Russia's Alfa Bank Sussmann and lied by saying he was not passing along information about Trump on behalf of any specific client. The indictment said Sussmann turned over that information to the FBI not as a 'good citizen' but as an attorney representing a U.S. technology executive, Rodney Joffe, and Clinton's presidential campaign. Last week, Durham asserted that the alleged relationship with the former President and Russia - which Clinton lawyer Michael Sussmann concluded - was 'user-created.' 'While the FBI did not reach an ultimate conclusion regarding the data's accuracy or whether it might have been in whole or in part genuine, spoofed, altered, or fabricated, [the CIA] concluded in early 2017 that the Russian Bank 1 data and Russian Phone Provider 1 data was not 'technically plausible,' did not 'withstand technical scrutiny,' 'contained gaps,' 'conflicted with [itself]' and was 'user-created and not machine/tool generated,'' he wrote in the court documents. Durham did, however, say the Special Counsel's Office 'has not reached a definitive conclusion in this regard.' The Special Counsel said that regardless of if the information 'was actually unreliable or provided a motive' for the lie, any evidence concerning the steps the intelligence agencies took to 'investigate these matters is critical to establishing materiality.' He said the evidence will allow the jury to determine if Sussmann's alleged lie could have 'influenced or impaired government functions.' Two Extinction Rebellion protesters who stopped millions of newspapers from being delivered have been convicted of obstruction. Elizabeth Haughton, 26, and Frances Henderson, 23, are the latest activists to be punished over the demonstration outside the Newsprinters plant in Knowsley, Merseyside, in September 2020. The 11-hour protest was part of a night of chaos at Knowsley and another site in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. The action prevented 1,100 shops from receiving newspapers, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and The Daily Telegraph, and cost publishers 1.2million. The Prime Minister told those responsible that it was completely unacceptable to seek to limit the publics access to news in this way. Liverpool magistrates court heard Haughton and Henderson handcuffed themselves together before supergluing themselves to a van parked across an entrance gate to the plant. District Judge Timothy Boswell told the pair that their right to protest went too far and handed them a two-year conditional discharge. The women were ordered to pay a total of 600 prosecution costs, plus a 22 surcharge. The protest, pictured, as Extinction Rebellion block the road in Knowsley, Liverpool to prevent papers going to print at a News Corp plant Several other demonstrators, charged with trespass, who locked themselves to a yellow boat and van outside the depot previously escaped any punishment on a technicality last year. Their lawyers successfully argued that prosecutors couldnt be sure if they were situated on public or private land and they were allowed to walk free, but the Crown are appealing the decision at a hearing at Londons High Court in June. During a two-day trial this week, barristers for Haughton and Henderson disputed that the van had been parked on a public highway, saying the women believed the van was on private land, therefore they were not blocking public access. Mark Pritchard, for Haughton, suggested the activists simply inconvenienced several lorry drivers, adding: We are not here to protect the financial rights of individuals...if the newspaper proprietors wish to bring a civil claim for 1million (losses) they have a right to do so. Police and fire services watch as protesters use bamboo lock-ons and vans to block the road outside the Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire in September 2020 But the court heard that as many as 100 lorries were unable to leave the plant, owned by News International, with many drivers left feeling anxious by the demonstration. District Judge Timothy Boswell told the pair he recognised it had been a peaceful protest but found them guilty. The judge said was satisfied the van had been parked on a public highway, and although their motivation was seeking to exercise their right of protest they went too far. Defence counsel Miss Hall said that Henderson, who has no previous convictions, and Haughton, who has one conviction for criminal damage in August 2019, are not working and have no fixed address. Haughton relies on a van for accommodation, Miss Hall said, while Henderson sofa surfs with friends. Both women, who were dressed in ripped jeans and had several piercings, do not claim state benefits. Extinction Rebellion activists seen blocking the entrance to Newsprinters facility in Broxbourne in September 2020 Haughton, an English Language and History of Art graduate of Manchester University, grew up in novelist John Steinbecks 2.5million former cottage in Bruton, Somerset. A student climate activist, she was arrested for obstruction in November 2018 when she took part in an Extinction Rebellion protest that blocked Manchesters Oxford Road. She and nine others sat on a pedestrian crossing holding a banner which read: Were all f*****. Haughton also glued herself to a Barclays Bank as part of another blockade the following September. She was also given access to the universitys Alumni Instagram page on graduation day - but hijacked the privilege by filling the feed with posts encouraging the university to stop investing in firms linked to fossil fuels. Henderson, of Manchester, was previously cleared of obstruction, in October 2019, when she was among a number of Extinction Rebellion protestors who glued their hands to the road as part of a mass demonstration, in Millbank, near the HQ of MI5. You can now erase your personal digital footprints because Google has you covered! Users can now protect themselves from doxing and hacking as Google now lets users remove their personal contact information or any personal data from Google Search results. According to a Google blog, Google Search has put a set of policies that allow people to request the removal of certain content from Search, with a focus on highly personal content that, if public, can cause direct harm to people. Michelle Chang pointed out in the blog that since the "internet is always evolving, Google's policies and protections need to evolve, too." What Kind of Information May Google Remove? According to Google, the company is expanding the types of personal information that it will remove from search results to cover things like your physical address, phone number, and passwords. The Verge reported that previously, the feature mostly covered information that would let someone steal your identity or money. With the new Google policies, you can ask the site to stop showing certain URLs that point to info that could lead someone to your house or give them access to your accounts. Google now lets you remove personal contact info from Search results such as your email, address, and phone number if you can prove "explicit or implicit threats" based on this information being public. According to Android Central, publicly posted log-in credentials are now also removable as well as search results for SSNs, financial information, and photos of documents. As per an Android Central report, Google also has a fairly rigid standard for what private citizens could object to in its Search results such as credit card numbers, bank account IDs, or photos of your handwritten signatures. A linked Google Support page said that Google will only remove contact information that has "explicit or implicit threats" or "explicit or implicit calls to action for others to harm or harass." Furthermore, Google will also remove things like "non-consensual explicit or intimate personal images," pornographic deepfakes or Photoshops featuring your likeness, or links to sites with "exploitative removal practices," as per The Verge report. Read Also: Why Is Samsung Not Downloading Apps From Google Play Store? 8 Ways to Fix the Issue How Will Google Manage Removal Requests? According to Chang, it won't remove publicly available or newsworthy information, particularly anything available from government sites or "official sources." Chang added that they would also "evaluate if the content appears as part of the public record on the sites of government or official sources." In such cases, Google won't make removals. The blog noted, however, that removing content from Google Search won't remove it from the internet. In addition to the update, Google also recently rolled out a new policy to enable people under the age of 18 (or their parent or guardian) to request the removal of their images from Google Search results, the blog stated. Chang pointed out that Google is "always looking for new ways to ensure our policies and built-in safeguards reflect peoples' evolving needs and are easy to use." "We believe these updates are an important step to deliver on that goal and give people the tools they need to protect their safety and privacy online," Chang ended the blog. Related Article: Google Embraces Woke Culture: You Will Now Be Flagged for Using Politically Incorrect Words While Searching One of Sydney's most popular late-night kebab shops is facing massive fines and could even be closed by a local council if it keeps serving people past midnight. Indian Home Diner (IHD), an iconic eatery opposite The Unicorn Hotel on Oxford Street, has been serving partygoers and locals for more than a decade. It's recognised by Paddington residents as part of the fabric of the community, with its famous cheese garlic naan kebab bringing in people from around the Harbour City. However, Woollahra Council recently rejected owner Robert Chowdury's application to officially allow the shop to trade until 3am - saying he had been in breach of his DA conditions and threatened penalties because remaining open late is 'not in the public interest'. Indian Home Diner, an iconic eatery opposite The Unicorn Hotel on Oxford Street, has been serving partygoers and locals for more than a decade - but faces trouble from the local council The council's refusal notice said IHD remaining open beyond midnight would have an 'adverse impact upon the acoustic and visual privacy of neighbouring lands', despite it remaining a landmark in Paddington for years. Mr Chowdury was told he would face fines if he continues to provide his famous kebabs beyond midnight, which would significantly cut into his business's revenue. Bondi Lines, an Instagram page used by Sydneysiders to track capacity levels at establishments around the city, has launched a petition to fight Woollahra Council and protect the restaurant. 'IHD holds a very special place in all our hearts,' the page posted on Wednesday. Woolahra Council recently rejected owner Robert Chowdury's application to officially allow the shop to trade until 3am because remaining open late is 'not in the public interest' 'Its hand crafted Indian cuisine made with love you can taste makes it the premier late night food hub in the world. Although most famous for it's Garlic Cheese Naan Kebab with Alloo Chop, it is more than just a restaurant, it is a community. 'The council has just reduced IHDs operating hours to a midnight finish. Not only will you be deprived of your last meal of the night, but there will no longer be the community that is IHD. 'We have created a petition to reinstate IHD's hours to what is right - 3am close at the earliest.' Bondi Lines has launched a petition to fight Woolahra Council and protect the restaurant Duelling candidates for Wentworth even jumped on the bandwagon, pledging their support to ensure Indian Home Diner remains open late. 'This is a tragedy. I will fight to restore IHD hours,' Liberal MP Dave Sharma commented on Bondi Lines' post. He also ran a poll on his account asking if the late night hours should be restored, with 93 per cent of people voting yes. Local independent Allegra Spender also commented, saying 'let's save it'. 'Business was hit hard enough by COVID and even though I haven't been to The Unicorn in a while, even I know Indian Home Diner is a national treasure,' she wrote. The petition to protect Indian Home Diner currently has just over 1,200 signatures. A spokesperson for Woollahra Council said: 'In March 2020 the Indian Home Diner was granted an extension to its operating hours, enabling it to trade until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights during a 12-month trial period, on the basis that the owner implement crowd management and litter patrols to protect the amenity of nearby residents. 'In April 2021 Council was made aware that the Diner was continuing to trade until 3am, beyond the expiration of the trial period. 'We have since been in ongoing contact with the owner, and advised that a new DA and improved compliance with crowd guidelines would be required to permanently extend operating hours. 'A new DA was lodged in November 2021, which was refused by Council in March due to a failure to demonstrate satisfactory crowd management. 'We understand the owner is considering appealing this decision, which would be reviewed as part of the DA process.' Rishi Sunak has warned that homeowners will see mortgage repayments rise by more than 1,000 a year with interest rates set to increase by 2.5 per cent over the next 12 months. The Chancellor warned cabinet colleagues to avoid borrowing more to fund public spending as it risked stoking inflation even further. He warned that a 1 percentage point increase on a typical mortgage would result in an extra 700 for those not on fixed-rate deals. Mr Sunak, who is facing pressure from Tory MPs to ease pressure on people during the cost of living crisis, was quizzed yesterday by Mumsnet about how someone in his position can empathise with hard-up Britons. He cited his grandparents who emigrated to the UK with very little, adding: Of course now Im in a fortunate position but I didnt start like that, thats not how my family started. But he provoked a fresh row after he argued it would be silly to offer families further help with soaring energy bills right now, despite forecasters predicting rises of as much as 40 per cent in October, equating to nearly 3,000 a year. Rishi Sunak has warned that homeowners will see mortgage repayments rise by more than 1,000 a year with interest rates set to increase by 2.5 per cent over the next 12 months Interest rates have already increased to a ten year high of 0.75%, and Rishi Sunak warned they could keep rising to 2.5% Mr Sunak also warned oil and gas giants that they face a windfall tax on their profits if they do not increase investment to shore up Britains energy supplies. The Chancellor seemed to signal an about-turn on Government opposition to a one-off raid on energy firms despite fears it could hit investment and jobs. He said: If we dont see that type of investment coming forward and if the companies are not going to make those investments in our country and in our energy security, then of course thats something I would look at. Mr Sunak warned that nothing is ever off the table in these things, despite ministers ruling out a windfall tax last month. Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, had warned the move would be a tax on jobs, would harm investment and add to the uncertainty in oil markets. Mr Sunaks warning shot was fired during a discussion with users of the Mumsnet website in which the Chancellor, who has faced controversy over his familys fortune, defended himself against claims he is out of touch. He was cleared yesterday of breaching the ministerial code over his familys financial affairs. The Prime Ministers ethics watchdog found Mr Sunak had not broken rules on conflicts of interest by holding a US green card. Mr Sunak referred himself for investigation after it emerged that his wife, Akshata Murty, held non-domiciled tax status, exempting her from paying UK tax on overseas earnings. Lord Geidt found two instances where Miss Murtys tax status could have given rise to a conflict of interest for the Chancellor. The ONS's Opinions and Lifestyle Survey found that around nine in 10 adults (87%) reported an increase in the cost of living during March According to the ONS survey, 43% said they would not be able to save money in the next 12 months - the highest level since the question was first asked in March 2020 Overall, 23% of adults found it very difficult or difficult to pay their usual household bills in the last month compared with a year ago But the adviser on ministerial interests found that, in the first, the issue was properly declared, and in the second, a proposed change for some non-dom individuals did not affect Mr Sunaks wife. In advice to the PM, Lord Geidt wrote: I advise that the requirements of the ministerial code have been adhered to by the Chancellor, and that he has been assiduous in meeting his obligations and in engaging with this investigation. The adviser did not believe Mr Sunak having held a US green card would constitute an inherent conflict of interest. He was also satisfied that there was no conflict of interest over both Mr Sunaks blind investment trust and Miss Murtys reported 0.91 per cent stake in Infosys, an Indian IT firm founded by her billionaire father. Tulip Siddiq, Labours shadow economic secretary to the Treasury, said: How out of touch is this Chancellor? Its time to act. Meanwhile, Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner branded Lord Geidts report an utter whitewash. Miss Murty, an Indian citizen said to be worth hundreds of millions, earlier this month agreed to pay UK taxes on her worldwide income. How are families and businesses coping with the cost of living crisis? Half cut back on non-essential spending and a quarter dip into savings Nine in 10 adults have reported an increase in their cost of living last month 54% of Brits have cut back on non-essential spending and 33% on essentials 23% have dipped into savings, 11% are taking on more debt The cost of living crisis will have longer-term implications for households and the UK economy, experts have warned, as Britons are cut back on all sorts of spending and are borrowing to make ends meet. The rise in costs is already affecting almost everyone - around nine in 10 adults have reported an increase in their cost of living last month, new official figures show. Nearly a quarter of people said they were struggling to pay household bills last month, according to the latest survey by the Office for National Statistics. This graph shows how families are coping with the cost of living crisis A bigger proportion - two in five - said they found it 'very or somewhat difficult' to afford their energy bills in March - and that's even before the increase in the energy price cap came into force at the start of April. To cope with the rise in the cost of living, large numbers of families are cutting back on spending - both essential and non-essentials - while some are dipping into savings if they have them, and others are taking on debt. The most common action was spending less on non-essentials, like going out for dinner or clothes, with over half of Brits saying they did that in March. Turning off the heating and cutting back on electricity use was the second most common move by those trying to cut back on spending - 45 per cent of households did so last month. Some 39 per cent also said they had reduced their non-essential car journeys to save on petrol, while a similar percentage shopped around more to find better deals and a third are cutting back on essentials like food. Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of people dipped into their savings, 11 per cent said they were borrowing more than usual and some 7 per cent asked friends and family for help. Only 12 per cent of people in Britain said they were not not doing anything in response to the cost of living crisis, the survey shows. March saw the largest 12-month fall in consumer confidence since the financial crisis How small businesses and sole traders are coping with price rises Amin Khan, owner of sustainable clothing retailer, PrimaBerry, says he has cut back on memberships and subscriptions to pay for rising energy bills, as he works from home. 'After reading countless articles with tips and tricks about how to save on bills, I started to panic, which led me to write down all my memberships, subscriptions, direct debits and any other bills and see what could I cancel or downgrade. 'After all the reductions, I am now saving around 200 monthly, which will definitely help me to pay for any gas and electricity increase as I work from home.' Amin Khan, owner of sustainable clothing retailer, PrimaBerry He added: 'I forecasted to sell more than what I am selling at the moment but due the circumstances it is understandable why so many small businesses are struggling. Everything is going up in price but I am trying to not raise my own prices up as much as I can.' Natalie Fletcher, owner of Manchester-based micro manufacturer, Mancmade, says she has no disposable income due to rising costs. Natalie Fletcher of Mancmade '2021 was a challenge financially but 2022 is taking things to a whole new level in terms of soaring energy, food and fuel costs. 'I also provide a mobile clothing alterations and delivery service to my customers, and the cost of fuel has wiped me out. 'I currently dont have any disposable income, as it all seems to be going on the fuel that is used when delivering to customers. 'No way are this Government doing enough about levelling up as they need to be. In fact, they have done nothing to stop the income inequalities that are seemingly set in stone.' Fanny Snaith, a Cheltenham-based certified money coach, says she will have to increase her income significantly - by 15 per cent or more - to absorb price hikes. She said: 'As a landlord of a house of multiple occupancy, the utility bills are included in the rent. 'It is not possible to simply raise the rent for many different reasons. That means that we need to be able to absorb the huge energy bill rises, plus the other hikes, too. So that is a hit to income. 'I sense a real danger area here, for landlords and tenants alike.' Advertisement Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said all of this was already showing up in falls in consumer confidence. March saw the largest 12-month fall in consumer confidence since the financial crisis, according to their analysis of figures by the OECD. 'Lower consumer demand will be a challenge for lots of businesses,' he said. He also expects the crisis to have implications for households and the wider UK economy in the longer term. 'If someone uses up their savings this year to cope with their living costs, that obviously means they don't have those savings to use in the future,' he says. From a macroeconomic perspective, when consumer demand falls that leads to a slowdown in the broader economy. We know that recessions, and economic slowdowns more broadly, can last quite a long time. Jack Leslie - Resolution Foundation 'The same is true with debt but could also be worse for those who struggle to pay back, potentially affecting credit ratings and therefore longer-term borrowing costs. 'From a macroeconomic perspective, when consumer demand falls that leads to a slowdown in the broader economy. We know that recessions, and economic slowdowns more broadly, can last quite a long time.' At the same time, certain rise in costs could prompt more permanent behavioural changes in some parts of the population. For example, if higher proportions of people are trying to cut back on fuel/energy usage, that could lead to more people walking and cycling for transport or encouraging better home insulation. 'Those factors could have longer-term effects if they persist once energy prices come back down,' Leslie added. Separate research from MetLife, an insurance company, found that one in six people have cut back costs and 57 per cent say they expect to do so soon. People were most likely to consider giving up everyday perks such as eating lunch out (40 per cent), luxury items (37 per cent), holidays and day trips (34 per cent), socialising (32 per cent) and entertainment subscriptions (28 per cent). We were turned down for a mortgage in principle: Is it because of our rising energy bills or past debts, and how can we get approved next time? My husband I are looking to move to a bigger home, as our two children are getting to the age where they don't want to share a bedroom and we need the extra space. After seeing a few places we liked, we went to our current mortgage lender to get an agreement in principle but we were turned down for the amount we wanted. I've heard that some banks including ours are making it harder to get a mortgage because they are taking higher energy bills and taxes into account. Upsizing: The reader is looking to move to a bigger home as her children are growing up Our bills have risen considerably in the last few months as our fixed energy tariff ran out. Could this be why we were rejected, and if so is there anything we can do about it? I also have a few late car finance payments on my record from when I was made redundant about three years ago. I was back in work a few months later, the car is now paid off, and we have always been on time with the mortgage and our other bills. We're worried about approaching too many lenders, and are wondering which ones are likely to accept us. I've seen some lenders online who say they are more 'flexible' when it comes to helping people with imperfect credit history. Is this worth looking into, and what's the catch? The alternative is to put off our move, but with our kids growing up that's not going to be practical for more than a couple of years. Helen Crane of This is Money replies: Getting turned down for a mortgage at the first hurdle is disheartening especially when you have outgrown your current home and have a pressing need to move. On the market: The family have been browsing homes for sale - but were turned down for a mortgage in principle Sadly, you are not alone. Many people applying for a mortgage today might find it a bit more difficult to get accepted than they would have a few months ago. This is for several reasons. First of all, interest rates are rising. According to Moneyfacts, the average two-year fixed rate covering all deposit sizes is currently 2.86 per cent, up from 2.65 per cent in March. On a 200,000 mortgage, this would mean paying 258 more per year if it had been taken out in April compared to March. That might not seem like a lot, but it could tip the scales from being approved for a mortgage and turned down. The situation could be more severe for those for those with big mortgages relative to their income, or whose current fixed deal is cheaper than those on the market today. Additionally, households are being hit by the cost of living crisis which has seen the price of essentials such as gas and electricity, petrol and grocery shopping rocket. Lenders are increasingly taking these higher bills into account when assessing whether borrowers could afford to pay a mortgage. Santander, for example, has already factored increased national insurance, household expenditure and dividend income tax rates into its affordability calculations. Others are expected to do the same. In your case, you are unsure whether the rejection was down to your increased living costs, your previous debts or something else. You are keen to find out, because approaching too many lenders in search of a mortgage could damage your credit profile and make things worse. As a first port of call, I would advise going back to your lender and asking for further information on why the application was turned down. There is no reason why it should not be able to provide this. Armed with that knowledge, you will then be able to come up with a plan of action for starting a new application that is more likely to be accepted. This could mean looking at a cheaper property, but the problem might also be solved by saving a slightly larger deposit or considering a different lender. To help you assess your options, I spoke to Elena Todorova, director of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients; Courtney Flockhart, mortgage broker at Henry Dannell; James Briggs, head of personal finance intermediary sales at specialist lender Together; and Adrian Anderson, director at mortgage broker Anderson Harris. How do lenders calculate affordability? Courtney Flockhart says: Each lender will have its own internal credit scoring system, which is different to a credit score on Experian or Equifax. Somebody who has a 999 score on Experian could easily fail a lenders' credit score tests, especially if they had a small deposit relative to the property's value. There will be tiered 'pass marks' based on both the borrowers' credit history and their ability to pay the mortgage alongside their other financial commitments. These approval thresholds will change depending on the borrowers' income, the size of their deposit and how much they want to borrow. Could higher bills have been the reason for rejection? James Briggs says: We're in the worst cost of living crisis since the 1980s, and sadly there will be many other potential buyers in this same situation. Many banks and mortgage lenders have reviewed how they assess affordability given the current spike in family outgoings on food, fuel bills and taxes, coupled with rising inflation. Some are changing their household expenditure calculations to consider factors such as the size of the family or the number of vehicles they own. These changes have been made to make sure people's monthly payments are affordable. However, they don't account for people's individual circumstances meaning people who could otherwise afford a mortgage won't meet these broad-brush requirements. There will be a lot of 'computer says no' type responses. Adrian Anderson says: When factoring in affordability for a mortgage most banks use Office for National Statistics data to presume certain household outgoings. As the cost of household outgoings (including utility bills) has increased, according to the ONS and is expected to continue to increase most banks have factored this into the affordability calculators. This may have an impact on some applicants' ability to borrow the amount they are seeking now. Could there be a different explanation? Elena Todorova says: It is disappointing to hear that the couple's bank refused to lend without clear explanation. However, it does not necessarily follow that the decline was down to an assessment on the increased cost of living and adverse credit. It may be purely technical as the case may just fall outside of credit policy for example, it may be a few thousand pounds short on income multiples, or applying for an incorrect term. What about the car finance debt? Adrian Anderson says: Late payments on a finance agreement can reduce your credit score. You should obtain a copy of your credit report through one of the credit reference agencies so that you are aware of any negative entries that may go against you. If there is a genuine explanation regarding why there were some late payments on your record for car finance, a mortgage broker may be able to use their relationships with the underwriters at the competitively priced mainstream or high street banks to explain the circumstances. This could help you avoid using a 'flexible' or 'specialist' bank which may charge a higher rate of interest. Elena Todorova says: Credit history remains on file for a minimum of six years (longer if the commitment is unsatisfied or unpaid). This could be a reasonable cause for borrowing being declined, but if it was three or more years ago, certain lenders may be prepared to look at the case more sympathetically. Lenders who may consider to lend in this instance range from high-street lenders offering competitive terms, to smaller banks or building societies which could be more expensive but offer flexible underwriting. How could they improve their chances of approval? Elena Todorova says: The mortgage term can be adjusted to suit the couple's plans. They could potentially take a longer term [these are available up to 40 years] if it eases affordability models and reduces monthly outgoings, as long as it fits with lenders' maximum age limits. It's important to consider different terms and rates and discuss their monthly budget as ultimately, the couple has to be comfortable with the mortgage payments they will pay now, and in the future. Adrian Anderson says: The best way to avoid approaching multiple lenders and give yourself the best possible chance of securing the mortgage you are seeking is to speak to an independent expert. They will have the knowledge of how to navigate you through the banks, hopefully meaning fewer failed applications and marks on your credit file. Should they try a specialist lender? James Briggs says: Specialist lenders differ to traditional banks as they can make more pragmatic individual lending decisions, considering the applicant's actual circumstances and expenditure on a case-by-case basis. These types of lenders are also typically more flexible when dealing with mortgage applications from people with a less-than-perfect credit history, as is the case here, particularly if the outstanding debt has now been settled. As a trade-off for this increased flexibility, borrowers should expect to stump up a larger deposit, typically between 15 per cent and 25 per cent of the purchase price of their new home. Many specialist lenders' products are only available through mortgage brokers, so I would recommend speaking to a Financial Conduct Authority authorised broker. Helen Crane, This is Money, replies: I hope the responses above have shown you that all is not lost, and that depending on your exact circumstances there are several options you can explore for getting your mortgage. It may be that the amount you asked for in your application was just slightly too high to tick the affordability check box given your income, outgoings or deposit size. That is hopefully reasonably easy to rectify by adjusting your budget downwards just a little, elongating your mortgage term slightly or even just seeking a mortgage with a better interest rate to bring down your projected outgoings. If you do find that it is the cost of living or your credit record that is causing the issue, you may want to take some time to consider what the best course of action is, and how your circumstances might change. For example, if it is the increased cost of living that is hampering your application, perhaps you or your husband might have a chance to get a modest pay rise in the near future, which could tip you over the affordability threshold. And if it is the previous debts that are making things difficult, another year or so of building your credit score back up could help, too. When the time is right, using a broker should help you avoid more failed applications and ensure that you approach the right lender and get a mortgage deal that works for you. Although your children are growing up fast, some careful planning should mean you secure the home you want in the not too distant future. Students at Durham University have been told to attend 'anti-racism training' after a row over journalist Rod Liddle. The training is aimed at 'ensuring a safer community for people of colour'. But students have branded it 'anti-white indoctrination', 'divisive' and are refusing to attend as it clashes with exam revision. It comes after Liddle, the controversial Spectator journalist, was invited to give a talk at South College, sparking protests from students who claimed he was 'racist'. An email sent on Tuesday to undergraduates at John Snow College said training would be run by Durham's People of Colour Association (DPOCA), a student body, and would be 'mandatory'. But after being contacted by the Daily Mail, the university said it was 'not a University or College initiative' and was 'at the discretion of individuals'. Students at Durham University have been told to attend 'anti-racism training' after a row over journalist Rod Liddle, pictured Durham University students stage a protest at South College for a 'safer more inclusive Durham University' after columnist Rod Liddle's appearance at South College The youngsters carried flags and banners with messages such as 'sod Rod', 'proud to be pathetic' and 'no hate' The 'woke' mob had ramped up its campaign to oust Professor Luckhurst as seven societies accused him of 'gross misconduct'. He was allowed to keep his job, but the university vowed to be more 'inclusive' and effect a 'culture change' following the incident. What did Rod Liddle say in his speech at the University of Durham? Rod Liddle's speech at the University of Durham has not been reported in full, but the contents of the speech have been reported by the university's student newspaper, the Palatinate. According to the newspaper, Liddle opened his Friday speech saying he was disappointed not to see any sex workers at the event. This was in reference to recent controversy surrounding safety training provided by Durham University to student sex workers. Liddle then claimed that the left was going against 'science or pure facts,' saying 'a person with an X and a Y chromosome, that has a long, dangling penis, is scientifically a man, and that is pretty much, scientifically, the end of the story', according to the paper. He continued, on a different topic, saying: 'It is fairly easily proven that colonialism is not remotely the major cause of Africa's problems, just as it is very easy to prove that the educational underachievement of British people of Caribbean descent or African Americans is nothing to do with institutional or structural racism'. Liddle also opined about the UK's forced adoption policy between 1945 and 1975. He said that attitudes now put woman, not children, first, adding that anger about the policy did not take into account the child's mental health and economic situation enough. He closed his speech with a message to the event's attendees about the importance of listening to, and doubting other people's opinions. The Palatinate reported that a dozen students walked out before the speech began, and several more during it. At the end, a very small number are reported to have applauded the speaker, and while it is protocol to rise for the high table as it leaves, nearly all students remaining in the hall stayed seated. Some shouted 'disgusting' and 'racist' at Liddle as he left the room. Advertisement It is understood students were vowing not to attend the sessions. Samantha Smith, a Durham student, said on Twitter: 'As a mixed race student, I refuse to take part in this anti-white indoctrination'. Another called it 'divisive' and said 'students should be revising for exams instead'. A DPOCA spokesman said: 'The intention of the workshop is to create a more inclusive, not divisive, culture on campus.' A Durham University spokesman said: 'The provision of this training was not a University or College initiative, but was taken by the student-led JCR at John Snow College. 'The training is delivered by DPOCA, an association of Durham Students' Union. 'Anti-racism training can help to create a more respectful environment, but attendance is at the discretion of individual students.' DPOCA has in the past run events such as 'decolonise hiking', a walk around Durham for 'students of colour'. It has also been campaigning to 'decolonise the curriculum' and has promoted online the 'County Durham Palestine Solidarity Campaign'. College head Tim Luckhurst, who had invited Liddle, was temporarily barred from duties while an 'investigation' took place into his conduct. He was allowed to keep his job, but the university vowed to be more 'inclusive' and effect a 'culture change' following the incident. Footage emerged after Liddle's talk of Professor Luckhurst and his wife Dorothy Luckhurst talking to students in a bid to calm them down. They appeared to be helping them understand universities are supposed to be bastions of free speech. The youths stood with their mouths wide open as Professor Luckhurst spoke before his wife interrupted him. She asked: 'What are you frightened of you silly... what are you frightened of?' One of the students replied: 'What do you mean?' The rest of their exchange was inaudible but Mrs Luckhurst went on to repeat the word 'a***'. Mrs Luckhurst had explained the video left out the context of the chat in which the vicious students hurled insults at the couple. She said the 'baying' mob called her a 'b***h' and left her intimidated and frightened as they swarmed around them. After the event, Liddle slammed the university for its 'despicable' treatment of Professor Luckhurst and said they should 'reinstate him immediately to all his duties'. He also called for bosses to say sorry to him for 'vilifying' his speech which addressed trans issues, women's rights and institutional racism to 'appease jabbering infants' and said they should reimburse his 150 travel expenses. It came after a group of Left-wing students staged a protest at South College calling for the professor to apologise for his wife's comments to them or quit. The baying activists gathered on a green with placards reading 'mansplain, manipulate, manwife' and 'we're queer, we're here'. Professor Luckhurst had angered them by shouting 'pathetic' when students staged a walk-out during Mr Liddle's talk - although he later apologised. At the time, South College principal Professor Tim Luckhurst (pictured) was criticised for yelling 'pathetic' as students left the talk The training is aimed at 'ensuring a safer community for people of colour'. But students at Durham, pictured, have branded it 'anti-white indoctrination', 'divisive' and are refusing to attend as it clashes with exam revision Liddle told GB News last year: 'Let's start with what Durham University should do. They've behaved despicably, far worse than the students have behaved. 'I expected that from the students, I expected that from some of them. What you don't expect is the kind of double think which Durham University has indulged in. 'Firstly by saying that they agree with freedom of speech, then by saying except if it's something we don't agree with, which the Labour Party on campus doesn't agree with, then they don't agree with it. 'Then most importantly of all you might argue, scapegoating poor Tim Luckhurst who asked me to come along in good faith having cleared it with the university authorities having told them what was happening in advance. 'They have now decided because they've got to appease these jabbering infants they've decided they've got to do something and so a hugely distinguished, reputable and incredibly competent journalist and professor is left hanging out to dry. 'And so what they should do now, immediately, is number one, decide whether they believe in free speech or not. 'Number two, write a grovelling apology to Professor Luckhurst, reinstating him immediately to all his duties, and call off this fatuous investigation... 'And accept that he invited me here in good faith. 'And thirdly, what they should do after that is write me a letter of apology and explain to me they were wrong to have vilified me in their comments about this whole affair and they might be better off in future rather than teaching extra courses to their students in how to become prostitutes, a course in good manners might not come amiss. 'And they can also forward me 150 quid for my travel expenses because I came there free of charge with a wish to do the right thing to give something to public service, all that palaver.' He added: 'So they can apologise and reimburse my travel expenses and after that, I'll be happy.' An Australian fisherman was left reeling in an epic battle with a monster crocodile after the predator tried to snag his catch for lunch. The man was fishing on a small boat in the Northern Territory when the three-metre-long crocodile tried to steal the big fish he had hooked. In incredible footage posted on Thursday, the fisherman quickly realised he caught more than he bargained for when the crocodile surfaced at the end of his rod with the fish in its jaws. The man was fishing in murky waters in the Northern Territory when a crocodile tried to steal the fish he had caught (pictured) The three-metre-long predator had its jaws around the fish hooked on the end of the fisherman's rod The man said he was fishing in the murky waters of Australia's top end on April 19 when he had to fight the croc that was trying to steal his catch. 'We managed to fight the croc, steal the fish back, save the fish and net it,' he wrote in the video's YouTube caption. The man can be seen struggling to keep hold of his fishing rod as it bends under the weight of the apex predator. In the video the man is heard talking to his friends. As the crocodile swam away from the boat he said: 'I can't stop him'. The determined fisherman is heard grunting and groaning as he pulls the crocodile back towards the boat. 'Come over here, big boy,' he said. 'Just let go for one second, you pig.' As the crocodile edges closer the man tells his friend to hit the fish thief on the head in hopes it would let go. Micky, the fisherman's friend, is seen using the long handle of a fishing net to give the predator one quick strike to the head. The crocodile swiftly releases the fish from its jaws and vanishes into the murky waters. Loud cheers and laughter were heard on the boat after the 'holy sh*t moment. The proud fisherman said it was the first time the guide had ever seen a man battle a croc for a fish and win. The man's friend used the end of a fishing net handle to hit the crocodile on the head forcing it to let go A neighbour of a man shot dead by police after he lunged at officers with a knife has told of the terrifying moment several bullets were fired in the middle of the night. Police were called to a home on Belinda Place, Newport, in Sydney's northern beaches shortly before 2am on Thursday following reports of a domestic dispute believed to be between a 39-year-old man and his elderly parents. Officers tried to speak with the younger man, who they claim then lunged at officers with a knife. Two officers grabbed their guns and shot the man during the confrontation. He died at the scene despite officers performing CPR. The shooting has roiled the affluent street with views of the Pacific Ocean where homes have sold recently for more than $3million, dubbed 'Millionaire's Row' by some locals. One witness shared a dramatic account of how the shooting unfolded with daily Mail Australia. 'I was woken by car doors slamming,' he said. 'It was 1.52am and I looked down and police were outside. Then at around 2am I heard shots - five or six shots.' Police are seen at the scene in Newport on Thursday after a man was shot dead when he lunged at officers with a knife Police and detectives are at the scene in Newport. A neighbour recalled hearing up to six gunshots in the middle of the night Forensic officers remain at the Newport home on Thursday morning, where a man was shot dead by police Police are seen at the scene on Thursday It was clearly hand-gun fire, the neighbour said, and it left him with so much adrenalin he couldn't go back to bed. 'I was about to call Triple-0. I wasn't sure at first whether it was police who got shot. 'As I was about to dial, I saw a police officer running out to the car and I thought at least one of them must be okay. 'It was very dramatic. I wasn't sure but I figured they must be on top of it.' The neighbour said they'd seen officers at the house before the incident on Thursday. 'Police have been at the house in recent weeks,' the resident said, describing the man as a chihuahua owner, overweight and living with his elderly parents. 'I've seen the man (shot by police). I've seen him intoxicated in the street once and a few other times.' The resident said the dead man's parents 'are very old and kept to themselves'. 'I've never spoken to them. We have street parties every Christmas but that family has never come,' he added. The man said the 39-year-old 'has always lived there'. 'He didn't work. He had issues. He was overweight. I hardly ever saw him leave the house, but I've spoken to him a few times. The 39-year-old suffered critical injuries and died at the scene, despite desperate attempts by officers who performed CPR to try and revive him (pictured police and detectives at the scene) Police at the scene have taken tarpaulin down into the blocked off street and are expected to remove the man's body from the crime scene on Thursday afternoon 'He came out a couple of times and I'd say 'g'day' and he'd say hello back. A few times I've seen him coming back from street exercise. 'It's fairly hilly here and he was walking back and I made some comment about exercising and he gave a fairly short greeting back. 'The family has been living there a long time.' The home remains a crime scene on Thursday morning, where forensic officers are currently scouring the property. Another neighbour said he was woken by repeated shots of 'short rapid response fire' from the middle of the street around 2am. Police were called to Belinda Place in Newport shortly before 2am on Thursday morning Another resident described a frightening account of being attacked by the dead man's dog and how when she questioned him he gave her a blank stare. 'It was only a chihuahua, but it was vicious,' the neighbour named Gina said. 'I was walking my dog and there he was with his chihuahua off the lead and it attacked me, got its teeth into my ankle and I said to him ''get your dog off my leg'' and he just looked blank.' Gina said the attack happened two years ago and after reporting it to the council, the man was ordered to keep his dog on a lead outdoors. 'I saw him again a few times when I was walking past the house with the dog,' she said. 'It was mostly in the mornings and he had the dog out the front and I'd say ''that dog needs to be on a lead''. 'He'd just stare back at me blankly each time. 'He was very overweight. The family rarely came out. They didn't socialise and the blinds were always drawn.' A critical incident team has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which will also be subject to independent review. Police say the domestic dispute involved the man and his parents, who weren't harmed in the incident. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Leanne McCusker said the man was previously known to police and had mental health issues. 'This is a traumatic situation for everybody involved and also for the police involved,' she told reporters. 'I have spoken to those police officers this morning, and we have all the appropriate welfare support in place for those police following these circumstances.' The man's family is assisting police with inquiries. A man was shot dead by police in the beachside suburb after he lunged at officers 'Naturally we are ensuring that appropriate support is in place for those family members as well,' Assistant Commissioner McCusker said. The incident unfolded on a street of multi-million dollar houses in the elite suburb, with one Belinda Place residence selling for $3.4m last year. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. It's been a horror night in Sydney with a notorious underworld figure also shot dead weeks after he was released from prison. Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad, known as the 'Mr Big' of Sydney's crime world was shot outside a Greenacre home in the city's south-west on Wednesday night. The gunman remains on the run. Ahmad was recently released from jail after served five years for the manslaughter of another underworld figure at a Sydney scrap yard in 2016. A hotline for rape and sexual assault victims by Russian troops received 400 calls in just two weeks. The Ombudsman for Human Rights in Ukraine, Lyudmyla Denisova, said the line is so overwhelmed that the five psychologists who operate it cannot cope with the load. Victims include adults and children, both male and female, with some attacked while terrified relatives were forced to watch. In Bucha, 25 victims aged 14 to 25 were systematically raped while being held captive in a basement. Nine are now pregnant. Bucha, the town north of Kyiv where Russian occupying troops committed atrocities against Ukrainian residents. A hotlinie for rape and sexual assault victims by Russian troops received 400 calls in just two weeks The line, set up with Unicef, received 400 calls between April 1 and April 14 as Russian began to withdraw from the Kyiv region, after a failed attempt to capture the capital. Mrs Denisova said: Our five psychologists cannot cope with this load. I asked Unicef to almost double the number of psychologists, to ensure that the care is of good quality and that there is no burnout, including those psychologists who receive such appeals day and night. And these cases are very terrible. Russia has denied allegations it is using rape as a weapon of war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this month: Hundreds of cases of rape have been recorded, including those of young girls and very young children. Even of a baby. Firefighters might be dab hands at rescuing cats stuck in trees but five sheep on a roof requires a little more creativity. One fire station received a rather unusual call-out on Tuesday evening, after sheep grazing in a field behind a row of terraced cottages leapt over a 5ft gap and on to the tiled roof. Arriving in Newmillerdam, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire where the sheep had been stuck for several hours before the fire service was alerted station commander Damian Cameron found one of the animals precariously close to a 25ft drop to the ground. Five sheep became stranded on top of cottages in Newmillerdam, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and had to be rescued by firefighters The sheep cleared a gap of five feet to get onto the roofs, but on the other side there was a near 25ft drop Without his crew and fully equipped fire engine, Mr Cameron with the help of a local landowner got to work building a makeshift bridge out of timber for the sheep to cross back into the field. He said: 'The idea was to entice the sheep across. We had to use a bit of animal husbandry to get the sheep to go back across our bridge. Eventually one went over and the other four followed.' A temporary fence has now been erected to stop a repeat of the drama. Mr Cameron Tweeted photos of the stranded sheep, telling his followers: 'Some calls are stranger than others! All now safe on terra firma.' He said yesterday: 'It was a very unusual job. I have had some strange ones involving animals before, including a cow on a balcony, but I have never had sheep on a roof before.' Daniel Andrews has repeatedly refused to answer questions about his involvement in a damning investigation into the Victorian Labor Party. The Premier became increasingly frustrated as he was hit with a barrage of questions about the inquiry launched by the state's anti-corruption watchdog in 2021. A draft report from the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission, obtained by The Age, found cultural failings were inherent with the party. Mr Andrews was revealed to be among several senior figures who privately admitted that 'significant cultural reform is required within the ALP'. The premier was asked about his involvement in the investigation which found public funds had likely been misused across Labor's factions, among other wrongdoings. 'Let me make it very clear to you that I'm not making any comments about these matters,' Mr Andrews told reporters on Thursday. 'You can construct as many questions in as many ways as you see fit. This is not a government process it is an independent process.' The premier said he wasn't prepared to provide a 'running commentary' until the watchdog had finalised their report. Daniel Andrews (pictured on Thursday) repeatedly refused to answer questions about his involvement in a damning investigation into the Victorian Labor Party 'I've always had a position that unless and until something's concluded you don't trample all over it,' he continued. 'Because that gets you into very, very difficult territory where you can be quite credibly accused of trying to influence outcomes, trying to steer things, trying to intimidate (and) trying to impact things that ought be independent.' Mr Andrews pointed to his 2019 audit of the branch when asked about the allegations of unethical practice and failures of leadership within the ALP. 'I've taken various steps and I think they're well known to you,' he said. 'You can search the record and reacquaint yourself with the steps that I've taken.' When asked if he was the leader of an unethical government the premier slammed the reporter's question as a 'ridiculous suggestion'. Mr Andrews pointed to his 2019 audit of the branch when asked about the allegations of unethical practice and failures of leadership within the ALP 'That's completely, utterly wrong,' Mr Andrews retorted. 'I don't reckon I could be any clearer than that.' Opposition leader Matthew Guy has called for Mr Andrews to stand down immediately and said the premier had presided over a 'culture of corruption'. 'How can you trust Daniel Andrews to fix our state when the corruption watchdog has found Labor is rotten to the core?' he said. 'Victorians need a leader totally focused on Victoria's recovery and rebuild. That can't happen with a Premier at the centre of a corruption scandal.' The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) spoke to 26 witnesses, including the premier, as well as seven others in public hearings. Senior figures in the ALP told the investigation the party needed to eliminate a culture that had encouraged nepotism and the misuse of public funds. The report is expected to cause a stir due to the report labelling the behaviour of several federal MP's and shadow ministers as unethical. Mr Andrews told the IBAC a culture of branch stacking, rule breaking and inadequate processes for whistleblowers was unlikely limited to Moderate Labor. In October, investigators heard branch stacking had been employed by the socialist left faction of the ALP - despite the practice being banned for decades. The premier - who is a former head of Labor's socialist left faction - has long maintained he has never had any involvement with branch stacking. Branch stacking is a practice within political parties that sees people recruited into a branch of a political party to influence who is pre-selected as an election candidate. It comes with the problem of certain factions of political parties boosting membership to ensure a preferred candidate gets the job. The report concluded cultural failings were inherent with the Labor Party and had been condoned or encouraged by its leaders for years. Mr Andrews told the IBAC a culture of branch stacking, rule breaking and inadequate processes for whistleblowers was unlikely limited to Moderate Labor 'The evidence adduced enables the conclusion that these practices have been approved or condoned by party leadership for decades,' the report concludes. 'Leaders must be prepared to expose and denounce such activity regardless of their alignment. Without the rigorous participation of the leaders of the branch, the reforms proposed in this report are unlikely to be effective.' The watchdog is yet to formally publish its findings following months of investigations and the interviewing of over 30 witnesses under oath. Accused parties will be given an opportunity to defend against allegations prior to the report being tabled in Parliament. The investigation, dubbed Operation Watts, also found several staff had resisted complaining to the premier's office as it had little power of 'the running of a ministerial office'. Employees suspecting misconduct also felt their claims would not be dealt with on merit and were fearful of the repercussions they would face, the report stated. Much of the proceedings have heard allegations former Labor MP - and one time ally of Mr Andrews - Adam Somyurek had been rampantly branch stacking in a bid to increase his power within the ALP. The IBAC inquiry has heard allegations Labor MP Adam Somyurek (right) had been rampantly branch stacking in a bid to increase his power within the ALP The Moderate Labor boss was accused of asking tax-payer funded staff to disregard ministerial duties and instead harvest fake ALP members. Mr Somyurek, who denies the claims, was first elected to Victorian Parliament in 2002 and was sworn in as minister for small business, innovation and trade in the Andrews Government in December 2014. An investigation into alleged branch stacking by Channel 9's Nick McKenzie saw Mr Somyurek leave the party last year. The IBAC report found it could not conclude all Labor factions engaged in the same wrongdoings as Moderate Labor but said the practices was widespread. Evidence gathered made it 'highly likely the misuse of publicly funded staff' and 'employment of family members and factional allies for party or factional purposes and nepotism has occurred for a much longer period and is much more widespread [across Labor] than Moderate Labor'. Daniel Auster, 44, was found dead on Tuesday from a suspected drug overdose The 44-year-old son of novelist Paul Auster has been found dead of a drug overdose, nine days after his arrest for the manslaughter of his 10-month-old daughter Ruby. Daniel Auster was discovered surrounded by drug paraphernalia, and the dosage was similar to what he usually took, The New York Post reported - suggesting his death was accidental. He had been arrested on Easter Sunday for the November 1 death of Ruby. She died of a fentanyl overdose after he took heroin then went to take a nap with the child by his side. His father, Paul Auster, 75, has won numerous international awards for his books, which include titles such as The New York Trilogy,' 'The Book of Illusions,' and 'Moon Palace.' In 2017, he was nominated for the Booker Prize for his novel '4, 3, 2, 1', and his work has been translated into more than forty languages. In Auster's 1995 film about the lives of people who frequented a Brooklyn tobacco shop, Smoke - which starred Harvey Keitel and William Hurt - Daniel played the role of a book thief. His mother is author and translator Lydia Davis, 74. Davis and Paul Auster divorced in 1978; in 1982, he remarried, tying the knot with author Siri Hustvedt, and the couple have one daughter together, musician Sophie Auster, 34. Daniel Auster, 44, was found dead on Tuesday. He admitted to doing heroin then falling asleep with his daughter in his care. When he awoke she had ingested enough drugs to 'render and adult unconscious' He was charged with manslaughter, child endangerment and criminally negligent homicide, and was awaiting trial when he died Daniel Auster's daughter, Ruby (pictured above), was found lifeless in his Park Slope home on November 1 Daniel would regularly post photos of his wife and daughter, Ruby, before her death last year Daniel's father, Paul Auster, is probably America's best-known postmodern novelist - known for The New York Trilogy, The Book of Illusions and Moon Palace. The pair's relationship appeared to be estranged During his teenage years, Auster started going to clubs in New York City and became heavily involved with drugs, according to The New Yorker. At the age of 18, in 1996, Auster was present in the apartment when a drug dealer, Andre 'Angel' Melendez, was murdered by 'Club Kid Killer' Michael Alig, a former nightclub promoter, and his roommate, Robert Riggs. Auster was given $3,000 of Melendez's money in exchange for his silence. He later pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property and was given five years probation. Auster had a string of arrests including several drug possession charges in 2008 and 2010. In 2009 he was charged with petit larceny and possession of stolen property. The troubled son of New York author Paul Auster, Daniel, was charged in relation to his infant daughter's drug overdose death. On Tuesday he was found dead 'Club Kid Killer' Michael Alig, who was a former nightclub promoter, is pictured. In 1996, he murdered a drug dealer, Andre 'Angel' Melendez, in an apartment in which Auster was present. Auster was paid $3,000 to keep quiet, and was later given five years probation. Alig was found dead on Christmas Eve 2020 from an accidental heroin overdose, at the age of 54 Auster in April claimed his baby daughter died of a fentanyl overdose after he took heroin then went to take a nap with the child by his side while his wife worked, a court heard. The vivid account allegedly given to the NYPD by Auster was shared by Assistant District Attorney Tien Tran said at his arraignment hearing on manslaughter charges. The infant's mother, Zuzan Smith, told police that their daughter, Ruby, was awake and alert when she left her in Auster's care and went to work. A criminal complaint obtained by DailyMail.com states that Auster told police that shortly after Smith left their home, he injected heroin and then got into bed for a nap with the child by his side. When he woke up from his nap, she was 'blue, lifeless and unresponsive', the complaint states. The prosecutor said that the girl had enough drugs in her system to 'render an adult unconscious.' Auster, pictured here being led to court for his arraignment, gave the 10-month-old girl Narcan to revive her after he awoke to find her 'blue, lifeless and unresponsive' Auster, 44, refuses to face the cameras after he was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child after his infant daughter ingested his heroin while he napped It's still unclear how the girl ingested the drugs, but Auster confessed that he kept heroin in his bathroom. His lawyer, James Godfrey, told The New York Times that his client was recently sober and was in drug treatment. 'This case is painfully tragic, and Mr Auster remains devastated over the loss of his beloved daughter Ruby,' the lawyer told the paper. 'Substance use disorder is an issue that countless families reel from each year, and we caution the public to refrain from making any rush to judgment.' In many of the photos, Auster can be seen posing with his little girl, or cuddling her Auster's Instagram page was full of pictures of his daughter and her mother An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner a few days later found Ruby died of acute intoxication caused by the combined effects of fentanyl and heroin. Auster, who worked as a landscaper, posted photos of his child and Smith on his Instagram page before jetting off to Mexico and Columbia in January. On his travels, he seemed to be backpacking like a college student, and taking in several raves. Daniel Auster is pictured in a photo with his father Paul, in a shot from his teenage years Daniel is pictured with his father as a young boy in a photo posted to his Instagram, entitled 'Me and pops' The trio dressed up for Halloween in a scene from the Wizard of Oz with Daniel as the Tin Man and his wife as Dorothy Paul Auster's second wife Siri Hustvedt, left, who is also a writer, never speak about their stepson, Daniel. The pair are pictured in 2016 Auster and his father appeared to be estranged, but Auster wrote Daniel into his work. In his 2004 novel, Oracle Night, the book is narrated by a writer called Trause whose son is a drug addict who terrorizes his stepmother. During a 2006 Guardian interview, Paul Auster's second wife Siri Hustvedt who is also a writer, declined to speak about her stepson. 'Yes. You know, I'm not going to talk about any of that, no. No,' she said, her eyes reportedly beginning to water. 'You know, I am married to a writer, and this - writing - is an odd enterprise. 'It's something we both support very strongly. 'I've always been behind Paul, and he's always been behind me. 'I have a very strong family.' Google has warned billions of Chrome users that the browser has been successfully targeted by hackers, revealing 30 new security flaws, including seven that pose a 'high' threat to users. The tech company is now releasing an update within the next few days to fix the bugs, which affects Windows, macOS, and Linux, according to the company's statement. It is unclear who hacked the firm, and whether any users' security was put at risk. Further hack details are currently being restricted by the company 'until a majority of users are updated with a fix'. 'We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but havent yet fixed,' the company also said. Users can manually update their browsers through the settings features, but Chrome will automatically update within a few days. Google announced its Chrome browser was successfully targeted by hackers, revealing 30 new security flaws, including seven that pose a 'high' threat to users Google recently announced the increase in hacks to Chrome and other browsers and several other tech companies have reported hacking vulnerabilities. Tech companies are joining together to combat threats, alongside the help of diligent users, to prevent future vulnerabilities. Coca-Cola was also recently hacked by a Russian group, which is now selling its data. Stormous said it stole 161 gigabytes of financial data, passwords and accounts before putting the information on the market for $640,000 or 16million Bitcoin. The team revealed on Monday it had infiltrated the drinks company and got out 'without their knowledge.' Coca-Cola said it has launched an urgent investigation and already contacted the police. 'You will win and we will win,' read an apparent message from the group, which was later posted on Twitter. It said the group downloaded 161 gigabytes from the company, which it would sell for more than $640,000 or more than 16 million in Bitcoin. Among the stolen files, according to CISO Advisor, are financial data, passwords and commercial accounts. New research has also shown internet users' passwords aren't as safe as once thought. The research said anything with six characters, regardless of whether numbers and symbols are included, can be cracked instantly. The tech company is now releasing an update within the next few days to fix the bugs, which affects Windows, macOS, and Linus, according to the company's statement The same goes for anything that is seven or eight characters but made up of just numbers or lower case letters. But the news doesn't get much better for any eight-character combination. In fact, they can all be guessed in about 39 minutes according to US cybersecurity company Hive Systems, which is based in Richmond, Virginia. On the flip side the way to guarantee that your password won't be cracked for some 438 trillion years is to use 18 characters made up of numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols. Black Basta, a new ransomware gang has emerged in the scene causing massive breaches to companies and organizations for hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. The threat actor has quickly risen to prominence this month, infiltrating at least twelve different companies in a matter of weeks. The Black Basta virus used by the gang is extremely difficult to detect because it operates in complete stealth and rarely manifests any symptoms. Thus, the majority of antivirus software is unable to detect ransomware such as the Black Basta virus. The first known Black Basta attacks occurred in the second week of April, and the operation quickly spread throughout the world, targeting businesses of all sizes. Black Basta Ransomware Black Basta is a dangerous ransomware virus that encrypts the files on the computers it infects. According to Bleeping Computer, "Like other enterprise-targeting ransomware operations, Black Basta will steal corporate data and documents before encrypting a company's devices." Additionally, "This stolen data is then used in double-extortion attacks, where the threat actors demand a ransom to receive a decryptor and prevent the publishing of the victim's stolen data." The data theft portion of these attacks is carried out on the Tor network's "Black Basta Blog" or "Basta News" site, which contains a list of all victims who have not paid a ransom to the hacker group. Black Basta will gradually leak information about each victim in an attempt to coerce them into paying a ransom. The malware deployed by the ransomware gang operates at a swift level that does not usually show symptoms. On rare occasions, it may be possible to detect the Black Basta virus during the course of an infection process. It can occasionally cause a significant system slowdown, particularly in cases where the infected computer does not have a lot of processing power and/or has a large amount of data stored on it, as described above. When infected with the virus, Black Basta victims will notice a sudden unfamiliar process taking up the majority of your computer's CPU and RAM when infected with the virus. This can also be seen in the PC's Task Manager if this occurs. The Black Basta ransomware gang is a fairly new threat to actors in the scene. However, numerous people are thinking that Black Basta is a rebrand or a regroup of previous hackers due to its efficient and successful attacks. Read Also: [VIRAL FLASHBACK] Mydoom Virus: Why Is It Considered the Worst Computer Virus in History? How To Remove the Black Basta Virus When users suspect they are being attacked, they can mitigate the incident with the following steps, as recommended by 2-Spyware. The first task is to ensure that all network communications are terminated as quickly as possible. This includes disconnecting every machine that is connected to a network. Here are the following steps to do so: Go to the Windows search bar and navigate to the Control Panel. Select the Network and Internet option. Select the Network and Sharing Center, selecting it from the menu. Click "Change adapter settings," which can be found on the left-hand side of the screen. Right-click on your connection and select "Disable." To continue the process, confirm it by selecting "Yes." If users are not confident in their ability to stop the infiltration of the Black Basta virus, they can immediately force shut down their computers once an attack is detected. Device owners can then contact a specialist to help them with the situation for further assistance. Shutting down the device will put a stop to the encryption process in its tracks. However, users must note that they should not attempt to restart the system on their own, as the virus will resume its activity and there will be nothing users can do to prevent it from happening. Related Article: SysJoker Malware Can Damage Your Windows, Mac PC: Warning Signs, How to Remove If You're Attacked Joe Biden has been blocked from winding down the Trump-era Title 42 migrant expulsion policy by a federal judge over fears it is already being ignored and causing a border-crossing surge. US District Judge Robert Summerhays of Lafayette in Louisiana, made the ruling on Wednesday. It bars the Biden administration from beginning to wind-down Title 42 ahead of its planned May 23 conclusion, but doesn't stop the policy being axed on that date. Summerhays - a Trump appointee - is now set to hold a second hearing that could stop Biden from halting the policy too. 'The states have established a substantial threat of immediate and irreparable injury resulting from the early implementation of Title 42, including unrecoverable costs on healthcare, law enforcement, detention, education, and other services for migrants,' he wrote. 'The states have established a substantial threat of immediate and irreparable injury resulting from the early implementation of Title 42, including unrecoverable costs on healthcare, law enforcement, detention, education, and other services for migrants,' wrote Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays in Lafayette, Louisiana Summerhays said states were likely to succeed with their argument that the administration failed to adhere to federal procedures when it announced April 1 that it was ending Title 42 authority. For now, the decision is only a temporary setback for the administration. But the judge staked out a position that is highly sympathetic with Louisiana , Arizona and 19 other states that sued to preserve so-called Title 42 authority, which denies migrants a chance at asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. The judge has scheduled a critical hearing on May 13 in Lafayette to hear arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Texas filed a similar lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Victoria, Texas. The decision to end Title 42 authority was made by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has come under growing criticism from elected officials in Biden's Democratic Party who contend the administration is unprepared for an anticipated increase in asylum-seekers. Some estimates say the number of people crossing could more than double each month, to around 500,000. Wednesday's ruling is a setback for Biden, who branded the Trump-era policy 'cruel' A migrant waits on the Mexican side of the border after United States Customs and Border Protection officers detained a couple of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border on the beach The Justice Department declined to comment on the order but the administration has said it will comply, while contending it will hamper preparations for Title 42 to end on May 23. About 14% of single adults from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were processed under immigration laws during a seven-day period ending last Thursday. That's up from only 5% in March, according to government figures. Summerhays' order requires the Homeland Security Department to 'return to policies and practices in place' before it announced plans to end Title 42 and to submit weekly reports that demonstrate it is acting 'in good faith.' Migrants have been expelled more than 1.8 million times under the rule invoked in March 2020 by the Trump administration. Migrants were stopped more than 221,000 times at the Mexico border in March, a 22-year-high that has raised concerns about the government's ability to handle even larger numbers when Title 42 is lifted. Advocates for asylum-seekers say the restrictions endanger people fleeing persecution back home and violates rights to seek protection under U.S. law and international treaty. Refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine await processing of their applications in Tijuana As the CDC acknowledged, the public health justification for the order has weakened as the threat of COVID-19 has waned. At two often-contentious hearings Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sought to defend the administration's handling of an increase of migrants at the Southwest border and its plans to deal with the prospect of more with the potential end of Title 42. Mayorkas sought to push back on Republican accusations that the Biden administration has encouraged irregular migration by allowing some people to seek asylum, blaming economic and political turmoil and violence throughout Latin America and the world. 'Some of the causes of irregular migration have only been heightened by years of distress preceding this administration,' he said. Mayorkas testified one day after Homeland Security released a plan with more details about how it was preparing for the end of Title 42 authority. According to a CBP report released Monday, 73,495 unaccompanied children have been encountered at the southwestern border since October 1, 2021 - the start of fiscal year 2022. The totals are on pace to equal the 146,925 interdictions of unaccompanied minors in fiscal year 2021. During current fiscal year's six-month stretch, Rio Grande Valley Sector agents stopped 38,169 who unlawfully crossed the border without a parent or legal guardian. In comparison, the sector registered 76,284 such encounters in all of fiscal year 2021. In all, CBP reported a 33 percent spike in encounters with undocumented migrants along the southern border in March. U.S. Border Patrol agents reported 221,803 interdictions last month after registering 164,973 in February. The March totals also marked the highest amount of encounters under the administration of President Joe Biden since July 2021 when 213,593 interdictions were made. One of Melbourne's most notorious bikie bosses has been arrested over the gangland killing of an associate of high-profile drug lord Tony Mokbel. Mick Murray, the president of the outlaw motorcycle gang the Comancheros, was taken into custody following a pre-dawn raid on Thursday morning. Officers investigating the 2019 murder of gangland figure Mitat Rasimi have charged the 44-year-old with one count of murder. A 32-year-old man was also arrested but released pending further enquiries. Mick Murray, (pictured) the president of the outlaw motorcycle gang the Comancheros, was taken into custody after an early morning raid on Thursday Police arrested the bikie boss at his Lysterfield South home before conducting an early morning raid at Nitro Gym in Hallam (pictured) at about 7:20am Police arrested the bikie boss at his Lysterfield South home before conducting an early morning raid at Nitro Gym in Hallam at about 7:20am. Murray was known to frequent the gym in Melbourne's southeast with a witness telling the Herald Sun over 20 police vehicles had arrived on the scene. 'They blocked off all the entrances to the gym,' they said. 'The detectives went inside and then came out with a brown paper bag. It looked like a big bust.' Mitat Rasimi was found unresponsive with four bullets in his chest after crashing his Peugeot Coupe into a telegraph pole in Dandenong on March 3, 2019. He was a former member of an arm of notorious kingpin Tony Mokbel's empire and was suspected of having ties to other underworld groups. Two men, Laiseni Kakato, 28, and Richard Ene, 26, were charged over the 51-year-old's murder and remain in custody. Both have been linked to the Comancheros. Murray appeared in Melbourne's Magistrate Court via video-link on Thursday charged with one count of murder. Mitat Rasimi (pictured) was found unresponsive with four bullets in his chest after crashing his Peugeot Coupe into a telegraph pole in Dandenong on March 3, 2019 The court heard recordings from listening devices would have to be transcribed with no application for bail made. Prosecutor Phillip Raimondo was granted 10 weeks, four more than standard, for homicide detectives to prepare their case against Murray. In August 2019, Murray was denied entry to Thailand just days after pleading with a magistrate to relax his bail conditions to allow him to travel. He was facing more than 100 charges relating to fraud in Victoria at the time. In addition to the fraud charges, Murray allegedly owes more than $1 million to the Australian Taxation Office. In December of 2017, the Supreme Court ordered Murray and his wife Debbie Pitman to repay the Australian Tax Office millions in tax debt. The ATO found the pair had failed to pay income tax between 2008 and 2013, after their affairs were referred by the National Anti-Gangs Squad. Earlier this year, Murray led the Comancheros on a national run from Hallam to Port Phillip Prison in Truganina, in a show of support to imprisoned members Earlier this year, Murray led the Comancheros on a national run from Hallam to Port Phillip Prison in Truganina, in a show of support to imprisoned members. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Murray's arrest will send shockwaves through the state's bikie community. 'From my point of view this is an outstanding bit of police work over a lengthy period of time,' Mr Patton said on 3AW Radio. 'We have tenacity from detectives who refuse to let things slide this has resulted in a significant arrest which will impact significantly outlaw motorcycle gangs.' Officers investigating the 2019 murder of gangland figure Mitat Rasimi have charged Mick Murray (pictured) with one count of murder The top cop said he couldn't comment on whether Rasimi had been a member of a rival gang but said it was a 'significant outcome'. Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said the arrests were the result of years of hard work and said they came as a reminder to other outstanding criminals. 'Some individuals and criminal groups think they can operate above the law time and time again they are proven wrong,' Mr Hill said. 'They may be able to avoid law enforcement for a period but it is only a matter of time before they face their day of judgement. 'We will continue to create a hostile environment for these serious and organised crime groups.' He claims he was 'disappointed' and 'concerned' by Melbourne's Covid response The veteran, who did 2 tours of Iraq, made the admission at an Anzac Day event A war veteran said he wouldn't join the army again due to Australia's Covid response A war veteran who served the Australian military during two tours of Iraq claims he wouldn't 'consider joining' the army now because of Australia's 'draconian' Covid response. The former soldier made the startling admission during a brief interview at an ANZAC Day service in Melbourne. The service was the first Melbourne has hosted since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, after Dan Andrews introduced the longest lockdown in the world in response to rising cases. An Australian war veteran (pictured) who did two tours in Iraq claims he wouldn't 'consider joining' the army now because of Australia's 'draconian' Covid response The soldier, who served in the Australian military in Iraq, said he was 'disappointed' and 'concerned' about Victoria's Covid response. 'I think it [Victoria's Covid response] was a huge overreaction,' he said. 'Just way too extreme, way too controlling and just the draconian nature of it, just the way, you know, 'You have to do this,' with no discretion, no distinction between different risk protocols.' 'So I was disappointed really with how it was and even concerned what the direction of it all is,' he added. The former soldier said Melbourne's lockdowns and restrictions were 'way too extreme, way too controlling' and 'draconian' The man added that the army would not be 'something I would've considered joining' now after expressing his 'disappointment' and 'concern' over Melbourne's Covid response The war veteran was asked if he felt this was 'the Australia you fought for,' to which he responded: 'No, I wouldn't.' 'If this was the situation now, the army is not something I'd would've considered joining because I don't support this system,' the former soldier stated. Another veteran said he found it hard to march alongside Andrews at the Anzac service. Last year, Mr Andrews said he has 'no regrets' about sending Melbourne into the world's longest lockdown. The city endured a total of 262 days in lockdown, the most of anywhere on the planet. Mr Andrews said lockdowns were the only option before there was a vaccine and until it had been widely distributed throughout the population. 'We have a vaccine now,' he said. 'People have got that vaccine in record numbers. That means we're into a different phase now, normalising this. 'It's not a perennial suppression. We'll move through this difficult gateway and normalise this virus. Get our freedoms back. Repair the damage. Heal those wounds that are particularly considerable. A driver has thrown her hands up after a Mercedes Benz was parked just a few millimetres behind her, wedged right up to her car's rear bumper - and stayed there for 24 hours. The irate motorist took to social media on Thursday explaining the car in front was also so close that she wasn't able to move her white Land Rover Discovery out of the inner west Sydney parking spot. She explained that even after calling the council, they refused to help as the car was not parked illegally - despite NSW rules stating drivers must leave at least one metre between cars. Facebook users were not shy in giving her some tips of what to do, as one joked, 'I was thinking a few strategically placed nails behind each tyre'. An irate parker took to social media after a regal Mercedes Benz (pictured, right) parked her Land Rover in for 24 hours The motorist wasn't able to budge as the vehicle in front had also parked close to her (pictured) Some commenters said she the Benz (pictured ) was 'kissing on her car' and it was 'unethical' Poll WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOUR CAR WAS STUCK? Have the Benz towed Try and edge my car out Call the police Knock on doors to find the owner WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOUR CAR WAS STUCK? Have the Benz towed 0 votes Try and edge my car out 0 votes Call the police 0 votes Knock on doors to find the owner 0 votes Now share your opinion Another recommended to 'reverse and knock the car out', while one more quipped the Benz was 'literally kissing on your car'. The post lead others to say it was 'unethical' parking, and said she should call the police, council or a tow truck driver. The NSW government rules that cars should keep a space between other vehicles when parallel parking. 'You must not park within 1m of another vehicle parked in front or behind,' website said. The complaints come after the city faces a parking crisis from it being too expensive in the CBD to finding a spot at a shopping centre. One creative shopper got praise after wedging their car nicely into a space that had a curved line next to a car park pillar in Melbourne this month. 'Technically this isn't a parking spot, but I give him credit for fitting between the lines perfectly,' a social media user said at the time. Social media piled on the offending vehicle, calling on the woman to ring a towing company Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' husband is outraged over the release of bodycam footage showing his wife dying on set after being shot by Alec Baldwin. Matthew Hutchins' lawyer Brian Panish sent Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza a scathing email claiming the police department double-crossed the grieving widower. Hutchins' says he's fearful bullies could use the widely-shared footage of Hutchins receiving emergency treatment to taunt the couple's nine year-old son, after she was accidentally killed by Hollywood star Baldwin while practicing a scene. Hutchins' claimed the sheriff said he could review all the footage before the department released it to the public, including the bodycam footage of his wife being attended to by emergency services as she laid dying on the Rust set in October 2021. He is now claiming the police department violated the family's rights to privacy and fairness in New Mexico, which states the family would be allowed to review the footage and request redactions prior to release. 'Your office trampled on the constitutional rights of Hutchins,' Panish wrote in an email, viewed by TMZ and The Los Angeles Times. 'We demand that your office respect Matthew, Halyna, and Andros Hutchins' constitutional rights of dignity, privacy, respect and fairness going forward. We also demand that your office take down the video footage of Halyna Hutchins dying on the church floor. 'While the damage of publishing that video is irreparable, taking down the video will end your office's complicity in causing future harm. Dramatic police bodycam video shows medics battling to save Halyna Hutchins life after the Rust movie set shooting Halyna Hutchins' husband Matthew (pictured together with their son Andros) slammed the Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza for releasing the footage of his wife dying on the Rust set after Alec Baldwin shot her. Huthins' claimed the sheriff said he could review all the footage before the department released it to the public, including the bodycam footage. Under the law, he would be able to have requested redactions to the information released Mendoza said the footage was released due to the high volume of records requests the department received The family also noted the potential trauma the footage could cause Andros, nine, if bullies use it against him, causing him further harm. It also claimed that Hutchins saw the footage first the first time on Radar Online. 'The first time Mr. Hutchins saw the disturbing and unsettling video footage of his dying wife lying on the church floor was on Radar Online, an internet website,' Panish wrote. 'The potential consequences are disturbing given how information is misused on social media. We fear, for example, that this shocking footage of Andros mother dying may be material used by bullies to emotionally abuse him in the future. Hutchins was also filmed being wheeled out of the church on a gurney while being given oxygen, before being put into a helicopter and airlifted away They also cited that the department was not required to release the footage. However, the department said it released the footage due to the number of records requests it received, according to the Los Angeles Times. 'We had received many requests for the information since the beginning of the investigation back in October when the incident occurred and it took us a lot of time to compile the data,' a police representative told the Times. 'When information is requested in New Mexico that is a public record, which these files are, were obligated to release them.' The department also released over 200 pages of police reports, other videos - including Baldwin's interrogation - and personal information, including phone number and addresses and social security numbers that were not redacted. The material was released before charges have been brought against anyone involved in the shooting. Former prosecutor for the LA DA's office and criminal defense attorney Joshua Ritter told the Los Angeles Times that the amount of information Santa Fe police released was 'just something that you dont see.' 'Were not talking about a few hand-picked reports or videos, but its almost like theyve released their entire file and its just remarkable to me,' he said. 'Theyve almost invited public opinion to weigh in on whether or not they think criminal charges are strong or not.' Crime scene photos were also released by police, as well as personal information, such as phone numbers, social security numbers, and addresses. Both the Hutchins family and the Rust movie representatives slammed the decision Pictures taken by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office show the evidence left on the scene after paramedics departed Lisa Torraco, the attorney representing the movie, also disagreed with the release of the information, stating: 'We are very very disappointed the sheriff released personal information.' The distressing clip of Halyna Hutchins' final moments - including paramedics crying 'Halyna, stay with us!' was released as part of a trove of evidence shared by Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office Monday. Hutchins, who died aged 42, could be seen unconscious of the floor of a church set as emergency responders worked to save her after she was shot on the New Mexico set of the western in October 2021. She appeared to be unconscious throughout, having been shot through her right armpit, with the bullet that struck her later emerging again through the top of her shoulder. They also released footage of Baldwin's interview with authorities Not much can be heard other than encouragement for Hutchins and the paramedics barking instructions at one another. In another video, the crew from Rust, including Baldwin, can be heard asking how Hutchins is doing. Baldwin can be heard asking 'what's her story?' in reference to Hutchins and being told things are 'a little bit rougher.' Someone can be heard asking if the condition is life-threatening and the response is: 'enough to get air-lifted.' The investigation files also include rehearsal clips that show Baldwin in costume as he practices a quick-draw maneuver with a gun. A close-knit community has been rocked by the tragic death of a happy baby boy who had recently taken his first steps. Mystery surrounds what happened to the 14-month-old toddler named Jace who was found dead at a Madora Bay home south of Perth early on Wednesday. Police returned to a home Balclutha Crescent for a second day on Thursday, where the property remains cordoned off. Officers obtained CCTV footage from a property opposite the home as forensic police took photographs and took away bags of evidence to be examined. Forensic police remain at the Madora Bay home where a 14-month-old boy died on Wednesday Neighbours raised the alarm shortly before 5am on Wednesday after they heard shouting and doors banging. Police arrived on scene and called paramedics, who desperately tried to revive the boy. The toddler lived at the rented home with his mother and grandmother. Shattered next door neighbour Stan Grostate dropped off an Easter egg for Jace several days earlier and was one of the last to see the toddler alive. He held the little boy on Tuesday night so his mother could have a cigarette. The quiet suburban street south of Perth has been cordoned off for a consecutive day 'It's devastating. He was such a cute little boy,' Mr Grostate told reporters. 'He smiled a lot, and used to play with my cat whenever they came over. 'He had just started walking.' 'I just want to know how he died.' Shan Preston added: 'It genuinely hurts me to think about. He was just so little. It's just horrible.' Homicide detectives are investigating the toddler's death as forensic officers (pictured) scour the home for clues The toddler's tragic death has rocked shattered Madora Bay locals (pictured) Another resident told The West Australian the boy's mum was 'very quiet' and kept to herself'. Investigations continue as police wait for the results of a post-mortem. 'Homicide Squad detectives are currently at a home in Madora Bay, investigating the death of a child, a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. 'The circumstances surrounding the death are not known at this time, and inquiries are now ongoing.' No charges have yet been laid. Madora Bay is regarded as one of Mandurah's most south-after estates because of its beachside location and easy access to Perth. A calculated killer is on the run after a 'big, big fish' of Sydney's underworld gangland war was gunned down while visiting an associate in city's south-west. Police sources said Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad, also known as Mr Big, had no obvious connection to Greenacre, where he took his last breath on Wednesday night. He had more enemies than friends and detectives aren't shocked Ahmad was gunned down, after he repeatedly failed to heed their warnings to lay low following his release from jail in November last year. It's understood he had a $1million bounty on his head. But there are now suspicions that Ahmad may have been betrayed by someone he trusted. 'He wasn't supposed to be here,' one police source told Daily Mail Australia. 'Whoever did this was given a heads up that they could find him here.' Homicide Squad commander Danny Doherty said: 'It was a meticulous assassination ... they weren't going to muck around with this one.' Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad was gunned down while visiting an associate in Sydney's south-west. Pictured are police trying to revive the underworld figure A series of bullet holes could be seen in the side of a white Toyota Hilux that was towed away in Greencare on Thursday morning Police are investigating whether two burnt out luxury cars (one pictured) found near the scene are linked to the shooting death of Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad Forensic officers paid particular attention to this white FWD, swabbing for prints and taking photos Detectives fear Sydney's underworld is set to explode in a series of tit for tat reprisals after kingpin Mr Big Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad was gunned down in a suburban street When Ahmad came out of the two storey home at the end of the street, he was immediately set upon and fell to the ground in a hail of bullets. Detectives have described the assassination as 'incredibly brazen and callous'. Seven cars have since been taken from the scene, including a white ute with five bullet holes. While it's only very early in the investigation, police were able to obtain several Firearm Prohibition Orders late on Wednesday and on Thursday. This allowed them to launch a targeted raid on several addresses linked to known underworld figures. It's unclear if they found anything of interest in the coordinated raids on Thursday morning. Pictured: Forensic officer dusting for finger prints on a white FWD at the crime scene Seven cars in total have so far been towed from the crime scene, including this blue one Cops talk to locals as they hunt for answers to the brutal slaying of Mr Big Narelle Crescent in Greenacre remained cordoned off by police on Thursday morning after underworld kingpin Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad was shot dead in a hail of bullets It's still not entirely clear how Ahmad fits into the equation, but Homicide Squad boss Danny Doherty noted he had a lot of enemies The two burnt out luxury cars found near the scene - a Porsche and a BMW - were both stolen. There are mounting fears of a retaliatory attack as the list of victims in Sydney's underworld war soars to nine in 18 months. 'You'd think the Hamze's would call it,' the source said. 'There aren't too many left.' Earlier, a police officer explained how the Alameddine crime network were 'picking the Hamze's off like flies'. It's still not entirely clear how Ahmad fits into the equation, but Homicide Squad boss Danny Doherty noted he had a lot of enemies. Just last October, Ahmad dodged another attempt on his life when he was tipped off about a planned hit on him in broad daylight at a park at Rushcutters Bay. A burnt-out Porsche 4WD was found in Greenacre shortly after the shooting (pictured) Firefighters contained the blaze (pictured) and it is unconfirmed if the two incidents are linked 'There is a long list of people that would like to see or do harm to rally and someone last night managed to do so,' Detective Superintendent Doherty said. 'Even up until last week police were executing firearm prohibition orders on associates, warning them that by being associated with him they're in danger. 'He'd (also) been warned in the past that he was a marked man but he didn't heed those warnings. '(This is) the consequences of him continuing on in the Bankstown area of going about his normal business as if he hadn't care in the world, but he was in imminent danger and it was warning that had been given to him.' Ahmad had very little concern about any perceived danger to his life and 'didn't want to hide', police say. A white Hilux ute was peppered with bullets (pictured) on the passenger side of the vehicle Bystanders gather in the street (pictured) after word of the shooting spread and hoards of police and emergency services vehicles arrived Distressed associates of Ahmad were involved in a tense exchange with police when they arrived at the scene on Thursday morning It's understood Ahmad had connections with the Hamze and Alameddine wars but was also involved in a separate organised crime network. 'He was a big, big fish,' one cop said. 'This is pretty significant in terms of his family and his associates.' Regardless, police aren't expecting the violence to subside any time soon. 'Emotions are running high and when these boys act with their emotions it doesn't always end well I think we're in for a long couple of days.' Ahmad had only recently been released from prison after serving five years for the manslaughter of another underworld figure at a Sydney scrap yard in 2016. All morning on Thursday friends and family of the deceased were driving past the scene or trying to get inside. Two men, claiming to be family, were eventually let in after a standoff with police. They refused to speak with media, insisting they knew nothing about the attack or underworld threats. While some neighbours noted it wasn't unusual for crime and gang activity in Greenacre, several others said it'd never been this close to home before. Officers speak to bystanders after the shooting in Sydney's west on Wednesday (pictured) Multiple police vehicles attend the scene at Greenacre, Sydney (pictured) after a man was killed in a hail of bullets How shooting unfolded: Timeline of attack on Mahmoud Ahmad Mahmoud 'Brownie' Ahmad went to Narelle Crescent, Greenacre on Wednesday night to visit an associate. Around 9.30pm, he was leaving when he was gunned down by 'a large hail of bullets' outside the home. More than one person 'lay in wait' outside the house before opening fire. Officers from Strike Force Raptor were in the area at the time and arrived to find a dying Ahmad lying in the street. 'The movements of Brownie Ahmed are being investigated,' Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said. 'He was at that address visiting an associate. 'He'd been there for a little bit and was leaving. 'What appears to be - whoever was in a car - as soon as he was out open in the street more than one person in that vehicle, someone's fired shots at Brownie Ahmed 'They've planned it. it's well executed and I suppose it was a meticulous assassination of a person they were going to kill.' 'They weren't going to muck around with this one, that's for sure.' Advertisement Narelle Crescent in Greenacre has been blocked off from the public since Wednesday night, with police ushering neighbours in and out by foot. A sniffer dog was on the scene going from door to door in the cul-de-sac looking for clues as police launch a major investigation into the assassination. 'I thought I heard something but I wasn't sure,' one neighbour, 34-year-old Zarif, told Daily Mail Australia. 'When I came out to check it was pandemonium. Police, all my neighbours, we were all on the street.' Since 2020, NSW Police have focused considerable resources on a gangland war between the Alameddine and Hamzy groups which has seen at least seven people killed. Police are scouring multiple crime scenes, including the street where Ahmad was gunned down on Wednesday night After a number of arrests and top-level Alameddine enforcer Masood Zakaria fleeing overseas the war appeared to have quietened. But Ahmad's death could ignite a new blood-feud police will have to contend with. Police sources previously told Daily Mail Australia the organisations target vulnerable teenagers from an early age, luring them into the underworld with the promise of cash, infamy and a sense of belonging. 'They get them young,' the source said. 'These kids are usually the ones stealing the cars, pushing the drugs. It's insidious.' It's alleged the chosen youths have 'stealing cars down to an art' and hand them over to the senior members accused of carrying out or soliciting hits on their enemies. Ahmed being arrested by police in 2016 after touching down in Sydney airport from Lebanon where he fled in the aftermath the gunfight at a smash repair business Moderna is planning to submit an application to the FDA on Thursday for the authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine among kids ages six months to five years. The Omicron variant was predominant during Moderna's pediatric trial, and the drugmaker claims two doses were around 38% effective in preventing infections in 2 to 5-year-olds and 44% effective for children aged 6 months to 2 years. Moderna gave children two quarter-sized vaccine doses for the study. Their shot is currently only available for adults aged 18 and up. Pfizer's COVID shot is available to children as young as five, and is the only vaccine authorized for minors in the US. Its request comes after drug company suggested two-doses of its vaccine provided a comparable protection in young children to that of adults. A clinical trial of around 6,700 kids found two quarter doses of the COVID-19 shot in children aged 6 and under generated an immune response similar to that of young adults who also received two full shots. Many parents remain wary of giving young children the vaccine. They're at very low risk of a severe COVID infection, with 1,185 of America's total 992,000 COVID deaths among children aged 0 to 18. COVID jabs also carry a very low risk of heart inflammation - particularly in boys and young men - which can in rare cases prove serious. Moderna plans to submit an application to the FDA for the authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine among kids between the ages of six months to five years. Children are pictured receiving a Pfizer vaccine - the only one currently available to youngsters aged five and up Children who got the shot only experienced mild side effects. None developed severe Covid-19. Despite the application, Moderna still needs to send in its final batch of data to the FDA, according to Politico and it is not likely to do so until May 4. The filing essentially means that Moderna can start to plan how it would go about distributing the shot, but a final decision to approving the jab is likely to still be several weeks away. The FDA has so far not commented on the possible application. Peter Marks, the top FDA vaccine regulator, told lawmakers that a more specific timeline would be released next week which would likely stipulate when the agency planned to give the shots the green light. Peter Marks, the top FDA vaccine regulator, told lawmakers that a more specific timeline would be released next week stipulating when the agency planned to give the shots the green light 'Just remember that we can't actually finish our reviews until we actually have complete applications in the FDA,' Marks testified to the Senate HELP Committee. 'We will proceed with all due speed, once we have complete applications, some of these are complicated because they are relatively covering larger swaths of the pediatric population than others,' he added. Last week, Pfizer said a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine produced significant protection against the Omicron variant in healthy children from ages 5 to 11. Earlier in the year the FDA authorized a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 and those aged 5 through 11 who are immunocompromised. It is unclear how much demand there is for a third vaccine dose in the age group. Just 28% of children aged 5 to 11 years - around 8.2 million - are fully vaccinated, according to data from the CDC. There has also been some skepticism on the need for boosters in younger children given the reduced risk of severe infection and hospitalization in the age group. Moderna's trial involving 6,700 children found two doses were around 38% effective in 2 to 5-year-olds and 44% effective for kids aged 6 months to under 2 years Pfizer has filed for the clearance of a 10-microgram booster dose for children 5 to 11 years. Adults receive a 30-microgram dose of the vaccine. The primary two-dose COVID-19 shot from Pfizer and BioNTech was authorized in the United States for children 5 to 11 years in October. Moderna's filing will further pile pressure on the FDA for them to authorize the vaccine after it was revealed how the agency was delaying until Pfizer put forward its filing for a similar shot. Federal regulators believed that the release of vaccines from both companies at the same time would make it easier to roll them out to the public and cut down on confusion, but it might result in a delay until June. 'Let me be very clear, being thorough absolutely does not mean we are delaying review of these vaccines,' Marks said in a video on Tuesday. 'We're going to move with all expediency without sacrificing our standards to complete our evaluations.' A venomous snake was found under the hood of a man's outdoor BBQ, prompting a safety warning to all Aussies to watch out for deadly bites. Owner of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers, Stuart McKenzie, was called out to the Sippy Downs home after a terrified owner noticed 'something black' slither under the barbeque hood on Wednesday. Footage taken by Mr McKenzie shows the moment the 1.2 metre red bellied black snake was found, captured, and relocated. Snake catcher Stuart McKenzie responded to a call from a Sunshine Coast resident who spotted a red bellied black snake under the hood of his outdoor barbeque (pictured) 'The Aussie barbeque is probably one of the most well-used things here on the Sunshine Coast,' Mr McKenzie said in the Facebook video. 'As a snake catcher going into a situation like this, we want to make sure that we are being as careful as possible.' The owner of the home can be seen pointing, from a great distance, to the barbeque in question. Mr McKenzie slowly removed the covers using his snake handler hook making sure his hands were well clear of the snake who might have confused his fingers for food. The snake catcher 'could not believe his eyes' when he took a peak under the last barbeque cover. The dangerous reptile quickly slithered away wrapping its head and body around the back of the barbeque hood and around the gas pipe. 'This is what snakes do when they try to get away,' Mr McKenzie said. 'They'll curl around something on their front end.' The experienced catcher was able to manipulate the snake and get the reptile out in the open by using his hook and grabbing the tail with his fingers. The dangerous reptile quickly slithered away wrapping its head and body around the back of the barbeque hood and around the gas pipe Mr McKenzie (pictured) was able to manipulate the snake and get the reptile out in the open by using his hook and grabbing the end of its tail with his fingers He then guided the snake to the ground were it was able to 'chillax'. The snake is seen flicking its tongue out and smelling its environment before slithering straight into the handlers bag. Mr McKenzie is then seen relocating the 'beautiful' reptile back to where it belongs in the Australian bushland. The serpent encounter comes after Queensland Ambulance confirmed paramedics have responded to 370 snake bites across the state since the beginning of the year - 48 of which have occurred in the Sunshine Coast. In comparison, the state recorded 872 snake bites in total last year. Of the 370 bites already recorded, the highest number occurred in the Sunshine Coast; with paramedics responding to 48 callouts. Queensland Ambulance said most bites occurred on the lower limbs when people attempted to either kill or move the snake. Although most species are not aggressive and will usually retreat before attacking, Mr McKenzie said snake bites come down to how people act when they encounter a serpent. Mr McKenzie urges people to leave the job of relocating a snake to the professionals. 'Generally snake bites come down to how people act,' Mr McKenzie told Nine News. 'This season we've had a lot of calls and messages where people have already caught the snake. More so than last season. 'It should be going the opposite way with all the education out there. Please leave the handling to the professionals.' Scientists are mystified as to why dozens of headless penguins have been washing up on Australian beaches, leading to an investigation into who, or what, is behind the gruesome deaths. Around 20 penguin bodies washed ashore on beaches in South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula in April alone. This is more than the total number of penguin deaths in the area in the whole of 2021. Headless penguins have been washing up on shore around Fleurieu Peninsula (pictured) in South Australia In South Australia, Stephen Hedges is collecting the dead animals so they can be studied by scientists to find out how or why the heads are being removed. The Flinders University volunteer said he and others are finding both the penguin bodies and the severed heads. Direct human intervention has been ruled out as a cause as the deaths are happening a sea. But Mr Hedges said fishing boat propellers could be causing the deaths, based on the large number of vessels in the area. 'We normally have one or two per month washing up on the beaches but already (in April) I have collected between 15 and 20, and sometimes three in one day,' he told the Advertiser. Mr Hedges the evidence so far is pointing to a 'fairly clean chop' on the penguin's heads. 'But looking at an animal and thinking "that is a very clean chop" is not the same as scientists determining a cause,' he said. Life of Australia's penguins Australia's mainland-dwelling little penguins face many threats, from introduced predators to humans inadvertently trampling burrows. Even the remote-dwelling penguins of the Southern Ocean aren't immune to human impact. At sea, they may struggle to find food, facing competition with industrial fishing and changes in abundance and distribution of their prey due to climate change. Many penguin breeding sites are protected, and a number of marine protected areas are proposed for East Antarctica to help our penguin pals. Source: Australian Geographic Advertisement In an normal year, between 10 and 20 of the flightless birds wash up dead onshore in the area, but with that many just in April, scientists are concerned. Mr Hedges said a recent tuna fishing competition off Encounter Bay could have attracted penguins around boats. Tourism may also be a factor in the killing of the penguins, with the numbers increasing around the Easter and Anzac weekends when there were a lot of visitors to the area. He said a lot of the tourists were walking along the beaches with their dogs, which may be related to what happened. Fox predation could also be a factor. Another theory is that the decapitations could be caused by waves, currents and climatic conditions, but the number of deaths seems too large for that to be the sole cause. Mr Hedges said it would take two or three weeks for scientists to find a definitive cause. Though the headless bodies being found in South Australia seems to be a unique event, penguins have recently fallen to another bizarre mass death. Last September a swarm of bees killed 63 endangered African penguins on a South African beach. The protected birds were found dead in Simon's Town, near Cape Town and taken for post-mortems. 'After tests, we found bee stings around the penguins' eyes,' David Roberts, a clinical veterinarian, said at the time. Pictured is a blue penguin at Victor Habor in South Australia. Penguins in the area have been washing ashore after being beheaded The area is a national park and Cape honeybees are part of the ecosystem. 'The penguins must not die just like that as they are already in danger of extinction. They are a protected species,' said Mr Roberts, who works with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds. South African National Parks said there were no external physical injuries found on any of the birds. The postmortems showed all the penguins had multiple bee stings. While the vast majority of Apple products are assembled in China, it seems that Apple now uses some of Foxconn's facilities in Brazil to assemble the iPhone 13. However, it seems that the iPhone 13 mini will not have a local production, as per 9to5mac report. According to 9to5mac, an iPhone 13 customer was surprised to find that his brand-new unit denoted that it was assembled in Brazil. The iPhone unit was confirmed to be manufactured in Brazil with a model number of "MLPF3BR/A." Chinese-assembled iPhones sold in Brazil bare a "BZ/A" identifier, according to Apple Insider. Brazil Only Assembles 6.1-inch iPhone 13 According to 9to5mac, for some unknown reason, it seems that only the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 is being assembled at Foxconn Brazil, located in Jundiai, Sao Paulo. Evidence shows that the 6.1-inch model of the iPhone 13 is currently being assembled at Foxconn Brazil. This is not surprising because both the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 were also assembled in Brazil in the past. It was reported by MacMagazine that Apple updated the iPhone 13 documentation at ANATEL (the Brazilian telecom regulator) on January 24, 2022. Foxconn Brazil is now included as a manufacturing facility for the product. The documents, according to MacMagazine, also confirmed that neither the iPhone 13 mini nor the 13 Pro models are included in the plans to be assembled in Brazil. On September 14, 2021, the iPhone 13 alongside iPhone 13 Pro was first unveiled at Apple's "California Streaming" keynote event. On March 8, 2022, the new green color option was introduced. The new iPhone 13 is an upgrade of its predecessor, the iPhone 12. It carried out a number of significant upgrades including new cameras, a bigger and longer battery life, more storage, and a brighter screen. Faster than its predecessor's A14 Bionic processor, the iPhone 13 has Apple's latest A15. It has double the starting storage of 128GB and it is one of the fastest phones a person can buy. The iPhone 13 operates with iOS 15. It has two improved 12-megapixel cameras on the back, one main and one ultrawide angle. The 12MP selfie camera shoots good, crisp, and detailed images in bright light. The iPhone 13 is a level-up phone that a person can safely use longer than other smartphones with five years of software support provided by Apple. With reasonable and accessible battery replacement options, it is one of the best phones that a person can buy. Read Also: How Much Did It Cost Apple To Build iPhone 13 Pro? It's Pricier Than iPhone 12 Pro! Why Is Apple Not Assembling Pro Models of iPhone in Brazil? Apple has never assembled any Pro models of the iPhone in Brazil according to 9to5mac. It's probably because they are much more expensive and only a few people buy these models in emerging countries. However, more affordable models like the iPhone SE and iPhone 11 were already being manufactured in Brazil. Apple has, however, decided to scrap the iPhone 13 mini from its local assembly plans. Why? Because the mini version has low demand, no matter the efforts to make it more affordable. Because Brazil imposes high taxes on imported products, which includes almost the entire range of Apple devices, some companies invest in the local assembly process. This grants a reduction in taxes to sell those products. Related Article: How to Fix iPhone 13 Camera Quality: Avoid Blurry, Low Quality Photos With These Steps Ben Roberts-Smith's friend and SAS soldier won a fancy dress competition for wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit at an Australian army bar in Afghanistan, he has told a court. The witness codenamed Person 35 from New Zealand in the Federal Court was questioned about his controversial outfit worn at the SAS makeshift bar called the Fat Lady's Arms. Person 35 is appearing on behalf of Mr Roberts-Smith who is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation. The war veteran denies all reported claims he committed war crimes in Afghanistan including murder, and acts of bullying and domestic violence, while the mastheads are defending them as true. Barrister Nicholas Owens SC on behalf of the newspapers asked the witness about why he chose to dress up as a KKK member. Person 35 said the KKK costume (pictured) was the 'easiest costume to manufacture at short notice' and thought it would be funny as another person was dressing in blackface Person 35 said he didn't want to pay for an outfit online and this was the "easiest costume to manufacture at short notice". "I knew another person was coming as blackface and I thought it would be funny if I came as a Klansman." He said it was a parody, to have a laugh, to make fun of the actual Klan itself. "They're pretty pathetic and I was making a joke of it." "Were you reprimanded?" Mr Owens asked. "No I was not, I actually won the fancy dress competition," Person 35 said. The former elite soldier was also questioned about a number of Instagram posts he had liked, including one with an image of a man labelled "Fairfax". The post references "some f***wit in a suit using f***tard logic he learned getting his tonsils bruised by some lecturer's spotty d*** at their non-binary law school". Key witness, person 35, appeared on behalf of Mr Roberts-Smith (above) telling the court he hadn't seen Roberts-Smith allegedly kick a prisoner off a cliff "This c*** will be one of the first to be held down and drowned in a muddy puddle for his fancy jacket," the post continues. Person 35 said it wasn't referring to Mr Owens personally, but the entire proceedings, including all witnesses who appeared for the news outlets. He said the posts were dark humour and should not be taken seriously. To another online posting referencing rats and snitches, Person 35 said he believed previous witnesses on the "other side" had been lying, and found it extremely disturbing they spoke to the media and not the chain of command. He agreed he "did not see what some of your witnesses have claimed to have seen", referring to the allegation Mr Roberts-Smith kicked a prisoner off a cliff. "I know my friend Ben and I know he wouldn't do that." Another point of amusement for Person 35 was his drawings of winged penises inside troop headquarters at Tarin Kowt, he said. Mr Roberts-Smith outside court recently He said his parody of the winged dagger became his trademark art "for a laugh". But he denied the suggestion he penned a winged penis kicking a prisoner off the side of a cliff, a drawing another soldier said he had seen after the allegation against Mr Roberts-Smith became known. Person 35 testified that he saw plenty of "killboards" around the Australian army base including one in Mr Roberts-Smith's room. On Thursday Person 35 confirmed Seven Network boss Kerry Stokes was paying for his legal fees, saying he did not trust free lawyers offered from the Australian Defence Force. It follows his evidence about a key point of contention during a clearance of a Taliban compound dubbed Whiskey 108 in Uruzgan province in 2009. Person 35 has backed Mr Roberts-Smith's testimony that no men were found inside a secret tunnel Person 35 says he crawled through. The trial continues. Rudy Giuliani is expected to testify before the January 6 House select committee next month regarding his efforts to delay or overturn Joe Biden's 2020 election shortly before the Capitol riot. The committee had subpoenaed Giuliani - Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, in January - with Giuliani's team and lawmakers negotiating on how he will comply when he testifies in May, sources told CNN. In the subpoena, the committee alleges Giuliani 'actively promoted claims of election fraud on behalf of the former president and sought to convince state legislators to take steps to overturn the election results.' It also states that Giuliani was in contact with Trump and Congressional representatives 'regarding strategies for delaying or overturning the results of the 2020 election.' The former Mayor of New York City attended the Save America rally that took place in Washington DC and was photographed addressing a crowd, some of whom later ended up rioting at the Capitol. Rudy Giuliani, former President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, will testify before the January 6 House committee in May regarding his efforts to delay or overturn the 2020 election during the Save America rally (above) ahead of the deadly Capitol riot Giuliani will be the latest member of Trump's (right) inner circle to testify before the committee In the subpoena, the committee alleges Giuliani 'actively promoted claims of election fraud on behalf of the former president and sought to convince state legislators to take steps to overturn the election results.' Pictured, Trump supporters storming the Capitol on January 6 The committee has said it expects Giuliani to cooperate with the subpoena, but the Trump lawyer will be able to invoke executive or attorney-client privilege in response to specific questions. The House select committee declined to comment on Giuliani's expected appearance. Giuliani will be the latest member of Trump's inner circle to speak with the committee after daughter Ivanka Trump spoke with the committee for nearly eight hours on April 5. Her husband, Jared Kushner, met with the committee beforehand, and Donald Trump Jr. is also expected to testify before the lawmakers in the coming weeks. Giuliani had raised concerns in the moments leading up to the Capitol riot where he spoke to Trump supporters and reiterated his false claims that the election was stolen and that the opposition should be exposed to 'trial by combat.' 'If we're wrong we will be made fools of, but if we're right a lot of them will go to jail. Let's have trial by combat,' he said, without explaining exactly what he meant by combat. 'I'm willing to stake my reputation, the president is willing to stake his reputation on the fact that we're going to find criminality there,' he added to the frenzied crowd. Giuliani reiterated false claims of election fraud at the January 6 rally and called for 'trial by combat' for those stopping the overturn of the election Giuliani, The former mayor of New York, is also facing a potentially ruinous billion-dollar lawsuit filed in January 2021 by Dominion Voting Systems, who accused him of defamation after he claimed without evidence that the company rigged the election to defeat Trump. During the tense moments of the 2020 election, Trump had directed Giuliani to call the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to determine whether it could legally take control of voting machines in key swing states. Trump also had asked Attorney General Bill Barr whether the Justice Department could take the voting machines. Barr told him no. Trump continues to falsely state he lost the November 2020 election due to widespread fraud despite multiple court losses and audits confirming Biden's victory. Giuliani may also face charges from federal prosecutors in New York regarding his foreign lobbying efforts involving Ukraine while he served as Trump's lawyer. Earlier this month, he met with prosecutors to unlock three of his phones, according to CNN, after months of refusing to cooperate. Giuliani has denied any wrongdoing and said in the past that he 'never represented' anyone from Ukraine, insisting his work in the country was in his sole capacity as Trump's lawyer. A group of carjackers crashed into a Bronx man while trying to undertake his car, then attacked him and broke his eye socket before stealing their victim's car. Miquiel Guerrero, 23, and five others surrounded an unidentified victim, 53, and his car after they crashed into each other on Exterior Street in the Grand Concourse neighborhood around 6.30pm on March 30. The group appeared to be trying to pass the victim's Kia in their Lexus and got trapped between him and an unoccupied Honda sedan. Surveillance footage shows the group surrounding the driver's vehicle, with one member standing on the roof of the car, causing massive dents to form. He appears to reach down and slap the victim on the head while Guerrero can be seen violently punching the victim several times. After being beaten, the 53-year-old can be seen running away from the scene and two men enter his vehicle and begin to drive off with it. While three others hop in the Honda, according to the New York Post. A group of six attached an unidentified Kia driver after the pair crashed into each other on March 30 in the Bronx One of the members can be seen standing on the roof of the car was Miquiel Guerrero, 23, can be seen repeatedly punching the victim in the face Guerrero, who stayed on the scene for unknown reasons, was later arrested and charged with robbery. It is unclear why he did not receive an assault charge. Police are now looking for the other group members, all aged between 18 and 25, according to authorities. The victim was transported to Jacobi Medical Center and was treated for a fractured eye socket and facial cuts. The group later stole the victim's van as well as an unoccupied Honda. Guerrero stayed on the scene for unknown reasons and was apprehended and charged with robbery The arrests comes as New York is in the middle of a crime surge, with overall crime up 42 percent. The Big Apple is an increasing problem with carjacking up 68 percent and felony assaults up 21 percent. Earlier this month, NYC Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell 'this is not what New Yorkers expect or deserve, and we will not stand for it' as crime continues to terrorize New Yorkers. 'It's clear what we are confronting: A perception among criminals that there are no consequences, even for serious crime. We need tangible changes,' added Sewell. NYC Mayor Eric Adams has now vowed to crack down on transit crimes, which is up more than 60 percent, but also lazy officers patrolling subway stations. Adams made the plea at a press conference Tuesday when asked by a journalist about reports of multiple uniformed cops being spotted scrolling through phones while on duty guarding the city's crime-ridden transport network. The former NYPD captain warned: 'We are going to start taking very aggressive actions to make sure police are patrolling our subway system and not patrolling their iPhone.' Overall crime is up 42 percent in the city and assaults are up 20 percent 'If you see it, send me a picture. I'll go to that district the next day and see exactly what is happening. 'Send me a shot. New Yorkers, you see that send me a photo and I will be at that station.' Adams spokesman told anyone with photos to send them to his press office, whose email address is pressoffice@cityhall.nyc.gov. Adams said that New Yorkers can look forward to a 'visible difference in policing in the next couple of weeks.' The best friend of a teenager killed when she and her father went on a motorbike joyride for his birthday has shared a heartbreaking tribute to the 'beautiful soul'. Alan, 60, and Hannah Atherton, 19, were out on a ride for his 60th on April 18 when they collided with a silver sedan on the Bruce Highway, south of Mackay, in northern Queensland at about 10.30am. Mr Atherton died at the scene while Ms Atherton, who had been his pillion passenger, was flown to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition. After spending 10 days fighting for her life, she passed away on Wednesday. Ms Atherton's best friend Shakira Bickley, who she had been visiting in Mackay before her father's birthday, revealed she was able to tell her she loved her one final time. Hannah Atherton, 19, is pictured with best friend Shakira Bickley. Ms Bickley posted a heartbreaking tribute to her friend after she was tragically killed in a motorbike crash 'The loss of a best friend is nothing that I ever thought I would have to go through,' she wrote in a heartfelt social media post. The pair met on the school bus and soon became close friends, hanging out after class and playing AFL together. 'Each game we would argue on how we both wanted the number 8 jersey, she would win,' Ms Bickley said. The pair were able to reunite in Mackay, as Ms Atherton lives in Sydney and Ms Bickley on the Gold Coast, and went out to get ice-cream on Easter Sunday - the night before the accident. 'We drove around Mackay looking over a city we once called home. Talking about our future and personal goals,' Ms Bickley wrote. The teenager and her father Alan Atherton, 60, (pictured together) collided with a car while out on a motorbike for his birthday. He died at the scene 'Saying how she can't wait to have a big family one day and that I'll be the ''cool auntie''. 'We pulled up to mine and said our goodbyes and that we will see each other very soon as she was planning to come visit me in the Gold Coast. 'One last hug and one last ''love you'' as I closed the door. As hard as it is, I'm glad this was our last conversation. I'm glad you got to hear how much I love you.' Ms Atherton had been visiting her father in Mackay after moving from the coastal town five years ago. Loved ones have revealed her organs will be donated. Ms Atherton had recently moved to Sydney and was working as a fundraiser for marketing company Bua Group A friend said Mr Atherton died 'doing what he loved'. Pictured is his blue Harley Davidson Ms Bickley said she hoped her friend's organs would go 'to a soul just as beautiful as hers' and it was a 'true blessing' being able to 'say one last goodbye at the hospital'. 'Getting to hold your hand and seeing you at peace is something I'll appreciate forever,' she continued. 'May you and your dad ride into the beautiful sunset together.' Acting Inspector Anthony Cowan said the Athertons had been out with a group of riders on Easter Monday when tragedy struck. He said initial investigations suggested a car travelling in the same direction stopped on the side of the road near McNeil Road at Koumala and did a U-turn in front of the motorbike. 'I believe there was a group of motorcycles and (the car) has given way for most of the motorcycles and they've conducted a U-turn and not seen the last one, is what it appears,' he said, the Courier Mail reports. The 63-year-old female driver of the sedan was taken to Mackay Base Hospital with moderate injuries. Her four passengers - a man, 40, woman, 34, and two kids, aged five and seven - were not injured. Police said initial reports indicated the impact of the collision caused the sedan to flip on its side, blocking the northbound lane, as members of the public rushed to render assistance. Friends have remembered the teenager as a 'beautiful soul' and have revealed her organs will be donated to save other lives Ms Atherton was airlifted to hospital in a rescue helicopter after suffering head injuries, while police closed the road in both directions to investigate the scene. Forensic Crash Unit investigations continue and anyone with relevant dashcam footage from that area or information that could help is urged to contact police. Inspector Cowan described the desolate stretch of highway as a 'danger zone' as it is notorious for accidents due to driver fatigue. He said authorities would up patrols and improve signage following two deaths in the area this year. 'There's a big fatigue zone there especially coming 10 hours north of Brisbane and there's not much around,' he said. 'People don't realise they're tired until it is too late.' The tragedy brings the death toll on the Bruce Highway near Koumala so far this year to four after a woman and man were killed in two separate crashes. A Johns Hopkins doctor is mocking Dr. Anthony Fauci for refusing to the White House correspondents' dinner due to coronavirus concerns despite being quadruple-vaccinated. 'Dr. Fauci has been vaccinated four times and he still says he's not comfortable going to the white house correspondents' dinner this Saturday night,' Johns Hopkins professor Dr. Marty Makary told Fox News host Tucker Carlson Wednesday night. 'That is the person that is behind all the covid policies in the United States.' Makary questioned Fauci's credibility, noting he is 'not an infectious diseases doctor' and has been 'using the wrong data the entire pandemic'. 'Dr. Fauci is allowed to have an opinion. I think he has experience and should weigh in but let's be honest - he is not an infectious diseases doctor,' the surgeon argued. 'He never did an infectious diseases fellowship. He did a rheumatology fellowship.' Rheumatology is the study of diseases of muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. While Fauci initially specialized in that area of medicine, he has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. He was previously credited for his adept response to the AIDS epidemic - but his contradictory pronouncements on the newest virus to sweep the world have proved more controversial. 'I've been to about five or six major doctors conferences over the last three months nationwide, large conferences with thousands of doctors, they are not wearing masks. We have doctors aggregating and auditoriums doing their lectures and conferences and at social events with hundreds of people not wearing masks.' 'What does that tell you about the public health guidance that we've gotten?' he questioned. Makary's criticisms followed Fauci's latest U-turn in which he insisted the US has not left the pandemic stage of the COVID outbreak - just hours after saying that it had. Johns Hopkins professor Dr. Marty Makary (pictured) is mocking Dr. Anthony Fauci refusing to attend dinner at the White House dinner due to coronavirus concerns despite being quadruple vaccinated The White House COVID tsar claimed his remarks from Tuesday night - which were taped and reported verbatim - had been 'misconstrued' in a subsequent interview Wednesday. 'We certainly can't say the pandemic is over. It is not over,' Fauci, top medical advisor to President Joe Biden, told CBS News Wednesday afternoon. Fauci - famed for his flip-flops on issues including masks - did not comment further on how his earlier remarks had been misconstrued - even though they appear to directly contradict his 'correction.' He instead clarified that the COVID threat in the U.S. was not as 'acute and accelerated' as it was earlier in the pandemic and the nation had reached a new 'decelerated and controlled' phase of the pandemic over the past several months. Fire clip from Johns Hopkins' Dr. Marty Makary: "When you have doctors aggregating in auditoriums doing their lectures and conferences, then at social events with hundreds of people not wearing masks, what does that tell you about the public health guidance that we've gotten?" pic.twitter.com/tgQeb51b98 Scott Morefield (@SKMorefield) April 28, 2022 'That does not mean we are out of the woods,' he said, adding that the number of COVID positive cases is starting to 'creep up' again. The remarks which saw Fauci flip flop were broadcast by PBS NewsHour Tuesday night. 'We are certainly right now in this country out of the pandemic phase,' he said. 'Namely, we don't have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now.' Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured Tuesday), has flip-flopped on his pandemic guidance once again, now alleging the U.S. is not in the clear to return to a state of pre-virus normalcy Facui said Wednesday afternoon 'we certainly can't say the pandemic is over' in America, despite claiming Tuesday night that it was Fauci on Wednesday urged Americans to remain on guard, warning citizens should be vigilant and prepared for surges and new COVID variants, should they arise. He also stressed the U.S. 'needs to avoid another spike in hospitalizations.' Despite his warnings - a complete turn from his Tuesday remarks - Fauci noted how improved treatments and vaccines have put the U.S. in a much better position than other countries, such as China and Hong Kong, that continue to deal with serious virus situations. Makary hit back at Fauci, who serves as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, alleging his team has misled the American public throughout the course of the pandemic. 'He's been using the wrong data the entire pandemic and that data they are using his total hospitalizations,' the Johns Hopkins professor argued. 'Picking up a lot of incidental positive findings because hospitals do mass PCR testing of everyone who walks through the door so that number is north of 68 percent, 62 percent and yet they continue to cite the overall hospitalization.' Makary (right) argued to Tucker Carlson (left) that Fauci has misled the American public throughout the course of the pandemic COVID restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere in America. People are pictured walking unmasked in New York City on Wednesday. Unlike many other cities, NYC still requires residents to wear masks on the subway, public busses and at the airport The medical expert also accused Fauci of lying to the public and fueling the 'political propaganda' surrounding the pandemic. 'The public is really getting a glimpse of the use of dogma and even dogma in science as political propaganda over rigorous scientific studies,' Makary said. 'Let's be honest, many of the controversies that have been debated the entire two years could've been answered in one week with a good, solid, rigorous studies. The NIH has $42 billion.' 'Dr. Fauci could have answered the question about surface transmission versus airborne transmission when people were pouring gallons of alcohol-based solutions on their mail and groceries. These questions could've been answered in a few days with rigorous studies. Cloth masks, similarly, ignoring natural immunity - They are still not honest about natural immunity.' He criticized Fauci's team for not addressing the effects of booster shots in children or the rates of myocarditis in young males after they receive the vaccine. Makary also argued the NIAD director's pandemic restrictions caused a mental health crisis after 'shutting kids out of public schools and most of the country.' 'Math scores are down 10 percent, depression is epidemic, the CDC won't even tell us what the suicide rates were during the pandemic, which is very odd,' he stated. 'They publish that every year on an annual basis. You cannot find it anywhere, the suicide rates over the last two years.' He argued the leading public health authorities should have been direct with the American people, instead of giving absolute answers to questions they did not have the answers for. 'The right answer to a lot of the questions Americans have been asking for two years is "we don't know and we can find out if we do these studies" and we should have done the studies right away,' he said. 'People are sick of the absolutism. I can tell you as a doctor people are very forgiving if you make a mistake. If you're honest.' America is currently recording 54,840 daily COVID infections, a 45 percent increase over the past week - but more than 90 percent lower than the virus's peak of 800,000 per day Daily death totals have dropped 14 percent over the past week, to 363 per day The US averages 54,840 infections per day - just six percent of the virus's peak of 800,000 daily cases in mid-January Fauci on Tuesday declared the U.S. was 'out of the pandemic phase' of COVID as cases and hospitalizations continue to plummet. The immunologist, who continually lobbied for draconian mask and vaccine measures for the last two years, said 'we are at a low level right now.' But, he cautioned the virus cannot be stamped out completely and long-term vaccination programs may need to continue on a yearly basis. 'So, if you're saying, are we out of the pandemic phase in this country, we are. What we hope to do, I don't believe and I have spoken about this widely we're not going to eradicate this virus,' Fauci said. 'If we can keep that level very low, and intermittently vaccinate people and I don't know how often that would have to be. 'That might be every year, that might be longer, in order to keep that level low. But, right now, we are not in the pandemic phase in this country. 'Pandemic means a widespread, throughout the world, infection that spreads rapidly among people. So, if you look at the global situation, there's no doubt this pandemic is still ongoing.' Fauci, whose comments were buried at the end of his PBS NewsHour interview (pictured), caused some confusion Tuesday by saying the 'pandemic phase' was over at home but 'is still ongoing globally' Fauci, whose comments were buried at the end of his PBS NewsHour interview, caused some confusion by saying the 'pandemic phase' was over at home but 'is still ongoing globally'. Health experts questioned his claim, pointing out he appeared to have bungled his choice of words and should only have said 'US is in a phase of lower hospitalization rate'. America is currently recording 54,840 daily COVID infections, a 45 percent increase over the past week - but more than 90 percent lower than the virus's peak of 800,000 per day. Daily death totals have dropped 14 percent over the past week, to 363 per day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said Tuesday nearly 60 percent of Americans have been infected with COVID. Officials cautioned this data does not mean those Americans have immunity against the virus because of their prior infections. COVID restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere in America. One of the few existing mandates left is in New York City, where residents are still required to wear masks on the subway, public busses and at the airport. Masks are also required on public transit in Los Angeles. Philadelphia brought back its mask order for four days last week before almost immediately lifting them again. Children under five years of age in the New York City public school system are still subject to 'close-contact restrictions' including mask wearing, a bizarre break from the rest of the city where there is no indoor mask mandate even as medical experts and virologists widely agree that the risk of children becoming seriously ill or dying from Covid is extremely low. While children are less likely than adults to be hospitalized or to die from COVID, the CDC reported on Tuesday that in the United States, 475 children under the age of five have died from the disease. There is still no vaccine for this age group meaning the pandemic won't be over until it becomes available, which could be several more months. The federal government's nationwide mask order for public transit, commercial flights and transportation centers was dismissed by a federal judge earlier this month. The CDC also revised its face-covering guidance in February, recommending that indoor masking only remain for communities thought to be at high risk for Covid, and mask mandates at large public gatherings such as sporting events are no longer in force. Kyleen Waltman, 38 (pictured), was mauled by three pit bulls last month while walking to her mother's home in rural Honea Path, about 80 miles northwest of Columbia A South Carolina mother of three who lost both arms to a pack of pit bulls is having to deal with another round of heartbreak having been told the nature of her injuries were so severe she will be unable to wear prosthetic limbs. Kyleen Waltman, 38, was mauled by three pit bulls last month while walking to her mother's home in rural Honea Path, about 80 miles northwest of Columbia. She has since undergone more than 10 surgeries and has lost both her arms. Her sister Amy Wynne, 41, wrote in a Wednesday GoFundMe update how the family had hoped that she was going be able to be fitted with a prosthetic for her right arm, but doctors have now said that there is simply not enough tissue or bone for it to be attached. They've had to remove more of the bone as a result, meaning Waltman is no longer able to have prosthetic limbs fitted. 'We thought her right shoulder was going to be good and they were able to fit it with a prosthetic, well yesterday they found an infection in the bone and had to remove more of the bone. So now she will not be able to have regular prosthetics on either shoulder,' Wynne wrote in the devastating post in which she also revealed how her sister's body is still fighting off an infection on her leg. Although her sister Amy Wynne, 41, wrote in a Monday GoFundMe update that Waltman has lost so much bone and tissue, she will no longer be able to wear prosthetic arms 'Her left leg is giving not only her but the doctors a fit. The infection in it is the same infection that she has had throughout her whole body, but for some reason the infection in her leg they cant stop from spreading.' Wynne explained how the family would be facing the dogs' owner in court for the first time since the attack. Justin Minor (pictured) was arrested and charged with three counts of owning a dangerous animal that attacked and injured a human. His pit bulls have been euthanized since the attack Earlier this month, doctors attempted to explain to her how she had lost both of her arms but became so distressed she was sedated once again. Wynne now says that the news has has been delivered with her sister 'fully aware' what has happened. 'The doctors have told Kyleen once again about her arms and about most of the damage the dogs had done. She is now fully aware of the situation. She still has a long way to go. She has survived this for a reason,' Wynne added optimistically. Wynne also explained how the family would be facing Moore in court on Thursday for the very first time since the attack. 'We go to court and this is where the judge is going to tell him (dog owner) what all his charges are and the repercussions of his actions. So I ask that you all please pray for my mama when she sees him face to face for the first time since the accident that everything goes accordingly.' Two days after the March attack, dog owner Justin Minor was arrested and charged with three counts of owning a dangerous animal that attacked and injured a human, rabies control violation, and dangerous animal not permitted beyond premises unless restrained, according to The State. He was released on a $15,000 bond last month but he may still face a penalty of $5,000 or a sentence of three years in prison. Minor is pictured at his bail hearing last month before he was released on $15,000 bond On Tuesday, Watlman, pictured, had surgery for her left leg, which Wynne said was still 'up for amputation' if it doesn't start to heal correctly On Sunday, Wynne told how her sister kept asking for her mother to hold her hand. 'She will ask our mama to hold her hand and mama says "I am," and Kyleen will say "OK." It's sad to see her like this.' Regardless, Wynne wrote, Kyleen is in 'high spirits.' 'Kyleen is very antsy she wants to leave and wants to drink her Dr. Pepper and get out of bed,' Wynne wrote. As of Thursday, the fundraiser for Waltman has raised $225,000 from more than 4,700 donations. In her latest battle, doctors performed a tracheostomy on her, which means a hole was cut in her neck and a tube inserted to help her breathe. She also had to have a shunt put in her left lung to help with the fluid. 'Here we are trying to figure out how to keep her from thinking negative thoughts about her life. I understand that for 38 years she's had arms and now she doesn't, how she's thinking. She's still fighting. Prayers are working and slowly she is healing,' Wynne wrote. Tanya Gilmer, Waltman's best friend, told WGN Radio that the attack came as she was walking from her boyfriend's home to her mother's property. 'As far as I know, the dogs just jumped on her and you can actually see in the road if you go down there, where she fought the dog, trying to fight them off,' Gilmer said. The dogs were seized by Abbeville County Animal Control, and the Abbeville County Sheriff's Office before being euthanized and sent away for testing. Avery Presley, a local farmer driving his tractor to feed his cows down the road, saw Waltman under attack in a ditch and was able to scare the dogs away by firing his gun into the air, police said. Amy Wynne has been providing regular updates on a GoFundMe page that she started to raise medical funds. As of Tuesday, more than $212,000 has been donated 'I ain't no hero,' Presley told the Greenwood Index Journal. 'I still feel guilty about not getting there earlier. I always carry a gun for safety.' Waltman's GoFundMe page states 'If it wasn't for [the passerby], my sister wouldn't be here,' Waltman's other sister, Shenna Green, said. 'By that time, they couldn't even tell who she was.' 'She didn't deserve it. She was a good person. She helped everybody... She just found out she's a grandma [and]...can't even hold the grandbaby and that's going to be devastating.' Gilmer told the local radio station that the dogs 'pretty much ripped all the meat from [Waltman's] arms,' and that the woman now has 'a hole in the back of her head.' On Minor's property, a 'Beware of Dog' sign can be seen on Minor's property 'I'm still in shock of it. The pictures of her tore my heart to pieces, but regardless, she's still the same beautiful Kyleen to me,' said Gilmer, who has been friends with Waltman for three decades. 'She'll always be the same beautiful Kyleen to me.' Gilmer said that Waltman, who is also a grandmother of one, will be in the hospital for at least three to four months, followed by a long period of rehabilitation. 'She's alive. She's a fighter. She's going to fight through this. I know her. She's going to fight through it.' Benjamin Alewine, Minor's neighbor and cousin, saw Waltman lying in the ditch after she was attacked. He told the Greenwood Index Journal that the 'hole' in the back of her head was about the diameter of a coffee cup. 'I ain't never seen no dog do that to anyone,' he said. 'This is the most awful sight I ever seen, for a dog attack.' 'It's hard to forget it. I asked her what her name was and she couldn't even move her lips.' He had known Waltman for 25 years, but was unable to recognize her until deputies came to the scene and pulled her identification from her pocket. Alewine said he didn't know where Minor got the dogs, but said he had a habit of adopting strays. A few days before the attack, he said, he carried a PVC in his hand for protection against the dogs as he walked down the road. 'If you ain't got a stick in your hand, they'll bite you,' he said. 'I'm scared of walking on my property at night.' He told the outlet that his Chihuahua, which he'd had for three years, disappeared about three weeks ago - he wondered if Minor's dogs had gotten to it. There is a leash law in Honea Path, he said. Kyleen Waltman, 38, needed to be sedated after learning that she had lost both of her arms Local news outlets have photographed 'Beware of dog' signs around Minor's property. Animals services said it impounded another eight dogs from the owner's property on a ten day quarantine because of unknown circumstances surrounding the attack. Waltman's family wants Minor held accountable for the attack that changed changed the victim's life. Adonia Gymer, Waltman's cousin, told DailyMail.com that she was 'personally angry' about the attack. 'Justin Minor knew his dogs were vicious and he let them run free,' she said on Saturday. 'I've known Justin for years. He made those dogs mean on purpose. They've bitten people before.' 'Kyleen is a loving, big-hearted woman,' Gymer said. 'She especially loves animals. Nobody deserves this, but Kyleen really didn't.' Benjamin Alewine (pictured), Minor's neighbor and cousin, saw Waltman lying in the ditch after she was attacked. He told the Greenwood Index Journal that the 'hole' in the back of her head was about the diameter of a coffee cup. Kyleen worked with her mother at Lou & Perry's restaurant, according to the Greenwood Index Journal. Her manager, Eric Vaughn Jr. (pictured), said she'd worked there since she was 17 or 18 years old, and that her mother was struggling emotionally after the attack 'It could've been prevented,' sister Amy Wynne, said. 'If the dogs were locked up or if the dogs were chained up, or if they were never there to begin with, this would've never happened.' Kyleen worked with her mother at Lou & Perry's restaurant, according to the Greenwood Index Journal. Her manager, Eric Vaughn Jr., said she'd worked there since she was 17 or 18. 'She's a tough woman for sure and I'm hoping she'll be able to fight this,' he said. 'I hate it. All we can do is let the doctors do their best and let everything take its path.' He said Waltman's mother, who visited the restaurant before traveling to Greenville to see her daughter in the hospital, is 'taking it hard.' More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, with 800,000 of the victims requiring medical attention, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Across studies, 22.5 percent of reported dog bites - the highest percentage among breeds - were attributed to pit bulls, according to the American Animal Hospital Association. A woman will remain in custody following a manslaughter charge relating to a 15-year-old boy who died from a brain injury after allegedly being supplied with a prescription opioid. Stacie Renee Dutaillis, 36, was denied bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday following her arrest in the city on Wednesday. She is facing one count each of manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, and two counts each of negligent acts causing harm and supplying medicines or hazardous poisons. Stacie Renee Dutaillis (pictured) remains in custody following a manslaughter charge after a 15-year-old boy died from a brain injury after allegedly being supplied with a prescription drug The 36-year-old appeared at the Brisbane Magistrates Court (pictured) after she was arrested in the city on Wednesday The charges relate to events almost seven months ago when a 15-year-old boy was found unresponsive at a North Mackay home. He was one of six children found at the residence and taken to hospital for treatment when emergency services arrived on September 30. The boy died the following day. Jason Clare has received lavish praise yet again after another impressive media performance - but the odds of him one day becoming Prime Minister are stacked against him. The frontbench Labor MP made headlines last week for his impeccable communication skills in daily press conferences, with many supporters wishing he was leader instead of Anthony Albanese. The cries for him to take over stepped up again on Thursday after he expertly handled a lively media pack and prompted laughter with a witty joke at the expense of Liberal minister Alan Tudge. 'I don't think Scooby-doo could find Alan Tudge at the moment,' he said as Mr Tudge remains away from the limelight after being cleared of abusing his former staffer. Jason Clare is picture with his wife, one of his sons and former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating Twitter went into meltdown once again, with supporters and journalists heaping praise on the 50-year-old father of two from western Sydney. 'Loving Jason Clare's media conferences so much,' one user wrote. 'Jason Clare is on fire,' said another who praised his 'wit and humour'. Mr Clare has also been described as handsome, and even Mr Albanese admitted: 'Jason Clare is certainly better looking than I am. There is no question about that.' But despite his strong performances, the odds of Mr Clare becoming the next Labor leader are long. Tanya Plibersek is favourite at $2.10 followed by Jim Chalmers at $3.75, Kristina Keneally at $6.50 and then Mr Clare at $8, according to Sportsbet. If he wanted to become leader in the event that Labor loses and Mr Albanese resigns, Mr Clare would likely face a messy factional struggle. As a member of the right faction of the NSW division he may have to see off challenges from Shadow Energy Minister Chris Bowen or Shadow Attorney-General Tony Burke who are in the same faction. And then he would be up against Tanya Plibersek who is a leading figure in the NSW Left faction - even before challengers from other states like Mr Chalmers and Richard Marles are considered. Jason Clare has received lavish praise yet again after another impressive media performance - but the odds of him becoming Prime Minister are stacked against him Ever since he came to Parliament in 2007, Mr Clare has played down his desire to become leader and those close to him say he is focussed on being a good MP and father. Mr Clare told Sky News in 2014: 'I might be touted but I have no desire to do that job at all' and revealed his 'dream job' would be minister for education. 'For me I feel like I am part of the team and not the leader of the team,' he said. However, Labor sources speaking on the condition of anonymity told Daily Mail Australia that him playing down his ambitions could simply be a smart strategy to win over voters. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern played down her ambitions before she became Labour Party leader seven weeks before the 2017 election. Other Labor sources said Mr Clare's excellent performances have put him front and centre of his colleagues' minds as a future leadership candidate. But right now Mr Clare is focussed on helping Mr Albanese kick out Scott Morrison. Asked last week why he was not in charge, he replied: 'The short answer is Anthony Albanese is the leader this country desperately needs.' The Greens have called on the South Australian government to introduce rent controls amid revelations most properties on the market are too expensive for people living on the minimum wage. Anglicare looked at 45,992 rental listings across the country and found just 712, or two per cent, could be afforded by people on the minimum wage. In SA only two of 1125 properties listed were considered appropriate and affordable for a single person. The Greens have called on the South Australian government to introduce rent controls amid revelations most properties on the market are too expensive for people living on the minimum wage (stock image) 'Rental prices are skyrocketing out of control,' SA Greens housing spokesman Robert Simms said. 'While many South Australians are being locked out of the rental market, some landlords are making record profits. 'It's time for the state government to follow the lead of other jurisdictions overseas and implement rent controls to protect struggling renters. 'This has worked in New York for years - why not Adelaide?' Mr Simms said he would raise the issue when parliament resumed next week. The Greens also renewed calls for the government to boost investment in public housing to reduce prices. At a federal level, the party said it would push for 70,000 affordable homes to be built across Adelaide and regional South Australia. It said the plan would ensure low-income earners were not priced out of the housing market, with options for low-cost and long-term secure rentals and purchase options at around $300,000. Forms of rent controls have been in place in some areas of New York for years with positive results The Greens said it would push for 70,000 affordable homes to be built across Adelaide (pictured) and regional South Australia SA Senate candidate Barbara Pocock said the housing market was particularly brutal for low-income earners. 'For a person working full time on minimum wage in Adelaide, almost no rentals are affordable,' she said. 'The same goes for those on income support, whether that be Youth Allowance, JobSeeker or the disability and age pensions.' Sitting SA Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said it was a disgrace that so many Australians could not afford basic housing. 'Housing is a basic human right. When everyday South Australians cannot afford to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, there is a serious problem with the system,' she said. Vladimir Putin will launch an all-out nuclear war on the West rather than accept defeat in Ukraine, Russia's chief propagandists have declared, in just the latest chilling threat coming from Moscow. Margarita Simonyan, editor of state broadcaster RT and one of the Kremlin's highest-profile mouthpieces, declared on TV last night that the idea of Putin pressing the red button is 'more probable' than the idea that he will allow Russia to lose the war. 'Either we lose in Ukraine,' she said, 'or the Third World War starts. I think World War Three is more realistic, knowing us, knowing our leader. 'The most incredible outcome, that all this will end with a nuclear strike, seems more probable to me than the other course of events. 'This is to my horror on one hand,' she told a panel of experts shifting nervously in their seats, 'but on the other hand, it is what it is. We will go to heaven, while they will simply croak... We're all going to die someday.' Simonyan's calm imagining of nuclear holocaust is just the latest threat issued from the top levels of the Russian state, after fellow propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, and Putin himself issued threats in the last 48 hours. The US and UK have dismissed such rhetoric as bluster but the increasing frequency of the threats coupled with the failures of Russia's military will raise fears that a Cold War-style standoff is now a realistic possibility before the war in Ukraine ends. It comes after Russia successfully test-launched its latest nuclear missile - Sarmat 2 - last week, with Putin boasting it can strike targets anywhere on earth and cannot be stopped by any current missile defences. Margarita Simonyan told Russian state TV last night that the idea of nuclear war is 'more probable' than the idea that Putin will allow Russia to be defeated in Ukraine Russia has steppe up its nuclear threats to the West ever since testing its new Sarmat 2 missile last week (pictured), which Putin boasted is unstoppable by any current defences Lavrov was the first to raise the nuclear threat in an interview on Russian state TV late Tuesday, when he was asked whether the current standoff between east and west could be compared to the Cuban missile crisis at the height of the Cold War. The foreign minister responded that the current situation is more dangerous, because the weapons involved are more powerful, the controls on them more lax, and communication between the two sides is non-existent. 'During the Cuban Missile Crisis there were not many "written" rules. But the rules of conduct were clear enough. 'Moscow understood how Washington was behaving. Washington understood how Moscow was behaving. Now there are few rules left,' he said. Asked directly about the threat of nuclear war, he added: 'The risks are very significant. I do not want the danger to be artificially inflated [but] it is serious, real. It cannot be underestimated.' That was followed by off-the-cuff remarks from Solovyev while discussing the deployment of Sarmat 2 with the head of the Roscosmos space agency, who said the missile will go into service later this year. 'As it turned out, one Sarmat means minus one Great Britain,' Solovyov boasted, suggesting the UK deserves to wiped off the map because it has become 'totally boorish' - in what appeared to be a reference for this country's support for Ukraine. Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Roscosmos space agency, told Solovyov that 46 of the missiles will be constructed with the first deployed to units in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, later this year. 'Everything is according to plan with us,' he said. 'It is all according to plan.' That was then followed by a threat from Putin himself, who vowed a 'lightning-fast' response to any country who directly intervenes in the Ukraine conflict. 'If someone intends to interfere in what is going on from the outside they must know that constitutes an unacceptable strategic threat to Russia,' he said during a meeting with lawmakers in St Petersburg. 'They must know that our response to counter strikes will be lightning fast. Fast. 'We have all the weapons we need for this. No one else can brag about these weapons, and we wont brag about them. But we will use them.' Vladimir Putin yesterday repeated a threat to use nuclear weapons against any nation that directly interferes in Ukraine, saying Russia's response would be 'lightning-fast' Putin did not directly mention nukes, but his phrasing appears to be a clear reference to the new Sarmat missile which he boasted is unlike any other weapon in the world as it was tested last week. It also echoes a threat that Putin made as he declared the start of his 'special military operation' back in February, which was that any country seeking to interfere would face consequences 'never seen before in their history'. The nuclear threats from state media also echo a wider narrative emerging from the Kremlin's propaganda machine which is that Russia is now engaged in a full-scale conflict with NATO that pre-sages a Third World War. Olga Skabeeva, another state TV host and Kremlin mouthpiece, declared on Tuesday that a summit of 40 defence ministers in Germany held to coordinate arms deliveries to Ukraine was effectively a declaration of war. 'They declared a war,' she told viewers. 'World War III, no longer just a special operation, with forty countries against us.' Political scientist Mikhail Markelov agreed with her, declaring that those 40 countries are 'today's collective Hitler'. Dmitry Kulikov, another state media personality, also repeated the line. 'This is a big war,' he said. 'The West declared it against us. 'Lets be worthy of our predecessors, everyone who lived through that. What made us think that our lives should be better than those of our grandparents? 'Why should we be free of our historical mission?' Russia is now more than two months into what was supposed to be a days-long 'special military operation' to topple the Ukrainian government and install a puppet regime loyal to Moscow. Ahead of the war, most experts and observers predicted Ukraine's military would survive only a few days or weeks against the onslaught, but troops have defied the doubters and remain in control of most of the country 62 days later. Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russia since the start of its invasion in late February, and there are fears the Kremlin could resort to extreme measures if faced with defeat (file image) Russia has already resorted to indiscriminate attacks on civilians, but has so-far avoided using nuclear or chemical weapons which the West has said would provoke a response Having failed in its aim of taking Kyiv, Russia is now concentrating its forces in the east in the hopes of seizing control of the Donbas region and encircling a large part of Ukraine's ground forces. Moscow's generals have also said their aim is to push out from Kherson - on the Black Sea coast and the only major city to fall to Putin's forces so far - and capture Mykolaiv and Odesa, cutting Ukraine off from the ocean. But Western nations have rallied to support Kyiv, with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declaring earlier this week that Ukraine will be given all the weapons it needs to 'win' the war and 'weaken' Russia to the point where it cannot attack again. Liz Truss, British defence secretary, explicitly spelled out the victory condition in a speech last night - saying arms deliveries will 'keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine'. That would mean not just re-taking the parts of Ukraine Russia has occupied since Putin ordered the invasion in February this year, but re-taking the parts attacked and annexed since 2014 - namely Crimea and rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ms Truss argued that the war could last for ten years, but that the West must be prepared 'for the long haul.' If Putin succeeds in his war aims, she warned, then there will be 'untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe'. Some of those consequences took shape this week as Russia began cutting off gas supplies to Europe - something it has long-threatened to do but which was considered a remote possibility because of the damage it would do to the economy. Poland and Bulgaria both had their gas supplies cut on Wednesday, sending the wholesale price soaring and threatening to inflict further financial pain on Europe as it recovers from Covid and deals with inflation. Germany - which is highly dependent on Russian gas after years of foreign policy moves designed to forge ties with the Kremlin - now fears it will be next. Experts have predicted that such a move is likely to plunge Germany's economy, the world's fourth-largest, into a recession. Italy an Austria could also be targeted. Moscow is demanding that all countries must now buy its gas in rubles in an attempt to shore up its currency after it was hammered by Western sanctions over Ukraine. One expert told the Times that most European Union importers were 'extraordinarily' likely to give way to Russia. Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, has warned that NATO is now fighting a proxy-war against Moscow and there is a 'very significant' risk the conflict will turn nuclear Hungary, whose president Viktor Orban has warm ties with Putin, is already thought to have found a work-around to the demand. The Russian move is forcing governments across Europe to speed up a switch to alternative supplies. Western officials say that this represents a major strategic failure for Moscow. One UK official said: 'This will be one of the major strategic developments from this campaign and it will be a failure for Russia because it will reduce its income and also compromise its offensive capability. 'This is one of the costs we are inflicting on Russia. Long-term sanctions will have the same effect. The Prime Minister has said Russia must be seen to have failed.' Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab slammed Russia's decision, saying it will add to its status as an 'economic and political pariah'. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said Russia's attempts at 'blackmail' were doomed to fail. She called it 'unjustified and unacceptable' and said it pointed to Russia being an unreliable gas supplier. The EU was prepared for this scenario and contingency plans are in place to get gas from alternative sources and maintain maximum gas storage levels. Poland and Bulgaria are already receiving gas via their EU neighbours, including Greece. Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki was applauded by MPs in parliament when he said the 'blackmail' would have no effect. Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov said that it was a 'gross violation'. And despite Bulgaria taking nearly 80 per cent of its gas from Russia, he added: 'We won't give in to such racketeering.' While there was a 20 per cent price hike in European wholesale gas prices in early trading, much of this fell away later in the day. But despite many countries in Europe rallying together, four major gas trading companies have bowed to pressure to pay for Russian supplies in roubles through back channels, a report by Bloomberg claimed yesterday. The names of the buyers and countries have not been revealed. However Slovakia, which is heavily reliant on Russian gas, previously suggested it may be forced to comply with demands. By Lee Min-hyung Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman Lee Dong-gull has offered to resign amid escalating tensions due to the incoming administration's plan to relocate the headquarters of the KDB to the nation's southern port city of Busan. According to industry sources, Lee recently expressed his intent to step down to the Financial Services Commission (FSC). This comes only a few days before the inauguration of the new government which will be headed by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol. The decision was widely expected, as Lee was considered a high ranking official who strongly supported President Moon Jae-in and the ruling party. Earlier, he was criticized for his controversial remark of wishing for the ruling side (the Democratic Party of Korea) to hold on to power for two decades in Korea. With Yoon, from the opposition party, announcing his pledge to relocate the KDB, Lee stepped up criticism of the president-elect. "The KDB relocation is a regression, not a progressive move," Lee told reporters at a recent press conference. Lee took office as the leader of the state-run lender in 2017 and extended his term once. His previous career includes being the former FSC vice chairman under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration. The KDB has recently come under fire for a series of botched deals. The lender recently failed to sell KDB Life to JC Partners, which brought its years-long effort of finding a potential buyer for the subsidiary back to square one. The state-run lender has since been mired in a controversy that it rashly pushed for the deal. The KDB also failed to complete another controversial restructuring deal for debt-ridden SsangYong Motor during the Moon administration. Lee is expected to make his official resignation speech as early as next week. The presidential transition committee has yet to confirm a new candidate to replace Lee. Advertisement Two M25 petrol stations has finally reopened seven hours after eco zealots targeted them in the latest protests from Just Stop Oil. A total of 35 people have been arrested following the action that included activists gluing themselves to the pumps, to forecourt signs and to vehicles on Cobham Services in Surrey and Clacket Lane Services in Tatsfield. 'John Lennon lookalike' Louis McKechnie who has already been jailed over climate protests was able to lead a mob that blocked two M25 petrol stations for five hours during rush hour before smashing up the pumps. He spent a month and a half in prison for blocking the motorway last year, but today ignored the threat of more jail time to vandalise petrol pumps using a mallet and an aerosol can. The graduate has a sprawling criminal history, and was earlier this month banned from attending football games after invading the pitch during an Everton vs Newcastle match and using a cable tie to bind his neck to a goalpost. Today, the 22-year-old crowed at having successfully 'disabled' the pumps at Cobham Services in Surrey. He was part of a rag tag mob of 40 Just Stop Oil activists who descended on Cobham Services and the Clacket Lane Services in Kent at around 7am, before sitting outside the entrances and gluing themselves to the tarmac. It took until 2pm when Surrey Police announced 40 officers had cleared the demonstrators from the forecourts - but again face questions about why they did not act faster to remove the group, who have vowed to continue causing hell to drivers at further stunts in the coming weeks. The force said it has to use specialist de-bonding equipment to remove the protesters. But motorists have not been saved from disruption with a total of 35 pumps damaged at Cobham Services, and a further 20 pumps damaged at Clacket Lane. Another activist, 22-year-old Coventry student Nathan McGovern, has also been regularly arrested carrying out illegal stunts and was today filmed smashing petrol pumps. He spoke in a grandiose video address uploaded to the Just Stop Oil twitter account this morning, where he accused the government of 'genocide' for not doing enough to tackle global warming. Stephanie Golder, a 34-year-old charity project coordinator from Essex, claimed to be 'sick and tired of being treated like a criminal' - as her accomplices destroyed a petrol pump in an blatant act of criminal damage. Motorists hit back by blasting the 'clueless' demonstrators and demanded ministers 'please get on top of this issue' to prevent further disruption to the public. Just Stop Oil claim 1,000 activists have been arrested since the start of the month, when they blocked a series of oil terminals in a move that was partially blamed for pushing up petrol prices. Surrey Police said the stunts had caused 'considerable disruption' and 'huge financial loss' with the pumps switched off and motorists being diverted away from both stations. It came as another group of Just Stop Oil protest held a third day of protests outside the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in a potential breach of an injunction banning demonstrations at the site. Eight activists were arrested and face a potential charge of contempt of court. Ten other protesters arrested outside Kingsbury yesterday will appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court today. The maximum penalty is a prison sentence of two years or an unlimited fine. The fanatic is seen being led away by police from Cobham Services after smashing up petrol pumps Police remove an activist by using what appears to be stretchers to take him from the roof of today at Cobham Police pick up an activist from Just Stop Oil who have blocked the entrance to the petrol station at Cobham Services McKechnie - seen being arrested today - spent a month and a half in prison for blocking the motorway last year, but today ignored the threat of more jail time to vandalise petrol pumps using a mallet and an aerosol can The student tied himself to the goalpost as a steward looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Newcastle United at Goodison Park on March 17 Louis McKechnie from Just Stop Oil damages pumps at the filling station at Cobham Services (left) today Police remove an activist form the roof of an oil tanker in Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey today An arrest is made as activists from Just Stop target a Shell Petrol station on the M25 motorway on April 28, 2022 in Cobham today Police are seen taking away the protesters' sign and dragging one away at a Shell Petrol station on the M25 motorway today Campaigners staging a protest in the BP petrol garage at the Clacket Lane services on the M25 in Westerham, Kent Protesters from the group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion , have recently occupied a number of oil processing facilities in order to highlight their demand that the government stops new oil and gas projects (pictured: Cobham today) A hand is glued to the tarmac as activists from Just Stop Oil target a Shell Petrol station on the M25 motorway Police officers speak to eco activists in the Shell petrol garage at the Cobham Services on the M25 in Cobham, Surrey Superintendent Graham Barnett said: 'Police responded after reports that pumps were being smashed up and that protesters were gluing themselves to pumps, vehicles and forecourt signs. 'We appreciate that this caused considerable disruption to motorists attempting to use the services and to the petrol stations themselves, who will also have suffered a huge financial loss as a result of this activity. 'All protesters have now been removed and 35 people are in custody. Both forecourts have reopened but unfortunately a large number of pumps have been damaged which means they have not currently in use. However, the HGV pumps were not targeted and are still open for lorry drivers. 'We do appreciate that this incident has taken some time to resolve but given the circumstances, we were required to use officers trained in using specialist de-bonding equipment to safely remove the protesters, and this is a lengthy and complex process. 'Officers are also required to act within the law and are accountable for the decisions they make and the tactics they use. 'While we are required to facilitate peaceful protest, we will always take action against those who break the law and significantly impact on the lives and livelihoods of others, and clearly if officers are caught up dealing with protest activity, they aren't elsewhere preventing crime and responding as quickly to reports from the public.' Nathan McGovern, 22, a student from Coventry taking part in the demonstration, said: 'The world's most vulnerable are dying from a fossil-fuelled nightmare right now, whilst our government proposes to drill for more oil and gas. 'I refuse to stand by and watch as heatwaves and drought murder people across the global South and families in the UK are forced to choose between eating and heating. 'If politicians and bureaucrats refuse to act then it falls on ordinary people to do what they will not.' In a video uploaded to the @JustStop_Oil Twitter account, he says: 'I'm Nathan, I'm 22 years old, and just now this morning myself and others have blocked the entrance to the forecourt of this petrol station and disabled the petrol station. 'None of us want to be here, none of us want to be doing this, none of us want to be disrupting the lives of the public but the criminal inaction on the climate crisis from our government has forced us into this.' He adds: 'This is madness, it is utterly genocidal.' In a survey of 5195 Drivers online by FairFuelUK - a campaign group advocating for better petrol and diesel prices - 94% want petrol and diesel supplies to have legal protection in law, with interuption by protesters to get long sentences. And 89% want the police to get tougher on the Stop Oil Protesters, 61% want longer custodial sentences, 81% want protesters' assets to be confiscated and 86% want minimum fines of 10,000 each Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK said: 'Time this less than remotely resembling anything like a Conservative Government put the clueless self-obsessed amoebic Stop Oil protesters in jail. 'Millions are repulsed by these middle-class, privileged and well-off good-for-nothings ruining decent hard working people's lives. 'People are being savaged in the Ukraine and we are on the verge of a world war but this bunch of lunatics are hell bent on following an ill-informed myopic ideal that will not make a shed load of difference to the planet's environmental future. Our police must be given stronger powers, by the Home Secretary, to protect the fuel supply chain and the law abiding mass majority needing to earn a living just to survive this' devastating cost of living crisis.' Police arrive on the scene as activists from Just Stop Oil target a Shell Petrol station on the M25 motorway on April 28, 2022 in Cobham, England Activists from protest group Just Stop Oil block the filling station at Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey Motorists today vented their fury at the 'clueless' demonstrators and demanded the Government 'please get on top of this issue' - as Just Stop Oil revealed that since April 1, when activists first began blocking oil terminals, there have been more than 1,000 arrests after occupying oil processing facilities It came as another group of Just Stop Oil protest held a third day of protests outside the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in a potential breach of an injunction banning demonstrations at the site A supporter of Just Stop Oil posing next to a sign outlining the injunction banning protests at the oil terminal Eight activists were arrested and face a potential charge of contempt of court. Ten other protesters arrested outside Kingsbury yesterday will appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court today Protester Stephanie Golder said: 'I'm sick and tired of being treated like a criminal for standing up for what is right. 'The real criminals are those refusing to act on the climate emergency, it's truly genocidal for our government to give new licences for oil exploration. 'The poorest in this country need help with their energy bills now. But instead the government's energy strategy fails to mention energy saving measures such as insulation and instead prioritises a ''plan'' which puts us on a fast-track for climate chaos.' 'The supporters of Just Stop Oil will continue the disruption until the government makes a statement that it will end new oil and gas projects in the UK,' the group said. 'The Just Stop Oil Coalition is calling on all of those whose futures are being destroyed, who are facing poverty now, and who are outraged at yet another betrayal by this continuing dependence on oil and gas, to step up and take action.' Just Stop Oil described the sabotage of petrol pumps as 'a significant escalation'. Surrey Police said earlier today: 'Further arrests are likely to be made throughout the day as officers with specialist removal equipment are working to ensure that all protesters are removed safely, after a number of them glued themselves to pumps and signs on the petrol station forecourts. One of them has also glued himself to the top of a lorry. 'Officers were called to Clacket Lane Services around 7.02am following reports that a group of protesters had turned up. 'A further call was received around 7.06am that protesters were on site at Cobham Services petrol station and were damaging the pumps. 'The pumps have all been switched off and motorists were diverted away from both service stations. 'We appreciate the considerable disruption this is causing and we are working as quickly as we can to remove the protesters safely from the site and allow both petrol stations to re-open. 'Please bear with us while we continue to deal with these ongoing incidents.' Campaigners staging a protest in the BP petrol garage at the Clacket Lane services on the M25 today A statement from the eco group admits that 'some supporters also sabotaged the petrol pump by breaking the display glass and covering it with spray paint' Roughly 35 activists from protest group Just Stop Oil blocked the filling station at Cobham Services in Surrey and the Clacket Lane Services in Kent at around 7am (pictured: The smashed petrol pump) Protesters from the group, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, have recently occupied a number of oil processing facilities in order to highlight their demand that the government stops new oil and gas projects The move is reminiscent of Insulate Britain's protests between September and November last year, when M25 junctions were repeatedly blocked. Just Stop Oil began its protests on April 1. It has carried out a series of blockades of fuel terminals in south-east England and the Midlands, and targeted several high-profile football matches. More than 1,000 arrests have been made. The group said it will 'continue the disruption until the Government makes a statement that it will end new oil and gas projects in the UK'. Ten supporters arrested outside Kingsbury oil terminal on Wednesday are due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday. They are charged with contempt of court relating to an injunction granted to North Warwickshire Borough Council which prohibited protests at the site. The eco zealots causing havoc at petrol pumps: Just Stop Oil activists include jet-setting yachtswoman, 23, who travelled to Bali, 'John Lennon lookalike' who has been arrested 16 times, and rollerskater who turned her back on watchmaking Activists from Just Stop Oil have been hampering access to petrol and diesel for days with repeated protests Many have been involved with Extinction Rebellion, Animal Rebellion and Insulate Britain before joining JSO Do you know any of the people behind the Just Stop Oil campaign? Email tips@dailymail.com By Martin Robinson for MailOnline The green zealots trying to make Britain run out of fuel are a bunch of privileged students and professional protesters, MailOnline revealed earlier this month. Activists from Just Stop Oil have been hampering access to petrol and diesel, demanding that the Government stops new fossil fuel projects by digging tunnels below refineries, vandalising tankers or storming the terminals to climb on to the pipes. Essex Police has arrested hundreds of protesters since the disruption started on April 1 - while queues have formed at petrol stations across the country and some have even shut down due to a shortage of fuel. One of the ringleaders is 'John Lennon lookalike' Louis McKechnie, a Bournemouth University graduate last seen 'surfing' on an oil truck in Essex on Friday. He became a poster boy for JSO after he tied himself to a goalpost to disrupt a Premier League at Everton last month. Around 12 students were within the pipes at Grays Inter Terminal two weeks ago, including former boarding school choir girl and now Cambridge University student Cressie Gethin. With her in the rafters is student Nathan McGovern, another golden boy of the movement. Also manning the barricades were Brighton-based activist Hannah Hunt, 23, another student with a taste for expensive hobbies and travel, and Eben Lazarus, who describes himself as a 'musician and activist'. And in the tunnels below the BP Kingsbury Oil Terminal in Warwickshire were retired vicar Tim Hewes, a veteran of the Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain movement who also sewed his lips together in protest against Rupert Murdoch. Other members of the Just Stop Oil group, which is closely linked to the Extinction Rebellion, Animal Rebellion and Insulate Britain groups, is a rollerskating watchmaker and JSO's official 'de-escalator', XR's 'arts co-ordinator' and a Welsh organic farmer whose family business failed and he blamed climate change. These are the protesters at the heart of the current chaos that is leaving millions of Britons short on fuel: The Lennon-lookalike posterboy: Louis McKechnie Louis McKechnie, 21, stormed the pitch and zip-tied himself to the goalpost at Goodison Park during the game between Everton and Newcastle United in March From left: Louis McKechnie, Miranda Whelehan, Nathan McGovern, Claudia Penna Rojas and Cressida Gethin, during their Just Stop Oil press conference in central London Nathan McGovern, 22, and Louis McKechnie, 21, say they have been disrupting operations at Grays oil depot, in Essex, after chaining themselves to pipes high up at the site Louis McKechnie, 21, an engineering student, was charged with pitch encroachment and aggravated trespass after the incident at Goodison Park during the game between Everton and Newcastle United. He stormed the pitch halfway through the match and zip-tied himself to the goalpost wearing a bright orange t-shirt saying: 'Just stop oil.' Louis said he has received 'hundreds' of death threats since running on to the pitch. McKechnie is a Bournemouth University student whose activism began with Extinction Rebellion (XR) in 2020 before he joined vegan group Animal Rebellion. The 21-year-old, whose experience of work appears to be only stints with a local fish-and-chip shop and supermarket, was one of the 'Highway Nine' Insulate Britain protesters jailed for blocking the M25 last year. After serving half of a three-month prison sentence, he warned: 'What comes next will make Insulate Britain look like child's play.' Rebel reverend: Tim Hewes Reverend Hewes, who once sewed up his lips in protest at the influence of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, was also repeatedly part of the mob blocking the M25 despite already being arrested numerous times. The activist has 'permission to officiate' in the Diocese of Oxford although he does not have a parish, and was earlier this month in tunnels under an oil tanker route. Asked about Rev Hewes last year, a spokesman for the diocese said: 'The actions of Rev Hewes and others, while arguably well-intentioned, have frustrated many people and we're unclear how the actions have been productive in encouraging the urgent change required.' Rev Hewes, a retired dentist, previously said the Bishop of Dorchester, Gavin Collins, who comes under the Diocese of Oxford, had told him 'he does support issues regarding climate change and the environment but not about breaking the law'. Reverend Hewes was repeatedly part of the mob blocking the M25 despite already being arrested numerous times Reverend Hewes blockading the M25 with Insulate Britain and sewing his lips together in a bizarre attack on Rupert Murdoch He was two weeks ago in a tunnel under a key tanker route to the BP Kingsbury Terminal in Warwickshire. He said: 'I'm here because our government is useless, they make a lot of noise but they are doing nothing. 'As a priest I have a duty of care for people, and also for creation. What I'm doing here, with everyone in this caravan, is what our government should be doing that is trying to protect our families and our loved ones from the appalling future that stands before us. 'I hope we can continue what we're doing and stop the flow of oil, if the government won't.' The jetsetting yachtswoman: Hannah Hunt Pictured: Louis McKechnie and Hannah Hunt outside Downing Street in February Ms Hunt's Instagram shows her holidaying in locations including Australia, Greece, Gran Canaria and Bali (pictured) She was earlier this month in the rafters of the Grays refinery, with Eben Lazarus (pictured together) Hannah seen at the Grays oil depot The JSO protester is from Brighton, a common home town for Green zealots. Miss Hunt is a former XR supporter who broke into an ExxonMobil Oil refinery in Hampshire. She also posed with Mr McKechnie outside Downing Street with a letter for Boris Johnson. She also glued herself to the red carpet at the Bafta awards and admits to experiencing severe anxiety before a protest. But describing her state after starting she said she enjoys 'a weird, dreamy, calm mindset' she finds empowering. The Brighton-based activist studied at Sussex University, where she joined the sailing team. Her Instagram shows her holidaying in locations including Australia, Greece, Gran Canaria and Bali. She was last month in the rafters of the Grays refinery, with Eben Lazarus, a musician and activist also from Brighton. Sharing a video she said they were 'cold and uncomfortable' 17 hours into their protest, but added: 'But that suffering is minute compared to those in the frontline of the climate crisis'. Eben then encourages people to 'step up' and join protests because 'nobody can be a bystander if we want any chance of a future'. XR's 'arts-co-ordinator': Indigo Rumbelow Eco-fanatic Indigo Rumbelow, 27, from Gower, South-West Wales, has been arrested at least five times. In a Zoom call watched by The Mail on Sunday, she told activists: 'We want to create sustained disruption for two weeks.' Describing her motivations, Miss Rumbelow said: 'My generation is being forced into action because our Government is destroying our future. We will immediately end all actions when it makes a statement that it will stop all new oil and gas.' Indigo was first arrested at Cannes Lions Advertising Festival in 2019 for gate-crashing a Facebook conference and has been held by police on at least six occasions since then. In 2020 she began digging up the lawn in front of the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government and was arrested again in Parliament Square later that year when she blocked the road. Justifying her behaviour recently she said: 'The only thing to do in a system that is driving itself to extinction is to rebel. If we look at the history books, we can see that the only way of creating the nonlinear change we need is for people to commit civil disobedience and force that change. 'Currently too few people are taking the necessary action. I urge anyone reading this article to realise that they too can rebel. In order to prevent ecosystem and societal collapse, at this pivotal moment in history, ordinary people need to take extra-ordinary action'. The rollerskating watchmaker: Amy Rugg-Easey One of the abseilers was serial protester Amy Rugg-Easey (pictured after being arrested), a Labour voting watchmaker and rollerskater from Newcastle upon Tyne People are questioning how protesters were able to shut down central London again. Miss Rugg-Easey (pictured), describes herself as a 'rebel for life' Miss Rugg-Easey was involved in shutting down Tower Bridge on April 8. She and an unnamed man threw themselves off the bridge using abseil ropes and tiers a giant 'End fossil fuels now' banner. The Labour-voting voting watchmaker and rollerskater from Newcastle upon Tyne describes herself as a 'rebel for life'. Describing her descent into eco-activism she said: 'I quit my career in watchmaking to study environmental science after listening to science podcasts while working at my bench. I remember thinking at the time 'it can't be that bad'. Climate change was something that you heard about every now again in the news as if it was the weather. When I really started to look at the facts, I started to panic. I felt a need to do something about it. When I began my degree, I had already been to a few Extinction Rebellion meetings and their famous 'heading for extinction' talk. 'It can't be that bad' I thought. I'd hoped that when I started studying, the things I would learn would show that that talk had been a huge exaggeration. Unfortunately, that was not the case'. Describing the abseiling stunt she said: 'I was terrified stepping off that bridge. I decided to put my name out and wear my signature blue jacket hoping that people I've met would recognise me and realise that climate activists are just normal people too. I also know that it creates a target on my back. Certain people will wish that I'd died on that bridge today. I know that it makes my mum worry. 'I'm hoping my actions inspires others to be brave and take their first steps in fighting for our future. Not everyone has to hang off a bridge and get arrested, but everyone has to take meaningful action for things to change'. The Cambridge music student: Cressie Gethin Cressida Gethin during a Just Stop Oil protest Miss Gethin, a former student of the prestigious Hereford Cathedral School, was among the group holding up the Grays refinery. She appears to be one of the five main founders of Just Stop Oil. Cressie, a music student from Murray Edwards at Cambridge University, has been campaigning on climate issues at her college. She told The Tab: 'I was very very surprised that Murray Edwards came out bottom of the league tables for their climate policies because I had imagined it was something they would have cared about and been active on'. The talented chorister has performed with her brother, also a singer. The LBC mic gluer: Nathan McGovern Nathan McGovern held up an oil refinery with his comrades Mr McGovern invaded the Tottenham v West Ham match and was dragged off the pitch after he failed Mr McGovern, from Just Stop Oil, said that presenter Tom Swarbrick was not using his 'massive platform' to tell people about the climate 'situation' The Coventry activist has flirted with XR and Animal Rebellion and disrupted a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Coventry activist has flirted with XR and Animal Rebellion and disrupted the game after finishing a Masters degree in religion at King's College London earlier this year He spoke to Tom Swarbrick in LBC's Westminster studio when he glued his hand to the microphone at around 11.40am. Mr McGovern said that the station was 'not using' its 'massive platform' to inform listeners of the dangers of the climate crisis Speaking live, Mr McGovern said to Mr Swarbrick: 'You have a massive platform, a microphone that you can use to tell people about the situation we're in and you're not using it. 'An ordinary person like me is having to take the microphone and tell your viewers the situation we are in.' The LBC presenter said: 'For those of you listening wondering what the banging on the microphone is, Mr McGovern seems to have, you've glued yourself to the microphone? That's fantastic.' After the incident, LBC presenter and Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce took over the live programme from Global's Leicester Square, before handing back to Mr Swarbrick when arrived there. During this time, Mc McGovern was left in the studio in the dark while waiting for police to arrive. He appeared as a spokesperson for Animal Rebellion advocating a 'plant-based food system' on Nigel Farage's GB News show in October 2021. After the disruption, the group tweeted: 'Every new oil and gas facility tightens the noose around the necks of our young people. If the media will not communicate their predicament they will have no choice but to take the microphone.' Just Stop Oil's 'de-escalator': Pavel Ivanov Mr Ivanov is reported to diffuse rows that break out at the protests when JSO's members shut down roads, for example. A Guardian report described the 'astonishing' abuse they suffer, in a tacit admission that they are struggling to win over many of their critics. In one incident linked to the blockading of oil refineries, one driver who had protesters on his roof said: 'If the police weren't here, I'd come up and f**king throw you off myself.' Another activist with a ladder was told: 'You put that up there, mate, and I'm going to ram it down your f**king throat'. Mr Ivanov claims n one occasion someone got him by the throat as friends were heckled: 'You look like you're just out of nappies. Go and get a f**king job'. JSO's graphic designer who won't have a baby until she tries to 'fix the world': Gabriella Ditton Gabriella Ditton, 27, blocks a tanker in East Anglia Another JSO activist is graphic designer Gabriella Ditton, 27, from Norfolk, who was arrested for blocking oil trucks on Friday. In a newspaper interview, Ms Ditton who attended Wymondham College in Norfolk, where annual boarding fees are more than 12,000 bragged: 'I've been arrested 16 times and it's honestly fine.' She has stripped naked and covered her body in oil at protests. The group said: 'Gabriella would love nothing more than to have a family and continue her career as a graphic designer, but feels those things aren't an option for her anymore because of the state of the world'. The 27-year-old, who works as an animator, became hooked after going to an Extinction Rebellion talk. She said: 'I was getting my life in order to have a baby and went to the Heading for Extinction talk. I realised I couldn't bring a baby into the world before trying to fix it first. 'I started the way everyone does, with petitions, emailing my MP, going on marches. But I realised it doesn't work. In the future, I want to be able to say with total sincerity that I did everything I could and really mean it. I'm so frightened about society falling apart I'm so deadly terrified that I will do literally anything to prevent it from happening'. Organic farmer and XR co-founder who branded the Holocaust 'just another f**kery in human history': Roger Hallam Roger Hallam, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, being arrested while setting up a toy drone inside London Heathrow airport's exclusion zone during a protest in September 2019 Roger Hallam is the co-founder of Extinction Rebellion who believes paralysing traffic will eventually cause food shortages and trigger uprisings. He once stood unsuccessfully in the 2019 European Parliament election in the London constituency as an independent, winning 924 of the 2,241,681 votes cast, which was around 0.04 per cent of the vote. He became interested in climate change in his 40s when an organic farm he ran in south Wales went bankrupt because of extreme weather conditions. Hallam went on hunger strike in 2017 to demand King's College London stop investing in fossil fuels. His stated ambition for the group is to 'bring down all the regimes in the world and replace them', starting with Britain. He encouraged his followers to get arrested at demonstrations en-masse as a way of raising awareness of climate change. In a recent video on YouTube, he said protesters should be ready to cause disruption through personal 'sacrifice'. If necessary, they 'should be willing to die'. In 2019 he apologised for comments he made describing the Holocaust as 'just another f**kery in human history'. Hallam, 55, sparked outrage in Germany by comparing the murder of six million Jewish people at the hands of the Nazis to other historical massacres and claiming that the memory of the Shoah - or Holocaust - was holding Germany back. The former organic farmer was quickly condemned by Extinction Rebellion groups in Germany, as well as the German government after his comments to a newspaper in the country. The son of one of Melbourne's most notorious crime figures has been found guilty along with another man of the drive-by shooting murder of a nightclub patron and security guard. Jacob Elliott, 21, the son of self-described 'Mad Lebo' Nabil Maghnie, fired four shots towards Love Machine nightclub from a car driven by Allan Fares, 24, on April 14, 2019. The pair argued they didn't do so with murderous intent, but a jury found both men guilty of the charge on Thursday afternoon. Security guard Aaron Osmani, 37, and club patron Richard Arow, 28, were both fatally hit in the head by the shots outside the venue in Little Chapel Street in inner-city Prahran. Jacob Elliott (pictured), the son of self-described 'Mad Lebo' Nabil Maghnie, has been found guilty of murder Another security guard, Semisi Tu'itufu, was struck in the shoulder. A single bullet went through club-goer Ukash Ahmed and into Ali Shohani as they lined up. Elliott and Fares had fired the shots after Elliott's younger half-brother Ali Maghnie was booted out the club for poor behaviour. CCTV footage shows Mr Maghnie being taken across the street and going to the ground, before getting back up again and shouting that security was 'all f***ed, just wait, I'm coming back'. After the incident, Mr Maghnie spoke to his father Nabil Maghnie, complaining 'these guards kicked the f*** out of me' before he contacted his brother. Elliott's barrister Julie Condon QC argued her client was acting under the instructions of his father who demanded he avenge his sibling. Richard Arow (pictured was a patron at the Love Machine club) when he was shot and killed Aaron Osmani (pictured) was working as a security guard at the Love Machine club when he was shot and killed Speaking from the witness box, Elliott said his 'violent and intimidating' father had ordered him to fire 'warning shots' in retaliation for the incident. 'He said "get two hotties (stolen cars) ready, I want you to let off some warning shots at the front of the club".' Elliott told the court, the Herald Sun reports. 'I asked him if he can get someone else to do it (and) that I dont feel comfortable doing it. 'He said something like shut the f--k up and get ready.' Elliott said his father, who died in a gangland shooting in January 2020, was a man who did not accept 'no' as an answer. The court heard Elliott then messaged Fares on encrypted app Wickr asking him to help, with the friends meeting up a short time later in Wollert, in Melbourne's northern suburbs. They drove in a convey to a spot near the club, where they both jumped into one of the cars - a stolen black 4WD Porsche. Police at the crime scene in Prahran, Melbourne in April 2019 Elliott claimed his father Nabil Maghnie (pictured) was a 'violent and intimidating man' who people could not say 'no' to They drove past the club four times before carrying out the shooting during the fifth drive-by. Ms Condon said her client never intended to kill or seriously injure anyone and asked the jury to find him guilty of manslaughter, which carries a lighter prison sentence. But prosecutor Patrick Bourke, QC, argued pointing a gun and firing four times into an area where people are standing in close range showed an intention to kill. Mr Bourke also disputed claims Elliott was reluctant, saying phone data showed he was meeting Fares in Wollert less than 15 minutes after speaking to his brother on the phone. After a week of deliberation, the jury rejected Elliott's claims, finding the two men guilty of two counts of murder - crimes which could see them imprisoned for life. Emotional loved ones could be heard screaming 'we love you Jacob' as the verdict was read out. The men will face court again on August 10 for a three-day pre-sentencing hearing. Jurors, who visited the shooting scene, were shown CCTV footage of a Porsche driving past Love Machine when the shots were fired. Elliott is the son of slain underworld boss Nabil Maghnie. Pictured: Nabil Maghnie leaves court on bail in July 2019 They saw Mr Osmani and Mr Arow, who had been speaking to each other with their backs facing the road, fall to the ground and the crowd scatter as the gun went off. Despite the best efforts by paramedics, the two men could not be saved and died at the scene. A third man, Moussa Hamka, was found guilty of one charge of assisting the men, and not guilty of a second charge. Jurors found he knowingly concealed the gun used in the shooting, which was found in his bedroom. But they rejected a prosecution case that he had set fire to a car in an attempt to destroy evidence. The wrong car was destroyed and an identical model vehicle across the road was instead set on fire. Nabil Maghnie's daughter Sabrine had the words 'mad Lebo' tattooed on her in honour of her late father Underworld boss Nabil Maghnie died aged 44 after being shot outside a home in Epping, in Melbourne's north, in January, 2020. The gangland figure is famously remembered for driving himself to hospital after being shot in the head in 2016. On the night he was killed, the 44-year-old travelled to a home on Dalton Road, where he reportedly demanded money from one of the men at the property. Nabil is believed to have attacked the householder before someone else pulled out a gun and shot him dead. He was seen lying dead next to his Mercedes utility vehicle after he was gunned down while two others, including his son Abbas Jr, were wounded. Nobody has been charged in relation to Nabil's murder. Despite his feared reputation, those close to the underworld enforcer have previously told Daily Mail Australia he was a much loved and loyal family man, who was famously protective of his daughter Sabrine. Last November, Sabrine made headlines after having the words 'mad Lebo' tattoed on her leg in honour of her father. A former private schoolboy who appeared alongside Josh Frydenberg in a promotional photo has revealed the brutal truth behind their seemingly innocent encounter. Dom Weber was on his way to school in June 2016 when he bumped into Mr Frydenberg, then the Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia, at Camberwell train station, in Melbourne's inner east. Hours later, the now-treasurer shared a photo of him talking to the youth on Twitter, writing: 'he might be too young to vote but's it's nice to get good feedback'. But despite the post insinuating the pair had a positive chat, Mr Weber has revealed that was far from the truth. A former private schoolboy who was pictured next to Josh Frydenberg in 2016 (pictured together) has revealed the brutal truth he delivered to the then Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia Resharing the historic tweet on Thursday, Mr Weber said the image actually captured him telling Mr Frydenberg he was the 'last' person he would list on a ballot sheet. 'Throwback to this classic moment when I told @JoshFrydenberg that if I could vote I would be putting him last,' Mr Weber wrote. 'Six years later and I'm still putting you last Joshy boy!' The post has gone viral as dozens of Aussies praised Mr Weber for sharing his side of story - just weeks before the May 21 federal election. Some suggested the timing was a strategical move on Mr Weber's behalf, with many left bemused by the very different portrayals of the single event. 'Best tweet this election,' one person said. 'Josh has an interesting interpretation of good feedback,' a woman wrote alongside a smirk emoji. Dom Weber on Wednesday revealed he told Mr Frydenberg (pictured together) he would be his last preference 'Wait, so he used your pic to publicise himself even though you said that?' someone else said. ''Good feedback'...So he agreed that ppl should be putting him last then,' a fourth comment read. Another person responded: 'Well, he didn't say what the feedback was, did he? He just had himself pictured with a young kid in a private school blazer and left the rest to interpretation..' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Frydenberg's office for comment. The revelation comes as Mr Frydenberg fights to retain his position as the Member for the Victorian seat of Kooyong, following a public stoush with independent candidate Monique Ryan. After whipping up a social media frenzy, Mr Weber revealed 24 hours later he was planning to vote for Mr Frydenberg's bitter rival next month. Mr Frydenberg (pictured) is fighting to keep his position as member for the seat of Kooyong 'Well this went further than I thought it would. Thanks for the kind words, and for those who've been telling me to get a job,' he commented on his post on Thursday. 'Oh and for who I'm voting number one? this one's for you @Mon4Kooyong.' The Treasurer rejected an invitation by climate advocacy group, Lighter Footprints, to a debate with Dr Ryan and other contenders on Wednesday night. He claimed the event was essentially a 'campaign rally' for Dr Ryan, who is running on policies proposing climate change action. 'It would be akin to me going and debating them in front of their own campaign rally which I'm not about to give them that free kick to do,' Mr Frydenberg told radio station SEN this week. On Thursday, Dr Ryan hit back at Mr Frydenberg who has repeatedly accused her of being a 'fake independent'. Mr Frydenberg has spent the past few weeks in a public stoush with his rival, Kooyong independent candidate Monique Ryan (pictured) 'He can say what he likes about me but I could no longer be complicit with the government's inaction on climate change,' she told ABC's Radio National. 'Mr Frydenberg doesn't understand the power of the community movement that I represent.' Dr Ryan had previously declined to take part in a televised debate with Mr Frydenberg on Channel 9, prompting the treasurer to demand she 'front up'. 'I'm the Treasurer, I'm subject to interviews every single day, they (Dr Ryan) are not, and they are hiding,' Mr Frydenberg said on Tuesday. 'The fake independents have no detailed policies they have no costings, they're not telling the local community in Kooyong how they will vote in the event of a hung parliament.' Dr Ryan said she turned down the offer because it was in Docklands, not Kooyong, but has agreed to a similar debate via Sky to be held within their electorate next week. A Labour frontbencher told a woman MP that they were a 'secret weapon' because men wanted to sleep with them, it was claimed today. The female politician - who wants to remain anonymous - was allegedly subjected to the lewd remark at an event in Westminster. The episode surfaced as claims that a Tory MP was seen watching porn on their phone in the Commons were referred for an independent investigation. Cabinet members said the culprit should be stripped of the whip or even kicked out of the House if they the allegations are proven. But former minister Caroline Nokes has accused the chief whip of kicking the issue 'into the long grass', and said the whip should have been suspended already. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also urged MPs to stay out of Parliament's 'poisonous' drinking dens amid growing uproar at sexism and sleaze at Westminster. Mr Wallace said the long hours and access to alcohol had been a problem for many years, and his advice to colleagues was 'finish your day's work and go home'. In the latest grim claims, a woman MP told BBC Wales that when someone praised her as a 'rising star' of her party at an event, the unnamed shadow cabinet minister intervened. They apparently said she was a 'secret weapon' because 'women want to be her friend' and men wanted to sleep with her. 'She is a vote winner,' they reportedly added. Keir Starmer said: 'I'm deeply concerned to hear these suggestions and these allegations. 'There is a complaints procedure and I want everybody to have the confidence to use that complaints procedure because I would want to get to the bottom of this and do something about it.' A Labour spokeswoman said: 'The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the long hours and access to alcohol had been a problem for many years, and his advice to colleagues was 'finish your day's work and go home' Mr Wallace pointed to the handful of exclusive bars on the Parliamentary estate, where drinks are much cheaper than outside, with a pint of beer costing around 3.60. File picture of Strangers Bar in the Commons 'They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken.' It is understood that no complaint has been received, and BBC Wales said the woman did not want to be identified for fear of consequences. Labour has recently introduced a new independent complaints procedure to boost confidence, and is encouraging people to come forward. In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Wallace said 'there's no place for pornography in any workplace' and said there needs to be a cultural change in Westminster. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I certainly think they should lose the whip.' He pointed to the handful of exclusive bars on the Parliamentary estate, where drinks are much cheaper than outside, with a pint of beer costing around 3.60. Mr Wallace told Times Radio that there were 'fights', 'sexist comments' and 'propositions' in the bars. 'What I have witnessed is, what I think is the fundamental problem of Westminster, is the overall culture is that hundreds and hundreds of people (are) working long hours in a place with bars,' he said. 'And for some people, under lots of pressure for all sorts of reasons. And that... mix becomes poisonous.' Mr Wallace said the problems had been 'going on for decades' and were 'not easy to fix'. 'I mean, my advice to any MP is actually avoid the bars, you know, finish a day's work and go home. 'But you know, that is part of the ultimate challenge around parliament that I think needs to be fixed. 'And you know, in the Armed Forces, I have a similar challenge, which is often in those high pressure environments where people mix and then alcohol is consumed, you end up in a place where people do things, either they regret, or things that is totally unacceptable.' The Defence Secretary told Sky News: 'There is a range of allegations that go right across the House, go right across the parties. 'This is a problem, I think, about the overall culture of the House of Commons. 'It is late sitting, long nights with bars, and that very often leads, and it has done for decades, to behavioural challenges 'I think it's really important that we think about ways to change the culture in the House of Commons.' Attorney General Suella Braverman told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour that if the allegation of an MP watching porn in Parliament is proven there should be a 'severe reprimand' including an opportunity to oust them from the Commons. 'I'm shocked and appalled... what would possess them? It is totally unacceptable,' she said. 'I am very glad that the chief whip has now referred it to the independent complaints and grievance process.' Ms Braverman went on: 'I think we would really need to see a situation where the whip would be removed. I am ashamed that this person is carrying the Conservative rosette. 'I think they really do need to be subject to a recall, and no longer holding their privileged position as a member of parliament.' Ms Braverman said while all the men she had worked with were 'respectful' there were MPs who behaved like 'animals'. 'There is however, a very small minority of men - and it is men - who fall short, and there are some bad apples who are out of order, who behave like animals and are bringing parliament into disrepute to be honest,' she said. 'I don't think we should be saying there is a pervasive culture. That is not my experience. There are certain individuals who are behaving in an unacceptable way.' The Conservative Party's chief whip has ordered an official investigation into claims that an MP was watching porn on his mobile phone in the House of Commons Chamber. A spokesman said the matter would be referred to Parliament's independent complaints and grievance scheme (ICGS). Mr Wallace told Times Radio that there were 'fights', 'sexist comments' and 'propositions' in the Parliamentary bars 'Following allegations of inappropriate behaviour in the House of Commons the Chief Whip has asked that this matter be referred to the ICGS. 'Upon the conclusion of any ICGS investigation the Chief Whip will take appropriate action.' Ms Nokes told PoliticsHome the referral amounted to 'kicking it into the long grass' and it would be 'months before anything is done'. 'It's not shouldering the burden of responsibility of dealing with it, and I think the Chiefs should have dealt with it immediately,' she said. Sir Keir said the Conservative Party should 'take action now' against the MP. He said: 'I think it's very good that we've got an independent system and obviously that requires anonymity. 'This is an unusual case because the Tory Party knows who this individual is. 'I think that they should deal with it and deal with it sooner rather than later and take appropriate action. 'So, nothing wrong with the independent process, but I think the Tory Party, they know who this is, they should take action now.' Those reported to the body are given automatic anonymity, meaning the Tory MP's name will not be published while he is under investigation. Only witnesses are able to make complaints to the scheme. The body is said to be investigating at least 56 MPs - including three ministers and two shadow ministers - who have been accused of sexual misconduct. Two female MPs say they witnessed their colleague looking at adult images more than once. Commuters in London were faced with chaos on the Tube this morning after multiple 'faulty trains' caused severe delays on the network. People trying to use the District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines faced long waits after issues in Barking, Moorgate and Finchley Road. There were also minor delays on TfL Rail, while the Northern line is part closed. It meant that five lines on London's Tube network were left facing delays as commuters tried to get into work during rush hour. Earlier in the morning the Circle line and DLR also faced minor delays. There are reports of long delays on some tube lines as a result of 'faulty trains' this morning Commuters using the District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines are all facing severe delays The delays meant London Underground tickets for several routes were made valid on bus routes and some national rail services into the capital. According to the TfL website multiple issues caused the delays. It said a 'faulty train at Barking' is caused severe delays on the District line, while a 'faulty train at Moorgate' led to minor delays on the Circle line. These two issues are caused severe delays on the Hammersmith & City lines. At its peak, seven of London's tube lines were affected by severe delays, minor delays or part closures this morning People trying to use the District and Hammersmith & City lines were told their London Underground tickets would be accepted on London Buses and C2C services. The Metropolitan Line was also severely delayed between Baker Street and Aldgate, with minor delays on the rest of the line due to a 'faulty train at Finchley Road'. London Underground tickets were being accepted on Chiltern Railway and London Buses as an alternative for this route. There are also minor delays on TfL Rail between Paddington and Reading/Heathrow as work is done to fix a track fault at Paddington. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) saw minor delays between Bank and Lewisham due to an 'obstruction on the track at South Quay'. Meanwhile, the Northern line remains closed between Moorgate and Kennington while upgrade works are undertaken at stations. Commuters trying to make their in the capital were left frustrated with some taking to social media to vent. On Twitter, @baztav wrote: 'TfL you're exceeding yourself this morning'. @utdjags wrote: 'The one day I need to use TfL Rail there are train delays. PDL.' @SteveJones177 added: 'Welcome to another fab morning on the London Tube. This is really going to get people back into the offices.' Some commuters took to social media to voice their frustation at the delays as they tried to travel this morning It comes ahead of a vote by members of Unite the Union on whether to hold strike action on London Underground services later this summer. The union said workers for TfL have been told that the value of their pensions will be cut and a final salary scheme will end following a central government-demanded review in return for pandemic-recovery funding. Commuters in London could face more tube chaos in summer with members of Unite the Union set to vote on whether to hold industrial action in a row over pensions Unite regional officer Simon McCartney said: 'Our members are dedicated to keeping London moving. 'Now they are being told that they will be poorer in old age. This is an appalling way to treat a loyal and committed workforce. 'Workers are balloting for industrial action as a last resort. Despite repeated calls to management there have been no guarantees on pensions or job cuts. 'Strike action would inevitably cause severe disruption to public transport throughout London.' If members vote in favour of industrial action when the ballot closes on May 26 the strikes could begin by mid-June Unite's members at TfL are spread across different parts of the organisation including Dial-a Ride, London Underground and Croydon trams. The union said its members are also in dispute over pay and the threat of job losses. The ballot will close on May 26. If members vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could begin by mid-June, although Unite said action is likely to be co-ordinated with other unions who also have members in TfL. An alleged victim of Tim Westwood has welcomed the DJ's departure from Capital Xtra - but slammed the 'deafening silence' from media firm Global after the misconduct claims first came to light. Westwood, 64, stepped down from his Capital Xtra show after nine years following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, having been accused of initiating unwanted sex by three women. Four others claim he groped their bottoms or breasts at events. Global, which owns Capital, faced criticism when it refused to investigate claims about the former Radio 1 presenter when they surfaced online two years ago. Labour MP Jess Phillips said at the time: 'Surely an investigation of allegations is the least that should be done. Organisations should have systems in place to investigate complaints against their staff.' One alleged victim, who claims she met Westwood in 1992 while aged 17, has now welcomed the DJ's departure from Global - following a 'deafening silence' immediately after the accusations came to light. Westwood, pictured above in 2021, is at the centre of a sexual misconduct storm after allegations were levelled against him in recent years The ex-BBC Radio 1 DJ, who is not married, has strenuously denied all claims (pictured: Tim Westwood at the NEC in Birmingham) She told The Guardian: 'I think the allegations were too great and too deep in number for [the show] to continue. The thought of him hosting his show regularly on a Saturday evening would have been totally appalling.' The earliest alleged incident is said to have taken place in 1992, and the most recent came in 2017. Three of the women, aged 17, 19 and 20 at the time, describe a pattern of alleged 'opportunist and predatory sexual behaviour' after agreeing to meet with him. Westwood has now been removed from two of the bank holiday weekend events that he had been due to appear at in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations. The ex-BBC Radio 1 DJ, who is not married, has strenuously denied all claims. A spokesperson for Westwood said: 'Tim Westwood strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour. The earliest alleged incident is said to have taken place in 1992, and the most recent came in 2017. Three of the women, aged 17, 19 and 20 at the time, describe a pattern of alleged 'opportunist and predatory sexual behaviour' after agreeing to meet with him 'In a career that has spanned 40 years, there have never been any complaints made against him officially or unofficially. Tim Westwood strongly rejects all allegations of wrongdoing.' Westwood became a household name after hosting shows on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra for 19 years, and had presented a weekly hip hop show on Capital Xtra since 2013. A spokesperson for Global, the firm which owns Capital Xtra, told MailOnline: 'Following the claims that have recently come to light, Tim Westwood has stepped down from his show until further notice.' One woman who claims her breast was grabbed by the veteran DJ in 2000 said she was left feeling 'cold and dirty' after the alleged incident. Another of the women described how she 'froze' and felt 'very intimated' after Westwood allegedly said 'lemme grab some ass', before putting his hand down the back of her shorts after meeting the girl at a club in Ayia Napa, Cyprus in 2009. Three others, aged 17, 19 and 20 at the time, describe a pattern of alleged 'opportunist and predatory sexual behaviour' after agreeing to meet with him. Two of them, who had aspirations of working within the music industry, claim they agreed to meet Westwood in London to discuss music, before he 'initiated unwanted and unexpected sex' that left them feeling 'completely powerless' and 'scared'. A further four women say Westwood groped them while posing for a picture with him after his nightclub performances. The DJ has said he did not behave in the manner described and said all of the allegations were false. The ex-cop crashed a marked police car near Yulara in the Northern Territory Beaumont also pleaded guilty to driving while under the influence of alcohol Both former cops pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice An intoxicated police officer who crashed a patrol car then pressured a local civilian to take a breath test for him, a court has heard. Following the incident, Senior Constable Wade Hawkins and Remote Sergeant Christopher Beaumont fabricated sworn statutory declarations, after Beaumont lost control of a police car and smashed into a rock monument in the Northern Territory. The incident unfolded in the remote community of Yulara, near Uluru, in November 2021. The men - who have both since resigned from the police force - pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice in the NT Supreme Court. Beaumont also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol. Former NT police officer Douglas Beaumont (pictured) crashed a patrol car last November while drunk and then pressured a local civilian to take a breath test on his behalf, a court has heard The two had started started drinking at about 7pm on November 26 last year, but when the pub closed, Beaumont drove a marked police car to the Yulara station, where he met Hawkins and other friends, the ABC reported. The group continued drinking at the police social club to the point were Beaumont was seen vomiting and appeared 'highly intoxicated', before calling in sick for work. The following day, just after 6am, Beaumont drove his squad car along Yulara Drive and lost control. The collision saw airbags deployed and the monument was also damaged. Beaumont, who was the sergeant of Mutitjulu police station at the time, drove the damaged car to Mutitjulu, an Indigenous community inside the Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park. Soon after he called Hawkins in a 'distressed state' and then asked a local to 'blow into the breathalyser to get a zero reading.' Following the incident, Senior Constable Wade Hawkins and Remote Sergeant Christopher Beaumont fabricated sworn statutory declarations stating Beaumont had returned a zero reading from a mandatory breath test (stock image) The court heard the civilian 'reluctantly agreed' to do so, feeling somewhat pressured as Beaumont was well known due to his status as the local police sergeant. Hawkins and Beaumont then both signed statutory declarations confirming Beaumont had returned a zero reading on his breath test. Following an investigation by other officers, both men admitted lying and were charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. The offences carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Lawyers for Beaumont, barrister Mark Thomas and solicitor Luke Officer, told the court the former police officer recognised his 'fault and failing'. Both Senior Constable Wade Hawkins and Remote Sergeant Christopher Beaumont have since resigned from the NT Police Force following the incident (stock image) - attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison 'He has, in one fell swoop, destroyed his reputation both in [Mutitjulu] and more generally, and is throwing away a lengthy and productive career in the NT Police,' Mr Thomas said. Crown prosecutor Marty Aust said while the offenders were 'men of good character', their crimes were serious and struck 'at the heart of the administration of justice'. 'Both of these men were well-regarded, well-respected, hard-working police officers who really were the face of the NT Police department in a remote community,' Mr Aust said. 'Many of the members of that community were socially disadvantaged and Aboriginal and looked to the men to uphold the law and be the face of the law.' Beaumont and Hawkins will be sentenced in May. A fatal design flaw in Russian tanks dating back to the Gulf War has made them 'sitting ducks' for Ukrainian attacks, experts have revealed. Unlike in Western tanks, Russian vehicles store up to 40 shells in a carousel at the base of the turret, making them extremely vulnerable. Even an indirect hit can spark a chain reaction, igniting all the ammunition at once and decapitating the vehicles dubbed 'mobile coffins' by Western military experts. The 'jack-in-the-box effect' has contributed to the devastating loss of up to 970 Russian tanks, the Ukrainian military claims. It explains why dozens of charred tanks with their turrets completely blown off have been spotted during Putin's botched invasion, with videos showing the top part of the vehicles flying high into the air. A fatal design flaw in Russian tanks dating back to the Gulf War has made them 'sitting ducks' for Ukrainian attacks, blasting the turret up to two storeys into the air A destroyed Russian tank is seen lying next to its blasted off and charred turret in Mariupol last month Drone footage shows one tank exploding into a fireball as its turret is blown high into the sky One turret was blasted into the second floor of a house after it was hit, causing a chain reaction inside the vehicle Sam Bendett, an adviser with the Russian Studies Program at the Center for a New American Security, told CNN: 'What we are witnessing with Russian tanks is a design flaw. 'Any successful hit ... quickly ignites the ammo causing a massive explosion, and the turret is literally blown off.' The flaw came to the attention of the West in the Gulf Wars of 1991 and 2003 when Iraq's Russian-made T-72 tanks were similarly exposed. The design has benefits, allowing for extra space inside and giving the tanks a lower profile, making them harder to hit. Subsequent models including the T-90 and T-80 had the same vulnerability due to the missile loading system. Ukrainian servicemen look at a destroyed Russian tank on a road in the village of Rusaniv, in the Kyiv region In Brovary, a beheaded tank is seen on the side of the road in a common image seen throughout Ukraine The 'jack-in-the-box effect' has contributed to the devastating loss of up to 970 Russian tanks, the Ukrainian military claims This aerial view taken near Kyiv on March 30 shows a destroyed Russian tank in the village of Lukianivka But Western militaries have learned from the flaw and their tanks now have compartmentalised ammunition. Steven Zaloga, an expert on Russian and Soviet armour, told military site Task & Purpose: 'If you see film footage of a hit followed by the ammunition fire, typically what happens is that one propellant casing goes off or one or two because of a penetration. 'The explosion of the first propellant case tends to trigger more. And so, what you often-times see is a sequence where one propellant case or a couple of propellant cases go off and then the stowage down in the autoloader goes up, basically like a string of firecrackers.' In the Chechen wars, Russians reduced their tank losses by carrying fewer rounds, which meant the ammo and propellant could be stored in the autoloaders instead. A destroyed Russian tank is seen in front of a damaged house in Malaya Rohan with the turret split from the body Western militaries have learned from the flaw and their tanks now have compartmentalised ammunition A Ukrainian soldier stands on the wreckage of a burnt Russian tank outside of the village of Mala Rogan But now, Kremlin forces are packing their tanks with as much ammunition as possible. Two crew members and a driver are normally inside the tanks, and they are 'sitting ducks' for the catastrophic explosions, Nicholas Drummond, a defence industry analyst and former British Army officer said. He added: 'If you don't get out within the first second, you're toast.' Some Western vehicles such as the US Stryker have turrets which do not enter the crew compartment, meaning the crew is still safe below if the top is blown off. Others have no carousel, while the M1 Abrams has a fourth crew member to retrieve shells from a compartment before manually transferring them to the gun. If a tank is hit, only one shell at most will be in the turret. Analysts claimed yesterday that Russia has lost so much military equipment in Ukraine that it will be unable to fight another war for years. Analysts claimed yesterday that Russia has lost so much military equipment in Ukraine that it will be unable to fight another war for years 'It will take years for Russia to rebuild its inventories', according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. In fact, Putin will struggle in the Donbas because vital 'inventories are getting low', analyst Mark Cancian told The Times. Wrecked Kremlin equipment now amounts to 970 tanks, 187 planes, 155 helicopters, 431 artillery units and eight ships, the Ukrainian army estimated this morning. Military analyst Henry Boyd from the International Institute for Strategic Studies said Putin could still draw on sizeable, Soviet-era reserve forces stationed across Russia. But most Russian soldiers could be unable to use it, he added. Mr Boyd told the newspaper: 'They kept a large number of Soviet-era tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery. 'You can probably compensate in terms of sheer numbers by reactivating older systems but there is a question mark over whether they will have the crews to man the vehicles and if they do, whether they have had sufficient training.' Elon Musk joked he wants to buy drinks giant Coca-Cola to 'put the cocaine back in' as the eccentric entrepreneur enjoyed a series of back-and-forths with Twitter users amid his $44billion takeover of the platform. 'Next I'm buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in,' the wisecracking Tesla and SpaceX founder said in a late-night tweet Wednesday. The tweet prompted a storm of amusing responses, including one post which implored Elon 'bring it back' and shared an image of what purports to be one of the first publicly sold Coca-Cola bottles in 1894 - though this could not be verified and may be an image of a larger container used to serve the drink. The early recipe for Coca-Cola actually included coca leaves, from which popular party drug cocaine is derived. The early Coca-Cola bottles were thought to have contained 3.5 milligrams of cocaine - an ingredient which remained present in the drink until it was removed by the company nine years later. Elon also traded jokes with a user who posted a doctored tweet alongside Elon's profile picture which read: 'Now I'm going to buy McDonalds and fix all the ice cream machines...' 'Listen, I can't do miracles, ok,' the billionaire entrepreneur responded. Elon Musk joked he wants to buy drinks giant Coca-Cola to 'put the cocaine back in' as the eccentric entrepreneur enjoyed a series of back-and-forths with Twitter users amid his $44billion takeover of the platform 'Next I'm buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in,' the wisecracking Tesla and SpaceX founder said in a late-night tweet Wednesday. The tweet prompted a storm of amusing responses, including one post which implored Elon 'bring it back' and shared an image of what purports to be one of the first publicly sold Coca-Cola bottles in 1894 - though this could not be independently verified and may be an image of a larger container used to serve the drink Elon also traded jokes with a user who posted a doctored tweet alongside Elon's profile picture which read: 'Now I'm going to buy McDonalds and fix all the ice cream machines...' Twitter users delighted in Elon's coke-joke, before he followed up: 'Beats the hell out of Red Bull!' Twitter's board on Monday unanimously accepted a $44billion bid from Musk to buy out the company and own it outright. Musk pledged to uphold free speech on the platform so it can fulfil its potential as the world's 'digital town square', while relaxing content restrictions and cracking down on spam posters and bots. 'Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,' Musk said in a statement following the announcement of his takeover. But news of the buyout prompted many left-leaning users to announce their intentions to leave the platform, while others expressed concern that relaxed content controls could lead to more hate speech. In yet more tweets last night and early this morning, Elon set out some more of his intentions for the platform which outlined his basic visions for the user experience, a desire to make Twitter politically neutral in its content control, and the need for increased security. 'Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,' Musk said in a statement following the announcement of his takeover of the social media behemoth In yet more tweets last night and early this morning, Elon set out some more of his intentions for the platform which covered his visions for the user experience, political neutrality and security Coca-Cola is one of the world's best-loved brands and its refreshing, if unhealthy, fizzy brown beverage is enjoyed by millions every day. But when chemist John Stith Pemberton created the original Coca-Cola formula in 1886 in a pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, he labelled it a 'brain tonic'. The first Coca-Cola advertisements positioned the concoction as a cure for 'Morphine, Opium Habits and Desire for Intoxicants'. But ironically, the two ingredients from which Pemberton's soda drink derived its name were highly addictive. The early versions of Coca-Cola contained kola nut powder to deliver a caffeine kick, and coca leaf extract which contained trace quantities of cocaine - around 3.5 milligrams per bottle until 1903, when it was removed. Coca-Cola is one of the world's best-loved brands and its refreshing, if unhealthy, fizzy brown beverage is enjoyed by millions every day. But when chemist John Stith Pemberton created the original Coca-Cola formula in 1886 in a pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, he labelled it a 'brain tonic' Other ingredients contained in the original recipe were sugar syrup spiced with citric acid, nutmeg, vanilla and Chinese cinnamon oil. However, the high levels of caffeine in Coca-Cola remained until the end of World War One. By 1908, anti-drug campaigners began attacking America's growing dependence on the substance and started calling for a national ban. One Texan politician declared in 1909: 'The reason they put this dope in Coca-Cola is to create a constant craving for more and thus sell the drink.' Coca-Cola remained steadfast and continued to caffeinate its beverages until World War I sent prices through the roof due to shortages. The Russian military deployed highly trained 'spy dolphins' to secure its Black Sea naval HQ, satellites appear to have shown. Images released by the US Naval Institute today show dolphin pens were moved to the gates of Sevastopol Harbour, Crimea in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine. Dolphins are used by the Russian military for 'counter diver' operations. The canny mammals trained at the Crimean State Oceanarium can reportedly fight off invading divers, carry bombs and even plant mines. Images captured by an American satellite show the floating pens (inset) by the Harbour gates A small Russian 'spy dolphin' carries a bomb during a training exercise (image date unknown) Russia took control of the dolphin unit after annexing Crimea in 2014. Moscow claimed the mammals 'defected' to Russia. The Soviet Union began training military dolphins in Sevastopol nearly fifty years ago. The harbour is home to the Russian Black Sea fleet - and numerous valuable warships, including the flagship Moskva before it sank. Ukrainian missiles do not have the range to reach targets stationed at Sevastopol, but Kyiv could conceivably send underwater saboteurs to break in to the base. The tactful mammals can reportedly fight off invading divers and even plant mines (file image) The photographs suggest Russia moved dolphins to the entrance at Sevastopol in late February, days before it launched its full-scale invasion on February 24. The US Navy's San Diego-based Marine Mammal Program was established in 1959 after bottlenose dolphins were found to be skilled at delivering messages and identifying naval threats. But keeping military dolphins isn't always easy. In 2013, two-thirds of Russia's military dolphins went absent without leave in the Black Sea - apparently in search of love. An army source told MailOnline: 'They deserted a naval exercise and went on manoeuvres of an amorous kind. They swam away to look for mates.' Russian army trainers work with the sea mammals so they can protect valuable navy assets The news emerged as a family of dolphins evacuated from an aquarium in war-torn Kharkiv were pictured swimming at a safe haven in Odessa. Kharkiv Dolphinarium thanked its 'brave and dedicated' trainers for their efforts in a Facebook post yesterday. Odessa Dolphinarium reported: 'They have already passed the vet check-up, adapt[ed] to a new home and [are] getting away from stress.' White whales and a newborn dolphin with their mother and father have stayed in Kharkiv, where workers are still trying to find a new home for them. Malaysian doctor aids epidemic fight in Shanghai People's Daily Online) 14:03, April 28, 2022 Eddi Tham Hock Guan, who is originally from Malaysia, has been in Shanghai for the past five years. Ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in the city, Guan, a physician, has taken an active part in the citys efforts to fight the disease. Photo shows a medical worker from DeltaHealth, a foreign-funded hospital in Shanghai, conducting nucleic acid testing for a resident. (Photo/WHB.cn) Guan led staff members of the outpatient department in his hospital, DeltaHealth, which is a foreign-funded hospital, to engage in epidemic control in the city, having conducted nucleic acid tests for residents in Shanghais suburban Qingpu district several times. He has also offered free online healthcare consulting services for patients, and prescribed medicine for the patients in need of urgent medical assistance. Speaking about why he took part in the anti-epidemic efforts in Shanghai, Guan said: As a doctor, Im always ready to contribute my part whenever Im needed, regardless of my nationality. Photo shows medical workers from DeltaHealth, a foreign-funded hospital in Shanghai, posing for a picture. (Photo from WHB.cn) Photo shows medical workers from DeltaHealth, a foreign-funded hospital in Shanghai, posing for a picture. (Photo from WHB.cn) (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) gettyimagesbank Korean's business sentiment improved for May amid expectations that the government's lifting of COVID-19 pandemic-related curbs could boost demand, a central bank poll showed Thursday. The business sentiment index (BSI) for local companies came to 86 for May, up three points from the previous month, according to the survey by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The index measures corporate prospects for business conditions in the following month. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists. The rise came as the government recently lifted most social distancing rules, except for the mask mandate, as part of efforts to return to normal from the coronavirus pandemic. The BSI for manufacturers rose from 85 to 88 over the same period, and the index for non-manufacturing firms from 82 to 85. The sentiment for manufacturers, in particular, improved in the hope that demand for such products as cosmetics and others will mount, the BOK said. The BSI for large companies increased from 91 to 92 over the cited period, with that for smaller firms rising five points to 83. The BSI for exporters stayed unchanged at 93, while the index for domestic demand-oriented businesses improved from 80 to 85, the survey showed. The survey was conducted on a total of 2,828 firms, including 1,677 manufacturers, from April 13 to 20, the BOK said. (Yonhap) Pictures shared online show the moment a lorry carrying toilet paper was almost wiped out after it crashed into a low railway bridge in south London. The huge blue freight vehicle was pictured wedged in a crumpled heap with parts of its load spread across the A205 in Hither Green, London. Roads in the surrounding area soon became clogged with traffic after the adjacent road was closed, with queues of around 30 minutes reported by motorists this morning. South Eastern rail services were also temporarily axed amid the clean up after checks were made to ensure the tracks were safe. The line has since reopened. Kersey Freight Ltd have been contacted to provide comment. The huge blue freight vehicle was pictured wedged in a crumpled heap with parts of its load spread across the A205 in Hither Green, London Roads in the surrounding area soon became clogged with traffic after the adjacent road was closed, with queues of around 30 minutes reported by motorists this morning Social media users were quick to see the funny side of the crash Social media users were quick to see the funny side of the crash. @LanceArmpong wrote: 'I believe that's called a wedgie'. @bhavikdepala tweeted: 'Save me a batch, I'm on my way!' @eel_pie_pete added: 'If only there was some kind of warning that it was a low bridge...' The Metropolitan Police have also been contacted for comment. A Victoria Cross won by Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf has today sold for a record-breaking 682, 000. The RAF pilot performed heroic tasks whilst serving in Malaya, South East Asia during WWII where he landed his plane despite being mortally wounded in a near-suicidal raid. Mr Scarf, 28, took off from Butterworth to attack a Japanese air base just as enemy planes arrived to dive-bomb his RAF aerodrome in Malaya in December 1941. Watching as enemy aircraft destroyed his squad below, he bravely carried on alone taking on enemy planes lining up to fire at him. He used his brilliant flying skills to complete a successful bombing run on the Japanese air base in Thailand but was shot several times by close-range cannon and machine gun fire. Despite being barely conscious, Scarf somehow managed to keep his grip on the controls to cross back over the Malay-Thai border to Singora. He pulled off a 'miraculous' landing in a paddy field, which allowed his two fellow crew members to escape without injury. Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf died whilst fighting off Japanese fighter planes Arthur showed bravery in the face of danger, saving two of his squad (above) his Blenheim plane Arthur Scarf's Victoria Cross, (left) which sold for a record breaking amount was won after a terrifying ordeal that cost him his life Squad Leader Scarf was rushed to the nearby hospital where his wife Sally, a nurse who was pregnant with their child, was based. She donated two litres of her own blood to try and save him and as he was wheeled into theatre for surgery he told her 'don't worry, keep smiling, chin up'. He died a short time later from wounds to his back and chest, aged 28. Arthur Scarf was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry, which his widow Sally received from King George VI after the war. The medal was sold by her family with London-based auctioneers Spink & Son to raise awareness of his heroic service, achieving a hammer price of 550,000, with extra fees taking the final figure paid for it to 682,000. It was bought by an anonymous bidder in the room. His squadron 62, Flying training at Cranwell 1936 Scarf is pictured fifth from right (above) 62 Squadron converted to Bristol Blenheim I bombers in February 1938, and when war looked imminent the following year, they were posted to Singapore via India, and arrived at Tengah airfield, Singapore, though for two years they saw no active service Arthur Scarf (circled) was a keen rower and rugby player at school, where his lack of interest in academics almost got him expelled Only 26 VCs have been awarded to RAF personnel, half of which follow the death of the recipient. Scarf's medals set a world record for an RAF VC, breaking the previous record set by Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid of 290,000, which was sold by the same auctioneers in November 2009. Marcus Budgen, head of the medals department, said: 'The medals and archive of Squadron Leader Scarf are of the greatest importance in the history of the Second World War. 'His bravery is ranked amongst the finest single acts that took place during the Second World War and Scarf gave his life for his comrades. 'His cool, calculated acts of bravery laid unknown after the carnage and the Fall of Malaya but now is the time that the story of the 'Forgotten VC' comes to wider public recognition. 'The true rarity and importance of this Victoria Cross cannot be overstated.. It simply is first class.' Squad Leader Scarf, known as 'Pongo' to his friends, was born in Wimbledon, south west London, in 1913. His lack of school qualifications lead him to apply to the Royal Navy but he was rejected. In January 1936 he applied to join the RAF for pilot training and was accepted, where he trained at the AST, Hamble. Graduating on 11th October 1936, he joined 9 Squadron at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire. He was frequently late for lectures and generally made morning parades by the skin of his teeth dashing on to the parade ground just as the command 'Fall in the Officers' was given. In 1938 he was posted to Abingdon, Berkshire to form a new unit, 62 Squadron, then he was sent to northern Malaya at the start of World War Two. Pictured L-R: Victoria Cross, reverse of the suspension bar engraved 'S/Ldr. A. S. K. Scarf. 62 Sqdn. R.A.F.', the reverse of the Cross engraved '11 June, 1946.'; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, all won by Arthur Scarf His letter, written to his sister Kitty, on 4 March 1936 from the Air Service Training Club, with the moving opening lines:'...I have appreciated all you have said tremendously and frankly they have given me enough guts to stop myself from spinning into the "deck" when I have been solo - thanks a lot old thing' The full heartfelt letter to his sister Kitty, (pictured above) The Japanese attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, was followed two days later by the Japanese invading Malaya, where Arthur was stationed. On December 9, a squadron of Blenheim bombers were tasked with attacking the forward base of the Japanese air force at Singora, Thailand, close to the Malayan border. 'His bravery is ranked amongst the finest single acts that took place during the Second World War Marcus Budgen, head of the medals department Squad Leader Scarf got airborne just as the enemy launched a surprise attack on the RAF airbase. He had a bird's eye view of the death and destruction suffered by his colleagues on the ground below. His Victoria Cross citation reads: 'Squadron Leader Scarf circled the airfield and witnessed the disaster. 'It would have been reasonable had he abandoned the projected operation which was intended to be a formation sortie. 'He decided, however, to carry to Singora in his single Blenheim aircraft. 'Although he knew that this individual action could not inflict much material damage on the enemy, he, nevertheless, appreciated the moral effect which it would have on the remainder of the squadron, who were helplessly watching their aircraft burning on the ground. 'Squadron Leader Scarf completed his attack successfully. 'The opposition over the target was severe and included attacks by a considerable number of enemy fighters. He managed to see his pregnant wife before he died , (circled above) Arthur Scarf's married Elizabeth 'Sally', a nurse, in Penang in April 1941 His family are now looking to sell the prized medal, Arthur Scarf (circled) in a family photo in 1938 His bravery saved the lives of two of his fellow crew (circled) Arthur Scarf has fun with fellow military friends who called him by his nickname, 'Pongo' 'In the course of these encounters, Squadron Leader Scarf was mortally wounded. 'Squadron Leader Scarf fought a brilliant evasive action in a valiant attempt to return to his base. 'He made a successful forced-landing without causing any injury to his crew. 'He was received into hospital as soon as possible, but died shortly after admission. 'Squadron Leader Scarf displayed supreme heroism in the face of tremendous odds and his splendid example of self-sacrifice will long be remembered.' A painting of Arthur Scarf to help further generations remember his bravery and service to his country as a Royal Air Force hero Sally, who was off-duty at the hospital, later said: 'I was off duty when an English casualty was being brought in. 'I was very shocked to find it was my late husband Pongo who by some miracle managed to land his plane in a paddy field nearby to the aerodrome and hospital, his two sergeants being unharmed. 'Dr Peach who brought him in and administered some medication and Pongo was cheerfully saying 'don't worry', but he was severely wounded in his left arm and back. 'Pongo was still cheerful and said 'Don't worry, keep smiling, chin up!' 'Pat returned soon afterwards to tell me he just slipped away whilst under anesthesia.' Squad Leader Scarf was buried the next day at Alor Star in the Kedah Province, close to the neutral Thai border. Air Vice-Marshal Combe said to Sally: 'Your late husband did a wonderful act, for which his country will be eternally grateful.' Sally was evacuated to India to continue her nurse duties, returning to Britain at the end of the war. She went on to marry Major Stuart Gunn whom she had four daughters with before she died in 1986. Squad Leader Scarf's remains were re-buried in the Taiping War Cemetery, with his gravestone inscribed: 'his love of life was only exceeded by the courage encompassing his death'. Billionaire financier Leon Black gave his Russian mistress 2million ($2.5m) to make her eligible for a UK 'golden visa' in the hopes the fashion model would start a new life far away from his home in New York, it has been alleged. Black, the former CEO of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, agreed to transfer millions of pounds to Guzel Ganieva in 2015 after she began to extort him by threatening to make their relationship public, according to court filings. The American introduced Ganieva to senior lawyers in London and New York before wiring her enough money to be eligible for the Tier 1 visa, which allowed foreigners to settle in the UK if they invested at least 2million in UK companies. Black, the former CEO of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, agreed to transfer millions of pounds to Guzel Ganieva in 2015, according to court filings Ganieva had moved to New York to pursue her career as a fashion model and, in 2008, began what Black's lawyers described as a 'casual, episodic, and completely consensual' relationship with the married billionaire, who lent her nearly $1m (800) to help pay the rent on a Manhattan apartment, according to the Financial Times. The Russian's affair with Black became public last March, when she went on Twitter to claim she had been 'bullied, manipulated, threatened, and coerced . . .[and] forced to sign an NDA'. She later sued the tycoon in New York, alleging abuse. Black (pic) introduced Ganieva to senior lawyers in London and New York before wiring her enough money to be eligible for the Tier 1 visa Ganieva allegations include that Black forced her to fly to Florida to 'satisfy the sex needs' of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, at his Palm Beach villa. After filing her initial lawsuit in June, Ganieva amended it in September to include the accusations of a second woman, referred to only as Jane Doe, who alleged she was violently raped by Black in Epstein's New York residence in 2002. 'Knowing that to him, and in his world, reputation matters, they set about to destroy him and make him pay anything to make them stop,' Black's lawyers said in a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court said. 'They are planning to line their own pockets with the results.' Black, who is married to Broadway theatre producer Debra Black, has in turn responded with a federal lawsuit that claims she conspired with a group of lawyers and wealthy businessman to air false rape allegations in an attempt to force him out of Apollo. She denies this. Ganieva is pictured (left) with pals Natane Boudreau and Claudia Mason in 2011 Ganieva (left at an event in 2011) branded Black a 'violent, sadistic' sexual predator who raped and harassed her before coercing her into signing a non-disclosure agreement in a defamation lawsuit Black stepped down from his role as CEO of Apollo in march after he was revealed as an associate of paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, left. Black (right) was with Epstein at a screening of the film Capote in 2005 The businessman claims Ganieva began to threaten him that she would 'go public, and ruin his family, his business, and his life', according to court papers. He offered her a $18m financial settlement and introduced her to several lawyers in the hope of getting her a UK visa. It previously emerged Black had paid disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein $158m (126m) for tax avoidance services that saved him at least $1.3bn, although he was not involved with his criminal activities. Black has publicly regretted his involvement with Epstein, who killed himself in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Italian babies will no longer be forced to take their father's surname after a ruling yesterday by the nation's highest court. In Italy, children automatically inherit their father's family name at birth unless they are born out of wedlock or the father's identity is unknown. In a landmark judgment the Constitutional Court deemed this 'discriminatory and harmful to the identity' of a child. 'In the principle of equality and in the interest of the child, both parents must be able to share the choice on the [child's] surname', it stated, according to Reuters. Family minister Elena Bonetti said the proposed change will enjoy 'full' government backing The decision will now become legislation set for a vote in the Italian parliament. The country's national unity government, led by centrist prime minister Mario Draghi, supports the measure. The case was prompted by a couple who have two children born out of wedlock to the mother's previous partner. Her children were given their mother's surname, but when the couple had a third child they were unable to give it the same family name as the other two. The unnamed couple opened a lawsuit in 2020, ending up at Italy's supreme court. Family minister Elena Bonetti responded to the ruling in a Facebook post: 'The time has come for a change. 'We need to give substance [to the ruling]. It is a high priority and urgent task of politics to do so. 'I guarantee all the support of the government to the parliamentary process in taking another fundamental step to achieve equality between women and men in our country.' In an interview with Corriere Della Serra, the minister added: 'Finally the Constitution states that in family law, there is no prevalence of the masculine over the feminine. 'The surname is part of the identity and personal history. [This] overcomes the discrimination against women and children.' Asked whether the new plan could lead to a 'multiplication of surnames', Ms Bonetti said it would be down to the coming legislation to decide a solution. Under the new plan, a baby would take on a four-barreled surname made up of both their parents' double-barreled surnames. Elena Bonetti, pictured at a book launch in 2020, said: 'Surnames are part of personal history' One option, the minister said, could be cancelling one of the surnames 'with the agreement of both parents'. Others pointed out the move is little more than a gesture. Mary Ferri commented on Ms Bonetti's Facebook post: 'What about compulsory maternity leave, paid to 100%? [...] Talk about support for families.' Michele Nucera added: 'For me it is more discriminatory that there is no paternity leave proportionate to the mother's.' Patronymic family surnames became common in Europe during the late 11th century. They were intended to make the management and ownership of property easier. Women members of parliament have tried to end the enforced tradition for decades, getting close in 2006 and 2016 before failing to receive sufficient political support. The government's support for the move suggests it may now happen. In the UK, the law does not automatically assign newborns a family name. In fact, there are virtually no rules on what a child's surname can be. The Deed Poll Office states: 'The registrar doesnt have the right to refuse any name, except insofar as [they] might think it were something illegal.' Finland and Sweden could join NATO swiftly and would be 'welcomed with open arms', its leader said today. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told journalists this morning he expects the two historically neutral countries' entries will happen 'quickly'. The nations have expressed a new desire to join NATO since Russia invaded Ukraine. It follows news yesterday that Finland and Sweden will both apply just next month. Mr Stoltenberg said in Brussels: 'If they decide to apply, Finland and Sweden will be warmly welcomed and I expect the process to go quickly.' He also described the countries as 'our closest partners', adding: 'They are strong and mature democracies. NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg said the countries 'will be warmly welcomed' and enter 'quickly' 'Their armed forces meet NATO standards and are interoperable with NATO forces. 'We train together, we exercise together, and we have also worked with Finland and Sweden in many different missions and operations.' The NATO leader said he will meet with president of Finland Sauli Niinisto later today, Reuters reported. And in a stinging rebuke to Putin's war in Ukraine, Stoltenberg said: 'This is fundamentally about the right of every nation in Europe to decide its own future. 'So when Russia tries in a way to threaten, to intimidate Finland and Sweden from not applying it just demonstrates how Russia is not respecting the basic right of every nation to choose its own path.' Since Russia began its invasion on February 24, NATO members have spent $8billion (5.4billion) providing military support and weapons to Ukraine. Stoltenberg (pictured with European Parliament president Roberta Metsola) said he will meet with the Finnish president later today Stoltenberg rebuked the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said it violated Kyiv's 'basic rights' Swedish PM Andersson (left) welcomed Finnish PM Marin (right) for discussions this month Finland and Sweden are currently NATO 'partners' - permitted to take part in joint training exercises and receive briefings - but are not full members. Becoming a full member would mean the pair are protected under Article 5, which states an attack on one member of the alliance is an attack on every member. They joined the EU alongside Austria in 1995. Entering NATO also requires ratification in the parliaments of all 30 member states. But the Secretary-General said the countries could join as interim members in the meantime. He said: 'I am confident that there are ways to bridge that interim period in a way which is good enough and works for both Finland and Sweden.' Russia, which shares an 810-mile border with Finland, said it will fire nuclear weapons in its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad if the two countries apply to join NATO. Sweden's prime minister Magdalena Andersson is understood to be eager for the country to join the trans-Atlantic alliance by June. This will be met with fury in the Kremlin, whose invasion of Ukraine was prompted in part by Kyiv's wish to join the pact. Moscow lawmaker Vladimir Dzhabarov warned if Finland tried to join it would mean 'the destruction of the country'. Swedish PM Andersson hosted Finnish PM Sanna Marin in Stockholm for a meeting on their prospective memberships of the alliance less than two weeks ago. Marin said at the time: 'There are different perspectives to apply (for) NATO membership or not to apply and we have to analyse these very carefully. But I think our process will be quite fast, it will happen in weeks.' President Niinisto (right) met with Boris Johnson (left) at Number Ten last month. He warned that his nation could face serious 'disruption' should Finland try to join NATO The assault on Ukraine sparked a dramatic U-turn in public and political opinion in Finland and neighbouring Sweden regarding their long-held policies of military non-alignment. In Finland, support for joining the alliance has grown from 28 per cent in February to 68 per cent. And 57 per cent of Swedes favour NATO membership, compared with 51 per cent last month. But Maria Zakharova, spokesman for Russia's foreign ministry, said last week both countries have been informed 'what it will lead to' if they become NATO members. 'We have issued all our warnings both publicly and through bilateral channels,' she told the Rossiya 24 state media channel. 'They know about it, they will have nothing to be surprised about, they were informed about everything.' Ms Andersson, the Swedish PM, has said there is 'no point' delaying any NATO bid. Lavrov told Russian state TV this week the risk of nuclear war 'cannot be underestimated' 'There is a before and after 24 February,' she said, referring to the date on which Russia invaded Ukraine. 'This is a very important time in history. 'The security landscape has completely changed. We have to analyse the situation to see what is best for Sweden's security, for the Swedish people, in this new situation.' Putin yesterday slammed NATO involvement in Ukraine and said Russia's response to any potential threats will be 'lightning fast'. The president made the fiery comments just days after Russia tested its new Sarmat 2 nuclear missile, which it claims can beat all defences. Putin said: 'If someone intends to interfere in what is going on from the outside they must know that constitutes an unacceptable strategic threat to Russia. 'They must know that our response to counter strikes will be lightning fast. Fast.' Finnish PM Marin, pictured at an EU summit in 2021, has pivoted in favour of NATO entry On Monday, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia is now fighting a proxy-war with the whole of NATO - and the risk of it turning nuclear is 'real'. Speaking on state TV, Lavrov said the current situation is worse than the Cuban missile crisis at the height of the Cold War. Asked about the possibility of a nuclear war, he said: 'The risks are very significant. I do not want the danger to be artificially inflated [but] it is serious, real. It cannot be underestimated.' Finnish president Sauli Niinisto warned in late March that Russia could 'disrupt' his country if it dares join the defensive alliance. Finland and Russia fought a brief but bloody war over the winter of 1939-1940 in -43C climes He said Moscow could breach Finnish territory and launch cyber attacks should Helsinki ask to enter the Western military alliance. Mr Niinisto stated: 'We dont even know all the possibilities for hybrid influencing that someone may invent. The entire world of information technology is vulnerable.' Finns share with Ukraine a fierce sense of independence from Russia. Finland defended itself against Stalin's aggression in the Winter War of 1939 and 1940. Facing up to 750,000 invading Soviet troops in -43C temperatures, a Finnish army half that size held off a Russian invasion for three months until it agreed a ceasefire. Advertisement Boris Johnson is facing a potentially make-or-break moment next week when millions of voters go to the polls across the country. Tories are anxiously waiting to assess the level of damage from the Partygate scandal, with the results in thousands of council seats seen as a key test of whether the PM can survive. A total of 200 local authorities are holding elections - including every seat in Scotland, Wales and London. But the outcome could be tricky to interpret as many of the seats were last contested in 2017 and 2018, when the UK was still in the EU, Theresa May was in No10 and Labour was led by Jeremy Corbyn. Experts have pointed out that Labour had a very strong performance in 2018, suggesting the party could struggle to make further big gains - despite polls showing a national lead and massive advantage in London. Although many of the issues that decide local elections remain the same - such as bin collections and services - they will inevitably be interpreted through the prism of Partygate in the wake of Mr Johnson's fine. Restive Conservatives have been holding off a decision on whether to mount a coup until the results come in, meaning the aftermath is likely to be the moment of maximum danger for the PM. Meanwhile, a failure to make significant progress could cause serious problems for Keir Starmer. A total of 200 local authorities are holding elections on May 5 - including every seat in Scotland, Wales and London Here are some of the key contests to look out for in each region of England, as well as in Wales and Scotland. North-west England Bury - estimated declaration time, 8.30pm Friday May 6 Bury has all of its 51 seats up for grabs this year. Labour has run the council since 2011 but has only a small majority and will want to improve its position in what is the party's traditional heartland of Greater Manchester. Bury's status in this year's elections was reflected by the fact Sir Keir and Mr Johnson both visited the town during the campaign. (E) Bolton - 12.30am Friday May 6 Bolton is another key test for Labour in Greater Manchester, but here it is hoping to take back control from the Conservatives who have run a minority administration since 2019. A third of the council's 60 seats are being contested. (12.30am) Pendle - 4.30pm Friday, May 6 Pendle is being defended by the Conservatives, who won a slim majority last year. If the Tories lose two seats, the council will slip back into no overall control. Elections are taking place for 12 of the 33 seats. (4.30pm) Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness - 1pm Friday, May 6 Two new unitary authorities that will elect councillors for the first time this year. The two authorities cover the whole of Cumbria. Cumberland is comprised of the former district councils of Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland, while Westmorland & Furness covers Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and South Lakeland. All the main parties will be jostling for prominence in these new 'super-councils' and the outcome in both contests could be close. (Cumberland 2.30am, Westmorland & Furness 1pm) North-east England Sunderland - 2am Friday, May 6 Run by Labour since 1973, but both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have made advances in Sunderland in recent years. A third of the council's 75 seats are up for grabs this year, and if Labour suffers six or more losses it will lose overall control. Although Sunderland is part of Labour's so-called 'Red Wall' - areas of the country that saw many Tory gains at the 2019 general election - all three Sunderland MPs are Labour and the party defied predictions in 2021 when it retained its majority on the council. Hartlepool - 2am Friday, May 6 The Conservatives and Labour are fighting to be in with a chance of taking overall control of the council - or failing that, end up the largest party and lead a minority administration or a coalition. The Tories won the parliamentary seat of Hartlepool from Labour at a by-election in May 2021. A strong showing by independent candidates could spice up the outcome of this year's contest. Some 13 of the council's 36 seats are being contested. Yorkshire & the Humber Kirklees - 6.30pm Friday, May 6 Currently run by Labour but the party does not have a majority in Kirklees. A third of seats are being elected and just two gains by Labour would give it overall control. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are also hoping to do well. Wakefield - 5pm Friday, May 6 A Labour stronghold and is not likely to change hands, but the party will be hoping for a solid performance ahead of the expected parliamentary by-election in the city later this year, after Conservative MP Imran Khan was convicted of sexual assault. A third of seats are being contested. Hull - 3.30am Friday, May 6 Hull is a two-way fight between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Labour's majority has been whittled away in recent years and the party goes into this year's election defending a majority of one. A third of the council's seats are in play and the Lib Dems are hopeful of victory. (3.30am) West Midlands Dudley - 4am Friday, May 6 A crucial test for both the Conservatives and Labour. The Tories hope to build on the slim majority they secured at the 2021 local elections, while Labour will want to halt the blue advance and make gains themselves. A third of the council is up for grabs. (4am) Solihull - 1pm Friday May 6 Another West Midlands metropolitan council under Conservative control, but the main opposition is the Greens. The party has been slowly eating into the Tories' majority and will hope to take a few more bites this year. One third of Solihull's seats are being contested. Nuneaton & Bedworth - 4am Friday May 6 Dominated by the Conservatives after a bumper performance in last year's elections. Labour will hope to demonstrate it is making a comeback, having controlled the council as recently as 2018. Half of the 34 seats are holding ballots. Newcastle-under-Lyme - 3pm Friday May 6 Set to be a battle royal between Labour and the Conservatives, with every council seat up for grabs and the Tories defending a tiny majority. Success here for Labour would suggest the party is winning back support in one of its target areas of country. The parliamentary seat of Newcastle-under-Lyme was won by the Conservatives in 2019 after being held by Labour for the previous 100 years. East Midlands Derby - 5am Friday May 6 Derby is currently run by the Tories as a minority party. Labour will be looking to make gains in another test of party's ability to win back support in urban areas of central England. An unknown factor is the popularity of the Reform Derby party, based on the former Brexit Party, which is standing candidates in all the seats being contested. There are 17 of the council's 51 seats up for grabs. Eastern England St Albans - 4pm Friday May 6 St Albans saw the Liberal Democrats make enough gains in 2021 to take overall control, but with a slim majority. The party will want to improve its numbers this year as an example of how it is now the main opposition to the Conservatives in parts of the so-called 'Blue Wall' of southern England. The entire council is up for election. (4pm) Peterborough - 2.30am Friday May 6 A long-running Conservative-Labour battleground and for decades the council has see-sawed between a Tory majority and no overall control. It is currently run by a minority Conservative administration and Labour will want to make gains to show it is recovering in a city it lost to the Tories at the 2019 general election. A third of seats are being contested. Basildon - 1am Friday May 6 This Essex battleground could provide clues to how the Conservatives are doing in the commuter belt around London. The party won control of the council last year and will hope to consolidate its position in elections for a third of its 42 seats. Stevenage - 2.30am Friday, May 6 A commuter-heavy area in Hertfordshire, but this time it is Labour who will be hoping to make progress. The party has controlled the council continuously since its creation in 1973 but will want to show it can reverse the losses it made last year. A third of the seats are up for grabs. London Barnet - 7am Friday May 6 Labour's top target in London for the third election in a row. The party failed narrowly to win control in 2014, while 2018 saw the council swing further towards the Conservatives, with local Labour members blaming the row over antisemitism in the national party. Labour needs to gain nine seats to form a majority. As with every council in London, all seats are being elected. Wandsworth - 5.30am Friday May 6 Another long-standing Labour target, but here the party managed to increased its number of councillors in both 2014 and 2018. The Tories have held the council since 1978 and have made a point of charging residents one of the lowest average levels of council tax in the country, so a Labour victory would be of symbolic significance. Hillingdon - 4am Friday May 6 This borough contains the constituency of the Prime Minister and has been controlled by the Conservatives since 2006. Labour is hoping to make gains, but the outcome is hard to predict as the size of the council is being cut from 65 to 53 seats. Restive Conservatives have been holding off a decision on whether to mount a coup against Boris Johnson (left) until the results come in, meaning the aftermath is likely to be the moment of maximum danger. Meanwhile, a failure to make significant progress could cause serious problems for Keir Starmer (right) Westminster - 3am Friday May 6 A flagship borough held by the Tories continuously since its creation in 1964. But Labour has slowly increased its number of councillors at recent elections and will want to make more progress this time. Given the current volatile political climate, plus a reduction in the size of the council from 60 to 54 seats, the final result could be close. Harrow - 5pm Friday May 6 A council where the reduction in the number of seats from 63 to 55 could work in either Labour or the Conservatives' favour. Labour won a narrow majority in both 2014 and 2018 but the borough's electoral districts have been substantially redrawn for 2022 and both parties could profit from the new-look map. Sutton - 4am Friday May 6 A Liberal Democrat-Conservative battleground that has been run by the Lib Dems since 1990. The party should retain control again this year, but the Tories will hope to make gains and chip away at the Lib Dems' small overall majority. South-east England Crawley - 2pm Friday, May 6 Has tilted between Conservative and Labour control in recent years but neither party has an overall majority. It would take only a couple of gains for either the Tories or Labour to take full control of a council deep in the commuter belt of West Sussex. A third of seats are being contested. Gosport - 5pm Friday May 6 The council sees the Conservatives, who have only a small majority, under pressure from the second-place Lib Dems. All the seats are up for grabs and boundary changes across the borough means the outcome will be even more unpredictable. Worthing - 2pm Friday May 6 A top Labour target and the party goes into the election level-pegging with the Conservatives on 17 seats each. The Tories currently run the council as a minority administration but Labour has made steady gains in recent years and is hoping to take full control this year. A third of seats are being elected. Southampton - 5am Friday May 6 Another Labour target and winning control from the Conservatives would help demonstrate the party is building back support in southern towns and cities. The Tories are defending a majority of two and a third of the seats are being contested. South-west England Somerset - 4pm Friday May 6 Undergoing major changes this year in its system of local government. Until now the area has had a county council and four district councils (Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and Somerset West & Taunton) but these are being scrapped and replaced with a single unitary authority. Elections are taking place for all 110 seats in the new-look organisation, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats fighting for control. Wales Blaenau Gwent - 3pm Friday, May 6 This council has been run by a group of independents since 2017, some of whom used to be in the Labour Party. Labour is keen to take back control and might be helped by a reduction in the number of seats from 42 to 33. Cardiff - 5pm Friday May 6 A key council for Labour, where the party will hope to defend its slim majority. The number of councillors is being increased slightly from 75 to 79, which might make the outcome more unpredictable. Flintshire - 3pm Friday May 6 Sits in an area of Wales, the north east, where the Conservatives did well at the 2019 general election. The party won only six council seats in 2017 compared with Labour's 34, so they are hoping to make an advance this year. For its part, Labour will want to remain the largest party and even win a majority, although the total number of seats is being cut from 70 to 67. There are claims that the ultra-low emissions zone introduced by Sadiq Khan is playing badly for Labour in outer London - although the party insists it is popular in the capital as a whole Scotland Aberdeenshire - 3pm Friday May 6 A Conservative stronghold, but like many councils in Scotland, power is shared between several parties. All councils in Scotland are elected using the single transferable vote (STV) system, where voters rank candidates and results are based on preferences rather than the winner-takes-all method used in England. This leads to many councils ending in no overall control, but encourages parties to work together either informally or as part of a coalition. The Tories have run Aberdeenshire in partnership with the Lib Dems and a group of Independents. Their success this year may hinge on the popularity in Scotland of the Tories' UK leader Mr Johnson. East Renfrewshire - 2pm Friday May 6 A three-way battle between the Conservatives, Labour and the SNP with each hoping to end up the largest party. Edinburgh - 3.30pm Friday May 6 The council has been run by a joint SNP-Labour administration for the last five years, but the Conservatives head into this election as the largest party on the council. The Lib Dems and Greens have a smaller number of councillors but both will hope to make gains from the larger parties. Glasgow - 4pm Friday May 6 The council has been run by the SNP since 2017 in what has been their first stint in control of the city, albeit as a minority administration. The party needs only a few gains to take full control, but Labour - which had previously run the city since 1980 - is keen to stop them. Midwifery students at a top Scottish university were taught biological men could get pregnant and trans men could give birth even if they have a penis. MailOnline can reveal the 9,000-a-year undergraduate course at Edinburgh Napier University included a woke module on caring for 'birthing people'. In a coursebook that has since been revised, trainee midwives were given detailed instructions on how to treat a male-to-female trans person during childbirth. It is not possible for someone born a man to get pregnant or give birth with current technology or medicine. The book's introduction stated: 'You may be caring for a pregnant or birthing person who is transitioning from male to female and may still have external male genitalia.' Another section with photo demonstrations detailed how to fit a catheter in a person with a penis and scrotum during labour. The book also included special instructions for people with prostate glands which are exclusive to biological men who may feel particular 'discomfort'. Several experts criticised the university, describing the woke course material as 'remarkably ignorant about basic biology, sex and anatomy'. Bosses at the university have changed the wording to say 'people transitioning from female to male' rather than 'male to female', following the uproar. Midwifery students at a leading Scottish university were taught that biological men could get pregnant and give birth through their penises. In a coursebook that has since been revised, students were told 'you may be caring for a pregnant or birthing person who is transitioning from male to female and may still have external male genitalia' A section on fitting catheters during labour repeats the line and goes on to give special instructions for people with penises One instruction says: 'Wrap a sterile swab around the penis and, with the same non-touch technique, retract the foreskin if present.' 'Place sterile towel across the person's thighs, ensuring the scrotal area is covered,' adds another But all references to handling a penis, prostate gland and other male genitalia remain, according to Reduxx, which first broke the story. The way the manual has been edited creates more confusion because it suggests midwives can expect to treat biological females with penises. Reduxx did not name the university, but MailOnline understands it is Edinburgh Napier just one of four in Scotland that offers an undergraduate, accredited midwifery course. MailOnline has approached Napier repeatedly for comment. Dr Leila Hanna, a private gynaecologist and obstetrician, said universities should focus on teaching midwives 'what's actually doable'. She told MailOnline: 'A lot of things need to be done to arrive at the technology to be able to do that (a biological man giving birth). 'We would have to be able to give men wombs and then put eggs and sperm in there I've not seen any publications to say we've arrived at that technology yet. 'Let's focus on improving what we do, and what's doable, but let's not go dreaming of things which are probably not going to happen tomorrow.' Only people who are born female can make eggs, which means it is not possible for a male-to-female trans woman to get pregnant naturally. Bosses at Edinburgh Napier University (pictured) have changed the wording in the introduction to say transition from 'female to male' following the outroar WHY BIOLOGICAL MEN CAN'T GIVE BIRTH... YET Only people who are born female can make eggs, which means it is not possible for a male-to-female trans woman to get pregnant naturally. Scientists believe it is theoretically possible to impregnate a trans woman using IVF, when the eggs are fertilised outside the body and then inserted. But it would require a healthy womb for the child to grow in, and transplant operations are years if not decades away from making that a reality. There has only ever been one documented case of a womb being transplanted into a trans woman born male but she died from complications just months later. Female-to-male transgender people can still get pregnant. But only if they have not had a hysterectomy as part of their transition or have taken hormone-blocking drugs that stop them from producing eggs. There are no definitive figures when it comes to how many transgender people have given birth worldwide, or in Britain. Seventy-five people who identified as male gave birth in Australia in 2020, the most comparable country with data. Advertisement Scientists believe it is theoretically possible to impregnate a trans woman using IVF, when the eggs are fertilised outside the body and then inserted. But it would require a healthy womb for the foetus to grow in, and transplant operations are years if not decades away from making that a reality. There has only ever been one documented case of a womb being transplanted into a trans woman born male but she died from complications just months later. Female-to-male transgender people can still get pregnant, provided they have not had a hysterectomy as part of their transition or have taken hormone-blocking drugs that stop them from producing eggs. There are no definitive figures when it comes to how many transgender people have given birth worldwide, or in Britain. Seventy-five people who identified as male gave birth in Australia in 2020, the most comparable country with data. Students on the Napier course said they were handed a 'Skills Workbook' in a module about how to care for patients giving birth last month. It told them on two separate occasions the 'birthing person' may be a biological male. So students need to be familiar with inserting catheters for people with 'female and male anatomy', it said. A catheter is sometimes fitted during C-sections or when women are given certain drugs which mean they cannot go to the toilet. Section 4.4 of the manual shows several images of a catheter being fitted on a male figurine's penis and scrotum. One instruction says: 'Wrap a sterile swab around the penis and, with the same non-touch technique, retract the foreskin if present.' 'Place sterile towel across the person's thighs, ensuring the scrotal area is covered,' adds another. Different doses of analgesic gel should also be used depending on whether the pregnant person is male or female, the book claims - with 6ml for women and 11ml for men. Students are instructed to take extra care with 'male persons' who have prostate glands, which are exclusive to biological males. Removing the catheter may provide particular 'discomfort as the deflated balloon passes through the prostate gland', it claimed. Dr Susan Bewley, emeritus professor in obstetrics and women's health at King's College London, described the coursework as 'puzzling'. She is quoted by Reduxx as saying: 'There are no circumstances whereby qualified midwives can possibly be asked, or be expected, to catheterise a penis as part of their professional work. 'The writers seem to have left school remarkably ignorant about basic biology, sex and anatomy.' According to Reduxx, which describes itself as a 'pro-woman news and commentary' website, the handbook has been edited to remove claims that a biological man can get pregnant. But it now claims that a biological female can have a child even if she has a penis that has been surgically constructed through a phalloplasty, the site claims. Dr Bewley added: 'A few [female-to-males] undergo genital surgery but, in general, those with a surgically created neo-penis simply cannot get pregnant either because they undergo a hysterectomy as a prelude. 'These materials are the opposite of the high-quality training that patients need from midwives and doctors. 'The project may have arisen from compassion and enthusiasm, but it is worrying that the writers don't seem to know, care about, or check facts.' The three-year midwifery course at Edinburgh Napier costs 1,820 per year to Scottish students, which is subsidised by the Government. Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland have to pay 9,250 annually. Anyone in Australia aged over 18 named Marg, Gary or Rita will be in the running for free margaritas if they can answer a question about the cocktail on Instagram. The promotion comes as pre-mix drink giant UDL launched a new two litre margarita cask for party-goers on Thursday. It packs quite a punch, with the cocktail made up of tequila, orange liquor, lemon, lime and sugar, equivalent to more than six standard alcoholic drinks. The cask will retail in bottle shops across the nation for $34, and is recommended to be shared among family and friends. The margarita creation is also available in four-pack UDL cans for $19.99. UDL has launched a margarita cocktail in a cask (pictured) for Australian customers In celebration of the Mexican-inspired drink, those lucky few adults named Marg, Gary or Rita can get a free cocktail until May 12 by telling UDL Australia in 25 words or less 'What's your favourite way to enjoy a margarita?' But the competition that is being run on UDL's Instagram page, has raised concerns about Australia's binge-drinking culture. A global survey last year, named Australians the heaviest drinkers in the world. It found Aussies consumed alcohol to the point of drunkenness an average of 27 times a year, almost double the global average of 15. The popular cocktail is also available in 4 pack of cans, (pictured left) retailing for $19.99 in bottle shops across Australia The cask form of Margarita will cost $34, with those over 18 Marg, Gary or Rita in the running to win free samples by following the prompts on UDL's Instagram page That means the average Australian was heavily intoxicated once every fortnight. 'Australia tops the world in both the number of times people report getting drunk and in seeking emergency medical treatment for alcohol,' Caterina Giorgi, the chief executive officer at the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, said. 'Both of those indicators suggest people are drinking at fairly risky levels,' At the height of the pandemic in 2020, there was a reported $3.3billion increase in alcohol sales in people's homes. Advertisement Tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Grand Mosque in Mecca last night to mark the 27th night of Ramadan, filling the Muslim holy site for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Pictures on Wednesday showed thousands of worshippers inside the mosque (Masjid al-Haram) itself, praying and walking in a circle around the Kaaba - the black cube-shaped building at its centre. But the true number of people gathered at the mosque in Saudi Arabia was only visible in aerial photographs, which showed thousands more pilgrims gathered on the buildings around the Kaaba, as rain fell overhead. Such scenes have not been seen since 2019, and since the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to global travel and large crowds due to the high risk of the virus spreading. While some prayers were held for Ramadan in 2020 and 2021, numbers allowed inside the mosque were limited because of social distancing. Ramadan's 27th night - called Laylat Al Qadr, or the Night of Power in English - is believed to be the holiest evening in the Islamic calendar. It marks the moment that Muslims believe the Quran was sent to earth from heaven, and when the first verses of the holy book were revealed to the world by the prophet Mohammed. To mark the occasion that falls within Ramadan's final ten days, worshippers from around the world gather at the Islamic world's holiest site - Mecca - to pray and reflect. 2022: Tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Grand Mosque in Mecca last night to mark the 27th night of Ramadan, filling the Muslim holy site for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began 2021: Such scenes have not been seen for over two years, since the Covid pandemic put a halt to global travel and large crowds due to the high risk of the virus spreading. While some prayers were held for Ramadan in 2020 and 2021 (pictured on May 9, when the 27th night of Ramadan fell last year), numbers allowed inside the mosque were limited 2022: Pictures on Wednesday night showed thousands of worshippers inside the Great Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) itself, praying and walking in a circle around the Kaaba - the cube-shaped building at its centre 2021: This picture taken late on May 9, 2021 during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, from the Mecca Royal Clock Tower of the Abraj al-Bait skyscraper complex, shows an aerial view of Muslim worshippers around the Kaaba. The last two years have seen number allowed inside the mosque limited due to social distancing The true number of people gathered at the mosque in Saudi Arabia was only visible in aerial photographs (pictured), which showed thousands more pilgrims gathered on the buildings around the Kaaba - as rain fell overhead When Muslims pray around the world, they face in the direction of the Kaaba (the black cuboid building pictured left). Ever since the time of the prophet Muhammad, believers have made the pilgrimage to the holy site from the world over Muslims perform late night prayers on the night of 27th Ramadan in the Grand Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, April, 2022 Pictured: An aerial photograph shows Mecca on Wednesday night, as thousands gathered to mark Ramadan. In the background, the Mecca Royal Clock Tower of the Abraj al-Bait skyscraper complex towers above the worshipers Pictured: A combination picture showing a small group of worshippers praying while practicing social distancing, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the holy month of Ramadan in May 4, 2020, Muslims performing late night prayers while practicing social distancing on the night of 27th Ramadan, in May 9, 2021, and Muslims performing late night prayers on the night of 27th Ramadan in the Grand Mosque, April 27, 2022, in Mecca, Saudi Arabi Similar gatherings of Muslims were seen around the world on Wednesday, including in Jerusalem, and in recent weeks during the holy month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, observant Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, and traditionally gather with family and friends to break their fast in the evening. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five 'pillars' of Islam - in addition to faith, prayer, charity and pilgrimage. The pilgrimage pillar says that every Muslin, who is healthy and can afford the journey, must visit Mecca at least once during their life to mark Hajj - the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that this year falls in July. Muslims believe the Kaaba - at the centre of Mecca - is the house that Abraham built for God. When Muslims pray around the world, they face in the direction of the Kaaba. Ever since the time of the prophet Muhammad, believers have made the pilgrimage to the holy site from the world over. Pictures from outside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque also showed thousands of people gathering to pray on Laylat al-Qadr - the famous golden dome shining against the night sky. Worshippers also gathered in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave in Israel, at the Sayed al-Hashim Mosque. Pictures from outside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque also showed thousands of people gathering to pray on Laylat al-Qadr - the famous golden dome shining against the night sky. Palestinian devotees pray on Laylat al-Qadr outside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan late on April 27, 2022 Palestinians pray on Laylat al-Qadr during the holy month of Ramadan, at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount Pictured: Hundreds of worshippers gather outside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, April 27 Palestinian devotees pray during Laylat al-Qadr during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at Sayed al-Hashim Mosque in Gaza City, early on April 28, 2022 Muslims gather at Sayed al-Hashim Mosque to perform prayer during the Laylat al-Qadr, one of the Muslim's holiest nights, in Gaza City, Gaza on April 27, 2022 Earlier this month, thousands of Muslims gathered in Bangladesh at one of the biggest mosques in the world - also to celebrate Ramadan. More than 40,000 people attended the two hour Jummah prayer gathering, held at the National Mosque in Dhaka. Azim Khan Ronnie, a 35-year-old freelance photographer from Dhaka, said: 'The gathering was for the Friday Middle Prayer in the month of Ramadan, it is one of the most important days of the year for Muslims. 'This has been happening for thousands of years.' The snapper captured the crowds from above to show the scale of the gathering at the mosque, which can hold up to 100,000 people, including in the outside open space. 'Thousands of people come together to pray over several floors of one of the biggest mosques in the world,' Azim said. 'Those taking part in group prayers can be seen neatly lined up side by side as they stand, sit, kneel and bow during prayers. 'Around 40,000 people were visiting the mosque - decorated in beautiful teal and gold - for weekly prayers. Known as Baitul Mukarram or The Holy House in English, The National Mosque of Bangladesh is one of the 10 largest mosques in the world. Earlier this month, thousands of Muslims gathered in Bangladesh at one of the biggest mosques in the world - also to celebrate Ramadan. More than 40,000 people attended the two hour Jummah prayer gathering Comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan has chimed in on the highly-publicized court case between actors and former spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, claiming the latter is 'full of s**t'. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million plus legal fees on grounds of defamation, arguing that claims of abuse she made in a 2018 essay published in The Washington Post were false and derailed his career. The Pirates of the Caribbean star also alleges that he was the victim of abuse at the hands of Heard, who maintains she told the truth in her article and is counter-suing for $100 million. On Joe's Tuesday podcast with fellow comedian Jessica Kirson, the pair opened the show by discussing the trial, with Joe tearing into 'crazy' Heard. 'That's what happens with people like that. People that are just manipulative and full of s**t like that,' he said. '[Comedian Doug Stanhope] knows her. Stanhope's buddies with Johnny Depp. He wrote something, like an essay about how full of s**t she is, and she threatened to sue him, and I think he had to wind up taking it down. 'He knows her well... He's like, ''She's out of her f**king mind like a crazy actress!' Joe made reference to Heard's claims she used a specific make-up kit produced by cosmetic brand Milani to cover up bruises allegedly inflicted by Depp in 2016. The brand refuted her claims, pointing out the make-up kit in question was not released until after the pair had divorced in 2017. In the latest from the Depp-Heard trial: Johnny Depp's former agent Christian Carino told the court about emails sent to him by Heard after she broke up with Elon Musk Heard began dating the Tesla founder around the time of her split with Depp Heard told Carino: 'I hate when things go public. See I'm so sad.' 'Yet again a man lets me fall on the spikes by myself,' Heard's email read Carino retorted: 'You could avoid all this if you stop dating uber famous people' Meanwhile, Depp's doorman Alejandro Romero gave a 'bizarre' deposition Depp cracked up with laughter as Romero described how Heard asked him to investigate an intruder due to scratches on their front door - caused by the dog Heard is expected to take the stand for her highly-anticipated testimony in days On Joe's Tuesday podcast with fellow comedian Jessica Kirson, the pair opened the show by discussing the trial, with Joe tearing into 'crazy' Heard Actor Amber Heard leaves the courtroom at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., Wednesday, April 27, 2022 Actor Johnny Depp gestures as he stands in the courtroom during a recess amid his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on April 27, 2022 In the first seconds of the Tuesday episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe said: 'I'm watching this trial, and, like, it's a cautionary tale about believing in bulls**t, forming a narrative in your head. 'That's what I felt like about Anthony Bourdain and his relationship to that crazy woman,' he said, referencing the late chef and travel documentarian's tumultuous relationship with Italian film star Asia Argento. 'You're seeing all the crazy come out,' he concluded. Yesterday, Depp's former agent Christian Carino told the court about emails sent to him by Heard after she broke up with Elon Musk. Heard began dating the Tesla founder around the time of her split with Depp in May 2016 and by August the following year they had broken up. Carino, a talent agent with mega agency CAA and Lady Gaga's ex-fiance, appeared by a pre-recorded video deposition and confirmed that Heard and Musk were in a relationship for a time. Asked if Heard moved on to dating Musk 'immediately after Johnny Depp', Carino said yes. In an email on August 7, 2017, Heard told Carino: 'Dealing with breakup. I hate when things go public. See I'm so sad,' in reference to her split with Musk. Carino replied to Heard: 'You weren't in love with him. You told me 1,000 times you were just feeling space.' Heard began dating the Tesla founder around the time of her split with Depp in May 2016 and by August the following year they had broken up Johnny Depp's former agent Christian Carino told the court about emails sent to him by Heard after she broke up with Elon Musk In another email in the same conversation she said: 'I hate that yet again a man lets me fall on the spikes by myself.' Carino said: 'How so?' Heard emailed back: 'They're mad at me for leaving them and put things like this out there', in apparent reference to the story being covered in the media. Carino responded: 'You could avoid all this if you stop dating uber famous people.' Asked what he meant in the email, Carino told the court he was trying to tell Heard: 'If you don't like being in the press about your personal life don't date people that are famous.' Earlier in the day, Depp cracked up with laughter as the doorman of his building described how Amber Heard asked him to investigate an intruder due to scratches on their front door - which were caused by the dog. Alejandro Romero said that Heard and her friend Rocky Pennington told him that 'somebody tried to get into my unit' at the Eastern Columbia Building in West Hollywood. Appearing in a pre-taped video deposition, Romero said he thought to himself: 'What? Four inches above the (floor)? The dog was scratching.' He said: 'In my head (I'm thinking) you think someone is trying to get into your unit with scratches four inches above the floor?' At this point Depp started laughing and there was laughter in the public gallery. Earlier in the day, Depp cracked up with laughter as the doorman of his building (pictured vaping during his deposition) described how Amber Heard asked him to investigate an intruder due to scratches on their front door - which were caused by the dog Actor Johnny Depp sued his ex-wife actress Amber Heard (pictured yesterday) for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse.' Romero said: 'They were so scared. They asked me to go inside the unit to check room by room. I did it, it's part of my job.' Romero met Heard on May 25, 2016, four days after the final argument between Heard and Depp before their divorce. She claims Depp struck her with a mobile phone at the apartment - something he denies. Romero said that he didn't see any bruises and cuts on Heard's face at the time and she was 3ft away from him. Asked if he would have seen anything, given they were so close and the light was good, he said: 'That's correct'. Depp laughed again as an exasperated Romero said he wasn't checking if Heard's 'eyelashes are not even'. On Tuesday, expert witness Dr. Shannon Curry was called to the stand. The clinical and forensic psychologist told the court she concluded Heard had traits consistent with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) - two conditions found in people with patterns of emotional instability and attention-seeking behavior. The court heard the psychologist diagnosed Heard with two personality disorders found in people with patterns of emotional instability and attention-seeking behavior The expert's testimony will help bolster Depp's claims that his ex-wife falsely accused him of physically and sexually abusing her in a Washington Post op-ed in 2018, and that Heard was allegedly the real abuser Dr. Curry testified that she was initially hired by Depp's lawyers early last year to review files in the legal battle between the two feuding exes and identify behavior in their relationship that may be consistent with 'intimate partner violence'. The psychology expert, however, revealed her role would shift several months later in October, when she was asked to provide a psychological evaluation of Heard, 36. 'The results of Ms. Heard's evaluation supported two diagnoses: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD),' Curry told the court. She concluded that Heard 'grossly exaggerated' her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her relationship with Depp and said that in the actress's eyes, the actor went from being 'idealized to the dumpster.' Dr. Curry noted that Heard's BPD was marked by an 'underlying terror of abandonment' and somebody with the condition tends to make 'desperate attempts' to stop it from happening. These could be 'very extreme behaviors', she said. Curry added that as a result of these disorders, somebody like Heard could appear charming at the start of a friendship or relationship but could then turn dark easily. Heard is expected to take the stand in the coming days to begin her highly anticipated testimony. A view of Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing container terminal / gettyimagesbank Trade set to expand when Hong Kong joins RCEP By Kim Bo-eun HONG KONG The geopolitical situation in Asia continues to evolve, but Korea and Hong Kong remain important trading partners, data shows. Bilateral trade is set to get a further boost in the coming years when Hong Kong joins the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest trade bloc, which Korea is also a member of. In the first three month of this year, Hong Kong's exports to Korea totaled $2.38 billion, up 10.8 percent compared to the same period of 2021, figures released by Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department on Thursday showed, although there was a small year-on-year fall of 1.1 percent in March. Data from the Korea International Trade Association shows Hong Kong was Korea's seventh-largest trade partner as of 2021, with the value of exports and imports adding up to $39.71 billion. This figure was up 23 percent from $31.19 billion in 2020. Korea is Hong Kong's fifth-largest trade partner. Hong Kong was the fourth-largest destination for Korean exports in 2021 after China, the U.S. and Vietnam. Korea mainly exports electronic components, petrochemicals, home appliances and transport machines to Hong Kong. For Korea, Hong Kong is the key entry point for merchandise trade with China, and much of Korea's exports to Hong Kong are re-exported to mainland China. Hong Kong has played the role of a re-exporter due to the absence of custom tariffs and low corporate taxes. Korea imports electronic parts, metallic minerals and marine products, among others, from Hong Kong. The number of sex crimes logged by police in England and Wales hit new record-breaking levels after a 'substantial increase' after lockdown restrictions eased. At a glance: Sex crimes, domestic abuse and stalking cases all rise 183,587 police-recorded sexual offences in year up to Dec 2021. police-recorded sexual offences in year up to Dec 2021. 67,125 recorded rapes, a 21 per cent rise from 2020 figures 673,129 stalking and harassment cases over the last 12 months 895,782 offences flagged as domestic abuse-related in 2021 offences flagged as domestic abuse-related in 2021 6.1m total crimes recorded by police across England and Wales in 2021 Advertisement Police-recorded sexual offences soared to their highest level on record over a 12-month period (183,587) in the year to December 2021. This was a 22% increase on 2020 (150,748) and up 13% from 2019 (163,067). Cases involving rapes, stalking and domestic abuse and also spiked. Numbers of crimes recorded were lower during lockdowns but there have been 'substantial increases since April 2021', according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Some 37% of sexual offences recorded (67,125) were rapes a 21% rise from 55,592 in the 12 months to December 2020. The ONS said the latest statistics may reflect a 'number of factors', including the 'impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people's willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims'. It comes as separate figures showed the proportion of suspects being taken to court has fallen to a new record low and remains the lowest for rape cases. Police-recorded sexual offences soared to their highest level on record over a 12-month period (183,587) in the year to December 2021 While total police-recorded crime saw the 'lowest number of offences in the first quarter of the year (January-March 2021)', during lockdown, from April 'recorded crime returned to the levels seen before the pandemic', according to the ONS report. It added: 'Since restrictions were lifted following the third national lockdown in early 2021, police-recorded crime data show indications that certain offence types are returning to or exceeding the levels seen before the pandemic. 'While violence and sexual offences recorded by the police have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, theft offences and robbery remain at a lower level despite increases over the last nine months.' Overall police-recorded violence increased by 13% from 1,780,556 to 2,017,307 in the year ending December 2021, compared with the previous year. There were 895,782 offences (not including fraud crimes) flagged as domestic abuse-related in 2021, representing a 7% increase from 839,376 offences in the previous year and a 20% increase from 746,219 offences in the 12 months to March 2019. Police-recorded sexual offences soared to their highest level on record over a 12-month period (183,587) in the year to December 2021. Some 37% of sexual offences recorded (67,125) were rapes, per the Office for National Statistics figures A total of 6.1 million offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in 2021, including fraud and computer misuse Stalking and harassment rose by 19%, from 564,591 offences recorded by police in 2020 to 673,129 in 2021. The increase may be caused by better recording of offences by police forces and victims being more confident in coming forward, the ONS said. Meanwhile, a Metropolitan Police chief described stalking as a growing 'phenomenon' after the force saw cases go from 200 per month before April 2020, to more than 1,000 per month in the past year. A total of 6.1 million offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in 2021, including fraud and computer misuse. This was up 8% from 5.6 million in 2020 but roughly the same number as recorded in the 12 months to March 2020, before the coronavirus outbreak. Separate figures published by the ONS, based on its regular crime survey of England and Wales, suggest that adults experienced 12.8 million offences in 2021, up 18% compared with 2019. This was 'driven by a 54% increase in fraud and computer misuse offences', which offset falls in other types of crimes such as a 15% drop in theft, the ONS said. Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird (above) said while it was 'encouraging' that more victims were coming forward, she warned that the charging rate 'remains in the doldrums' Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird, said while it was 'encouraging' that more victims were coming forward, she warned that the charging rate 'remains in the doldrums'. She added: 'Close to a year since the publication of the Government's end-to-end rape review, we are yet to see any substantive improvement. The Government's promise to return to 2016/17 levels of prosecutions by the end of this Parliament remains a pipedream. 'My hope is that we do not betray these victims' trust like we have failed so many victims in the past.' Diana Fawcett, chief executive of the charity Victim Support, said: 'We are seriously concerned that sexual offences have reached a record high for the second year in a row. 'Sadly, these figures reflect what we're seeing the number of sexual violence cases referred to us have increased by a third since before the pandemic. 'Tackling this insidious violence needs to be the government's top priority, alongside ensuring all victims are treated with respect and given support to recover.' Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the figures 'show the grim truth that crime is going up and prosecutions and community penalties are going down', claiming that under a Conservative government 'more criminals are getting away with it and more victims are being let down'. An Irish father has described the moment he found the battered, bruised and naked body of his two-year-old daughter as she lay dying at his girlfriend's home. Michael Cawley fell to his knees crying and pleaded for daughter Santina to respond to him in the blood-stained room, he told the murder trial for his former partner Karen Harrington, 37. Santina was found with fractures to the skull and ribs, a brain injury, bruises to almost every single part of her body and an injury to her spine, shortly before she was confirmed dead at Cork University Hospital in July 2019. A stud earring from Santina's left earlobe was on the floor, with clumps of her torn-out hair, Mr Cawley told a Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. He told a jury of seven men and five women that he had left Karen's Elderwood apartment at 3am on July 5, in order to look for a cousin in Cork city centre. Michael Cawley, pictured carrying Santina's coffin, said he fell to his knees crying and pleaded for his daughter to respond to him Santina was found with fractures to the skull and ribs, a brain injury, bruises to almost every single part of her body He stated that Santina got on well with Karen. Mr Cawley said when he returned about two hours later, a next door neighbour of Miss Harrington's approached him outside the apartment and said that Karen had 'gone mad inside'. He claimed that the man told him that Karen was 'roaring and screaming' inside and asked him if it was his baby who was with her. He said that initially he wasn't alarmed. He wondered if Santina had been up crying or if Karen had needed to give her a bottle or a nappy change. Mr Cawley said when he entered the apartment he was in shock at what he saw. 'I could see blood on the floor near the sink. I could see broken glass on the ground. Karen was on the couch lying down. I could see the blanket that Santina was on (when he left) but the blanket was on her (Santina's) face. I said to Karen "what is going on?".' He said that Santina was dressed when he left her but that now she was naked. 'Santina didn't look right in the face. One of her eyes was half closed and the other eye was open. There was a bruise on her left face. I checked her pulse. She was warm. I tried to speak to her. 'I was on my knees crying: "Please, please Santina say something". I asked Karen "what is going on?" She just ran down the stairs and left through the bottom of the apartment through the front door. I asked the neighbour to call the ambulance.' Karen Harrington, 37, is on trial for the murder of the two-year-old at her Cork apartment Mr Cawley said he was deeply distressed. 'The guards arrived and asked me to remain outside. The paramedics arrived. 'I broke down crying. I was crying my heart out. 'Paramedics wouldn't allow me to go in the ambulance because they needed the space to work on Santina.' He said that Karen turned up with a 'random woman' and he asked his then girlfriend if it was his daughter's blood that was in the apartment. He claimed she said it was in fact blood from her foot. The other woman stated that Karen 'would not touch a fly'. Mr Cawley told the jury that he found in hard to take in what was happening at the time. 'I was in a state of shock. I couldn't stand. I couldn't sit. I think I just wanted to be with my daughter in the hospital,' he added. When he was being cross examined by Brendan Grehan, SC, for the defence Mr Cawley said that it was a 'privilege to look after Santina'. He stated that he was separated from his wife and was a 'full time single Dad' to Santina. He strongly rejected suggestions from the defence that he struggled to cope with Santina. He stated that Santina 'got on great' with Karen who was his partner of several months. He said that Santina lived with him in Grattan Street in Cork city but they often stayed in Karen's then home at 26 Elderwood Park. On Tuesday, extensive CCTV footage was shown to the jury with a woman, whom the prosecution say was Ms Harrington, leaving her apartment shortly after Mr Cawley returned home. The footage showed Mr Cawley arriving at the apartment at 5.10am on July 5, 2019 with the woman, believed to be Miss Harrington, leaving the apartment a minute later. Mr Cawley's trip to the city centre from 3am to 5am was logged on CCTV at various intervals around Blackrock and the city. The trial previously heard from Sean Gillane, SC for the Prosecution, that the evidence would be that several neighbours heard noise emerging from the apartment where Santina was found critically injured. He said the State would call evidence from neighbour Dylan Olney that he heard shouting coming from the apartment. 'Not only did Olney heard a child screaming, the could also hear the accused shouting directly at the child, taunting and mocking and terrorising the child.' The State would also call evidence from a female neighbour that she heard Ms Harrington screaming and what she thought was the sound of glass smashing. The trial will continue today and is expected to last up to five weeks. It will involve the calling of more than 100 witnesses. A P&O Ferries vessel which went adrift in the Irish Sea has been cleared to sail again - amid reports the company is paying agency crews a basic rate of less than 4 an hour. The European Causeway, which can carry 410 passengers, lost power for more than an hour while sailing from Cairnryan in southern Scotland to Larne, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. It was rescued by three lifeboats and a tugboat before it regained power shortly before 2.15pm, much to the relief of passengers on board who had endured blackouts. After the ship got back to the port, a number of the new crew members reportedly asked maritime unions for advice about terminating their contracts. Now, two days on, a spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed surveyors carried out a full inspection of the European Causeway and are satisfied that it is safe to sail again. P&O Ferries has been prohibited from using the ship's shaft generator for 'provision of main power'. The MCA spokeswoman said: 'In the meantime, the European Causeway can rely on other generators for its electricity use. 'There are no further inspections of P&O Ferries at the moment but we will reinspect when requested by P&O Ferries.' The ferry operator has been widely criticised after replacing nearly 800 seafarers with cheaper agency workers on March 17. The move also sparked fears about the safety of its ships. Meanwhile, there has been fury from unions after ITV News saw contracts, known as Seafarer's Employment Agreements, showing agency workers on one of the company's Dover ferries being paid a basic wage of $860 (683) a month for a 40 hour working week - an hourly rate of pay of 3.94. The European Causeway, which can carry 410 passengers, lost power for more than an hour while sailing from Cairnryan in southern Scotland to Larne, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite - who is paid some 325,000 a year - told MPs the lowest hourly rate agency crews would earn would be 5.15, when he appeared before a joint select committee hearing last month A route tracking map appeared to show it off course and bobbing around in the Irish Sea A timeline of the P&O Ferries fiasco March 17: A P&O Ferries executive is tells 800 staff in a Zoom call that they are being made redundant and replaced with agency workers. The firm also announces it has suspended sailings 'for the next few days.' March 18: Staff protests break out at ports in Dover, Liverpool and Hull. March 21: Foreign agency workers from India, the Philippines and Pakistan are pictured being transported to P&O Ferries' ships. March 24: P&O Ferries' millionaire chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite admits to MPs that his company 'chose' to break the law when it sacked its staff and says he would do the same again. March 25: P&O ferry the European Causeway is detained in Northern Ireland for being 'unfit to sail'. March 28: A second vessel, the Pride of Kent, is detained in Dover by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. March 30: Transport Secretary Grant Shapps vows to introduce new law to ban P&O Ferries from British ports if crew are not paid the minimum wage. April 1: Criminal and civil investigations are launched into P&O Ferries' mass sackings. April 7: P&O Ferries cancellations continue to cause gridlock on motorways Kent as queues of drivers waiting to cross the Channel build up. April 14: P&O Ferries suspends all of its passenger services across the Channel over Easter. April 19: Several P&O agency staff are fired after testing positive for alcohol. April 22: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency seizes a third vessel, the 700ft long Spirit of Britain. April 24: P&O Ferries are accused of trying to pay new staff even lower wages. April 26: A P&O boat comes adrift in the Irish Sea and has to be escorted back to safety. Advertisement The contract sets out additional rates for overtime, leave and a subsistence allowance, which P&O insists rises the rate of pay to 5.10 an hour, based on an 84-hour working week. Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite - who is paid some 325,000 a year - told MPs the lowest hourly rate agency crews would earn would be 5.15, when he appeared before a joint select committee hearing last month. Frances O'Grady of the Trades Union Congress told ITV: 'Make no mistake these are sweatshop conditions. 'P&O has deliberately sacked experienced, unionised staff so that it can replace them with agency workers on poverty pay. 'These 'union-busting' tactics should worry all of us. If companies are allowed to get away with acting like corporate gangsters no worker is safe.' A P&O spokesman said: 'It is misleading to assert that any agency seafarer is paid 3.94 an hour. 'Everyone working on the ship is contractually entitled to receive a basic salary plus guaranteed overtime, a leave allowance, a subsistence allowance and a bonus. Taken together, the minimum rate of hourly pay is the equivalent of 5.58 an hour and nobody working on board our ships is paid less.' 'It is important to note that the rates paid to our agency seafarers are above the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) minimum standards. 'We fully welcome the Government's commitment to increasing the minimum wage for all seafarers working in British waters and have called for a level playing field when it comes to pay and conditions on British ferry routes.' It comes after the Rail, Maritime and Transport union attributed the European Causeway crisis to the vessel having 'inexperienced crew', as seafarers 'familiar with the ship would have been able to keep it under power'. He also claimed P&O Ferries was holding staff to the end of their contracts and refusing to pay their travel expenses if they leave early. A spokesperson for the company said Tuesday's incident had been a temporary issue and the European Causeway had travelled to Larne 'under its own propulsion'. It was yet another public relations disaster for the scandal-hit firm - just weeks after it sparked fury by firing 800 UK staff over zoom and replacing them with cheaper foreign crews. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced earlier this month that the Insolvency Service had started 'formal criminal and civil investigations' into the company, which he said he would be 'following closely' along with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. P&O Ferries operated European Highlander vessel in dock at the Port of Larne, Co Antrim, after it lost power off the Co Antrim coast The probe came after P&O Ferries admitted to breaking the law in the manner in which it terminated staff on March 17 to hire cheaper agency workers, a move that has caused a major backlash from politicians and workers - compounded this week by claims it wanted to cut the wages of its new workers even further. The European Causeway had already been detained last month 'based on concerns over its safety' and to 'prevent them going to sea', the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said. The Pride of Kent was also detained in Dover on March 28 after it failed inspections to see if it was 'safe to go to sea without passengers or cargo'. RMT boss Darren Procter said crew on board the European Causeway had claimed that engine parts were changed with the firm's European Highlander 'in order to pass its inspection', the Telegraph reported. A spokesperson for P&O Ferries said: 'Following a temporary mechanical issue, the European Causeway is now continuing on its scheduled journey to the Port of Larne under its own propulsion, with local tugs on standby, where it will discharge its passengers and cargo as planned. 'There are no reported injuries on board and all the relevant authorities have been informed. Once in dock a full independent investigation will be undertaken.' The Marine Traffic website said the European Causeway's automatic identification system status had been set to 'not under command'. This setting is reserved for use when a vessel is 'unable to manoeuvre as required by these rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel'. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced yesterday that UK ports will be required to check whether ferry crews are paid at least the national minimum wage following the P&O Ferries sackings. The Cabinet minister told MPs that the Government will introduce new legislation in response to the company's decision to replace nearly 800 seafarers with cheaper agency workers. The Marine Traffic website said the European Causeway's (vessel pictured) automatic identification system status had been set to 'not under command', causing it to drift P&O Ferries reportedly offered some of the agency workers, who replaced the near 800 staff fired last month, new contracts with even lower wages Giving evidence to the Commons' Transport Select Committee, Mr Shapps said the Government will include amendments to the 1964 Harbours Act in the Queen's Speech on May 10. He said 'we won't be expecting ports to physically enforce' the new minimum wage requirement on ferries. 'What we will require them to do is ask for confirmation and clarification - in the same way as they ask, for example, that the relevant insurance has been paid - that the relevant pay was being made.' Mr Shapps said enforcement of minimum pay rules for ferry workers will be the responsibility of himself and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), but ports will 'have a check that they will do to ensure (a ship is) within the law'. He denied that P&O Ferries has 'got away' with sacking 786 crew members, stating there are 'three things that P&O will need to do to get out of this mess'. Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite's refusal to resign despite admitting to MPs that the company broke the law by not consulting with trade unions is 'completely unsustainable' and 'he will have to go', according to Mr Shapps. The minister urged P&O Ferries to repay the 11 million of furlough money it claimed from the Government during the coronavirus pandemic. And he added that the company 'will have to pay the minimum wage' when new legislation is introduced. P&O Ferries resumed cross-Channel sailings on Tuesday night for the first time since the mass sackings on March 17. The vessel Spirit Of Britain began operating between Dover and Calais for carrying freight customers. Passenger services are expected to resume early next week. Advertisement No migrants have arrived in small boats across the English Channel for nearly ten days in what is being claimed as an early victory for the Government's new scheme for sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. The last migrants to arrive at Dover in Kent were a total of 263 across seven small boats on April 19 - and Ministry of Justice data has revealed not a single adult or child has made it across since, up to and including yesterday. It also comes amid a new strategy to deal with Channel migrants launched on April 14 which saw the military take charge of attempts to control crossings with a joint task force drawn from the Navy, Army and Air Force in Kent. Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said today that the drop to zero was evidence that Home Secretary Priti Patel's scheme, which will see asylum seekers sent 4,000 miles to claim refugee status from Rwanda, is 'working already'. The controversial agreement with the East African nation, which will see it receive asylum seekers deemed by the UK to have arrived 'illegally' and therefore inadmissible under new immigration rules, was signed on April 14. Mr Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, tweeted: 'Priti's migrant policy is working already. No illegal migrant crossing for a week and no income for people traffickers, freeing up civil servants to work on Ukrainian evacuees. We should offer the illegal migrants already here the option of returning to France or going to Rwanda.' But former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told GB News: 'There are some saying Rwanda is working, it's a success because virtually no migrants have come now for the last six or seven days. Believe you me, I know this subject. 'That is nothing to do with the prospect of being shipped off to Rwanda. It's because there has been a persistent, strong, north-easterly wind in the English Channel. When it gets calm again, the boats will continue to come.' The last migrants to arrive at Dover were a total of 263 across seven small boats on April 19 (arrivals pictured on that day) Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen (left) said today that the drop in migrants arriving in small boats to zero was evidence that the Rwanda scheme from Home Secretary Priti Patel (right) is 'working already' Up to 300 military servicemen, Navy ships and surveillance drones are being deployed to the Channel after the Armed Forces took control with the Navy assuming Border Force's responsibility for intercepting migrant boats. An RAF Wildcat helicopter is now the key military asset in the air and is being used to carry out a final 'sweep' of the Channel at the end of each day to ensure all migrants - and their dinghies - have been recovered. Priti Patel faces High Court challenges over Rwanda plan for migrants Home Secretary Priti Patel is facing High Court challenges over controversial plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The charity Freedom From Torture, which supports survivors of torture who are often asylum seekers and refugees, wrote to the Home Office yesterday requesting further information, with a view to bringing a High Court claim over the policy. The first step towards another challenge, from charities Detention Action and Care4Calais - and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union which represents the majority of Border Force staff, was taken on Tuesday when they sent a pre-action letter to the Home Office. A letter from Freedom From Torture's legal representatives, Leigh Day, says that, while a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Rwanda has been published, information about the policy has not been made publicly available. It also says the charity has 'serious concerns' about the policy and in due course plans to bring a judicial review. The charity is asking for any document which sets out the policy of relocating asylum seekers to Rwanda, any guidance or rules provided to Home Office staff or other UK officials, any documents relating to co-operation with Rwanda, and any equality impact or risk assessments carried out in relation to the policy. The letter requests that any response is sent by 4pm on May 4, and the charity plans to crowdfund to cover legal costs of the case. Meanwhile, representatives for Detention Action, Care4Calais and the PCS have sent a letter which challenges 'the Home Secretary's failure to disclose the criteria dictating which people seeking asylum will be transferred by force to East Africa and which will remain in the UK', according to a joint press release. Those groups are also crowdfunding to cover the costs of the possible legal action and are represented by Duncan Lewis Solicitors. Freedom From Torture, the PCS and Care4Calais were involved in a challenge due to be heard next week against the Home Secretary over plans to 'push back' migrants in boats crossing the Channel, but the planned policy was withdrawn on Sunday. Advertisement The helicopter is being aided by RAF drones operated out of Lydd Airport in Kent. Soldiers and airmen are also now being based at Dover to help UK Border Force staff with initial processing, and the military are able to issue directions to civilian staff of the UK Border Force, whose ships are remaining part of the Channel taskforce. Seven ships including HMS Tyne, plus smaller boats and a helicopter are being made available to patrol the sea and coastline, so Border Force staff can be freed up for processing migrants once they arrive on land. More than 6,500 migrants are thought to have arrived in the UK this year so far after crossing the Channel. In 2021 some 28,526 migrants reached UK shores aboard dinghies and small boats - up from 8,417 in 2020. The total number of migrants arriving so far this month has been 2,143 across 58 small boats, although the final day of arrivals to the present date was on April 19 when 263 were intercepted across seven small boats. In March this year, 3,066 people made the crossing. That was nearly four times the amount recorded for the same month in 2021 (831) and more than 16 times the amount for 2020 (187). It was also the fourth highest monthly total recorded since the start of 2020, behind July (3,510), September (4,652) and November (6,869) last year. The figures for April 2022 mean the total number of migrants to arrive so far this year is 6,693 across 204 boats. Some 1,425 of these had made it across since the Royal Navy took over control of migrant operations in the Channel on April 14. Earlier this month, the UK's former Border Force chief Tony Smith told the Daily Mail that more than 100,000 Channel migrants will reach Britain this year. Backing the Government's asylum deal with Rwanda, Mr 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,' he added. 'That's going to be over 100,000 this year just by migrant boats alone.' Mr Smith's prediction would be nearly 12 times the level seen in 2020, 54 times that of 2019 and more than 300 times that in 2018. In January, it emerged that the Home Office had produced official papers warning that 65,000 migrants could cross this year. Meanwhile the Archbishop of Canterbury again waded into the row over the Government's Rwanda plan yesterday. The Most Rev Justin Welby said there were serious 'ethical questions' about using 'deterrence' to stop asylum seekers reaching the UK. 'The Church of England is not a passive observer of migration policy,' he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. 'Some of my fellow bishops, clergy and worshippers came to the UK escaping persecution or conflict. A record 28,395 migrants reached the UK illegally last year in small boats over the Channel, a 200 per cent increase on 2020 'We welcome and serve asylum seekers at every level of society from providing housing, food banks, social support and friendship, to scrutinising legislation in the Lords. Archbishop repeats his attack on Rwanda plan The Archbishop of Canterbury again waded into the row over the Government's Rwanda plan yesterday. The Most Rev Justin Welby said there were serious 'ethical questions' about using 'deterrence' to stop asylum seekers reaching the UK. 'The Church of England is not a passive observer of migration policy,' he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. 'Some of my fellow bishops, clergy and worshippers came to the UK escaping persecution or conflict. 'We welcome and serve asylum seekers at every level of society from providing housing, food banks, social support and friendship, to scrutinising legislation in the Lords. We partner with the Government to settle refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine ... government and Church are not the same, but we must surely all want to put humanity and fairness at the heart of our asylum system.' The new immigration policy will see asylum seekers who cross the Channel sent for processing in Rwanda, where they will have the right to apply to live. The Archbishop previously said the policy would not stand up to the scrutiny of God, prompting Boris Johnson to accuse him of being 'less vociferous' in his condemnation of Putin than he was in his attack on the policy. Advertisement 'We partner with the Government to settle refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine ... government and Church are not the same, but we must surely all want to put humanity and fairness at the heart of our asylum system.' The new immigration policy will see asylum seekers who cross the Channel sent for processing in Rwanda, where they will have the right to apply to live. The Archbishop previously said the policy would not stand up to the scrutiny of God, prompting Boris Johnson to accuse him of being 'less vociferous' in his condemnation of Putin than he was in his attack on the policy. Home Secretary Priti Patel has said the deal is about trying to 'empower' asylum seekers. 'It's always been a partnership based on resettlement, rebuilding lives,' she added. In a speech earlier this month outlining the Rwanda agreement, Ms Patel said: 'The British people are fair and generous when it comes to helping those in need, but the persistent circumventing of our laws and immigration rules and the reality of a system that is open to gaming and criminal exploitation has eroded public support for Britain's asylum system and those that genuinely need access to it. 'Putting evil people smugglers out of business is a moral imperative. It requires us to use every tool at our disposal - and also to find new solutions. That is why today's migration and economic development partnership with Rwanda is such a major milestone. 'This agreement fully complies with all international and national law, and as part of this ground-breaking agreement, the UK is making a substantial investment in the economic development of Rwanda.' And a Home Office spokesman told MailOnline today: 'This world-leading Migration and Economic Development Partnership will overhaul our broken asylum system, which is currently costing the UK taxpayer 1.5billion a year the highest amount in two decades. 'It means those arriving dangerously, illegally or unnecessarily can be relocated to have their asylum claims considered and, if recognised as refugees, build their lives there. 'There is nothing in the UN Refugee Convention which prevents removal to a safe country. Under this agreement, Rwanda will process claims in accordance with national and international human rights laws.' Six popular confectionary products have been urgently recalled from major retailers over fears of salmonella contamination. Food Standards Australia pulled several popular products from confectionary brand Elite on Thursday, warning customers 'do not eat' the items. The treats include a selection of cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and lollies for all use-by dates and batch numbers. Several products from confectionary brand Elite have been recalled over fears of salmonella contamination RECALLED PRODUCTS Elite Chocolate Elite Cakes Elite Wafers Energy Grain Snacks Energy Chocolate Rice Cakes Gum and Toffee Candies Advertisement 'The recall is due to potential microbial (Salmonella) contamination,' FSA said. 'Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.' If consumed, salmonella or microbial contamination can cause severe illness including nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, chills, headaches and even blood in the stool. Cross contamination from raw meat, poultry or eggs is often the cause of the infection. The potentially contaminated goods have been on the shelves nationwide at Coles, Woolworths, IGAs, 7-Eleven, Independent Kosher stores and Milk bars. The affected products were made in Israel. For more information check the FSA website. The recalled products were at major and independent retailers including Coles, Woolworths, IGAs, 7-Eleven Meanwhile, Toyota and Lexus have been forced to recall almost 18,000 vehicles produced between March 2021 and April 2022 for a potentially fatal safety issue. The vehicles affected are the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Kluger Hybrid, LandCruiser 300 Series, Lexus LX luxury 4WD and NX450h plug-in hybrid. The recall notice says: 'Under particular circumstances, a software error may cause the Vehicle Stability Control system (VSC) to not default to the 'ON' status when the vehicle is next started. Toyota Australia has today announced that it will initiate a safety recall involving Toyota Kluger Hybrid, RAV4 Hybrid, LandCruiser 300 vehicles produced between March 2021 - April 2022 'These circumstances are: if the VSC switch is manually turned off and the brake pedal is continuously operated between when the vehicle is shut down and then restarted; this may cause the VSC to not return to the default setting 'ON' status at the next ignition cycle. 'This results in a non-compliance with Australian Design Rules (ADR) 88/00.' Toyota Australia will advise all owners of involved vehicles details of this safety recall campaign by SMS, email and mail to their last known address and mobile phone number. Earlier in the week, Bunnings Australia recalled one of its most popular gardening tools after a malfunction injured several people while using it. The warehouse giant has pulled the Ozito Portable Electric Blower model off its shelves and urged customers to stop using it after a defect gave users an electric shock. Electric blowers, initially designed to clear away leaves around the home, are now one of Australia's most popular and practical power tools. They can be used to clean cars, caravans, tents and boats, and also to blow up air mattresses and other inflatables, such as stand-up paddle boards and canoes. The Ozito Portable Electric Blower model has been pulled off Bunnings shelves after a defect caused the blower to break during use and rupture the casing, giving access to live parts and releasing sharp objects at high speed The $59 tool is at the cheaper end of the department store's blower range, which can cost up to $600. The Ozito can break during use and rupture the casing giving access to live parts and releasing sharp objects at high speed. Bunnings said several people have already been injured by the malfunction and all customers who have the tool should immediately stop using it. Numerous batches of the product are affected by the malfunction, with Bunnings advising consumers to check the batch number located near the tool's air intake vent. The Ozito tool was sold in Bunnings stores across the country. Individuals are urged to contact Ozito for a replacement blower or a full refund. Advertisement Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed has landed back in the U.S., in Texas, after being freed in a surprise prisoner swap with Russia. Reed was detained in Russia in 2019. He was accused of assaulting a police officer while visiting his girlfriend in the country - something he has always denied. After he arrived back on Thursday, his mother Paula tweeted: 'It's been very exciting day for the Reed family. Trevor is back in the USA.' They had been pleading with President Biden to bring their son home for years. In return for Reed's freedom, the U.S. agreed to return Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot serving a 20-year federal prison sentence in Connecticut for smuggling drugs. Reed's parents say they are grateful to President Biden for saving their son's life. Reed was on a hunger strike in Russian prison and his family say they believe his declining health was one of the reasons he was let out. Scroll down for video Trevor Reed arrives back in Texas on Thursday morning. He is shown with Rep. August Pfluger, who helped secure his release Trevor Reed (center in navy shirt) with his mother and father, Texas Rep. August Pfluger and others this morning after arriving back in Texas Trevor reed (left) is shown arriving back in Texas at dawn this morning. He was freed in a dramatic prisoner swap. The Marine was jailed in Russia in 2019 while visiting a girlfriend. He was accused of assaulting a police officer but has always denied it This is the moment former US Marine Trevor Reed was exchanged for convicted Russian drug dealer Konstantin Yaroshenko during a prisoner swap that took place at a Turkish airport on Wednesday Dramatic video footage from Wednesday showed the moment the U.S. swapped Reed for Yaroshenko, which has been likened to a famed Cold War prisoner exchange on the so-called Bridge of Spies. The clip was shot at a Turkish airport and saw Yaroshenko disembark an American private jet, accompanied by security personnel whose faces were pixelated. He walked toward Russian officials waiting nearby with Reed. Financial Times reporter Max Seddon, who was one of the people who shared the clip, said: 'Real bridge of spies Cold War vibes.' Bridge of Spies was a 2015 movie starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance and tells the story of US officials' efforts to free Francis Gary Powers, a spy plane pilot shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. He was successfully-exchanged for KGB spy Rudolf Abel on the Glienecke Bridge, which connects Potsdam to Berlin in Germany. Reed, of North Texas, was arrested in the summer of 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven to a police station following a night of heavy drinking. He was later sentenced to nine years in prison, though his family maintained his innocence - and the U.S. government has described him as being unjustly detained. Reed was finally released on Wednesday as part of a prisoner exchange, in which US officials agreed to return Yaroshenko, pilot serving at a Connecticut prison for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. after he was arrested in Liberia in 2010 and extradited to the U.S. The tense scene was reminiscent of the Steven Speilberg 2015 thriller Bridge of Spies, which depicted the Cold War prisoner exchange of U.S. Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers and KGB spy Rudolf Abel in Germany in 1962. Footage posted online showed the moment Russian forces escorted Reed out of a dark-colored van Wednesday morning In exchange for his release, the United States released Konstantin Yaroshenko (above), a smuggler serving 20-years in prison in Connecticut Trevor was celebrating with his girlfriend, Alina Tsybulnik, and some of her co-workers the night he was arrested. He was accused of assaulting a police officer - a claim he denies Paula and Joey Reed are shown on Wednesday outside their home in Granbury, Texas, after receiving the news that their son would be freed His girlfriend at the time, Alina Tsybulnik, left, and his father, Joey Reed, right, attended court hearings in Moscow last year WHAT ABOUT US? JAILED AMERICANS PAUL WHELAN AND BRITTNEY GRINER ASK WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FREED Paul Whelan has been in jail in Russia since 2018 After Reed's release was announced yesterday, jailed Americans in Russia asked why they were being left behind and not rescued too. Paul Whelan was convicted of espionage charges in Russia in 2020 after an arrest in 2018. He too is a former Marine and he denies the charges. He has been in jail for 40 months. He told his parents in a statement obtained by CNN: 'Why was I left behind? While I am pleased Trevor is home with his family, I have been held on a fictitious charge of espionage for 40 months. WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested in February 'The world knows this charge was fabricated. Why hasn't more been done to secure my release?' Fans of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was jailed in February after being caught with a marijuana pen at the airport, also demanded her release. The State Department says it is a 'top priority' to bring her home. She was detained at the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Advertisement Questions have already arisen about Trevor Reed's health after footage taken by Russian state media of a historic prisoner exchange showed Russian forces in camouflage and neck garters escorting the 30-year-old out of a dark-colored van Wednesday morning. They then led Reed by his arms to a private plane nearby as he held a large, dark duffel bag. In the video, Reed appeared to be much thinner in the video than he was in photos taken before his arrest, with family members reporting that he recently underwent a hunger strike to protest being put in solitary confinement. His parents, Joey and Paula, now say their 'prayers have been answered,' telling CNN New Day host Brianna Keilar: 'Obviously, we're ecstatic.' Finally, on Wednesday, the president announced that Reed was free from Russian detention - something he vowed to do for other Americans being held in Russian captivity. 'Today, we welcome home Trevor Reed, and celebrate his return to the family that missed him dearly,' the president announced. 'Trevor, a former U.S. Marine, is free from Russian detention. 'I heard in the voices of Trevor's parents how much they've worried about his health and missed his presence. 'And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevors freedom. 'Im grateful for the tireless and dedicated work of Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John Sullivan, and many others across our government to ensure that Trevor came home safely. 'The negotiations that allowed us to bring Trevor home required difficult decisions that I do not take lightly. 'His safe return is a testament to the priority my Administration places on bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad. 'We wont stop until Paul Whelan and others join Trevor in the loving arms of family and friends,' the president said, referring to a Canadian-born American resident who was arrested in Russia in 2018 and was accused of spying. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also tweeted on Wednesday morning: 'I am pleased that after years of wrongful detention by the Russian government, Trevor Reed has finally been freed and reunited with his family. 'We thank our partners for their cooperation and help to free Trevor.' As Reed was freed on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the cases of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan remain a priority for the government. 'The case of Paul Whelan is one we continue to work day in, day out. 'Paul Whelan is wrongfully detained in Russia. When it comes to Brittney Griner, we are working very closely with her team. 'Her case is a top priority for us. Were in regular contact with her team.' President Joe Biden might crack a 'Let's Go Brandon' joke and mock his old age when he delivers remarks at Saturday's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Politico's Playbook interviewed outgoing Biden speechwriter Jeff Nussbaum, who said folks from all over the administration have been sending in jokes - including Ron Klain, the chief of staff, and Rob Flaherty, director of digital strategy - and confirmed a group of outside comedians is also consulting. 'There are some elements where you actually help yourself by showing that you can laugh at things that other might think actually hurt you,' Nussbaum said. 'So if we can laugh at "Let's go Brandon" or laugh at the age jokes, that helps because it kind of defuses it.' The speech isn't finished yet, Politico said. Traditionally, the president delivers a comedy set and is then roasted by an actual comedian, in this case - The Daily Show's host Trevor Noah. President Joe Biden might crack a 'Let's Go Brandon' joke and mock his old age when he delivers remarks at Saturday's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. He talks to reporters as he departs the Teachers of the Year event Wednesday The last time the White House Correspondents' Dinner was held was in 2019 (pictured). Former President Donald Trump never attended during his one term in office Nussbuam said the Biden's team was living by the 'Hippocratic Humor oath, which is first do no harm.' 'In this moment, you're trying to find where three circles intersect: actual funny, Washington funny and appropriate for the president to say,' Nussbaum explained. 'That's really tricky now, because can you tell a joke about COVID? Well, a million American have died, so that's probably off limits. Can you tell a joke about Putin? Probably not.' 'So there's a lot of territory that others can joke about, but it's incredibly risky for the president to joke about,' Nussbaum continued. 'Caution is not one of the best ingredients in humor, but caution is a necessary ingredient for this president and this moment.' Nussbaum noted that there's also danger in being too self-deprecating. Those jokes - such as about the 79-year-old president's age - can 'kind of shift from being funny and self-deprecating to effectively confirming what was not necessarily a positive perception of him.' Nussbaum also suggested the president would use the speech to distinguish himself from his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Nussbaum said the speech had the aim 'to remind people that a president can have an occasionally antagonistic relationship with the media but not see the media as enemies of the state.' Jeffrey Nussbaum, a senior speechwriter for President Joe Biden, departed from his perch this week. He's written a book and is going on a book tour White House press secretary Jen Psaki reconfirmed that President Joe Biden will be attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner after news broke that his top medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci would skip the Saturday night event White House press secretary Jen Psaki made similar comments when she reconfirmed Wednesday that Biden would be attending the dinner, on the heels of the news that his top medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, would be skipping the event that packs thousands in the Washington Hilton's ballroom due to COVID-19 concerns. 'He has made the decision that he wants to attend, in a safe way, the White House Correspondents' Dinner to show his support, showcase his support for a free press,' Psaki said at Wednesday's briefing. 'That does stand in stark constrast to his predecessor, who not only questioned the legitimacy of the press on a nearly daily basis, but also never attended the dinner, I don't believe,' the press secretary added. 'So he felt that was important and made a risk assessment to do that in consultation with his doctors and healthcare team.' Trump never attended the dinner as president, which was last held in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time a president attended was in 2016, with former President Barack Obama. Psaki said the president will be taking additional COVID precautions including possibly wearing a mask when he isn't talking. Earlier this week, Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID. A picture of the packed ballroom at the April 2 Gridiron Dinner at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Gridiron Dinner, which required guests to be vaccinated, turned into a superspreader event with 80 positive COVID cases reported in its aftermath Psaki - who has twice contracted the virus - said she'd also likely wear a mask. 'And we also took steps, including the fact that he's not attending for the eating portion of the dinner,' Psaki said. 'And he'll be there for the program, which includes a number of speakers, the presentation of scholarships, as you know, and of course his speaking and his roasting - where he will be on the menu, as he likes to say - Trevor Noah is speaking.' She added: 'Just like anything it's a risk assessment and decision he made on a personal basis.' Psaki said Fauci's decision deserved some privacy, as the 81-year-old chief medical expert told ABC News, the news organization that invited him, that he would not longer take the ticket due to his own personal risk of contracting COVID-19, CNN first reported. Fauci attended the April 2 Gridiron Dinner, which turned into a superspreader event, with at least 80 of the approximately 630 attendees testing positive for COVID in its aftermath. The White House Correspondents' Association is going a step further than the Gridiron Club and requiring that guests take a COVID-19 test 24 hours before the dinner. All guests must also be vaccinated or have a doctor's excuse. For the Gridiron Dinner, guests merely had to show their vaccination records. Among the high-profile guests to catch COVID after Gridiron: Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo - who was one of the speakers - New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Reps. Adam Schiff, Julian Castro and Elaine Luria. Fauci was seated on the dais with Raimondo and Garland, but sat several seats away. Biden also attended the funeral Wednesday of the late Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and will travel to Minnesota Sunday for the funeral of the late Vice President Walter Mondale. Advertisement A stunning Grade II-listed mansion on the London street where Oscar Wilde once lived has gone on sale for 7.95m. The elegant house is in the exclusive cul-de-sac St James Place in Mayfair, which is where the flamboyant playwright lived for five months during 1893 and 1894. This was one of the most important times of his career, with his play A Woman of No Importance premiering to great success in 1893 and his most popular play, The Importance of Being Earnest, premiering at the nearby St. James' Theatre on King's Street in 1895. The elegant house is on St James Close, an exclusive cul-de-sac in Mayfair in London. It has been put on the market with estate agent Carter Jonas The property has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two reception rooms, with a steam room, treatment room and media room, arranged over six levels The estate agent Carter Jonas has listed the house, which dates back to the 17th century, with an asking price of 7,950,000 The elegant house dates back to the 17th century and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two reception rooms, with a steam room, treatment room and media room, arranged over six levels. Visitors arrive at the ground floor which has a kitchen and a dining room with a media room leading from it. Stairs lead to the first floor, which is given over to the reception room which has a fireplace and luxury herringbone wooden flooring. On the ground floor visitors will find a kitchen and a dining room with a media room leading from it, while there is also a reception room on the first floor The street was home to flamboyant Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde (pictured) for five months in 1893 and 1894, during which he released one of his plays Woman of No Importance The second floor has the main bedroom with a dressing room and bathroom and there are two more bedrooms and bathrooms on the third and fourth floors. The lower ground floor has a further bedroom and bathroom, plus a steam and treatment room. St James Place is close to some of London's most iconic stores, including Fortnum & Mason and The Burlington Arcade, as well as Michelin starred restaurants and a number of private clubs. Despite the historic nature of the house it has been renovated to include modern furnishings, including this bright bathroom Pictured is one of the four bedrooms in the property, which is on the same road as Spencer House, home to Princess Diana's ancestor, John Spencer It's also the address of Spencer House, described as a 'magnificent 18th century aristocratic palace' which was home to Princess Diana's ancestor, John Spencer. Tim Macpherson from Carter Jonas said: 'The property is a truly stunning Mayfair residence which belonged to a London-based businessman who had to move for family reasons. 'It's currently rented to a tenant who fell in love with it but we think it will be sold to someone who loves this area, the closeness of Fortnum & Mason, Jermyn Street and Green Park, which you can access through a passageway at the end of the street.' One of the reception rooms at the property. The house is within walking distance of some of London's most iconic stores, including Fortnum & Mason and The Burlington Arcade Tim Macpherson from Carter Jonas described the property as a 'truly stunning Mayfair residence' and predicted it would be sold to someone who 'loves this area' The property is split over six floors , with the top three floors each having its own bedroom and en-suite bathroom, while the bottom floor has a steam and treatment room next to one of the bedrooms A mysterious ball of light hurtling across the night sky has baffled experts, with some speculating it could be a meteorite and others claiming it's an unidentified flying object. Jordan McNiven and his housemate were driving along Top End road in Rosebery, Northern Territory, when they saw a flash of light making a beeline for the ground around 10pm on Saturday. In a blink of an eye the eerie object vanishes without a trace. 'As I was with my housemate, he thought of a shooting star and I thought it could have been an osprey (a type of military plane),' Mr McNiven told NT News. 'Only thing that I can think of is either space junk being burnt up in our atmosphere or a meteorite burning up on entry. 'This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this.' Luckily Mr McNiven was able to react quick enough to save his dashcam footage. Mr McNiven shared footage of a UFO he captured on dashcam around 10pm Saturday in the Northern Territory He shared the video to Facebook on Sunday asking: 'Anyone got a theory on what was in the sky just as I get to the intersection?' Several commenters wrote that the bright light was likely a meteorite or shooting star, others weren't so convinced. 'Meteorite/Shooting star mate. Decent size one. Pretty common to see them like that but happens so quick nobody really notices. Got to be there at the right moment,' one person wrote. 'I've had them (shooting stars) so bright they've left 'burn scars' in the sky, where you can still see its trail seconds later even after looking away,' a commenter replied. Several commenters have identified the UFO as a likely meteorite or bright shooting star 'Post it to the Australian Meteor Reports page. Lyrid meteor shower is about at the moment,' another said. Other commenters had different theories. 'Ahhhh here we go, that right there is a UFO and aliens are gonna kill us all,' one person wrote. 'Russian nuke launched from satellite?' another quipped. 'Pretty sure it was an election promise from Scomo or Albo. Can't be sure though,' another joked. Orthodox priests have flown the 'Holy Fire' over Russian towns that have been rattled by Ukrainian strikes on oil depots and ammo dumps in recent weeks, amid Vladimir Putin's on-going invasion. Two clergymen from Stary Oskol, a city in the Belgorod Oblast, were shown in footage on Tuesday flying in a military helicopter while carrying a lantern containing a fire that was reported to have been lit in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The pair of solemn-looking men, Archpriest Alexy Babanin and Archpriest Andrey Filatov, were sat on a bench in the cargo hold of the aircraft, separated by a paining of Mary and the baby Jesus. One, with a wispy white beard, clutched the lantern. Russian media said the holy flame had been brought from Jerusalem on April 24 to mark Orthodox Easter, which is observed in both Russia and Ukraine. It was being used to bless the Russian region that has come under fire from Ukrainian attacks in response to Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion of the country. Scroll down for video Two Orthodox priests (pictured) have been shown in a video flying 'Holy Fire' over Russian towns that have been rattled by Ukrainian strikes on oil depots and ammo dumps The pair of solemn-looking men, reportedly Archpriest Alexy Babanin and Archpriest Andrey Filatov, were sat on a bench in the cargo hold of the aircraft, separated by the paining. One, with a wispy white beard, clutched the lantern (pictured) 'The clergy flew over Stary Oskol with the revered Iveron Icon of the Mother of God and brought from the Holy Sepulcher,' Pravoslavnoye Oskolye - the website for the region's Orthodox Church - said in a statement. 'The helicopter was provided by the servicemen,' the website added. Upon the video being shared, social media users jokingly labelled the aircraft a 'holycopter.' Russian media said the clergymen were joined by local officials in the helicopter, including the local deputy head of the department for social development, and the chairman of the local Council of Deputies. The video captured views out of the window of the helicopter, showing fields and towns stretching out below as the aircraft flew overhead. Russian media said the clergymen were joined by local officials in the helicopter, including the local deputy head of the department for social development. Pictured: The view of the local region from the window of the helicopter In retaliation to Russia's invasion, Ukraine has launched a series of cross-border counter-strikes on Belgorod, striking key resources used by Moscow's military Orthodox Christians believe that the Holy Fire is a miracle that happens every year on Great Saturday (the day before Orthodox Easter Sunday) in at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Worshippers believe that a blue light is emitted from Jesus' tomb, rising from the marble slab that covers the stone bed. The bed is said to be the very same that Jesus' body was placed upon after he died on the cross, to be buried. Believers say a column of fire rises from the tomb, and candles are lit with the flame. These candles are then used to light more that are being carried by the clergy and pilgrims that are inside the church, and distributed to other worshipers. The Holy Fire is then taken to other Orthodox countries, such as Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and Russia. While the Orthodox Church did not give the reason for the flight, it is thought it was to bless the Belgorod Oblast region with the Holy Fire. In retaliation to Russia's invasion, Ukraine has launched a series of cross-border counter-strikes on Belgorod, striking key resources used by Moscow's military. Orthodox Christians believe that the Holy Fire is a miracle that happens every year on Great Saturday (the day before Orthodox Easter Sunday) in at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Pictured: The two priests are shown in the helicopter Several explosions were heard in Belgorod early in the morning on April 27. Pictured: An ammunition depot burns near the village of Staraya Nelidovka On Wednesday, an ammunition depot in the Belgorod region burned after several explosions were heard, the governor said. Blasts were also reported in Russia's Kursk region near the border, and authorities in Russia's Voronezh region said an air defense system shot down a drone. Ukraine hailed the suspected missile strike on Russian soil 'payback' and 'karma' for Putin's vicious attacks on its civilians, that have killed thousands. Without directly admitting responsibility, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo said Russia deserved to learn about 'demilitarisation' in a pointed swipe at Vladimir Putin's supposed war aims. 'If you decide to massively attack another country, massively kill everyone there, massively crush peaceful people with tanks, and use warehouses in your regions to enable the killings, then sooner or later the debts will have to be repaid,' Podolyak said. He added: 'Therefore, the disarmament of the Belgorod and Voronezh killers' warehouses is an absolutely natural process. Karma is a cruel thing.' Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region, said on Telegram: 'At approximately 3.35am I woke up from a loud bang that sounded like a blast. 'As I was writing this post, three more blasts were heard. According to preliminary information, an ammunition depot is on fire near the village of Staraya Nelidovka.' No civilian casualties were reported. Ethiopian Orthodox worshippers hold candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Ethiopian section of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, April 23, 2022 Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during a ceremony of the 'Holy Fire' at the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem's Old City MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Orthodox Easter service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, April 24, 2022 KYIV: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Ukrainian people with Orthodox Easter message, as Russia's attack continues, at the Saint Sophia cathedral, April 23 Russia and Ukraine both marked Orthodox Easter on Sunday, with pictures showing Vladimir Putin in a Moscow church as his army's missiles continued to rain down on Ukrainian civilians across the country. The Russian strongman attended the midnight mass at the capital's vast Christ the Saviour Cathedral, that sits close to the Kremlin. But as his invasion - which was meant to result in a swift, decisive victory over Russia's smaller neighbour - entered its third month, pictures showed Putin's mind appeared to be elsewhere as he stood by the church's altar during the ceremony, dwarfed by a large mural of the Virgin Mary resting Baby Jesus on her lap. He held a lit candle and when Patriarch Kirill - head of the Russian Orthodox Church - said 'Christ has risen', Putin joined other worshippers with the reply 'Truly he is risen'. Across the border, just 280 miles from Moscow, the same words were spoken by people in Ukraine as the embattled nation also marked Orthodox Easter, in some cases in the ruins of churches destroyed by Russian shells. In the capital of Kyiv, prayers were held for those fighting on the front lines and others trapped beyond them in places like Mariupol. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed in an Easter message that no 'wickedness' will destroy the country and prayed that God returns happiness to children and brings solace to grieving mothers. The incoming government of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol plans to provide COVID-19 relief grants to 5.51 million small businesses and merchants immediately after an extra budget bill is passed, Yoon's transition team said Thursday. Transition team chief Ahn Cheol-soo, who also doubles as the head of the team's special COVID-19 response panel, announced a 100-day road map that aims to fully compensate the pandemic-hit small business owners after working on it for about a month. Ahn said 5.51 million small businesses suffered an estimated 54 trillion won ($42.4 billion) worth of damage in the past two years due to the pandemic. "The exact calculation of damage is the basic of the basics," Ahn said. "I cannot understand why (the current government) has not done it." Ahn added the incoming government plans to provide grants based on the businesses' size and revenue losses, meaning those who suffered big damages will get larger grants. The maximum amount of the grant has been reportedly set at 6 million won. Such a plan, however, is slightly different from Yoon's earlier pledge of giving 6 million won each to all small businesses. The team announced the incoming government will enhance its compensation system to better reflect the businesses' actual losses. It also plans to raise the minimum amount of a relief grant, which is currently set at 500,000 won, in June. The transition team's road map also includes financial measures and tax programs, such as extending the due date for loan payments, to help small business owners. (Yonhap) Senator Joe Manchin said last year that he would consider defecting to Republicans if South Dakota GOP Senator John Thune were leader of the party instead of Mitch McConnell, according to an upcoming book. The moderate Democratic senator has been a thorn in the party's side since President Joe Biden took office contributing to sinking large administrative policy proposals, including the Build Back Better plan. In early 2021, Republicans tried to take advantage of Manchin's ire over Vice President Kamala Harris' West Virginia television hit where she was seemingly pressuring him to fall in line. Shortly after that interview, Republican Senators Thune, Susan Collins of Maine and Rob Portman of Ohio all tried to sway Manchin to defect and join the GOP. 'John, he said, if you were the leader I would do it,' Manchin said of Senator Thune during a dinner at Bistro Cacao on February 1, 2021 with the trio, according to the book. Moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (pictured March 30, 2022) said in early 2021 that he would defect to Republicans if Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell were not longer the party's leader Senator Susan Collins (left), a moderate Republican, recruited Senators John Thune (center) and Rob Portman (right) to help try to sway Manchin to the right side. Manchin said he would only go if Thune became leader In an interview with an NBC affiliate in Huntington, West Virginia on January 28, 2021, Harris said the country was facing 'a crisis of unbelievable proportion' and said Americans need politicians 'to step up and stand up for them.' Although she did not mention Manchin by name, the senator with a dozen years under his belt in D.C. was angered by the TV hit and viewed it as political pressure, according to the book. Initiating the effort to convert Manchin was fellow moderate Senator Collins she recruited Thune and Portman. Although Manchin's answer to the senators was not a definite no, the stipulation to start caucusing with the GOP would not see current Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell returning to the leadership role he has held since 2007. This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns will hit shelves next week on May 3, 2021, but DailyMail.com obtained a copy ahead of release. One of Thune's approaches last year was trying to sway Manchin to choose a middle-of-the-line option become an independent senator and caucus with the GOP. Manchin said part jokingly that he would only change sides if current Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell were no longer in his post They also indicated that there would be rewards for defecting from Democrats, the book notes, the likes of which included chairing a committee and helping with campaigning and fundraising. But Manchin said he would not defect, especially after the White House held a meeting with him before Republicans were able to get to him with their proposal. Revelations come as part of an upcoming book This Will Not Pass, hitting shelves on May 3 Manchin said he had a meeting at the White House where Biden expressed regret over deploying Harris to West Virginia and, at one point, asked everyone to leave the room and told the senator regarding the American rescue plan: 'Joe, you're my friend, I'll never ask you to vote against your conscience. I'll never ask you to do anything you're uncomfortable doing.' The book notes: 'Manchin believed him. He was not going to become a Republican.' West Virginia is one of the most deeply red states in America, voting 68.6 percent for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and only 29.7 percent for Biden. With a 50-50 split Senate where Vice President Harris hold the tie-breaking vote just one Democratic defector could sink legislation. Along with Manchin, fellow moderate Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, both from Arizona, have also put up roadblocks in the left's agenda the last two years. The West is encouraging Ukraine to strike Russia and should take Putin's threat to respond 'seriously', the country's foreign ministry spokesman has said today. Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing in Moscow that the West is 'openly calling on Ukraine to attack Russia using weapons received from NATO countries' while warning: 'We do not recommend testing our patience'. She was speaking after UK defence minister Ben Wallace said Ukraine has the 'right' to strike military targets inside Russia, while armed forces minister James Heappey said it would be 'legitimate' to use donated Western weapons for such attacks. Her comments also came after Vladimir Putin said yesterday that any country deemed to be 'interfering' in Ukraine would meet with a 'lightning-fast' response using weapons 'no one else can boast of' - thought to be a reference to nukes. Explosions inside Russia in recent weeks have destroyed fuel depots, ammo dumps and railways being used to reinforce its armies inside Ukraine. Kyiv has not commented on the attacks, but is widely thought to be behind them. Earlier this week, a Ukrainian minister described them as 'karma'. Maria Zakharova, spokesman for Russia's foreign ministry, today accused the West of encouraging Ukraine to use donated weapons to attack her country (file image) It comes after a series of blasts on Russian soil targeting military bases in recent days that have been blamed on Kyiv (pictured, burning fuel depots in Belgorod on Monday) Smoke and fire rises from a military facility close to a railway station that was blown up amid fighting near Lyman, a city in eastern Ukraine, today Ukraine says Russia has stepped up its attacks on Donbas today, with battles being fought along a stretch of frontline hundreds of miles long As Russian forces try to fix an surround Ukrainian units in the east of the country, defenders are still holding out inside the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol while blasts took down TV masts in Kherson overnight and explosions also rocked Transnistria, in Moldova Elsewhere today: Ukraine said Russia had stepped up attacks in the eastern Donbas region in an attempt to surround its troops Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, deplored the 'absurdity' of Russia's war as he visited devastated areas near Kyiv Strikes in occupied Kherson took out TV masts which had been broadcasting Russian media, as officials said the currency will be changed to the ruble Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine threaten the security of Europe Russia said it is 'alarmed' by blasts in the Transnistria region of Moldova where it has troops, raising fears the country could soon be dragged into the war Germany's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of supplying heavier weapons to Ukraine, piling pressure on Chancellor Scholz to act Ukraine said Thursday that Russia's offensive in the east picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow's forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops. In a reminder of the horrific toll the war has taken since it began Feb. 24, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited towns outside the capital of Kyiv where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia's retreat. The fighting gathered pace after Russia suddenly cut off natural gas to two NATO nations on Wednesday, in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for Ukraine ahead of the potentially pivotal battle in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas. The General Staff of Ukraine's military said Russian forces were 'exerting intense fire' in several places as they pushed on with the second phase of their invasion. The most intensive action was around Donetsk and close to Kharkiv, which lies outside the Donbas but is seen as key to Russia's apparent bid to encircle Ukrainian troops there. Tatiana Pirogova spoke of the intense fear of living under constant bombardment. 'It's not just scary. It's when your stomach contracts from pain' the Kharkiv resident said. 'When they shoot during the day, it's still OK, but when the evening comes, I can't describe how scary it is.' The General Staff said that over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian forces have repelled six attacks in the Donbas, control of which is now Moscow's primary focus ever since its initial offensive faltered and failed to take the Ukrainian capital. Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said the Russian army shelled the residential area in his region '29 times by aircrafts, multiple rocket launches, tube artillery and mortars.' Russian forced uploaded footage of themselves fighting in Rubizhne, in the Luhansk region, as battles rage in Ukraine's east Chechen soldiers fighting for Russia - known as Kadyrovites after their leader, Razman Kadyrov - filmed themselves fighting in the town of Rubizhne Russia tanks were also filmed fighting around the Azovstal steel works, in Mariupol (pictured), where Ukrainian defenders are still holed up Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press also showed evidence of intense Russian fire on Mariupol in recent days. The images show how concentrated attacks have greatly damaged a central facility at the Azovstal steelworks, the last redoubt of Ukrainian fighters in the key battleground city. An estimated 1,000 civilians are sheltering along with about 2,000 Ukrainian fighters in the steelworks, a massive Soviet-era complex with a warren of underground facilities built to withstand airstrikes. Russia, meanwhile, said a city under its control in the south also came under fire. With the war now in its third month, Guterres on Thursday toured towns outside Kyiv, including Bucha, that have seen some of the most horrific attacks of the war. 'Civilians always pay the highest price,' he said as he visited the bombed out suburb of Irpin. 'And this is something everyone should remember, everywhere in the world. Wherever there is a war the highest price is paid by civilians.' Evidence of atrocities was discovered in the towns Guterres visited on Thursday after the Russians retreated from the area in the face a fiercer than expected Ukrainian resistance, bolstered by Western arms. In what could be a further Ukrainian counterattack, a series of explosions boomed near the television tower late Wednesday in southern Ukraine's Kherson, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early in the war. The blasts at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air, Ukrainian and Russian news organizations reported. Ukraine has urged its allies to send even more military equipment so it can continue its fight. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that 'up to date, NATO allies have pledged and provided at least 8 billion U.S. dollars in military support to Ukraine. And we see the importance of further stepping up our support to Ukraine.' In a sign of shifting support in favour of Ukraine, Germany's parliament today voted by an almost six-to-one margin to increase the supply of heavy weapons. The document calls for the 'acceleration of the delivery of effective, including heavy, weapons and complex systems by Germany'. Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht had said on Tuesday that Germany would send Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine, in a clear switch in Berlin's cautious policy on military backing for Kyiv. Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening warned any country deemed to be 'interfering' in Ukraine that they will face a 'lightning-fast' response with weapons 'no one else can boast of' Germany had previously sent only defensive weapons, leaving Chancellor Olaf Scholz facing criticism that he was undermining European security, the rules-based world order, and lending tactic support to Moscow. The motion approved on Thursday calls on the government to supply heavy weapons directly, as well as indirectly by replacing stocks sent to Ukraine from eastern European countries. Underlining the importance of sending such weapons, British military intelligence reported today that Russia still has the capacity to launch amphibious attacks on Ukraine - perhaps targeting Mykolaiv or Odesa - despite suffering losses at sea. In an intelligence briefing posted Thursday morning, the ministry says that about 20 Russia naval vessels, including submarines, are currently operating the Black Sea. Despite the 'embarrassing' loss of the Moskva missile cruiser and Saratov landing ship, Russian 'retains the ability to strike coastal targets', it said. While it presses its campaign in the east, Moscow has also piled on the pressure by leveraging its biggest export product -energy, cutting off NATO members Poland and Bulgaria from its natural gas on Wednesday. European leaders blasted that decision as 'blackmail,' saying the move and the Kremlin's warning that it might cease shipments to other countries is a failed attempt to divide the West over its support for Ukraine. The tactic against the two EU countries could eventually force targeted nations to ration gas and deal another blow to economies suffering from rising prices. At the same time, it could deprive Russia of badly needed income to fund its war effort. The gas cuts do not immediately put the two countries in any dire trouble. Poland, especially, has been working for many years to line up other suppliers, and the continent is heading into summer, making gas less essential for households. Gazprom said it shut off the two countries because they refused to pay in rubles, as President Vladimir Putin has demanded of 'unfriendly' nations. The Kremlin said other countries may be cut off if they don't agree to the payment arrangement. Russian artillery is filmed opening fire on eastern Ukraine in footage released by state media A Russian artillery shell explodes in Rubizhne, eastern Ukraine, where fighting is ongoing European countries have balked at Russia's demand for rubles. Moscow has since proposed a system that it says satisfies its demand - but that the Europeans say means they are still paying in either euros or dollars. 'Europe (and) Germany will make payments in euros and others may pay in dollars, and not in rubles,' Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck said Wednesday. 'The conversion, once the payments have been made, is a matter for Gazprom. We have discussed this with the European Union. We will continue down this path.' Still, the cutoff and the Kremlin warning that other countries could be next sent shivers of worry through the 27-nation European Union. Germany is the world's biggest buyer of Russian energy, and Italy is also a significant consumer, though they, too, have been taking steps to reduce their dependence on Moscow. In signs that the conflict could soon spill over the border of Ukraine, Russia today described a series of blasts in the Transnistria region of Moldova - a breakaway province where it has a long-standing garrison of troops - as 'alarming.' Maria Zakharova said: 'We regard these actions as acts of terrorism aimed at destabilising the situation in the region and expect a thorough and objective investigation. She said Russia 'strongly condemns' attempts to involve Transnistria in the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, while dismissing a 'sensational statement' from Ukraine about Russian peacekeepers and Transnistrian conscripts preparing 'for offensive actions'. The separatist region bordering Ukraine has reported explosions hitting the security ministry, a military unit and a Russian-owned radio tower as well as shots fired at a village housing a Russian arms depot. The self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria seceded from Moldova in 1992 after a brief war with Chisinau. Around 1,500 Russian soldiers have been based there since. Meanwhile a Russian official said Thursday that the ruble will soon be introduced in areas of Ukraine under Moscow's control, despite Russia earlier insisting it was not seeking to occupy captured territory. A civilian and military administrator of the Russian-controlled region of Kherson in southern Ukraine said Moscow would introduce its currency in the region within the coming days. 'Beginning May 1, we will move to the ruble zone,' the official, Kirill Stremousov, was cited as saying by Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti. He specified there will be a grace period of four months when Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, would also be used. 'Then we will completely switch to settlements in rubles,' RIA Novosti quoted Stremousov as saying. Stremousov's announcement was yet to be confirmed by any high-ranking Russian official. Russia said earlier this week that it had seized control of the entire southern Kherson region, including its eponymous administrative capital, which fell to Russian troops soon after the February 24 invasion. Moscow's defence ministry claimed that 'peaceful life' was being restored to the region and others which have been captured recently, despite reports in the Ukrainian press and on social media of ongoing protests against the Russian administration of Kherson. Former Doctor Who and Eastenders star Ann Davies has died aged 87. The actress, who was the wife of the late Richard Briers - who starred in The Good Life - and mother to two daughters, passed away on Thursday, her agent has confirmed. Barry Langford tweeted: 'Sadly my lovely client of 34 years Ann Davies passed away yesterday. 'A superb actress with TV credits including #DoctorWho and #TheSculptress, Ann was devoted to her beloved late husband #RichardBriers and their daughters Lucy and Kate. 'She will be very much missed. #RIP Annie.' Davies starred in a string of Doctor Who episodes in the 1960s playing the character of Jenny alongside William Hartnell as the Time Lord, before going on to play teacher Mrs Singleton in Grange Hill during the 1990s. The actress also appeared in BBC dramas Doctors and Eastenders, as well as acting alongside her husband Richard in a number of television roles prior to his death in 2013. The couple had lived together in Chiswick, west London, after marrying in 1956 and had two daughters Lucy and Katie. Lucy, 54, plays Mrs Blish in ITV's Endeavour and featured as Mary Bennet in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Richard and Ann Briers starred together on television, as well as a radio adaptation of the television series Brothers in Law, prior to his death in 2013 The couple pictured together as they arrive to watch the opening night of The Anniversary play in London in 2005 Ann Davies in Doctor Who. She also appeared in Grange Hill and the BBC's Eastenders and Doctors during a long acting career Davies starred in a string of Doctor Who episodes in the 1960s playing the character of Jenny alongside William Hartnell as the Time Lord Ann Davies and husband Richard Briers pictured arriving at Avenue of the Stars in London in September 2005 The husband and wife smile happily as they are pictured at Hampton Court Palace together in 2004 Ann Davies pictured with her husband Richard Briers prior to his death aged 79 in February 2013 Richard Briers and Ann Davies pictured on their wedding day. They were described as a 'wonderful couple' Richard Briers and Ann Davies pictured with their two daughters Lucy and Kate, who have both taken after their parents Richard Briers and Ann Davies with their then newborn daughter Katie at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in 1963 Ann's husband Richard was known to millions as the lynchpin of three of the most notable sitcoms ever made in Britain - Marriage Lines, The Good Life and Ever Decreasing Circles. The star, who was also well-known for his Shakespearean roles, had been battling a serious lung condition for years before he died peacefully at his London home in February 2013. The couple appeared together in films Peter's Friends in 1992 and In the Bleak Midwinter in 1995, as well as a radio adaptation of the television series Brothers in Law. Mr Briers was one of the most popular television sitcom actors of his generation. After leaving school in Surrey with meagre qualifications, Briers flirted with the idea of electrical engineering as a career, before realising that what he really wanted to do was tread the boards, not wire them. He attended RADA from 1954 to 1956, then joined Liverpool Repertory Company. It was while at Liverpool rep that he met Mrs Davies. Theirs would be that rare thing in the theatrical world a long, stable and happy marriage. Following Richard's death, Dame Sheila Hancock described them as a 'wonderful couple'. She said: 'Its really not easy in our profession, but they were a wonderful couple and we were very close to them.' Advertisement Ukrainian flags were waved at the March of the Living today at Auschwitz to show support for the beleaguered country on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Survivors and descendants of the mass genocide returned to the Nazi concentration camp to recreate the 'death march' undertaken by its former inmates during WWII to the gas chambers at Birkenau. They were joined by Ukrainian refugees and supporters waving Ukraine flags amid Russia's invasion being carried out under the pretence of 'denazification'. Ukrainian flags were waved at the March of the Living today at Auschwitz to show support for the beleaguered country on Holocaust Remembrance Day A girl holds an Ukrainian flag under the main gate of the former Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp Polish President Andrzej Duda greets Holocaust survivor Edward Mosberg in front of the 'Death Wall' during the annual International 'March of the Living' People walk towards Brzezinka during the annual International 'March of the Living' through the grounds of the former Auschwitz death camp Messages saying 'peace' and 'stop war' are placed along the railway tracks at Auschwitz that used to carry prisoners in WWII The annual march honours Holocaust victims at the former Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in southern Poland Holocaust survivor Arek Hersh shows the number B7608 tattooed onto his arm while sitting near the main gate of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau camp Holocaust survivor Agnes Kaposi, 89, and other survivors take part in The March of the Living in honour of the victims of the Holocaust Young Jews carry Israeli flags during the March of the Living annual observance that was not held for two years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish and it is Russian forces who have been accused of horrific war crimes and are reportedly sending civilians to 'filtration camps' which have eerie echoes of the Nazi sites. Many camps were set up around the besieged city of Mariupol to interrogate civilians, with families separated and reports of killings. Oleksandr told the BBC: 'It was like a true concentration camp.' In the early days of their barbaric invasion, Russia also bombed the Babyn Yar holocaust memorial in Kyiv on the site of one of the biggest single massacres of Jews during the Holocaust. Nearly 34,000 Jews were killed there by SS troops in two days in 1941 during Adolf Hitler's campaign against the Soviet Union. Last month Boris Romanchenko, 96, who survived detention in four separate Nazi concentration camps in World War Two, was killed by shelling in Kharkiv. Another survivor of the Nazi invasion, Vanda Obiedkova, 91, died this month in a basement in the war-battered city of Mariupol, freezing and pleading for water. Today's annual march sees thousands gather to honour the millions of Holocaust victims in the presence of the few remaining survivors from the atrocity. Rabbi Yochanan Fried blows into a horn as participants walk through the main gate of the former camp Mosberg, pictured with his family, was taken prisoner by the Nazis in the Plaszow and Mauthausen concentration camps during the Holocaust Survivors around the world today are uniting to deliver a message on the dangers of unchecked hate Only eight survivors and some 2,500 young Jews and non-Jews are taking part in the annual march that is scaled down this year because of the war in neighbouring Ukraine Participants in today's march lay down their peaceful messages in a site that bore witness to some of the worst horrors known to mankind Edward Mosberg, 96, from Krakow, was in attendance at Auschwitz today where he met Polish president Andrzej Duda. Mosberg was taken prisoner by the Nazis in the Plaszow and Mauthausen concentration camps during the Holocaust. His entire family was killed during that period, some of them in Auschwitz. Survivors around the world today are uniting to deliver a message on the dangers of unchecked hate and the importance of remembrance at a time of rising global antisemitism. In a video released on Thursday to mark Yom HaShoah - Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day - 100 survivors asked people to stand with them and remember the genocide to avoid repeating the horrors of the past. The 100 Words project video was released by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also referred to as the Claims Conference. The group represents the world's Jews in negotiating for compensation and restitution for victims of Nazi persecution and their heirs, and provides welfare for Holocaust survivors around the globe. Duda and Holocaust survivor Mosberg lay a wreath in front of the 'Death Wall' during the annual commemorations Holocaust survivors take part in The March of the Living in honour of the millions of victims Arek Hersh (93, centre), Agnes Kaposi (89, second right) and other survivors take part in The March of the Living in honour of the victims of the Holocaust 'The world is full of strife - from the pandemic to the crisis happening in Ukraine. On remembrance days like Yom HaShoah, it is so important to stop and reflect,' Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, said in a statement. 'The call to action these survivors put forth today is not only one of remembrance, but one of action, a reminder that we do not have to be bystanders. We can all stand up in our own way and we can choose to not let our collective history repeat itself.' It comes at a time when Holocaust survivors - now in their 80s and 90s - are dying, while studies show that younger generations lack even basic knowledge of the Nazi genocide, in which a third of the world's Jews were annihilated. 'If we do not remember them, we are murdering them twice because we have forgotten them. And we have forgotten the tragic travesty that was visited upon millions of people,' said Ginger Lane, a Holocaust survivor who along with her siblings was hidden in a fruit orchard near Berlin by non-Jews. 'It is important to remember because it is a part of our heritage and our legacy that we pass on to the younger generation,' said Ms Lane, whose mother was killed at the Auschwitz death camp, and who has made it her lifelong mission to educate others. Survivors were joined by Ukrainian refugees and supporters waved Ukraine flags to show support for the country Hersh shows the number tattooed onto his arm decades on from his imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp 'Holocaust denial, we know it has always existed, but it seems to be on the upswing and ... a huge number of young people don't even know what the word Holocaust means ... These young people are eager to move forward with their lives. But their lives today are shaped by the past. And they need to know what happened in the past.' In a 50-state study of millennials and generation Z-age people in the US in 2020, researchers found that 63 per cent of respondents did not know six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust and 48 per cent could not name a death or concentration camp. The 100 Word Project statement by Holocaust survivors says: 'Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. We all survived the Holocaust. We are here to give voice to the six million Jews who were murdered. 'We are a reminder unchecked hatred can lead to actions, actions to genocide. Just over 75 years ago, one-third of the world's Jews were systematically murdered. 'Among them, over 1.5 million children were killed in the name of indifference, intolerance, hate. Hatred for what was feared. Hatred for what was different. 'We must remember the past or it will become our future. 'On Holocaust Remembrance Day we ask the world to stand with us and remember.' Thousands of people have been killed and more than five million have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24 The annual remembrance known as Yom HaShoah is one of the most solemn on Israel's calendar, with the nation coming to a standstill during a two-minute siren on Thursday morning. According to the Hebrew calendar, Holocaust Remembrance Day marks the anniversary of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising - the most significant act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. Although the uprising ultimately failed, it is remembered in Israel as a symbol of strength and the struggle for freedom in the face of annihilation. It means 'resilience, tenacity, strength. It's the hallmark of being a Holocaust survivor, the very concept of surviving, of everyday problems, of fighting until the end,' said Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference. 'And for some people, unfortunately, the end was the gas chamber. For other people the end was the Warsaw ghetto, where a very small group of people who weren't well-equipped held out for nearly a month,' Mr Schneider said. 'And that's why it's such an important day in Israel and around the world for the Jewish community - because it symbolises the fight of certainly the Jewish people, but of any people facing this type of incredible adversity.' The Claims Conference is working with its partners, among them the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, or JDC, to get as many Holocaust survivors out of Ukraine as possible. Thousands of people have been killed and more than five million have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. Holocaust survivors from Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, the US and Ukraine were part of the video. 'Survivors from many different countries and languages who have vastly different persecution experiences - some were in concentration camps, some were in ghettos, some fled, some were in hiding,' Mr Schneider added. 'And yet they come together to speak in one voice of the hope for the future.' A smiling Queen stood unaided today as she held a face-to-face audience with the president of Switzerland at Windsor Castle. The monarch, who returned from a week-long break at her Sandringham estate yesterday, smiled broadly as she posed for photographs with Ignazio Cassis and his wife Paola in her Oak Room sitting room this morning. The Queen stood without her walking stick and was dressed in a blue and grey paisley-style patterned silk dress. She was wearing her fruit-themed sapphire and diamond grapes brooch, which features a sapphire bow and 16 small diamonds shaped like a bunch of grapes. It was inherited from the Queen Mother. A smiling Queen stood unaided today as she held a face-to-face audience with the president of Switzerland at Windsor Castle The monarch, who returned from a week-long break at her Sandringham estate yesterday, smiled broadly as she posed for photographs with Ignazio Cassis and his wife Paola in her Oak Room sitting room this morning She flew back to her Berkshire castle in a Sikorsky S-76C helicopter with The Queen's Helicopter Flight team from the Royal Household, after spending time away at her Norfolk retreat where she celebrated turning 96 last Thursday. Yesterday, the Queen was photographed being driven away from Wood Farm - a cottage nestled in the far reaches of the country estate - in a Range Rover at around 11.30am before getting into the helicopter. She was spotted in the back seat of the car as she was chauffeur-driven away from the five-bedroom farmhouse which was the home in retirement of her late husband Prince Philip, who died in April last year. The Queen has told how the Duke of Edinburgh 'loved' the cottage and part of its attraction was because the 'sea was so close'. The monarch arrived in Sandringham last week to spend her 96th birthday privately, and over the last few days she has been seen visiting her stables on the estate with her racing manager John Warren. There were no public engagements for her birthday, but there will be celebrations for her official birthday and Platinum Jubilee in June. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said she is hoping to attend the State Opening of Parliament in less than two weeks' time, on May 10, but confirmation is expected closer to the time or on the day. The Queen, who has experienced mobility issues in recent months, has opened Parliament on all but two occasions during her reign. The exceptions were in 1959 and 1963, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and then Prince Edward, when her speech was read by the Lord Chancellor. In just over a month's time, the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend will get under way, celebrating the nation's longest reigning head of state's 70 years on the throne. Festivities include Trooping the Colour, beacon lighting, a service of thanksgiving, the Epsom Derby, a pop concert at Buckingham Palace, and a spectacular Jubilee Pageant on the streets of London. It has not yet been confirmed how many of the high-profile events the Queen will be able to attend. On Wednesday evening, her second son, the disgraced Duke of York, was stripped of his Freedom of York by councillors in the city, amid further calls for him to have his dukedom removed. The Queen stood without her walking stick and was dressed in a blue and grey paisley-style patterned silk dress The Queen is driven away from Wood Farm on her Sandringham estate in Norfolk in a Range Rover at around 11.30am yesterday The Queen flies from Sandringham to Windsor in a Sikorsky S-76C helicopter by a team from The Queen's Helicopter Flight It comes amid reports that the Queen may travel to Trooping the Colour by Range Rover instead of a royal carriage for the first time in her 70-year reign to boost her comfort after suffering from mobility issues. The monarch may make the journey from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade by 4x4 as part of several contingency plans being drawn up by officials ahead of the Platinum Jubilee weekend. During her reign, the Queens attendance at most engagements has been planned for months and often announced publicly weeks in advance. But the presence of the monarch will now be a bonus, rather than guaranteed and 'will be decided on the day' due to mobility issues. Buckingham Palace distanced itself from the suggestion that the Queen would watch Trooping the Colour from the Major-General's office overlooking the parade ground rather than inspecting the troops on a dais, The Telegraph reported. A royal insider said: 'I cannot imagine in 100 years that if attending, Her Majesty wouldnt be seated on a dais in Horse Guards Parade. 'All the plans are fluid at the moment and nothing has been finalised.' The Queen's most recent public appearance came on March 29 at the thanksgiving service for her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey. But over the past six months she has withdrawn from several other events historically central to her diary, including the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and the annual Commonwealth Service. Aides are hopeful the Queen will be able to attend some of the events organised to mark her 70th jubilee in person, although it is expected these will be few in number. The Household Cavalry is said to have been informed of alternative options in light of her mobility problems. The 4x4 proposal would see four mounted divisions escort the Queen's vehicle up The Mall on June 2, with other Royals sticking to the tradition of travelling by carriage. Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne are expected to take part in the parade on horsebacks as part of their roles as 'Royal Colonels'. Another royal source told the Telegraph that the reason for the plan was 'both speed and comfort' as it is no longer comfortable for the Queen to 'travel by carriage or to be standing on a dais for an extended period'. Typically, the Queen is joined by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, as well as more distant relatives like her niece, nephew and cousins. She has extended the invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who she saw together for the first time in more than two years when they stopped off at Windsor Castle last week on their way to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games. Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, would attend in an informal role, following their decision to step down as working members of the Royal Family. Buckingham Palace is said to have promised the Sussexes full armed security at all Royal Family events in June in a bid to reassure them after Harry said he felt 'unsafe' in Britain. President Joe Biden wants to sell the luxury yachts and opulent apartments the U.S. government has seized from Russian oligarchs and then send that money to the Ukraine to help them fight off Vladimir Putin's forces. Biden on Thursday asked Congress to expand his presidential powers to allow him to do just that. 'Seize yachts, fund the war,' White House chief of staff Ron Klain tweeted about the request. President Joe Biden wants to sell the luxury yachts and opulent apartments the U.S. government has seized from Russian oligarchs and send money to Ukraine - above is the 'Tango' - the seized 254-foot yacht to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally, that is worth an estimated $120 million More than a dozen yachts, worth approximately $2.5 billion, have been seized in several countries worldwide Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that his country had - thus far - suffered $550 billion in economic damage since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. The country is seeking at least $5 billion per month in international emergency aid. In his remarks at the White House on Thursday, Biden also asked Congress for an additional $33 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for the Ukraine, which officials say could fund the war there for the next five months. He said the previous money allocated for the Ukrainians has been spent. 'Basically we're out of money,' he said in remarks at the White House. The money includes $20.4 billion in additional security and military assistance, $8.5 billion in economic assistance, and $3 billion in humanitarian assistance. 'We need to contribute arms funding ammunition and the economic support to make their courage and sacrifice have purpose so they can continue this fight and do what they're doing. It's critical this funding gets approved and approved as quickly as possible,' Biden said. The humanitarian assistance includes funds for high thermal blankets, medical supplies, emergency health kits, safe drinking water, direct food support such as wheat and flour, job training, trauma-informed mental health services, and funding for schools. Biden said the funding for food will help ease rising prices back in the United States. Ukraine is a major producer of wheat and sunflowers. The war there has disrupted the supply line and caused a price hike. 'This one is going to help ease rising food prices at home as well and abroad,' Biden claimed. Biden's request comes as there has been a bipartisan push in Washington to more aggressively punish the Russian elite, a group of billionaires - many of whom have made their money off of Putin's regime. The Biden administration has already sanctioned about two dozen oligarchs and their family members, even targeting Putin himself. More than a dozen yachts, worth approximately $2.5 billion, have been seized in several countries worldwide, including the 'Tango' - a 254-foot yacht to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally, that is worth an estimated $120 million. It was seized by the U.S. from its Spanish port earlier this month. It was the first U.S. seizure of an oligarch's yacht since Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assembled a task force known as REPO short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs to enforce the sanctions put in place after Putin invaded the Ukraine. The federal government 'has sanctioned and blocked vessels and aircraft worth over $1 billion, as well as frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of assets belonging to Russian elites in U.S. bank accounts,' the White House said. The administration also noted that European Union member states have reported freezing over $30 billion in assets, including almost $7 billion in boats, helicopters, real estate and artwork. Russia's billionaires control roughly 30 percent of the nation's wealth. Biden is asking Congress for an additional $33 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for the Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that his country had - thus far - suffered $550 billion in economic damage since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion And lawmakers already have pushed to use those seized assets to help the Ukraine. The House on Wednesday passed a mostly symbolic measure urging Biden to sell the oligarchs' frozen assets to give the money to the Ukraine military and humanitarian assistance. The legislation is nonbinding, but its 417-to-8 passage reflected the desire among Democrats and Republicans to more aggressively tamp down on Russia. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it would be taken up by the Senate, where it is expected to pass. But the Justice Department needs a congressional change in statue to sort through the mess of legal issues that will need to be unraveled so the United States to repurpose the yachts and extravagant apartments into de facto reparations for Ukrainians. In his State of the Union address on March 1, President Biden warned oligarchs that the U.S. and European allies would 'find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.' 'We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,' he said. A disgruntled legal opponent of prominent Dallas attorney has been arrested and charged with capital murder nearly six years after the lawyer was found dead in his burning garage. Steven Benton Aubrey, 61, has been a prime focus for investigators since Ira Tobolowsky was found dead in 2016, but has denied any involvement in the murder. For years, Tobolowsky's family accused him of killing the beloved patriarch. But an arrest hasn't been made in years - until this week. Aubrey was arrested Wednesday in Florida on a capital murder charge in connection with Tobolowsky's death. He is being held at the Broward County Jail on $2 million bail and will be extradited back to Texas. Authorities have not said what evidence finally prompted the arrest so many years after police initially questioned Aubrey in the case. 'We're not going to get into the actual nitty-gritty of what that piece of evidence was, but it was just developing information, evidence and having probable cause in order to make that arrest,' said Dallas Police Department Assistant Director of Public Information Kristin Lowman. Steven Benton Aubrey, 61, has been a prime focus for investigators since the beginning, was arrested Wednesday and charged with capital murder in the 2016 death of Ira Tobolowsky Tobolowsky, 68, was found dead in the burning garage of his North Dallas home on Kenshire Drive in May 2016. An investigation revealed that Tobolowsky was on his way to work when he walked into his garage where Aubrey ambushed him, according to the charging documents. Police say Aubrey poured gasoline on Tobolowsky and set him on fire, leaving him to die in the garage inferno. The Medical Examiner ruled Tobolowsky's death a homicide as a result of thermal burns, smoke inhalation, and blunt force trauma. For nearly six years, homicide detectives have conducted interviews and gathered evidence in the case. Aubrey, who had been involved in a legal dispute with Tobolowsky, was questioned and even named a person of interest in the case, police said. Police also interviewed Aubrey's partner Brian Vodicka and searched their homes, but they weren't accused of a crime. Vodicka was not arrested Wednesday and police have not accused him of any wrongdoing. Ira Tobolowsky (pictured with one of his sons), a Dallas lawyer was found dead in his burning garage in 2016 Tobolowsky's death was ruled a homicide from thermal burns, smoke inhalation and blunt force trauma Police said in a press release Wednesday that Aubrey and Tobolowsky did in fact know each other, with Tobolowsky representing Aubrey's mother in litigation against her son in 2014. Vodicka, a lawyer who was in a relationship with Aubrey, represented Aubrey. Aubrey's mother had cut him out of the will in 2012, believing he was unhinged, and suspecting he was the person who broke into her home to unleash rats, according to a D Magazine report from 2017. As the legal battle continued, Tobolowsky filed a defamation suit against Aubrey and his partner over alleged threats and harassment. He accused Aubrey of using 'intentional lies, fraud, defamatory statements and 'dirty tricks' to get him to stop representing Aubrey's mother and said that Vodicka attacked Tobolowsky's integrity, the Dallas News reported. Tobolowsky claimed that Aubrey called his fight with his brother and mother 'jihad' and compared Tobolowsky to 'an ISIS butcher,' the Dallas News reported. So when the attorney's body was found inside a garage doused with gasoline and set on fire, detectives zeroed in on Aubrey. When the attorney's body was found inside his garage doused with gasoline and set on fire, detectives zeroed in on Aubrey, who had been in a legal dispute with him Mysterious: The attorney was discovered after firefighters extinguished the blaze at his $800,000 home in the north Dallas area (pictured). The county coroner's office has not determined his cause of death Authorities believed someone had drilled holes in the fence to spy on Tobolowsky and track his schedule prior to the killing Detectives also searched Aubrey's home and seized propane gas tanks and a power drill, according to a search warrant. Authorities believed someone had drilled holes in the fence to spy on Tobolowsky and track his schedule prior to the killing. Both Aubrey and Vodicka were questioned in the case, but were released without being charged of any crime. In November 2016, the detective on the case told one of Tobolowskys sons that his team had circumstantial evidence that Aubrey was involved in the incident but had nothing to prove that he was at Tobolowskys house on May 13, D Magazine reported. Tobolowsky's family has pushed for answers in the killing for years. Tobolowsky was a prominent, well-liked attorney who came from a prestigious Dallas family that has been active in the Jewish community and the legal profession, the Dallas News reported. In 2019, his family offered a $25,000 reward for information about the lawyer's death. They said he suffered from a lifelong chronic condition that caused him to be hunched over and made it difficult for him to walk, adding that he would have been unable to defend himself. 'Our dad was always the guy who protected others,' his son, Michael Tobolowsky, said in 2016. 'We feel like it's our turn to step up and do anything we possibly can to try to help the police find the information they need to find the person who did this to our dad.' In a statement to KTVT, Michael said the arrest is 'amazing news we have long waited for.' Residents across Sydney will soon be able to travel on a new mode of transport after the state government confirmed an upcoming trial of e-scooters. NSW Transport Minister Rob Stokes wants to launch a three-month pilot from July and hopes the devices can help ease traffic woes in the Harbour City - as well as parking issues in the CBD. While many have been calling for the introduction of e-scooters for years, there are serious concerns about safety and the potential for public streets to be cluttered when ride-share companies flood the city with pay-as-you-go options. Residents across Sydney will soon be able to travel on a new mode of transport after the state government confirmed an upcoming trial of e-scooters. Pictured: E-scooters in Melbourne NSW Transport Minister Rob Stokes wants to launch a three-month pilot from July and hopes the devices can help ease traffic woes in the Harbour City - as well as parking issues in the CBD. Pictured: Traffic jam in Sydney Mr Stokes disagrees and says it's about time the state catches up with the other states and the rest of the world. 'E-scooters are an affordable, convenient and sustainable method of moving about and it's important we harness that and recognise their increasing popularity around the world in a safe way,' he said. 'NSW has been criticised for being a bit of the laggard in taking on this technology but these are the benefits that we get to see the mistakes and successes other jurisdictions have faced.' Local councils in Sydney can submit an expression of interest (EOI) to trial the devices. While many have been calling for the introduction of e-scooters for years, there are serious concerns about safety and the potential for public streets to be cluttered when ride-share companies flood the city with pay-as-you-go options. Pictured: E-scooter rider in Brisbane At first, only shared public e-scooters will be rolled out in the trial due to safety regulation concerns. 'We will be starting with shared schemes, so that's schemes operated by private providers,' Mr Stokes added. 'It means we can learn the lessons in a regulated environment before extending these mobility concessions to private users as well. 'We have much control about the design standards as opposed to private use which will require more considered regulation.' Other states across Australia have reported a rise in misuse and injuries stemming from riders who have purchased their own e-scooters. 'The NSW Government will be focused on ensuring that e-scooter regulations are sensible and appropriate for NSW, safety is paramount when it comes to e-scooter users and those around them,' Mr Stokes also said. NSW Transport Minister Rob Stokes said 'e-scooters are an affordable, convenient and sustainable method of moving about' Safety regulations could include geofencing technology to control speeds and monitor where the devices are parked to 'minimise visual clutter'. Mr Stokes added the state will look at extending the laws around drink driving to apply to e-scooter usage as well. According to the electric scooter guide website, the Rion RE90 from the US can reach speeds of up to 121km per hour. Globally, the average speed of electric scooters is around 24km per hour. Russia must not be allowed to block Ukrainian grain exports and ramp up global prices, Ben Wallace warned today. The Defence Secretary said it is 'incredibly important' that Vladimir Putin's forces do not control the Black Sea, and the UK could supply anti-ship missiles. He also urged Western allies to help prise Moscow's forces out of the country like 'a limpet off the rock' - suggesting warplanes and tanks could be offered. The comments came as the UK Ministry of Defence said that despite the losses of the cruiser Moskva and the landing ship Saratov, Russia's Black Sea Fleet retains the ability to strike targets in Ukraine. In its latest intelligence assessment it said the Russian navy currently had around 20 vessels in the area, including submarines. Mr Wallace said it was vital that Ukraine, which previously supplied around 7 per cent of the world's wheat, continued to have access to the Black Sea as an outlet for its exports. There have been fears spiking food prices will add to the cost-of-living pain for families, already struggling to cope with soaring fuel and energy bills. 'We have said we will source and supply, if we can, anti-ship missiles,' Mr Wallace told Sky News. 'It's incredibly important that the grain that affects us all, the food prices, does get to get out of Ukraine, that the Russians can't control the Black Sea.' Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it is 'incredibly important' that Vladimir Putin's (pictured) forces do not control the Black Sea, and the UK could supply anti-ship missiles Mr Wallace urged Western allies to help prise Moscow's forces out of the country like 'a limpet off the rock' - suggesting warplanes and tanks could be offered In a keynote speech yesterday, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the objective should be to drive Russia out of 'the whole of Ukraine'. Mr Wallace said it had always been the position of the international community that Russia should withdraw from Ukrainian territory since President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea. However, he said there was 'a long way to go' before the Ukrainians were able to reclaim the land it lost in 2014. He said the Russians appeared to be preparing to dig in to the territory they seized in the east of the country in their latest invasion. 'We've constantly said that Russia should leave Ukraine sovereign territory so that hasn't changed,' he said. 'I think it's certainly the case that Putin, having failed in nearly all objectives, may seek to consolidate what he's got, sort of fortify and dig in, as he did in 2014, and just be a sort of cancerous growth within the country of Ukraine and make it very hard for people to move them out of those fortified positions,' he said. 'So I think it's really about if we want this to not happen, we have to help Ukrainians effectively get the limpet off the rock and keep the momentum pushing them back.' In her speech at the Mansion House, Ms Truss said the crisis in Ukraine should be a 'catalyst' for an overhaul to the West's approach to international security. She said the UK needed to strengthen its military while building alliances with free nations around the world, using their economic power to deter aggressors who 'do not play by the rules'. The G7 group of leading industrialised nations should act as an 'economic Nato' defending collective prosperity, while the Western military alliance must be prepared to open its doors to countries such as Finland and Sweden. Ms Truss singled out China, which has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, while increasing imports from Russia and commenting on 'who should or shouldn't be a Nato member'. 'China is not impervious. They will not continue to rise if they do not play by the rules,' she said. 'China needs trade with the G7. We have shown with Russia the kind of choices that we're prepared to make when international rules are violated.' A prowler in a Los Angeles suburb was caught on a couple's home surveillance camera, lurking over them while they slept in their room, and searching for items to steal. The intruder broke into a home in San Bernardino in the middle of the night on February 22, and footage shows the unidentified suspect, who was wearing a cap and earrings. He stole a wedding ring and some cash, according to NBC Los Angeles. After he searched around and took the items, the suspect left, but then returned later, bumping into the baby's nurse before heading out a second time. Police said he told her: 'You should lock your door. It's not safe.' A couple living in San Bernardino, California, said it was hard for them to sleep after learning about the terrifying moment an unnamed robber broke into their home on February 22 The suspect was caught on surveillance camera inside the home standing over the couple, who have a baby boy, before he proceeds to look around then steal their belongings, including cash and a wedding ring Its not clear exactly what time the break-in happened, but 'outstanding police work' led to the man's arrest, the San Bernardino Police Department said on social media. 'His identity is being withheld because he is suspected of committing additional crimes which are currently under investigation,' local authorities added on Twitter. It is unclear when he was arrested. DailyMail.com has contacted the San Bernardino Police Department for comment. The San Bernardino Police Department released the video on Wednesday, also announcing the suspect's captivity on Twitter The couple, who have a baby boy, later hinted that the robbery was unlikely to be isolated, as many of their neighbors recognized the suspect. They prefer not to be named for security reasons. 'A guy posted [the video] on the Nextdoor app and a lot of people commented and they were like, "oh my god I've seen this guy in my house. Oh my god I woke up to this guy touching me, oh my god this, oh my god that,"' the woman who lives in the home said. 'All of these people had all these things to say and I was like, "Dude, no way",' she added. Since then, the family has adopted a German shepherd, named 'Roxy,' to protect their home. 'I feel safer with her here, just because, like, if there's noises, then she'll bark and alert us,' she said. The couple, who prefer to remain unidentified for security reasons, adopted Roxy - a female German shepherd - to protect their home in the future Over the last year, violent robberies and smash-and-grab thefts have skyrocketed in the Greater Los Angeles area, which technically includes the Riverside-San Bernardino. Robberies are up 17.7 percent in the year-to-date compared to 2021, with 2,369 of them happening so far this year compared to 2,012 in the same time period last year. America's second-largest city also saw a 94 percent increase in homicides in 2021 from the year before, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office shared. Alex Villanueva, who is seeking re-election as the county's sheriff in June, blamed District Attorney George Gascon for the high crime rate in the area. 'We can't have this alternative version of reality,' he told Fox News on Sunday. 'The fact is that people are dying on the street and it's not because of law enforcement. It's because of the absence of law enforcement and the absence of enforcing the rule of law with our progressive DA George Gascon.' Gascon, who advocated for looser bail laws and refuses to prosecute certain crimes, is currently the target of a referendum petition to have him removed from office by Los Angeles residents fed up with crime in the city. They are gathering signatures and hope to oust him from office by the summer. The Korean government called Thursday on North Korea to refrain from escalating tensions in the region, responding to a threat by its leader Kim Jong-un to strengthen the regime's nuclear capabilities. "Our government and the international community have maintained the stance that North Korea should stop all acts that heighten tensions, including the advancement of its nuclear capabilities, and to return to the negotiating table," a unification ministry official said. South Korea will continue efforts to achieve denuclearization and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula in close coordination with Washington while keeping a close eye on the North, the official added. On Monday, North Korea showcased a massive intercontinental ballistic missile and other strategic weapons at a military parade, during which Kim vowed to beef up the country's nuclear capabilities at the "fastest possible speed." (Yonhap) An Obama-era ambassador will plead guilty to illegally lobbying for Qatar and taking $20,000 a month from a criminal fixer who funneled illegal campaign contributions to Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham. Richard Olson, 62, is a former career diplomat who served as ambassador to Pakistan and the UAE. He ended his 34-year tenure at the State Department as a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2016. He's now been charged with running a secret lobbying campaign for the Qatari government. He allegedly tried to drum up business while he was still in his State Department role. He plans to plead guilty. Documents filed by prosecutors claim Olson was paid $20,000 a month by an unnamed Pakistani American lobbyist right after leaving office, breaching a federal one-year lobbying ban for former public officials. The lobbyist also allegedly funded a $19,000 trip to the UK in 2015 for Olson to discuss a $300,000 deal with a Middle East businessman while he was still ambassador. DailyMail.com can reveal the lobbyist is Imaad Zuberi, an LA-based jet-setting playboy currently serving 12 years prison after funneling foreign cash to the campaigns of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham and a host of other U.S. politicians. Richard G. Olson, 62, will plead guilty to pushing for US policy favoring Qatar shortly after leaving the State Department in 2016, in violation of a 'revolving door' lobbying policy In 2012, President Obama nominated Olson for ambassador of Pakistan. He ended his 34-year tenure at the State Department as a special rep for Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2016 Olson is accused of taking a job under foreign lobbyist Imaad Zuberi (right) 'just prior to, or shortly after' he retired in 2016. Zuberi is serving 12 years in prison for helping to funnel foreign cash to the campaigns of Joe Biden and other US politicians Federal prosecutors described Zuberi, who reports to prison May 25, as a 'mercenary' political donor who gave to anyone he thought could help him. Zuberi pictured with Donald Trump According to a criminal indictment filed this month in federal court and first reported by Axios on Wednesday, Olson lobbied US officials and 'several sitting members of the U.S. House of Representatives' on behalf of Qatar. Zuberi was named only as 'Person 1' in the criminal filings against Olson but has been identified by DailyMail.com as the alleged fixer in the secret lobbying scheme. The prosecutors' filing says he met with Olson in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2013 and 'solicited [Olson's] advice and assistance in his capacity as Ambassador with respect to a variety of business matters' until 2016. In January 2015, while Olson was still a government official, he allegedly met with Zuberi in Los Angeles and discussed potentially working for a Bahraini businessman. Later that month Zuberi flew Olson first class to London at a cost of $18,829 to meet with the businessman, who proposed a $300,000 per year job after he left government, prosecutors said. While in London Zuberi paid for Olson's $2,298 'luxury hotel' bill and a dinner costing $589. The criminal information says 'just prior to, or shortly after' Olson retired from government,' Zuberi agreed to hire him 'for $20,000 per month plus expenses,' sending him his first check on December 15, 2016 to Olson's company, Medicine Bear International Consulting, LLC. Olson graduated from Brown University in 1981 with a degree in law and society and history. He joined the State Department a year later and went on to serve in Mexico, Uganda, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, according to a department biography. Prosecutors say Olson, 62, met with Zuberi multiple times in foreign countries in an alleged attempt to line up work for when he left government Imaad Zuberi (center), a venture capitalist and a major political donor, is pictured with Paul Ryan (left). He was sentenced to 12 years prison after funneling foreign cash to the campaigns of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham and other US politicians Former President Barack Obama nominated Olson to serve as ambassador to Pakistan in 2012, after the previous ambassador quit amid the fallout from the US's covert killing of Osama bin Laden in the country that May. The Senate confirmed Olson in September. By the time he left the department in 2016, he was the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. As part of his alleged secret lobbying campaign, the ex-ambassador was trying to get the US government and lawmakers to take Qatar's side in a 2017 dispute with its regional Persian Gulf rivals. Prosecutors say Olson also lobbied to get US Customs and Border Protection preclearance set up at Doha Airport. Senior former officials are not allowed to lobby for foreign governments for a year after they leave office, and are required to disclose gifts such as the alleged $19,000 2015 trip to the UK. The Department of Justice says Olson broke both rules, and he has indicated he will plead guilty. Last year politics site Mother Jones reported that Olson traveled to Qatar and met with the emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in June 2017 as part of a secret delegation sent by Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster. The site reported that emails it obtained showed that Zuberi coordinated, paid for and joined in the trip. Mother Jones reported that Olson was an adviser to Zuberi's company, Avenue Ventures, at the time, and had an Avenue Ventures email address that was copied on the correspondence they obtained. Zuberi, 50, maintained that his wrongdoing had been limited and asked to be credited for years of cooperation with federal and local law enforcement. The political donor pictured with Hillary Clinton and also with then-President Barack Obama Zuberi, a Pakistani-American who has extensive business dealings overseas, was in frequent contact with a CIA officer over the years and bragged to associates of his ties to the intelligence community. Zuberi pictured with Steven Mnuchin Zuberi was cooperating with the feds during his prosecution for funneling foreign cash illegally to top political campaigns. He pleaded guilty last year to charges of tax evasion, campaign finance violations and failing to register as a foreign agent. Zuberi's clients included the governments of Libya, Sri Lanka, Bahrain and Turkey, and a Ukrainian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin. Qatar, a small gas-rich monarchy, has paid him $9.8 million, prosecutors have alleged in court papers. He stayed at fine hotels, hosting lawmakers and diplomats at four-star restaurants. Foreign ambassadors turned to the charming networker and inveterate namedropper to get face time in Congress. Prosecutors said the political fixer told his clients that pay to play was just 'how America work(s).' His Facebook account was filled with pictures of him next to the powerful and famous: having dinner with Hillary Clinton and Robert De Niro and rubbing shoulders with Trump's then-chief of staff Reince Priebus outside Mar-A-Lago. Zuberi gave six-figure donations to the Obama-Biden ticket in 2012 and Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016. But when she lost, he quickly switched saddles, donating $900,000 to Trump's inaugural committee 'Everyone wants to come to Washington to meet people,' Zuberi said in a 2015 email obtained by The Associated Press, seeking a meet-and-greet between the president of Guinea and a powerful congressman. 'We get request(s) for meeting(s) from all scumbag of the world, warlords, kings, queens, presidents for life, military dictators, clan chiefs, tribal chiefs and etc.' He gave six-figure donations to the Obama-Biden ticket in 2012 and Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016. But when she lost he quickly switched saddles, donating $900,000 to Trump's inaugural committee. Zuberi claimed he was a longtime source for the CIA, and presented evidence of his work for the spy agency in a closed hearing in his criminal case. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in February 2021. He was also was ordered to pay nearly $16 million in restitution and a nearly $2 million fine. Nicole Saphier, MD is a physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and bestselling author of 'Panic Attack.' Her opinions are her own and not reflective of her employers. Who knew that one of the symptoms of COVID was whiplash? On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci declared that the pandemic that has killed nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide is apparently over. 'We are certainly right now in this country out of the pandemic phase,' he said at the tail end of a PBS NewsHour interview on Tuesday evening. Then less than 24 hours later, Fauci was scrambling to walk that statement back. 'The world is still in a pandemic,' Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the Washington Post on Wednesday, 'There's no doubt about that. Don't anybody get any misinterpretation of that. We are still experiencing a pandemic.' 'We're really in a transitional phase,' he went on, 'from a deceleration of the [COVID case] numbers into hopefully a more controlled phase and endemicity.' The White House also quickly backtracked Fauci's declaration in a news conference saying, 'While cases are low, cases are still driven by transmissible BA.2 variant. No question we are in a different moment. We know the pandemic isn't over. ' If you're confused by all of this, I don't blame you, because Fauci and the White House are largely playing a game of semantics. A pandemic describes a situation in which a disease spreads uncontrollably across continents, overwhelming health care systems, causing rapid increases in cases and deaths. An endemic defines a scenario in which a disease has been normalized in a region through immunity, treatments and access to testing. The reality is that SARS-Cov-2 is still a pandemic in some parts of the world, but in the US, it is endemic and it has been for some time given the high level of circulating immunity. Fauci's remark on PBS isn't being misinterpreted as he may have you believe. It was a gaffe in the truest sense of the word he told the truth, by accident. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that because so many people in the U.S. have now caught Omicron and other variants of the coronavirus, nearly 60% of the population and almost 75% of children 11 and younger have natural immunity. Expected seasonal rise and falls of new cases should not define a continued state of emergency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that because so many people in the U.S. have now caught Omicron and other variants of the coronavirus, nearly 60% of the population and almost 75% of children 11 and younger have natural immunity. Public health officials have irresponsibly dismissed the value of protection from natural immunity in their unilateral push for vaccination, but real-world experience and 100+ research studies disagree. Last summer the SIREN study was published which looked at over 30,000 health care workers and showed immunity in those who has previously been infected had protection from reinfection for over 8 months. The data also showed those with hybrid immunity, meaning vaccinated and infected had last immunity over 15 months. A study from Johns Hopkins Medicine in early 2022, one of the largest studies of natural immunity, also showed antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 remain higher over an extended period of time in those with hybrid immunity compared with those who only got immunized. Even before the highly contagious Omicron and BA.2 waves, a survey put out by the CDC estimated over 80% of Americans 16 and older had some level of immunity through vaccination, infection or a combination of both. Now, that number has likely reached over 95% of the entire U.S. population. International seroprevalence surveys, which track the level of COVID-fighting antibodies due to vaccines and/or prior infection, show by the end of 2021, about 80% of the global population had some level of immunity, an estimate likely underestimated due to underreporting. Public health emergencies including epidemics and pandemics can end in several ways. The most common way is when the majority of the population has some level of immunity so the virus either disappears or the severity of illness is mild enough in the majority of people that it doesn't overwhelm hospital systems. While new cases will continue to fluctuate, with the accessibility of at-home testing, treatments, levels of immunity and milder variants, the hospitalization rates are unlikely to return to the levels that the country experienced in earlier waves. In short, the pandemic is over, but Fauci and America's public health establishment can't bring themselves to admit it. Unfortunately, pervasive restrictions and panic-inciting groupthink remain throughout the country because public health official messaging and ultimate public perception do not match reality. While new cases will continue to fluctuate, with the accessibility of at-home testing, treatments, levels of immunity and milder variants, the hospitalization rates are unlikely to return to the levels that the country experienced in earlier waves. On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci declared that the pandemic that has killed nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide is apparently over. Fauci's remark on PBS isn't being misinterpreted as he may have you believe. It was a gaffe in the truest sense of the word he told the truth, by accident. The question becomes: If the pandemic is over why won't Fauci say it? The obvious answer is: Because he doesn't trust you. A lack of faith in the wisdom and judgement of the American people has been the Achilles Heel of our public health response from the get-go. It's the result of a certain kind of arrogance that is endemic in our public health officials. In the early days of the pandemic, Fauci told us that masks were ineffective in preventing the spread of coronavirus, until he reversed himself and declared masks to be critical. He later admitted that he told people not to mask up because he worried about triggering a public run on masks that would deplete the supply for medical professionals, who needed masks more than the general population. What game is Fauci playing now? Does he fear that Americans will stop wearing masks entirely or shun vaccinations and booster shots, if he admits the pandemic has ended? Today, the Biden Administration and our health establishment continue to push masking, even though they have failed to produce one credible study supporting the practice. Fauci initially said that the country would reach herd immunity when 60 to 70 percent of the population became infected or vaccinated. Then he started moving the goalposts to higher and higher percentages acknowledging his metrics were based on peoples' willingness to get vaccinated, not actual science. Nicole Saphier, MD is a physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and bestselling author of 'Panic Attack.' 'When polls said only about half of all Americans would take a vaccine, I was saying herd immunity would take 70 to 75 percent... Then, when newer surveys said 60 percent or more would take it, I thought, 'I can nudge this up a bit,' so I went to 80, 85. We need to have some humility here.... We really don't know what the real number is. I think the real range is somewhere between 70 to 90 percent. But, I'm not going to say 90 percent.' We surpassed that mark months ago. To be sure, anyone who plans to be vaccinated has already been vaccinated. The country cannot hold out for the single digit people who remain unvaccinated and without prior infection to decide to go get vaccinated. When will Fauci and our public health officials begin to trust us? Because the shifting explanations and manipulations have seriously compromised our trust in them. Unfortunately, even if Fauci made the declaration that the pandemic was over -- no one would really care. We have lost our faith in these public health pundits and they know it. Moving forward with this virus will involve individual risk assessment without mandates and lockdowns. The CDC and White House need to work in lockstep to spread that message to Americans. The end of the pandemic should have been greeted with a celebration unfortunately it has gone out with a whimper. A trio of glass hands by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei were pinched from a city centre gallery in broad daylight this week. Police in Hamburg, Germany appealed for information yesterday after the artworks were snatched from Lumas Galerie on shopping street Neuer Well. Each of the colourful hands were on sale for 9,500 (8,000) on the Lumas website, making the theft worth just under 30,000 (24,000). A centrepiece of the gallery, the glass hands were kept in full public view. Staff member told MailOnline the alarm protecting them failed to go off. Red, green and yellow Study in Perspective: Glass hands worth nearly 10,000 each were snatched from Lumas Galerie on a city centre shopping street in Hamburg, Germany Staff at the gallery told MailOnline the glass hands were in public view and fitted with an alarm They were removed from sale this afternoon. According to Hamburg Police, the light-fingered thief acted alone. The heist took place between midday and 6pm on Monday. The acclaimed artworks reference Mr Ai's photo series 'Study of Perspective' (1995-2017), in which the rebel artist took pictures of his middle finger pointed at landmarks. Most controversial was the first image, a picture of Tiananmen Square on a grey day. Exiled Weiwei, 64, was referencing the 1989 student protests in which unarmed protestors were killed. Ai Weiwei (left), pictured in a selfie with a fan, was imprisoned in China for 81 days in 2011 The swanky art gallery and retailer in Germany's second city took the hands off its website The popular image is banned from printing and sharing on social media in China. Within months of helping design the iconic Bird's Nest stadium for the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Mr Ai was targeted by a series of politically motivated trials. Weiwei spent 81 days in prison in 2011 on tax evasion charges. He was kept in a windowless cell less than 4m by 4m (170 sq ft) in size. The renowned artist was accompanied by two guards at all times and had to ask permission to drink water. Mr Ai is pictured at an exhibition of his work. His art has been displayed at museums around the world including Tate Modern, New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Ai helped design the iconic Birds Nest Olympic stadium for the 2008 Games in Beijing After regaining his passport from the authorities in 2015, Weiwei resettled in Germany before moving to Cambridge. The same year, his set of a dozen sculpted bronze animal heads sold for more than 18million at Phillips Auction House in Mayfair. Due to strict privacy laws, German police rarely provide CCTV or crime scene photos before cases are closed. Lumas Galerie Hamburg decided not to comment. The well-respected parents of a woman who suffered from Locked-in Syndrome and was found dead fused to a living room couch, covered in insects and her own bodily fluids are facing second-degree murder charges. Shelia, 64, and Clay Fletcher, 65, will face a grand jury Monday after their 36-year-old daughter Lacey Ellen was found partially naked, sitting upright and submerged in a hole in a couch covered from head to toe in urine, liquid feces and insect bites, with live bugs and rodent excrement nearby at their otherwise tidy home in Slaughter, Louisiana, East Feliciana Parish Coroner Dr. Ewell Dewitt Bickham III told DailyMail.com on Thursday. 'The scene was sickening. I've seen some horrible things in my life but nothing like this,' said Bickham, a medical worker since the 1970s, adding that she had bed sores that went all the way down to her bone. Lacey suffered from Locked-in Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles, except for those that control the eyes. Police arrived at the ranch-style home in the suburb north of Baton Rouge on January 3 to find the ghastly scene after the parents called 911 because Lacey wasn't breathing, prosecutors said. The parents were supposed to be the girl's care providers, but Bickham said she had not been to a physician in 20 years. 'It's unconscionable, something you make horror movies about,' he said. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE A high school photo of Lacey Ellen Fletcher, 36. The coroner told the DailyMail.com the horrific scene of the disabled woman covered in urine, feces, and insect bites An undated photo of Clay, 65 and Sheila, 64, Fletcher standing in front of their Christmas tree A photo of the 2-story home located on Tom Drive where Lacey lived with her parents Shelia and Clay Fletcher, pictured, will face a grand jury on Monday after their 36-year-old daughter Lacey Ellen was found dead at their home in January. Medics will be on standby at the hearing because of the graphic nature of the details and photographs that will be presented to them When he arrived at the home, he described the stench being so bad that, 'it would almost run you out of the house.' He told DailyMail.com that he knew it was a 'potential crime scene,' and immediately called his detective. 'The parents were in the kitchen. They did not have an explanation,' he said. He ruled her death a homicide and cause of death as medical neglect. He recorded the official time of death as 3:07 am on January 3, 2022 but said he believes she was deceased at least 24-48 hours prior. Sheila Fletcher has worked as a police and court clerk in Baker and more recently as an assistant to the city prosecutor in Zachary, report said. According to her LinkedIn page, Sheila was a Slaughter official who resigned her post on the towns Board of Aldermen on January 24, three weeks after her daughter's death. She served for four years, most recently as mayor pro team. State business filings show Clay Fletcher is an officer of the nonprofit Baton Rouge Civil War Roundtable, which has a mission 'to educate and foster an appreciation for the sacrifices made by all during the Civil War.' Sheila Fletcher resigned from her position on the town board three weeks after daughter's death Clay Fletcher, shown with Sheila in undated photo, is an officer of the nonprofit Baton Rouge Civil War Roundtable, which has a mission 'to educate and foster an appreciation for the sacrifices made by all during the Civil War' A photo showing a close-up of the leather couch Lacey was fused to. The coroner estimates that Lacey was sitting in that hole in the couch for the last 12 years The couple's lawyer, Steven Moore, was unavailable for comment on Thursday when DailyMail.com contacted him. However, on Wednesday, Moore issued a statement on his client's behalf, BPProud reported. 'They don't want to relive the pain of losing a child through the media. They have been through a lot of heartache over the years. Anyone who had lost a child knows what it's like,' Moore said. On Monday, Bickham will present the case to a grand jury, in the hopes of charging the parents in the death of their daughter. 'I probably won't even have to open my mouth the pictures will show it,' Bickham said. He added: 'The jurors are storekeepers, farmers many have never been exposed to this stuff so I asked that a medical team be outside the courtroom.' District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla told the Dailymail.com that the parents were never taken into custody because theyre not considered flight risks. A 12-person jury will be in a closed session at the court house in Clinton, where they will decide on charges of manslaughter, negligent homicide or second-degree murder, he said. 'Negligent homicide is zero to five years; manslaughter is zero to 40 years and second-degree is life in prison. I will ask for second-degree because they didn't do what they were supposed to do,' he said. D'Aquilla confirmed to DailyMail.com that Lacey's parents were her primary caretakers, and that she did not have an aide. 'We don't treat animals or neglect our animals in that way. If you have an animal in that condition you take them to the vet,' he said. D'Aquilla told the DailyMail.com that Lacey had some issues that she went to see a psychiatrist for back in 1999 or early 2000s and that she had been anti-social. He said that in 2011-2012, her parents claimed that she did not want to leave the house and had not been to a doctor. He said that Lacey's parents claimed that she was able to communicate with them and that she apparently never complained. 'If you are not capable of providing the care than get help,' he said. 'We want people to know that if you are a caregiver of someone you need to pay attention is it important for neighbors and the community to look out for each other. We hope this never happens again.' According to a 2020 U.S. census, 882 people live in Slaughter, a town in East Feliciana Parish. Many of the homes are spread out over acres, so when news of Lacey's death broke many in the community were stunned with some having no idea that Clay and Shelia Fletcher even had a daughter. 'They are appalled,' said the coroner who spoke to some of the neighbors. 'Some of these people were churchgoing friends who had no idea that there was another person in that house. It comes as Moscow accused the West of undermining European security by openly inciting Ukraine to strike Russia Russia's invasion of Ukraine is 'just the beginning' Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia's invasion of Ukraine is 'just the beginning' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Vladimir Putin wants to 'disband' Europe and achieve a 'global strike on democracy' if the Russian strongman is not stopped. Zelensky warned world leaders that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is 'just the beginning', amid concerns that the conflict could spill over the border and into Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria. He said the 'free world' has the right to self-defence and Putin's desire to destabilise Europe will mean Western leaders will help Ukraine with more weaponry. It comes as Moscow accused the West of undermining European security by openly inciting Ukraine to strike Russia as Vladimir Putin threatened to respond 'seriously' to any further attack on Russian territory. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters in Moscow that the West is 'openly calling on Ukraine to attack Russia using weapons received from NATO countries' while warning: 'We do not recommend testing our patience. Explosions inside Russia in recent weeks have destroyed fuel depots, ammo dumps and railways being used to reinforce its armies inside Ukraine. Ukraine has not directly accepted responsibility but says the incidents are payback, while Russia has taken umbrage at statements from NATO-member Britain that it is legitimate for Ukraine to target Russian logistics. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Vladimir Putin wants to 'disband' Europe and achieve a 'global strike on democracy' if the Russian strongman is not stopped Emergency service employees work at the site of residential houses damaged by a missile attack, as Russia's invasion continues, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Thursday Following Zakharova's bristling comments, Zelenksy wrote on Facebook: 'In the free world, there are almost no people who would not understand that the war between Russia and Ukraine is just the beginning. 'The final goal of Russia's leadership is not just to capture the territory of Ukraine, but to disband the entire... eastern Europe and [achieve] a global strike on democracy. 'So the free world has the right to self defence. And that's why it will help Ukraine even more.' His comments came after Putin said yesterday that any country deemed to be 'interfering' in Ukraine would meet with a 'lightning-fast' response using weapons 'no one else can boast of' - thought to be a reference to nukes. The Kremlin said Western - and in particular British - attempts to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine threatened the security of Europe. 'In itself, the tendency to pump weapons, including heavy weapons, to Ukraine and other countries are actions that threaten the security of the continent and provoke instability,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Sergei Naryshkin, the chief of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), accused the United States and Poland of plotting to gain a sphere of influence in Ukraine, the strongest signal from Moscow that the war could end with forced partition of Ukraine between the West and Russia. Zelensky warned world leaders that Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is 'just the beginning', amid concerns that the conflict could spill over the border and into Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria A Ukrainian army soldier stands guard at the war damaged Irpinsky Lipky residential complex in Irpin on Thursday Emergency workers remove the body of a man killed during a Russian bombardment in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday Russia's defence ministry said on Tuesday that if such attacks continued then Moscow would target decision-making centres in Ukraine, including those where it said Western advisers were helping Kyiv. 'Kyiv and West capitals should take the statement from the Ministry of Defence seriously that further inciting of Ukraine to strike Russian territory will definitely lead to a tough response from Russia,' Zakharova said. Zakharova cast Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as a puppet of the West, who was being used by the United States to threaten Russia. 'You are being used,' Zakharova said. The United States has ruled out sending its own or NATO forces to Ukraine but Washington and its European allies have supplied weapons to Kyiv such as drones, Howitzer heavy artillery, anti-aircraft Stinger and anti-tank Javelin missiles. Total U.S. security assistance since the invasion amounts to about $3.7 billion (2.8 billion), a U.S. official said. Russian President Vladimir Putin casts such large arms shipments as part of a broader plan by the United States and its allies to destroy Russia - and has promised that it will never succeed. Putin says the 'special military operation' in Ukraine is necessary because the United States was using Ukraine to threaten Russia and Moscow had to defend against the persecution of Russian-speaking people. He casts the conflict as an inevitable confrontation with the United States, which he accuses of threatening Russia by meddling in its backyard and enlarging the NATO military alliance. Ukraine says it is fighting an imperial-style land grab and that Putin's claims of genocide are nonsense. Zelensky has been pleading with U.S. and European leaders to supply Kyiv with heavier arms and equipment. A wrecked car is seen in the city of Mariupol on April 26, amid Russian shelling Since the Russian invasion force was driven back at the outskirts of Kyiv last month, Moscow has refocused its operation on eastern Ukraine, starting a new offensive to fully capture two provinces known as the Donbas. Moscow's generals have also said their aim is to push out from Kherson - on the Black Sea coast and the only major city to fall to Putin's forces so far - and capture Mykolaiv and Odesa, cutting Ukraine off from the ocean. Western nations have rallied to support Kyiv, with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declaring earlier this week that Ukraine will be given all the weapons it needs to 'win' the war and 'weaken' Russia to the point where it cannot attack again. Liz Truss, British defence secretary, explicitly spelled out the victory condition in a speech last night - saying arms deliveries will 'keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine'. That would mean not just re-taking the parts of Ukraine Russia has occupied since Putin ordered the invasion in February this year, but re-taking the parts attacked and annexed since 2014 - namely Crimea and rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ms Truss argued that the war could last for ten years, but that the West must be prepared 'for the long haul.' If Putin succeeds in his war aims, she warned, then there will be 'untold further misery across Europe and terrible consequences across the globe'. In signs that the conflict could soon spill over the border of Ukraine, Russia today described a series of blasts in the Transnistria region of Moldova - a breakaway province where it has a long-standing garrison of troops - as 'alarming.' Russia has been accused of planning hybrid attacks to 'destabilise' the region and Moldova's pro-Western government after a series of explosions there prompted fears of Russia launching 'false flag' attacks to justify invading Transnistria. Last week, Kremlin military chief Rustam Minnekayev said Russia sought control of southern Ukraine, which could provide access to Transnistria, 'where there have been cases of oppression of the Russian-speaking population'. Local boys Faddei and Oleksandr play in front of a church damaged during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in the village of Kolychivka, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have warned that Russia is planning hybrid attacks in Moldova that would mix both conventional attacks and novel forms of warfare as well as terrorist acts including indiscriminate violence and criminal disorder. It comes after Moldova's president Maia Sandu yesterday blamed 'pro-war forces' within Transnistria for a series of attacks in the region. Two radio antennas were destroyed and a Moldovan military unit was targeted in an attack on Monday whilst several explosions hit the Ministry of State Security in the region on Tuesday. Pro-Russian forces Transnistria also claimed shots were fired across the border towards a village housing a Russian arms depot after drones flew over from Ukraine, claims that have been slammed as a provocation by Kyiv. Transnistria, a strip of land with about 470,000 people between Moldova and Ukraine, is recognised internationally as part of Moldova but is effectively controlled by Russia, which has given citizenship to separatists. An estimated 1,500 Russian troops are permanently stationed in the Transnistria, but concerns are high that the region could be used as a launch pad for new attacks on Ukraine. The Government won't introduce any further controls on EU goods being imported to Britain this year as ministers dropped plans to impose new post-Brexit border checks. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Cabinet minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, said it would be 'wrong' to push ahead with the new controls - that were set to be introduced in July - at a time of rising prices and an energy crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine war. In a written statement to Parliament, he told MPs the move would save British businesses up to 1billion a year in costs. It is the fourth time the introduction of post-Brexit border checks have been delayed by the UK, after previous delays in June 2020, and March and September last year. Mr Rees-Mogg said the government would now instead be 'accelerating' plans to digitise the UK's borders with the use of new technology. The pending border controls, that will now no longer be introduced on 1 July, include restrictions on the imports of chilled meats from the EU, as well as checks on plant and animal products. However, goods being exported by UK firms to the EU will continue to be subject to checks, as Brussels introduced new controls immediately after Britain's departure from the bloc. Jacob Rees-Mogg said it would be 'wrong' to push ahead with the new controls at a time of rising prices and an energy crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine war It is the fourth time the introduction of post-Brexit border checks have been delayed by the UK, after previous delays in June 2020, and March and September last year Mr Rees-Mogg said continuing with the imposition of new controls this summer had risked introducing 'new administrative burdens' and fresh disruption at UK ports and to supply chains. He claimed the government's 'new approach for a new era' on border controls would ensure Britain 'maximises the benefits of leaving the EU and puts in place the right policies for our trade with the whole world'. 'Introducing controls in July would have replicated the controls that the EU applies to their global trade,' he added. 'This would have introduced complex and costly checks that would have then been altered later as our transformation programme is delivered. 'The challenges that this country faces has underlined that this is not the right thing to do for Britain. 'No further import controls on EU goods will be introduced this year. Businesses can stop their preparations for July now.' Mr Rees-Mogg said the Government would set out its new plans for border controls - to create 'the world's best border on our shores' - in the autumn and would target the end of this year for their introduction. He added: 'This new approach will apply equally to goods from the EU and goods from the rest of the world. 'It will be based on a proper assessment of risk, with a proportionate, risk-based and technologically advanced approach to controls.' The Cabinet minister said post-Brexit controls that had already been introduced would remain in place. Downing Street denied the Government was edging towards a position where it would unilaterally accept EU controls. 'That is not the approach we are taking,' the Prime Minister's official spokesman said. 'We are using the flexibility that the UK Government has to decide how and when to introduce this approach. 'We think there is more work to do on a new model that better utilises data and technology. We are still committed to introducing these checks.' Martin McTague, the national chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), welcomed the government's move. 'Imposition of full import controls this summer would have meant yet another burden for small firms which are already wrestling with new trade rules and spiralling operating costs,' he said. 'This move will give them more time to prepare for future changes and reassess supply chains. 'Over the long-term, the Government should do its utmost to minimise trade friction with regions all over the globe - increasing the threshold at which import tariffs kick in, and putting small business chapters at the heart of all new free trade agreements.' Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds, the party's shadow international trade secretary, accused the Government of leaving businesses 'stuck in limbo' more than five-and-a-half years after the EU referendum. He said: 'Moving towards the use of smarter technology at the border will help but ministers have had years to prepare for this and their decision-making is still chaotic and confused as they stumble from one announcement to another. 'Businesses need certainty for them to be able to deal with supply chains and to export. 'Ministers need to come clean about how much taxpayers money has already been spent to prepare for the existing deadlines for the introduction of checks, and set out a clear plan so that businesses can prepare for the future with confidence.' Advertisement Amber Heard threatened to publicly serve Johnny Depp with a restraining order if he did not continue financially supporting her lifestyle after she filed for divorce, court exhibits from the couple's $100million defamation trial reveal. Jurors on Wednesday were shown a letter Heard's attorney had sent to Depp's legal team in May 2016, just a few days after the actress filed to end their marriage following a fight at their home. Through her lawyer, Heard, 36, issued a list of financial and property demands, with the Aquaman star promising to 'keep this matter out of the spotlight' if her requests were granted. Among her demands was the 'exclusive use and possession' of the black Range Rover she drove, with Depp continuing to make payments towards the vehicle. She also wanted to carry on living rent free in three Los Angeles penthouses she and her friends were staying in, all owned by Depp, and asked for her estranged husband to cover $125,000 of her legal and accounting fees. Amber Heard (pictured entering the courtroom Thursday) sent Johnny Depp a laundry list of demands, including the use of three penthouses he owned, soon after filing for divorce in 2016, court exhibits reveal Among her demands was the 'exclusive use and possession' of the black Range Rover Heard drove, with Depp continuing to make payments towards the vehicle. She is pictured driving in West Hollywood in 2015 Heard also requested 'exclusive use and possession' of three downtown LA penthouses, all owned by Depp, with Depp continuing to make payment on the homes The letter, which was entered into evidence in the trial, sheds light on the hardball tactics used during the breakdown of the marriage with the Pirates of the Caribbean star. Depp, 58, is suing Heard for $50million over her 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she implied she was abused by the actor after identifying as a survivor of domestic abuse. Heard has also filed a $100million countersuit against Depp for his alleged 'smear campaign' which she claims cost her her career as an actress. Samantha Spector, Heard's attorney at the time, sent the letter - titled 'In RE: Marriage of Depp' - to Depp's lawyer Jacob Bloom on May 24, 2016, requesting the actor's cooperation in the divorce. Three days earlier, Depp and Heard had their final argument where she claims he hit her with a mobile phone. Spector stated that Heard had not yet filed for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Depp and wished to keep the incident from the public. 'Although Amber is afraid of Johnny, she strongly insists that we do everything possible to keep this personal matter out of the media spotlight, which is why she has not yet sought a DV TRO and why we did not arrange for Johnny to have been personally served at last night's movie premiere,' Spector wrote. Heard was often seen driving a black Range Rover in LA when she and Depp were still married Through her lawyer, Heard, 36, issued a list of financial and property demands, with the Aquaman star promising to 'keep this matter out of the spotlight' if her requests were granted At the time, Depp had been promoting 2016 Disney film Alice Through The Looking Glass, in which he starred as the Mad Hatter. The letter states that Depp had 'violently attacked and threatened' Heard and that there were 'several witnesses' and photographs of the property damage. The altercation was 'not the first incident of domestic violence perpetrated by Johnny against Amber', Spector wrote, adding that there were 'two other incidents in the last six months.' She insisted Heard wished to work toward a 'private and amicable resolution' and requested Depp sign the acknowledgement of the divorce within three days, and apparently threatened to file a TRO if he did not comply. 'If the requested Notice is not signed and the original executed form is not returned to me by May 27th, we would have no alternative but to arrange for Johnny to be personally served,' Spector wrote. The letter then went on to list Heard's demands which are couched as 'pendent lite support.' The demands included the 'exclusive use and possession of the Black Range Rover' which she was currently driving, with Depp to 'make all payments' for the vehicle. Heard also wanted 'exclusive use and possession' of penthouses 1, 3, and 5 at the Eastern Columbia Building in Downtown Los Angeles - Depp's properties - with Depp continuing to pay the mortgage and all utilities. She also asked for 'a contribution towards her reasonable and necessary attorney's fees in the amount of $100,000 and $25,000 for forensic accounting costs,' to be paid by the same date. These photos were shown in court from May 2016 of Amber Heard with an apparently bruised cheek. Saenz said, 'I did not identify her as a victim of domestic violence,' adding that she did not see any evidence of a crime, including broken glass or mess in the penthouse The final demand was that the case be assigned to a private retired judge with the fees split between each side. It is not clear how Depp's legal team responded, but the day after the letter was sent the first reports emerged of the divorce, which had gone unnoticed on the court docket for three days. Heard would go on to apply for a temporary restraining order against Depp on May 27 and included a photo of her bruised face in her filing. She was later snapped arriving court where she claimed Depp had been violent towards her. Depp claims his ex-wife's op-ed, published two years later, cost him the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates films. The exes previously fought a libel trial in London at the High Court in 2020 where a judge ruled that Mr Depp had beaten up Miss Heard. The trial is due to finish in late May. Laurence Fox's lawyers have requested a rare jury trial for the actor's libel battle, claiming a High Court judge might show 'involuntary bias' in deciding if he was 'racist' in his legal fight with three people he branded 'paedophiles'. The actor is being sued by former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake, Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp and drag artist Crystal after he referred to them as paedophiles on Twitter in October 2020. Fox, who founded the 'anti-woke' Reclaim Party and stood as a candidate for Mayor of London last year, is counter-suing the trio over tweets where they accused him of being a racist. In the UK, jury trials are incredibly rare in defamation and libel cases, which are civil cases. But barristers acting for the controversial actor asked for the hearing to be decided by a jury, rather than a High Court judge, who might show 'involuntary bias', Fox's legal team claimed. Jurors should decide what racism is rather than a High Court judge who might be 'bias', lawyers acting for Laurence Fox claimed today in his libel spat with three people he branded paedophiles Mr Fox had accused Sainsbury's of 'promoting racial segregation and discrimination' and promised to boycott the supermarket chain after it promoted Black History Month Crystal wrote in response to Mr Fox's tweet: 'Imagine being this proud of being a racist! So cringe' In response to Crystal's tweet, actor Mr Fox wrote: 'Says the paedophile' Actor Mr Fox arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice this morning for the latest hearing in his libel battle The spat began when the actor called on consumers to boycott Sainsburys after it posted that it had created 'safe spaces' for black people and was celebrating Black History Month. Fox tweeted: 'I won't be shopping in your supermarket ever again whilst you promote racial segregation and discrimination.' The supermarket later told Fox the 'safe spaces' were online support groups. In response Crystal, a former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant whose real name is Colin Munro Seymour, tweeted: 'Imagine being so proud of being a racist, so cringe!' to which Fox replied 'says the paedophile.' Nicola Thorp said in the online spat: 'Any company giving future employment to Laurence Fox or providing him with a platform does so with the complete knowledge that he is unequivocally, publicly and undeniably a racist.' Fox replied: 'Any company giving future employment to Nicola Thorpe or providing her with a platform does so with the complete knowledge that she is unequivocally, publicly and undeniably a paedophile.' Simon Blake said: 'What a mess, what a racist t**t' to which Fox replied 'pretty rich coming from a paedophile.' He later said he regretted calling Fox racist. Alexandra Marzec, for Mr Fox, told the court that her client was counter-suing to 'clear his name from the false slur' of being called racist. Ms Marzec said that a jury would be better at reaching fair verdicts 'in light of the cultural and social context of this case'. She continued: 'On a question like this, 'what is a racist?', a judge is not helped by knowledge of the law, or being a skilled jurist or even high intellectual capacity. 'He or she is assisted by his or her own life experience and knowledge of the English language.' The barrister said the jury was also more likely to be diverse than a single High Court judge. Ms Marzec added: 'All 12 people pooling their life experience and use of the English language to determine the natural and ordinary meaning of that word... A jury simply would be better at doing that task than one judge.' She added that the question would not only be relevant if Crystal, Thorpe and Blake defend themselves by saying it is true that Fox is a racist, rather than simply than they honestly thought that at the time. In a separate thread, Mr Fox found himself in a fiery debate with former Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp after she said Mr Fox was 'unequivocally, publicly and undeniably a racist' Mr Fox hit back by copying her statement but changing 'racist' for 'paedophile' Mr Blake also weighed in, saying: ''What a mess, what a racist t***''' in comments that he later withdrew Mr Fox said back, 'Pretty rich coming from a paedophile', prompting Mr Blake to demand he take down the tweet, which he did The actor sat in court behind his barrister wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt, a green tie and glasses as she made lengthy submissions on his behalf. She claimed no one in the case, including Fox, is claiming that anyone else is a paedophile. She said: 'The counter-claims that my client is a racist persisted. This is not about money. 'The disparity in the gravity of the claims and counter-claims explain different attitudes to how this claim should be managed. 'It is well over a year since these claims were made and there has been no reply or defences to the counter-claims. 'The claimants have persistently refused to serve a reply to the counter-claims. 'The allegation against the defendant is an allegation of truth that is going to raise the temperature, and this allegation is significant. 'There has been a gradual shift towards dealing with these cases by a judge alone, but the right to apply for a jury trial has been preserved. 'There is a risk that in this particular case a judge could show involuntary bias towards one of the parties. 'A jury would be better able to reach a fair verdict than a judge alone in light of the societal and cultural context of this. 'The claimants have not set out what they say racism means and we say this is deliberate. 'My client said having a safe space was a divisive and regressive measure. Racial segregation has been justified on the idea that different races should occupy different spaces. 'The basis of our application for a jury is that this dispute includes the important question of what racism is. 'With a jury trial, there would be 12 people from a diverse range of backgrounds who could come to a decision. London is a diverse city and there would have to be people from ethnic minorities. 'This question is not just relevant if the claimants are making a truth defence. It is the primary question the court must face. 'The defendant believes the claimants reject the definition of racism he has set out.' Drag Queen Crystal - who was a contestant on the first season of hit show Ru Paul's Drag Race UK - confirmed he has filed defamation proceedings against Laurence Fox Ms Marzec referred to controversy after Tony Sewell's report into racial disparities, which was ordered by the government in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests but was criticised by many, as an example of how thorny the question of what constitutes racism is. Ms Rogers QC, the three claimants' lawyer, said: 'There is no suggestion in this case, and [his lawyer] Ms Marzec did say this, that any of the claimants are paedophiles or that there is any evidence or suggestion that they are, or even that it is the defendant's position that they are. 'His case is that he was using a rhetorical device.' Earlier, Mr Fox's lawyer Alexandra Marzec said any judge or jury would have to decide what racism means to come to a decision about the case. Ms Marzec claimed a jury would be better able to decide what the term means because a judge could show 'involuntary bias' towards one of the parties in the case. She claimed the contents of the judiciary's Equal Treatment Bench Book, which sets out diversity and inclusion policies for the judiciary, suggested judges had already come to a fixed understanding of what racism is. Ms Rogers QC said that was a 'very bad argument', adding that there was 'no need' for a jury trial or to define racism. She told the hearing: 'To say the judiciary has already come to a view about what racism is is a very bad argument. 'The Bench Book is guidance about how to treat people in court. It is not the law. 'Regarding Ms Marzec's point about the definition of racism or racist, there is a fallacy here. 'They said an ordinary English word. It is not difficult to work out what the meaning is. 'We do not need to decide what racism means. You can decide whether it is an opinion or not. 'There is every reason for a judge trial. There is no reason for a jury trial.' Deputy chair of LGBT charity Stonewall Simon Blake (pictured) and Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp are named as claimants The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, appeared to be sceptical that the case should go before a jury. He said: 'Issues like racism, anti-Semitism and nowadays transgender rights are issues which people have very strong views about. 'You cannot say 'this is a controversial area' so you will go to a jury. 'It is my job as a judge to apply the law fairly between the parties and provide reasoned judgement. 'What happens by way of criticism is our democracy working as it should. 'The court is perfectly able to make a decision about the meaning of tweets that are fairly straightforward. The question is what do these words mean applying the law as we know it? 'We are talking about 12 people being taken out of their daily lives and being asked one of the most difficult and controversial political questions in our lives. 'You would be saying 'here is a libel trial, decide what racism is, take your time.' A judge would also still have to give directions.' The judge hearing Mr Fox's bid for a jury trial, Mr Justice Nicklin, has not yet made a ruling on how the trial should be heard. However, the senior judge said that juries could feature people with 'real bias or real prejudice towards one or more parties'. The judge also said that the judge hearing the trial would still be involved in the case, adding that jurors 'are not going to be left like sheep on an open headland'. A ruling on whether a jury will hear the case will be handed down by Mr Justice Nicklin at a later date, which was not set. A further mode of trial application hearing is set to take place on May 26. Representative Jim Jordan accused on Thursday the Biden administration of 'deliberately' and 'intentionally' causing the southern border crisis as Republicans tore into Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for being 'out of touch' and a 'traitor.' The House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member said during his opening statement that Mayorkas will face questions on why he implemented policies that led to the chaos. 'It's intentional, it has to be,' Jordan said at the top of his remarks to the body on Thursday morning. 'The chaos on our southern border is not an accident,' the Ohio Republican congressman continued. 'It's deliberate, it's on purpose, it's by design.' 'President Biden on Day One said there'll be a moratorium on deportations, he ended Remain in Mexico, he terminated agreements with Northern Triangle countries and he stopped building the wall,' Jordan rattled off. 'Those policies, done intentionally, have led to all kinds of bad outcomes.' He said: 'Americans want legal immigration. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas want illegal immigration. They want illegal migrants to come, stay and never go home. Now, the secretary won't say that. In fact, he says everything's just fine. He said it yesterday in two congressional hearings. He said it last September. Quote, 'The border is secure,' he told us.' Ohio Republican Representative Jim Jordan tore into DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a hearing on Thursday, claiming: 'The chaos on our southern border is not an accident. It's deliberate, it's on purpose, it's by design' Mayorkas arrives Thursday, April 28 to testify before the Judiciary Committee for an Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security hearing as the border crisis rages on March reached a new high of border crossings at the southern border with CBP encountering 221,303 migrants. Since Biden took office there has been more than 2.4 million encounters and the daily rate is set to triple when Title 42 ends next month Mayorkas appeared before the House Appropriations DHS Subcommittee and House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday to justify the administration's request for $97.3 billion for the department's budget in Fiscal Year 2023. He said the money would go toward investing in meeting the 'the shifting field landscape' at the border and on other national security fronts like from domestic and foreign terrorism and cyber attacks. During those hearings, Mayorkas was lambasted by Republicans after he said the administration is 'effectively managing' the situation at the southern border. In March alone, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered 221,303 migrants crossing the southern border. This figure is the highest in more than two-decades and the biggest spike since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. The previous high was in July 2021, when CBP encountered 213,593 migrants. Colorado Republican Representative Ken Buck told Mayorkas during the Judiciary hearing on Wednesday: 'My constituents want you impeached because they believe you've committed treason.' 'They believe you're a traitor. They compare you to Benedict Arnold. You know, no parent with the last name Arnold names their kid Benedict.' Buck said that over the weekend 'a lady approached me and asked me if you [Mayorkas] felt any shame for what you've done to this country.' 'My question for you, Secretary Mayorkas, is very simple,' he added. 'Would you please answer that lady's question? Are you ashamed for what you've done to this country? 'My response to what you have just said it is so profoundly offensive on so many different levels, in so many different regards. I won't ask you for an apology,' he said. 'Don't. I won't,' Buck shot back. Representative Ken Buck (pictured left speaking with Matt Gaetz on Thursday) said during the hearing that Mayorkas is a 'traitor' who needs to be 'impeached' because he 'committed treason' A caravan of migrants from different nations walk through Chiapas, Mexico on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 en route to cross the border into the U.S. 'I am incredibly proud of my service to this country,' Mayorkas said during the back-and-forth with Buck. 'It is more than 20 years of service in the civilian corps as a federal prosecutor and as a member of the Department of Homeland Security. That is my response.' 'What do you say to the mothers of the children who have died from the fentanyl overdoses? What do you say to all the people out there who can't get an education because of what you've done with immigration in this country? You've secured the homeland? It's a farce,' Buck concluded. Trump-era border officials also went after Mayorkas following his two-days of Capitol Hill hearings. 'Secretary Mayorkas continues to lie about the border crisis, and Thursday was no exception,' said former acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan in a statement. 'He refused to take responsibility for the historic crisis he and his boss in the White House have intentionally created,' he continued of the DHS secretary. 'He failed to apologize for slandering the mounted Border Patrol agents in Del Rio whose careers he and the president ruined over a debunked political narrative.' 'The only way to resolve it [the border crisis] is to secure our border and end the policies that have encouraged record numbers of illegal aliens to enter our country,' Morgan said. 'We must restore the previous administration's policies that created the most secure border in our lifetimes. Bring back the Remain in Mexico program. Restore the asylum cooperative agreements we negotiated with Northern Triangle countries. And restart the construction of the border wall system.' 'Do your job. Uphold the law and secure the border or resign.' Tom Homan, former acting ICE director under Trump, said in a statement: 'I have never seen an administration so committed to making our country less safe and secure than this one.' Both Homan and Morgan are visiting fellows at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Two months after the highest crossings of 2021, Mayorkas insisted that the border was secure and said that the administration was carrying out its plan at the southern crossings. 'Mr. Secretary, if over 200,000 a month and all of the ramifications that has with drugs coming into the country and other people coming into the country because our agents are so focused on that if that's a secure border, then you are completely, completely out of touch with the American people,' Jordan charged. 'We have a secretary of Homeland Security who is intentionally, deliberately, in a premeditated fashion executing a plan, his words, executing a plan to overwhelm our country with millions and millions of illegal migrants,' he added. 'Executing a plan that causes all kinds of harm to people who make the journey, executing a plan that results in record levels of fentanyl and other drugs entering our nation, executing a plan that stresses our border agents, stresses our education and healthcare system, stresses out nation.' 'All done intentionally,' he concluded. Jordan then played a three-and-a-half-minute video montage that ended with two slides reading: 'Every town is a border town' and 'The Biden administration owes you answers.' The video featured news reports from local stations, Fox News and NewsNation that showed migrants dying trying to cross the border, terrorists making it through the barriers, U.S. border agents dying in the line of duty and a slew of drugs intercepted from smugglers. After Mayorkas claimed on Wednesday that the border is being 'effectively managed,' Republicans immediately disputed that. GOP Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana told Mayorkas that he 'feels that America needs you to own' the failures at the southern border. 'Anyone that has two brain cells that can perhaps bump into each other would know that it's an abject failure down there,' the Homeland Security committee lawmaker said to Mayorkas. 'So if you would identify our border as effectively managed right now, how would you identify failure? What would it be? Five million crossings in a year?' Louisiana GOP Representative Clay Higgins urged Mayorkas during a Wednesday hearing to 'own' that he has 'failed' and resign before Republicans regain a majority in the House and move forward with impeaching him 'How would you identify failure if it's not what you've delivered thus far? By God, man own the moment,' he continued. 'Next year if we have a majority in this committee which we shall if you're in office, you'll face impeachment,' the congressman warned, pointing to efforts by both himself and others who have called on Mayorkas to resign. 'I ask you as a man, own this thing. Out of respect for you and the office, I ask you to reflect upon that.' 'We're losing our country down there. We need you to resign. Save the country the pain of your impeachment.' During Wednesday's hearings, Republicans claimed that the southern border is 'out of control' and demanded Title 42 be kept in place until the public health emergency is lifted in the U.S. Biden says he will comply with the courts if judge says they cannot lift Title 42 in May when pressed on Democrats who have criticized his plans to end border COVID restrictions President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration would comply with the courts on Title 42, the public health order being used to turn away migrants at the border. The administration had planned to end the use of the Trump-era order on May 23 but a federal judge in Louisiana has temporarily blocked that move until a further hearing on the matter. Biden said he will leave the fate of the public health policy in the judiciary's hands. 'We had proposed to eliminate that policy by the end of May. The court has said we can't so far and what the court says we're going to do. The court could come along and say we cannot do that and that's it,' Biden told reporters at the White House when asked about the situation. The court order blocks the administration from beginning to wind-down Title 42 ahead of its planned May 23 conclusion, but doesn't stop the policy being axed on that date. President Joe Biden said he would comply with the courts on Title 42 US District Judge Robert Summerhays has scheduled a critical hearing on May 13 in Lafayette to hear arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Twenty-one states have sued to stop the order from being lifted, citing concerns about the impact on their states due to the surge in migrants expected to enter the U.S. after it's lifted. Several Democrats, particularly those in border states, have questioned what the administration's plan is to deal with the expected influx. On the other side of the political spectrum, progressive Democrats have pushed Biden to end the policy, calling it inhumane. The issue is rapidly becoming a political hot potato ahead of the November midterm election, which will decide control of Congress. Migrants have been expelled more than 1.7 million times under the policy. Some predictions have suggested that about 12,000 to 13,000 migrants a day could cross the southern border once the policy is no longer in place. The Biden administration has been preparing for up to 18,000 daily border crossings - a massive increase over the current rate of about 8,000 a day. Boots could be bought in a 6 billion deal by an Indian billionaire and a US private equity firm in a move that could see it expand into Asia amid competition from the owners of Asda. The British health and beauty retailer is reportedly in the sights of business magnate Mukesh Ambani, who thought to have a net worth of nearly $100 billion. It is understood that the billionaire is working with US private equity firm Apollo Management on a move to buy the historic Nottingham-based pharmacist. However, his plans could be scuppered amid reports the Asda-owning Issa brothers are lining up a bid. Mukesh Ambani is reported to be preparing a bid to buy Boots with US private equity firm Apollo Management Boots, which has been part of Walgreen Boots Alliance since 2012, could be sold and might expand into Asia depending on who buys it It comes after Boots' current owner, Walgreen Boots Alliance, announced a review of the UK business which could lead to a sale. Apollo, which failed in an attempt to buy supermarket chain Morrisons last year, is working with Mr Ambani's Reliance Industries on a deal which would see Boots expand into Asia if a takeover was completed. The Financial Times, which first reported the story, said both Reliance and Apollo would own stakes in Boots, although it is not clear if they will have equal shares. It was previously reported that Boots, which owns more than 2,200 stores across the UK, could be valued at as much as 6 billion. It is understood that a mid-May deadline has been set for final bids for the high street chemist. Asda's owners, the billionaire Issa brothers and TDR Capital, are also reported to be taking part in the takeover process. It was reported last month that billionaire Issa brothers, who hail from Blackburn in Lancashire, are looking to add it to their portfolio of companies, which already includes Euro Garages and fast food chain Leon. The Issa brothers, who made their fortune with petrol station brand EG, are thought to be lining up a bid for Boots with TDR Capital However, Sky News reported that an early frontrunner, a joint bid by Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners, has been withdrawn amid scepticism over the valuation of the business during current market turmoil. Boots, Reliance and Apollo have been contacted for comment. Mr Ambani, who according to Forbes is the second richest man in Asia with a fortune of $101.8 billion, is thought to be looking to expand his firm into retailing pharmaceuticals. Reliance bought UK toy maker Hamleys for an undisclosed sum last year, and has also taken control of country club Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire for 56m. Mr Ambani (pictured) is thought to be the second richest man in Asia with a fortune of $101.8 billion Last year the Ambani family were criticised by animal groups after unveiling plans to build the world's biggest zoo on a 280-acre plot of land in western India. They announced they want to house around 100 different species in the zoo and build an animal rescue sanctuary in the city of Jamnagar. The Ambanis sparked anger among animal rights activists after two rare black panthers were transferred from a state-run zoo to their own private establishment in a 'hush-hush' move. U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, April 27. Biden will visit South Korea and Japan in late May for summits with his counterparts, the White House announced Wednesday. AP-Yonhap Incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden will hold their first summit in Seoul, May 21, officials said Thursday. Biden plans to visit South Korea from May 20 to 22 for his first trip to the country since taking office in January last year. President Joe Biden on Thursday asked Congress for an additional $33 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for the Ukraine, which officials say could fund the war there for the next five months. Biden said the previous money allocated for the Ukrainians has been spent. 'Basically we're out of money,' he said in remarks at the White House. The money includes $20.4 billion in additional security and military assistance, $8.5 billion in economic assistance, and $3 billion in humanitarian assistance. 'We need to contribute arms funding ammunition and the economic support to make their courage and sacrifice have purpose so they can continue this fight and do what they're doing. It's critical this funding gets approved and approved as quickly as possible,' Biden said. 'We have to do our part as well leading the alliance. The cost of this fight, it's not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen. We either back Ukrainian people as they defend their country or we stand by as Russia continues it atrocities and aggression in Ukraine,' he noted. The humanitarian assistance includes funds for high thermal blankets, medical supplies, emergency health kits, safe drinking water, direct food support such as wheat and flour, job training, trauma-informed mental health services, and funding for schools. Biden said the funding for food will help ease rising prices back in the United States. Ukraine is a major producer of wheat and sunflowers. The war there has disrupted the supply line and caused a price hike. 'This one is going to help ease rising food prices at home as well and abroad,' Biden claimed. Biden is asking Congress for an additional $33 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for the Ukraine The funding includes $3 billion in humanitarian assistanc - funds for high thermal blankets, medical supplies, emergency health kits, safe drinking water, direct food support such as wheat and flour, job training, trauma-informed mental health services, and funding for schools Ukraine is seeking at least $5 billion per month in international emergency aid - above the destruction in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, after a Russian missile attack The $33 billion request is more than double the $13 billion that Biden asked for last month and lawmakers approved. The Biden administration has sent more than $2.4 billion in assistance to the Ukraine. 'The president's funding request is what we believe it needed to enable Ukraine success over the next five months of this war,' a senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call. Biden, in a letter to lawmakers formally making the request, appeared to ask Congress to tie the Ukraine aid to $22.5 billion in covid pandemic response funding he requested in March. Democrats wanted to tie Ukraine and covid aid together as Republicans tried to tie an effort to extend the Title 42 health order at the border to the covid funding request. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday that was not the case. 'We're not making a predetermination of that from here,' she said at her press briefing. 'We put forward both of these funding are requested because they're both vital. They're both important. We need them both to help the Ukrainians and to help ensure we're continuing our COVID programs here in this country and around the world. But we're not going to predetermine for Congress, how they move forward.' Biden said the covid money is urgently needed to have money for additional vaccines and theraputics in order stop the spread of the disease in the U.S. and abroad. 'The reason we were so successful in the past is because I was able to work with drug manufacturers to order significant quantities of material we needed ahead of time to get in the front of the line. Without additional funding, we can't preorder the amount of vaccines we need and we risk losing our spot in line for vaccines,' he said. Republican senators, however, had said without a vote on an amendment on Title 42, then there will be no covid funding bill. Democrats in the Senate need at least 10 Republican votes to move the legislation forward but leaders are in a tough spot as enough Democrats may support the Title 42 amendment to get it attached. Biden also wants to sell the luxury yachts and opulent apartments the U.S. government has seized from Russian oligarchs and then send that money to the Ukraine to help them fight off Vladimir Putin's forces. The president on Thursday asked Congress to expand his presidential powers to allow him to do just that. 'Seize yachts, fund the war,' White House chief of staff Ron Klain tweeted about the request. Additionally, Biden asked lawmakers for billions of dollars in additional U.S. spending to help the Ukrainian military and provide humantarian assistance for its displaced population. And he asked lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to 'knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government,' double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of 'racketeering' under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions. President Joe Biden wants to sell the luxury yachts and opulent apartments the U.S. government has seized from Russian oligarchs and send money to Ukraine - above is the 'Tango' - the seized 254-foot yacht to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally, that is worth an estimated $120 million More than a dozen yachts, worth approximately $2.5 billion, have been seized in several countries worldwide Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that his country had - thus far - suffered $550 billion in economic damage since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. The country is seeking at least $5 billion per month in international emergency aid. Biden's request comes as there has been a bipartisan push in Washington to more aggressively punish the Russian elite, a group of billionaires - many of whom have made their money off of Putin's regime. The Biden administration has already sanctioned about two dozen oligarchs and their family members, even targeting Putin himself. More than a dozen yachts, worth approximately $2.5 billion, have been seized in several countries worldwide, including the 'Tango' - a 254-foot yacht to Viktor Vekselberg, a billionaire and close Putin ally, that is worth an estimated $120 million. It was seized by the U.S. from its Spanish port earlier this month. It was the first U.S. seizure of an oligarch's yacht since Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assembled a task force known as REPO short for Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs to enforce the sanctions put in place after Putin invaded the Ukraine. The federal government 'has sanctioned and blocked vessels and aircraft worth over $1 billion, as well as frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of assets belonging to Russian elites in U.S. bank accounts,' the White House said. The administration also noted that European Union member states have reported freezing over $30 billion in assets, including almost $7 billion in boats, helicopters, real estate and artwork. Russia's billionaires control roughly 30 percent of the nation's wealth. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that his country had - thus far - suffered $550 billion in economic damage since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion And lawmakers already have pushed to use those seized assets to help the Ukraine. The House on Wednesday passed a mostly symbolic measure urging Biden to sell the oligarchs' frozen assets to give the money to the Ukraine military and humanitarian assistance. The legislation is nonbinding, but its 417-to-8 passage reflected the desire among Democrats and Republicans to more aggressively tamp down on Russia. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said it would be taken up by the Senate, where it is expected to pass. But the Justice Department needs a congressional change in statue to sort through the mess of legal issues that will need to be unraveled so the United States to repurpose the yachts and extravagant apartments into de facto reparations for Ukrainians. In his State of the Union address on March 1, President Biden warned oligarchs that the U.S. and European allies would 'find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets.' 'We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,' he said. When President Joe Biden took office he said he would have lunch with Vice President Kamala Harris once a week, as he sought to maintain a tradition established with President Barack Obama. But this year the two have had only two private White House lunches together so far, according to a review of their public schedules. It comes amid continuing speculation that Harris has not lived up to Biden's hopes for his deputy, with reports of rifts and a new book revealing that they have failed to develop an intimate rapport. Last year, Biden described how he wanted to develop a close working relationship centered around a private lunch each week. 'I wanted her available to participate in everything that I did. As I told her: I wanted her to be the last person in the room,' he told People magazine. '[Like] Barack and I, we have lunch alone once a week. 'That's the deal when we're both in country, which we'll be for a while because of COVID, and I see her all the time.' By this time last year, the two had lunched in the president's private dining room 12 times, according to analysis by Real Clear Politics. But the frequency then dropped from once a week to a couple of times a month. President Joe Biden last year said he wanted to have lunch at the White House with Vice President Kamala Harris once a week, just like he had done when VP to Barack Obama But the VP's public schedule reveals the two have only had lunch together twice this year so far The met for lunch in Biden's private dining room on February 8, at the height of the search for a new Supreme Court Justice to replace Stephen Breyer who announced his retirement This year, they lunched on February 8, at the height of the search for a new Supreme Court Justice to replace Stephen Breyer, and March 30, soon after Biden returned from his trip to visit European allies in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House cautioned against using lunch frequency as a barometer of the relationship. 'The president and vice president are in constant touch with each other,' Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher told RCP. 'And he relies on her counsel, partnership, and friendship as they work together to continue to grow the economy, cut costs for working families, rally the world in the face of Russias aggression, and make historic investments in our nation's infrastructure.' This Will Not Pass, which is published next month, offers more insight into the up and down relationship between Biden and Harris Yet stories of tension abound. In November last year the two put on a very public display of togetherness - hugging on the South Lawn ahead of a bill signing ceremony - after a string of insiders told CNN Biden was distancing himself from Harris because of her sliding poll numbers. And in their new book, 'This Will Not Pass,' Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns of the New York Times reveal how Biden has at times gone back on his idea that Harris would be the last person in the room. At one point within days of taking office, Harris was asked to leave during a crucial stage of negotiations with centrist Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, about the administration's massive domestic spending plans. 'Biden had welcomed Manchin into the Oval for a joint meeting with him and the vice president, a gesture intended to convey that Biden and Harris were a steadfast political team,' according to the senator's account. 'But at one point, when Biden had wanted to talk candidly with Manchin about his views on the rescue bill, the president had asked everyone to leave the room - including Harris.' The book describes the relationship between Biden and Harris as 'friendly but not close,' and that 'their weekly lunches lacked a real depth of personal and political intimacy.' The pair put on a very public display of togetherness in November, as stories of rifts abounded It suggests Biden's pick for running was based on the tactical, electoral consideration of putting a black woman on the ticket - rather than because she offered a bigger strategic role in office. And some around him, most notably Jill Biden, were opposed to picking a rival for the nomination who had attacked him as racist in a presidential debate. 'There are millions of people in the United States. Why do we have to choose the one who attacked Joe,' she reportedly said Harris emerged as the leading figure for VP pick. For now, however, with the VP testing positive for COVID-19 this week, the White House has an easy explanation for lack of lunches. 'Obviously, they're not going to be dining in person while she is quarantining at home, but they did speak yesterday,' White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Wednesday. 'I expect they will speak regularly while she is quarantining.' Biden SNAPPED at Kamala so harshly 'even Republican senators were taken aback' during meeting where the President was trying to persuade GOP members to back his $1trillion social spending plan, book claims Vice President Kamala Harris quickly learned not to come between President Biden and his negotiations with Congress, when the president once snapped at her so harshly even Republican senators in the meeting were shocked. In a meeting last May, Biden tried to persuade Republican lawmakers to support $1 trillion in infrastructure spending. And while Biden was ready for a compromise, Harris thought the bill was skimpy. 'Harris thought that there was something missing from the conversation,' New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns wrote in their book, This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for Americas Future. She began turning the conversation toward Democratic priorities, including family and social spending, which were originally included in the larger Build Back Better bill. She 'began to make the case for a larger package than the one Republicans seemed to have in mind.' 'Biden dismissed her comment immediately,' the authors wrote, in so harsh a tone 'that even the Republican senators were taken aback.' Biden was typically 'scrupulously respectful' of his second-in-command, but the moment revealed that infrastructure negotiations were his and his alone. Vice President Kamala Harris quickly learned not to come between President Biden and his negotiations with Congress, when the president once snapped at her so harshly even Republican senators in the meeting were shocked. In a meeting last May, Biden tried to persuade Republican lawmakers to support $1 trillion in infrastructure spending The latest revelations in This Will Not Pass include claims Jill Biden was opposed to her husband selecting Harris as his running mate after she attacked him during the Democratic primary debate in June 2019. It also follows reports last year of tension between Biden and Harris and allegations of bullying and a 'toxic culture' from staff in her office. Biden also, according to the book, expressed reservations himself about selecting Harris for his ticket. Noting her 'past romantic relationship with Willie Brown, the California politician who appointed Harris to a pair of minor political positions,' the book said Biden described romance 'as the kind of thing that should be off limits.' Harris had a relationship with Brown, who later served as San Francisco's mayor, between 1994 and 1995, when Harris was beginning her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. In other meetings Harris kept quiet, and there was less friction. The reporters wrote of one meeting soon after Biden and Harris took office that the White House set up with governors to discuss coronavirus relief. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said that Biden took charge and was eager to work with the governors. But he said that Harris's role in the meeting was 'very strange.' 'Harris thought that there was something missing from the conversation,' New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns wrote in their book, This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for Americas Future 'Harris did not say a word,' Hogan reportedly said, leaving him to question whether she was 'just being deferential to the president didn't want to step on him.' Harris reportedly felt belittled by the president's staff, but Biden's team did not take her concerns seriously. 'Some of Harris's advisers believed the president's almost entirely white inner circle did not show the vice president the respect she deserved,' Martin and Burns wrote. 'Harris worried that Biden's staff looked down on her; she fixated on real and perceived snubs in ways the West Wing found tedious.' Harris even sent out chief of staff Tina Flournoy to scold Biden's staffers for not standing up when she entered the room, the way they do for the president. 'The vice president took it as a sign of disrespect,' according to the book. Biden tasked Harris with addressing immigration and the vice president took opportunities to share her dissatisfaction with the role. According to the book, Harris' aides felt that the task of addressing the southern border crisis, in any way, was politically undesirable and wanted the vice president to have a softball foreign policy assignment like overseeing relations with Nordic countries. Sweden's migrant integration policy has failed, leading to parallel societies and gang violence, the country's prime minister said today. The Nordic country took in more people per capita than any other EU nation during the migrant crisis in 2015. But PM Magdalena Andersson blasted the after-effects of the open-doors policy today, saying: 'We live in the same country but in completely different realities.' Many Swedes were shocked earlier this month after violent riots left more than 100 police injured. The violence erupted after a Swedish-Danish politician burned the Quran at a rally and sought to hold more in several immigrant-dominated neighbourhoods. A bus burns as a police officer watches on after riots in Malmo, in the south of Sweden, sparked by an anti-Islam Danish politician carrying out Koran-burning stunts around the country Many Swedes were shocked earlier this month after violent riots left more than 100 police injured Andersson blamed criminals and said both Islamism and right-wing extremism had been allowed to fester in Sweden, in unusually frank and self-critical comments. 'Segregation has been allowed to go so far that we have parallel societies in Sweden. We live in the same country but in completely different realities,' Andersson told a news conference. The number of people in Sweden born abroad has doubled in the last two decades to 2 million, or a fifth of the population. Andersson's Social Democrats have been in power for 28 of the last 40 years, including the last eight. She said she wanted to introduce local youth crime boards where social services and police could collaborate. Magdalena Andersson blamed criminals and said both Islamism and right-wing extremism had been allowed to fester in Sweden Dozens of people were arrested across Sweden this month after riots erupted She also proposed tools to make sure that youths stayed in schools and off the streets without the consent of parents. 'Integration has been too poor at the same time as we have had a large immigration. Society has been too weak, resources for the police and social services have been too weak,' she said. Sweden, which holds a general election later this year, has radically tightened its immigration policies since the migrant influx in 2015. It now has one of the bloc's most restrictive policies. Human rights organisation Amnesty International has been critical of Sweden's tightening of policies, claiming it is causing human suffering and making integration even harder for immigrants. Sweden, which holds a general election later this year, has radically tightened its immigration policies In the riots this month, dozens were arrested after clashes with police which saw cars and buses torched. The rallies were sparked by anti-immigration and anti-Islam group Hard Line, led by the Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan Paludan, a lawyer and a YouTuber who intends to stand in Swedish legislative elections in September but does not yet have the necessary number of signatures to secure his candidature, is currently on a 'tour' of Sweden. The 40-year-old is visiting neighbourhoods with large Muslim populations where he wants to burn copies of the Muslim holy book Koran as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan. In Malmo, where he burned a Koran, fire erupted in a school, officials said. A Russian soldier has been caught confessing that almost 26,000 troops have died fighting in Ukraine, according to a call intercepted by Kyiv. 'Our boys have been f***ked up, f***ing f***ed' the soldier tells a comrade in a transcript of the call posted online by Ukraine's secret service. 'The official tally is one thing, but I'll tell you now - 25,900 have died. That's in two f***ing months,' he adds. In another part of the intercepted call, a second soldier talks about the harrowing death of one of his senior commanders. Russia's military has lost 25,900 troops in just two months in Ukraine, according to a call by one of Putin's men intercepted by Ukraine (pictured, Russian soldiers tend to their wounded) The soldier claims Putin's army has 'been f***ked up' by Ukraine's troops and that commanders are lying about the true scale of the disaster (pictured, soldiers in eastern Ukraine) 'The commander of the brigade flew in. His intestines were scooped up and put back in his stomach,' he says. 'They sent him off on a chopper. They took him to Russia, and that's where his heart gave out. ' Neither of the accounts can be independently verified, but the tally of dead roughly correlates with what Ukraine is claiming - that 22,800 Russians have been killed. The account of a commander being killed - likely a colonel - also tallies with official data collected from Russia that suggests many high-ranking officers have died. While the Russian government has given only infrequent updates on the number of deaths suffered by its armed forces, announcements by local governments and newspapers suggest at least 317 officers have died fighting. That marks an extraordinarily large number of officers to lose in two months of fighting, and has likely contributed to Russia's poor battlefield performance. Due to delays in reporting deaths, some dead being impossible to identify, and deliberate cover-ups, the true figure of officer deaths is likely to be far higher. Ukrainian troops are pictured installing a machine gun on top of a tank during repair works after fighting against Russian forces in Donetsk Ukrainians open fire on Russian positions using rocket artillery as they continue to battle Putin's forces in the country's east Smoke rises over the train station in the Ukrainian city of Lyman, in Luhansk, as Russian forces bear down on the area earlier today Russia is now into the third month of its 'special military operation' in Ukraine which was expected to last just days and end with the toppling of the government. President Volodymyr Zelensky remains in control of the country and the Ukrainian military retains control over most of its territory, 63 days later. Having failed in its mission to take Kyiv, Russia has retreated from the northern parts of Ukraine and refocused its efforts on seizing areas in the eastern Donbas region. Heavy fighting is underway there today, with Ukraine saying Russia is trying to push south from a city called Izyum to Donetsk in order to encircle their troops. At the same time, Russian forces are attacking into the city of Popansa - further to the east - to try and fix the Ukrainian defenders in place. Further to the south, in Mariupol, members of the Ukrainian marines and Azov battalion are still holed up inside the Azovstal steel works - claiming Russia has used banned phosphorus bombs to try and flush them out. To the west, in Kherson - the only major city captured by Russia so-far - explosions were reported overnight which took down a TV mast. A member of the Ukrainian military rests on a bench in a forward position in a frontline village near Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk The attack, which appears to have come from Ukraine, took Russian state channels which had been broadcast in the city off the air. Meanwhile local officials delayed plans to hold a referendum in the city to create an independent republic, but did announce that the local currency will soon be swapped to rubles. Even further to the west, in Transnistria - a breakaway region of Moldova occupied by Russian forces - locals reported being sent texts warning them that Ukraine could attack at any moment. It comes after several explosions in the region took down TV masts and damaged government buildings. Russia says it is 'alarmed' by the attacks, but Ukraine denies them - saying they have been staged in order for Moscow to justify spreading its war across borders. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis is calling for a full ethics probe of home-state colleague Rep. Madison Cawthorn over insider trading allegations and says the first-term Republican isn't able to work functionally with the state's delegation. 'I want a delegation that works together, I don't want a delegation that gets together minus one and talks about the challenges that member is causing,' said Tillis, who has feuded publicly with Cawthorn, 26, previously. He told Politico that Cawthorn has 'got temperament and judgment issues,' following reports of multiple traffic stops for the scandal-plagued lawmaker, who this week was reportedly caught with a gun in his carry-on luggage by Transportation Security Administration agents at Charlotte International Airport. Tillis also brought up Cawthorn calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a 'thug' at a time when the world was rallying to his side as Ukraine stands up to Russia's invasion. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis (R) hammered Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) following a series of incidents, and said he should face an ethics probe 'He's made comments at the worst possible time with respect for president Zelensky, called him a thug, now he apparently has this insider trading thing which just needs to be handled like everybody else. If there's no problem there, there won't be any problem with having transparency in it,' he said. Tillis tweeted Wednesday in favor of an ethics probe, following a report in the Washington Examiner connecting him to an alleged pump-and-dump scheme for the Let's Go Brandon cryptocurrency. 'Insider trading by a member of Congress is a serious betrayal of their oath, and Congressman Cawthorn owes North Carolinians an explanation. There needs to be a thorough and bipartisan inquiry into the matter by the House Ethics Committee,' said Tillis, 61, who was elected to the Senate in 2014. U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., speaks to the crowd before former President Donald Trump takes the stage at a rally Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Selma, N.C. He and Trump have each railed against 'RINOs' US Rep. Madison Cawthorn (NC) was cited March 3, 2022, with driving while his license was revoked, a misdemeanor. A judge approved the release of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol's dashcam video After Cawthorn was called out by fellow Republicans for claiming there were drug-filled orgies in DC, pictures surfaced of him dressed in women's clothing while reportedly taking part in festivities on a cruise 'They want to kill me with 1,000 cuts' Defiant Madison Cawthorn says he is being attacked by the 'political establishment' with 'salacious lies' because he is a 'hardcore conservative' - after he was stopped for having a gun at an airport This photo provided by the Transportation Security Administration shows a 9mm Staccato C2 handgun that officials say was found in U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn's, R-N.C., carry-on bag at a Charlotte Douglas International Airport security checkpoint, Tuesday, April 26, 2022 Tillis called for a House Ethics panel probe of Cawthorwn, following a report about his alleged role in pumping up a cryptocurrency stock Tillis' claims reference Cawthorn's comments about cryptocurrency. Cawthorn has said he is being attacked due to his conservative views Cawthorn, who has been embraced by former President Donald Trump and spoke at the 2020 GOP convention, has defended himself in an Instagram post where he attacked 'one RINO senator' and 'establishment pawns.' Tillis also blasted Cawthorn for choosing to run in a new congressional district. Cawthorn currently represents the 11th district in western North Carolina. The district is being renamed, but decided to run in the 13th, claiming it was to stop a 'go-along, get-along Republican' from being elected there. 'His political ambitions exceed his ambitions for his constituents,' said Tillis. 'When he decided to go there he was going to run in another district and he tried to lead people to believe that his district was split, he was leaving behind 80 percent of the people he represented. He made that decision 11 months into his freshman tenure.' It is thought that the two men had joined local forces in Ukraine as volunteers and had been fighting against Russian forces Russian sources have published a list of what they claim are 100 British 'mercenaries' fighting in Ukraine, including the name of one woman. It comes on the news that a British father has been killed in Ukraine and a second Briton is missing after the pair apparently joined local forces fighting Russia. Scott Sibley, a veteran of the British armed forces who served in the Commando Logistic Support Squadron in Afghanistan, has been named as the first UK casualty in Ukraine. A pro-war Telegram channel called Rybar with almost 400,000 subscribers claimed the 100 British citizens whose names were published were part of the 'International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine', also known as the Ukrainian Foreign Legion. The list does not include the name of Scott Sibley and it is unclear how authentic it is. Scott Sibley, a veteran of the British armed forces, has been named as the Briton who died in Ukraine Shaun Pinner (left) and Aiden Aslin (right), who had been serving in the Ukrainian marines, were captured by Putin's troops in the city of Mariupol earlier this month 'On April 5 we said that there were less than 700 people there, excluding employees of PMCs [private military companies],' said a report from the pro-Putin Russian channel. 'Now you know their names, dates of birth and ID numbers.' It is unclear where the list came from but Rybar suggests it was obtained via the offices of the governor of Mykolayiv region, Vitaliy Kim. The names do not include British fighters recently detained by the Russians in Mariupol. The publication of the list comes on the same day Ukrainian military officials released pictured and revealed names of Russian soldiers dubbed the 'Despicable Ten' accused of carrying out war crimes in Bucha. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence released the names and faces of the men, stating: 'Ten Russian butchers from the 64th brigade have been identified and named suspects responsible for committing the Bucha massacre. 'This unit [has] been awarded for its atrocities, and returned to the battlefield. Justice for war criminals is inevitable.' The UK's Foreign Office confirmed that British national Sibley had been killed in Ukraine and the whereabouts of a second Briton is unknown. It is thought that the two men had been fighting against Russian fighters after joining Ukrainian soldiers as volunteers, but this remains unconfirmed. Friends of Sibley, fondly nicknamed Sibs, have paid tribute to the veteran, who is believed to have died on 23 April, and set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral. 'Scott was a son, father, brother and uncle,' his friend Craig wrote on the page. 'To me he was a friend like no other and the bravest person I've had the pleasure to have known, he was as good as a brother to me. 'His life may have been cut short but he lived to the full and did things the Sibs way, right until the end.' Another fundraising page set up for Sibley's relatives described his 'infectious laugh', adding: 'We all have memories with him and he has helped us in different ways.' Sibley leaves behind his daughter who was diagnosed with stage 4 high risk Neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer that mostly affects young children. Following her diagnosis in 2018, Sibley shaved his head so that his daughter would not feel different when she lost her hair, reported the BBC. Sibley's former squadron, the Army's Logistic Support Squadron, paid tribute to the veteran, writing: 'This week the Sqn has lost a former serving soldier. A man that showed Commando spirit until the end. RIP. Scott Sibley.' A former comrade, Alex Darwin, paid tribute to his friend. 'Sib, I'm in complete disbelief. What a pleasure to have served alongside you, to know you and to have experienced your kind nature. 'You were there for me and I will forever be grateful. One hell of a beautiful guy, inside and out.' Friends of Sibley, fondly nicknamed Sibs, have paid tribute to the veteran, who is believed to have died on 23 April, and set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral. Sibley served in the British Army's Commando Logistic Support Squadron There was no reply last night from Scott Sibley's family home - a humble end of terrace house on a council estate in the village of South Killingholme, near Immingham, North Lincolnshire. It is understood Scott grew up in the area with mum Mary, dad Melvin, known as Mel, and sister Victoria. Locals said Scott had left the family home and understood he had been living in London with his own family. Neighbour Tracey Mcinanny said: 'They are away. They have gone down to be with Scott's family. We only know what we have heard on the news. I believe he went to Immingham School. His dad, Mel, works away. I have lived here several years and they were here when I got here. 'I assume they have gone to London to be with the kids Scott had. Like most kids, he had moved away from his parents to get on with their lives. 'It is very sad. But the guy thought he was doing what was right. 'I remember Scott as an older teenager. I did not know him but him and his sister seemed nice, quiet kids. 'They kept themselves to themselves. Both parents were working. You always hear about the bad kids but never Scott or sister.' The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) did not provide details on why the men were in Ukraine. 'We can confirm that a British National has been killed in Ukraine and are supporting their family,' a FCDO spokesperson said. Speaking of the second British man, the spokesperson said: 'We are aware of a British National who is missing in Ukraine and are supporting their family. We are urgently seeking further information. ' A number of Britons travelled to Ukraine after Russia invaded the country on February 24 to fight on the front lines against Vladimir Putin's men. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had called for foreign fighters to join his country's defence against Russia in the days after the invasion. Downing Street has strongly advised against Britons from travelling to Ukraine to fight, whilst serving members of the British Armed Forces have been banned from doing so. Earlier this month, Britons Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were captured by Russian forces and have since been paraded on Russian state media where they pleaded to be swapped for a pro-Kremlin prisoner. Emergency service employees work at the site of residential houses damaged by a missile attack, as Russia's invasion continues, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Thursday Aslin and Shaun Pinner last week asked on Russian state television for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene and ensure they were exchanged for Vladimir Putin's ally Viktor Medvedchuk, who is being held by Ukrainian authorities. Pinner is a former Royal Anglian soldier and has made clear he considers Ukraine his second country, where he married. The UK's Foreign Enlistment Act blocks citizens from joining foreign militaries fighting countries at peace with Britain, and the government's foreign secretary and defence minister have warned against Britons fighting in Ukraine after the war began in late February. Just days after the invasion on February 24, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was criticised after she said she would 'absolutely' support Britons who chose to help the war effort. 'People can make their own decisions,' she said. 'The people of Ukraine are fighting for freedom and democracy, not just for Ukraine, but for the whole of Europe. Absolutely, if people want to support that struggle, I would support them in doing that.' The UK Government website warns: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.' At the outset of the invasion, Ukraine encouraged foreigners to offer their support. President Zelensky has claimed 16,000 foreigners have travelled to Ukraine to resist the Russians. In March, groups of British men gathered outside the Ukrainian embassy in London to offer their support. Steven Mendez, 17, was set free on Tuesday after Bronx Supreme Court Justice Naita Semaj-Williams dismissed his indictment A teen gang member who allegedly shot and killed a Bronx college student just five months after he was released on charges of armed robbery has been freed once again - with the judge accusing prosecutors of 'improperly' identifying him as the killer. Steven Mendez, 17, was set free on Tuesday after Bronx Supreme Court Justice Naita Semaj-Williams dismissed his indictment. In a decision obtained by DailyMail.com, the judge said the proceedings were 'impaired' because detectives used surveillance footage to positively identify Mendez as the killer without giving the jury a chance to come to its own conclusions. On October 24, Mendez and his friends were looking for payback after a member of their gang was beaten, the New York Post reports. Mendez - who was on probation - shot 21-year-old Saikou Koma in the head in a case of mistaken identity, source said. The killing came five months after Mendez was freed for a robbery that ended with the victim shot in the leg. At the time, a spokesman for Bronx Supreme Court Justice Denis Boyle said the judge didn't think prison time was appropriate in the case. Koma's mother Haja Kaira says the court is sending the wrong message as crime in the Big Apple is up 42 percent from this time last year. 'The judge believes my son's life means nothing. This is why they will keep killing because they know there are no consequences,' she said. Mendez was accused of killing 21-yaer-old college student and delivery driver Saikou Koma in the Bronx on October 24 in a case of mistaken identity. Mendez had been released on probation for armed robbery five months earlier Overall crime is up 42 percent in the city and shooting victims are up 8.6 percent, as the Big Apple continues to battle a crime wave that began during the early days of the pandemic Judge Semaj-Williams said an NYPD detective 'improperly identified' Mendez as Koma's killer because he 'never indicated that he had prior contacts with Mr. Mendez prior to his arrest sufficient to establish a basis for identification.' Detectives relied on surveillance footage that did not show the actual shooting to convince the jury. At one point, they identified him as someone with a patch of white fabric on the back of his jeans. At another point, the same person they identified as Mendez did not have said patch, the judge wrote. Moreover, another detective provided her own 'opinions, conclusions and characterizations' when discussing the footage, thus not giving the jury a chance to make up its own mind. Mendez allegedly shot Koma in the head in the Fordham Heights area last October in a case of mistaken identity. Koma took classes at Manhattan Community College and worked a delivery job on the side. His parents were immigrants from Sierra Leone and the Gambia. His family says he never got in trouble. 'The boy is quiet,' his mother Haja told the New York Daily News. 'He's not troublesome. He'd go to school, do his little job, you know?' He was released on Tuesday. Koma's parents were immigrants from Sierra Leone and the Gambia. His mother says he never got in trouble and would just 'go to school, do his little job, you know?' Justice Semaj-Williams' dismissal has sparked outrage as some wonder how Mendez could have been released Meet the judge who has freed multiple 'killers' since she was brought in Justice Semaj-Williams (right) Justice Natia Semaj has been on the bench at the Bronx Supreme Court since January and replaced a notoriously lenient judge in handling juvenile cases - only to show herself to be every bit as lenient as her predecessor. A native of New York, Semaj grew up in Jamaica, where she had a tough time and was expelled from two separate schools, according to her father. After graduating from high school in Jamaica, Semaj returned to New York to pursue a higher education and graduated from Lehman College with a degree in social work in 2000, reported Jamaicans.com. After working as a social worker for a foster care agency, Semaj enrolled in St John's University School of Law, and after earning her degree and getting her law license was hired as an attorney with the Administration for Children's Services. In 2010, Semaj became Court Attorney with New York State Unified Court System. In 2018, Semaj won a seat on the bench at the New York Civil Court, and last November successfully ran for election for judge of the Bronx Supreme Court. Earlier this year, Semaj took over handling juvenile cases from her veteran colleague Justice Denis Boyle, who sparked widespread condemnation by allowing teenage suspects accused of serious crimes - among them drill rapper Camrin 'C Blu' Williams - to be released on bail. During her first few weeks presiding over juvenile cases, Semaj has sparked outrage by allowing two 17-year-olds facing felony charges to walk free. Braulio Garcia, 17, was arrested in January on charges of murder, manslaughter, robbery and gang assault in connection with the death of Good Samaritan Roland Hueston, who was struck by a train while trying to save another man from the tracks. Prosecutors had asked that Garcia be held on bail, but Semaj ordered him to be released with supervision. In the case of Sharif Mitchell, 17, who faces attempted murder charges for allegedly opening fire on a subway platform and shooting a 19-year-old man four time, Semaj released Mitchell on his own recognizance, even though at his arraignment another judge had ordered him held on $30,000 bail. Semaj is married to a corrections officer and has a young daughter and a stepson. Her current term, which began on January 1, ends in 2035. Advertisement 'When I hear the judge say, 'Release him.' To be honest, I had to stand up,' Haja told the Post after watching the hearing remotely. 'I could not believe it. I said out loud, 'What! Release him?!'' Mendez allegedly pulled the trigger just five months after soft-on-crime judge Denis Boyle let him off in an armed robbery case, citing his age and a report saying he had been doing well in school, according to the Post. Mendez was charged as a 'youthful offender' and released on five years' probation last May. A state court spokesman said Justice Boyle didn't believe a prison sentence was necessary for 'a crime committed as an accomplice at the age of 16.' Earlier this year, Semaj-Williams took over handling juvenile cases from Boyle, who sparked widespread condemnation by allowing teenage suspects accused of serious crimes to be released on bail, reported the New York Post. But during her first couple months presiding over juvenile cases, Semaj has shown herself to be just as lenient as her predecessor by allowing teenagers facing felony charges to walk free pending trial. Braulio Garcia, 17, and Jonathan Aponte, 16, were arrested in January and charged with murder, manslaughter, robbery, gang assault and other crimes after throwing someone into the subway tracks on New Years' Day. The man who was thrown in didn't die, but a Good Samaritan who jumped in to save him did after he was struck by a train. In the case of Sharif Mitchell, 17, who faces attempted murder charges for allegedly opening fire on a subway platform and shooting a 19-year-old man four time, Semaj-Williams released Mitchell on his own recognizance, even though at his arraignment another judge had ordered him held on $30,000 bail. Semaj-Williams is married to a corrections officer and has a young daughter and a stepson. Her current term, which began on January 1, ends in 2035. Last month, she moved the case of 16-year-old drill rapper Camrin 'C Blu' Williams from an adult criminal court to Family Court, after accusing a police officer of providing 'unreliable' testimony that 'had no value' about the night the teen allegedly shot a cop during a scuffle. Williams, who is a suspected gang member, has been out on bond since late January. He faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree assault and other weapons charges stemming from a January 18 incident, during which police said he shot Officer Kaseem Pennant as he was being searched. 'There was absolutely zero reason for any of those officers to approach this individual,' Judge Semaj-Williams said, according to New York Daily News. 'They approached him, they detained him, they searched him, and no officer even bothered to come up with a halfway legitimate reason for any of that.' Crime in New York City is up 42 percent from last year. Shooting victims are up 8.6 percent, as the city battles a spike in crime that began during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the weekend, Mayor Eric Adams blasted his fellow Democrats for only supporting Black Lives Matter when those behind the killings of African-Americans are cops. Adams, speaking with Anderson Cooper on CBS' 60 Minutes, continued his habit of criticizing the party for being soft on crime. 'Democrats don't like talking about intervention,' said Adams, 61. In January, police arrested Braulia Garcia, 17 and Jonathan Aponte, 16. The two were allegedly part of a group that threw a man into the subway tracks on New Years' Day. A Good Samartian died trying to save the man, but Justice Semaj-Williams let the teens walk free pending trial Drill rapper Camrin 'C Blu' Williams, 16, had his shooting case transferred from an adult court to Family Court after Semaj-Williams defended his actions during a scuffle with police Bronx Supreme Court Justice Naita Semaj accused police officers of providing 'unreliable' testimony that 'had no value' 'But we have to lean into the discomfort of the immediate things we must do. Because you can't say Black Lives Matter when a police officer shoots a young person, but does that black life matter when a 12-year-old baby was shot?' Cooper asked Adams why Democrats don't like talking about intervention. Adams responded: 'Because when you talk about intervention, you have to use the term of giving police officers the tools to deal with violence right now.' Cooper retorted by saying it made liberals nervous because it made him sound like former Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Eric Adams, speaking with Anderson Cooper on CBS' 60 Minutes, continued his habit of criticizing the party for being soft on crime Mayor Adams tells Anderson Cooper that Black Lives Matter protesters should support his efforts to reduce gun violence in high-crime neighborhoods. https://t.co/MKfDJwIHLo pic.twitter.com/08zVdcOZXU 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 24, 2022 Giuliani's zero-tolerance 'broken windows' policing strategy was credited with hammering crime in New York City during the 90s, but critics said it also drove cops to disproportionately target innocent black people. 'They have allowed Rudy Giuliani to hijack something that the overwhelming number of people of color want,' Adams said. 'They will tell you, 'We want our police. We don't want our police to be abusive.' And that is the balance that I know we can do in this - in this city.' Adams, who described himself as a 'simple, pragmatic Democrat' denied rumors that he had voted for Giuliani in the 90s but admitted to registering as a Republican. 'I was a police officer, and I saw the violence, and I wasn't seeing any help on the federal level. It was a protest vote.' Advertisement Elon Musk covered nearly half of ex-girlfriend Amber Heard's donation to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after the actress pledged to give away her multimillion dollar divorce settlement to charity following her split from Johnny Depp. Jurors in Heard and Depp's $100million defamation trial on Thursday heard the actress has so far only paid $1.3million of the $3.5million she promised the ACLU nearly six years ago, with Musk's money making up a large chunk of it. The billionaire Tesla founder, 50, gave $500,000 to the civil rights group on behalf of Heard after the two began dating after her divorce from Depp in 2016. The Aquaman star, 36, announced she would donate the $7million she received in her settlement to two organizations when the couple's legal separation was finalized in August 2016. Heard promised to give half the money to the ACLU to support its work in 'fighting violence against women', and the other $3.5million to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. Billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk, 50, donated $500,000 to the ACLU on behalf of Amber Heard when the two were dating in 2016, the actress's defamation trial heard Thursday. The two are pictured together in 2017 The court heard the Aquaman actress has so far only paid $1.3million of the $3.5million she promised the ACLU nearly six years ago, with Musk's money making up a large chunk of it ACLU Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Terence Dougherty testified Thursday revealing only half the money has been paid by Heard or on her behalf But Terence Dougherty, the ACLU Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, testified in the trial Thursday, telling the court the organizations' promised donation has not been paid in full yet. Dougherty said that so far only a total of $1.3million has either been paid by Heard or on her behalf. Of that money, Heard contributed $350,000 directly, while $100,000 was paid by Depp and another $350,000 came from a fund at Fidelity, an investment company. Another $500,000 payment came from an account at investment firm Vanguard, which Dougherty said he 'believed it was a fund set up by Elon Musk.' Asked by one of Depp's lawyers if there were messages with Musk about it, Dougherty said there were. He said there was a document and emails they had produced to the lawyers in the case regarding the money. Dougherty said that based on emails with Musk, the ACLU understood that Heard's $3.5million donation would be given over 10 years. Heard had promised to donate her $7M divorce settlement to charity, splitting the funds between the ACLU and the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles He said that Heard's money was considered a 'pledge' so rather than a check all at once, it would come over time. Heard's lawyers have previously told the court that she fully intends to pay the money but for now needs the divorce settlement to pay her legal fees. The court heard that Heard's last donation of $350,000 in December 2018 and that she had not paid any money since. Dougherty said that Heard had told the organization that money was from her anonymous account with Fidelity but they did not do any further checks to guarantee it was her money. One of Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty what 'efforts the ACLU has made to get Amber Heard to pay'. He replied: 'We reached out to Miss Heard starting in 2019 for the next installment of her giving and we learned she was having financial difficulties'. The court heard that Musk played a central role in setting up Heard's donations to the ACLU, partly because he had given to it before. Heard and Musk dated for a year following the actress's divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016 Johnny Depp's $50million defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard that started on April 10 is expected to last five or six weeks In an email dated August 18, 2016, Musk wrote to Heard and Anthony Romero, the executive director of the ACLU: 'I described your (Heard's) plan to donate $3.5million to the ACLU over the next 10 years as you very much believe in what they're doing'. The court heard that Robin Shulman, a communications strategist with the ACLU wrote the first draft of the op-ed in November 2018, a month before the article was published. In a message to Heard dated November 29, 2018, Shulman said that she tried to 'gather your fire and rage' and shape it into an op-ed piece. Asked if that meant rage against Depp, Dougherty said it was about 'gender-based violence issues'. In a follow up message, Shulman told Heard: 'Our lawyers should review this for the way I skirted around your marriage'. Jessica Weitz, another member of the ACLU communications team, told Heard: 'I want to make sure nothing was said in here that puts you in jeopardy with your NDA' with Depp after the divorce. Shulman and Heard met in person and that op-ed was changed, the court heard. Heard's lawyers also made some edits. One of Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty: 'Some at the ACLU expressed belief that excising references to the marriage and divorce from Johnny Depp made the op-ed less impactful?' Dougherty said: 'That is correct'. Dougherty said that the ACLU had the responsibility of placing the op-ed and considered the New York Times, Washington Post, Teen Vogue and USA Today as places where it could go. As Dougherty put it, the list was in 'descending importance and reach as we go down', but with a greater likelihood they would publish it. Gerry Johnson, one of the ACLU communications team, emailed his colleagues about timing the op-ed so it would come out at the same time as the premiere of Aquaman, the film Heard was starring in. Johnson wrote: 'Since draft turned out pretty strong and Aquaman slated to do large numbers I'm wondering what you think about it?' Actor Amber Heard returns following a break at the Fairfax County Circuit Court Thursday, April 28, 2022 Depp, 58, had previously accused his ex-wife of lying about giving all of her divorce settlement to charity Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse' Dougherty said that media outlets were more likely to take on an op-ed if it had 'strong views' and the more the person was in the public eye at the time, the 'more likely it will be accepted by a more prominent media outlet'. Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty if Heard's marriage to Depp made the op-ed a 'stronger product'. Dougherty said: 'Amber's contributions to the portion of op-ed that talks about personal experiences is what informed the view this was a strong op-ed'. One of Depp's lawyers asked: 'She wanted the op-ed to come out just after Aquaman release?' Dougherty said: 'I recall there was a conversation for optimal timing' Dougherty added that it was 'correct' that Heard wanted the article to come out just after the Aquaman release. On December 11 2018, Witz emailed her colleagues that Heard's team had sent back a final draft but it 'neutered much of her marriage and domestic violence'. Witz said that the goal was the 'get this out this week to capitalize on the tremendous campaign for Aquaman', referring to the publicity surrounding the film. In follow up emails, Witz said that Heard wanted to get a mention of her getting a restraining order back into the article. Witz said: 'Is there an artful way to to do that?' Such a mention did not make it into the final cut. Around that time, Stacey Sullivan, another member of the ACLU's communications pitched the the article to Michael Duffy, an editor at the Washington Post. Emails shown in court Thursday revealed Johnny Depp contributed towards Heard's $3.5million pledge to the ACLU The email said: 'Hey Michael, wondering if we might interest you in an op-ed by Amber Heard 'Who as you may recall was beaten up during her brief marriage to Johnny Depp' Once it had been agreed the article would be published, Heard emailed her team and the ACLU: 'It's going to the Washington Post!!!' The court also heard about the panic within the ACLU how in 2019 Reuters inquired about how much Heard had paid of her $3.5m pledge. In an email to colleagues, Witz insisted that Heard had 'donated her full settlement to charity' but investigations revealed she had only paid $1.3m As Witz and her colleagues struggled to phrase a statement to Reuters, she emailed her colleagues: 'I had nightmares about this last tonight, do you think this is OK?' Depp's lawyers asked if Witz was 'concerned the ACLU was not telling the truth? As Depp looked on and smiled, Dougherty said: 'She was doing everything she could to give a correct statement to the press'. Scary footage from a home camera shows the moment a couple and their dog were chased back into their house by an angry black bear. On Tuesday, in Apopka, Florida, the couple had just stepped outside with their dog. 'We were letting the dog out to potty and a bear charged us from our next-door neighbor's house,' said the woman who lives there with her husband. 'We made it safely into the house, and closed and banged on the front door,' she told ViralHog. No injuries have been reported, and the couple has not been identified. The Apopka Police Department told DailyMail.com that it was unaware of the incident and hasn't been contacted. A couple living in Apopka, Florida, ran for their lives back into their home after bumping into a charging black bear on Tuesday while outside with their dog The couple's dog barked at the bear before the wild animal charged at the home. The couple made it back inside after their pet did This comes a month after another couple in the Apopka area had a similar encounter. David Bass, a consultant in electrical engineering and electronics, shared security camera footage of a bear charging him when he was outside with his wife in March. They were leaving their home when the black bear came around the corner, and the couple ran back inside. No injuries were reported. Local resident David Bass and his wife rushed back inside after spotting a black bear near their Apopka home in March Several other bear sightings have been reported around Central Florida in recent weeks, making residents wary. A couple in Sanford shared startling footage of two black bears attempting to enter their home through the front door on Christmas morning last year. Another man was bitten and scratched as he fought off a bear at his home in Daytona Beach in January. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said it gets up to 6,000 bear-related calls annually. The agency added that only 15 incidents of people suffering moderate-to-serious injuries related to a bear encounter have been reported in over 50 years. It also advises people to remove or secure any food outside homes, including pet foot, birdseed and garbage, to avoid attracting bears. There also is a way to avoid dog-bear conflict: banging on your door and switching house lights on and off care bears off. If a pet dog and a bear are fighting, making noise, and using bear spray or a water hose most likely will make the bear flee. Contact the FWCs Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) if you feel threatened by a bear; observe a sick, injured, dead or orphaned bear; or to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them A former Boston police union chief wept in court Monday as child rape victims tore into him after the disgraced cop admitted to raping and sexually abusing several children over the span of nearly three decades. Ex-Police Patrolmen's Association boss Patrick Rose, 67, pleaded guilty to 21 counts of child rape and sexual assault that occurred over a 27-year period, involving victims ranging in age from 7 to 16, prosecutors said. The former cop sat in court and cried as he listened to some of his victims deliver impact statements before he was sentenced to up to 13 years in prison. 'I saw you for what you really are a coward, a predator of the weak and the defenseless,' the victim said in court. Another victim said Rose has lost his reputation as a protector. 'Your reputation? Absolutely gone,' the victim said. ''All you will ever be remembered as is another creep who has nothing going for him. Your job as a cop protecting people? [Well] that's really quite ironic isn't it?' Rose had first faced child sexual abuse allegations in the mid-1990s, but criminal charges were dropped. However, Rose was allowed to remain on the force for years despite sufficient evidence found by internal investigators supporting allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor, according to documents released by the city last year. Patrick Rose, 67, broke down and wept in court Monday as some of his victims delivered impact statements, calling him a coward and a creep Rose covered his face in court when he was arraigned in 2020. On Monday, he plead guilty to 21 counts of child rape and sexual assault that occurred over a 27 years Rose had first faced child sexual abuse allegations in the mid-1990s. Yet, he was allowed to keep his badge for 20 years and elected as president of Boston Police Patrolman's Association Rose had been relieved of his weapon and placed on administrative duty, but was returned to full duty after an attorney for the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association wrote to the commissioner in 1997 and threatened to file a grievance, according to the documents, obtained by NBC Boston. He was then elected president of the Boston Police Patrolman's Association in 2014 and served until he retired in 2018. Rose was charged in August 2020 with sexually abusing a 7-year-old female relative, who, now a teenager, had told police the abuse continued for five years until she turned 12. The victim told police that Rose allegedly touched her inappropriately and asked her to perform sexual acts on him in his West Roxbury home. Several more people then came forward alleging they were abused by Rose. He was ultimately charged with 33 counts of sexual abuse of six children. On Monday, Rose pleaded guilty to the multitude of sexual abuse crimes spanning nearly three decades. Rose had previously denied the charges but reached a plea deal with prosecutors. In court on Monday, Rose listened as some of his victims delivered impact statements, calling him a coward and a creep Documents released last year of a 1996 internal police department probe showed that top officials concluded Rose likely sexually abused a child yet he continued to patrol in Dorchester and interact with children and sex-abuse victims, masslive.com reported. Then-Police Commissioner Paul Evans and internal investigations chief Ann Marie Doherty released a joint statement in April 2021 defending their actions, saying that they were unable to discipline Rose because they did not have a witness or other evidence, the Globe reported. 'We believed at the time, and we still believe, that everything that could be done by the Boston Police Department was done in this matter to hold Rose accountable,' the statement read. Rose, who was Union President of the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association at the time, testifies during a hearing in 2016 over the issue of body cameras for Boston police officers On Monday, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden praised the courage of the victims and said he hoped the plea brings a measure of healing. 'Anyone who was in that courtroom today knows the tremendous courage, fortitude and bravery that they withstood throughout this entire horrible incident. These are monstrous, monstrous acts,' he said outside of court. Following the impact statements, Rose expressed remorse in a statement he read in court. 'I want to apologize for my despicable behavior,' he said. 'I apologize to my former colleagues. I apologize to my former friends, but more importantly, the more important thing in my life, I apologize to my family. To those I hurt, I'm so very sorry.' A liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier / Yonhap Korea plans to send part of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to Europe to help ease an energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Thursday. Concerns have grown over natural gas supply disruptions in Europe amid the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine, as Russia is the biggest provider of gas to Europe. On Wednesday, Russia's state-owned gas producer Gazprom said it had cut off natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after the nations refused to pay for shipments in rubles. Korea has decided to divert some of its LNG gas cargo to Europe, as Seoul has "some room" for such support in spring time, an industry ministry official said. He refused to give details about when and how much Korea will offer, but the envisioned shipment would be sent to Europe before summer though the volume would "not be that much" as Seoul usually manages its gas supplies tightly. The decision appears to have been made following a request from the United States or European nations, another official said. In February, Washington asked for Korea to send gas to Europe, but the Seoul government turned down the request at that time, according to media reports. The import price of natural gas for Korea stood at $1,013.35 per ton as of the end of March, up 20.08 percent from the previous month. The comparable figure for March 2021 was $438.42, according to government data. (Yonhap) The Oklahoma House gave final approval on Thursday to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. The bill approved by the GOP-led House now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is expected to sign it within days. The assault on abortion rights is one of several culture-war issues conservatives in GOP-led states have embraced, like restricting LGBTQ rights, that drive the party's base in an election year. Dubbed the Oklahoma Heartbeat Act, the bill prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in the fetus, which experts say is roughly six weeks into a pregnancy. A similar bill approved in Texas last year led to a dramatic reduction in the number of abortions performed in that state, sending many women seeking the procedure to Oklahoma and other surrounding states. Like Texas, the bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000, a mechanism that the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed to remain in place. The bill only makes an exception in the case of an abortion being performed to save the life of the mother. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, pictured April 12, is expected to sign the Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in April answers questions during a press conference at the Texas Department of Public Safety Weslaco Regional Office How Texas's heartbeat abortion law has spurned a host of similar state statutes The Texas Heartbeat Act, which was passed in December 2021, bans abortions after the detection of embryonic or fetal cardiac activity, which typically occurs after around six weeks of pregnancy. The law had a fairly swift and easy process of getting passed in the deeply conservative state. It was introduced to the state's Senate and House of Representatives on March 11, 2021, and was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott several months later on May 19. The law itself took effect shortly thereafter on September 1, with the Supreme Court ultimately denying a request for emergency relief from Texas abortion providers beforehand. It has since suffered several legal challenges and criticism. President Joe Biden called it 'extreme' and saying it 'blatantly violates the constitutional right established under Roe v. Wade.' Meanwhile Senator Elizabeth Warren argued that it is time to 'step up and codify Roe into federal law,' in response to the state's 'heartbeat' abortion ban. The law has also inspired several other states to follow suit with similar legislation. Eleven states have proposed heartbeat bills since 2018; since 2019, such bills have passed including bills in Idaho, Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas, most of which lie either partly or entirely in the so-called Bible Belt whose population leans heavily against abortion. Advertisement Although Stitt already signed a bill earlier this year to make performing an abortion a felony crime in Oklahoma, that measure is not set to take effect until later in the summer and might not withstand a legal challenge. Because the measure approved Thursday has an 'emergency' provision, it takes effect immediately after the governor signs it, and abortion providers say will immediately end most abortions in Oklahoma. 'We are more concerned at this point about these Texas-style bans because they have, at least recently, been able to continue and remain in effect,' said Emily Wales, interim president and CEO at Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates two abortion clinics in Oklahoma. 'We do intend to challenge those if theyre passed, but because of the emergency clause provisions, there would be at least some period of time when we could not offer care.' Texas' new law has led to a huge increase in the number of women from Texas seeking abortions in Oklahoma. 'We're serving as many Texans as Oklahomans right now, in some cases more Texans than Oklahomans,' Wales said. Earlier in April, Stitt signed a bill that makes it a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to perform an abortion with an exception only to save the life of the mother. The bill, which takes effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns next month, is part of an aggressive push in Republican-led states across the country to scale back abortion. 'We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,' Stitt said during a signing ceremony for the bill. 'I promised Oklahomans that I would sign every pro-life bill that hits my desk, and that's what were doing here today.' Under the bill, anyone convicted of performing an abortion would face up to a decade behind bars and a $100,000 fine. It does not authorize criminal charges against a woman for receiving an abortion. Its passage comes as the conservative U.S. Supreme Court considers ratcheting back abortion rights that have been in place for nearly 50 years. Abortion rights advocates say the bill is clearly unconstitutional, and similar laws approved recently in Arkansas and Alabama have been blocked by federal courts. Although similar anti-abortion bills approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in recent years have been stopped as unconstitutional, anti-abortion lawmakers have been buoyed by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to allow new Texas abortion restrictions to remain in place. The new Texas law, the most restrictive anti-abortion law to take effect in the U.S. in decades, leaves enforcement up to private citizens, who are entitled to collect what critics call a 'bounty' of $10,000 if they bring a successful lawsuit against a provider or anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion. The Lone Star State's law bans abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Abortions in Texas have plummeted by about 50 percent since the law took effect, while the number of Texans going to clinics out of state and requesting abortion pills online has gone up. A Tennessee state lawmaker declared that he would burn banned books if given his way during a Tennessee General Assembly session Wednesday. State Rep. Jerry Sexton, a Republican from eastern Tennessee, made the comments during a discussion about legislation he proposed that would give a commission of politicians the power to veto books out of school libraries. Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Democrat from Nashville, asked Sexton what he would do with the removed books. 'You going to put them in the street? Light them on fire? Where are they going?' he asked. 'I dont have a clue, but I would burn 'em,' Sexton responded on the House floor. 'That's what I thought.' Clemmons concluded. Rep. Jerry Sexton, a Republican representing a district in east Tennessee, said that he would like to burn books that he felt should be banned on Wednesday Rep. John Ray Clemmons had asked Sexton what he would like to do with books that were banned. Upon hearing Sexton's reply, Clemmons said 'That's what I thought.' The Republican-supermajority House approved the bill in a 66-26 vote. Sexton's legislation and comments come after a national debate around banned books was sparked when a Tennessee school board removed the book Maus - a Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel by Art Spiegelman, who is Jewish, that paints an unfiltered picture of the Holocaust - from its district's curriculum in January. In Nazi Germany books by Jewish authors and books with content decreed disagreeable were publicly burned by the tens of thousands. Debate about book banning was sparked when a Tennessee school district removed Maus, an award winning graphic novel about the Holocaust, from its curriculum The American Library Association found a record number of challenges to books in 2021. Heather Has Two Mommies, by Leslea Newman, was one of the most challenged books Earlier this year, Sexton lashed out at librarians during a legislative hearing that included testimony from some who alleged without proof that educators were attempting to 'groom' children with sexually explicit materials found in libraries. 'I dont appreciate whats going in our libraries, whats being put in front of our children and shame on you for putting it there,' Sexton said at the time. Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson, from Knoxville, said the legislation aimed at libraries was taking 'Tennessee in a dangerous direction.' Certain books have long faced removal from American schools for profane language, sexually explicit content, and even for mere negativity, but the past few years have seen an increase in complaints and actions against books, largely in conservative-dominated states. Conservative lawmakers have begun challenging some books on the grounds that they are being used to brainwash America's youth about race and gender. During a Wednesday event at the White House to honor teachers, President Biden weighed in on the subject. The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, was one of the top ten most challenged books in 2021. A challenged book is a book that has been the subject of official removal attempts To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee made the top ten list of challenged books in 2021. To Kill a Mockingbird has been a banned book stalwart since its publication in 1960 'There are too many politicians trying to score political points trying to ban books, even math books,' he said, referring to the recent ban of a number of math textbooks in Florida, 'Did you ever think when you'd be teaching you're gonna be worried about book burnings and banning books all because it doesn't fit somebody's political agenda?' A recent report from PEN America, a non-profit dedicated to promoting free expression through literature, found that there are currently 1,586 instances of books being banned or restricted in the United States. Those bans are in 86 school districts across 26 states. Texas has the most books banned at 713. Pennsylvania has 456, Florida has 204, Oklahoma has 43, Kansas has 30, and Tennessee has 16, according to that report. A retired British geologist is at risk of facing the death penalty after being accused of attempting to smuggle historic artefacts out of Iraq, according to his family. UK ministers have faced calls to intervene to help 'make a difference' in the case of Jim Fitton, 66, who has been detained in the Middle-Eastern country. Father-of-two Mr Fitton, who lives in Malaysia, was held over smuggling allegations during his first visit to the country for a geology and archaeology tour. His children - Joshua and Leila, and Leila's husband Sam Tasker - have launched a petition to press the UK Government to help with his case. Mr Tasker said in a statement Mr Fitton and a German man on the trip were arrested after the group's baggage was checked at the airport, with 12 shards said to have been recovered from his luggage. His family say he is accused of taking broken shards of pottery found at the Eridu historical site in southern Iraq. The incident took place on March 20 and a serious illness to the group's tour guide was also reported. UK ministers have faced calls to intervene to help 'make a difference' in the case of Jim Fitton (pictured with his wife) 66, who has been detained in the Middle-Eastern country 'Whilst on the tour, our father visited historical sites around Iraq, where his tour group found fragments of stones and shards of broken pottery in piles on the ground,' the man's family wrote with in the petition. 'These fragments were in the open, unguarded and with no signage warning against removal. Tour leaders also collected the shards as souvenirs at the site in Eridu. 'Tour members were told that this would not be an issue, as the broken shards had no economic or historical value.' It added: 'We think that our father may be put on trial the week commencing May 8, after Eid in Iraq. 'We have days to save him before sentencing and we need the Foreign Office to help by intervening in his case now. Our lawyer has drafted a proposal for cessation of the case and the immediate repatriation of our father, which requires the backing of the Foreign Office to put to the Iraqi judiciary.' Mr Tasker, in a statement, explained: 'Jim would often bring home small souvenirs from his trips to remember the journey by and share his experiences with us. 'To him this was no more significant than bringing home a small stone from the beach to remember a special family holiday. The items are widely agreed to be valueless. 'This is the offence that now sees my father-in-law facing a potential death sentence under article 41 of the Iraqi artefacts law no.55, of 2002.' Modern day Iraq occupies the land that was once Mesopotamia, and as a result has a trove of historical sites - including the ancient city of Babylon. The site in question, Eridu, is found in southern Mesopotamia, and is considered to be the earliest city in the southern region - dating back to approximately 5,400BC. Archaeological looting in Iraq has taken place since at least the 19th century, and often occurred in the chaos that followed war - including the 2003 Iraq war. As a result, Iraq has strict laws in place against looting, and anyone found guilty can be severely punished - with large fines, prison sentences and even the death penalty. Father-of-two Mr Fitton, who lives in Malaysia, was held over smuggling allegations during his first visit to the country for a geology and archaeology tour. His family say that he has been accused of stealing fragments that were in the open at Eridu, an ancient ruin of a city that is found in Iraq, and was once in southern Mesopotamia According to Iraq's law No. 55, antiquities are defined as 'movable and immovable property which has been built, made, carved, produced, written or painted by man, those age of which is not less than 200 years, as well as human and animal skeletons and plant remains.' The law says: 'Discovering, taking, purchasing or receiving as a gift any antiquity or heritage material that originated in Iraq, without promptly notifying and registering the object with the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, is a violation of Law Number 55.' It continues: 'The penalties for violating Law Number 55 may include incarceration of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 Iraqi Dinars (55). 'Illegal excavation (looting) may result in imprisonment for a period of up to 15 years and a fine of two times the value of the damages sustained. And trafficking in antiquities is punishable with a term of imprisonment for a period not to exceed 10 years and a fine of up to 1,000,000 Iraqi Dinars (550).' Mr Fitton's family have said that their father could even be facing the death penalty. In 2013, a law was proposed in Iraq that would change the penalties for those found guilty of looting to be less severe. It was not immediately clear if the law passed. Pictured: Brickwork is seen at the Eridu archaeological site in Iraq (file photo) Mr Fitton's son-in-law Mr Tasker is a constituent of Wera Hobhouse, a British MP for Bath of the Liberal Democrat party, who has raised the case in the House of Commons and urged ministers to respond to the 'incredibly serious' issue. She said: 'The situation surrounding Jim Fitton and his German counterpart is deeply worrying and my thoughts are with them and their families during this difficult period. It is impossible to imagine the concern and worry that Jim and his family are going through. 'From speaking with Jim's family it is clear that he would not intentionally disrespect or appropriate the rich and fascinating culture of the region. 'I have written to the Foreign Office, been in touch with the consulate support services, and contacted the minister's office directly but so far the response has been disappointing. 'Jim's lawyer has advised that an intervention from the British Government will make a difference in this case. That is why I am urging the Government to intervene to make Jim's release more likely. 'I am committed to doing everything I can by working with the Government to secure the release of Jim who has been so questionably detained in Iraq. Jim and his German counterpart must be returned safely home to their families.' A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: 'We are providing consular support to a British national in Iraq and are in contact with the local authorities.' The family petition can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/our-father-is-facing-the-death-penalty-in-iraq-freejimfitton. Boris Johnson lashed out at one of his own MPs accused of watching pornography in the House of Commons today, hinting he faces being kicked out of the Conservative Party. The Prime Minister said the behaviour alleged by several female MPs was 'totally unacceptable' as he made a campaign visit to Burnley. Cabinet members said the culprit should be stripped of the whip or even kicked out of the House if they the allegations are proven. But former minister Caroline Nokes has accused the chief whip of kicking the issue 'into the long grass', and said the whip should have been suspended already. Speaking to reporters in Lancashire, Mr Johnson was asked whether the parliamentarian would lose the Conservative whip if the allegations are proven. 'I think it's obviously unacceptable for anybody to be doing that kind of thing in the workplace,' he said. 'It would be the same for any kind of job up and down the country, let's be absolutely clear about that. 'What needs to happen now is that the proper procedures need to be gone through, the independent complaints and grievances procedure needs to be activated and we need to get to understand the facts, but, yeah, that kind of behaviour is clearly totally unacceptable.' It came as the sleaze issue crossed the aisle, with a Labour frontbencher accused of telling one of his party's female MPs they were a 'secret weapon' because men wanted to sleep with them. The female politician - who wants to remain anonymous - was allegedly subjected to the lewd remark at an event in Westminster. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also urged MPs to stay out of Parliament's 'poisonous' drinking dens amid growing uproar at sexism and sleaze at Westminster. Mr Wallace said the long hours and access to alcohol had been a problem for many years, and his advice to colleagues was 'finish your day's work and go home'. Speaking to reporters at a college in Lancashire, Mr Johnson was asked whether the parliamentarian would lose the Conservative whip if the allegations are proven. 'I think it's obviously unacceptable for anybody to be doing that kind of thing in the workplace,' he said. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the long hours and access to alcohol had been a problem for many years, and his advice to colleagues was 'finish your day's work and go home' Mr Wallace pointed to the handful of exclusive bars on the Parliamentary estate, where drinks are much cheaper than outside, with a pint of beer costing around 3.60. File picture of Strangers Bar in the Common In the latest grim claims, a woman MP told BBC Wales that when someone praised her as a 'rising star' of her party at an event, the unnamed shadow cabinet minister intervened. They apparently said she was a 'secret weapon' because 'women want to be her friend' and men wanted to sleep with her. 'She is a vote winner,' they reportedly added. Keir Starmer said: 'I'm deeply concerned to hear these suggestions and these allegations. 'There is a complaints procedure and I want everybody to have the confidence to use that complaints procedure because I would want to get to the bottom of this and do something about it.' A Labour spokeswoman said: 'The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously. 'They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken.' It is understood that no complaint has been received, and BBC Wales said the woman did not want to be identified for fear of consequences. Labour has recently introduced a new independent complaints procedure to boost confidence, and is encouraging people to come forward. In a round of interviews this morning, Mr Wallace said 'there's no place for pornography in any workplace' and said there needs to be a cultural change in Westminster. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I certainly think they should lose the whip.' He pointed to the handful of exclusive bars on the Parliamentary estate, where drinks are much cheaper than outside, with a pint of beer costing around 3.60. Mr Wallace told Times Radio that there were 'fights', 'sexist comments' and 'propositions' in the bars. 'What I have witnessed is, what I think is the fundamental problem of Westminster, is the overall culture is that hundreds and hundreds of people (are) working long hours in a place with bars,' he said. 'And for some people, under lots of pressure for all sorts of reasons. And that... mix becomes poisonous.' Mr Wallace said the problems had been 'going on for decades' and were 'not easy to fix'. 'I mean, my advice to any MP is actually avoid the bars, you know, finish a day's work and go home. 'But you know, that is part of the ultimate challenge around parliament that I think needs to be fixed. 'And you know, in the Armed Forces, I have a similar challenge, which is often in those high pressure environments where people mix and then alcohol is consumed, you end up in a place where people do things, either they regret, or things that is totally unacceptable.' The Defence Secretary told Sky News: 'There is a range of allegations that go right across the House, go right across the parties. 'This is a problem, I think, about the overall culture of the House of Commons. 'It is late sitting, long nights with bars, and that very often leads, and it has done for decades, to behavioural challenges 'I think it's really important that we think about ways to change the culture in the House of Commons.' Attorney General Suella Braverman told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour that if the allegation of an MP watching porn in Parliament is proven there should be a 'severe reprimand' including an opportunity to oust them from the Commons. 'I'm shocked and appalled... what would possess them? It is totally unacceptable,' she said. 'I am very glad that the chief whip has now referred it to the independent complaints and grievance process.' Ms Braverman went on: 'I think we would really need to see a situation where the whip would be removed. I am ashamed that this person is carrying the Conservative rosette. 'I think they really do need to be subject to a recall, and no longer holding their privileged position as a member of parliament.' Ms Braverman said while all the men she had worked with were 'respectful' there were MPs who behaved like 'animals'. 'There is however, a very small minority of men - and it is men - who fall short, and there are some bad apples who are out of order, who behave like animals and are bringing parliament into disrepute to be honest,' she said. 'I don't think we should be saying there is a pervasive culture. That is not my experience. There are certain individuals who are behaving in an unacceptable way.' The Conservative Party's chief whip has ordered an official investigation into claims that an MP was watching porn on his mobile phone in the House of Commons Chamber. A spokesman said the matter would be referred to Parliament's independent complaints and grievance scheme (ICGS). Mr Wallace told Times Radio that there were 'fights', 'sexist comments' and 'propositions' in the Parliamentary bars 'Following allegations of inappropriate behaviour in the House of Commons the Chief Whip has asked that this matter be referred to the ICGS. 'Upon the conclusion of any ICGS investigation the Chief Whip will take appropriate action.' Ms Nokes told PoliticsHome the referral amounted to 'kicking it into the long grass' and it would be 'months before anything is done'. 'It's not shouldering the burden of responsibility of dealing with it, and I think the Chiefs should have dealt with it immediately,' she said. Sir Keir said the Conservative Party should 'take action now' against the MP. He said: 'I think it's very good that we've got an independent system and obviously that requires anonymity. 'This is an unusual case because the Tory Party knows who this individual is. 'I think that they should deal with it and deal with it sooner rather than later and take appropriate action. 'So, nothing wrong with the independent process, but I think the Tory Party, they know who this is, they should take action now.' Those reported to the body are given automatic anonymity, meaning the Tory MP's name will not be published while he is under investigation. Only witnesses are able to make complaints to the scheme. The body is said to be investigating at least 56 MPs - including three ministers and two shadow ministers - who have been accused of sexual misconduct. Two female MPs say they witnessed their colleague looking at adult images more than once. Advertisement Ukrainian military officials have pictured and revealed names of Russian soldiers dubbed the 'Despicable Ten' who they accuse of carrying out war crimes in Bucha. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence released the names and faces of the men, stating: 'Ten Russian butchers from the 64th brigade have been identified and named suspects responsible for committing the Bucha massacre. 'This unit [has] been awarded for its atrocities, and returned to the battlefield. Justice for war criminals is inevitable.' Horrific images of dozens of bodies in civilian clothes lying in the streets, some with their hands tied behind their backs, in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv, shocked the world when they emerged earlier this month. There were also reports of mass rapes. Amid global outrage over the killings, the leader of the 'Butchers of Bucha' Russian brigade was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to full Colonel last week. Corporal Andrei Bizyaev (left), 33, has reportedly served in the Red Army for over ten years. He is originally from Khabarovsk in eastern Russia. Right: Private Sergei Peskarev, 24, has evidence of his 64th Brigade membership on Facebook. He worked at a supermarket till until November last year, at which point he signed up in anticipation of a war in Ukraine. In February, he got his wish and is now accused of war crimes. Corporal Dmitry Sergienko (left), 27, lived in Voronezh, south-western Russia. He has a wife and a young daughter. Right: Private Grigory Naryshkin, 30, is another soldier personally accused of war crimes by the Prosecutor General. The athlete and martial artist is also from the far-eastern region of Russia. Sergeant Nikita Akimov (left), 25, from Komsomolsk in the far east, is accused of personally kidnapping and torturing innocent Buchans. He has a wife and children and has posted pictures throughout the invasion on Facebook. Right: Corporal Mikhail Kashin, 24, comes from Votkinsk, west Russia. According to his social media, he has a wife and several sisters. He spent his birthday allegedly committing war crimes in Bucha. Private Vasily Knyazev (left), 24, comes from a poverty-stricken family in Yoshkar-Ola, western Russia. He joined the army straight from school and posted photos on Facebook of where the 64th Motorized Brigade was stationed after invading Ukraine. Right: Private Albert Radnaev, 24, joined the army straight from school. His father is also reportedly a soldier in the Russian Army, though it's unknown whether he has gone to fight in Ukraine. Junior Sergeant Vyacheslav Lavrentyev (left), 29, was a firefighter in Transbaikal, eastern Russia before signing up to fight in Ukraine. He posted on Facebook: 'Live one life - save thousands.' Right: Corporal Semyon Maltsev, 26, is a dancer. He also comes from Russia's far-eastern region. In February, he stopped touring with his dance company and signed up to fight in Ukraine. Ukraine Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said today: 'We will not stop until we bring each of them to justice.' The Prosecutor General's office and news agency Slidstvo scoured the internet for the personal information of the ten men. Aged between 24 and 33, the corporals, sergeants and privates in the 64th Motorized Brigade are now thought to be fighting in the Donbas. More than 400 mutilated, tortured and murdered corpses were discovered in Bucha days after reports emerged of widespread war crimes in the Kyiv suburb as Russian troops withdrew. Last week alleged ringleader the 'Butcher of Bucha' Commander Azatbek Omurbekov was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to full Colonel. It came despite his men standing accused of gang rapes, tortures and civilian executions. Soon after receiving the honours, the unit was then redeployed to the eastern Donbas front, one of the most dangerous in the conflict. Deadly battles are taking place as Moscow's forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops who are proving a determined line of defence against Russia's push from the east. Analysts say Putin has deliberately sent them to the front lines in order to make them disappear. That way they could not never be forced to testify over their alleged war crimes. Ukraine has continued to publish the names of officers and privates responsible for the Bucha massacre. Putin is said to know they could one day be made to stand trial and reveal the scale of their atrocities. The intelligence directorate of Ukraine's MoD said at the start of the month that Russian commanders were refusing to rotate their brigades and that the 64th were in Belgorod in Western Russia ready for redeployment. Putin then sent them to the front between Kharkiv and Izyum, where fierce Ukrainian fighters were stationed looking to exact revenge on the now infamous brigade. Images now purport to show destroyed T-80 battle tanks, Kamaz trucks and BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers with corpses lying beside the vehicles after the Donbas drone attacks. Commander Azatbek Omurbekov (pictured), identified as Putin's senior commander in Bucha when the barbarism was carried out, was then promoted One of numerous piles of body bags in Bucha is labelled and the corpses buried, April 8 As Russian forces try to fix an surround Ukrainian units in the east of the country, defenders are still holding out inside the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol while blasts took down TV masts in Kherson overnight and explosions also rocked Transnistria, in Moldova Most of the soldiers in the unit protested against their redeployment so soon after their campaign in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian news site Hromadske. They were made to fight the 93rd Ukrainian brigade protecting Kharkiv, who have a fearsome reputation, similar to the neo-Nazi Azov regiment in Mariupol. Ukraine believes defeating the 64th Brigade would be another huge symbolic victory following the successful strikes inside Russia and the sinking of the Moskva flagship. It is believed the brigade was assisted by the feared Wagner mercenaries in their savage attacks on Bucha residents. The shadowy military company, which has been linked to a string of killings, rapes and war crimes around the world, is known as Putin's private army. It carries out his dirty work at an arm's length from the state. Russia has said that images and footage of hundreds of dead bodies strewn across Bucha were fake. Pro-Putin newspaper Red Star reported: 'In the course of capturing the designated boundary, the enemy numbering up to a battalion was defeated, and more than 40 pieces of equipment destroyed. 'The Nationalist unit lost all combat capability and was no longer involved in combat operations. 'Within three weeks, under the leadership of Colonel Omurbekov, brigade units at the occupied line repelled more than 50 attacks by the enemy using tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy artillery.' APRIL 3: Soldiers walk amid destroyed Russian tanks and cars in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv Vova, 10, looks at the body of his mother, Maryna, lying in a coffin as his father, Ivan Drahun, prays during her funeral in Bucha last week Ukrainian officials say the bodies of more than 1,000 civilians have been retrieved from areas around Kyiv, and they are working with French investigators to document alleged war crimes. Forensic tests carried out on civilian corpses dumped in mass graves show women were raped before being brutally killed, it was revealed on Monday. Dozens of autopsies have been carried out on mutilated corpses from Bucha, Irpin and Borodianka, with many showing signs of torture and multiple bullet holes in the back. One coroner north of Kyiv said it is difficult to find signs of rape and sexual abuse because the bodies 'are in such bad shape'. A United Nations mission to Bucha documented 'the unlawful killing, including by summary execution, of some 50 civilians there', the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said. In the same town, 25 women aged 14 to 25 were kept in a basement and systematically raped, with nine of the women becoming pregnant in a case now recorded by human rights commissioner Lyudmila Denisova. Daniel Auster, 44, was found dead on Tuesday from a suspected drug overdose Paul Auster's son Daniel died in the hospital on Tuesday six days after being found unconscious having overdosed on drugs on a Brooklyn subway station platform. NYPD officials on Thursday confirmed that he was found at 9.48am on the northbound G platform at the Clinton Street subway in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. He was taken to the hospital but died on Tuesday. It brings a sad end to a tragic saga that began when his ten-month-old daughter Ruby died in November. She had ingested fentanyl while her father took a nap in their Park Slope apartment. He found her blue and unresponsive after waking up. Daniel told police at the time that he'd just injected heroin when the pair lay down to sleep. His wife, Zuzan Smith, told police she trusted him with their daughter. Daniel Auster's daughter, Ruby (pictured above), was found lifeless in his Park Slope home on November 1 Author Paul Auster pictured today outside his Brooklyn home. He has not commented on his son's death Auster, 75, is believed to have been estranged from his 44-year-old son when he killed his daughter in November, and at the time of his death Paul Auster emerged from the home later to receive a grocery delivery. He was seen tipping the delivery person It's unclear what happened in the following six months but on April 16, Daniel was charged with his daughter's death. He was released on bond on April 17 by Brooklyn Judge John Hecht, who demanded a $100,000 cash bail or $250,000 bond. It's unclear who met those bond requirements. On April 20 - four days after his arrest - he overdosed in the subway station. Ruby's mother, Zuzan Smith, has not commented on his death, nor has the Brooklyn District Attorney whose office let him go free. A DA office spokesman on Thursday would only confirm that they had been informed of his death on Tuesday and that it brought an end to the case. It is unclear if he was living with Zuzan when he died, or if the pair were separated. Daniel Auster, 44, is pictured on April 16 when he was arrested for his daughter's death. He was somehow let out on bond, and killed himself with an accidental overdose six days later. It remains unclear where he was living when he died The subway platform where Daniel was found unconscious on April 20, four days after his arrest Daniel would regularly post photos of his wife Zuzan and daughter, Ruby, before her death last year. It's unclear if he and Zuzan stayed together after Ruby's death or if they parted ways. When he died, he was living in a different apartment to where he'd lived with Ruby and Zuzan 'On Wednesday, April 20,2022 at 0948hrs at Washington Avenue/Clinton Street subway station, police officers observed an unconscious 44-year-old male on the northbound G train platform, administered CPR along with FDNY and the individual was removed by EMS to Brooklyn Hospital in stable condition but was later pronounced deceased on Tuesday, April 26,2022,' an NYPD spokesman said on Thursday. The New York Post first reported Daniel's death. Daniel's father, Paul Auster, 75, has won numerous international awards for his books, which include titles such as The New York Trilogy,' 'The Book of Illusions,' and 'Moon Palace.' In 2017, he was nominated for the Booker Prize for his novel '4, 3, 2, 1', and his work has been translated into more than forty languages. In Auster's 1995 film about the lives of people who frequented a Brooklyn tobacco shop, Smoke - which starred Harvey Keitel and William Hurt - Daniel played the role of a book thief. His mother is author and translator Lydia Davis, 74. Auster's stepmother, Siri Hustevdt, leaves her home in Park Slope on Thursday. No one from the family has commented on his death Siri Hustvedt, wife of Novelist Paul Auster is seen leaving their Brooklyn home on Thursday Daniel Auster is pictured in a photo with his father Paul, in a shot from his teenage years Davis and Paul Auster divorced in 1978; in 1982, he remarried, tying the knot with author Siri Hustvedt, and the couple have one daughter together, musician Sophie Auster, 34. Daniel's father, Paul Auster, is among America's most famous authors A woman believed to be Siri was seen leaving the couple's Park Slope home on Thursday. No one from the family has commented on Ruby's death, Daniel's arrest or his death earlier this week. During his teenage years, Auster started going to clubs in New York City and became heavily involved with drugs, according to The New Yorker. At the age of 18, in 1996, Auster was present in the apartment when a drug dealer, Andre 'Angel' Melendez, was murdered by 'Club Kid Killer' Michael Alig, a former nightclub promoter, and his roommate, Robert Riggs. Auster was given $3,000 of Melendez's money in exchange for his silence. He later pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property and was given five years probation. Auster had a string of arrests including several drug possession charges in 2008 and 2010. In 2009 he was charged with petit larceny and possession of stolen property. The troubled son of New York author Paul Auster, Daniel, was charged in relation to his infant daughter's drug overdose death. On Tuesday he was found dead In 1996, 'Club Kid Killer' Michael Alig, who was a former nightclub promoter, murdered a drug dealer, Andre 'Angel' Melendez (pictured), in an apartment in which Auster was present. Auster was paid $3,000 to keep quiet, and was later given five years probation. Alig was found dead on Christmas Eve 2020 from an accidental heroin overdose, at the age of 54 Auster in April claimed his baby daughter died of a fentanyl overdose after he took heroin then went to take a nap with the child by his side while his wife worked, a court heard. The vivid account allegedly given to the NYPD by Auster was shared by Assistant District Attorney Tien Tran at his arraignment hearing on manslaughter charges. The infant's mother, Zuzan Smith, told police that their daughter, Ruby, was awake and alert when she left her in Auster's care and went to work. A criminal complaint obtained by DailyMail.com states that Auster told police that shortly after Smith left their home, he injected heroin and then got into bed for a nap with the child by his side. When he woke up from his nap, she was 'blue, lifeless and unresponsive', the complaint states. The prosecutor said that the girl had enough drugs in her system to 'render an adult unconscious.' It's still unclear how the girl ingested the drugs, but Auster confessed that he kept heroin in his bathroom. At the time his lawyer, James Godfrey, told The New York Times that he was recently sober and was in drug treatment. 'This case is painfully tragic, and Mr Auster remains devastated over the loss of his beloved daughter Ruby,' the lawyer told the paper. 'Substance use disorder is an issue that countless families reel from each year, and we caution the public to refrain from making any rush to judgment.' In many of the photos, Auster can be seen posing with his little girl, or cuddling her Auster's Instagram page was full of pictures of his daughter and her mother The trio dressed up for Halloween in a scene from the Wizard of Oz with Daniel as the Tin Man and his wife as Dorothy An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner a few days later found Ruby died of acute intoxication caused by the combined effects of fentanyl and heroin. Auster, who worked as a landscaper, posted photos of his child and Smith on his Instagram page before jetting off to Mexico and Columbia in January. On his travels, he seemed to be backpacking like a college student, and taking in several raves. Auster and his father appeared to be estranged, but Auster wrote Daniel into his work. Auster, pictured here being led to court for his arraignment, gave the 10-month-old girl Narcan to revive her after he awoke to find her 'blue, lifeless and unresponsive' Auster, 44, refuses to face the cameras after he was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child after his infant daughter ingested his heroin while he napped In his 2004 novel, Oracle Night, the book is narrated by a writer called Trause whose son is a drug addict who terrorizes his stepmother. During a 2006 Guardian interview, Paul Auster's second wife Siri Hustvedt who is also a writer, declined to speak about her stepson. 'Yes. You know, I'm not going to talk about any of that, no. No,' she said, her eyes reportedly beginning to water. 'You know, I am married to a writer, and this - writing - is an odd enterprise. 'It's something we both support very strongly. 'I've always been behind Paul, and he's always been behind me. 'I have a very strong family.' President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration would comply with the courts on Title 42, the public health order being used to turn away migrants at the border. The administration had planned to end the use of the Trump-era order on May 23 but a federal judge in Louisiana has temporarily blocked that move until a further hearing on the matter. Biden said he will leave the fate of the public health policy in the judiciary's hands. 'We had proposed to eliminate that policy by the end of May. The court has said we can't so far and what the court says we're going to do. The court could come along and say we cannot do that and that's it,' Biden told reporters at the White House when asked about the situation. The court order blocks the administration from beginning to wind-down Title 42 ahead of its planned May 23 conclusion, but doesn't stop the policy being axed on that date. President Joe Biden said he would comply with the courts on Title 42 Asylum-seekers gather at the Plaza Las Americas migrant tent camp in Reynosa, Mexico - experts expect a surge in border crossings if Title 42 is lifted Migrants of different nationalities walk in a caravan, through the main avenues of Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico US District Judge Robert Summerhays has scheduled a critical hearing on May 13 in Lafayette to hear arguments on whether to block Title 42 from ending as planned 10 days later. Twenty-one states have sued to stop the order from being lifted, citing concerns about the impact on their states due to the surge in migrants expected to enter the U.S. after it's lifted. Several Democrats, particularly those in border states, have questioned what the administration's plan is to deal with the expected influx. On the other side of the political spectrum, progressive Democrats have pushed Biden to end the policy, calling it inhumane. The issue is rapidly becoming a political hot potato ahead of the November midterm election, which will decide control of Congress. Migrants have been expelled more than 1.7 million times under the policy. Some predictions have suggested that about 12,000 to 13,000 migrants a day could cross the southern border once the policy is no longer in place. The Biden administration has been preparing for up to 18,000 daily border crossings - a massive increase over the current rate of about 8,000 a day. A migrant waits on the Mexican side of the border after United States Customs and Border Protection officers detained a couple of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border on the beach, in Tijuana, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas insisted during two separate budget hearings on Wednesday that the southern border crisis is being 'effectively managed' Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas insisted to Congress this week that the situation at the southern border is being 'effectively managed' by the administration. 'We inherited a broken and dismantled system that is already under strain,' Mayorkas said in opening remarks at both hearings on Wednesday. 'It was not built to manage the current levels of migration flow.' 'Only Congress can fix it,' he insisted. He also also solely blamed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for repealing Title 42, claiming that the CDC has 'exclusive jurisdiction' of the public health measure. But, he noted, the administration has a plan in place. 'Under this administration, our department has been executing a comprehensive strategy to secure our borders and rebuild our immigration system,' Mayorkas said in his opening remarks. 'With the Title 42 public health order set to be lifted, we expect migration levels to increase as smugglers seek to take advantage of and profit from vulnerable migrants.' Republicans repeatedly hammered Mayorkas on border strategy when he testified on Capitol Hill. But border-state Democrats up for reelection in the November midterms have voiced frustration about the White House's handling of the issue, accusing it of failing to come up with a Plan B for controlling the border. The Senate was deadlocked Wednesday over a push to pass legislation that would keep Title 42 from ending. Republicans are likely to demand a vote reinstate the measure as part of any action to approve the next tranche of covid-19 relief -- and both of those initiatives could end up entangled in legislation to greenlight further aid to Ukraine, which is battling a two-month invasion by Russia. Biden announced on Thursday that he was tying his request in $33 billion in aid to the Ukraine to his request for $22.5 billion to fight covid. The administration is trying to ease fears with releasing limited details of their border strategy. According to a Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by CNN, US Customs and Border Protection deployed 600 officers and agents to the US-Mexico border and is expanding its capacity to hold around 18,000 migrants in custody, up from 13,000. The administration, which began offering Covid-19 vaccines to migrants earlier this year, is expanding sites to 24 locations to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus by May 23. Twitter's top lawyer Vijaya Gadde is in the spotlight after Elon Musk criticized her in a string of scathing tweets, leading a former company executive to accuse the billionaire of 'bullying' and spearheading a harassment campaign. Gadde, 47, has been a low-key Silicon Valley power player for years, and at Twitter played a key role in the contentious decisions to ban Donald Trump and suppress news articles about Hunter Biden's laptop. After moving to the US from India with her family as a toddler, Gadde and her family faced racism as she grew up in Beaumont, Texas, where she has said her father had to seek approval from the Ku Klux Klan to sell insurance door-to-door. Now the mother of a young child, Gadde has built a remarkable career, spending a decade at elite Silicon Valley law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and working in the legal department at Juniper Networks before joining Twitter in 2011. Federal records show that she has also donated regularly to Democratic candidates, contributing more than $18,000 over the past two decades, and most recently supporting Kamala Harris with a $2,700 check in 2019. Twitter 's top lawyer Vijaya Gadde is in the spotlight after Elon Musk criticized her in a string of scathing tweets, leading a former company executive to accuse the billionaire of 'bullying' and spearheading a harassment campaign Gadde, 47, has been a low-key Silicon Valley power player for years, and at Twitter played a key role in the contentious decisions to ban Donald Trump and suppress news articles about Hunter Biden 's laptop A Twitter spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Thursday afternoon seeking comment from Gadde or the company. As Twitter's chief legal officer and general counsel, Gadde exercises enormous power at the company, where she has long essentially had final say over who is allowed on the platform, and what they can tweet. In an interview with Bloomberg, Gadde once said that Twitter's former CEO Jack Dorsey left the creation and enforcement of content policies up to her. 'He rarely weighs in on an individual enforcement decision,' Gadde told the outlet. 'I can't even think of a time. I usually go to him and say, 'this is what's going to happen.'' Although she maintains a low profile, that power has put Gadde at the center of some of Twitter's most controversial moderation decisions, including the decision to permanently ban Trump after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in January 2021. She also signed off on Twitter's move to block the sharing of links to a New York Post article based on files from Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop soon before the 2020 election. As Twitter's chief legal officer and general counsel, Gadde exercises enormous power at the company Gadde signed off on Twitter's move to block the sharing of links to a New York Post article based on files from Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop Gadde drew backlash after banning the Post's reporting under Twitter's 'hacked materials policy' The Post's Twitter account was also suspended for roughly two weeks. Later reporting, including from DailyMail.com, confirmed the laptop's authenticity. Gadde hit the headlines again this week after she reportedly broke down in tears while briefing her 350 employees on Musk's successful $44 billion bid to acquire Twitter. When political podcast host Saagar Enjeti tweeted that Gadde was instrumental in the decision to temporarily suspend the New York Post's account, Musk replied: 'Suspending the Twitter account of a major news organization for publishing a truthful story was obviously incredibly inappropriate.' On Wednesday he doubled down on the criticism of Gadde, sharing a meme with his 86 million followers showing Gadde and suggesting the company's decisions are affected by a 'left wing bias.' But Musk's tweets drew furious backlash from Dick Costolo, who was the CEO of Twitter between 2010 and 2015. Costolo replied to Musk: 'What's going on? You're making an executive at the company you just bought the target of harassment and threats.' In a subsequent tweet, the former Twitter boss wrote: 'Bullying is not leadership.' Musk hit back: 'What are talking about? I'm just saying Twitter needs to be politically neutral.' He appeared to elaborate more on this point by tweeting: 'For Twitter to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral, which effectively means upsetting the far right and the far left equally'. Current Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal also appeared to respond obliquely to the controversy, tweeting he was proud of 'our people' who managed to stay focused despite the 'noise'. Dick Costolo, who was the CEO of Twitter between 2010 and 2015, accused Musk of bullying Gadde with his critical tweets 'I took this job to change Twitter for the better, course correct where we need to, and strengthen the service,' he said. 'Proud of our people who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise.' Though she is now in the spotlight, Gadde has long appeared keen to maintain a low profile. She was described in a 2020 Politico profile as 'the most important Silicon Valley executive you've never heard of.' Managing a team of 350, in 2021 she earned $17 million: a base salary of $600,000, plus a bonus of $450,000 and almost $400,000 in personal security. The rest was from shares. Born in India and moving to Beaumont, Texas, when she was two years old, she recalls her engineer father having to go to the KKK to ask permission to sell insurance door-to-door. She later said that the unjust situation was what inspired her to become a lawyer. The family later moved to New Jersey, and Gadde graduated with a law degree from New York University in 2000. 'I felt very strongly that I needed to be in a position where I understood my rights, or my community's rights,' she told Politico. 'I didn't ever want to be taken advantage of.' Arianna Huffington (L) and General Counsel at Twitter Vijaya Gadde are seen in 2015 Though Gadde was previously married to fellow attorney Ramsey Homsany, the couple filed for divorce in 2014 in what appears to be an amicable split Though Gadde was previously married to fellow attorney Ramsey Homsany, the couple filed for divorce in 2014 in what appears to be an amicable split without any children, court records show. It's unclear whether she later remarried, but Gadde does have a young child who was born around 2017. Gadde joined Silicon Valley law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she worked for a decade before becoming Senior Director in the legal department of Juniper Networks in Silicon Valley. She joined Twitter in 2011, and became co-founder and then-CEO Jack Dorsey's right-hand woman, sitting next to him and accompanying him on his meetings in Congress and at the White House. In October 2019 she was the architect of the idea to stop political advertising on the platform, and shortly before the election she played a key role in the decision to suspend The New York Post's account when it reported on Hunter Biden's laptop. Twitter claimed it violated the company policy against promoting hacked material; critics were angered by the heavy-handedness, and Twitter later apologized. In January 2021, it was Gadde who rang Dorsey - on vacation in Hawaii - to inform him they were banning Donald Trump, for violating policies against inciting violence. Gadde is also a co-founder of #Angels, an investment collective that backs start-ups and helps ensure that women receive equal compensation at successful companies. She is also on the board of medical charity Mercy Corps. Elon Musk called on Thursday the creation of Joe Biden's new 'disinformation' board 'discomforting' as the president tapped a Russia misinformation 'expert' to lead the initiative. The billionaire, who just acquired Twitter this week, was responding to a tweet from conservative political commentator, comedian and media personality Steven Crowder. 'The government is creating a misinformation governance board,' Crowder tweeted on Thursday. 'Who else did something like that?' he continued. 'Oh I remember, the Nazi's. And there's some data showing some interesting things going on post- @elonmusk's Twitter takeover!' Nina Jankowicz was brought on to lead the Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board to combat disinformation related to national security and she expressed concerns last week that Musk expanding free speech on social media would be bad for 'marginalized communities'. On Wednesday, Jankowicz defended her previous remarks casting doubt on the validity of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. Elon Musk (pictured on March 9, 2020) called President Joe Biden's creation of DHS's Disinformation Governance Board 'discomforting'. The billionaire bought Twitter this week and says he plans to make it a more free speech orientated platform Musk was responding to conservative media personality Steven Crowder's tweet comparing the board to the Nazi's misinformation initiatives and pointed to the board's announcement after Musk acquired Twitter Republican Senator Josh Hawley is demanding that the White House 'dissolve' the new Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board she is heading, claiming that it would only 'monitor Amerians' free speech'. A tweet Jankowicz sent in October 2020 has resurfaced and is making the rounds in conservative circles. 'Back on the 'laptop from hell,' apparently- Biden notes 50 former natsec officials and 5 former CIA heads that believe the laptop is a Russian influence op,' she tweeted at the time. She added: 'Trump says 'Russia, Russia, Russia.' She now claims that the tweet was part of her 'live tweeting' a debate between Trump and Biden just one month before the presidential general election as Republicans are using the post to pounce on her political leanings. 'For those who believe this tweet is a key to all my views, it is simply a direct quote from both candidates during the final presidential debate,' Jankowicz defended in a repost of the original tweet. 'If you look at my timeline, you will see I was livetweeting that evening,' she added in the Wednesday night tweet. Jankowicz confirmed reports on Wednesday that she is being brought on as executive director of the new board at DHS. Republicans immediately blasted the move, claiming she has shown too much bias to head the group specifically in casting doubt on Hunter's laptop scandal. In October 2020, Jankowicz called the laptop stories a 'Trump campaign product.' Republicans immediately pounced after Jankowicz, a Russian disinformation expert, confirmed Wednesday that she will head up the new Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board Trump-ally and GOP Senator Josh Hawley is demanding that the 'monstrosity' of a board be 'dissolved' before it even gets started He said that he thought the board was 'satire' because there was no way an 'American Administration would ever use the power of Government to sit in judgement on the First Amendment speech of its own citizens' He questioned the timing of the announcement of the board coming just after billionaire Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter Senator Hawley insisted on Thursday that the board should be dissolved before it even gets started. 'I write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security's decision to create a new Disinformation Governance Board,' he penned in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. 'I confess I at first thought this announcement was satire,' he continued. 'Surely no American Administration would ever use the power of Government to sit in judgment on the First Amendment speech of its own citizens.' 'Sadly, I was mistaken.' He then demanded that DHS provide more information on this new board, including how it will function and be monitored. Hawley also questioned why the announcement was made just following billionaire Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter, which he vowed to make a more free speech platform with all ideas. Jankowicz was critical of Musk buying Twitter, claiming that more free speech on the social media platform was a negative thing. Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson sent a statement against the formation of the board. 'The Biden Administration has not proven itself to be a credible arbiter of 'disinformation.' Instead, it has taken steps to silence information that is unflattering to this Administration under the guise of 'disinformation,' Johnson wrote. 'For example, unnamed intelligence officials, the media, and social media platforms engaged in a coordinated effort to censor stories about Hunter Biden's laptop and his questionable financial dealings under the false label of 'disinformation.' 'I am concerned DHS's Disinformation Board will only serve to silence or censor those voices critical of your disastrous policies and serve a political cover for your failure to secure the border,' the senator concluded. Mayorkas did not disclose any powers that would be granted to the dystopian-sounding board while addressing lawmakers on Wednesday. He explained that the board would work to tackle disinformation ahead of the November midterms, particularly in Hispanic communities. He also said that the board would come under the Biden-era Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3), meaning it would have no powers to crack down on disinformation and will instead try to combat it by throwing money at what it sees as problems. The CP3 program provides communities with resources and tools to help prevent individuals from radicalizing to violence. Last year, CP3 awarded about $20 million in grants through its Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program. It is unclear how much cash will be spent on the Disinformation Board. Mayorkas noted that the focus of the new board would be to stop the spread of misinformation in minority communities, including election misinformation ahead of the 2022 midterms. He added that it would focus on the latest trend of misinformation allegedly targeting Spanish-speaking voters. No further details on the exact misinformation being deployed against these communities was shared. Jankowicz, who revealed she was the head of the department following Mayorkas' meeting with lawmakers, tweeted: 'Cat's out of the bag: here's what I've been up to the past two months, and why I've been a bit quiet on here. Senator Hawley also pointed on Wednesday to Jankowicz telling NPR last week that she 'shudders to think about' more free speech on social media platforms after Musk made a bid for Twitter Jankowicz is eight months pregnant with her first child, and is an extremely prolific tweeter Woke Nina Jankowicz is now head of Biden's dystopian 'disinformation board' Nina Jankowicz had already made a name for herself before being appointed head of Biden's Russian disinformation unit. Jankowicz, 33, is a successful author who is currently eight months pregnant with her first child. She grew up in New Jersey and is dating Michael Stein. The couple are happily shacked up in a $1 million, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom property they own in Arlington, Virginia. Jankowicz, attended Bryn Mawr College and Georgetown University, before embarking on a glittering career in foreign relations. She managed programs to Russia and Belarus at the National Democratic Institute. Jankowicz also advised the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on disinformation and strategic communications She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Eurasia Foundation and is a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center But the author is best known as a prominent woke voice online. The Biden appointee's latest book, How To Be A Woman Online has just been released, and deals with the topics of internet bullying and trolling. She has complained about hordes of men tracking down her private Facebook and Instagram accounts after she appears on TV to try to follow her and find out more about her life. Jankowicz says she prefers strangers to follow her Twitter account, and speculates that many of those who criticize her online are jealous of her 'verified' blue check mark and media career. She has identified five different types of trolls who target her most, including 'reply guy' types who insist on trying to meddle in all aspects of her life, including in how brown she toasts her bread. Despite claiming to be a free speech campaigner online, Jankowicz has spoken out against the First Amendment. Aligning herself with many online progressives who've begun to call for an end to unqualified free speech, Jankowicz recently tweeted: 'I shudder to think about if free speech absolutists were taking over more platforms, what that would look like for the marginalized communitieswhich are already shoulderingdisproportionate amounts of this abuse.' She also said the prospect of Elon Musk taking over Twitter made her 'shudder.' But Jankowicz - who has a pet dog and a cat - has not joined thousands of other liberals who've vowed to quit the platform as a result of Musk's purchase. Advertisement 'Honored to be serving in the Biden Administration @DHSgov and helping shape our counter-disinformation efforts.' She added that 'a HUGE focus of our work, and indeed, one of the key reasons the Board was established, is to maintain the Dept's committment (sic) to protecting free speech, privacy, civil rights, & civil liberties.' The Russia disinformation expert previously called the laptop of President Joe Biden's son Hunter a 'Trump campaign product'. This is causing questions over Jankowicz's ability to accurately judge disinformation now that several sources have come out confirming the validity of Hunter's laptop. Jankowicz also suggested last week that she opposes the The First Amendment because she thinks it is bad for 'marginalized communities' and called Elon Musk a 'free speech absolutist' because he wants to make Twitter more open to all voices. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Jankowicz is a fellow at the Wilson Center where she studies the 'intersection of democracy and technology in Central and Eastern Europe'. She is also the author of How To Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict. When stories about Hunter Biden's laptop started emerging, several outlets, social media sites and left-leaning disinformation experts claimed that it was just misinformation coming from Trump and others on the right. In an October 2020 report, Jankowicz shared her skepticism of the contents of the laptop and the claims it belonged to Hunter. 'We should view it as a Trump campaign product,' she told the New York Daily News at the time. Twitter repeatedly took down the Hunter Biden laptop story and prevented it from being spread on the platform. Billionaire Elon Musk, who just purchased Twitter, said that his aim is to make the social media platform a more open 'digital town square.' 'Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,' Musk wrote in a statement upon the purchase approval. Jankowicz spoke with NPR last week and questioned Musk's purchase of the platform and 'I shudder to think about if free speech absolutists were taking over more platforms, what that would look like for the marginalized communities,' she said. She said these groups are 'already shoulderingdisproportionate amounts of this abuse' and said free speech and lack of censoring on social media would make it worse. Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley tweeted an image of her remarks to NPR with the caption: 'The Biden Administration's new anti-speech czar is apparently no fan of the @elonmusk Twitter acquisition.' 'This is the person Joe Biden just put in charge of policing Americans' speech. Using the power of the government.' Jankowicz has advised the Ukrainian government on strategist communications she also managed democracy assistance programs to Russia and Belarus. She received her masters in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, and her bachelors degree from Bryn Mawr College. A nine-day-old baby's death was the result of a firm not carrying a risk assessment after supplying contaminated feed for premature babies, a court has heard. Yousef Al-Kharboush died on June 1 2014 after developing sepsis, having been administered with ITH Pharma's total parenteral nutrition (TPN) at St Thomas' Hospital in central London. Southwark Crown Court heard on Thursday he was one of 19 infants at nine hospitals in England who fell ill after being infected with Bacillus Cereus bacteraemia from a contaminated batch of the fluid. The TPN was administered directly into their bloodstream because they were unable to feed on their own between May 27 and June 2, 2014. Yousef and his twin brother, Abdulilah, were born by emergency Caesarean section at St Thomas' Hospital in central London at 32 weeks gestation in May 2014. While in intensive care they were both fed intravenously, but while Abdulilah was not affected, Yousef died. Tameria Aldrich and Oscar Barker also became ill after being given contaminated TPN, although this is not alleged to have caused their deaths. The parents of the children have previously noted their disappointment at the handling of the case in January with one family member saying the CPS have been 'absolutely disgraceful'. Yousef Al-Kharboush (pictured) died on June 1 2014 after developing sepsis, having been administered with ITH Pharma's total parenteral nutrition (TPN) at St Thomas' Hospital in central London. Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC said: 'The prosecution case is very firmly that Yousef's death was the result of the way this company was carrying out the manufacturing activity and in particular the lack of a risk assessment.' He said that despite the fact the manufacturing process carried an obvious risk the company did not have a 'suitable and sufficient risk assessment' as required by law. ITH Pharma is facing a fine on Friday when Judge Deborah Taylor will sentence the firm, which has previously entered guilty pleas to three offences. They include failing to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment between August 1, 2009 and June 1, 2014 over the supply of TPN to patients, under the 1999 Health and Safety at Work Regulations, and two charges of supplying a medicinal product which was not of the nature or quality specified in the prescription, under the Medicines Act on May 27, 2014. Mr Heywood said: 'The defendant company, which was then, and still is, involved in the manufacture and supply of medical nutritional products to hospitals, including for administration to infants who were unwell, supplied one large batch of such products, which was contaminated with a pathogen, a bacterium which was dangerous to health and life particularly if allowed to enter the bloodstream.' One of the Medicines Act charges relates to Yousef, while the second covers the 18 other babies who fell ill, as well as four more who were prescribed TPN but never given it. 'Some became ill, some very ill, and the prosecution case is that among that number, one of the babies who died, died, says the prosecution, as a result of the infection that followed the administration,' the prosecutor said. The issue was linked to ITH and a recall was issued for 81 batches, the prosecutor also said. Adrian Darbishire, QC, defending, disputed on behalf of ITH Pharma that the drip feed is proved to have caused Yousefs death. The reality is...it is not possible to determine a cause of death to the criminal standard, Mr Darbishire said. He went on to say that although the company has pleaded guilty to failing to make a suitable risk assessment, that does not mean a proper risk assessment would have entirely prevented the whole issue. It is very, very difficult to rid oneself of hindsight, ' he said. It is because you cannot unknow what we now know that makes it so difficult to judge what the risk assessment would have contained.' Tameria Aldrich (left) and Oscar Barker (right) also became ill after being given contaminated TPN, although this is not alleged to have caused their deaths. Tameria died nine days after Yousef on June 10 after being transferred to St Thomas' from Broomfield hospital in Chelmsford, while her twin sister Tia survived. Oscar died at Rosie Maternity Hospital in Cambridge. Adrian Darbishire QC, defending, said that 'there is no dispute... that a possible consequence of infected TPN is death,' but added: 'It is not possible to determine a cause of death to the criminal standard.' Vicki Golden, the mother of Tameria Aldrich, who died nine days after Yousef on June 10 after being transferred to St Thomas' from Broomfield hospital in Chelmsford, and whose twin sister Tia survived, left the court in tears in January. Ms Golden's godmother Joanne Bartlett, who is known as Dolly, had already stormed out of court as Mr Darbishire said: 'These offences occurred eight years ago and the company has been and continues to be a trusted supplier of TPN for the NHS.' Police launched an investigation in 2014 after two babies died at St Thomas' Hospital, pictured Speaking to reporters, she branded the case 'absolutely disgraceful', adding: 'I'm disgusted with ITH Pharma and the CPS. 'They ought to be ashamed of themselves. They threw the police under the bus.' Yousef's parents, who now live in Saudi Arabia, issued a statement via his father Raaid Sakkijha, earlier 'We had to change every aspect of our life in London that would remind us of Yousef's loss - our previous apartment, the area that we used to live in, the places that we used to go to when we were pregnant with the twins. 'Even today, Yousef's mother Ghada has a panic and crying attack whenever she sees a mother with a twin stroller as she feels the loss of her son over and over again. 'We really hope that justice would finally prevail after seven years of endless suffering to our family.' Arti Shah, a medical negligence solicitor at Fieldfisher, the firm representing the families of Yousef, Tameria and Oscar Barker, who died at Rosie Maternity Hospital in Cambridge, said: We believe justice will prevail in the civil court and we will continue to pursue ITH Pharma on behalf of the families who suffered the most terrible loss. We are confident the company will be found negligent in civil proceedings for providing contaminated feed. We will also be working closely with the coroner to provide much needed clarity on what happened to cause death and injury to so many babies. ITH Pharma CEO Karen Hamling and her husband Adam Bloom made a statement following the children's deaths at their Park Royal production plant in west London Director and founder of ITH Pharma Karen Hamling said in a statement: I am genuinely sorry that a product we have manufactured may have caused or risked causing anyone harm. Ms Hamlings statement explained that ITH Pharma was started in 2008 and grew exponentially to a turnover in 2020 that was 66m. The success of the company has been built on a reputation for the highest quality products and service,' she said. The company has accepted that it fell short of its obligation. She added: In our industry the delicate nature of what we undertake is underestimated by everyone who looks in from the outside. The risk of this type of manufacturing has not escaped those who used to do what we do now. This risk. was always at the forefront of mine and my staffs minds. Many of our competitors have left as a result of the scrutiny we have faced. Ms Hamling finished by saying that though her company has not always got it right, she is proud of its successes. Judge Deborah Taylor will sentence tomorrow morning. Korea will diversify its import channels of soft coal and increase the production of cement to ease concerns over a supply shortage of the key construction material amid the ongoing crisis surrounding Ukraine, the country's top economic policymaker said Thursday. Global supply chains of bituminous coal, or soft coal, used to make cement, have been unstable due to the war in Ukraine, while domestic demand from builders has recently been on the rise. During an emergency economic response meeting, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said the government will continue to seek an increase in bituminous coal imports from Australia to reduce its dependence on Russia. The government also vowed to speed up the related customs clearance process, while enhancing the monitoring of the supply situation of cement and other major construction materials. Russian coal accounted for around 62 percent of South Korea's total coal imports in the first quarter and that from Australia took up 38 percent. A year earlier, Russian coal accounted for 75 percent of Seoul's total imports, according to government data. The price of Russian soft coal jumped to US$294.6 per ton in March from $158.9 in January. "The government will encourage local companies to expand the production of major construction materials, including cement and rebar. We will also sternly deal with any illegal hoarding and price fixing," Hong said. Earlier this month, major domestic cement companies vowed to increase their production by 35.7 percent quarter-on-quarter for the next three months to a combined 3.88 million tons. In a longer-term plan, the companies plan to reduce their dependence on soft coal to produce cement by using more eco-friendly materials, according to the industry ministry. The government vowed to earmark 930.6 billion won ($732.46 million) by 2030 starting next year to support such moves. (Yonhap) The three alleged killers charged with murdering the son of a Tory activist in a case of mistaken identity appeared at the Old Bailey today. Aspiring lawyer Sven Badzak, 22, was set upon by up to six youths as he was walking along Willesden Lane, Kilburn, north west London, with his 16-year-old friend. Mr Badzak and the teenager were getting orange juice before going to a bagel shop before they were chased at around 5.30pm on 6 February 2021 and got separated in the pursuit. The attackers caught up with Mr Badzak and he was knifed repeatedly. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. The three alleged killers charged with murdering Sven Badzak, 22, the son of a Tory activist, pictured, appeared at the Old Bailey today ahead of their trial on 18 July His 17-year-old friend, who cannot be named, also suffered multiple stab injuries but managed to escape into a shop in Willesden Lane. Rashid Gedel and Shiroh Ambersley, both 21, and a 17-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday via video-link from HMP Belmarsh, charged with murdering Mr Badzak. They sat next to eachother in a prison conference room all wearing face masks as the Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft, confirmed they will stand trial on 18 July. Mr Badzak his friend were getting orange juice before going to a bagel shop before they were chased at around 5.30pm on 6 February 2021 and got separated in the pursuit Gedel, Ambersley and the 17-year-old denied murdering Mr Badzak and attempting to murder his friend at an earlier hearing. Anthony Orchard, QC, prosecuting, earlier, said it was clear Mr Badzak was a victim of mistaken identity. Sven Badzak was pronounced life extinct at 6.28pm that evening,' he said. 'Neither victim was a gang member or associate. They were victims of mistaken identity. Svens mother, former Conservative Party activist Jasna Badzak, said her son had gone to a shop to get orange juice and then to the bagel shop when he was attacked (Sven pictured with Boris Johnson) Svens mother, former Conservative Party activist Jasna Badzak, said her son had gone to a shop to get orange juice and then to the bagel shop when he was attacked. Sven was privately educated in London at Wetherby and Portland Place schools before attending Roehampton University. Gedel, Ambersley and the 17-year-old were all remanded in custody ahead of the trial. Mathewson, who served on the commission with three of five current aldermen, then sent out an email blast about the proposal and wrote of it on his website The proposal gained national attention this week, after Kevin Mathewson, an ex-Kenosha alderman, got a tip early Monday about the then-unreported request The memorial to Huber would be situated in Kenosha's Anderson Park and be paid by citizen tax dollars. Monday's hearing was to decide if it'd be approved The Monday meeting, saw the city's Kenosha Parks Commission delay a decision that would have placed a memorial in a city park to honor Anthony Huber Kenosha's city council fell into chaos this week during discussions over a proposed taxpayer-funded memorial for one of the men killed by Kyle Rittenhouse, after an attendee questioned the commission's move to table the proposal instead of voting it down. The Monday meeting, which was captured on video, saw the city's five-person Parks Commission delay a decision that would have placed a memorial and plaque in a city park to honor Anthony Huber, an ex-convict skateboarder shot dead by Rittenhouse during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020. Video shows Huber, 26, chasing after a then-17-year-old Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020, swinging his skateboard at the teen before being fatally shot in the chest. Rittenhouse was acquitted of the murder last year. He was also cleared for shooting dead one other person and wounding another. Huber's girlfriend, Hannah Gittings, requested the memorial be put up earlier this month, public documents filed by the commission show, on a tree in Anderson Park. The proposal garnered national attention earlier this week, after Kevin Mathewson, a former Kenosha alderman who now works as an investigative journalist, received a tip early Monday morning about the then-unreported request. Mathewson, who served on the commission with three of the five current aldermen - including chair Eric Haugaard - then sent out an email blast about the proposal's existence, and wrote about it on his website, Kenosha County Eye. The proposal soon became the subject of scrutiny by both the press and outraged citizens of Kenosha - who showed up in droves to the commission meeting to voice their opposition to the planned tribute. Mathewson, who also attended the meeting and recorded the proceedings to post to YouTube, told DailyMail.com Thursday that he believes the council members planned to quietly the proposal Monday, and would have if its existence had remained under the radar. Scroll down for video: The Monday meeting, which was captured on video, saw the city's five-person Kenosha Parks Commission delay a decision that would have placed a memorial and plaque in a city park to honor one of two men killed by acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020 The memorial would honor Anthony Huber, an ex-convict who charged at Rittenhouse while swinging a skateboard during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020 'There's not a doubt in my mind it would have passed,' Matthewson told DailyMail.com in an interview, noting the meetings usually don't garner such attendance. 'They didn't expect a bunch of people to be there.' Mathewson's footage of the meeting, which was streamed live and has since garnered more than 35,000 views, shows a slew of citizens voicing their concerns regarding the memorial, spurring the city officials to vote 3-2 to table the proposal. At that point, roughly 21 minutes into the clip, Mathewson - who told DailyMail.com that the board met privately to discuss the vote shortly before the meeting, which is against Wisconsin law - asks to speak, sparking an exchange that saw the former Kenosha alderman accuse the board of violating the state's open meetings laws. 'Thanks for allowing me to speak again,' an off-screen Mathewson can be heard saying in the footage, before leveling his suspicions at the commission. 'I just wanted to point out to those of us watching on Youtube [at] home - three members of this board of five say we're gonna table it. You know what that means right? A quorum of this board met behind closed doors today-' Before Mathewson can finish his thought, the clips shows Alderman Haugaard, said he was in favor of tabling the proposal due to an ongoing lawsuit between the city and Huber's family, frantically bang his gavel in an apparent effort to get Mathewson to stop talking. After a brief pause, Mathewson asks Haugaard, a former colleague, 'Am I lying? 'You are,' Haugaard responds, accusing Mathewson of 'misconstruing' the situation and its subsequent illegality, asserting that council member spoke 'one-on-one,' which is not against the law. Huber was fatally wounded after chased Kyle Rittenhouse on the night of August 25, 2020. Prior to killing Huber, Rittenhouse had already shot 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum dead 'I know you don't like it-' Mathewson begins to say in the clip, spurring Haugaard to interrupt and start shouting at the ex-alderman. 'There are open records lost sir, and what you said is false. If you have one-on-one conversations-' 'Did you talk about it or not?' Mathewson then says. 'With others on this board - yes or no?' Haugaard begins to respond: 'We talked about-' Before the city official can finish, Mathewson snipes, 'Of course you did.' This again seemingly sets of Haugaard, who again begins shouting: 'You can talk one-on-one. You cannot ever stand here-' 'Are you gonna let me to speak?' Mathewson then asks, before Haugaard allows him to proceed. Mathewson continues: 'So, the chairman and other members of this body -three of them, which is the majority - violated the law-' Before he can get his sentence in, Haugaard again begins to bang the gavel repeatedly, with deafening intensity. 'And this guy's going nuts,' a trailed off Mathewson remarks in the clip, following Haugaard's outburst. 'Because because you're misconstruing the law,' Haugaard stammers in the footage. Mathewson goes on to address the alderman by name, accusing Haugaard and other board members of tabling the proposal solely due to the attention it was then receiving, and urging the board to vote to reject Gittings' request. 'I understand that you're taking the coward's way out and you don't like that i'm calling you out, Eric,' Mathewson says, 'but these people you just heard, we want you to say no today. 'You want to hold it out here for a day that we're all worried about some other war, then you're going to quietly pass it - we know how you guys work. We know how the government works. 'You broke the law when you had a meeting behind closed doors with-' At this point in the footage, Mathewson is again interrupted, by another alderman who loudly called for a brief recess. 'And now you don't want to hear it,' Matthewson remarks in the footage. 'I just want people to be aware that three of you said we're tabling it. 'All five of you are gonna unanimously agree - which means you all five talked about this. You can't do that! That's a walking quorum. That's a quorum,' referring to the alleged gathering the members had prior to the official open meeting. 'You guys broke the law,' Mathewson continues. 'I know you don't want to hear it; and if you want to slam the gavel like a lunatic, doesn't change what you did is wrong. Huber's girlfriend Lindsay Gettings, left, brought forward the proposal for the public memorial, which, if passed, would be paid by citizens' tax dollars 'And if you want to be a coward and kick it down the line, that's your prerogative. 'It's not going to affect the lawsuit. They said that the police department is responsible for what Kyle did, and the jury said Kyle didn't do anything wrong,' Matthewson proceeds to point out. 'Just do the right thing, and for once stop playing political games.' Another speaker, Kenosha resident Kathy Woods echoed Mathewson's sentiments, saying, 'Of all the bone head things you guys could consider. Don't consider this.' Woods added, 'This is an insult to the people who have memorials. Who have done good things.' The initial decision regarding the proposal was upheld, and left to be discussed later date - a timetable that could span years, Matthewson told DailyMail.com. If the commission votes to move forward with the proposal, the responsibility for the upkeep would fall on Gittings. The shooting occurred amid nights of violent protests in the city following the non-fatal shooting by police of black domestic abuser Jacob Blake. During arguments on the issue, Huber's past criminality, including a domestic abuse charge, was brought up. It is unclear if that will ultimately sway a decision on whether to give him a memorial. In 2018, Huber found guilty of domestic abuse and disorderly conduct. While in 2012, Huber spent time in prison following a choking incident involving his brother. Huber was fatally wounded after Rittenhouse shot him in the chest. Huber had hit Rittenhouse with a skateboard prior to being mortally wounded. In his obituary, Huber was referred as being a passionate skateboarder who was known for his 'quick wit and comedic personality.' The skateboarder had given chase after Rittenhouse shot-and-killed another man, 36-year-old convicted pedophile Joseph Rosenbaum. Despite the killing of Huber, Gittings told The New York Post in a November 2021 interview, 'I do have a lot of sympathy for [Rittenhouse] because he is just a kid to me so it was just like a really dumbass kid who unfortunately became the figurehead for this.' Gittings went on to lay some of the blame for Huber's death at the feet of the city of Kenosha saying, 'Kenosha also needs to be held responsible for allowing this militia to show up and do exactly what they came here to do.' An Argentine diver found a buried treasure - an engagement ring - at the bottom of a lake in the Patagonia region that brought back bittersweet memories when he returned the gold band to its rightful owner. Marcos Ponce, 48, was coming home from a vacation last month with his family and friends in Ushuaia, a resort town on the southernmost tip of South America, when they decided to stop to snorkel in the Santa Cruz province's the Lake of the Desert. The lawyer told digital news outlet Infobae that he was joined by his best friend Hugo Bottaro and spent nearly 50 minutes underwater, but as they were ready to return to shore, he decided to continue ahead and snap some additional photos. As he focused his camera, Ponce was bothered by a shiny object lying next to the wooden column of a dock that prevented him from getting a quality picture. He swam towards the dock and grabbed the object without knowing what it really was. When he surfaced, he discovered that it was an 18-karat gold ring. Marcos Ponce, a lawyer who also happens to be an avid diver, discover a gold ring at the bottom of the Lake of the Desert in Argentina in March The 18-karat gold ring contained the inscription for Damico, the last name of the girlfriend of the woman who reached out to claim the ring as hers The ring included the date of March 21, 2015, which is when the two women got engaged Marcos Ponce said he was trying to take photos of the dock's columns when camera's lens picked up a shiny object. He swam towards the object and picked it up because it was affecting the photos he wanted to take and then recognized it was a ring when he reached the shore Aside from being a lawyer, Marcos Ponce has been diving for 20 years He figured it was a wedding or engagement ring and that someone had accidentally dropped it in the lake. Ponce, who has been going on diving excursions for 20 years, kept the ring at home and on Sunday thought it was perfect time to find its rightful owner. He took to his social media networks and posted photos of the ring on Facebook and Instagram. The post was shared thousands of times and had hundreds of comments in the first two hours. An hour later, a woman from the Santa Cruz town of Rio Turbio direct messaged Ponce to claim the ring. The owner of the ring whose name has been withheld by Ponce to maintain her privacy - was able to confirm the engraved date - March 21, 2015 - in the inside part of the ring along with her former girlfriend's last name, D'Amico. It represented the date she and her ex-partner had gotten engaged. The woman told Ponce that she had moved to Buenos Aires after accepting her partner's proposal and then kept the 18-karat gold ring after they mutually agreed to go different ways over a year ago. Marcos Ponce shared a photo of the ring on his social media networks on Sunday in hopes of returning the ring to its owner. He was contacted by a woman three hours after the post went up on Facebook and was able to confirm the last name and date what was inscribed on it Marcos Ponce She eventually returned to Rio Turbio and while visiting the lake in January decided it was finally time to get rid of the ring and tossed it in the Lake of the Desert. 'She admitted that she always thought about getting rid of the ring, but that she wanted to do it in a special way and that's how this summer she traveled to the Lake of the Desert and threw it into its waters,' Ponce said. Ponce also got a message from the woman's ex-girlfriend, who was able to confirm the same details. However, he decided he will be mailing it out to D'Amico instead this week. 'If fate brings this ring back to me, she'll come back somehow,' D'Amico told Ponce. Marcos Ponce kept the 18-karat gold ring for over a month before deciding it was time to track down its owner Blac Chyna was seen outside of court Thursday as closing arguments began in her case against the Kardashians Kim Kardashian's boyfriend Pete Davidson was in court on Thursday to support her during closing statements in their defamation trial, as the family's lawyer described Blac Chyna - accusing the family of sabotaging her reality TV show - as a domestic abuser and a liar. The jury began their deliberations at 4.30pm on Thursday - shortly after comic and SNL star Davidson, dressed in a black sweatshirt and white jeans, slipped into the courtroom and sat in the back, behind the family. He left the court with Kim. Shortly before the jury retired to consider their verdict, they were told that the show starring Rob Kardashian and Chyna, his then-girlfriend, was cancelled simply because the couple broke up. Michael Rhodes, representing the Kardashians, urged the jury in his summing up 'to let the family start to heal.' He said there was no substance to Chyna's suit, seeking damages for economic loss of $108 million, saying she had failed to present any hard financial evidence of loss of income or of emotional distress. Rhodes said that Chyna was violent and aggressive. 'Did Chyna beat the s*** out of Rob? Yes, she did,' he said. 'It was true. It happened.' Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian are pictured on April 24. On Thursday he was in court to support her Blac Chyna, 33, is pictured in court on Tuesday during her trial seeking damages from the Kardashian-Jenner family Khloe, 37, (far left) and Kim Kardashian, 41 (second from left), and younger sister Kylie Jenner, 24, (second from right) with their mother, family matriarch Kris Jenner, 66, (far right) are all named defendants in the case Rhodes, referred to the day of Chyna and her 35-year-old boyfriend's 'big fight' in December 2016, when she packed up and left their home with their baby girl, Dream, born a month earlier. Rob Kardashian said that she hit him with a six-foot rod, pulled a phone cord around his neck and twice pointed a gun at his head. During her testimony, Chyna, 33, denied that they broke up at that point. Chyna maintains their relationship ended in the summer of 2017, but the defendants say Chyna acknowledged in a written declaration that the two split in December 2016. Rhodes told jurors on Thursday that she denied the relationship had ended because she wanted to show the television program was still viable. 'She had to confirm the relationship was still ok because she has to convince you that the network still wanted her show,' Rhodes said. 'This was not a relationship that any network executive wants on TV.' 'Rob & Chyna' premiered in September 2016 and ran for one season. The series was renewed for a second season, but in light of Kardashian and Chyna's breakup, plans for Season 2 were put on hold. Chyna alleges the Kardashians spread false reports of her assaulting him in order to have the 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' spinoff canceled and ruin her reality TV career. E! network executives testified during the trial that 'Rob & Chyna' was supposed to be a light-hearted romantic comedy. Pete Davidson pictured out in Malibu on Wednesday, April 27 ahead of Thursday's courtroom appearance He was driving around in Kim Kardashian's Lamborghini Urus Chyna, 33, is suing Rob Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner and sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, alleging they spread false reports of her assaulting him in order to have her 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' spinoff 'Rob & Chyna' canceled Chyna pictured here on Wednesday, is seeking $108 million in damages, charging the Kardashians with defamation and 'intentional interference with contract' that led to the Keeping Up with the Kardashians spinoff being canceled The court was also told that a producer on the show told Chyna that if she wanted a second season of the show, she would have to mend her relationship with Kardashian, and suggested counseling could help. Rhodes on Thursday said Chyna's reaction to the idea was: 'F*** no, f*** that. 'F*** Rob. I'm not doing that.' Rhodes asked the jury: 'Is this the relationship you want to build your romantic comedy around? 'Somebody who would say that to her baby's father? Would you put this on the air?' Asking the jury to 'walk with me' over to his clients - Rhodes represents Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, who are all defendants - he pointed at the assembled Kardashians and said: 'This is the child's grandmother, her aunts.' Rhodes told the jury to recall the 'pain and anguish' on Rob Kardashian's face during his testimony on Wednesday, noting: 'That was real. This is a real family. 'Yes they're famous, but they're real people. 'Just because Rob is a big guy, doesn't mean he can't be a victim. 'How would you feel if you child went through this? 'Picture Rob. What did he look like? Was that fake?' E! Network executives paid Chyna $370,000 to film four episodes of KUWTK after season one of Rob and Chyna ended. She is seen at right in one of those episodes with Kim Kardashian Kourtney Kardashian, Blac Chyna and Kim Kardashian are pictured in the center in a photo Kim posted to her Instagram Rhodes also accused Chyna of 'hiding her money' and not filing tax returns for three years. Under oath, Chyna admitted that she told her accountant to stop preparing her tax returns for the year 2019 and has not paid taxes since. 'You cheated the government - but we're going to give you millions of dollars - is that right?' he asked the jury. 'That's concealment.' She was accused during the fight of smashing a TV, a bedroom door and a Christmas gingerbread house. 'The gingerbread house was silly, over the top and beautiful - like the Kardashians,' said Rhodes. 'When she smashed it, she was venting her anger on everything she was not going to be.' Chyna accuses the Kardashians of plotting to cancel her hit reality show Rob & Chyna E!'s Keeping up with the Kardashian ended its 20-season run in June 2021 Earlier on Thursday, the judge denied Chyna's request to repeat her testimony against the Kardashians after she became upset and walked off the stand when she was shown a nude photo of herself during cross-examination. Timeline of Rob and Chyna's gun incident, breakup and show cancelation December 14, 2016 - Chyna says she and her then-fiance were 'laughing and joking and being silly' as they celebrated season two of Rob and Chyna being greenlit by NBC Universal. She denies yelling 'I'm going to kill you' to Rob. She told the court that she pointed the gun upwards and didn't put her finger where the trigger was. Chyna says she put a phone chord around Rob's neck 'as a joke', because 'he was playing video games and I was just trying to get his attention.' December 15, 2016 - Chyna smashes a TV and a gingerbread house and damages the bedroom door. She said she was furious at Rob for taking her phone in a fit of jealousy and locking himself in a closet to check her messages. Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble, shows up at Rob and Chyna's home. Chyna says that he stood between her and Rob, telling Rob to get his car keys and get out of the house. Chyna leaves the home with daughter Dream that morning. January 2017 - Chyna says she and Rob hiked together in Malibu. Rob reportedly goes with her to New York for her personal appearance at a strip club, where cameras followed her. Chyna said she was also filmed by hand-held cameras at another Las Vegas appearance, which made her think they were shooting Rob and Chyna's season two. July/August 2017 - Chyna learns Rob and Chyna had actually been cancelled. October 2017 - Chyna files a $108 million defamation suit against Kris Jenner and Kylie, Khloe and Kim Kardashian and accuses them of forcing producers to cancel her show. Advertisement Judge Gregory W. Alarcon made the decision on Thursday afternoon to move on to closing arguments. Chyna's attorney Lynne Ciani rested the plaintiff's case on Thursday morning. The photo is central to another trial that will begin soon after this one concludes. Chyna is suing Rob Kardashian over the image, alleging he posted it online out of retribution. Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Khloe Kardashian were in the front row of the courtroom early on Thursday. Kim Kardashian was absent after attending most of the nine-day trial. Alarcon began reading the jury instructions in the case late Thursday morning. Ciani wrapped up her case Thursday by showing jurors a video deposition from Frances Berwick, an executive with NBCUniversal, E!'s parent company. Berwick said that a second season of 'Rob & Chyna' didn't go ahead because 'their relationship broke down.' Berwick said: 'Their relationship was in a sad place and we didn't think that it was a good fit for E! - which is frothy and escapist, on the lighter side.' Berwick said she had not had a conversation with Kris Jenner in which Kris threatened to pull 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' if season two of 'Rob & Chyna' went ahead. Asked why NBCUniversal issued a press release in December 2016 announcing a new season, she said that didn't mean the series had been 'greenlit' but that it was only 'an indication of what we hoped to do.' She added that 'it would not be the first time' a press release had come out announcing a show that did not go forward later. Chyna appeared in court Thursday wearing a black check jacket, black leggings and black spike heels, with an orange jacket over the top. Khloe Kardashian was also in attendance and arrived wearing a black tuxedo jacket over a silk shirt, black leggings and white sneakers. Her mother, Kris Jenner wore black pants and a black blazer with white piping. During cross examination last week Rhodes presented Chyna with a copy of the restraining order she filed in 2017 against her ex-fiance, Rob Kardashian after he allegedly posted 'revenge porn' photos of her on social media. Attached to the restraining order documents were copies of the offending nude pictures which both parties in the case had previously agreed by stipulation would not be shown to the jury. Jurors did not see them, but Chyna did, and allegedly became 'upset' and rattled by the photos. Chyna was so distressed that when Rhodes grilled her later about the amount of damages she is seeking, she couldn't name a dollar figure and only gave vague answers to other questions he asked about damages, her lawyer claimed. Seeing the pictures 'derailed' Chyna's testimony, Ciani told Judge Alarcon. 'There was a stipulation that the photos would not be included which was violated intentionally,' she added. Ciani asked the judge to order Chyna's previous testimony about damages to be stricken from the record and that she be allowed to take the witness stand again. Rhodes denied any wrongdoing, telling the court: 'The premise that I tricked the witness (Chyna) into seeing those photographs is absurd.' Rob Kardashian testified on Wednesday that he feared for his life on a night in 2016 when his then-fiancee Blac Chyna pointed a gun at his head, pulled a phone-charging cable around his neck and repeatedly hit him with a metal rod while under the influence of substances. 'She strangled me, she put a gun to my head twice, she was on cocaine and alcohol,' Kardashian said, his voice rising nearly to a shout in a Los Angeles courtroom as Chyna's attorney Lynne Ciani sought to cast doubt on the attack and its severity. During an emotional and contentious hour on the stand, Rob Kardashian grew angry when Ciani asked him why photos and video from the days that followed didn't show any marks on him, despite his testimony that she had hit him repeatedly with a 6-foot metal rod. 'Did you have as much as a Band-Aid on you?' the attorney asked. 'I just told you it didn't leave a mark on my face!' Rob Kardashian said. 'And the gun to my head two different times during the night didn't leave a mark to my temple!' The original premise for Rob & Chyna focused on the couple's 'newly blossoming relationship' with a light-hearted, romantic comedy feel to it, however, the pair's romance quickly deteriorated Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian watched the testimony from the front row of the gallery, and had no visible reaction. Chyna testified earlier in the trial that she was never violent toward Rob Kardashian. She said that on the night of Dec. 14 and the morning of Dec. 15, 2016, the couple had been celebrating the news that 'Rob & Chyna' was getting a second season. The all-night celebration turned into a bitter fight by morning, when he took her phone and shut himself in a closet, looking for evidence of communications with other men, she said. She testified that earlier in the evening, she had wrapped a phone-charging cord around Rob Kardashian's neck playfully because he was ignoring her, and picked up a gun he kept around, always unloaded, from a nightstand as a joke. The chain of events would lead to the end of the relationship, and their show. Rob Kardashian, 35, the youngest of Kris Jenner's four children with the late Robert Kardashian, has kept a much lower public profile than his mother and sisters. He was mostly an offscreen character, and only occasionally appeared, on the family's reality show. He broke from the pattern in 2016, spending a year in the limelight before it went bad. He and Chyna began dating in January, announced their engagement in April, announced they were having a child together in May, had their own reality show premiere in September, and had a daughter, Dream, in November. He testified Wednesday that he felt in retrospect that their love was never real, and that he had been at the 'weakest, worst point' in his life when their relationship began. He said the coupling was 'toxic' from the start, and that she beat him at least five times during the yearlong relationship. 'Strangling someone, beating someone, that's not a family,' he said. 'That's not love to me.' Rob Kardashian wore a loose-fitting, untucked black dress shirt on the stand. His otherwise dark testimony drew a laugh from most of the courtroom when Ciani suggested that two videos she showed were shot on the same day because he was wearing the same thing. 'That doesn't mean anything,' he said. 'I wear the same thing every day.' Rob Kardashian is not a defendant in this trial. Chyna's allegations against him, stemming from the same incidents, will get a separate trial when this one is done. Earlier on Wednesday, Corey Gamble, a key witness backing up Rob Kardashian's account of the assault, insisted that he saw Chyna punch him and whip him with a phone-charging cord, as Ciani tried to poke holes in his story. 'I said that she attacked him,' testified Gamble, the longtime boyfriend and sometime co-star of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' matriarch Kris Jenner. 'What I saw is what I saw.' Gamble said he rushed to the house the couple was staying in after Kris Jenner got an early morning call from her son, who sounded deeply distressed. When he arrived, he said, Chyna was holding some sort of metal rod, and threw it down. She rushed toward Rob Kardashian, whipping the phone cord at him then punching him. 'By the time she got to him, she started hitting him,' Gamble testified. 'I was able to get in the middle of them two. I even got hit two or three times.' Gamble said Chyna threw a chair at Rob Kardashian's car as he was leaving, then attempted to pick up a table but Gamble stopped her. During cross-examination, Ciani had Gamble read from a declaration he submitted in the case two years earlier, in which he said he arrived to find Chyna hitting Rob Kardashian with her fists, but made no mention of any of the objects. 'You didn't see sufficient to mention the metal rod, the cord or the table?' Ciani asked. 'I don't know why I didn't include those details,' Gamble said. A prison governor who had 'intimate liaison' with an inmate and sent him messages calling him 'babe' has been jailed for eight months. Married Victoria Laithwaite, 47, was caught sending prisoner James Chalmers, 30, messages which suggested a relationship between the pair while he was banged up. She was working as head of safer custody and equalities when the texts were discovered on a mobile phone found inside the prisoner's cell at HMP Onley. A court heard in one exchange she said 'I thought you'd ditched me' while in another she wrote: 'I was thinking all sorts babe'. A photograph of Laithwaite was also found saved on the phone discovered inside Chalmers' cell. The sentencing judge told Laithwaite that her offence was aggravated by her 'serious breach of trust' in her role as a prison governor - which included responsibility for ensuring the support of the most vulnerable inmates. Her defence lawyer said she was aware she has 'destroyed her life' and put her family 'through hell' because of her 'foolishness'. Victoria Laithwaite (pictured), 47, who was working as head of safer custody and equalities at HMP Onley when she sent messages to and had an 'intimate liaison' with an inmate, has been jailed for eight months The court heard Laithwaite had twice tried to call one of the phones found in Chalmers's cell Laithwaite, whose husband also works at the category C jail in Northamptonshire, was arrested following the discovery of the phone on April 7 last year. She went on to plead guilty to an offence under Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 of engaging in communications with an illicit mobile. Today Laithwaite, of Coventry, was jailed for eight months at Northampton Crown Court while Chalmers was caged for 24 months. Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking said: 'You had been employed at HMP Onley with particular responsibility for vulnerable prisoners. 'You've been in HMP service for over 20 years and had in 2017 passed your exams to attain your grade of governor. 'The training and requirements for the standard of conduct for governors would have been very clear in your mind. 'Your offence is aggravated by your serious breach of trust, such conduct undermines the safety and good order of Her Majesty's prisons. 'Your culpability was high. Because of the position you are in the only punishment in this case is imprisonment. 'James Chalmers, at the time of these offences you were serving a sentence of two years nine months imprisonment. 'On the 7th April 2021, two mobile phones, one memory stick and four sim cards were recovered from James Chalmers' phone. 'One phone had sent and received messages to Victoria Laithwaite's phone. On the 4th and 5th of April an image of Mrs Laithwaite was sent and saved. 'It was a highly inappropriate relationship that was clear from the messages recovered.' Prosecutor Sinjin Bulbring earlier told the court the pair were caught after intelligence was received they had been messaging each other at the prison. Laithwaite accepted there was intimacy between herself and the inmate, but denied a physical relationship He added: 'The nature of the messages is suggestive of a relationship between the two. 'For example, in response to a message from Chalmers, Laithwaite wrote: 'Yeah but I was worried when I didn't hear from you. Thought you'd ditched me. If that's the case, please just say it, I'd rather know.' 'With a response she then wrote: 'I haven't heard from you in two days, I was thinking all sorts babe.' with a kiss at the end. 'Later on the same day, she wrote: 'Your mum has been worried, too, can you message her. Can you message me on the other phone, I need to talk to you x.' 'There was also a saved image which was an image of Laithwaite. In interview she answered no comment to all questions in regards to a relationship with Chalmers. 'In interview, Chalmers denied the items found in his room were his. He admitted that he had used the phones to call his family and denied ever contacting Laithwaite.' Sarah Mahmud, defending Laithwaite, said: 'She appears before you deeply ashamed, utterly embarrassed and completely regretful. 'She is under no illusions of the severity of the offence. Committing this offence, she has single-handily destroyed her life, the life of her husband and her children. 'There is no question about it, she has put her family through hell. 'Both Mrs Laithwaite and her family have been put through utter turmoil because of her foolishness. The 47-year-old is the former governor of MP Onley in Northamptonshire (pictured), a category C prison 'She was relied upon very heavily by a number of very complex prisoners, including Mr Chalmers. She developed a rapport with Mr Chalmers, initially to help him. 'There were messages sent between the two parties but ultimately only two phone calls. 'Those two phone calls were attempted phone calls without duration. The messages were only over a finite amount of time. 'Mrs Laithwaite has said that there is no excuse. 'This was a mere blip in an otherwise unblemished career. There was not a physical relationship. 'There had been a breakdown in their marriage, to a point where they thought they could not return from. 'It is also worth noting that Mr Laithwaite has worked at HMP Onley. 'He has had to go into work every day knowing that people are talking about this. 'This is a lady that has lived her life faultlessly where she has sought to help others but she has fallen down the wrong path.' The court heard Chalmers has 19 court appearances for 44 offences including a variety of thefts, possession of drugs, driving offences and criminal damage. He pleaded guilty to transmitting and receiving images through electronic communications inside HMP Onley. Sarah Allen, defending, Chalmers, said: 'It is accepted that there was a degree of intimacy between them. This liaison started. 'He had served half of the sentence when the incident happened. He was released and then arrested. 'It's a matter of deep personal regret to him, a matter that he now wishes had never happened. 'This was a very short-lived matter that has come to an end.' Detective Inspector Dan Evans, of East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said Laithwaite had abused the position of trust and responsibility with the prison. He said: 'Laithwaite was a senior figure within the Prison Service, a public servant expected to behave to the highest standards. 'But this was serious misconduct on her part and only serves to erode confidence in the service as well as potentially undermine the complete security and good order needed to run a prison. 'Prisons are for rehabilitation, yet she willingly encouraged a prisoner to commit an offence, something which flies in the face of that. 'Illicit communications have the potential to seriously undermine order in a prison. 'This was a complex investigation, but working in partnership with colleagues in the Prison Service, I'm pleased we have rooted out a corrupt senior prison officer.' President Joe Biden weighed in on Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear saber rattling, as well as the Kremlin's latest comments that the U.S. is fighting a 'proxy' war in Ukraine. 'No one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility of [their] being used. It's irresponsible,' he said at the White House. Biden was asked at the White House Thursday if he was concerned about Putin's latest comments about the U.S. posture toward Ukraine amid Russia's invasion. Russia has protested U.S. arms shipments and support. Biden announced an additional $33 billion in U.S. support on Thursday, as part of a broader effort to send arms, ammunition, and economic support. 'They're not true. They do concern me because it shows the desperation and rushes feeling about their abject failure in being able to do what they set out to do in the first instance,' Biden said. 'No one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility of [their] being used,' President Joe Biden said at the White House Thursday He also cast the Kremlin's comments of a proxy war as disingenuous, despite a series of reports about U.S. intelligence and other assistance to the out-numbered. Moscow seized on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's comments in Germany this week that the allied effort would 'weaken' Russia, which U.S. security officials have long criticized as a malign actor on the world stage. 'And so, I think it's more of a reflection of the truth, but of their failure. And so instead of saying that the the Ukrainians are equipped with some capability to resist Russian forces doing this, they've got to say, tell the people the United States and all of NATO is engaged in taking out Russian troops and tanks etc.' 'So it's number one is an excuse for their failure. But number two, it's also if they really mean it, it's it's ... no no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility of [their] being used. It's irresponsible,' he said. Vladimir Putin warned that any country that interferes in Ukraine will pose a threat to Russia, and that he will not hesitate to use nuke to counter that threat Biden called it 'irresponsible' for the Kremlin to invoke Russia's nuclear arsenal Putin did not mention nukes directly, but spoke of weapons that 'no one else can brag about' - almost certainly a reference to the Sarmat 2 nuke Russia tested last week A destroyed tank likely belonging to Russia / pro-Russian forces lies amidst rubble in the north of the ruined city. Security experts have warned Russia may turn to unconventional weapons amid battlefield losses An aerial view shows damaged buildings, amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, in Mariupol, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin made reference to Russia's nuclear arsenal in St. Petersburg on Wednesday. He warned his response to anyone who 'threatens' Russia will be 'lightning-fast' and deadly. 'If someone intends to interfere in what is going on from the outside they must know that constitutes an unacceptable strategic threat to Russia. They must know that our response to counter strikes will be lightning fast. Fast,' he said. 'We have all the weapons we need for this. No one else can brag about these weapons, and we wont brag about them. But we will use them,' he added. He may have been referencing Russia's new Sarmat 2 nuclear missile which was tested for the first time just days ago and that he boasted is unlike any other weapon in the world. On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was fighting a proxy war with all of NATO and said the risk of it turning nuclear is 'real.' The comments came after Russia fired off diplomatic letters to Washington urging the U.S. to cut off military aid. The U.S. continued anyway, with Biden announcing a new $33 million package for Ukraine including $20.4 billion in additional security and military assistance. Speaking to state TV, Lavrov said the current situation is worse than the Cuban missile crisis at the height of the Cold War because of a complete break-down in relations between the two sides. Asked directly about the possibility of a nuclear war, he said: 'The risks are very significant. I do not want the danger to be artificially inflated [but] it is serious, real. It cannot be underestimated.' Ministers have missed a deadline to publish information related to Boris Johnson's appointment of Evgeny Lebedev to the House of Lords. There has been intense scrutiny of the Prime Minister's decision to nominate Lord Lebedev for a peerage, in July 2020, following claims Mr Johnson brushed aside official advice against it. Russian-born Lord Lebedev is the son of an ex-KGB officer and it was claimed that security services - following the PM's intervention - had withdrawn an assessment that granting the 41-year-old a peerage posed a national security risk. Mr Johnson has denied overruling concerns about Lord Lebedev, while the peer himself stressed he has 'nothing to hide' and backed the publication of security advice. But Opposition MPs have kept up the pressure on the PM over the peerage for Lord Lebedev, who owns the Independent website and Evening Standard newspaper. Last month, the House of Commons approved a 'Humble Address' motion from Labour seeking to force the Government to release documents about the peer's appointment. Evgeny Lebedev, who owns the Independent website and Evening Standard newspaper, was nominated for a peerage by Boris Johnson in 2020 The PM has denied overruling security concerns about the appointment of Lord Lebedev to the House of Lords MPs set a deadline of today for ministers to comply with the request. But Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis has written to the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to express 'regret' that the Government has not been able to publish the documents prior to today's end of the parliamentary session. Parliament has now been prorogued and MPs will not return to the Commons until 10th May, for the State Opening of Parliament and Queen's Speech. Mr Ellis cited national security reasons and data protection - as well as consideration of the involvement of the Queen in the appointment process - in explaining why ministers had failed to come forward with the documents. He wrote: 'As you will know, the motion provided that redactions could be made "for the purposes of national security", a consideration which is of utmost importance given the Governments responsibility to protect information when disclosure is not in the public interest. 'Of course, in preparing this response, the Government is also giving considerations to other principles such as the need to protect the data of private individuals, communications with Her Majesty and also to the conferring by the Crown of any honour or dignity. 'The relevant information has now been collated, but the Government has not yet been able to complete all the necessary considerations. 'The Government regrets that a response will not be made before the House prorogues at the end of this parliamentary session. 'Once the necessary consideration has been given to the material, the Government will promptly upon the return of the House after prorogation, lay its response to the Humble Address motion.' Labour claimed the Government's failure to publish the information requested 'reeks of a cover-up'. The party's deputy leader said: 'Boris Johnson has failed to comply with Parliaments instruction to reveal his role in the Lord Lebedev affair. 'Whats he got to hide? The whole thing reeks of a cover-up by the Prime Minister. 'The public deserve answers on this whole murky business.' Last week, the chair of the House of Lords Appointment Commission (Holac) said the PM put 'no pressure' on peers to clear Lord Lebedev's peerage. Although Lord Bew admitted Lord Lebedev was a 'unique case' that involved security checks, he said his committee had approved his peerage without interference. Roger Stone has backed Elon Musk to shake up Twitter and reinstate Donald Trump after the longtime political fixer made a failed bid to thwart his own five-year ban. Stone made a new account in the early hours of Thursday, telling DailyMail.com he wanted to see whether the platform would allow him back in the wake of Musks takeover. Im back b***hes testing 1 2 3 he declared in a 1 a.m. post under the new handle @RogerStoneUSA, describing himself as an American Political Icon, Born-again, New York Times Bestselling Author, Trump Loyalist, veteran GOP operative, libertarian conservative, MSM critic. The profile amassed 80 followers before it was taken down around 11am and replaced with an Account suspended message and the standard blurb explaining that the 69-year-old had violated Twitter rules. It didnt surprise me at all. But I'm hopeful that Elon Musk is true to his word and that this will really be a platform in which free speech and free expression are honored, Stone told DailyMail.com. Stone called on Elon Musk to reinstate the suspended Twitter accounts of Donald Trump, Michael Flynn and Alex Jones I think he should reinstate Donald Trump. I think he should reinstate Alex Jones. I think he should reinstate General Mike Flynn. Thats not because I agree with everything they say, its because I believe in free speech. I don't have any problem with the most vile leftist in the world having a Twitter account. The Tesla billionaire is buying Twitter for $44 billion Self-proclaimed political dirty trickster Stone was kicked off Twitter in 2017 for insulting several CNN anchors and contributors including Don Lemon and Jake Tapper over their coverage of supposed Russian collusion into the 2016 election. Stone, who was sentenced to 40 months for obstructing a congressional investigation as a result of the Mueller probe but was later pardoned by Trump, said he considered legal action against the tech giant but ultimately decided it was an exercise in futility. They only police hate speech when its conservatives saying things about liberals, Stone complained. If youre a liberal you can threaten everyone you want. It was ok for people to write, members of the committee should gang rape Roger Stones wife. Ive heard that a number of reporters at the New York Times and the Washington Post are on suicide watch because Elon has now grabbed the crown jewels. But under the old leadership Twitter had become boring. Its no longer interesting when everyone thinks the same way. Im hopeful he can restore it to what it was. A bodycam captured the dramatic moment a man and a woman were rescued by sheriff's deputies after being stranded with a single life jacket in Florida. Around 7:40 pm Monday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's Marine Unit saved two stranded boaters - a man and a woman - who are seen in footage floating aimlessly holding onto a single lifejacket. The HCSO Marine Unit said it was conducting maritime patrols when officials saw a disabled boat with one person on board and two adults in distress nearly 200 yards away from the boat. Footage of the rescue shows two deputies pull up to the stranded boaters and pull them onto the boat, with one of the deputies telling his partner to help the woman first. Scroll Down For Video: Footage of the rescue shows two deputies pull up to the stranded boaters and rush to get them to safety The two deputies help the stranded woman into the boat first 'It's going to be hard to get up here,' they tell her. 'This boat's not an easy boat to...' but they are able to get her on board The stranded male boater tells the officers: 'Appreciate you,' as they help the woman out of the water. 'It's going to be hard to get up here,' they tell her, but then are able to get her on board. At that point, the stranded man asks: 'Can I go around the back or...?' motioning to the back of the boat. Officers tell him to remain where he is while the woman is guided to sit on a cooler. The deputies pull the man on board with a bit more effort. Clearly relieved, he jokes with the deputies, saying they have a 'bad ass boat'. One replies, 'thank you' and then one of the deputies appears to be talking on a radio. After helping the woman on board the deputies help then quickly help the stranded male boater The man, clearly relieved, jokes with the deputies, saying they have a 'bad ass boat' to which one replies: 'thank you' The deputies pull the man on board with a bit more effort but after a count to three, he is in The boaters later were taken back to their boat, which they were able to start up again, and they returned to the marina. Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed gratitude for the Marine Unit that was on patrol. 'Had they not been patrolling the waters, this could have ended very differently,' Chronister said in a statement. He asked other boaters to use this rescue as a warning. 'Summer is just around the corner,' Chronister added. 'I want to remind all boaters to ensure their vessels are in good condition, and to please, always wear a life jacket. These simple steps could be the difference between a beautiful day out on the water or a tragedy.' An Ohio school board voted to censure a member who said she accidentally posted a link to a porn site on her campaign's Facebook page. On Wednesday, the board for the Lakota Local School District just outside Cincinnati held an emergency meeting and voted to censure 41-year-old board member Darbi Boddy - as well as call for her resignation. The emergency meeting was called after Boddy posted on Facebook a link that led to content the board deemed 'inappropriate sexual content' Boddy attended Wednesday's meeting with her young daughter and left after the censure vote saying: 'I will not be part of this political ruse' The emergency meeting was scheduled after a Boddy posted on Facebook a link that led to what the board deemed 'inappropriate sexual content' Her post, which has since been deleted, accused the board of keeping the public in the dark about an upcoming curriculum audit, which the board has denied, WCPO.com reported. Boddy was elected in November on a platform opposing the teaching of mask mandates, critical race theory, Black Lives Matter and the 1619 Project, a New York Times Magazine project which centers on slavery in American history and was subsequently published as a book. Boddy said posting the link to the pornographic site was a mistake and that she actually intended to post a link to a site about sexual education for teens. In another Facebook post that also was removed, Boddy said that while the link was a 'typo,' it is 'representative of the disgusting material that is being put in front of our children.' 'The way the terms inclusion, diversity, equity, and tolerance are used on social media and in our schools is dividing our children into groups of oppressed and oppressors,' Boddy said on her website. Boddy (pictured) was elected in November on a platform opposing the teaching of mask mandates, critical race theory, Black Lives Matter and the 1619 Project Boddy (pictured) said the link to the pornographic site was a mistake and that she actually intended to post a link to a site about sexual education for teens An online petition to censure Boddy, which has over 1,500 signatures, slammed her for her 'disrespect and aggression' Boddy attended Wednesday's meeting with her young daughter and left after the censure vote saying, 'I will not be part of this political ruse.' The board then voted 4-0 in favor of requesting her resignation, but Boddy has refused to resign. Boddy has repeatedly clashed with Lakota Local School Board President Lynda O'Connor since taking office in January. At the emergency meeting, O'Connor said that even if the pornography website was posted accidentally, Boddy demonstrated 'gross negligence' and 'reckless conduct.' 'To post pornographic content on an official, public-facing school board member account that can be accessed by many of our own students is absolutely unacceptable,' O'Connor said. 'Furthermore, to make a public accusation that our curriculum contains such pornographic material is deplorable.' O'Connor also accused Boddy of making 'disrespectful and unprofessional comments' to district officials and board members. An online petition in favor of censuring Boddy, which has over 1,500 signatures, slammed her for her 'disrespect and aggression' towards district superintendent Matt Miller. 'Month after month, meeting after meeting, Mrs. Boddy has repeatedly attacked the integrity and honesty of Mr. Miller. Mrs. Boddy's statements and behavior serve to undermine the confidence in District leadership at the Board level,' the petition reads. 'Additionally, by her words and statements she is demeaning the integrity of the entire Lakota Staff.' The Supreme Court confirmed Thursday a 35-year prison sentence for a woman found guilty of murdering her adopted toddler through consistent abuse two years ago in one of the country's most ghastly child abuse cases in recent years. The mother, surnamed Jang, was indicted on murder charges for the death by abuse of the then 16-month-old adopted daughter, Jung-in, in October 2020 and was sentenced to life in prison by a district court and subsequently 35 years in prison by an appeals court. The top court also confirmed a five-year prison term for the husband, surnamed Ahn, who was indicted on child abuse charges for aiding and abetting Jang's violence toward the adopted baby. The child, adopted in February of 2020, died of severe abdominal injuries and internal bleeding that were caused by "strong external force," according to an official autopsy. Investigation records showed Jung-in had been habitually beaten for five months prior to her tragic death, with fractured bones and bruises found on her body. The mother was initially indicted on lesser charges of child abuse resulting in death. But prosecutors later added a murder charge, based on forensic results, and had sought capital punishment for the adoptive mother. She admitted to having abused the child but claimed the death was an accident. The case caused nationwide grief and anger over the child abuse death. Throngs of people sent petitions to the court and held picketing campaigns to demand heavy punishment for the parents. (Yonhap) Advertisement A giant bear was caught on tape enjoying spring's simple pleasures, splashing around a pond in California after recently coming out of hibernation. A trail cam captured the cute moment the wild animal took a late-night bath in a pond south of Lake Tahoe April 25. Toogee Sielsch, whose @tahoetoogee Instagram account includes hidden cam footage of the lake's animal population in the woods, shared the video on social media, along with the caption: 'You think you love bath time? Think again.' 'From a young age I've been more of a shower guy, but hey, I admire this South Lake Tahoe black bear's bath time zeal!,' Sielsch added. The gigantic bear can be seen in the black-and-white footage fully immersing itself around 10 p.m. in the water. The video shows the bear turning on its back, and rocking back and forth in the water. It eventually gets back on its four paws, shaking its fur to dry off. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a warning to Lake Tahoe residents over potential increased bear sightings as the animals come out from hibernation in time for the start of spring. There are roughly 15,000 bears in the Lake Tahoe basin area. TIME FOR A BATH: This gigantic bear was filmed going for a swim in a lake south of Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, enjoying the water, and rocking back and forth in the pond while on its back JUST CHILLIN': The wild animal flipped on its side several times, squirming in the water WHO NEEDS A TOWEL WHEN YOU'VE GOT FUR: The wild animal dried off by fluffing itself before getting out of the well-sized pond Lake Tahoe, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada, is home to an estimated 15,000 black bears. There are between 25,000 to 35,000 of black species in California The warnings come after a gigantic Lake Tahoe bear, nicknamed Hank the Tank, shot to fame in February when he was caught on camera rifling for scraps. Hank, who weighs about 500 pounds, wandered around Lake Tahoe homes in search of a meal bigger than his appetite. The bear has been spotted in the neighborhood more than 100 times since July and nothing - loud noises, paintballs, or Tasers - can scare him off. Local residents have described Hank as 'gentle' and said he just eats and leaves without causing any real trouble. But wildlife officials said locals who leave out unsecured food for Hank are making him too bold, California wildlife authorities faced numerous complaints from residents in the resort town as the bear has prompted more than 150 calls to law enforcement and wildlife personnel in the area this year. 'This one individual bear has been linked to property damage at 38 different properties at least,' California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Peter Tira told KCRA 3 in Sacramento on February 17. Hank the Tank, a 500-pound bear, terrorized a community in Lake Tahoe, California, in February Although Hank didn't enter the home, he has done so in the past. The bear has been spotted more than 100 times in the neighborhood since July and has prompted more than 150 calls to law enforcement Authorities added that the curvy cub caused 'extensive property damage and forcefully entered several homes - including occupied homes.' Typically around late November, early December, bears go into torpor, which is a state of physical or mental inactivity, according to the BEAR League, a non-profit organization in the area. For the black bear species, hibernation tends to be more of a response to a shortage of food, decreasing temperatures and snow on the ground. It can last a few weeks in warmer parts of North America in the Northeast and West Coast, to six months for bears in Alaska. The bear has caused caused 'extensive property damage and forcefully entered several homes - including 'occupied homes' Experts also said its best not to wake up a hibernating bear. A bear that can sense danger quickly wakes up. California is home to around 25,000 to 35,000 black bears, according to the USDA Forest Service. Oregon is home to 25,000 to 30,000 and is known as 'Black Bear Country,' The Parks Department added that bear attacks are 'uncommon' and the animals typically 'avoid human contact,' but reminds the public that it is 'never safe to approach a bear.' Advertisement Vladimir Putin has launched a new dpuble missile attack at Kyiv during the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres just two days after he sat down with the Russian dictator in Moscow. At least one person was killed and several injured, including some who were trapped beneath the rubble in the western part of the city centre, according to rescue officials. The bombardment came barely an hour after President Zelenskyy held a news conference with the UN Secretary-General, who said Ukraine has become 'an epicentre of unbearable heartache and pain.' A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Guterres had visited Putin on Tuesday in order to discuss the urgent need for Russian forces to permit humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations. The missile strike can be viewed as Putin's non-diplomatic response to the request. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Shevchenkivskyi district in the northwestern part of the city was hit twice, causing fires in at least two high-rise buildings. At least one person was killed and several injured after Russian missiles battered Kyiv for the first time since mid-April Fire burns in a building after a shelling, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv this evening, during the UN Secretary-General's visit A fire after a Russian rocket attack is seen in Kyiv, Ukraine. The bombardment hit the Shevchenkivskyi district in the northwestern part of the city Russian missiles hit Kyiv as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is visiting. It is the first such bombardment of Ukraine's capital since mid-April Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said there had been 'two hits in the Shevchenkovsky district' in a post on Telegram and said they were clarifying details about casualties Vladimir Putin (above) ordered the strikes just two days after he himself sat with Guterres for talks in Moscow. It was the first strike on the Ukrainian capital since mid-April There was no immediate information about casualties from the strikes, which hit a western part of the city centre, but a close aide to the UN chief sent a message to journalists confirming they were safe AFP correspondents saw black smoke pouring into the air and a building in flames with a heavy presence of police and rescuers in the area. 'Missile strikes in the downtown of Kyiv during the official visit of @antonioguterres,' tweeted Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 'The day before he was sitting at a long table in the Kremlin, and today explosions are above his head,' Mykhaylo said referring to Guterres' visit to Moscow where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin a few days ago. The United Nations chief and Ukrainian president had been out surveying the destruction in small towns outside the capital that saw some of the worst horrors of the first onslaught of the war. At a press conference just before the missile strikes, Guterres condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia retreated in the face of unexpectedly stiff resistance. He said Ukraine has become 'an epicentre of unbearable heartache and pain.' 'Wherever there is a war, the highest price is paid by civilians,' Guterres lamented, reiterating the importance of investigating alleged war crimes. Appearing to be one of boldest attacks on Kyiv since Russian forces retreated from around the capital weeks ago, the explosions came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing number of people have been out and enjoying the spring weather. Russian dictator Putin hosted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for talks about the ongoing war in Ukraine Putin uses the tables for bilateral meetings with world leaders and met UN Secretary-General Guterres in Moscow two days before firing missiles at him when in Kyiv Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres walk after a news conference Putin fired the missiles at Kyiv during the meeting between the Ukrainian president and the UN Secretary-General One of numerous piles of body bags in Bucha is labelled and the corpses buried, April 8 The strike on the Ukrainian capital comes as the Russian offensive in the Donbas region gathers steam. Several areas came under heavy shelling Thursday, amid suspicions Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to score a major battlefield success in time for Victory Day, one of Russia's proudest holidays, on May 9. Ukrainian authorities reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas - the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin is bent on capturing - and near Kharkiv, a northeastern city outside the Donbas that is seen as key to the offensive. In the ruined southern port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian fighters holed up in the steel plant that represents the last pocket of resistance said concentrated bombing overnight killed and wounded more people. Authorities warned that a lack of safe drinking water inside the city could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases. One of Hollywood's most powerful men last night publicly admonished the actor Will Smith for his infamous 'Oscars slap' sending the clearest signal yet that the disgraced superstar's career could be over. Speaking at the Simon Wiesenthal Center's national tribute dinner, Jeffrey Katzenberg - former head of Walt Disney Studios and the founder of DreamWorks Studios - told a crowd of 700 Tinseltown heavyweights: 'Unfortunately intolerance continues to be on the rise no matter where we look. 'We see it vividly on display whether it be far off on the battlefields of Ukraine or right here in Hollywood on the stage of the Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars).' Men In Black star Smith stormed onto the stage at the Dolby during last month's Oscars ceremony and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair. An enraged Smith screamed 'keep my wife's name out of your f****** mouth'. It later emerged Jada suffers from the hair loss condition alopecia. Smith, who won the Best Actor Oscar moments after his outburst for 'King Richard', was later banned from the Oscars for ten years and several of his film projects have been delayed or cancelled as his career hangs in the balance. Last night an executive with a major Hollywood studio told MailOnline: 'Jeffrey Katzenberg is one of the most powerful and revered men in Hollywood. For him to publicly condemn Will Smith at such a prestigious event is a big deal. It means Hollywood isn't ready to forgive or forget. It definitely sends the signal that Smith's career is on life-support.' Men In Black star Smith stormed onto the stage at the Dolby during last month's Oscars ceremony and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair Speaking at the Simon Wiesenthal Center's national tribute dinner, Jeffrey Katzenberg - former head of Walt Disney Studios and the founder of DreamWorks Studios condemned the slap A smiling Smith was photographed last weekend in India where he is believed to be staying at an ashram run by a spiritual guru who teaches 'self-transformation.' Thursday night's gala - the first major Hollywood event since the Oscars - was attended by a host of stars including James Corden, Will.i.Am, LL Cool J and Maroon 5's Adam Levine and virtually every Hollywood studio head. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is named after the famous Nazi hunter and is one of the most revered and prestigious human rights organizations in the world. Co-chairs of the event included Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, producers Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean) and Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code) and JJ Abrams (who directed the last three Star Wars movies.) A source said: 'The Wiesenthal event is attended by those who hold the power in Hollywood; studio bosses, producers, all the big agents. The feeling in the room was very much that Smith's career won't recover.' The gala raised $3.7 million for the Museum of Tolerance which commemorates victims of the Holocaust. Ukrainian President Zelensky was awarded the Center's Medal of Freedom. Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue was given the organization's highest honor, the Humanitarian Award. Late-night talk show host James Corden, who was master of ceremonies, joked about being picked to host the event saying: 'Of course it makes sense for me to be here because it's almost impossible to find a Jewish comedian in Hollywood. Naturally one of the world's most prominent Jewish organizations has turned to me, a lapsed Protestant from High Wycombe.' Eddy Cue and Jeffrey Katzenberg attend the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance 2022 National Tribute Dinner Katzenberg told a crowd of 700 Tinseltown heavyweights: 'Unfortunately intolerance continues to be on the rise no matter where we look He also took a jibe at Smith saying: 'Everyone is so happy that we are back being able to meet in person together again - except maybe Chris Rock.' Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), said if Wiesenthal, who survived concentration camps and devoted his life to tracking down Nazis, was alive today (he died in 2005) 'He would be shocked that England, the country that led the charge against Hitler, just released findings that at least three anti-Semitic crimes are committed in the country every single day, forcing Jewish-owned bakeries and restaurants to close their stores on Holocaust Memorial Day for fear of being targeted. As Winston Churchill reminded us: 'Strength is granted to us when we are needed to serve great causes. This is such a time. Let us act!' Republicans hit back at President Joe Biden on Thursday, a day after he fired a salvo in the education wars by saying parents gave up control of their children at the classroom door. Schools are at the center of one of the fiercest debates in national politics and Biden used a reception for teachers at the White House to say parents 'don't belong to them 'when they're in the classroom. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt led the backlash. 'God gave kids to parents - NOT the government,' he tweeted. Other conservatives expressed their anger in ever more graphic terms. 'No theyre not your children,' tweeted Sebastian Gorka, former Trump administration official and radio host, 'you senile communist clown.' Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt led the backlash to President Joe Biden's comments about children and classrooms. 'God gave kids to parents - NOT the government,' he tweeted. Conservatives reacted with fury about Biden's comments on children in schools Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said he had no right to talk about children and schools at all. 'Biden wants Americans to forget about the months he spent perpetuating COVID theater as he stood in lockstep with unions to keep teachers and students out of the classroom and force masks on kids and toddlers,' she said. 'Biden has done irreparable damage to our children and has failed students, teachers, and parents.' On Wednesday the president addressed educators at the 2022 Teacher of the Year ceremony hosted by the White House. 'Theyre all our children,' he said. 'They are not somebody's else children. They're like yours when they're in the classroom.' Biden also took aim at parents and Republican legislators who have spearheaded efforts to ban books and bar sexually explicit or overly politically correct curriculum. 'Today, there are too many politicians trying to score political points banning books, even math books,' the president said. 'Did you ever think when youd be teaching youre going to be worried about book burnings and banning books all because it doesnt fit somebodys political agenda?' He added, speaking of teachers: 'We have got to stop making them the target of the culture wars.' President Joe Biden defended teachers Wednesday, decrying Republican-led efforts in some states to ban books and bar sexually explicit or overly politically correct curriculum President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell applaud the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year during an event Wednesday in the East Room Biden's comments echoed the now-infamous declaration from former Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe who, while on the campaign trail last year, blasted the role parents were playing in his state's education system. 'Im not going to let parents come into schools and actually take books out and make their own decisions,' he said during a September debate. 'I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.' McAuliffe's opponent, now-Governor Glenn Youngkin, hit back, saying: 'You believe school systems should tell children what to do. I believe parents should be in charge of their kids education.' Youngkin, who swept to victory in Virginia, had made parental rights in education a staple of his gubernatorial campaign, with his surprise victory largely-credited to his laser focus on Democrats' woke education policies. Unlike Biden, who seemingly seeks less parent involvement in schools, the GOP is leaning on parental education rights as a wedge ahead of the midterm elections, hoping to mobilize Republicans and appeal to independent voters. DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education bill into law on March 28. The bill bans any discussion pertaining to 'sexual orientation' or 'gender identity' in Florida schools for students in kindergarten through third grade Critics of HB 1557 bill allege it teaches young kids to believe they are wrong for being different and that forcing schools to report students who are receiving mental health services is taking away a safe space for those students to be themselves What is the Parental Rights in Education bill? HB 1557 was introduced by two Republican members of the Florida Legislature - Representative Joe Harding and Senator Dennis Baxley. They say the bill's aim is to 'empower parents' in their children's education, and make teachers recognize the distinction between 'instruction' and 'discussion.' 'What we're prohibiting is instructing them in a specific direction,' Baxley said about how teachers lead students in a classroom. 'Students can talk about whatever they want to bring up, but sometimes the right answer is, ''You really ought to talk to your parents about that.''' The bill applies to children in kindergarten through third grade. It states that 'classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur.' It also requires districts to 'adopt procedures for notifying a student's parent if there is a change in the student's services or monitoring related to the student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being,' something LGBTQ advocates argue could lead to students being outed to their parents without the student's knowledge or consent. It was passed on March 8 in a 22-17 vote. The state House had approved the bill late last month. DeSantis signed it into law on March 28 and it will come into effect on July 1. Advertisement Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made education a priority in his state, passing numerous bills that spew the parental-choice rhetoric. In March, Florida passed the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill (HB 1557) - dubbed by critics as the Don't Say Gay bill. The legislation bans any discussion pertaining to 'sexual orientation' or 'gender identity' in Florida schools for students in kindergarten through third grade. It will become law on July 1 and teachers who breach its regulations can be sued by parents. 'In Florida, we not only know that parents have a right to be involved, we insist that parents have a right to be involved,' DeSantis said at a press conference on March 28 before he signed the bill in to law. 'We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.' Critics, however, say it teaches young kids to believe they are wrong for being different and that forcing schools to report students who are receiving mental health services is taking away a safe space for those students to be themselves. They also claim that the vagueness of the wording could get a teacher in trouble if they make a passing reference to having a same-sex partner. Even the White House weighed in on what has become the latest culture wars clash, with press secretary Jen Psaki claiming last week it was 'hateful' and 'misinformed'. DeSantis, last week also signed the Stop WOKE Bill into law, banning critical race theory (CRT) as a component in Florida schools, which the governor claims promotes hatred among students and makes individuals feel guilty for racism of the past. 'We believe an important component of freedom in the state of Florida is the freedom from having oppressive ideologies imposed upon you without your consent,' DeSantis said at the bill's signing, WFTS reported. 'Whether it be in the classroom or in the workplace. And we decided to do something about it.' Last week DeSantis signed the Stop WOKE Bill into law, banning critical race theory as a component in Florida schools. Children are pictured holding signs during the governor's bill signing on April 22 House Bill 7, also known as the Stop WOKE Bill, specifically outlaws teachings that assert certain individuals are 'inherently racist [or] sexist] - or 'morally superior' - or that characterize individuals' status as 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their race, sex or national origin.' 'What we will not allow is to be taught that members of one race, color, national origin or sex are somehow morally superior,' the governor said on Friday. 'We are not gonna allow teaching that a person simply by virtue of his/her race, color, national origin or sex is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, that's wrong.' Under the legislation, which also goes into effect on July 1, teachers are allowed to address topics of sexism, racism, slavery, and racial segregation but are not permitted to persuade students to a particular point of view. 'We are not gonna use your tax dollars to teach our kids to hate this country or to hate each other,' DeSantis said. Florida Sen. Manny Diaz, Jr., who pushed the bill through the senate, said the bill was not meant to cover up America's history with racism, but to not blame students for past wrongs. 'It's not about the feel. We can't control how a person feels about a topic,' Diaz told the Washington Post. 'But what we can control is to have a teacher not go to a student and impose on a male student that they are sexist simply because they are a considered a male.' The GOP is leaning on parental education rights as a wedge ahead of the midterm elections, hoping to mobilize Republicans and appeal to independent voters. Parents are pictured listening to DeSantis speak ahead of his public signing of the Stop WOKE Bill on April 22 In a move that seems to be sweeping the nation, the Florida Department of Education also rejected 54 math textbooks from its curriculum due to the inclusion of banned material. The state DOE had garnered criticism for tossing out 41 percent of the 132 math textbooks submitted for the next school year last week without listing the rejected books, more than half of which the agency said referenced CRT, with the rest containing Common Core and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Last Thursday, the state released four examples of lessons considered unacceptable in the state, including the use of bar graphs that measures levels of racial prejudice based on age and political identity and asks students to solve equations based on the findings. The graphs, which extrapolated data from the Project Implicit Discrimination website, show that those 65 and older and who lean towards the conservative end of the political spectrum have the most racial bias. Another example of banned material included a lesson plan for polynomials, with one of the problems once again referencing the Implicit Association Test, claiming that the 2 million people who have taken the test have 'slight' or 'moderate' bias, which changes based on age and political identification. The department said the 54 books banned from the curriculum are prohibited because they are not 'aligned with Florida standards or included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies.' One of the materials in the 54 math text books banned by Florida included bar graphs that measures levels of racial prejudice based on age and political identity. The graphs show that those 65 and older and who are more conservative have the most racial bias Oklahoma library has banned displays promoting 'romance book club' and one on sexual assault awareness, pictured above CRITICAL RACE THEORY: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The fight over critical race theory in schools has escalated in the United States over the last year. The theory has sparked a fierce nationwide debate in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests around the country over the last year and the introduction of the 1619 Project. The 1619 Project, which was published by the New York Times in 2019 to mark 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived on American shores, reframes American history by 'placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of the US narrative'. The debate surrounding critical race theory regards concerns that some children are being indoctrinated into thinking that white people are inherently racist or sexist. Those against critical race theory have argued it reduces people to the categories of 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their skin color. Supporters, however, say the theory is vital to eliminating racism because it examines the ways in which race influence American politics, culture and the law. Advertisement Similarly, an Oklahoma library banned a display that was showcasing sexual assault awareness and a proposed 'romance book club' after both were deemed inappropriate. The Public Library of Enid and Garfield County's Board of Directors had initially said the book club and the sexual assault awareness book display could stay, but then the Enid Public Library's board voted narrowly 3-2 to ban both the display and program. The board reasoned that the display featured content about sexuality, while the book club would discuss sexual topics, and that neither was appropriate for the library. Enid Public Library's interim director Theri Ray told CNN the projects were shelved 'in accordance with the adopted policy.' The policy itself is extremely broad and requires the library's programs and exhibits to be 'non-partisan' and 'not make as their object the study of sex, sexual activity, sexual perversion, sex-based classifications, sexual preferences, sexual identity, gender identity, or subjects that are of a sexual nature.' Book bans have been at the heart of American controversy throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, which many alleging the bans violate the First Amendment. Communities and education systems often ban books due to sexual imagery, violence and any other content that is deemed obscene. Harriet Beecher Stowes novel Uncle Tom's Cabin is widely recognized by historians as the first book in the U.S. to experience a ban on a national scale. In 2020, the American Library Association published a list detailing the top 100 most banned or challenged books nationwide over the last decade. Topping the list was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. First lady Jill Biden hugs 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell as President Joe Biden applauds during the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year event on Wednesday During his speech Wednesday, Biden also shared personal testimony detailing how the educators and loved ones in his life helped him overcome his stutter. 'I wonder how I got here. I got here because of my parents and my teachers,' Biden said in a long, heart-felt deviation from his prepared remarks. 'That idea is exemplified by the national teacher of the year.' The president and First Lady Jill Biden, who continues to teach English at a community college in suburban Washington D.C., cheered for Ohio history teacher Kurt Russell, the 2022 national teacher of the year, and finalists for the award who gathered from each state. 'Teaching is not what Jill does, it's who she is, like most of you,' the president said, before telling the crowd about his problem as a child speaking - especially in class or otherwise publicly - 'when I stuttered, everyone thinks you're stupid. Totally incompetent.' Biden has talked openly about battling a childhood stutter in the past, including while running for president in 2020. But he stressed on Wednesday the importance of teachers in helping him with that effort. President Joe Biden (right) shakes hands with 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell (left) during the 2022 National and State Teachers of the Year event in the East Room 'I have teachers, I can name the ones through grade school, high school, even college,' the president said. 'I didn't really beat my stutter - and still occasionally I do (stutter) - until I took a speech debate class in college just to force myself to be able to stand up.' Russell summed up his profession by saying, 'Each student needs a champion, no matter what the circumstance are.' That echoed the sentiments of the first lady, who said of great teachers, 'it's not the curriculum or the classroom tactics, it's that smile that tells students that they don't have to be afraid to answer out loud.' 'It's the calm in your voice that can still the wild horses running through their hearts,' she added. 'It's the way that you know that, sometimes, "I'm fine" means everything is wrong.' When Jill Biden talked about teachers changing lives 'student by student,' her voice began to crack, before she laughed and said 'Now I'm getting emotional.' A top JPMorgan executive has told his staff they can work from home three days a week, after workers at the multinational bank complained the company was tracking their in-office ID swipes in an effort to force them to come back. Drew Cukor, an executive at the bank's artificial intelligence machine and learning and engagement wing, sent out a memo to 'CTO and TRAIN members' on Tuesday. 'The Firm has heard from many around the business...and we're making a few adjustments,' he said, according to a copy of the memo obtained by Insider. 'Effective immediately: We are now authorized to invite our workforce to two days a week in the office.' It is unclear what the team acronyms refer to. JPMorgan Chase did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been adamant about getting workers back to the office, even as some have talked to the media about their experiences being 'forced' back into the office by supervisors who have had the 'fear of God' put into them. But last month, Dimon conceded that 'working from home will become more permanent in American business,' adding that 40 percent of the company's 270,000 employees could work a few days at their desk. Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, where JPMorgan is based, has urged companies to call their workers back to the office, calling it crucial for the city's 'financial ecosystem.' JPMorgan Chase will allow at least some of its employees to work from home three days a week, according to a leaked memo from a top executive The move comes after employees grumbled that the bank was deploying coercive tactics to force them to go back in. Last month, CEO Jamie Dimon conceded that about 40 percent of the bank's 270,000 employees could do a hybrid model NYC Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly called on companies to call their workers back to the office. In February he quipped, 'You can't stay home in your pajamas all day' In the letter dated Tuesday, Cukor said he expected his workers to meet the 'generous modification' requiring them to go into the office two days a week with 'earnestness.' Many employees are reportedly on hybrid rotas where they only go in for three days a week. 'I know many are working effectively from the office, from home and everywhere in between. I'm grateful for everyone's hard work and patience over these last few months. Drew Cukor heads up artificial intelligence and machine learning at the bank. He previously served in the US Marine Corps for 25 years 'Productivity and delivery of effective solutions to our business partners is always top priority alongside the health, safety and happiness of each member of our team,' he wrote. Cukor joined the bank last year after serving in the US Marine Corps for 25 years, serving in multiple roles. He was the head of Project Maven, which focused on developing computer vision algorithms to process drone footage, FedScoop reported. Last week, four sources told Business Insider that JP Morgan workers were having their ID swipes checked to ensure they were going into the office. One London-based worker said: 'At JPMorgan, nobody trusts you. The higher-ups don't trust you to do your job if they're not constantly watching you in the office.' Another, more senior member, said even managers were not keen and had left them 'deathly afraid' of their teams not having 100 per cent attendance. They said: 'I don't know whether it's because they themselves are too timid or whether it's because the fear of God has been put into them by a bank manager.' They added: 'But every time there's something that requires participation, you sense the panic.' The two sources reportedly said they were looking to leave the company. In a recent letter to shareholders, CEO Dimon said 50 percent of the bank's employees around the world would have to return to the office full time. About 10 percent could work from home forever, he added, while the rest could get by on a hybrid model. Meanwhile Goldman Sachs has also reportedly been looking at ways to coax workers back in the office. Sources told DealBook bosses had talked about the idea for younger bankers at their weekly meetings. They were apparently mulling over scheduling in-office appointments so they had to attend in person. Last week, four sources told Business Insider that JP Morgan workers were having their ID swipes checked to ensure they were going into the office Last month junior Goldman Sachs bankers whose salaries start at $110,000 threatened to quit their jobs after the firm demanded they turn to the office five days a week. 'In Goldman Sachs, the top management says it's employees choice but internally they track which team has most in office attendance,' an employee wrote on the message board Blind, according to New York Post. 'It's f***ing bulls**t from top management saying they are people first,' they added. 'In our team meeting, manager showed us the excel where the MDs [managing directors] are tracking which department has not met in-office commitments.' Another Goldman Sachs employee wrote on Blind: 'Apparently they are tracking everyone's attendance and managers are getting lists of people who have low attendance so they can bully them into coming in.' The investment bank demanded employees return to the office five days a week earlier this month, after CEO David Solomon branded working from home an 'aberration'. Last month, Goldman Sachs employees threatened to quit their jobs with starting salaries of $110,000 after the company demanded they return to the office five days a week. Above, the bank's HQ in New York City on Monday, June 14, 2021 'It's an aberration that we're going to correct as quickly as possible,' Solomon said last year. 'The CEO has repeatedly argued that remote work 'is not ideal for us, and it's not a new normal.' Meanwhile this month Goldman Sachs scrapped Covid perks for New York City-based staff including a free car to and from work, as well as free lunches. The upcoming policy changes, made by CEO David Solomon, comes after the Wall Street giant put an end to two years of free lunches and breakfast at the office. Both were designed to incentivize workers to come work in-person amid COVID-19 and a surge in crime in New York. New York City Mayor Eric Adams stressed in February the need to get workers back to offices. Adams seemed to allege he was seeing many people going from work-from-home Monday to Friday, to going out on the weekends. 'You can't tell me you're afraid of Covid on a Monday and I see you in the club on Sunday,' Adams joked. The mayor previously told leaders of major companies in the city to prioritize getting workers back in the office to stimulate the city's economy. 'In order for our economic - financial ecosystem, I should say - to function, we have to have human interaction,' Adams said at an economic development event at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in February, according to Insider. 'It can't be done from home. And if we do that, then we're going to greatly impact low wage workers.' He added: 'You can't stay home in your pajamas all day.' House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is being trolled in his own district by the group the Republican Accountability Project, which has gone after Republicans supportive of former President Donald Trump's election fraud lies. The group - led by anti-Trump commentator Bill Kristol - purchased space on Bakersfield, California billboards that now read: 'We've heard the tapes, Kevin. Stop lying about January 6th.' The New York Times has been releasing audio clips from a January 10, 2021 call where McCarthy, speaking to House leadership, floats asking Trump to resign during the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol attack. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is being trolled in his own district by the group the Republican Accountability Project with billboards in his California district reading: 'We've heard the tapes, Kevin. Stop lying about January 6' The location of six billboards that are trolling House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy over comments he made about fellow Republicans caught on tape by The New York Times. McCarthy represents Bakersfield, California House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy leaves the Republican National Committee offices Wednesday after he reportedly was given a standing ovation after he explained why he made certain comments captured on tape and released by The New York Times McCarthy, his No. 2 House Minority Whip Steve Scalise and his then No. 3 former House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, also discussed a number of inflammatory statements made by their own GOP members. Kristol's group supports 'principled Republicans,' which in their view is only defined by members of the GOP who didn't contest the 2020 election during the January 6 vote, which was interrupted by the Capitol attack. More recently, Kristol has gone as far as to endorse Democrats, including Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, to expunge Trump's influence from the party, despite GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin not necessarily espousing pro-MAGA beliefs. Youngkin won the November race. McCarthy remains with the majority of his party. On Wednesday morning McCarthy reportedly smoothed things over and was given a standing ovation by fellow House Republicans after he defended his comments from the tapes. 'He's widely supported. Will be speaker,' one source in the room told The Washington Post. CNN's Melanie Zanona reported that McCarthy told colleagues that he was just floating scenarios when he told Republican leadership during a January 10 call that former President Donald Trump should resign. McCarthy and his allies were also caught complaining about the rhetoric used by fellow GOP lawmakers including Reps. Matt Gaetz, Mo Brooks, Lauren Boebert and Barry Moore during a private phone call in the days following the January 6 Capitol attack. On Tuesday, The New York Times released fresh audio clips of McCarthy on the call with Scalise, then-House Republican Conference Chair Cheney, Rep. Tim Emmer and a handful of Congressional aides, where he relayed his fears that remarks by a vocal fringe minority could lead to violence. 'Tension is too high, the country is too crazy,' McCarthy warned on the January 10 call. 'I do not want to look back and think we caused something or we missed something and someone got hurt. I don't want to play politics with any of that.' The Washington Post also reported that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was also briefly brought up on the call, said at the meeting Wednesday morning that Scalise needed to apologize for his remarks. Both House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (left) and Rep. Liz Cheney (right), who at the time was the GOP Conference Chair, were on the call in question. Audio released Tuesday night caught them discussing some of their GOP colleagues' controversial rhetoric In one clip from the call, McCarthy is heard discussing comments Gaetz made on Newsmax, where he went after fellow Republicans for being 'anti-Trump.' One of the Republicans Gaetz was critical of was Cheney, who blasted the outgoing president after the January 6 insurrection. 'This is serious stuff people are doing that has to stop,' the top House Republican grumbled, mentioning briefings he was receiving from the FBI. 'I'm calling Gaetz, I'm explaining to him, I don't know if I have much to say, but I'm going to have some other people call him too,' McCarthy continued. 'This is serious s**t, to cut this out.' Scalise pushed that 'it's potentially illegal what he's doing.' 'Well, he's putting people in jeopardy,' McCarthy said. 'And he doesn't need to be doing this. We saw what people would do in the Capitol, you know, and these people came prepared with rope, with everything else.' Scalise also pointed to comments made by Brooks and Rep. Louie Gohmert, including how Brooks said at the 'Save America' rally before the Capitol Attack that 'today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.' 'You got the Maxine Waters and all that stuff too, I know the Dems are in a very strong positions to drive a lot of things, but our members have got to start paying attention to what they say too, we can't put up with that type of s**t,' McCarthy said. In the past, Republicans have gone after Waters, a California Democrat, for some of her rhetoric. McCarthy and GOP leaders discussed comments Rep. Mo Brooks (left) made at the 'Save America' rally in the hours before the January 6 Capitol attack and things Rep. Matt Gaetz (right) said about 'anti-Trump' Republicans, including Rep. Liz Cheney On the call, Rep. Liz Cheney brought up Rep. Lauren Boebert (pictured), pointing out that she had tweeted members' movements during the January 6 attack. 'You think the president deserves to be impeached for his comments? That's almost something that goes further than what the president said,' McCarthy said of Brooks' 'kicking ass' line. On the call, Cheney brought up Boebert, pointing out that she had tweeted members' movements during the January 6 attack. McCarthy asked if Greene - often linked to Boebert over their shared, now disavowed, interest in QAnon - had been a speaker at former President Donald Trump's 'Save America' rally. McCarthy is also told about tweets made from Moore. 'Wow, we have more arrests for stealing a podium on January 6 than we do for stealing an election on November 3, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit would be places I'd reccomend you start,' Moore wrote before deleting his personal Twitter account. On the death of capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt he commented, 'I understand it was a black police officer who shot the white female veteran.' 'You know that doesn't fit the narrative,' the Alabama Republican tweeted. After Moore's tweets were read aloud on the call, both McCarthy and Cheney are heard murmuring, 'wow.' McCarthy was also told about tweets sent out by Rep. Barry Moore (pictured) including on the death of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt. 'I understand it was a black police officer who shot the white female veteran. You know that doesn't fit the narrative,' Moore wrote 'Can't they take their Twitter accounts away, too?' McCarthy then said. The sound bites released Tuesday were from the same call in which McCarthy told GOP leadership he'd tell Trump to resign - comments he continues to deny, despite the recording being released publicly. The January 10 call was revealed by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, in a preview of their new book, This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for Americas Future. The comments prompted January 6 House select committee Chairman Bennie Thompson to announce Tuesday that the panel would issue 'another invitation' to McCarthy to testify. Then the Democrat-led committee - which includes Republicans Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger - will decide whether to subpoena McCarthy and other Republicans, Punchbowl News said. A paedophile nurse who downloaded baby rape images was struck off but the married father-of-four has avoided jail. Christopher Ewan, 45, who used to work in A&E, downloaded more than 100 child rape files, plus extreme porn images showing bestiality. His innocent wife and children were forced to flee the family home in Netherton, Merseyside after it was targeted by vigilantes who vandalised it. Ewan's wife has since left him and he has 'lost' his children, a court heard. His defence lawyer told the court Ewan's interest in adult porn was in the 45-year-old's words 'thrill seeking' and progressed to viewing child sex abuse images. Ewan's computer had 137 Category A images, including 10 videos which are seen as the most extreme forms of abuse and involve children being raped. Along with the suspended sentence he was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. The former Aintree Hospital nurse has also now been officially prohibited from practising nursing in the UK. Christopher Ewan, pictured, 45, who used to work in A&E, downloaded more than 100 child rape files, plus extreme porn images showing bestiality The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which regulates the register of nurses able to practise in the UK, published a judgment from a disciplinary hearing which concluded Ewan would remain a potential risk to patients if he was not struck off. An independent panel concluded: 'Children suffer harm as a result of indecent images being made, possessed and distributed. Offences involving indecent images of children exploit children and amount to an abuse of children. 'It is therefore not guaranteed that a member of the public in Mr Ewan's care would be safe, or indeed, feel safe, in his care. 'The panel therefore determined that Mr Ewan is liable to place patients at a risk of harm in the future, that his conviction, for such serious and morally culpable offences, has brought the nursing profession into disrepute and breached fundamental tenets of the profession.' The panel heard that Ewan, who had worked at Aintree since 2013, was referred to the NMC by both Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Merseyside Police. Back in September, the court heard Merseyside Police officers knocked on the door of Ewan's home on June 22, 2020, after receiving a tip-off about 'suspicious activity' relating to a Sky broadband account and messaging app Kik Messenger. Officers seized various devices, which were later found to contain 137 Category A images, including 10 videos. Category A images are classed as depicting the most extreme forms of abuse under sentencing law and involve children being raped. The police also found 219 Category B images, including two videos, 130 Category C images, one pseudo (cartoon) image of abuse and 21 extreme pornographic images. Evans, pictured with face mask and hood, was handed a suspended prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court in September Christopher Hopkins, prosecuting in court, said during the sentencing hearing that one Category A image showed a female baby aged six to 12 months and one Category A video, around 24 minutes long, featured children aged eight, seven and four. Mr Hopkins said: 'So of their type, they are particularly serious images in the Crown's submission.' In a pre-sentence report Ewan claimed he did not intentionally download the images or do it for sexual gratification but later admitted that was not true. Desmond Lennon, defending, said: 'He unreservedly accepts deliberately downloading this material. 'He also accepts at the time there was a sexual interest in children and the notes indicate, being pressed, accepts it remains.' Mr Lennon said Ewan was married for 19 years with four children, but developed an interest in adult porn, which the dad described as 'thrill seeking'. He said at the time of the offending his client had been off work due to 'stress' and his interest in adult porn progressed to viewing child sex abuse images. Mr Lennon said if Ewan was spared jail, he could receive 'the assistance he perhaps now belatedly recognises that he needs'. The lawyer said: 'He understands how it's not only affected him, but people who are very important to him, his wife and children. His wife has left him, the marriage is over and his four children have been taken away from him.' Mr Lennon said when Ewan's crimes first became public knowledge, it had a 'catastrophic effect' on the family, who then lived in Netherton. He said: 'The home was vandalised, bricks were thrown through the window, paint was thrown at the front door and people congregated outside, behaving in an intimidating way. The effect on his children in particular has been devastating.' Judge Anil Murray told Ewan: 'You were of previous good character. More than that, more than just having no previous convictions, you were of positive good character and worked as a professional person. By this offending you have thrown all that away.' Judge Murray said by law he had to consider guidelines on whether this sentence should be served immediately, and because Ewan had no history of poor compliance with court orders, was thought to have a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, and jailing him would have 'some significant impact' on his family, he was 'able, but only just, to suspend the sentence in this case'. He was handed a suspended prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court in September, having admitted three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children, plus possessing a prohibited image of a child and extreme porn. He handed Ewan 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, with a 40-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. Disgraced Merrill Lynch financier James Iannazzo, who was arrested after hurling a smoothie at a Robeks worker and branding her a 'f**king immigrant loser,' has avoided a criminal conviction after being accepted into a one-year rehabilitation program. Iannazzo will be supervised by the Connecticut Office of Adult Probation for 12-months, and if he completes it all charges against him - including intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass - will be dropped. The probation program is offered to defendants without previous convictions and who are deemed unlikely to re-offend. Iannazzo said he was planning to apply to the program during a March 9 court appearance. He has also been ordered to donate $500 to the Office of Victim Services. James Iannazzo, 48, was arrested on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass after his racist tirade at a Robeks was caught in video The financier triggered public outcry after a TikTok showing him going on a racist rant and hurling a smoothie at teenage employees at a Robeks smoothie store in Connecticut went viral in January. He was caught on camera roaring: 'I want to speak to the person who made this f**king drink. Is that you? 'You don't know who made it? Stupid f**king ignorant high school kids. I want to speak to the f**king manager. Get the f**k out of here you f**king bitch. Give it to me now.' The footage, which was posted on TikTok by @cjjbreezy, was recorded by a teenage employee when Iannazzo stormed in demanding to know who put peanut butter in his son's smoothie 'You're a f***** immigrant loser,' Iannazzo says to one of the girls, just moments after he hurled the smoothie at her, hitting her with it on the shoulder At that point, he hurled the drink, which hit an employee and spilled all over her, before staff told him to leave while calling the police. Iannazzo continued: ' 'F**k you, you f**king bitch. I want the telephone, right now. Shut the f**k up, you f**king stupid (inaudible). I want the f**king phone. Shut up. 'You f**king immigrant loser. I want the f**king telephone.' Iannazzo was irate after his son, who is allergic to peanuts, went into anaphylactic shock. The employees said he had asked for no peanut butter but did not mention his son's allergy Iannazzo eventually attempted to breach the employee-only entrance as the young workers struggled to keep the door closed . No one was injured Iannazo claimed he lost his temper and 'his paternal instinct kicked in' after staff prepared a smoothie containing peanut butter, which caused his 17-year-old son to go into anaphylactic shock. He claimed he had warned staff that his son was allergic to nuts, while staff claimed that he requested there be no peanut butter but failed to mention an allergy. 'I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robeks, and I wish I had not done so,' Iannazzo said afterwards. 'I also wish they had been more careful preparing my son's beverage. I will be extending my apologies personally to the Robeks organization, particularly the staff that was working there that night.' Attorney Frank Riccio, who is representing Iannazzo, said his client was not racist but his 'paternal instinct' had kicked in Iannazzo has since been fired from his position as wealth advisor and director at Merrill Lynch Management, where he had been working since 1995 Iannazo was fired from his job at Merrill Lynch - where he had worked since 1995, most recently as a vice president of wealth management - after the clip was widely-shared online. 'Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind. We immediately investigated and have taken action. This individual is no longer employed at our firm,' the company said in a statement after the video became viral. After the incident Iannazzo was arrested on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass before being released. 'It was kind of scary, I'm not going to lie because I'm like 'I don't know his intention or what he was going to do,' 18-year-old Gianna Miranda, who works part-time at the Robeks told local news station WFSB. 'He started to call her racial slurs. He threatened to kill us multiple times,' Hill, who is 17 according to the social media platform, also told the outlet. 'I understand and we are sorry on behalf of Robeks for how the smoothie was made, but it gives you absolutely no right to act out like that.' Newly released bodycam video shows the shocking moment a man attacked a nurse and lunged at cops with a pair of scissors while he was handcuffed to a hospital bed after being arrested for stabbing a woman during a domestic dispute in the Bronx. Luis Medina, 30, was taken into custody around 11:30 a.m. Saturday for allegedly stabbing a 41-year-old woman multiple times during a domestic dispute at 65 East Gun Hill Road as crime continues to surge in the city. Medina was taken to Bronx Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and handcuffed to a hospital bed. While the suspect was being treated by a nurse, 26, he began acting erratically and grabbed a pair of scissors from her hand and hit her in the head with them, NYPD said. Luis Medina, 30, was taken into custody Saturday for allegedly stabbing a 41-year-old woman, 41, during a domestic dispute in the area of East Gun Hill Road in The Bronx The woman stabbed in The Bronx was was taken to Saint Barnabas Hospital, where she was in serious but stable condition, NYPD said The 26-year-old nurse was not seriously injured and fled the room to get help. Medina is then seen on video jumping out of the hospital bed with his wrist still handcuffed to the bed as he attempts to slash at the cop. When he slips and falls, one of the cops uses a Taser on Medina before fleeing the room for backup. Medina is seen on video acting erratically as he grabs a pair of scissors from the nurse and hits her on the head Medina is then seen on video jumping out of the hospital bed with his wrist still handcuffed to the bed as he attempts to slash at the cop When he slips and falls, a cop uses a Taser on Medina before fleeing the room for backup Medina faces multiple assault charges and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the NYPD. The woman who was stabbed in the Bronx was was taken to Saint Barnabas Hospital, where she was in serious but stable condition, NYPD said. Tens of thousands of Australians will become reinfected with Covid-19 as new sub-variants of Omicron emerge ahead of winter, experts have warned. NSW recorded its first case of the BA.4 strain on Thursday with the BA.5 sub-variant also expected to reach the country within the next couple of months. Both strains are variants of Omicron and have led to a sharp uptick in Covid-19 cases in South Africa. University of Melbourne epidemiologist James McCaw warned the rise of new variants meant people who had been struck down with Covid-19 could be reinfected. Tens of thousands of Australians will become reinfected with Covid-19 as new sub-variants of Omicron emerge ahead of winter, experts have warned (pictured, driver gets Covid-19 test at Bondi) NSW recorded its first case of the BA.4 strain on Thursday with the BA.5 sub-variant also expected to reach the country within the next couple of months 'We will get reinfected, and we are most likely to be reinfected by new versions of the virus which are immunologically different,' he told Sydney Morning Herald. 'It's going to happen more and more because it's the only way for the virus to establish itself. It will be around forever because of reinfections.' UNSW's School of Public Health and Community Medicine James Wood said transmissions would spike across the country within the next couple of months. 'BA.4 and BA.5 in South Africa are clearly causing cases to go up, and we can expect these are already here in low numbers,' he said. Some states have already published reinfection rates with thousands of residents already struck down with the virus twice. Victoria has reported 10,000 reinfections between December and March. The Northern Territory recorded 28. NSW has yet to publish its data while Western Australia and Queensland does not keep track of it. Professor Wood said unvaccinated residents were the most likely to be reinfected. Children aged under 12 would be particularly vulnerable with low vaccination rates among the group. University of Melbourne epidemiologist James McCaw warned the rise of new variants meant people who had been infected with Covid-19 could be reinfected Only 39.5 per cent of children aged between five to 11 have received two doses of the vaccine while 52.8 per cent have received their first dose. The warning comes as states phase out isolation rules for close contacts. NSW, Victoria and the ACT have already ditched the requirement and Queensland followed suit at 6pm on Thursday. Western Australia became the second-last state or territory to abolish quarantine for asymptomatic COVID-19 close contacts, in line with national guidelines, at 12.01am on Friday. South Australia will from Saturday drop the need to isolate unless showing symptoms. Fully vaccinated close contacts in the NT no longer need to isolate unless they are symptomatic. Tasmania will drop the seven-day isolation requirement for close contacts of Covid-19 cases from May 2. Case expected to dent credibility of nation's No. 4 commercial bank By Yi Whan-woo A Woori Bank employee was arrested for allegedly embezzling more than 60 billion won ($47.1 million) from the bank, according to police and the lender, Thursday. The amount is far more than that of other financial crimes involving banks in the past, according to financial authorities, which points to the possibility of the country's fourth-largest bank potentially having a serious defect in securely managing money. Woori Bank's headquarters in central Seoul / Korea Times file The Florida DOE has reinstated nine previously nixed math textbooks that were banned because of references to Critical Race Theory and social justice issues The Florida Department of Education has reinstated nine previously nixed math textbooks that were banned because of references to Critical Race Theory and social justice issues after publishers scrubbed them of the problematic 'woke' content. 'Publishers are aligning their instructional materials to state standards and removing "woke" content' - a statement posted to the department's website Thursday revealed. Those revisions, officials said, addressed content - such as bar graphs measuring racial prejudice and a portion titled 'What? Me? Racist?' - the state previously deemed to be 'not aligned with Florida standards, or which 'included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies.' The nine textbooks were revised and added to the state adoption list over the past 11 days, officials said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had banned CRT as a component in Florida schools, claiming it promotes hatred among students and makes individuals feel guilty for racism of the past. 'It seems that some publishers attempted to slap a coat of paint on an old house built on the foundation of Common Core, and indoctrinating concepts like race essentialism, especially, bizarrely, for elementary school students,' he said of the rejected books. 'I'm grateful that Commissioner [of Education Richard] Corcoran and his team at the Department have conducted such a thorough vetting of these textbooks to ensure they comply with the law.' 'Publishers are aligning their instructional materials to state standards and removing "woke" content' - a statement posted to the department's website Thursday revealed One of the materials in the 54 math text books banned by Florida included bar graphs that measures levels of racial prejudice based on age and political identity. The graphs show that those 65 and older and who are more conservative have the most racial bias Another example of banned material also references the Implicit Association Test which claims people's bias changes based on age and political identification Earlier this month, the state DOE garnered criticism for tossing out 41 percent of math textbooks presented for use in schools next year, without detailing the contentious content. The public outcry spurred officials to release some of the problematic pages last week - pages that were again featured in the Florida DOE's statement Thursday. Of the lessons deemed unacceptable by the state was one that used bar graphs to measure levels of racial prejudice based on age and political identity. The lesson asks students to solve equations based on the findings. The graphs, which used data from the Project Implicit Discrimination website, show attempt to illustrate that those 65 and older who lean towards conservative political beliefs have the most racial bias. Another example of banned material includes a lesson plan for polynomials, with one of the problems once again referencing the Implicit Association Test, claiming that the 2 million people who have taken the test have 'slight' or 'moderate' bias, which changes based on age and political identification. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had banned CRT as a component in Florida schools, claiming it promotes hatred among students and makes individuals feel guilty for racism of the past Two other examples of banned material released by the state both make mentions of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which is banned in Florida FLORIDA REJECTS 41 PERCENT OF MATH TEXTBOOKS SUBMITTED FOR ITS CURRICULUM Florida has banned 54 of the 132 math textbooks submitted to the state, a total of 41 percent. Of the rejected books: Twenty-eight, or 21 percent, are not included on the adopted list because they incorporate prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies, including CRT Twelve are not included on the adopted list because they do not properly align to B.E.S.T. Standards Fourteen are not included on the adopted list because they do not properly align to B.E.S.T. Standards and incorporate prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies, including CRT In Grades K-5, 71 percent of materials were rejected. Grades 6-8 saw 20 percent of materials rejected, and in grades 9-12, 35 percent of materials were rejected. Advertisement The last two examples released by the state both mention SEL, which is banned in Florida, with one listing an SEL objective in math that states: 'Students build proficiency with social awareness as they practice with empathizing with classmates.' The other, which was posted with a redacted line, calls for a lesson plan 'to build student agency by focusing on students' social and emotional learning, specifically the five competencies that make up the framework,' which include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. The DOE said the examples provided do not represent an exhaustive list of the type of material banned and that the rejected publishers will be able to appeal the state's decision and are granted the right to alter the submitted textbooks as long as it meets that state's specifications. The department said in a statement last week that the 54 books were banned because they were not 'aligned with Florida standards or included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies.' 'Reasons for rejecting textbooks included references to Critical Race Theory (CRT), inclusions of Common Core, and the unsolicited addition of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in mathematics,' the department added, noting that all three learning practices are banned in the state. 'The highest number of books rejected were for grade levels K-5, where an alarming 71 percent were not appropriately aligned with Florida standards or included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies. 'The Department is continuing to give publishers the opportunity to remediate all deficiencies identified during the review to ensure the broadest selection of high quality instructional materials are available to the school districts and Floridas students, the DOE said after issuing the book rejections.' A disgraced property developer has agreed to pay $18.85 million to the family of a woman struck and killed by his 17 year-old son doing 100mph in a Lamborghini he'd been bought for his birthday. Brandon Khuri, the driver of the vehicle and the son of real estate mogul James Khuri, was racing the $200,000 Urus in a 35-mph zone on a West Los Angeles freeway, when he crashed into a Lexus driven by Monique Munoz, 32. The settlement, revealed on Thursday, is one of the largest amounts for a single plaintiff in a wrongful death case in California history, according to the family's lawyer. Khuri was condemned as one of America's most irresponsible fathers after his son slaughtered Munoz. His killer son was sentenced to just seven to nine months in a juvenile camp, and four months probation. Astonishingly, the arrogant multi-millionaires even suggested Khuri be allowed to serve his sentence at home confinement inside their luxury mansion. 'Today is a significant milestone because the Munoz family can finally get some closure for this horrific tragedy,'' attorney Daniel Ghyczy said in a statement on Wednesday, NBC Los Angeles reported. He continued: 'It was never about money for the Munoz family, it was about the acknowledgment of Brendan Khuri's misconduct that resulted in the death of their only daughter and to ensure that he was held accountable. 'Today's settlement is a testament to their efforts and is a step closer to justice.' Monique Munoz, 32, had been driving home from her job at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, before the deadly crash. She had been preparing to start law school Brendan Khuri, 17, (pictured right) with his father, James Khuri (pictured left), is a multi-millionaire who owns several real estate firms and an e-commerce business The scene where the crash took place in West Los Angeles in February 2021 Munoz was trapped in the wreckage following the crash and died at the scene, LA police said He continued: 'The family faced numerous hurdles from both private insurance companies and the L.A. District Attorney's office, and experienced the harsh realities of racism and bias against those from underserved communities.' The $18.8 million settlement is tied to a lawsuit filed last year in Los Angeles claiming that Chubb Insurance had discriminated against the Latina woman when calculating the wrongful-death claim award amount, the news outlet said. Munoz, who had been driving home from her job at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, had been trapped in the wreckage following the crash and died at the scene, the LA Police Department said. She had been preparing to start law school. On Wednesday, new video of the fatal crash was also released, which showed Khuri running a red light in his Lamborghini SUV before his vehicle slammed into the vehicle of Munoz, killing her. In April, Khuri pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in Inglewood Juvenile Court. Munoz's stepfather and mother want justice for their daughter A photo of Munoz with her parents celebrating a graduation milestone during happier times Prosecutors were outraged when his defense argued that he should serve the majority of his sentence in probation at his family's mansion. Khuri's attorney, Mark Werksman, said the teen was diagnosed with autism, and attention deficit disorder following the crash, where they claimed he sustained brain injuries, the Los Angeles Times reported. Psychologist Karen Schiltz, who testified before the Los Angeles County Superior Court, said Khuri likely suffered from autism his entire life but was never diagnosed and that he would be 'victimized' if he were to be held in an LA County juvenile camp. Munoz's family believed Khuri's sentence was too lenient. In August protests were held over the case. Munoz's uncle, Richard Cartier, had called on the court to deny house arrest for the teen. 'I'm looking for this kid to actually get what he deserves,' Munoz's uncle Richard Cartier told ABC7. 'He murdered my niece and he had no remorse for any life of any kind and he showed it. The distraught family believes the teen is getting special treatment because of his father's wealth. Khuri's father, James, is a multi-millionaire who owns several real estate firms and an e-commerce business. Despite Brendan's repeated apologies, the Munoz family have called for the teen take accountability for his crime. Weeks before the deadly crash, the teen had put up social media posts about his racing and drifting activities in his luxury car that retails for a minimum of $218,000. LA police officials testified that the teen had been cited twice for excessive speeding and had even had his license suspended over his antics in the Lamborghini. Munoz's stepfather, Isaac Cordona, 55, of Hawthorne, California, spoke of his heartbreak in an interview with DailyMail.com in a 2021 interview. His wife, Monique's mother Carol, 54, was too upset to speak to DailyMail.com but told of her heartbreak in a Facebook post on February 18. She wrote: 'My baby my life my everything my heart is broken in so many pieces mommy is going to miss you sooo much. 'I LOVE YOU FOREVER BABY FEELS LIKE A BAD DREAM RIP MY BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS.' teen son of a multimillionaire who was driving a Lamborghini in excess of 100 mph have reached an $18 million settlement. Monique Munoz, a 32-year-old secretary from Hawthorne, died in February 2021 in West Los Angeles when the luxury car driven by the then-17-year-old son of real estate magnate James Khuri slammed into her Lexus, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. The crash occurred during rush-hour traffic in a 35-mph zone when Munoz was driving home from her job at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles reported. The $18.8 million settlement is tied to a lawsuit filed last year in Los Angeles claiming that Chubb Insurance had discriminated against the Latina woman when calculating the wrongful-death claim award amount, according to the newspaper. Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of hypocrisy for attending a birthday cake celebration in his office during the pandemic. The Labour leader tucked into the shop-bought chocolate and lemon cakes while coronavirus guidance advised against holding close social gatherings indoors. Sir Keir has repeatedly demanded Boris Johnson quit for attending an impromptu birthday gathering in the Cabinet Room in June 2020 just three months before his own celebration. The PM and Chancellor were hit with fines for breaking lockdown laws that banned indoor gatherings at that time. However, it has now emerged that Sir Keir was given a birthday card and two cakes in his office on his birthday in September 2020. Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of hypocrisy for attending a birthday cake celebration in his office during the pandemic While Covid laws on gatherings had been relaxed a month earlier, government guidance at the time stated that people should not hold or attend celebrations (such as parties) where it is difficult to maintain social distancing and avoid close social interaction. The Government also said people should not socialise indoors in groups of more than two households. It was not clear last night how many others helped Sir Keir to eat the cakes in his office. A Tory source said: It now seems that, as well as sinking a few cold ones with mates at his infamous Durham drinks party, Sir Keir flouted the guidance in place for a little birthday bash... that is of course unless you believe that he popped out to a shop, bought himself a cake and sat alone eating it in his office. We know that Labour have lied about these things in the past so it makes you wonder what else theyre hiding. The stench of hypocrisy gets stronger by the day. Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of hypocrisy for attending a birthday cake celebration in his office during the pandemic Sir Keir claimed the Prime Minister and Chancellor dishonoured their office by attending the impromptu birthday celebration on June 19, 2020, the day Mr Johnson turned 56. Rishi Sunak was in attendance because he had been invited to a crucial meeting about Covid. Mr Johnson was eating a salad. It was initially believed that the PM had been presented with a Union Jack cake while aides sang Happy Birthday to him. However, it has since emerged that the cake bought by a special adviser never even left its Tupperware box. Some sausage rolls from Marks and Spencer were laid out on the Cabinet table along with a few cans of Estrella lager, but it is believed that these too were left untouched. Nevertheless, Sir Keir claimed Mr Johnson and Mr Sunaks attendance had dishonoured the sacrifices made by people during lockdown as well as their offices. After the men were fined, Sir Keir said: This is the first time in the history of our country that a Prime Minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. Britain deserves better, they [the PM and the Chancellor] have to go. Labour did not respond to a request for comment last night. However, a party source said no laws were broken. Advertisement Labour last night admitted it had lied about an event at which Sir Keir Starmer is alleged to have broken lockdown rules. In a sensational U-turn, Labour acknowledged that Angela Rayner was also at the event on April 30 last year at which Sir Keir was filmed enjoying a beer with officials at a time when indoor socialising was banned. A Labour spokesman said last night: 'Angela was present.' A party source claimed the previous denials had been 'an honest mistake'. It directly contradicts assurances given to the Daily Mail over the past three months that Mrs Rayner was 'not there'. The admission came only after this newspaper confronted Labour officials with video evidence that Mrs Rayner had joined Sir Keir at an online rally for activists filmed in the Durham offices of Labour MP Mary Foy where the party leader was later seen drinking. The extraordinary revelation raises questions about whether Labour's deputy leader also broke lockdown rules. In a sensational U-turn, Labour acknowledged that Angela Rayner was also at the event on April 30 last year at which Sir Keir was filmed enjoying a beer (pictured) with officials at a time when indoor socialising was banned Angela Rayner waves at the offices of Redhills, the home of the Durham Miners Association in Durham, County Durham in 2021 Labour leader Keir Starmer and Deputy Leader Angela Rayner during a visit to a site development on the banks of the River Wear in Durham on May 1 'Men want to sleep with you' slur A woman MP has claimed a Shadow Cabinet minister said she was a 'secret weapon' because men wanted to sleep with her. The member of Sir Keir Starmer's top team is alleged to have made the lewd comment after the woman was described as a 'rising star' of the party at an event. The Welsh MP, who wants to remain anonymous, told the BBC that before she could reply, the frontbencher intervened to describe her as 'a secret weapon'. He said 'women want to be her friend' and, using a swear word, that men want to sleep with her, before adding: 'She is a vote winner.' The MP said she chose not to make a formal complaint. Labour said yesterday that the issue would be taken 'extremely seriously' if one was received. Labour leader Sir Keir said: 'I'm deeply concerned to hear these suggestions and these allegations. There is a complaints procedure and I want everybody to have the confidence to use that procedure because I would want to get to the bottom of this and do something about it.' Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said the party should investigate even if a formal complaint had not been made. Advertisement Conservative MP Brendan Clarke Smith said last night: 'For all their sanctimony about honesty and transparency, it's plain to see that Labour have not told the truth about Keir Starmer's lockdown drinks party. 'Why would they lie about Angela Rayner's presence if they thought the event was legal? It makes you wonder what else they are hiding.' In another astonishing development, the Mail can reveal that Mrs Foy was forced to apologise this week after launching a 'drunken' tirade on the Commons terrace against 'Men want to sleep with you' slur Tory MP Richard Holden, who has led calls for Durham Police to reopen the case. Last night Mrs Rayner was also facing questions over her denials that she had joked with Tory MPs about crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract Boris Johnson in the Commons. The claim in The Mail on Sunday provoked a storm of criticism on social media this week and a demand from the Commons Speaker for the newspaper's editor to explain himself. Mrs Rayner described the article as 'desperate, perverted smears'. But The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed it had spoken to two Tory MPs who corroborated the claim that Mrs Rayner had joked about giving the PM 'a flash'. Separately, The Mail On Sunday has now spoken to four Tory MPs who have all supported the account and contradicted the insinuation by Mrs Rayner and her allies that the claims were cooked up by sexist colleagues. On a day of shame for Labour: Defence Secretary Ben Wallace called on the police to investigate the Labour event in the same way detectives are probing Partygate claims against the Prime Minister; Labour sources confirmed that staff had presented Sir Keir with two birthday cakes in September 2020, when Covid guidance stated that people 'should not hold or attend celebrations' where social distancing would be difficult; Former Labour Cabinet minister Liam Byrne is facing a two-day suspension from the Commons for bullying a staff member; A female Labour MP claimed that a Shadow Cabinet minister told her she was a 'secret weapon' because men want to sleep with her; The Tories faced their own sleaze claims as Mr Johnson was forced to condemn the 'totally unacceptable' behaviour of a Conservative MP said to have watched porn in the Commons. The Daily Mail first asked Labour on January 14 whether Mrs Rayner had been present at the notorious Durham drinks event. A senior Labour official replied: 'Goodness me, with all that's going on. It's an old story! Angela wasn't there. It was Mary Foy's office.' But rumours about Mrs Rayner's presence at the meeting persisted. She was pictured in Durham at an election event with Sir Keir early the following morning. And a woman whose head can be seen from behind in the video of Sir Keir has hair which bears a remarkable resemblance to Mrs Rayner's striking red locks. The Mail presented officials with video evidence that Mrs Rayner had also been present at the Durham Miners Hall that evening. Labour admitted it had lied about an event at which Sir Keir Starmer is alleged to have broken lockdown rules Sir Keir gave a six-minute speech at the venue to an online party rally. Later in the event, Mrs Rayner appeared on screen in front of the same background Sir Keir had sat in front of 20 minutes earlier. And she even confirmed exactly where she was, quoting the motto of the Durham Miners. 'Being here at the Miners Hall in Durham, I've got to start with 'the past we inherit, the future we build',' Mrs Rayner said. Labour yesterday refused to answer a string of further questions from the Mail about the event, which police are now under pressure to investigate. Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said the party should investigate even if a formal complaint had not been made after the report a Welsh MP was told she was a 'secret weapon' because men wanted to sleep with her. In January, Sir Keir said: 'We were working in the office. We stopped for something to eat and then we carried on working. No party, no breach of the rules and absolutely no comparison with the Prime Minister.' It can now be established that the online event finished at around 9.20pm, about 45 minutes before Sir Keir was filmed by a passerby drinking from a bottle of beer. Labour officials refused to say how long the 'meal break' lasted, or how many attended. They also refused to say whether anyone in the leader's office had since spoken to Durham's Labour police and crime commissioner but denied suggestions she had also been present that evening. Durham Police said this week they would consider a request from Mr Holden to review their controversial decision that Sir Keir had not broken any rules. Senior Tories demanded a full investigation, saying there appeared to be no difference between the event and the socalled 'birthday party' in No10, for which Mr Johnson was fined 50. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said detectives should launch a full investigation, adding: 'A consistency of the application of the law, that's what we all deserve whether we're in London or whether we're in Durham.' Mr Johnson's spokesman said: 'The PM thinks the law should be applied equally at all times.' 'We made a mistake. Angela WAS present': Labour makes humiliating U-turn after Mail proves Rayner was at 'beergate' event under police review By Martin Beckford for the Daily Mail The WhatsApp message sent by a senior Labour press officer could hardly have been clearer. Asked by the Daily Mail if the party's deputy leader Angela Rayner had been present at the Durham Miners Hall the evening Sir Keir Starmer enjoyed a beer with local MP Mary Foy and other comrades, the spokesman replied categorically: 'Angela wasn't there.' But now that simple claim has been undermined, ironically by Labour's own digital campaigning prowess. Last night, in an astonishing volte-face, Labour belatedly admitted that Mrs Rayner had been there, but gave no further details. The party's about-turn came after a Mail investigation had already established that despite the denials, the party's deputy leader had been in the Miners Hall. Deputy leader of Labour, Angela Rayner (pictured), has been confirmed to have been present at the Durham Miners Hall in the evening of April 30 2021 after it was originally denied Earlier in the evening, before having a beer, Sir Kier was at an online rally in Durham with Angela Rayner Lockdown laws at the time, in April 2021, banned indoor socialising except within a household or support bubble Almost a year since the fateful event, when lockdown laws at the time banned indoor socialising except within a household or support bubble, the party's Facebook page still shows a video that proves Sir Keir and Mrs Rayner were in the same building at the same time. It can be revealed today that less than an hour before the infamous video was taken of Sir Keir with bottle in hand, he and his deputy sat at the same desk to address Labour activists across the country. They were the star turns in a live online rally being held less than a week before the country went to the ballot boxes in the pair's first major electoral test. It was advertised by frontbencher Nick Thomas-Symonds in a social media post that can still be viewed today. 'Tune in 8.30pm-9pm tonight for Labour's Get Out The Vote '6 Days to 6th May' rally with Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and special guests,' he wrote on Twitter on the afternoon of Friday, April 30. He helpfully included a link to the Facebook page hosting the virtual campaigning event, which not only remains online but includes a complete video of the 48-minute proceedings. It was hosted by Labour MP Carolyn Harris, broadcasting from her home in Wales. She made it clear the rally was live by announcing: 'Well, hello everyone and welcome to the very last Friday before May 6.' After her introduction she handed over to Sir Keir, who was wearing the same open-necked white shirt which would later be seen in the clip filmed by passers-by as he drank a bottle of beer. The event took place at the Durham Miners Hall (pictured), where Sir Kier and Angela addressed Labour voters online As he addressed voters by webcam, he was sitting in a small room with white walls and a mirror on a mantelpiece that showed the reflection of a distinctive 'half round' fanlight window. Sir Keir gave a six-minute speech to the 16,000 watching online, saying: 'Let me just start by thanking every single person who's on this call this evening. Thank you for joining us.' He said the party was facing 'huge, huge elections', the first since the 'devastating' national poll in December 2019 which saw Boris Johnson rout his predecessor as Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. Sir Keir claimed the upcoming elections would pit his Labour Party against a 'Conservative Party that's up to its neck in sleaze'. After the rally heard from other speakers, including one in the US, host Miss Harris handed over to the final speaker Angela Rayner. She appeared on screen in front of the same background Sir Keir had sat in front of less than 20 minutes earlier the same white walls, the same mirror on the mantelpiece and the same window in the reflection. And she even confirmed exactly where she was, quoting the motto of Durham Miners. A Labour press officer told the Daily Mail that Angela Rayner was not present (pictured) 'Being here at the Miners Hall in Durham, I've got to start with 'the past we inherit, the future we build',' Mrs Rayner said. As well as hosting the 'Pitman's Parliament' in decades gone by and being the headquarters of the Durham Miners' Association, the grand Edwardian building is also used for constituency meetings by Mrs Foy. And it is where the party has admitted Sir Keir was when he was caught enjoying a drink with colleagues, including Mrs Foy, in an apparent breach of Covid rules at the time as well as government electioneering guidance that stated: 'You should not meet with other campaigners indoors.' That video was shot a little after 10pm less than an hour after Mrs Rayner addressed the online rally from a room there. Photos of the hall show that its ground floor has the same distinctive fanlight windows that can be seen in the background of Sir Keir and Mrs Rayner's pieces to camera. The full 43-second clip of the video revealed by the Mail this week shows Sir Keir in another room of the hall, swigging from a bottle of beer and listening to Mrs Foy while two men eat food by the doorway. A woman sitting facing the two Labour MPs had been named by social media users as Joy Allen, then campaigning to be Durham crime tsar. But she has denied being present and the evidence obtained by the Mail suggests the woman is Mrs Rayner. When this newspaper first asked the party's press office in January about Mrs Rayner's possible presence, the reply was unequivocal: 'Angela wasn't there.' But the deputy leader had also shared photos and videos of herself with Sir Keir in the building at the same time. She was wearing the same polka-dot dress as she wore during the online rally and earlier that day while out canvassing hundreds of miles away in Birmingham. The next day at 8.53am on Saturday, May 1 she posted two photographs of herself in front of miners' lodges banners at the hall and wrote: 'Last year was the first year in two decades that I couldn't come to Durham. It's good to be back!' Then at 9.45am she shared a video which again is still online of herself and Sir Keir touring the building which Labour claims she had not stepped inside. It began with him declaring: 'On International Workers' Day, we're at Redhills, the historic Durham Miners Hall.' Mrs Rayner was filmed outside the building saying: 'From here in Durham to the miners in South Wales, it was working people and trade unionists who created local healthcare systems that laid the foundations for our country's greatest institution, the National Health Service.' The morning after the indoor event, Sir Keir and Mrs Rayner were pictured in hard hats and hi-vis jackets as they visited a major building development in Durham, known as Milburngate. Revealed: Damning testimony from four MPs of Angela Rayner's vulgar joke about Sharon Stone ploy By Glen Owen and Dan Hodges for the Daily Mail Angela Rayner last night risked accusations of a cover-up over the sexism row that has convulsed Westminster. Labour's deputy leader had described a story in last week's Mail on Sunday which said she had joked with Tory MPs about crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract Boris Johnson as 'disgusting' and 'completely untrue'. Amid a storm of criticism on social media, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle demanded a meeting with the newspaper's editor David Dillon. Mr Dillon rejected the call, saying that journalists should 'not take instruction' from parliamentary officials. Several MPs have supported the claim the Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner (Pictured next to Sir Kier Starmer) made jokes about crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract Boris Johnson Yesterday The Daily Telegraph reported that two Conservative MPs had told the newspaper they had heard Mrs Rayner laughing publicly about the idea that she could put off the Prime Minister by 'giving him a flash'. The witnesses said she had been joking about the suggestion that she was crossing and uncrossing her legs during a light-hearted discussion on the Commons terrace about two months ago. Separately, The Mail On Sunday has now spoken to a total of four Tory MPs the original source and three others, including one woman all of whom supported this account and contradicted the insinuation by Mrs Rayner and her allies that the claims were cooked up by sexists. One of the MPs, describing a night on the Commons terrace earlier this year, said Mrs Rayner had initiated the discussion of the issue. They said she had spoken of giving the Prime Minister 'a flash'. A second MP claimed that Mrs Rayner had referenced the thriller Basic Instinct, in which Sharon Stone's character infamously uncrosses her legs while being interrogated by police. 'Angela told us: 'I like to do my Sharon Stone trick to distract Boris... I cross and uncross my legs',' the witness said. A third MP added that they also remembered the encounter. The original source for the Mail on Sunday story said that the 'Sharon Stone' joke had been made while Mrs Rayner spoke to a Tory MP. 'She was telling him how she distracts Boris,' they said. All four Tories gave almost identical accounts of her remarks. They each said Mrs Rayner had used a startling slang colloquialism during the discussion. Angela Rayner joked about a Sharon Stone meme based on her during a podcast in January When The Mail on Sunday approached Mrs Rayner last Saturday about the exchanges on the terrace, a Labour spokesman said: 'It's completely made up, so unless they're going to say something properly on the record or have any evidence I would expect that this made-up story wouldn't run. 'I'm telling you categorically it's untrue so I'm afraid you know that doesn't meet the bar, an unnamed source without any evidence... I'm telling you, it's categorically untrue that this has happened.' After Mrs Rayner strenuously denied making the remarks, coverage of the story initially concentrated on allegations of sexism. The row then saw Sir Lindsay attempt to summon The Mail on Sunday's editor for a meeting. However, on Wednesday the Daily Mail revealed that Mrs Rayner had in fact publicly joked about the Basic Instinct comparison herself in January. Speaking to Matt Forde for his Political Party podcast, she volunteered the fact that her appearances in the Commons had prompted online references to the 1992 movie thriller. A Labour spokesman said the story was 'completely made up' was asked for a comment 'Every time I do a Prime Minister's Questions somebody has an opinion on what I wear. Did you see the meme about Sharon Stone like I was doing it at PMQs? I was mortified,' she said, laughing. 'I wasn't aware I did it but apparently there was this whole meme about how my dress was a bit revealing. I didn't think it was. It was a perfectly suitable Karen Millen in the sale by the way.' The podcast also saw her use the same slang colloquialism MPs say she used on the Commons terrace. Meanwhile, as the backlash grew over Sir Lindsay's intervention, Mr Dillon formally turned down the Speaker's request for a meeting, saying that Britain's free Press would not endure if journalists had to take instructions from officials in the House of Commons. He also said other MPs had come forward to corroborate the original account of Mrs Rayner's remarks. The Prime Minister later backed Mr Dillon's decision. A No 10 spokesman said Mr Johnson would not want 'any perception of politicians seeking to in any way curb or control what a free Press seeks to report'. A spokesman for Mrs Rayner last night declined to comment further on the story. Labour's own partygate: Keir Starmer flouted Covid lockdown guidance at own birthday bash... with TWO cakes By Harriet Line, Chief Political Correspondent for the Daily Mail Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of hypocrisy for attending a birthday cake celebration in his office during the pandemic. The Labour leader tucked into the shop-bought chocolate and lemon cakes while coronavirus guidance advised against holding close social gatherings indoors. Sir Keir has repeatedly demanded Boris Johnson quit for attending an impromptu birthday gathering in the Cabinet Room in June 2020 just three months before his own celebration. The PM and Chancellor were hit with fines for breaking lockdown laws that banned indoor gatherings at that time. However, it has now emerged that Sir Keir was given a birthday card and two cakes in his office on his birthday in September 2020. Sir Keir Starmer was last night accused of hypocrisy for attending a birthday cake celebration in his office during the pandemic While Covid laws on gatherings had been relaxed a month earlier, government guidance at the time stated that people should not 'hold or attend celebrations (such as parties) where it is difficult to maintain social distancing and avoid close social interaction'. How Labour queued up to condemn the PM 'This is the first time in the history of our country that a Prime Minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. Britain deserves better, they have to go.' Sir Keir Starmer, April 12 'Now we know the Prime Minister did not shut down his own birthday party he spent it breaking the law. We have a Prime Minister who is sorry only that he has been found out.' Angela Rayner, April 21 'We are all concerned by the situation in Ukraine, but that should not be used as a smokescreen for the failings of this Prime Minister.' MP Matt Western, April 21 Advertisement The Government also said people should not 'socialise indoors in groups of more than two households'. It was not clear last night how many others helped Sir Keir to eat the cakes in his office. A Tory source said: 'It now seems that, as well as sinking a few cold ones with mates at his infamous Durham drinks party, Sir Keir flouted the guidance in place for a little birthday bash... that is of course unless you believe that he popped out to a shop, bought himself a cake and sat alone eating it in his office. 'We know that Labour have lied about these things in the past so it makes you wonder what else they're hiding. The stench of hypocrisy gets stronger by the day.' Sir Keir claimed the Prime Minister and Chancellor 'dishonoured their office' by attending the impromptu birthday celebration on June 19, 2020, the day Mr Johnson turned 56. Rishi Sunak was in attendance because he had been invited to a crucial meeting about Covid. Mr Johnson was eating a salad. It was initially believed that the PM had been presented with a Union Jack cake while aides sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. However, it has since emerged that the cake bought by a special adviser never even left its Tupperware box. Some sausage rolls from Marks and Spencer were laid out on the Cabinet table along with a few cans of Estrella lager, but it is believed that these too were left untouched. Nevertheless, Sir Keir claimed Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak's attendance had 'dishonoured' the sacrifices made by people during lockdown as well as their offices. After the men were fined, Sir Keir said: 'This is the first time in the history of our country that a Prime Minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. Britain deserves better, they [the PM and the Chancellor] have to go.' Labour did not respond to a request for comment last night. However, a party source said no laws were broken. Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone's home has been raided by police investigating a firm for 203 million of Covid PPE government contracts, it has been claimed. Tory peer Lady Mone, 50, is believed to have been present at an address that was searched by officers from the National Crime Agency, who raided homes and offices in London and the Isle of Man. Lady Mone has a 25million estate on the Isle of Man, as well as a home in Belgravia. It is unclear which address police visited. They are said to have been searching for documents that could assist an inquiry into suspected fraud offences. No arrests are believed to have been made. Lady Mone, from Glasgow, has denied any involvement with a company called PPE Medpro, which was given government contracts along with another firm. However, it was revealed that she referred PPE Medpro to the officer of fellow Tory peer Theodore Agnew, who at the time was a Cabinet Officer minister responsible for the procurement of PPE. The NCA is currently investigating the award of contracts for supplying surgical gowns and masks to the NHS. Lady Mone has a 25million estate on the Isle of Man, as well as a home in Belgravia. It is unclear which address police visited Lady Mone with her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman. She has denied any involvement with a company called PPE Medpro, which was given government contracts along with another firm PPE Medpro appeared on the 'VIP Lane' list of companies given greater chances of a PPE contract. It was added to the list by Lord Agnew's office. The firm, which is based in the Isle of Man, was formed in May 2020. A few weeks later, it was given a contract to supply 25 million sterile gowns and masks. Lady Mone was linked to the company by the Guardian, however, she made clear she has no role in the company. In January it emerged she had been referred to the House of Lords Commissioners for Standards. Labour peer George Foulkes said Lady Mone had failed to fully disclose her business interests in PPE Medpro and asked the commissioners to investigate whether she had breached the rules against lobbying when she referred the firm to the Government. Tory peer Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband (both pictured) face questions over their involvement in a 203million Government contract for PPE at the start of the pandemic Pictured: Anthony Page, PPE Medpro's owner, circled, at Lady Mone's wedding in 2020 PPE Medpro shows these products among items it currently offers on its website Government details show how Lady Mone referred PPE Medpro as a potential supplier Lady Mone has repeatedly denied any association with the company, which she recommended to the Cabinet Office as a potential supplier in May 2020. Although she has no actual formal connections with the company, her denials have come under scrutiny thanks to publicly documented connections between Anthony Page, PPE Medpro's owner, and businesses run by Lady Mone and her husband, Isle of Man-based billionaire Doug Barrowman. From leaving school in Glasgow with no qualifications to modelling and business deals: How 'Baroness Bra' made her millions Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone was born in 1971 and grew up in Glasgow's East End, leaving school with no qualifications aged 15 before finding work as a model. After running a sales and marketing team for the Labatt's brewing firm, she decided to create a range of support bras after the idea came to her while wearing an uncomfortable bra during a dinner party. Lady Mone founded MJM International with her then-husband Michael Mone in November 1996, and three years of research, design, and development resulted in the patented Ultimo bra. In August 1999, a month after having her third child, she launched Ultimo at the Selfridges department store in London, which sold the pre-launch estimate of six weeks of stock within 24 hours. The business grew rapidly and in 2010 she earned an OBE from the Queen for her contribution to business. But she sold 80 per cent of Ultimo in 2014, one year after announcing she had left the company following a breakdown in her marriage. Lady Mone was nicknamed 'Baroness Bra' after being elevated to the House of Lords in 2015, where her official title is Baroness Mone of Mayfair. To celebrate her 50th birthday, she decided to host five parties - one for each decade of her life with her new husband billionaire tech tycoon Doug Barrowman, 55. Advertisement Lady Mone is being investigated under several sections of the Lords' code of conduct, including a section saying peers 'must never accept or agree to accept any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence'. She is also being investigated under as section of the code saying peers 'must not seek by parliamentary means to confer exclusive benefit on an outside body or person (a) in which he or she has a financial interest (including by way of salary, fees, shareholding or other arrangement) or (b) in return for payment or reward'. Lord Foulkes said Lady Mone had failed to fully disclose her business interests in PPE Medpro and asked the commissioners to investigate whether she had breached the rules against lobbying when she referred the firm to the Government. Mr Page, the sole owner of PPE Medpro, is a wealth management expert who works for Barrowman's Knox House Trust, part of the Knox Group of companies based on the Isle of Man, where Lady Mone and her husband live on a 25 million estate. In December The Mail on Sunday revealed Mr Page is the director of a firm that owns a luxury yacht, called Lady M, on which Lady Mone sailed around the Adriatic last summer. Mr Page is also the majority shareholder of Lady Mone's new business venture Neo Space, which operates spaces for rent in Aberdeen. Lady Mone founded lingerie brand Ultimo through parent company MJM International in 1996. She was made a life peer by David Cameron in 2015. Millions of the medical gowns bought by the NHS from PPE Medpro were never even used. At the time they had to reach the British Standard for the sterilisation of medical devices or what was called a 'technical equivalent'. If the equivalent was the standard aimed for, health regulator the MHRA had to approve them. It publishes lists of current products that had been given its authorisation to be used. Earlier this month, Voirrey Coole, 40, who had been a director with PPE Medpro since it was formed on May 12, 2020, suddenly quit the company. The company filings announced her appointment had been terminated, but her own listing declared her as having resigned. Vladimir Putin is secretly plotting to seize food in occupied areas of Ukraine to fill shelves in Russia after Western sanctions sparked crippling shortages. The plan was accidentally revealed by a Kremlin puppet parliament, which said Moscow will confiscate crops from farmers to help stock stores across Russia. It will revive the horrors of Ukraines Holodomor, or hunger extermination, when Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin stole food to create the 1932-1933 famine, killing at least four million people. In a now-deleted statement, pro-Putin regional politician Vladislav Zyryanov said the Kremlin wanted to increase the volume of supplies for domestic Russian consumers by moving food from other southern [Ukrainian] regions taken under its control. Zyryanov, who chairs the agriculture committee in the Krasnoyarsk regional assembly in Siberia, called the move economically justified, given the withdrawal of many suppliers of seeds and fertilisers from the Russian market. A woman cooks on an open fire outside an apartment building which according to residents has no gas, water, electricity and heating for more than a month in the formerly Russian-occupied Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Ukraine He suggested other regions across Russia will be able to successfully implement similar policies to address the nations food supply woes. His remarks are the first time any Russian official has openly admitted Russia wants to steal Ukrainian farm produce. They also amount to an unprecedented acknowledgement by Putins United Russia party of the biting effect from sanctions imposed by Britain and its Western allies. Zyryanovs statement was hurriedly taken down from the Krasnoyarsk assemblys website late on Wednesday. Both the UN and EU have accused Russia of using hunger as a weapon of war by bombing food stocks and blocking deliveries of humanitarian supplies. It is why the record-breaking Mail Force Ukraine Appeal and the Ukrainian Embassy in London are sending 500,000 boxes of food aid worth 8million to end the suffering of Ukrainians. Khersons highly productive and lucrative agriculture industry is one of the reasons why Ukraine is referred to as the worlds bread basket. In the admission, desperate Siberian MPs said the move to steal Ukrainian crop surpluses was necessary due to the lack of other vegetables and grain crops in the eastern Russian region. But they added that foreign sanctions had created similar shortages everywhere at the federal level. Albert Cherepakha, owner of two major farming businesses in Kherson, described how his firms have been seized by groups of armed Chechens. He said: The gunmen said that from now on the company property belongs to them. He added his managers were warned that they would be beheaded in case of any losses. And Oleksandr Boyko, 23, a Kherson farm worker, said there had been no significant excess production of vegetable, fruit and grain products. The Ukraine Agri Council, representing Ukrainian farmers, said last night Russian invaders had started seizing grain from the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraines food exports have slumped in the two months since the war started, causing prices to spike worldwide by at least 37 per cent, according to the World Bank. Dr Samuel Ramani, a Russia expert at the University of Oxford, said regional MPs in Russia never act out of lockstep with the Kremlin on issues of national security. Just over two years ago, all 85 regional parliaments backed constitutional changes that will allow Putin to run again for presidency in 2024. Dr Ramani said: When a regional parliament is speaking, it is reflecting the Kremlin line and revealing Vladimir Putins true intentions in Ukraine. He sees this area and all of its resources effectively as an extension of Russian territory. From his point of view, there is no difference between taking something out of Kherson or drilling for oil in Siberia. The Kremlins press office could not be immediately reached for comment. Mail Force has raised more than 11million since the appeal launched days after the war began. It started with a 500,000 donation from DMGT, the Mails parent company, at the request of Lord and Lady Rothermere. Priti Patel has hailed the passing by Parliament of a landmark law that she vows will finally fix Britains broken asylum system. Writing in the Daily Mail, the Home Secretary says the Nationality and Borders Act will crack down on evil people-smugglers facilitating dangerous Channel crossings. And she adds that for far too long, the public has been branded racist simply for wanting controlled borders. Her comments come after the bill finally received royal assent yesterday, having survived attempts by peers to reject key measures including the processing of refugee claims offshore. The latest data suggests no migrants have arrived by small boat for the past ten days, after the military took charge of stopping crossings earlier this year. Home Secretary Priti Patel (above) says the Nationality and Borders Act will crack down on evil people-smugglers facilitating dangerous Channel crossings She hailed the passing by Parliament of a landmark law that she vows will finally fix Britains broken asylum system The last migrants to arrive at Dover were a total of 263 across seven small boats on April 19 (arrivals pictured on that day) A record 28,395 migrants reached the UK illegally last year in small boats over the Channel, a 200 per cent increase on 2020 But the Governments deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is facing court challenges, as is a plan to house 1,500 asylum seekers at an old RAF base in Yorkshire, despite Miss Patel insisting they will be helped to start a prosperous new life in Africa. The Home Secretary writes: Daily Mail readers dont need to be told that the asylum system is broken. 'They can see the evidence with their own eyes: evil people-smugglers bringing migrants here illegally in small boats and on lorries; dangerous foreign criminals doing all they can to avoid being deported by putting in last-minute, meritless claims hours before they are due on the plane. She says the plans will speed up the process for dealing with those who claim asylum in Britain. Miss Patel insists a new law was required to increase the maximum sentence for entering the country illegally from six months to four years, as well as introduce a life sentence for people-smugglers. And failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals will be removed more quickly rather than being allowed to make appeal claims up until their deportation flights. Our plan is firm, fair, and delivers on YOUR priorities By Home Secretary Priti Patel Daily Mail readers dont need to be told the asylum system is broken. They can see the evidence with their own eyes: evil people-smugglers bringing migrants here illegally in small boats and on lorries; dangerous foreign criminals doing all they can to avoid being deported by putting in last-minute, meritless claims hours before they are due on the plane. Its been obvious for decades that things need to change. And the British people have made it clear thats how they feel. Thats why I developed the New Plan for Immigration. A fair and firm system is one of the peoples priorities. To put the whole plan into practice, we needed to change the law. This week, the Nationality and Borders Act completed its passage through Parliament. The maximum sentence for entering the country illegally will rise from six months to four years. And the smugglers who bring them here can now be sentenced to life in prison. Instead of a maximum sentence of six months, foreign criminals who return to the UK in breach of a deportation order may face up to five years in prison. Asylum reception centres which are already in place in many European countries will be used to process claims, rather than hotels. We will open one such centre in Yorkshire. One of the things that most angers people is that claims take so long. We are taking steps to improve the process, but we also need to stop the number of repeat appeals and judicial reviews all too often aimed at delaying the removals process and usually without merit. We can now deliver proper scientific assessment processes to prevent adults from getting away with pretending to be children. Those we are seeking to remove, including foreign national offenders, will be required to present all their claims upfront, rather than raising them at the last minute. The UK keeps a list of safe countries that respect human rights, to stop people delaying removal by falsely claiming their human rights are at risk. Every EU country is on that list. We will have the power to remove as well as add countries to ensure the list is reliable. Countries must co-operate in taking back citizens with no right to be in the UK. Those that dont will risk losing access to our visa system. For the first time, how a person arrives in the UK will affect the outcome of their claim. Anyone who arrives illegally and has passed through a safe country may be deemed inadmissible. A few weeks ago I signed a migration and economic development partnership with Rwanda, which will mean those who make dangerous journeys in small boats, or in the backs of lorries, could have their asylum claim processed in Rwanda. If their claims are accepted, they will be supported to build a new and prosperous life there. By tackling illegal migration, we will be able to focus our resources on people who genuinely need our help, such as those from Ukraine. The British people have welcomed them warmly, as they have with refugees throughout our history. For far too long, the public has been branded racist simply for wanting border controls. Yet only by controlling immigration can we do right by those who dont have the money to pay people-smugglers. It also isnt fair on British taxpayers that the broken asylum system costs 1.5billion a year and nearly 5million a day in hotels. We have not reached the end of the road to reform. There is no single solution to solve a long-standing problem. There will be opposition in the courts. But we have a New Plan for Immigration that is firm and fair. And the Nationality and Borders Act means we have the law on our side. Disney has restored a gay kiss scene in its new movie Lightyear after a furious backlash from staff, as the firm continues to tussle with Florida over Governor Ron DeSantis's so-called Don't Say Gay bill. The kiss happens between Buzz Lightyear's friend Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) and another female character within the first 30 minutes of the film, which was shown to audiences at CinemaCon on Wednesday. They subsequently confirmed that the smooch had been restored. Hawthorne reportedly meets her love interest after her and Buzz land on a strange planet and later alludes to her getting married to her. She reportedly can be heard saying: 'It's funny, I wouldn't have met her if we hadn't been stranded,' according to USA Today. The kiss was previous removed from the film before being reinstated after workers at Pixar Studios - which is owned by Disney - sent a letter to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, accusing the company of hiding same-sex affection. 'Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disneys behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar. Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it,' Pixar employees wrote in a March letter to the company. In addition, at least four recent feature films were altered to appease the views of leadership in China, Russia and the Middle East. Sources close to the production told Variety that while Hawthorne's relationship was never questioned, studio execs opted to axe the kiss in an apparent move to avoid controversy. The kiss happens between Buzz Lightyear's friend Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) and another female character within the first 30 minutes of the film, which was featured at CinemaCon on Wednesday The character is friends with Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) Insiders allege the decision to keep the kiss could be a turning point for Pixar, which has only featured a handful of 'unambiguous LGBTQ characters' in its 27-year history. But, it remains unknown if Disney will opt to censor the scene for its international markets after its release this upcoming June. The company has previously kept moments of LGBT affection in its American films, but removed or changed them in its more conservative markets, including in Russia and the Middle East. Pixar released Onward, an animated feature that tells the tale of two elf brothers who embark on a magical quest to spend time with their late father, in February 2020. The film included a secondary character, Officer Spector, a cyclops cop for the city of New Mushroomton, who was in a lesbian relationship. Officer Spector, voiced by Lena Waithe, mentions her relationship during a parenting discussion with another secondary character: 'Its not easy being a new parent my girlfriends daughter got me pulling my hair out, okay?' The line sparked outrage is several eastern countries, resulting in a ban of its release in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Deadline reported. Russia, which has a history of censoring gay content, changed the word 'girlfriend' to 'partner' in the parenting scene. Local advertisements for the film also avoided mentioning Officer's Spector's gender. A short snippet of the movie was played at CinemaCon (pictured) and the film is slatted for a June release The kiss was previous removed from the film before being reinstated after Pixar employees work a letter to CEO Bob Chapek, accusing the company of hiding same-sex affection Meanwhile, members of the LGBT community have heralded Officer Spector as Disney's first openly gay character. The Marvel franchise, which is owned by Disney, included a same-sex kiss in Eternals, a November 2021 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics race of the same name. The character of Phastos, the inventor of the community of genetically-engineered Eternals, is married to a man named Ben Stoss. Together the pair raise a son, Jack. In one scene, Phastos is seen kissing Ben. But, according to Out.com, that moment was edited out for audiences in the Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Ethiopia, Palestine, Syria and Turkey. The countries did, however, keep other scenes in which Phastos interacts with his husband and son. It is unclear if the familial relations between the characters were defined. Out.com notes that in addition to the same-sex kiss, all scenes of physical intimacy, including those depicting heterosexual relationships, were also removed from the film, which is standard practice in those countries. Another Marvel film, Avengers: Endgame, which was released in 2019 and grossed nearly $3billion worldwide, was also censored abroad. Pixar employees wrote a letter to Disney demanding they stop hiding same-sex affection. 'Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disneys behest...Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it' Early on in the film, there is a brief scene in which a gay character attends a support group meeting with Captain America. 'So, I went on a date the other day. First time in five years,' the character said, before adding later: 'He cried as they were serving the salad. But Im seeing him again tomorrow.' It was the first time an openly gay character appeared in a Marvel film. According to Russian newspaper TJournal, the nation's dubbed version of Endgame changed the dialogue to remove 'romantic overtones'. In the Russian version, the character says: 'I was recently at dinner. First time in five years. [...] He cried over a plate of salad. [...] Tomorrow Im meeting him again.' The newspaper also claimed Disney may have changed dialogue in Marvel's 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War to avoid additional conflict with the Russian government, however it is unclear what the nature of the dialogue was. Similarly, Pixar was accused of downplaying gay tones in its 2021 film Luca, which details the friendship of two young sea monsters who appear human when on land. The monsters, Luca and Alberto, develop a 'profound friendship' that many interpreted as a 'coming out allegory'. The film's director told The Wrap the studio had 'talked about' the monsters' relationship being romantic, but also noted officials 'didnt talk about it as much' because the film focuses 'on friendship' and is 'pre-romance.' 'Some people seem to get mad that Im not saying yes or no, but I feel like, well, this is a movie about being open to any difference,' director Enrico Casarosa added. Disney has reportedly refused to confirm if the pair were in a gay romance. The films bosses are also accused of having toyed with the idea of making character Giulia, a human girl who befriends Luca and Alberto, a lesbian but decided against it because the creative team was 'stymied by how to do it without also creating a girlfriend for the character.' 'We very often came up against the question of, "How do we do this without giving them a love interest?"' a production source told Variety. 'That comes up very often at Pixar.' Disney has also been accused of cutting the majority of inclusive scenes in the 2022 Pixar film Turning Red, which was a coming of age story about puberty. Pixar employees allege there was misrepresentation in the animated film and that it was riddled with 'ambiguous possibly gay hinting,' according to InsideTheMagic. Several employees have called on the studio to 'release the Gay Cut' of the film. It is unclear what specifically the alleged gay scenes depicted, however critics have posted stills to social media of scenes in which two female characters have their faces just inches apart. Disney came out against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill, whose official title is the Parental Rights in Education Bill, last month after facing immense pressure from staff members. The bill prohibits public school instruction on gender and sexuality between kindergarten and third grade. Supporters say the bill, which was signed into law in March, stops teachers from pushing inappropriate content on children, which they believe students may be too young to understand. Opponents say the bill is homophobic, and that the vagueness of its wording could see a teacher reported to authorities for something as minor as mentioning their same-sex partner in class. LBGT+ employees protested against the bill and called for the company to take a stance Disney initially stayed quiet on the bill. But the firm - which has long had a good track record on supporting its LGBT staff - is said to have waded into the issue after being pressured by woke in-house diversity factions now said to exert growing influence over bosses there. CEO Bob Chapek later spoke out after walkouts by a small number of Disney staffers - and angered DeSantis by openly suggesting that his firm would apply pressure on lawmakers. After blasting the bill, he said: 'As I wrote to our employees earlier this week, we are committed to supporting community organizations like these so they are equipped to take on these fights. 'Meanwhile, we are also reassessing our approach to advocacy, including political giving in Florida and beyond.' Blac Chyna's mother branded the Kardashians as a 'violent' family that is trying to paint her and her daughter as 'crazy people' at Chyna's ongoing defamation trial. 'I mean they are the most violent people,' Tokyo Toni said of the Kardashian-Jenner family while standing outside a Los Angeles courthouse where her daughter's defamation trial was underway on Thursday. 'You can turn it on and see.' 'Any of them, all of them,' she argued, noting how Kris Jenner's adult daughters are often seen disrespecting her on their family show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Tokyo, seemingly hinting at her social media rant that resulted in her removal from the courtroom, also denounced the accusations that she and Chyna are 'crazy people'. 'They are the most violent people. They have me and her like we're these crazy people, no we're just standing up for our rights,' Tokyo stated. 'Doing what we're supposed to do as real people. It has nothing to do with race, color. None of that. It's what's right.' Chyna, 33, is suing Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner for defamation, alleging they conspired to cast her as a violent abuser of her former fiance Rob Kardashian to ruin her television career. Tokyo, 55, was banned from attending the hearings hours after jury selection began when she took to Instagram Live detailing what went down in the courtroom. She also allegedly said 'those b**ches ugly' when referring to the Kardashian-Jenners. The Kardashians' lawyer presented Tokyo's comments to the courtroom the next day, alleging she had threatened the family and that 'Ms. Jenner was worried about her physical safety.' Blac Chyna's mother, Tokyo Toni, branded the Kardashians as a 'violent' family Thursday while standing outside the courthouse where her daughter's defamation trial was underway Tokyo also said the Kardashians are trying to paint her and Chyna (pictured Thursday) as 'crazy people' Tokyo's commentary comes just two days after Chyna's defamation trial heard testimony that the model had allegedly beaten Rob Kardashian with a metal rod. Rob, 35, testified Tuesday that he feared for his life on a night in 2016 when Chyna, his then-fiancee, pointed a gun at his head, pulled a phone-charging cable around his neck and repeatedly hit him with a metal rod while under the influence of substances. He said the coupling was 'toxic' from the start, and that Chyna beat him at least five times during the year-long relationship. 'She strangled me, she put a gun to my head twice, she was on cocaine and alcohol,' Kardashian said, his voice rising nearly to a shout in a Los Angeles courtroom as Chyna's attorney Lynne Ciani sought to cast doubt on the attack and its severity. 'Strangling someone, beating someone, that's not a family,' he said. 'That's not love to me.' He told the courtroom that he felt in retrospect that the couple's love was never real, and that he had been at the 'weakest, worst point' in his life when their relationship began in January 2016. 'I mean they are the most violent people,' Tokyo (pictured Thursday) said of the Kardashian-Jenner family. 'You can turn it on and see. Any of them, all of them.' Blac Chyna (not pictured) is suing (pictured left to right) Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner for defamation Rob's sister, Kim Kardashian, echoed the tale, claiming that she remembered him being 'so emotional and upset' after the alleged attack. The E! Network, which aired both Keeping up with the Kardashians, and its spinoff Rob and Chyna, paid Chyna $370,000 to film four episodes of KUWTK after season one of the latter show ended. But that deal was inked without consulting the Kardashians, said Kim who protested in an email that at E!, 'Nobody listens to usNo one respects us', the court heard. She then reportedly urged her sisters in a text to 'get on the phone today' with E! executives following the December 2016 fight. 'I was upset that Rob was so emotional and upset,' the Kim, 41, explained to jurors at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. 'I remember trying to be supportive of my brother - he was being so emotional.' 'It's all such a blur,' she said, remembering that her brother, Rob, 'looked red and puffy and exhausted and drained.' Kim added: 'It was our show and she's not a family member.' Khloe Kardashian, 37, confirmed her sister's allegations on Tuesday, testifying that she too was worried about 'something crazy happening down the line' if there were a second season of the KUWTK spin-off. 'I know it was a metal rod. I saw red indentations on my brother's neck,' Khloe recalled, adding that her family had 'no control' of whether E! would cancel Chyna's contract - a claim later confirmed by Adam Stotsky, the former president of the network. 'With all due respect to [the Kardashians], they do not have the authority to kill Rob and Chyna, only E! has the power to do that,' Stotsky said in court. 'They are the most violent people. They have me and her like we're these crazy people, no we're just standing up for our rights,' Tokyo stated Thursday. She is pictured with Chyna on Wednesday Judge Gregory W. Alarcon dismissed a motion from Chyna's attorney to allow her to take the stand again after she got upset after being shown a nude photo during cross-examination. Chyna is pictured in court on April 19 Kylie Jenner, 24, also testified to Chyna's alleged violent tendencies, telling the jury on Monday that she expressed concerns to her brother Rob about his new girlfriend and soon-to-be reality TV co-star when they started dating in January 2016. The beauty mogul claimed she heard Chyna had a tendency to abuse drugs and alcohol and become violent and had gotten a possible glimpse of it herself. 'I felt it was my duty to express my concerns, but ultimately it was up to him,' Kylie recalled, noting her brother didn't heed her warnings and continued with the relationship. Both Chyna and Kylie had previous relationships with the rapper Tyga, and Chyna had a child with him. Kylie alleged that Tyga told her dark stories of his time with Chyna and showed her a 6-inch knife scar he said she gave him while abusing drugs and alcohol. Kim Kardashian, sketched in court last week, testified on Tuesday that she was uncomfortable filming scenes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians with Blac Chyna after she allegedly hit her brother, Rob, with a metal rod Kourtney Kardashian, Blac Chyna and Kim Kardashian are pictured in the center in a photo Kim posted to her Instagram The model also claimed that while dating Tyga, she had received at least one threatening text message from Chyna. 'From what I remember she sent me a bunch of devil emojis, and said something like 'counting down the days' until she could beat me or something,' Kylie shared. 'I didn't report it, because I assumed they were empty threats.' She also said didn't trust that Chyna's love was genuine. 'I felt like me dating the father of her child had something to do with it, and maybe she was out with my brother for other reasons?' Still, she said, she was cautiously optimistic after they announced in April 2016 that they were getting engaged, and said in May that they were having a baby together. 'I was happy for my brother at the time,' Kylie said, 'but just curious how it would go.' Chyna pictured here on Wednesday, is seeking $108million in damages, charging the Kardashians with defamation and 'intentional interference with contract' that led to the Keeping Up with the Kardashians spinoff being canceled Khloe, 37, (far left) and Kim Kardashian, 41 (second from left), and younger sister Kylie Jenner, 24, (second from right) with their mother, family matriarch Kris Jenner, 66, (far right) are all named defendants in the case. They are pictured in court on April 19 Judge Gregory W. Alarcon, who is residing over the defamation trial, made the decision Thursday afternoon to move on to closing arguments after denying Chyna's bid to redo her testimony against the Kardashians. The model had became upset and walked off the stand during her testimony last week when she was shown a nude photo of herself during cross-examination. The photo had appeared in a restraining order she received against Rob in 2017. The Kardashians' attorney showed her the document with the photo during his questioning of her. The judge said both sides agreed to all the exhibits, including the restraining order, before the trial. Rob Kardashian testified that Blac Chyna 'strangled me, she put a gun to my head twice, she was on cocaine and alcohol'. The former couple are pictured together at the Tropicana Las Vegas in May 2016 Chyna's attorney Lynne Ciani said she didn't agree to it in that form, stating: 'I emphatically insisted that the naked photo not be presented to the plaintiff.' The photo is central to another trial that will begin soon after this one concludes. Chyna is suing Rob over it, alleging he posted it online out of retribution. After he denied Chyna's to take the stand again, Alarcon began reading the jury instructions in the case late Thursday morning. Closing arguments were expected to begin, and be completed, in the afternoon. Chyna is charging the Kardashians with defamation and 'intentional interference with contract' that led to the KUWTK spinoff being canceled and is seeking $108million in damages. She claims she the decision resulted in $44million in past lost revenues and $64million in future. Vice President Kamala Harris is feeling good and back to sorting through her files at the VP's official residence after testing positive for COVID-19. First gentleman Douglas Emhoff tweeted out a picture of Harris Wednesday night. She can be seen grinning, pen-in-hand, wearing a cream colored blouse inside the residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington. She is holding a blue ink pen in her right hand. 'Thanks to everyone who sent well wishes for @VP,' wrote Emhoff. 'She is feeling good and is working from home.' Vice President Kamala Harris is working from home and 'feeling good,' says first gentleman Douglas Emhoff The vice president's office has already reported that she is not experiencing symptoms. The White House said Wednesday she was being given Paxlovid a drug that can reduce severe infections and hospitalizations. The administration is urging people infected with the virus to reach out to their doctors to see if they are eligible for the drug. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that's what Harris did when questioned about why the VP was getting the drug while not experiencing symptoms. Psaki fielded another question about the drug Thursday, when asked about the logistical issues. The drug can only be administered within three days of a positive test. Psaki batted down the idea of having people be able to get the drugs in advance. 'It requires a prescription right, but there are a range of ways to have those conversations with your doctor. So I'm not sure it always involves a race to the doctor's office, but different doctors can have virtual appointments and other means of getting prescriptions. It's about consulting to ensure you're eligible,' Psaki said. She also spoke about the White House push for billions in new COVID funds to get the next generation of drugs on the shelf. President Biden didn't take a position when asked Thursday about Senate leaders combing legislation with his request of $33 billion for Ukraine. The vice president continues to work from home, according to the White House Emhoff tweeted that Harris is feeling good and working from home Harris tested positive for covid-19 after a trip to California 'I'm not here to set new deadlines, but I can tell you that both needs are urgent. Well, I would say that need is urgent as is the need for COVID funding is urgent,' Psaki said. A copy of Dougla Brinkley's space race book was on her desk Harris may be finding time during quarantine to catch up on her reading. On the corner of her desk was a copy of Douglas Brinkley's book, American Moonshot. It chronicles the Space Race from early rocketry through the space program in the 1960s. Harris heads the president's space council. Harris' desk also contains multi-colored sticky notes, two binders, and an iPhone turned upside down. On the wall is a framed newspaper article about her. A box of Kleenex can be seen near her land-line telephone. Her legal pad doesn't have any writing on it. The photo was a demonstration that Harris was still able to fulfill her duties, although she is unable to preside over the Senate during quarantine. (Two Senate Democrats also tested positive, inhibiting the party's ability to take actions). The head of a cryptocurrency exchange has been indicted for allegedly colluding with a military officer and leaking military secrets, including login information for the military's command and control system, to a presumed North Korean agent in exchange for money, officials said Thursday. The head of the exchange, surnamed Lee, was charged with violating the National Security Act after he was found to have made contact with the purported spy in July of last year and later helped him gather military secrets. According to police and prosecution officials, Lee, at the order of the purported spy, approached a 29-year-old military captain in August and promised to compensate the officer with cryptocurrency if he provided military secrets. Lee allegedly sent the captain a spy camera disguised as a watch in January, which was taken onto the officer's base, and a "Poison Tap" USB computer hacking device in March. Authorities learned the captain provided Lee and the alleged spy with login information of the Korean Joint Command and Control System. Lee and the captain allegedly received cryptocurrency worth 700 million won ($551,000) and 48 million won, respectively, as compensation. The captain was also indicted by military prosecutors for allegedly violating the National Security Act. Police are also investigating the identity of the presumed North Korean spy. (Yonhap) Offensive or shocking beliefs can be acceptable in a democratic society, an employment judge said yesterday, as she ruled a pastor was discriminated against for his views about gay Pride events. Keith Waters, 55, a minister at an evangelical church, claimed he was forced out of his caretaker job at a primary school following a single tweet. He wrote: A reminder that Christians should not support or attend LGBTQ Pride Month events held in June. 'They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Christian faith and morals. They are especially harmful to children. The comments were condemned as homophobic and triggered a vicious backlash, including a campaign of harrassment in which undertakers were sent to Mr Waters home to discuss his funeral. Keith Waters, 55, a minister at an evangelical church, claimed he was forced out of his caretaker job at a primary school following a single tweet Cambridge Employment Tribunal has now ruled he was the victim of indirect discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief Isle of Ely Primary School in Ely, Cambridgeshire, began an investigation but the married father-of-one resigned three weeks after the tweet a day before he was due to face a disciplinary hearing. Cambridge Employment Tribunal has now ruled he was the victim of indirect discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief. Judge Sarah King said a widely shared belief demands particular care before it can be condemned as being not worthy of respect in a democratic society. She added: Beliefs which are offensive, shocking or even disturbing to others can still be protected. After the ruling, Mr Waters said it was an important win for our freedom to speak the truth of the gospel without fear of losing our jobs. He added: I took legal action, not because I wanted to sue the school but because what happens to me goes to the heart of what it means to be free to preach the gospel in the UK. Mr Waters, who founded the New Connexions Free Church in Ely in 2007, made the tweet in June 2019 the month Cambridge was hosting its first ever Pride event. The school received three formal letters of complaint one claiming he had called for violence against people who support the Pride Festival. The tribunal did not uphold claims for direct discrimination and unfair dismissal. The Christian Legal Centre, which supported Mr Waters case, yesterday said his words and intentions [had been] distorted, his character assassinated.' A spokesman for the Active Learning Trust, which runs the school, said: We welcome the decision of the employment tribunal that the claims of direct discrimination and unfair dismissal were not well founded and were dismissed. Compensation will be determined at a later date. Grace Tame was brought to tears when interviewing Anthony Albanese for a women's magazine - but the pair steered clear of discussing bullying allegations from Labor's 'mean girls'. The advocate for sexual abuse survivors had a friendly chat with the Opposition leader for InStyle Australia discussing everything from Mr Albanese's upbringing, Scott Morrison, gender diversity, the Covid pandemic and Ms Tame's bong photo. But on Friday 2GB broadcaster Jim Wilson questioned why the former Australian of the Year didn't bring up the topic of alleged bullying within Labor's ranks once. 'I wouldn't believe in an in-depth interview you wouldn't ask one question of Anthony Albanese why he didn't launch some sort of an investigation into serious allegations of bullying within their own ranks,' Wilson said on The Today Show on Friday morning. 'The mean girls group.' 2GB broadcaster Jim Wilson has questioned why Grace Tame didn't ask Anthony Albanese about alleged bullying in his ranks Labor has resisted intense pressure to launch an independent inquiry into the alleged bullying of Senator Kimberley Kitching before her fatal heart attack at the age of 52 last month. Senator Kitching's friends claim she was being bullied by senior Labor senators Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher, which they deny. Senator Kitching had dubbed the trio 'mean girls' in reports on the bullying claims, close friends said. Wilson said: 'I think that's an obvious question I think a lot of Australians want an answer for. We haven't got that.' Guest and former Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan interrupted to say: 'It wasn't an obvious question because we have'. Wilson shut Mr Swan down, saying there 'hasn't been a proper investigation, there hasn't been an independent investigation, come on Wayne'. 'If you're committed to a safe workplace, Wayne and a better culture, no doubt if this was happening in the Coalition ranks you would have been all over it,' the radio broadcaster continued. Three Labor senators Senator Katy Gallagher (left) Senator Kristina Keneally and Senator Penny Wong (pictured) accused of bullying colleague Kimberley Kitching before her fatal heart attack have denied the allegation 'It is a cop out that there hasn't been a proper independent investigation into very, very serious allegations. I can't believe that in that interview there wasn't one question.' Mr Swan hit back saying: 'With respect that is just crap.' Wilson had earlier discussed the topic on his Drive show, labelling the exclusion of any mention of bully allegations 'pathetic'. 'The mean girls story rocked Australia,' he said. 'There should have been a proper independent investigation. 'So Mr Albanese, the apparent great protector of women's rights going toe to toe with Grace Tame, and none of them thought it necessary to address the widely reported alleged bullying of women that took place within Labor's ranks. Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching died from a heart attack at the age of 52 'To me that is pathetic.' During their interview, the Labor leader recounted to Ms Tame how his single mother, Maryanne, struggled to bring him up in her Camperdown council house in Sydney's Inner West in the 1960s - bringing Ms Tame to tears. Midway through the video link interview, Mr Albanese suddenly broke off his story when he noticed the tears streaming down Ms Tame's face. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you there' he said. Ms Tame replied: 'No, it's just, yeah, I respect that so much...' She then looked off camera and revealed her fiance Max Heerey was also sobbing over Mr Albanese's story. 'Max is crying! Oh, I want to give you a hug,' she said through her tears. Grace Tame was in tears at Mr Albanese's story then looked off camera and revealed partner Max Heerey (pictured) was also sobbing over his childhood story The Labor leader had been speaking about how his mother had been abandoned by her lover who she became pregnant with, then married another girl from his hometown in Italy. But his mother insisted on keeping her son, taking her lover's surname and then pretending he had died in a car crash as she brought Mr Albanese up alone. Ms Albanese scraped a meagre living as a cleaner to keep them both and put her son through university before later being crippled by arthritis and dying at the age of just 65 in 2002. 'It's one of the things that has focused me and a part of who I am,' Mr Albanese told Ms Tame. 'She always respected everyone and I grew up with the confidence of having a mum who lived a lot of her aspirations through me. Anthony Albanese was recounting how his single mother, Maryanne, (pictured) struggled to bring him up in her Camperdown council house in Sydney's Inner West in the 1960s 'And so she's the most important role model in my life and she's very much still part of who I am today.' The final comment proved too much for Ms Tame who broke down in tears. She later added: 'Oh, I'm still just, I'm still just processing your story. I'll probably go and cry about it later and I'm not ashamed of that!' Mr Albanese said he had 'done okay' and she replied: 'No, you've done better than okay. A lot of respect for you, Anthony.' He added: 'Where I grew up there was a much better chance of going to jail than going to Parliament.' Ms Tame said she could relate it to her own mother who grew up in Tasmania as the youngest of five girls. 'My nan raised them all by herself for the most part, on a secretary's wage,' Ms Tame told Mr Albanese. 'And they had to do everything themselves.' Ms Tame made headlines earlier this year when she grimaced and side-eyed Prime Minister Scott Morrison at an Australian of the Year function in January. And she took the chance to have another crack at the PM in the chummy chat with Mr Albanese. 'I've tried to go through this whole interview being very conscious of the fact that I'm talking to you and to avoid criticising old mate Scott,' she said. 'But if I was to make one observation You've touched on the lack of authenticity, that's one of them. But another is that he just seems to be completely averse to owning any mistakes, and that's a weakness.' Mr Albanese replied: 'It's always someone else.' The red flatbed trucks began arriving after dawn, men in white hazmat suits unloading sections of green metal caging. Residents peered nervously from windows of tall apartment blocks, as the figures below erected the fencing across the entrances to their skyscrapers, caging them into their homes. This is the Pudong district of Shanghai, deemed a high-risk Covid area in need of what the city authorities call hard isolation, and where residents say they are being treated like animals. Could we also put fences around the homes of Shanghai leaders? asked one, as their photos and videos coursed through Chinese social media, pursued by the Communist Partys ever-zealous censors. The story is the same in the rest of Shanghais districts. One video shows more hazmat-suited workers drilling the doors shut at a restaurant in the city to prevent those inside from leaving. Two elderly men look out in disbelief. Dragged away: Authorities in hazmat suits manhandle a resident in Shanghai Elsewhere, more men-in-white beat a group of residents demanding food, lashing out viciously with long sticks. Phone cameras caught still more PPE-wearing thugs slapping and shoving boys and girls into a van to be taken to one of the citys 100 compulsory quarantine centres that await all those testing positive. Sometimes the scenes have bordered on the surreal. One video posted on Monday showed young children arriving at school clad in all-encompassing white hazmat suits of their own. They lumbered through the school gate in unwieldy fashion, like tiny Michelin Men, waving awkwardly at the camera. This is the face of Chinas extraordinary and barbaric zero-Covid policy. For many of Shanghais residents, the draconian lockdown has lasted more than three weeks. Countless numbers have been confined to their homes, under strict government instruction to isolate even if they dont have the virus. Neighbourhoods are divided into three categories based on the risk of transmission. Those in the first category endure the strictest Covid-19 controls and have just been hit with heightened measures. The 2 m-high green fences now block entrances to residential housing in many of these areas. It appears they are designed to stop those living inside a complex that has a reported Covid case from leaving their homes whether or not they have the virus. Under Chinas unbending controls, anyone over the age of seven who tests positive even if they are asymptomatic or have a mild infection must be isolated in centralised quarantine facilities. Despite evidence that the Omicron variant is less deadly than the original strain, China persists in its leader Xi Jinpings determination to eradicate the virus completely a policy that is now devastating its economy, and has even prompted Western stock markets to tumble. While the focus has been on Shanghai, which has so far recorded 400,000 cases and 138 deaths, all but 13 of Chinas richest 100 cities have imposed some form of quarantine restriction, and the intensity is increasing. The capital, Beijing, has launched mass testing for some 3.5 million people who live and work in the citys biggest district of Chaoyang, after 26 cases were reported over the weekend. Schools and gyms are closing down, while vegetables, toilet paper and instant noodles are sold out in the citys supermarkets as people stockpile, fearful of a lockdown as harsh as Shanghais. That citys outbreak is Chinas worst since Wuhan, and it has been like a virtual ghost town since going into lockdown in early April. Chinese social media has exploded with anger in a way not seen since the early days of the pandemic in Wuhan, with censors struggling to eliminate the criticism. Members of the Blue Sky Rescue Team disinfect a residential community during the phased lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak on April 24, 2022 in Shanghai, China At nightfall, Shanghais districts echo with the sound of pots and pans being banged in protest. This time, the concern is not predominantly with the virus itself, but with food shortages. Those allowed to visit supermarkets have reported empty shelves. For those unable to leave their homes, commercial food services and government-provided packages are unreliable. People have reported waking up in the early hours of the morning to order supplies online, only to be told that deliveries have already been suspended for the day. Since Shanghais tap water is not drinkable, deliveries of bottled water are vital. The food scarcity has even driven some to forage roadside plants leading to reported cases of food poisoning. There have been harrowing online pleas for help with medicine and food as a video emerged of residents of a high-rise apartment yelling from their windows: Were starving. Another showed people fighting over food. One flashpoint has been the conditions in Shanghais mandated quarantine centres. From these facilities have emerged reports of overflowing lavatories, cold showers and little privacy. In one, 4,000 people were living in cubicles next to each other in a vast exhibition hall, with no showers. On the prowl: A robotic dog roams the streets of Shanghai barking orders There was a national outcry over a video showing crying children separated from their parents and crammed into metal-barred beds. Elsewhere, a man who had lost the will to live threatened to throw himself off the indoor balcony of one crowded quarantine facility. Meanwhile, thousands of Chinese social media users unable to leave their apartments have shared stories of people with life-threatening illnesses who have been unable to get treatment. Trucks bringing supplies into the city have their cab doors sealed, to prevent the driver getting out. Plastic buckets are handed to them through the windows should they need the toilet. A harrowing six-minute video, entitled Voices Of April, contains audio snippets of anger and grief as a drone-camera slowly moves over the city. The snippets include the cries of babies separated from their parents in quarantine, pleas for food and urgent medical care as well as the cold indifference of officials. It went viral, but censors eventually deleted it. Other social media mocked the authorities by posting images from the movie Night Of The Living Dead, suggesting Chinas business capital of 25 million people was experiencing its own zombie apocalypse. That analogy seemed all the more fitting on Monday as the city was lashed with heavy rain and winds, sending litter bins flying across the empty roads. Despite the clamours for relaxing lockdown measures, President Xi insists: Prevention and control work cannot be relaxed and Persistence is victory. Many Chinese epidemiologists regard that as lunacy, but it is Xis lunacy and in todays China, the emperor cannot be questioned. Complete victory over the virus has become a key part of the cult of Xi. It underpins the Communist Partys triumphalism and Xis boasts of China being superior to the bungling West. In the parallel world of official propaganda, Chinas state-owned media insists there is faith in zero-Covid policy and Residents lives made easier. Such claims are widely ridiculed. It is hard to think of any other country, even among autocracies, that could impose Chinas combination of claustrophobic surveillance and casual brutality towards those who disobey the party. The surveillance has reached new extremes, including the deployment of robots and drones to herd Shanghais desperate population. Mini Michelin Men: Children going to school in protective gear The robots include a dog called Preserved Egg (named after a famous Chinese dish), about the size of a terrier. It roams Shanghais deserted streets and apartment corridors barking orders to stay inside and rousing residents when it is their turn to come downstairs for yet another round of compulsory testing. On Monday, there was a revolt at the citys famous Fudan University, which has been festooned with cameras to enforce lockdown rules. Its a university, not a concentration camp . . . Against surveillance! Against bureaucracy! Against micro-fascism were just some of the banners that went up on campus (and spread on social media) after more white suits were photographed installing cameras outside the female toilet. Shanghais stock exchange saw its biggest fall in two years on Monday, tumbling by more than 5 per cent. That was partly out of the fear that Beijing may soon follow Shanghai into lockdown. The economic cost of endless and severe lockdowns is undeniable. Even Li Keqiang, Chinas premier and the man nominally in charge of economic affairs is sounding increasingly rattled, talking about the greater uncertainties and challenges ahead. China has been spooked by the way Covid-19 has swept through Hong Kong, where death rates reached the highest in the world. Like in Hong Kong, vaccination rates among the elderly are low in China only half the over-80s are fully vaccinated and just a fifth are boosted. Add to that the lower efficacy rate of Chinese vaccines and China is highly vulnerable, even though the fast spreading Omicron variant is less deadly. The Communist Party is becoming increasingly prickly, and as always is on the search for foreign conspirators to blame. Officials have accused the U.S. of weaponising the crisis, after the State Department ordered non-emergency staff to leave its Shanghai consulate a move that was motivated more by Chinas measures to control the virus than by the virus itself. Volunteers wearing PPE disinfect a residential community at Yangpu district in Shanghai The U.S. announcement cited the risks of parents and children being separated the forceable removal of Covid-positive children to quarantine has been one of the most controversial of Shanghais lockdown practices. One widely-shared social media post asked, not unreasonably, whether the zero-Covid policy was not causing far more harm than the virus itself. The post was deleted. Ultimately, zero-Covid is a political strategy Xi Jinpings talisman. Too much is at stake for him, especially this year, when he is expected to be anointed by the party as leader for life. Xi has boxed himself into a corner. He is playing a large, expensive and increasingly futile game of Whac-A-Mole. It is hard to see how zero-Covid can be sustained. It is under strain as never before, and it is in Shanghai that its future is likely to be determined. Ian Williams is author of Every Breath You Take: Chinas New Tyranny, published by Birlinn. Angela Rayner last night risked accusations of a cover-up over the sexism row that has convulsed Westminster. Labours deputy leader had described a story in last weeks Mail on Sunday which said she had joked with Tory MPs about crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract Boris Johnson as disgusting and completely untrue. Amid a storm of criticism on social media, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle demanded a meeting with the newspapers editor David Dillon. Mr Dillon rejected the call, saying that journalists should not take instruction from parliamentary officials. Several MPs have supported the claim the Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner (Pictured next to Sir Kier Starmer) made jokes about crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract Boris Johnson A Labour spokesman said the story was completely made up' was asked for a comment Yesterday The Daily Telegraph reported that two Conservative MPs had told the newspaper they had heard Mrs Rayner laughing publicly about the idea that she could put off the Prime Minister by giving him a flash. The witnesses said she had been joking about the suggestion that she was crossing and uncrossing her legs during a light-hearted discussion on the Commons terrace about two months ago. Separately, The Mail On Sunday has now spoken to a total of four Tory MPs the original source and three others, including one woman all of whom supported this account and contradicted the insinuation by Mrs Rayner and her allies that the claims were cooked up by sexists. One of the MPs, describing a night on the Commons terrace earlier this year, said Mrs Rayner had initiated the discussion of the issue. They said she had spoken of giving the Prime Minister a flash. A second MP claimed that Mrs Rayner had referenced the thriller Basic Instinct, in which Sharon Stones character infamously uncrosses her legs while being interrogated by police. Angela told us: I like to do my Sharon Stone trick to distract Boris... I cross and uncross my legs, the witness said. A third MP added that they also remembered the encounter. The original source for the Mail on Sunday story said that the Sharon Stone joke had been made while Mrs Rayner spoke to a Tory MP. She was telling him how she distracts Boris, they said. All four Tories gave almost identical accounts of her remarks. They each said Mrs Rayner had used a startling slang colloquialism during the discussion. Angela Rayner joked about a Sharon Stone meme based on her during a podcast in January When The Mail on Sunday approached Mrs Rayner last Saturday about the exchanges on the terrace, a Labour spokesman said: Its completely made up, so unless theyre going to say something properly on the record or have any evidence I would expect that this made-up story wouldnt run. Im telling you categorically its untrue so Im afraid you know that doesnt meet the bar, an unnamed source without any evidence... Im telling you, its categorically untrue that this has happened. After Mrs Rayner strenuously denied making the remarks, coverage of the story initially concentrated on allegations of sexism. The row then saw Sir Lindsay attempt to summon The Mail on Sundays editor for a meeting. However, on Wednesday the Daily Mail revealed that Mrs Rayner had in fact publicly joked about the Basic Instinct comparison herself in January. Speaking to Matt Forde for his Political Party podcast, she volunteered the fact that her appearances in the Commons had prompted online references to the 1992 movie thriller. Every time I do a Prime Ministers Questions somebody has an opinion on what I wear. Did you see the meme about Sharon Stone like I was doing it at PMQs? I was mortified, she said, laughing. I wasnt aware I did it but apparently there was this whole meme about how my dress was a bit revealing. I didnt think it was. It was a perfectly suitable Karen Millen in the sale by the way. The podcast also saw her use the same slang colloquialism MPs say she used on the Commons terrace. Meanwhile, as the backlash grew over Sir Lindsays intervention, Mr Dillon formally turned down the Speakers request for a meeting, saying that Britains free Press would not endure if journalists had to take instructions from officials in the House of Commons. He also said other MPs had come forward to corroborate the original account of Mrs Rayners remarks. The Prime Minister later backed Mr Dillons decision. A No 10 spokesman said Mr Johnson would not want any perception of politicians seeking to in any way curb or control what a free Press seeks to report. A spokesman for Mrs Rayner last night declined to comment further on the story. Advertisement Johnny Depp's bodyguard has described noticing injuries and marks on the actor's face as his marriage to Amber Heard got increasingly more volatile. Malcolm Connolly took the stand in the Hollywood star's defamation trial against his ex-wife Thursday, telling the court he witnessed his client go from being happy in love to 'quiet' as Heard became more 'dominant' and 'demanding.' Testifying remotely from his native UK, Connolly, who began working as Depp's private personal security in 2006, said: 'At the beginning [it was] all lovey-dovey. Everything was great. Honeymoon period was on, and yeah it was good.' 'It was great to see Johnny happy again. Amber was lovely, charming - as she usually is - and good as gold.' But Connolly, who identifies as a 'protection officer', said things then 'started to change' between the two spouses who began arguing more often. 'Amber started to change. Amber started getting a bit more feisty, demanding. I could see that Amber wanted to wear the pants in this relationship. That was pretty obvious,' he said. The bodyguard added that Heard 'could get frosty at the drop of hat' and over time witnessed Depp 'getting quieter' as Amber 'started getting grumpy.' The jury on Thursday was shown a photo taken by Depp's bodyguard during his and Amber Heard's honeymoon in 2013 where the Pirates of the Caribbean star appeared to have visible scratches and 'swelling' on his face Security guard Malcolm Connolly pointed to the 'swelling on the left hand side' of Depp's nose and 'under his left eye' seen in the photo Testifying remotely from his native UK, Connolly, who began working as Depp's private personal security in 2006, said he witnessed Johnny and Amber's relationship become increasingly volatile Connolly admitted that he never did see any physical violence between the two, but testified that he could hear Depp and Heard arguing often. 'I could hear Amber screaming. I could hear shouting and bawling,' he said, adding that he could 'mostly' hear Heard shouting and that the couple fought 'more often than not.' And while he never witnessed any violence, the security guard told the court that he eventually began noticing scratches and injuries on Depp's face. He noted that he never saw any marks on Heard. 'What I noticed straight away was most of these marks were happening on the left hand side of his (Depp's) face,' Connolly said. 'There would be scratches on his neck. Maybe a fat lip in the corner, a bruising in the eye socket. 'It was getting more regular. Not every week, but it was definitely happening,' he added. The jury was then shown a photo taken by Connolly on Depp and Heard's honeymoon in 2013. Depp, posing alongside his now ex-wife and three others, appeared to have visible injuries and 'swelling' on his face. When asked to described the photo, Connolly pointed the 'swelling on the left hand side' of Depp's nose and 'under his left eye.' Asked what he thought had happened, the bodyguard said: 'Either he's walked into a door, or a door has walked into him,' prompting laughter from the courtroom. Earlier on Thursday, jurors also heard briefly from Depp's business manager, Ed White, who said he intervened in 2016 to resolve financial difficulties for Depp, including unpaid taxes and a cash crunch. The court heard how Depp went from being happy in love to 'quiet' as Heard allegedly became more 'dominant' and 'demanding' When he blamed Heard for an excessive wine bill that featured multiple $500 bottles of Spanish Vega Sicilia wine, Heard's lawyers responded with a barrage of questions over Depp's spending excesses, including spending millions of dollars to shoot journalist Hunter S. Thompson's ashes out of a cannon. The court also heard testimony revealing that Elon Musk covered nearly half of ex-girlfriend Amber Heard's donation to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after she pledged to give away her multimillion dollar divorce settlement to charity following her split from Depp. The actress has so far only paid $1.3million of the $3.5million she promised the ACLU nearly six years ago, with Musk's money making up a large chunk of it. The billionaire Tesla founder, 50, gave $500,000 to the civil rights group on behalf of Heard after the two began dating after her divorce from Depp in 2016. The Aquaman star, 36, announced she would donate the $7million she received in her settlement to two organizations when the couple's legal separation was finalized in August 2016. Heard promised to give half the money to the ACLU to support its work in 'fighting violence against women', and the other $3.5million to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. But Terence Dougherty, the ACLU Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, testified in the trial Thursday, telling the court the organizations' promised donation has not been paid in full yet. Dougherty said that so far only a total of $1.3million has either been paid by Heard or on her behalf. Of that money, Heard contributed $350,000 directly, while $100,000 was paid by Depp and another $350,000 came from a fund at Fidelity, an investment company. Another $500,000 payment came from an account at investment firm Vanguard, which Dougherty said he 'believed it was a fund set up by Elon Musk.' Asked by one of Depp's lawyers if there were messages with Musk about it, Dougherty said there were. He said there was a document and emails they had produced to the lawyers in the case regarding the money. Billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk, 50, donated $500,000 to the ACLU on behalf of Amber Heard when the two were dating in 2016, the actress's defamation trial heard Thursday. The two are pictured together in 2017 The court heard the Aquaman actress has so far only paid $1.3million of the $3.5million she promised the ACLU nearly six years ago, with Musk's money making up a large chunk of it ACLU Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Terence Dougherty testified Thursday revealing only half the money has been paid by Heard or on her behalf Dougherty said that based on emails with Musk, the ACLU understood that Heard's $3.5million donation would be given over 10 years. He said that Heard's money was considered a 'pledge' so rather than a check all at once, it would come over time. Heard's lawyers have previously told the court that she fully intends to pay the money but for now needs the divorce settlement to pay her legal fees. Heard had promised to donate her $7M divorce settlement to charity, splitting the funds between the ACLU and the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles The court heard that Heard's last donation of $350,000 in December 2018 and that she had not paid any money since. Dougherty said that Heard had told the organization that money was from her anonymous account with Fidelity but they did not do any further checks to guarantee it was her money. One of Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty what 'efforts the ACLU has made to get Amber Heard to pay'. He replied: 'We reached out to Miss Heard starting in 2019 for the next installment of her giving and we learned she was having financial difficulties'. The court heard that Musk played a central role in setting up Heard's donations to the ACLU, partly because he had given to it before. Heard and Musk dated for a year following the actress's divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016 Johnny Depp's $50million defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard that started on April 10 is expected to last five or six weeks In an email dated August 18, 2016, Musk wrote to Heard and Anthony Romero, the executive director of the ACLU: 'I described your (Heard's) plan to donate $3.5million to the ACLU over the next 10 years as you very much believe in what they're doing'. The court heard that Robin Shulman, a communications strategist with the ACLU wrote the first draft of the op-ed in November 2018, a month before the article was published. In a message to Heard dated November 29, 2018, Shulman said that she tried to 'gather your fire and rage' and shape it into an op-ed piece. Asked if that meant rage against Depp, Dougherty said it was about 'gender-based violence issues'. In a follow up message, Shulman told Heard: 'Our lawyers should review this for the way I skirted around your marriage'. Jessica Weitz, another member of the ACLU communications team, told Heard: 'I want to make sure nothing was said in here that puts you in jeopardy with your NDA' with Depp after the divorce. Shulman and Heard met in person and that op-ed was changed, the court heard. Heard's lawyers also made some edits. One of Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty: 'Some at the ACLU expressed belief that excising references to the marriage and divorce from Johnny Depp made the op-ed less impactful?' Dougherty said: 'That is correct'. Dougherty said that the ACLU had the responsibility of placing the op-ed and considered the New York Times, Washington Post, Teen Vogue and USA Today as places where it could go. As Dougherty put it, the list was in 'descending importance and reach as we go down', but with a greater likelihood they would publish it. Gerry Johnson, one of the ACLU communications team, emailed his colleagues about timing the op-ed so it would come out at the same time as the premiere of Aquaman, the film Heard was starring in. Johnson wrote: 'Since draft turned out pretty strong and Aquaman slated to do large numbers I'm wondering what you think about it?' Actor Amber Heard returns following a break at the Fairfax County Circuit Court Thursday, April 28, 2022 Depp, 58, had previously accused his ex-wife of lying about giving all of her divorce settlement to charity Depp sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a 'public figure representing domestic abuse' Dougherty said that media outlets were more likely to take on an op-ed if it had 'strong views' and the more the person was in the public eye at the time, the 'more likely it will be accepted by a more prominent media outlet'. Depp's lawyers asked Dougherty if Heard's marriage to Depp made the op-ed a 'stronger product'. Dougherty said: 'Amber's contributions to the portion of op-ed that talks about personal experiences is what informed the view this was a strong op-ed'. One of Depp's lawyers asked: 'She wanted the op-ed to come out just after Aquaman release?' Dougherty said: 'I recall there was a conversation for optimal timing' Dougherty added that it was 'correct' that Heard wanted the article to come out just after the Aquaman release. On December 11 2018, Witz emailed her colleagues that Heard's team had sent back a final draft but it 'neutered much of her marriage and domestic violence'. Witz said that the goal was the 'get this out this week to capitalize on the tremendous campaign for Aquaman', referring to the publicity surrounding the film. In follow up emails, Witz said that Heard wanted to get a mention of her getting a restraining order back into the article. Witz said: 'Is there an artful way to to do that?' Such a mention did not make it into the final cut. Around that time, Stacey Sullivan, another member of the ACLU's communications pitched the the article to Michael Duffy, an editor at the Washington Post. Emails shown in court Thursday revealed Johnny Depp contributed towards Heard's $3.5million pledge to the ACLU The email said: 'Hey Michael, wondering if we might interest you in an op-ed by Amber Heard 'Who as you may recall was beaten up during her brief marriage to Johnny Depp' Once it had been agreed the article would be published, Heard emailed her team and the ACLU: 'It's going to the Washington Post!!!' The court also heard about the panic within the ACLU how in 2019 Reuters inquired about how much Heard had paid of her $3.5m pledge. In an email to colleagues, Witz insisted that Heard had 'donated her full settlement to charity' but investigations revealed she had only paid $1.3m As Witz and her colleagues struggled to phrase a statement to Reuters, she emailed her colleagues: 'I had nightmares about this last tonight, do you think this is OK?' Depp's lawyers asked if Witz was 'concerned the ACLU was not telling the truth? As Depp looked on and smiled, Dougherty said: 'She was doing everything she could to give a correct statement to the press'. Sarah Ferguson will become the new host of the ABC's flagship current affairs programme 7.30 - three decades after she was hired by the public broadcaster as a humble researcher to help her future husband on a project. Ferguson was officially announced on Friday as the replacement to Leigh Sales after the host revealed in February she would step down from her role in June. It marks a meteoric rise for the veteran investigative journalist who first worked with the public broadcaster in a 'sliding doors' moment some 30 years ago. Former Q&A host Tony Jones had been working as a London correspondent at the time and hired Ferguson to help him on a story about French politics in 1992. The chance encounter was not only the beginning of a stellar career at the public broadcaster but the start of a romantic relationship that led to marriage and three beautiful children. Ferguson and Jones tied the knot in 1993 - a year after they first met in Paris. 'It was a 'there you are I've been waiting for you' moment,' Sarah Ferguson told Mia Freedman on the latest episode of her No Filter podcast. Sarah Ferguson will become the new host of the ABC's flagship current affairs programme 7.30 - three decades after she joined the public broadcaster as a humble researcher who was hired by her future husband to help him on a project Former Q&A host Tony Jones had been working as a London correspondent at the time and hired Ferguson to help him on a story about French politics in 1992 The pair have been inseparable ever since and have travelled around the world together as they support each other in their roles. The couple spent a year in Rovinj, in Croatia, in 1996 and relocated to the United States when Ferguson landed a role as 'special reporter' in Washington in 2021. Ferguson officially joined the ABC in 2008 and has produced award winning documentaries, such as 'The Killing Season', for Four Corners. Over her career - which has included high-profile roles in Washington and documentaries about domestic violence, paedophilia and live cattle exports - Ferguson has garnered a reputation for no-nonsense interviewing. That is what she's expected to bring to the role as she steps into Sales' shoes. It's a role she's reprised before, filling in as 7.30 host for six months in 2014 while Sales was on maternity leave. 'I'm delighted to take on the presenter role at 7.30,' says Ferguson. 'Led by Leigh Sales and chief political correspondent Laura Tingle, the 7.30 team has created a powerhouse program, making superb current affairs journalism on the cutting edge of the genre.' 'Working in collaboration with the inimitable Laura is irresistible. Adding myself into that mix sounds tremendously rewarding at a time when scrutiny of power is essential, when our social structures are undergoing profound change. Jones and Ferguson had met in Paris before the pair married a year later in 1993 Ferguson was officially announced on Friday as the replacement to Leigh Sales after the host revealed in February she would be stepping down from her role Jones and Ferguson had initially met in Paris before marrying a year later in 1993 ABC managing director David Anderson said audiences 'know and respect' Ferguson 'On Leigh's departure, I'd like to say that her diligence and skill have made an enormous contribution to Australian journalism. What you don't see in her calm studio presence is the huge amount of work she does in preparation. It will be a pleasure to take over from such a pro. 'Public service journalism has to deliver for the Australian audience, all day, every day. No one in Australia should ever feel they have no voice. 'It's our job to show how public broadcasting can create a place for everyone to come and debate, think deeply, be thrilled, entertained and sometimes provoked,' Ferguson said. 'This is the opposite of seeking to polarise in ways we are seeing in media worldwide.' ABC managing director David Anderson said audiences 'know and respect' Ferguson. 'Her work has set an unparalleled standard not only in Australian journalism but internationally, as evidenced by her recent reporting from Ukraine,' he said. 'Sarah is an exceptional appointment to take over 7.30 hosting duties from Leigh, alongside an outstanding team. 7.30 has been Australia's premier daily current affairs program for decades and will continue to be so with Sarah at the helm.' Award winning journalist Sarah Ferguson will replace Leigh Sales as the host of 7.30 Report Who is the ABC's new 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson? Sarah Ferguson was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where her British-born parents lived before moving to Britain as the Biafran war broke out. Ferguson's career began in newspapers in the United Kingdom, before moving to Paris and working as a researcher and production assistant on arts programs for French and British broadcasters. She met her husband Tony Jones, after he hired her to help him for a story on ABC in 1992, while he was working as ABC's London correspondent . Sarah Ferguson is pictured with Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Ferguson had been working as a researcher and production assistant for French and British broadcasters up until that point in time. In 2000, Ferguson worked as a reporter for Dateline and Insight. In 2004 she joined the Sunday program on Channel Nine and in 2008 joined Four Corners. In 2014, Ferguson hosted 7.30 and her interviews with the Australian treasurer Joe Hockey were nominated for a Walkley for journalistic excellence. They would later be described as 'aggressive' and 'the tone of the questioning could have been interpreted by some viewers to be a potential breach of the ABC's impartiality guidelines.' In 2014, Ferguson caused controversy at the Walkley Awards when she publicly railed against job cuts at the ABC. In 2016, she presented award winning documentary 'Hitting Home'. The segment covered domestic violence in Australia and earned Ferguson a Walkley Documentary Award and Best Documentary at the 2016 AACTA Awards. In 2017, as Ferguson was getting off a plane, she was told that her mother Marjorie had died suddenly in England. Later she became aware that hospital negligence had led to her mother's death. She wrote about the experience in her book On Mother. Advertisement Director of News Justin Stevens described her as 'formidable'. 'We're incredibly fortunate with the depth of talent we have at the ABC,' he said. 'Leigh Sales has done a superb job anchoring 7.30 for the past 12 years and to have someone of the calibre of Sarah Ferguson to take up the baton, working alongside Laura Tingle and the rest of the talented 7.30 team, is terrific news for audiences.' Ferguson took up a temporary post in the U.S. capital early last year after being unable to begin her planned role as the ABC's Beijing bureau chief due to poor relations between Australia and China. When she previously hosted 7.30 report in 2014, while Sales was on maternity leave, Ferguson came under fire following a hostile interview with Treasurer Joe Hockey that breached the broadcaster's bias guidelines, an ABC-commissioned editorial review found at the time. Presenting ABC's 7:30, formerly The 7:30 Report, is considered one of the most demanding and high-profile roles in Australian television. ABC viewers were shocked when Leigh Sales revealed in February she was stepping down as host. In the months leading up to her resignation, the single mother of two was reportedly struggling to balance her demanding job with homeschooling her children. Insiders say one 'contributing factor' to Leigh Sales exit was the NSW Covid lockdown, which forced her sons, James and Daniel (pictured), into remote learning for nearly five months Sales is seen in the earlier days of her presenting role of the 7.30 program on ABC Sales says her decision to quit came down to her 'two beautiful little boys' wanting to see more of their mum. She told viewers she wanted them to hear the news from her 'personally', as she explained she wanted to finally spend evenings with her kids after more than a decade. 'I was appointed to the job on December 3, 2010. This is my 12th year in the seat. That was five Prime Ministers ago. It was so long ago that Donald Trump was just a guy with a bad orange hairdo hosting The Apprentice,' she said. 'There's nothing wrong other than I just feel a strong sense of it being time to pass the baton to the next runner in the race and to take a break. At the end of an election cycle feels like a good time to move on to something new at the ABC.' She said she hoped it was obvious she had always approached the job with one goal 'to ask frank questions of people in power, without fear or favour, that a fair-minded, reasonable person with some common sense watching at home might like to ask'. In a possible first for an Australian TV news presenter, she then used strong language, saying she had 'tried to shut down and call out bulls**t, hold powerful people to account, expose lies, incompetence and exaggeration in all political parties and all issues and present facts even when they're unpopular or inconvenient'. Ferguson and Jones spent a year in Rovinj, in Croatia, in 1996 and relocated to the United States when Ferguson landed a role as 'special reporter' in Washington in 2021 Sales (pictured in 2011) is leaving the show in good shape in the ratings Sales said anchoring 7.30 has been 'the most amazing job and I'll never stop being grateful for the opportunities it's given me'. She then mentioned one of her most memorable interviewees over the years. 'The celebrities come and go but you never forget people like Matthew Low,' Ms Sales said. 'His wife was killed in the Dreamworld roller-coaster accident and found the strength down the track to do an interview and try to ensure no other family would have to go through what his family did. 'People like Matthew are the ones who stick with you. 'Every time you interview somebody whose life has been devastated you feel terrified by what life has dished up to them and incredibly humbled by how they met it with strength and clarity and dignity and you just don't forget it.' She did single out one celebrity, though, saying meeting Paul McCartney 'and getting a hug from him is one of the best days of my life'. Ms Sales also mentioned the viewers and how people would approach her in public and say how much joy her interview with McCartney had given them. She spoke about what a demanding hosting 7.30 is and that it comes with a lot of pressure and scrutiny. 'When I first started I didn't have children. And now I have two boys aged 10 and eight. And they've only ever known their mum at work four nights a week. 'They want me home with them before 8.30pm and I don't think that's too much for two little boys to ask and they're two beautiful little boys.' Ms Sales also thanked viewers for their supportive messages about the ABC itself. 'The ABC is so often under fire and it means a lot to all of us to know the public supports us,' she said. She said that 7.30 'is an incredibly important program' and that it will keep going from strength to strength. 'I'm looking forward to having a good break and figuring out what I do next at the ABC ... I'm be around for a while yet.' She finished by saying 'Please keep watching, my friends. See you on Monday. Goodnight.' Liberal election candidate Katharine Deves has declared she is not transphobic and can still win despite the controversial start to her campaign. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's 'captain's pick' for the Sydney northern beaches seat of Warringah has told Ben Fordham on 2GB that despite being attacked for her comments on trans people participating in women's sport, she has never contemplated quitting. 'I believe this is very much an issue of equality and fairness and I have received messages of support from all over Australia,' she said. 'Australians are very much on side with my position.' Katherine Deves told Ben Fordham on 2GB that despite being attacked for her comments on trans people participating in women's sport, she has never contemplated quitting Fordham mentioned Ms Deves had arrived at the 2GB studios flanked by security guards as she faced death threats as a result of her old social media posts. Ms Deves said she had 'drawn strength' from meeting people in the electorate during the campaign as she battled intense criticism. 'I don't look at it. I have a great supportive team around me so I can concentrate on the job,' she said of the 'pile-on' she had received as a result of her stance. She said she got involved in the issue of trans people in sport because she has three little girls who play different sports. 'I saw that little girls and young women should have someone standing up representing their interests and all I ever wanted was for this debate to be held in the public domain. Ms Deves denied she was transphobic during the 2GB interview, saying she had attended Mardi Gras in the early 1990s and voted for same-sex marriage and her comments were not about 'that' Fordham asked Ms Deves directly whether she was transphobic. 'Oh of course not, Ben,' she responded. 'This isn't about (transphobia), this argument is about women and girls. 'Back in the early 1990s I was going to Mardi Gras, I voted for same-sex marriage, I don't have an issue with that but this is about a collision of rights and we just need to be able to debate it in a respectful way.' Ms Deves also said she could still win Warringah. 'I wouldn't have stood up if I didn't believe I had a chance to win,' she said. In the wake of Ms Deves' comments, there have been multiple calls for Ms Deves to be disendorsed, including by prominent Liberals North Sydney MP Trent Zimmerman and NSW Treasurer Matt Kean. Ms Deves faces an uphill battle to reclaim Warringah for the Liberals, with the former blue-ribbon seat currently held by independent MP Zali Steggall (pictured) by more than seven per cent Ms Deves faces an uphill battle to reclaim Warringah for the Liberals, with the former blue-ribbon seat currently held by independent MP Zali Steggall by more than seven per cent. Ms Steggall was $1.04 favourite to win the seat while Ms Deves is at $9, according to the most recent Sportsbet odds. Ms Deves has become a divisive figure following a number of provocative comments on her Twitter account - which she has since deleted. She once declared trans teenagers are 'surgically mutilated' and felt personally 'triggered' by the rainbow Pride flag. The Warringah candidate also bizarrely linked cross-dressing males and and trans women to 'sexual predators, even serial killers'. 'Transvestism is very common among sexual predators, even serial killers,' she said in a historical tweet. 'So how are we women supposed to tell the difference between the ones who are a threat and the ones who aren't? Easier for women to exclude all males from spaces where we are vulnerable.' Ms Deves has become a divisive figure following a number of provocative comments on her Twitter account - which she has since deleted - with some Liberal MPs calling for to be disendorsed as the party's candidate in Warringah Last September Ms Deves described the prospect of two gay men having a baby as a 'vanity project.' 'Surrogacy is a human rights violation,' she tweeted. 'Women's bodies are not vehicles for a vanity project.' Ms Deves was referring to Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay U.S. presidential candidate, and his husband, who are joint fathers of twin girls. In another tweet, Ms Deves said 'transablism' - where trans people pretend to be disabled - is 'a thing' and likened people in that category to a well-known serial killer. Mr Morrison subsequently defended her as the party's candidate as she received a torrent of online abuse over the comments. 'She is standing up for women and girls and their access to fair sport in this country,' the PM said. 'She has learned in her advocacy in her private life there are better ways to do things to take things forward as a Member of Parliament. 'I believe that is how she will approach the task if she is elected as the member for Warringah, and I don't think she should be silenced.' A new Pfizer pill designed to treat high-risk Covid sufferers is set to hit Australia and will be available in chemists in just days. The Paxlovid tablets will be given to people with risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, heart, lung, liver diseases, and those more at risk of hospitalisation. The pharmaceutical company's senior medical director, Dr Krishan Thiru, told the Today Show on Friday the drug is not a vaccine to prevent COVID. 'It is not a vaccine to prevent COVID. It is a treatment for people who have recently been diagnosed,' Dr Thiru said. The new Paxlovid (pictured) oral take-home drug fills a gap in the market for vulnerable Covid sufferers Pfizer's senior medical director Dr Krishan Thiru (pictured, left) told Karl Stefanovic on The Today Show the new Pfizer drug works to hinder one enzyme that the virus uses to replicate The drug is set to fill a gap in the market treating the dreaded disease. Up until this point, most Aussies with Covid have had to make do with paracetamol and other pain killers normally taken when someone has a cold. The doctor said the new drug works by stymying an enzyme that helps the virus to replicate. 'It means the virus can't multiply inside your body and so your body's own immune defences are able to combat the virus and reduce the chance in certain patients,' Dr Thiru said. '[It helps] people who are at high risk of complications, and reduces the chance of those complications,' he said. These include people over 65 with Covid risk factors, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50 or others who are immuno-compromised. 'It is designed for people who otherwise might be at risk of requiring hospitalisation or not surviving.' Dr Thiru said a similar drug available for general use could be on the horizon but the priority lay with helping the most vulnerable. 'We are continuing to investigate treatments and antivirals in other populations as well, but at the moment we have several thousand people in hospital,' he said. 'And dozens are dying every day and they are the high risk patients, and that's what Paxlovid is for.' The drug does not replace the vaccine but pairs alongside of it for those who need it the most. 'Vaccination is the most important thing people can do to protect their own health, Dr Thiru said. 'Paxlovid is an important second line of defence, for vulnerable Australians, particularly at high risk.' Dr Thiru said this drug was for the most vulnerable only and Pfizer was continuing to investigate treatments and antivirals for the general population (pictured, mask wearers in Melbourne 'It means the virus can't multiply inside your body and so your body's own immune defences are able to combat the virus,' the doctor said on Friday Sunday April 24 Lily Peters, 10, leaves her aunt's house on a bicycle to cycle in woods near Chippewa Falls, northeast of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Lily's father becomes worried when she doesn't return at 9pm and reports her as missing. Police searching for the ten-year-old find her bike in woodland near a walking trail between the end of N Grove Street and the Leinenkugel's brewery parking lot, four block's from her aunt's house. Police use dog units and drones as the search for Lily continues. Monday April 25 Police find Lily's remains in woodland near Chippewa Falls, northeast of Eau Claire. Lily Peters, 10, (pictured) was allegedly strangled to death and sexually assaulted by her 14-year-old cousin Tuesday April 26 An anonymous Reddit user posts: 'What's scary is I was playing Pokemon Go in the park that day walking along that very same trail, my stomach turns when I think I saw that girl in a pink/purple hoodie on her bike with another kid on my way out. I have a suspicion that it could be another kid that did it.' Police announce they have arrested a suspect for Lily's murder. Wednesday April 27 Police say the suspect is the 14-year-old eighth-grader cousin of Lily. He appeared in adult court and is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13, resulting in great bodily harm. Bond is set at $1million. A great grandfather who shot a rogue tradie after he dumped rubbish on his property has avoided a jail sentence with a simple fine. Paolo Mannici, now 90, shot Melton tradie Raymond Pasco, 61, seconds after he dumped a truck load of filthy soil on his Ravenswood industrial lot, west of Melbourne. Mannici was on Thursday convicted and fined $20,000 over the December 2020 attack. Paolo Mannici locks and loads his grandfather's Beretta before firing two shots at Raymond Pasco Raymond Pasco holds his arm after Paolo Mannici shot him in December 2020 In sentencing Mannici on Thursday, County Court of Victoria Judge Damian Murphy declined to even impose a community corrections order against the elderly offender. While Judge Murphy condemned Mannici for shooting his victim, he accepted Pasco had behaved poorly leading up to the incident. 'I am prepared to accept that you were sorely provoked by Mr Pasco and his conduct,' he said. 'Given your prior good character ... Mr Pasco's assertive demands for the outstanding payment, including your statement that he visited your home on two occasions, and his conduct in dumping loads of rubbish on your site and threatening to continue to do so on that day, provides an explanation for your out-of-character actions.' Judge Murphy further accepted Mannici's age, early plea, previous good character and genuine remorse. 'Given your age, frailty, use of a walking stick and the provocative conduct by Mr Pasco, you were substantially provoked by his conduct,' he said. Security cameras captured the moment Mannici, who was aided by a walking stick, calmly cocked his .22 calibre Beretta handgun before opening fire on Pasco. Daily Mail Australia revealed on Wednesday, Mannici's victim was in fact a convicted criminal, who had prior convictions for dishonesty, drug dealing and making threats to kill. Just weeks before the shooting, Pasco allegedly threatened to shoot Mannici if he didn't pay him for clean-up works on the lot the elderly grandfather maintained hadn't been performed. 'If you do not pay me I will put a bullet in your head, Pasco allegedly told him on November 23 that year. Mannici's barrister, Dr Theo Alexander, claimed Pasco then pushed his frail client so hard in the chest that he started to bleed. So worried about the incident, Mannici and a colleague took photos of his injuries and reported the alleged assault to Sunshine Police. Despite both men making sworn statements and providing the images to detectives, no action was taken, Dr Alexander told the court. Mannici had contracted Pasco to clear the lot on July 31, with an agreement that the job would be done in four weeks at a cost of $25,000. By August 20, none of the site had been cleared of building waste and rubbish, but Mannici complied with Pasco's demands for a $5000 payment, the court heard. On September 17, Mannici paid Pasco another $5000 despite the job being three weeks late. Adding insult to injury, Mannici claimed Pasco had begun dumping his own concrete and steel from other building sites upon his property, Dr Alexander stated. Shot through the arm and he's to blame, Raymond Pasco gave earth removal a bad name, Mannici claimed Seconds before disaster: Raymond Pasco makes his last dump of rubbish on Paolo Mannici's property WHO IS PAOLO MANNICI? Born in a small village called Carrafa in Calabria, Italy on August 5, 1931. He has been married for 63 years and has three children, who all live in Melbourne. He had four siblings: three sisters and one brother. They have all since died. He has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mannici maintains a close relationship with all of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. No one in his family has ever been in trouble with the law. He lived through the Second World War in Italy. His parents cared for him and instilled in him a strong work ethic that he has maintained to today. After migrating to Australia in 1951, aged 20, he moved to Sydney and worked in a steel factory. Over the years he has worked on cane fields, in factories, as a bus driver before becoming a property developer. Mannici has no prior criminal history in Italy or Australia Advertisement Just five days later Pasco demanded yet another $5000 payment, which Mannici paid despite claims only 20 percent of the work had been completed. Dr Alexander said Pasco continued to demand more money on October 20 despite carrying out no further clearing works at Mannici's site. 'When the accused refused to pay any more, the victim commenced sending threatening emails and text messages to the accused's grandson,' he stated. '(Pasco) ceased any site clearing, but left his machines parked on the site. The accused tried to communicate with (him) to establish if and when the work would be completed. (Pasco) simply kept demanding more money.' Fed up, Mannici employed a new contactor on November 12, with work commencing immediately. A week later, Pasco began making threats to the new contractor, Dr Alexander stated. Pasco had claimed he had stopped work after allegedly finding contaminated soil on the site from tyres previously burnt and buried there. 'That assertion is a lie and was designed to cover his misconduct,' Dr Alexander told the court. 'Indeed, the victim also used this false assertion as a basis to make further threats to the accused - the victim threatened to report this fabricated issue to the EPA if the accused did not pay more money.' The court heard the environment watchdog did indeed investigate Mannici's lot, but found no evidence of soil contamination. Just days before the shooting, Mannici told Pasco to move his machines out of the lot and asked him to stop dumping rubbish there. Italian immigrant Paolo Mannici (pictured) had spent 70 years in Australia without a single brush with the law before taking it into his own hands. Paolo Mannici had been gifted the Beretta from his grandfather Paolo Mannici's victim had just dumped this pile of rubbish on his industrial lot when he took matters into his own hands '(Pasco) had intimidated and threatened the accused each time he attended the land to dump more rubbish,' Dr Alexander said. Worried about Victoria Police's inaction to his complaint, Mannici began taking his grandfather's 40-year old handgun to the lot. 'The accused felt intimidated, vulnerable and powerless. He was frustrated and despite his advanced age, had never been treated with such contempt,' Dr Alexander told the court. 'He brought the handgun for the sole purpose of frightening (Pasco), by firing shots in the air if necessary, intending that the victim would thereafter cease attending the property.' On the day of the shooting, CCTV cameras set-up by Pasco himself to capture illegal dumping on the site, caught Pasco dumping another load of rubbish-filled soil on Manicci's property. Footage showed Mannici standing helplessly by as Pasco dumped the load in his yard. Armed with the handgun, Mannici is seen walking towards Pasco before two shots ring out. The court heard Mannici had not intended to actually shoot his victim. 'I just wanted to scare him with the gun to stop him dumping rubbish, not hurt him,' Mannici told a forensic psychiatrist. 'I went over to him and he grabbed me and the gun went off. I didn't want to hurt him, but I know I was wrong. I did the wrong thing.' Clint Eastwood played a grumpy old man who liked to pack heat in a 2008 film titled Gran Torino Mannici was seen wearing a black apron as he walked out the front to collect fruit from a tree Victorian Police officers are seen at a crime scene on a work site in Ravenhall where Mannici shot a man One bullet tore through Pasco's arm before he was able to take the elderly shooter down. Even after being shot, Pasco was seen standing over the elderly man and demanding his money. 'If you had of paid, none of this would have f**king happened ... What's the matter with you?' he shouted. 'You f**king owe me money. What do you think you're f**king gonna do. ' The exchange was only stopped when a large man of Islander appearance stepped in, which almost started another fracas. Another man, believed to be a colleague of Pasco, was also heard shouting threats at Mannici. 'You're lucky it was him and not me. I would have shot you. You're f**king lucky I was on the other side of the yard. You understand, you have no f**king idea who I am,' the man told Mannici. The court heard Pasco had a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for theft, obtaining property by deception, breaching a suspended sentence, breaching an intervention order, making threats to kill and drug trafficking. '(He) has a history of dishonesty ... in my submission, one should be circumspect before accepting what (the victim) says,' Dr Alexander said. Paolo Mannici (pictured) is seen at his home after being granted bail for a shooting at a work site in Melbourne One of the .22 calibre bullets Paolo Mannici did not fire at Pasco A disabled tag can be seen hanging from the rear view mirror of Paolo Mannici's van In a victim impact statement read to the court, Pasco, who is likely entitled to claim up to $60,000 in victims of crime compensation, claimed Mannici had ruined his life and left him impotent. 'I don't go a single day without thinking of the gun and the man behind the trigger,' he said. 'There is no escape for me, not a moment of peace or relief. I don't feel safe anymore and the comfort I used to find in the presence of others is gone.' The court heard Pasco endured an eight-hour operation on the day he was shot and continues to suffer a range of mental and physical injuries. 'When I close my eyes all I can see is the barrel of a gun staring right back at me. All I can hear is the echoing of gun shots in my ears and I am stuck remembering the immense fear I felt and still do,' Pasco wrote. The injured tradie stated he could no longer sleep due to the fear of seeing Mannici in his dreams. 'I am not proud of it, but I struggle with thoughts of suicide and ending it all. I just want to escape the never-ending pain,' he stated. Pasco said the injury had left his arm with nerve damage, which made ordinary tasks difficult to perform. 'Due to medications, I am now impotent. This places a huge impact on my manhood and the way I feel about myself. I feel as though I am not a man,' he told the court. When Mannici's actions were described as borderline vigilante, Dr Alexander agreed. 'To the extent that this man felt frustrated, unassisted by authorities, unable to do anything to stop this person from continuing their contemptuous treatment - then yes, it would be described as vigilantism,' Dr Alexander said. People's support vital for state governance Xinhua) 14:42, April 28, 2022 BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese idiom "De Ren Zhe Xing" emphasizes the importance of winning people's hearts and attracting talents to a country or government. "Ren" stands for people's hearts as well as talents. The saying, which comes from Shiji, or Records of the Grand Historian, a monumental history book of ancient China compiled about 2,000 years ago, has two connotations. Only by winning people's hearts and responding to their wishes can a country or government continue to thrive. This is in accord with the philosophy that "people's will is the foundation of the state" and "people are the foundation of the state." Moreover, talents are critical to the rise and fall of a country or government. Only by identifying and recruiting the most capable and upright people and suitably employing them can a great cause be completed and a country and its government remain stable and secure. Winning people's hearts is closely related to attracting the talented. Winning people's hearts will eventually draw in the talented, and recruiting the talented will eventually help win people's hearts. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China adopts a people-centered development philosophy. This is best illustrated by China's massive poverty-alleviation campaign and its handling of the COVID-19 epidemic, where such concepts and practices as "no one should be left behind" and "people first, life first" have been demonstrated. China emphasizes the development of professional talent to improve the country's workforce, and education to nurture a new generation of capable young people who are well-prepared to join the socialist cause. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Foreign residents visit Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Feb. 14, 2021. Newsis By Lee Hyo-jin The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) is drawing criticism for its discriminatory policy against children of foreign nationality, which initially excluded them from free admissions to royal palaces on Children's Day. In its recent announcement, the CHA said that royal palaces and tombs including Gyeongbok Palace, Deoksu Palace and Changdeok Palace would offer free admission to visitors on Children's Day which falls on May 5, the presidential inauguration day on May 10 and during the Royal Culture Festival period which runs from May 10 to 22. The announcement reads that on Children's Day, visitors aged 12 and under along with their guardians can freely enter. However, it noted that foreign children are exempt from the policy. This sparked debates among online users, with many criticizing the CHA for discriminating against young children based on nationality. A coalition of some 40 migrants' rights civic groups condemned the CHA, demanding it to immediately rectify the discriminatory measure. "It is of common sense that according to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, no children should be discriminated against regardless of nationality, race or gender," the civic groups said in a statement, Wednesday. "But the CHA's policy on free admission explicitly discriminates against children based on nationality on a day none other than Children's Day. These people (foreign residents) are not tourists who are visiting Korea for a short period of time. They are members of the society who work here and pay taxes." The CHA later removed the announcement, and explained the exemption rule applies only for guardians of foreign children, not the children. "We meant to say that parents or guardians of foreign children are excluded from free admission. The fee policy for foreign children on Children's Day would be the same as on regular days," an official at the CHA told The Korea Times, Thursday. On regular days, Koreans aged 24 and under are admitted for free. Foreigners aged between 7 and 18 are charged 500 won, while 1,000 won is charged for those aged between 25 and 64. Senior citizens aged 65 and above can enter freely, regardless of nationality. When asked why foreigners aged between 7 and 18 are not allowed to enter for free unlike their Korean national counterparts on regular days, the official said, "Not all rules apply the same to foreign nationals," and did not agree that the policy is discriminatory. Later in the day, the CHA announced a revised version the free admission policy on Children's Day, which reads that all people, regardless of age and nationality, will be admitted for free. It also said it plans to revise the fee policy for regular days, which imposes different fees for foreigners and Koreans, reflecting the need to respect cultural diversity. New life expectancy predictions have revealed the UK dog breeds that are likely to live the longest. Vets from the Royal Veterinary College assessed 30,563 dogs from 18 breeds to see how life expectancy varies between pooches. Their results reveal that while the average life expectancy for dogs in the UK is 11.2 years, this varies massively between breeds. Jack Russell Terriers top the list with an average life expectancy of 12.7 years, while French Bulldogs were identified as the breed with the shortest life expectancy of just 4.5 years. Dr Kendy Tzu-yun Teng, who led the study, said: 'The dog life tables offer new insights and ways of looking at the life expectancy in pet dogs. 'They are also strong evidence of compromised health and welfare in short, flat-faced breeds, such as French Bulldog and Bulldog.' Vets from the Royal Veterinary College assessed 30,563 dogs from 18 breeds to see how life expectancy varies between pooches In previous studies, life expectancy has been estimated crudely using only the average age of death of dogs. However, this method does not take into account the fact that life expectancy decreases with age in a non-linear fashion. Instead, the researchers used 'life tables' a method commonly used for humans to assess the life expectancy of 30,563 dogs from 18 different breeds and crossbreeds that had died between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2020. Dr Justine Shotton, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: 'These life tables offer an important insight into the life expectancy of popular dog breeds in the UK and will be a useful tool for vets and pet owners in assessing dog welfare.' Jack Russell Terriers (pictured) had the greatest life expectancy from age 0 at 12.7 years, followed by Border Collies (12.1 years) and Springer Spaniels (11.92 years) Breeds with longest life expectancy Jack Russell Terrier - 12.72 Yorkshire Terrier - 12.54 Border Collie - 12.10 Springer Spaniel - 11.92 Crossbred - 11.82 Labrador Retriever - 11.77 Staffordshire Bull Terrier - 11.33 Cocker Spaniel - 11.31 Shih-tzu - 11.05 Advertisement Breeds with shortest life expectancy French Bulldog - 4.53 English Bulldog - 7.39 Pug - 7.65 American Bulldog - 7.79 Chihuahua - 7.91 Husky - 9.53 Beagle - 9.85 Boxer - 10.04 German Shepherd - 10.16 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - 10.45 Advertisement The life tables revealed that the overall average life expectancy at age 0 for the dogs was 11.2 years. However, the life expectancy varied hugely between breeds. Jack Russell Terriers had the greatest life expectancy from age 0 at 12.7 years, followed by Border Collies (12.1 years) and Springer Spaniels (11.92 years). At the other end of the scale, four flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds were found to have the shortest life expediencies. French Bulldogs were only expected to live 4.5 years from age 0, followed by English Bulldogs at 7.4 years, Pugs at 7.7 years and American Bulldogs 7.8 years. Flat-faced breeds are known to suffer from a range of health issues. French Bulldogs (pictured) were only expected to live 4.5 years from age 0, followed by English Bulldogs at 7.4 years, Pugs at 7.7 years and American Bulldogs 7.8 years Health issues in flat-faced breeds The broad head shape did not evolve naturally, and is instead the result of selective breeding. The facial structure of flat-faced dogs forces the breathing passages to be very compact. This, along with other structural elements of the body can lead to issues that include: Difficulty breathing when exercising Excess noises such as snorting and snoring Inability to properly regulate body temperature, which leads to heavy panting An elongated palate, which can cause episodes of reverse sneezing which can consist of excessive gasps and wheezes Advertisement Their broad head shape did not evolve naturally and is instead the result of selective breeding. As a result, these breeds often suffer from breathing problems, spinal disease and dystocia slow or difficult labour. The study also found that female dogs tend to live an average of four months longer than male dogs, while neutered dogs also have longer life expectancy. 'A concerning finding is the lower life expectancy for flat-faced breeds,' Dr Shotton said. 'While the study doesn't prove a direct link between these breeds' potential welfare issues and shorter length of life, the findings serve as a fresh reminder for prospective dog owners to choose a breed based on health, not looks.' The researchers hope the results will be useful for both prospective dog owners, and vets. 'As a vet in practice, I am often asked questions about the average lifespan of my patients,' said Dr Sheldon Middleton, President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association. 'To have this data now available, and based on evidence rather than anecdote, provides a direct and immediate benefit to those working in the clinic. 'Additionally, this will inform future research and provide useful insights for the wider allied professions.' The new life expectancy estimates come shortly after a study revealed that, contrary to popular belief, breed is a poor predictor of behaviour in dogs. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts analysed the genomes of 2,155 dogs to look for genetic variations known to be associated with certain behaviours. They compared their findings with survey results of 18,385 dog owners. The results revealed that breed only explains nine per cent of the behavioural variation in individual dogs. Instead, the researchers suggest that for certain behavioural traits, age or dog sex are the best predictors of behaviour. 'The majority of behaviours that we think of as characteristics of specific modern dog breeds have most likely come about from thousands of years of evolution from wolf to wild canine to domesticated dog, and finally to modern breeds,' said author Elinor Karlsson. 'These heritable traits predate our concept of modern dog breeds by thousands of years.' Remains of a giant sea monster, that lived 205 million years ago, have been found 9,000 feet above sea level in the Swiss Alps by a team of archaeologists. The marine monster grew to a length of 65ft and weighed 80 ton, and was identified from fossils representing three individuals - including teeth, ribs, and vertebrae. The 205 million year old ichthyosaur was discovered in the Swiss Alps by a team from the University of Zurich, who described the find as 'thrilling'. They were dug out of rocks 9,000 feet above the ocean in Switzerland, where Europe's high peaks formed when tectonic plates collided - pushing up the seabed. The huge reptiles patrolled Panthalassa, an ocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangea during the Late Triassic. Artist impression of the habitat and animals that were found together with the giant ichthyosaurs about 205 million years ago Team member Dr Heinz Furrer, a retired curator at the University of Zurich's Palaeontological Institute and Museum, said he was thrilled by the discovery. He said: 'It's the world's longest ichthyosaur; with the thickest tooth found to date and the largest trunk vertebra in Europe.' These massive creatures also made forays into the shallow seas of the Tethys on the eastern side of Pangea, the team discovered. Lead author Dr Martin Sandler, of the University of Bonn, said: 'Maybe there are more remains of the giant sea creatures hidden beneath the glaciers.' They discovered teeth and vertebrae from the 65ft long, 80 ton ichthyosaurs, and the tooth root was twice as wide as the previous record, which belonged to another ichthyosaur that was 50 feet from nose to tail. Martin Sander and Michael Hautmann look over the discovery layers on the southern slope of Schesaplana, on the Graubunden/Vorarlberg border Dr Sandler said: 'Bigger is always better. There are distinct selective advantages to large body size. Life will go there if it can. 'There were only three animal groups that had masses greater than 1020 metric tonnes: long-necked dinosaurs; whales; and the giant ichthyosaurs of the Triassic.' Ichthyosaurs first emerged in the wake of the Permian extinction some 250 million years ago, when some 95 per cent of marine species died out. The group reached its greatest diversity in the Middle Triassic - and a few species persisted into the Cretaceous. Roughly the shape of contemporary whales, ichthyosaurs had elongated bodies and erect tail fins. Fossils are concentrated in North America and Europe, but ichthyosaurs have also been found in South America, Asia, and Australia. Left is Martin Sander with a rib from the skeleton, and right is Heinz Furrer with a vertebrae Giant species have mostly been unearthed in North America, with scant finds from the Himalaya and New Caledonia. The discovery of further behemoths in Switzerland represents an expansion of their known range. Dr Sander said: 'It amounts to a major embarrassment for palaeontology that we know so little about these giant ichthyosaurs despite the extraordinary size of their fossils. We hope to rise to this challenge and find new and better fossils soon.' The specimens, collected between 1976 and 1990, have only recently been scanned, and likely represent the last of the leviathans. Dr Sander said: 'In Nevada, we see the beginnings of true giants, and in the Alps the end. Only the medium-to-large-sized dolphin and orca-like forms survived into the Jurassic.' It's only the second instance of a giant ichthyosaur with teeth - the other being the 50 foot long Himalayasaurus. They occupied similar ecological roles to modern sperm whales and killer whales, the team explained, adding that the teeth are curved inwards like those of their mammalian successors. It indicates a grasping mode of feeding conducive to capturing prey such as giant squid. The root of the tooth found has a diameter of 2.3 inches, which makes it the thickest ichthyosaur tooth found so far Dr Sander said: 'It is hard to say if the tooth is from a large ichthyosaur with giant teeth or from a giant ichthyosaur with average-sized teeth.' The tooth was broken off at the crown. It could not confidently be assigned to a particular taxon. Still, a peculiarity of dental anatomy allowed the researchers to identify it as belonging to an ichthyosaur. Dr Sander said: 'Ichthyosaurs have a feature in their teeth that is nearly unique among reptiles: the infolding of the dentin in the roots of their teeth. The only other group to show this are monitor lizards.' The skeletal remains consist of eight vertebrae and ten rib fragments. They belong to the family Shastasauridae, which contains the giants Shastasaurus, Shonisaurus and Himalayasaurus. Known as the Kossen Formation, the rocks from which these fossils derive were once at the bottom of a shallow coastal area - a very wide lagoon The findings have been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. A 'swarm' of 85,000 earthquakes in Antarctica that lasted about six months in 2020 was triggered by magma from an underwater volcano, a new study says. The swarm occurred at Orca Seamount, a deep-sea volcano near King George Island in Antarctica, in the Bransfield Strait, which has been inactive for 'a long time'. Researchers have used seismometers and remote sensing techniques to determine how long the swarm lasted, and what caused it. Swarm quakes mainly occur in volcanically active regions, so the movement of magma in the Earth's crust is therefore suspected as the cause. During the swarm, ground on neighbouring King George Island moved 4.3 inches (11cm) - suggesting a 'finger' of magma almost reached the surface, the scientists report in their new study. The Carlini base on King George Island, hosting the seismometer located closest to the seismic region, and the Bransfield Strait Orca Seamount is located in the Bransfield Strait, an ocean channel between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, southwest of the southern tip of Argentina What is an earthquake swarm? Earthquake swarms occur when many earthquakes take place over several weeks or months, with no clear sequence. Traditional earthquakes feature a main event, followed by a series of aftershocks. Seismic activity could be a sign of an impending eruption of the supervolcano, although this is hard to predict. Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone in the western United States and, on average, comprise about 50 per cent of the total activity in the Yellowstone region. Advertisement The so-called 'swarm quake' reached proportions not previously observed for this region, the experts say. 'In the past, seismicity in this region was moderate,' said lead study author Dr Simone Cesca from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) Potsdam. 'However, in August 2020, an intense seismic swarm began there, with more than 85,000 earthquakes within half a year. 'It represents the largest seismic unrest ever recorded there.' It's well-known that earthquakes are caused in subduction zones, when two tectonic plates that are sliding in opposite directions stick and then slip suddenly. Severe earthquakes normally occur over fault lines where tectonic plates meet, although minor tremors can happen in the middle of these plates. Meanwhile, earthquake swarms occur when many earthquakes take place over several weeks or months, with no clear sequence. In comparison, traditional earthquakes feature a main event, followed by a series of aftershocks. Most earthquakes are caused by the interaction of the plates; however, some are related to volcanoes and the movement of magma. Most earthquakes directly beneath a volcano are caused by the movement of magma, which exerts pressure on the rocks until it cracks the rock. Then the magma squirts into the crack and starts building pressure again. Every time the rock cracks, it makes a small earthquake. These earthquakes are usually too weak to be felt but can be detected and recorded by sensitive instruments called seismometers. Orca Seamount is a large submarine shield volcano with a height of about 900 metres (nearly 3,000 feet) above the sea floor and a base diameter of about 6.8 miles (11km). It is located in the Bransfield Strait, an ocean channel between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, southwest of the southern tip of Argentina Rumblings of the 2020 swarm were originally detected by scientists at research stations on King George Island. What is the Orca Seamount? Orca Seamount is a large submarine shield volcano with a height of about 900 metres (nearly 3,000 feet) above the sea floor and a base diameter of about 6.8 miles (11km). It is located in the Bransfield Strait, an ocean channel between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, southwest of the southern tip of Argentina. Researchers say an earthquake swarm occurred at Orca Seamount in 2020, caused by magma transfer below the seafloor. Advertisement However, there are few conventional seismological instruments in the remote area namely only two seismic and two GNSS stations (ground stations of the Global Navigation Satellite System which measure ground displacement). Because of this, it was thought more could be revealed about the nature of the rumblings and how long they lasted with a wider analysis. So the team also analysed data from farther seismic stations and data from InSAR satellites, which use radar interferometry to measure ground displacements. They used a number of geophysical methods to model the events, in order to make sure they were interpreting the data correctly. The researchers backdated the start of the unrest to August 10, 2020 and managed to extend the original global seismic catalogue, containing only 128 earthquakes, to more than 85,000 events. The swarm peaked with two large earthquakes on October 2, 2020 (measuring 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale, or Mw) and November 6 (Mw 6.0) 2020 before decreasing abruptly in mid November after about three months of sustained activity. By February 2021, seismic activity had decreased significantly. Researchers say the swarm was caused by a rapid transfer of magma from the Earth's mantle near the crust-mantle boundary to almost the surface. The crust-mantle boundary is the point where Earth's crust, the outermost shell, meets the mantle (a layer of silicate rock) According to the scientists, the swarm marks 'the largest magmatic unrest ever geophysically monitored in Antarctica. A magma intrusion (the migration of a larger volume or 'finger' of magma) was identified as the main cause of the swarm quake, because seismic processes alone cannot explain the observed land surface deformation on King George Island. The study shows that such events can be studied and described in great detail even in such remote and therefore poorly instrumented areas. 'Our study represents a new successful investigation of a seismo-volcanic unrest at a remote location on Earth, where the combined application of seismology, geodesy and remote sensing techniques are used to understand earthquake processes and magma transport in poorly instrumented areas,' Dr Cesca said. 'This is one of the few cases where we can use geophysical tools to observe intrusion of magma from the upper mantle or crust-mantle boundary into the shallow crust a rapid transfer of magma from the mantle to almost the surface that takes only a few days.' The study, which involved researchers from Germany, Italy, Poland and the US, has been published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment. Advertisement In what could be a historic first, a US space company will attempt to catch a rocket falling back to Earth using a helicopter. The mid-air capture has been tried before, albeit unsuccessfully by NASA in 2004, but if it works it could provide a dramatic advancement in launch capabilities and a new way for rocket launchers to be reused. A hook mounted on a helicopter will be used to latch onto the rocket's parachute as it slows from speeds of 5,000 mph (8,000 kph) to a mere 22 mph (35 kph) above the Pacific Ocean. The launch is scheduled to take place tomorrow (Friday) from Rocket Lab's complex on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula. The 'There and Back Again' mission, which will be the company's 26th Electron rocket launch, will see 34 satellites deployed to Earth orbit, including one to monitor our planet's light pollution. It may sound like an ambitious ask, but in what could be a historic first a US space company will attempt to catch a rocket falling back to Earth using a helicopter (pictured in an artist's impression) A hook mounted on a helicopter will be used to latch onto the rocket's parachute as it slows from speeds of 5,000 mph (8,000 kph) to a mere 22 mph (35 kph) above the Pacific Ocean The mid-air capture has been tried before, albeit unsuccessfully by NASA in 2004, but if it works it could provide a dramatic advancement in launch capabilities The launch is scheduled to take place tomorrow (Friday) from Rocket Lab's complex on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula. As the first stage of the rocket falls back to Earth, Rocket Lab will then attempt to catch it with a customised Sikorsky S-92 (pictured). The large twin engine helicopter is used in offshore oil and gas transport, as well as in search and rescue operations ELECTRON: SMALL ROCKET LAUNCHER Height: 18m (59ft) Payload to LEO: 300kg (661lb) Successful launches: 97 Cost: $100 million Cost per launch: $7.5 million Launch sites: Mahia LC-1 (active), MARS (planned), Sutherland (proposed) First flight: 2017 Advertisement Two and a half minutes after launching, the first and second stages of the rocket will separate. The latter will continue to orbit, while the first stage will plummet to Earth at speeds of more than 5,000 mph (8,000 kph). It will have to endure temperatures of 4,352F (2,400C) before deploying a parachute to slow its descent to around 22 mph (35 kph) as it enters a 'capture zone' above the Pacific. Rocket Lab will then attempt to catch the rocket with a customised Sikorsky S-92, a large twin engine helicopter used in offshore oil and gas transport, as well as in search and rescue operations. It will try to latch on to the parachute with a hook, with the capture expected about 18 minutes after launch, and if successful the rocket will then be transported back to land for possible reuse on another mission. 'Catching a returning rocket stage mid-air as it returns from space is a highly complex operation that demands extreme precision,' the company said. 'Several critical milestones must align perfectly to ensure a successful capture.' Unlike billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, which has the Falcon 9 rocket land on a drone ship, Rocket Lab has been bolder in its recovery effort. Like previous recovery missions, Electron's first stage will undertake a series of complex manoeuvres designed to enable it to survive the extreme heat and forces of atmospheric re-entry. The small rocket will be equipped with a heat shield to protect its nine Rutherford engines, as well as a parachute to slow it down enough so that Rocket Lab's helicopter can catch it. If successful, the company would be one step closer to making Electron the first reusable orbital small sat launcher. The satellites are being transported for customers including Alba Orbital, Astrix Astronautics, Aurora Propulsion Technologies, E-Space, Spaceflight Inc., and Unseenlabs, bringing the total number of satellites launched by Electron to 146. 'We're excited to enter this next phase of the Electron recovery program,' said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. 'We've conducted many successful helicopter captures with replica stages, carried out extensive parachute tests, and successfully recovered Electron's first stage from the ocean during our 16th, 20th, and 22nd missions. 'Now it's time to put it all together for the first time and pluck Electron from the skies.' The helicopter will try to latch on to the parachute with a hook, with the capture expected about 18 minutes after launch, and if successful the rocket will then be transported back to land for possible reuse on another mission The rocket will have to endure temperatures of 4,352F (2,400C) before deploying a parachute to slow its descent to around 22 mph (35 kph) as it enters a 'capture zone' above the Pacific Ocean The small rocket will be equipped with a heat shield to protect its nine Rutherford engines, as well as a parachute to slow it down enough so that Rocket Lab's helicopter can catch it If successful, Rocket Lab would be one step closer to making Electron (pictured) the first reusable orbital small sat launcher He added: 'Trying to catch a rocket as it falls back to Earth is no easy feat, we're absolutely threading the needle here, but pushing the limits with such complex operations is in our DNA. 'We expect to learn a tremendous amount from the mission as we work toward the ultimate goal of making Electron the first reusable orbital small sat launcher and providing our customers with even more launch availability.' Rocket Lab has previously carried out three successful ocean recovery missions where Electron returned to Earth under parachute and was recovered from the ocean. Analysis of those missions helped throw up design modifications to Electron, enabling it to withstand the hard re-entry environment. It also helped to developed procedures for a recent test that saw its helicopter capture a dummy rocket. Approximately an hour prior to lift-off, Rocket Lab's Sikorsky S-92 will move into position in the capture zone, around 150 nautical miles off New Zealand's coast, to await launch. If successful, Rocket Lab would be one step closer to making Electron (pictured) the first reusable orbital small sat launcher Rocket Lab has previously carried out three successful ocean recovery missions where Electron returned to Earth under parachute and was recovered from the ocean Analysis of those missions helped throw up design modifications to Electron, enabling it to withstand the hard re-entry environment It is a flight known as the 'There and Back Again' mission, Rocket Lab's 26th Electron launch, sending 34 payloads from a range of commercial operators At T+2:30 minutes after lift-off, Electron's first and second stages will separate per a standard mission profile. Electron's second stage will continue on to orbit for payload deployment and Electron's first stage will begin its descent back to Earth. After deploying a drogue parachute at 8.3 miles (13 km) high, the main parachute will be extracted at around 3.7 miles (6 km) to dramatically slow the stage to 10 metres per second, or 22.3 mph (36 kph). As the stage enters the capture zone, Rocket Lab's helicopter will attempt to rendezvous with the returning stage and capture the parachute line via a hook. Once the stage is captured and secured, the helicopter will transport it back to land where Rocket Lab will conduct a thorough analysis of the stage and assess its suitability for reflight. Mid-air capture was previously attempted with NASA's Genesis spacecraft in 2004. Hollywood stunt pilots had been waiting to catch the capsule to give its cargo a special soft landing, but the spacecraft's parachutes failed to open and it crash-landed in the Utah desert. It was carrying captured particles blown off the sun, which were damaged in the impact. Advertisement While most people in cities will be unsurprised to learn they live in an area with high air pollution, the full extent of the problem in the UK has been revealed. An analysis by the Central Office of Public Interest (COPI) has revealed how 97 per cent of UK addresses now breach at least one of the World Health Organisation's limits for toxic pollutants. Meanwhile, nearly 75 per cent of us live in areas that breach limits of all three toxic pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 (PM10). COPI has created an interactive tool that lets you check what the air pollution levels are at your address, as well as its ranking relative to other addresses in the country. Humphrey Milles, founder of COPI, said: 'Air pollution affects all of us. It's a group one cause of cancer, just like asbestos. 'With this new accurate data now publicly available, it would be shameful for the property industry to not start acting transparently. Lives depend on it. Everyone has a right to know what they're breathing before they buy or rent.' An analysis by the Central Office of Public Interest (COPI) has revealed how 97 per cent of UK addresses now breach at least one of the World Health Organisation's limits for toxic pollutants. This map shows the average address pollution percentile across the UK What is particulate matter? PM is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. They are created from a variety of sources, including traffic, construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks or fires. Most particles form in the atmosphere as a result of reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Some PM, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, is large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Other PM is so small it can only be detected using an electron microscope. PM2.5 - of diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller - differ from PM10 - 10 micrometers and smaller. Source: US EPA Advertisement COPI sourced and mapped the air pollution levels recorded at 20,000 sites in over 320 UK council areas. Using this data and DEFRA-approved council monitor data, experts at Imperial College London generated a national model with an incredible 20m/sq resolution. The interactive tool, which can be accessed at addresspollution.org, reveals how air quality varies across the UK. For example, Buckingham Palace, which is in the heart of London, falls into the 98th percentile, with some of the highest air pollution levels in the UK. In contrast, Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire has some of the cleanest air in the UK, and falls into the lowest percentile. Unsurprisingly, major cities across the UK have some of the highest levels of air pollution. However, some addresses in Kent, Bath and East Anglia were also found to fall into the top percentile for dirty air. 'We all have our own part to play in this. Air pollution isn't insurmountable and we can all do something about it,' Mr Milles said. Last year, a Southwark coroner ruled that air pollution contributed to the 2013 death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, nine, who lived 80ft from the South Circular road in Lewisham, south-east London. As part of the ruling, he asked the Government to explain how it would prevent future deaths leading to the pledge from ministers to set aside an extra 6million for local authorities to improve air quality and raise public awareness. The coroner's report, following a second inquest which ruled that air pollution contributed to Ella's death, called for legally binding goals for dangerous pollutant particulate matter (PM2.5) that are in line with WHO guidelines. Unsurprisingly, cities across the UK have some of the highest levels of air pollution. Pictured: smog over London's Canary Wharf Nearly 75 per cent of us live in areas that breach limits of all three toxic pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 (PM10) These suggest keeping an average concentration of PM2.5 under 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air (g/m3), to prevent increased deaths. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, Ella's mother, said: 'This data shows yet again that the government is failing the British public. 'Now people can really see the filthy air they're breathing at their home, school or work address, and it is no wonder that the NHS waiting lists are ever growing. 'Everyone needs to know what they're breathing, and now with this new public service they can.' Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, special advisor on air quality to the Royal College of Physicians, added: 'Air pollution is an invisible killer, and because you can't see it it's easy for people to forget and ignore. 'It's essential that the public are given air pollution data for where they are thinking of buying or renting. In many cases like that of little Ella, it can be a matter of life or death.' Rio Ferdinand has singled out four Liverpool 'lieutenants' that he believes will help the Reds guard against complacency in next week's Champions League semi-final second leg in Villarreal. A Pervis Estupinan own goal and Sadio Mane's poked finish earned Jurgen Klopp's side a 2-0 win over the Spanish outfit in the first leg at Anfield. While Liverpool are now overwhelming favourites to progress to the final, they are not completely out of sight in the tie. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was involved in their first goal against Villarreal at Anfield Rio Ferdinand warned that the Reds must guard against complacency in the second leg The Champions League has thrown up some remarkable comebacks in recent years, including Liverpool's own dramatic turnaround against Barcelona in the semi-final in 2019. 'They have got to make sure that they fend off any type of complacency that could creep in,' Ferdinand said on BT Sport. 'Yes, it is 2-0, but you still have an away tie, you have to go over there and give a professional performance. 'But the one thing that I will say about this team, is that they are a solid bunch, there is a togetherness there and they won't allow [complacency]. 'The two people in that interview [Jordan Henderson and Andrew Robertson] there are two people who are lieutenants I feel behind the scenes, along with Van Dijk, maybe Trent now as well, who will control that culture against complacency. That is the thing that can trip you up.' Trent Alexander-Arnold is only 23 years old but is already showing signs of leadership Virgil van Dijk took the armband when Henderson was substituted and also skippers Holland Scottish international Andrew Robertson also captains his country and is vital for Liverpool Henderson, Liverpool's captain of seven years, played a major part in their opening goal on Wednesday night as his cross deflected off Villarreal defender Estupinan and into the net. Meanwhile, Robertson and van Dijk skipper their respective national teams and are two of the leaders in the Reds squad. At 23 years old, Alexander-Arnold may be younger than the other three players that Ferdinand mentioned but he has already showed signs that he could be a future captain of the club he grew up supporting. Kim Kardashian's hosting debut on Saturday Night Live in October was a family affair, with Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian taking part in the festivities, though another skit with Scott Disick was nixed by his ex, Kourtney Kardashian. The 41-year-old Kim revealed in The Kardashians premiere on Hulu that he only invited Scott because Kourtney and her new beau, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, were not planning on going. It was revealed in the third episode of The Kardashians that Scott Disick was actually going to take part in a skit about his tendencies to date much younger women after his split with Kourtney... but Kourtney wasn't, 'feeling it.' Nixed: Kim Kardashian's hosting debut on Saturday Night Live in October was a family affair, with Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian taking part in the festivities, though another skit with Scott Disick was nixed by his ex, Kourtney Kardashian Kim: The 41-year-old Kim revealed in The Kardashians premiere on Hulu that he only invited Scott because Kourtney and her new beau, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, were not planning on going Revealed: It was revealed in the third episode of The Kardashians that Scott Disick was actually going to take part in a skit about his tendencies to date much younger women after his split with Kourtney... but Kourtney wasn't, 'feeling it.' The night before the show, the family and close friends gathered at Estiatorio Milos in Midtown Manhattan. Kris and Khloe were joined by Kris' boyfriend Corey Gamble, Scott Disick and family friends Allison Azoff Statter, Shelli Azoff, Simon Huck and Jonathan Cheban. At one point during the dinner, Khloe turns her attention to Scott Disick, saying he looks, 'so nice,' as he asks how SNL was earlier in the day. Dinner: The night before the show, the family and close friends gathered at Estiatorio Milos in Midtown Manhattan Khloe: At one point during the dinner, Khloe turns her attention to Scott Disick, saying he looks, 'so nice,' as he asks how SNL was earlier in the day They said it was good but also long, and Kris asked if Scott was doing it as well, but he said he was not. 'I talked to Kourtney about it and she wasn't feeling it,' Disick said, before revealing what his bit was going to be. 'Basically, I say to her, "Do you know the reason I date young girls? I try to add them all up so they're your age,"' Disick says. Bit: 'I talked to Kourtney about it and she wasn't feeling it,' Disick said, before revealing what his bit was going to be Young girls: 'Basically, I say to her, "Do you know the reason I date young girls? I try to add them all up so they're your age,"' Disick says Kris scoffs, 'Oh, come on,' but Scott says that if they were married, 'sure I'd make fun of her on TV, but not like separated, it's not in good taste.' Khloe told him, 'You have to follow your gut,' and Scott said, 'That was my gut. I called her and talked her about it and I came to the conclusion.' He said he originally he just wanted to, 'come and support Kim and watch, and that was it,' as Kris said Kim is, 'so happy you're here,' as Scott adds he's, 'good with that.' Come on: Kris scoffs, 'Oh, come on,' but Scott says that if they were married, 'sure I'd make fun of her on TV, but not like separated, it's not in good taste' Khloe: Khloe told him, 'You have to follow your gut,' and Scott said, 'That was my gut. I called her and talked her about it and I came to the conclusion' Kourtney and Scott dated off and on from 2005 to 2015, and shared three kids together, 12-year-old Mason, nine-year-old Penelope and seven-year-old Reign. Disick started dating Sophia Richie in 2017, the youngest daughter of Lionel Richie, who is 15 years younger than him. They split up in August 2020, with Disick dating then-19-year-old Amelia Gray Hamlin, the daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, in February 2021, though they split in September 2021. On and off: Kourtney and Scott dated off and on from 2005 to 2015, and shared three kids together, 12-year-old Mason, nine-year-old Penelope and seven-year-old Reign Disick was only seen briefly in the series premiere of The Kardashians, telling Khloe he was upset that he wasn't invited to a family barbecue. The teaser for next week's episode shows bits of his reaction to Travis' proposal, revealing the kids were upset they weren't allowed to go. Disick even pondered if he and the kids will even be invited to the wedding, when Kourtney and Travis do tie the knot. While practically the entire Kardashian-Jenner family was in attendance at Travis Barker's proposal to Kourtney Kardashian in Santa Barbara, her ex Scott Disick and their three children - Mason, 12, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 7 - were not there. Matriarch Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian were involved with the planning at a beachfront hotel in Santa Barbara, though Disick, 38, was kept in the dark, along with the kids. The proposal will be shown in next week's episode, debuting on Hulu Thursday, May 5, with a preview that aired after this week's episode hinting that not only Scott was upset, but the kids were too. Scott not there: While practically the entire Kardashian-Jenner family was in attendance at Travis Barker's proposal to Kourtney Kardashian in Santa Barbara, her ex Scott Disick and their three children - Mason, 12, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 7 - were not there Proposal: The proposal will be shown in next week's episode, debuting on Hulu Thursday, May 5, with a preview that aired after this week's episode hinting that not only Scott was upset, but the kids were too The preview for next week's episode shows the family all together in the hotel, with Kris saying, 'as soon as the sun goes down, it's showtime.' Kourtney is seen in confession saying, 'It's perfect, he's super romantic,' as the happy couple walks in and finds the whole family waiting. Kris is seen tearing up, raising a champagne glass saying, 'This makes me so happy. Cheers,' as everyone raises their glass to the newly-engaged couple. Perfect: Kourtney is seen in confession saying, 'It's perfect, he's super romantic,' as the happy couple walks in and finds the whole family waiting Couple: Kris is seen tearing up, raising a champagne glass saying, 'This makes me so happy. Cheers,' as everyone raises their glass to the newly-engaged couple The drama ensues after the proposal, when Khloe reveals that she knows Scott Disick knows about the engagement, while Kendall asks Kourtney, 'Do you have sympathy for Scott because it doesn't feel like you do.' After the proposal, Khloe is seen at Scott's house, asking him how the kids felt about everything. 'They were upset. They didn't understand why they weren't there,' Scott said in a brief scene in the preview. Sympathy: The drama ensues after the proposal, when Khloe reveals that she knows Scott Disick knows about the engagement, while Kendall asks Kourtney, 'Do you have sympathy for Scott because it doesn't feel like you do' Khloe at Scott's: After the proposal, Khloe is seen at Scott's house, asking him how the kids felt about everything Upset: 'They were upset. They didn't understand why they weren't there,' Scott said in a brief scene in the preview 'Hopefully they're invited to the wedding. Am I invited to the wedding?' he asked, as Khloe responds, 'I don't know.' Kourtney and Scott dated off and on from 2005 to 2015, and shared three kids together, 12-year-old Mason, nine-year-old Penelope and seven-year-old Reign. Disick started dating Sophia Richie in 2017, the youngest daughter of Lionel Richie, who is 15 years younger than him. Invited: 'Hopefully they're invited to the wedding. Am I invited to the wedding?' he asked, as Khloe responds, 'I don't know' They split up in August 2020, with Disick dating then-19-year-old Amelia Gray Hamlin, the daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, in February 2021, though they split in September 2021. Disick was only seen briefly in the series premiere of The Kardashians, telling Khloe he was upset that he wasn't invited to a family barbecue. He did join the family in New York City to support Kim as she hosted SNL, revealing that he was going to be a part of the show, but Kourtney wasn't comfortable with the skit he was doing. Upset: Disick was only seen briefly in the series premiere of The Kardashians, telling Khloe he was upset that he wasn't invited to a family barbecue It was revealed in the third episode of The Kardashians that Scott Disick was actually going to take part in a skit about his tendencies to date much younger women after his split with Kourtney... but Kourtney wasn't, 'feeling it.' The night before the show, the family and close friends gathered at Estiatorio Milos in Midtown Manhattan. Kris and Khloe were joined by Kris' boyfriend Corey Gamble, Scott Disick and family friends Allison Azoff Statter, Shelli Azoff, Simon Huck and Jonathan Cheban. Not feeling it: It was revealed in the third episode of The Kardashians that Scott Disick was actually going to take part in a skit about his tendencies to date much younger women after his split with Kourtney... but Kourtney wasn't, 'feeling it' At one point during the dinner, Khloe turns her attention to Scott Disick, saying he looks, 'so nice,' as he asks how SNL was earlier in the day. They said it was good but also long, and Kris asked if Scott was doing it as well, but he said he was not. 'I talked to Kourtney about it and she wasn't feeling it,' Disick said, before revealing what his bit was going to be. No SNL: They said it was good but also long, and Kris asked if Scott was doing it as well, but he said he was not 'Basically, I say to her, "Do you know the reason I date young girls? I try to add them all up so they're your age,"' Disick says. Kris scoffs, 'Oh, come on,' but Scott says that if they were married, 'sure I'd make fun of her on TV, but not like separated, it's not in good taste.' Khloe told him, 'You have to follow your gut,' and Scott said, 'That was my gut. I called her and talked her about it and I came to the conclusion.' He said he originally he just wanted to, 'come and support Kim and watch, and that was it,' as Kris said Kim is, 'so happy you're here,' as Scott adds he's, 'good with that.' Helen Mirren has been given a great compliment in the United States. The 76-year-old British actress has landed the cover of People magazine's The Beautiful Issue in a cover story that touches on her thoughts about what is attractive. Mirren said she was shocked after learning about her honor and never considered herself beautiful - especially at her age. 'I was absolutely sort of gobstruck, as we say in England. I never considered myself beautiful. And [at] my age! So, I was amazed,' she said. She IS beautiful: Helen Mirren has been given a great compliment in the United States. The British actress has landed the cover of People magazine's The Beautiful Issue in a cover story that touches on her thoughts of what is attractive The magazine on Wednesday revealed the cover of the annual issue, which hits newsstands Friday. On the cover, the icon wore a dramatic gray outfit with her silver locks pulled back and light pink lipstick on. 'Don't get me wrong I love beauty and I love looking at beautiful things. But I don't like the word beauty [as it's] associated with the beauty industrymakeup and products, skincare and all the rest of it because I think it excludes the vast majority of us who are not beautiful,' said the thespian. She was quite the blonde bombshell in the 1970s: Mirren said she never considered herself beautiful but she was a pinup in her 20s Always a stunner: Mirren on the set of The Cook, the Thief, His wife and Her Lover in 1990 She had sex appeal galore: The icon in a corset in 1995 at the Drama Desk Awards Ceremony She then said there are incredibly beautiful people in the world, and it's an absolute delight to look at them, male or female. 'Beautiful people are a wonder to behold,' she added. 'But most of us are not beautiful. We have other stuff, which is just as powerful as beauty. She deserves it: Mirren said she was 'gobstruck' after learning about her honor and never considered herself beautiful - especially at her age. 'I was absolutely sort of gobstruck, as we say in England. I never considered myself beautiful. And [at] my age! So, I was amazed,' she said. Seen in 2007 'And I would like to see us celebrate those things I love the word swagger because I think swagger means I'm confident in myself, I'm presenting myself to the world, I'm enjoying the world around me. 'I think what is called the beauty industry should be called the swagger industry. We're giving people swagger,' said Mirren, who won an Academy Award for best actress for her role in the 2006 film The Queen. The actor, who has been a L'Oreal Paris spokesperson since 2014, has built an impressive acting career with more than 140 credits in 55 years. We are all beautiful: 'Beautiful people are a wonder to behold,' she added. 'But most of us are not beautiful. We have other stuff, which is just as powerful as beauty.' Seen in 2019 Despite her revered career, she still finds herself nervous before starting a new project. 'I get very nervous about the day-to-day process,' said Mirren, who starred in films including The Long Good Friday, Elizabeth I and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover. 'And meeting and dealing with new people. And not knowing whether I am going to remember my lines or not. I just get very frightened until I get into the swing of things and then I kind of relax.' A good move: Mirren won an Academy Award for best actress for her role in the 2006 film The Queen. Seen with James Cromwell in the background After a film wraps, Mirren said her nerves are calmed and she does't read any reviews - good or bad. While Mirren is hesitant to call herself beautiful, Vin Diesel believes the word perfectly suits her. 'She has a charisma that is timeless. She has looks to kill and always has. She has a jovial spirit,' said Diesel, who starred in the 2021 film 'F9' with Mirren. 'But I think the thing that is most attractive about Dame Helen Mirren is the way she makes you feel. She always makes you feel appreciated and loved. And for that, I Iove her forever.' Regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation, Cate Blanchett is known for her gripping and versatile work across independent films, blockbusters and the theater stage. Along the way she has been nominated for seven Academy Awards, seven BAFTAs and 11 Golden Globes, while starring in a number of critically and commercially successful films. But yet, through it all, Blanchett's four children, whom she shares with husband Andrew Upton, have remained totally 'disinterested' in the fame that can shroud her job as a global movie star. On the go: Cate Blanchett, 52, was spotted at New York's at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday, two days after being honored with prestigious Chaplin Award The Australian actress admitted her children - Dashiell, 20, Roman, 18, Ignatius, 14, and Edith, seven, feel indifferent about her work 'in the best possible, healthiest way.' 'They have no idea, no idea,' she told Page Six, which happened to be on the same day she was honored with the prestigious Chaplin Award at the Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on Monday. 'I told them, "Oh I'm going to New York for 36 hours. I'll be back on Wednesday" One of them is getting an award at school, and they went, "Oh, OK, have a good time."' Always humble about her work, Blanchett maintained there were a number of people who were deserving of the Chaplin Award, which was named after legendary comic actor Charlie Chaplin Stylin': The two-time Oscar-winner was the picture of casual-cool in the fashion department in black Louis Vuitton cargo pants with a black pinstripe blazer over a Givenchy concert t-shirt 'Every time someone wins an Oscar, there are five or six, maybe 15 other people who were equally deserving. It just happens to be your timing,' the Blue Jasmine star said. 'But, you know, not being from this filmmaking culture, and being recognized by this filmmaking culture tonight at the Chaplin Awards - such an international set of previous recipients it's such a deep and profound honor.' A while she would be whisked to her seat for the 47th Chaplin Award Gala to a resounding applause earlier this week, her kids were at home with 'no idea' as to why she was getting such a prestigious honor. At least that's how Blanchett described their less than enthusiastic interest in her stardom. Family confessional: The Australian actress revealed her four children - Dashiell, 20, Roman, 18, Ignatius, 14, and Edith, seven - are totally 'disinterested' in the fame On Tuesday, the day after the gala event, Blanchett was spotted at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in Queens, New York, which is the busiest of the six airports in the New York airport system. The two-time Oscar-winning actress was the picture of casual and stylish dressed in black Louis Vuitton cargo pants with a black pinstripe blazer over a matching Givenchy concert t-shirt. She also wore a pair of black heeled boots as carried a Louis Vuitton bag full of her essentials. The acclaimed actress also had stylish sunglasses, which at times she used to help keep her blonde tresses back behind her ears by having them on the top of her head. Falling just above her shoulders with a part on the left, Blanchett's locks were styled similar to a bob cut, only with her hair whisked to the side with that part. Not impressed: Blanchett admitted her children's indifference about her work comes 'in the best possible, healthiest way' Out of her seven Oscars nominations - four for Best Actress and three for Best Supporting Actress - Blanchett has won one in each category: The Aviator in 2005 and Blue Jasmine in 2014. Her three BAFTA wins were for Elizabeth in 1999, as well as for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine. Blanchett and Upton, 56, are the co-founders of the film production company, Dirty Films, under which Upton has served as a producer for the Australian film Little Fish (2005). Upton is best known for adapting the works of Maxim Gorky, Anton Chekhov and Henrik Ibsen, among others, for London's Royal National Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company, and for writing the original play Riflemind (2007), directed by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman for the London production. National Election Commission headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province / Newsis By Ko Dong-hwan While lawmakers at the National Assembly are split over the passage of two prosecution reform bills that will overhaul the investigative powers of prosecutors, the repercussions of the clash are spreading beyond the National Assembly. At the crux of an intensifying debate on the issue is whether or not it is legitimate to hold a referendum to let the public decide whether the bills should be legislated or not. Holding a referendum was suggested by Rep. Chang Je-won, the chief of staff for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol. Chang proposed the bills to be put to a referendum on June 1, when the local elections are held, on the premise of saving both money to prepare for another election and time for people to go to the polling stations. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have been locking horns for weeks over the prosecutorial reform. The DPK has decided it would work to pass the bills at the National Assembly in order to reduce what it argues is the excessive power wielded by prosecutors, while the PPP is strongly opposed. President Moon Jae-in also sided with the DPK earlier this week, adding to the tense partisan standoff. In response to the PPP's referendum proposal, the National Election Commission (NEC) said, Wednesday, that a referendum would be unconstitutional because the country's National Voting Law is pending a revision. In 2014, the Constitutional Court singled out a clause that excluded the votes of Korean citizens living overseas when holding a referendum as unconstitutional. Since then, the law has remained unchanged. As to the NEC's argument that the law must be revised prior to holding a referendum, professors and lawyers are voicing disagreement. A conservative-minded professors' group on April 28 released a joint statement questioning the NEC's argument. People Power Party lawmakers stage a protest at the National Assembly, April 27, against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea for trying to pass prosecution reform bills. The posters held by the lawmakers criticize the ruling party for the reform initiative. Joint Press Corps. "The NEC is just an agency that ensures fairness in elections and referendums," the group said. "For them to say holding a referendum is unconstitutional is an act of arrogation against the country's judiciary bodies that ultimately hold the rights to check and determine any flaws behind holding a referendum." The group then called for a clear response on whether the NEC's statement came from a single person within the organization or represented its general stance. Lawyer Shin Pyeong, a former president of the Korean Constitutional Law Association, also questioned the NEC's argument. He posted on Facebook, April 27, that the public must vote on whether most of the prosecutors' powers to investigate criminal cases should be scrapped and instead transferred to the country's police force through the passage of the bills. Citing a constitutional clause that stated a president has the vested power to hold a referendum to decide on important policies in diplomacy, national defense, unification and other significant state matters, Shin argued that the removal of prosecutors' investigative powers can be categorized under "other significant state matters" because it violates the basic rights of members of the public and disrupts the country's constitutional foundation. People Power Party Chairman Rep. Lee Jun-seok speaks during a discussion at the National Assembly about removing prosecutors' investigative powers and transferring them to the police through prosecution reform bills, April 28. Joint Press Corps. "The president's call for a referendum can effectively fend off the unfair legislation of the bills at the National Assembly, in a so-called legislative coup," Shin said. A judge-turned-lawyer also criticized the NEC's argument, claiming that the president's call to hold a referendum when deemed necessary is an absolute right that can be executed under any circumstances. He said that the "technical error" in the National Voting Law can be spontaneously patched up through administrative measures and cannot be an excuse to object a referendum. "Allow suffrage to Koreans overseas and that will do for the Constitutional Court's correction," the lawyer said. "It is hard to understand the NEC citing such an absurd law to dismiss a constitutional term (that entitles a president to hold a referendum)." Shortly after midnight on Thursday, the DPK ended the PPP's filibuster to block the bills, sending one of the bills to a plenary vote on Saturday this week. On Wednesday afternoon, as soon as a plenary National Assembly session opened, the PPP immediately launched the filibuster, which was led by Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the party's floor leader. But the filibuster ended at midnight as the DPK, which holds 171 out of 300 National Assembly seats, voted for an early end of the parliamentary session, which can end a filibuster. By law, a bill that was subject to a filibuster will be automatically put to a vote three days after the filibuster tactic ends. That means a revision to the Prosecutors' Office Act, one of the two prosecution reform bills, will be put to a plenary vote on Saturday. Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Ahn Min-seok speaks in favor of the reform bill to separate prosecutors' indictment and investigative powers in the filibuster session during a plenary meeting at the National Assembly, April 27. Newsis They've been holidaying in the lap of luxury after jetting to Mexico together this week. And Paralympian Dylan Alcott, 31, looked absolutely smitten as he cuddled up to his sexologist girlfriend Chantelle Otten, 29, for an intimate poolside holiday snap on Thursday. The couple, who are staying at the ritzy Hotel Xcaret, packed on the PDA as they lay together on the pool deck. Cosy: Dylan Alcott, 31, (right) cuddled up to his sexologist girlfriend Chantelle Otten, 29, (left) as they lounged by the pool while holidaying in Mexico on Thursday In the image, a shirtless Dylan was seen lying behind Chantelle with one arm wrapped around her body. Chantelle meanwhile beamed proudly as she posed in her skimpy orange-and-blue swimsuit. It comes as Dylan and Chantelle continue to document their stay at Hotel Xcaret, a luxury beachfront resort where rooms cost around $2,700-per-night. Life's a beach! Dylan and Chantelle have been documenting their stay at Hotel Xcaret, a luxury beachfront resort where rooms cost around $2,700-per-night, this week. Earlier on Thursday, Dylan shared a photo of Chantelle wading through the resort's ocean-view infinity pool Living the good life! Later, the newly-retired sportsman shared another photo of himself tucking into an exotic-looking feast by the pool's edge Earlier on Thursday, Dylan shared a photo of Chantelle wading through the resort's ocean-view infinity pool. 'Current sitch [situation]', he wrote next to the idyllic holiday snap. Later, the newly-retired sportsman shared another photo of himself tucking into an exotic-looking feast by the pool's edge. Wedding bells? The couples' Mexican getaway comes just months after reports claimed the pair are planning to tie the knot soon The couples' Mexican getaway comes just months after reports claimed the pair are planning to tie the knot soon. Dylan, who ended his career with a losing effort at the Australian Open this year, is said to be 'devoted' to Otten, and pals expect the 'proposal will be epic'. 'We've never seen Dylan this happy - as corny as it sounds, she completes him. They're devoted to each other at a level many couples would envy,' a friend of the couple told Woman's Day in January. Any day now? Dylan, who ended his career with a losing effort at the Australian Open this year, is said to be 'devoted' to Otten, and pals expect the 'proposal will be epic' They added: 'Dylan doesn't do anything half-hearted, and he's a real romantic, so expect the wedding proposal to be epic!' Another source said Otten, a divorced sex educator from Holland, had taught her boyfriend 'so much' about life since they met three years ago. 'She's his biggest fan and his greatest supporter,' they said. 'She has taught him so much about living a full life.' Dylan and Chantelle met in 2018 at the launch of Dylan's book Able: Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings. Since going public with Dylan, Chantelle has spoken at length about sex and disability, and says her sex life has never been better since meeting her partner. The couple live together in a $3.1million Melbourne home. Love story: Dylan and Chantelle met in 2018 at the launch of Dylan's book Able: Gold Medals, Grand Slams and Smashing Glass Ceilings It was no surprise that Jodie Comer was beaming on Wednesday night as she attended the Prima Facie afterparty, shortly after making her anticipated West End debut. The actress, best known for her notorious role as Villanelle in BBC's Killing Eve, received rave reviews for her one-woman show and was bound to celebrate her acclaim at The Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square. Cutting a sophisticated figure, the thespian, 29, donned a white blouse with extreme wide sleeves and tucked the garment into flattering tailored trousers. Beaming: Jodie Comer cut a very sophisticated figure for the Prima Facie afterparty at The Londoner Hotel on Wednesday night - after her West End debut received rave reviews A pair of chunky Louboutin heels perfectly rounded things off, as did her chic up-do, which left two strands of hair framing her face. Jodie applied a generous layer of makeup, reinforced by brown lipstick. She was joined for photographs by a slew of crew members, including Australian-British playwright Suzie Miller. Career milestone: The actress, 29, best known for her notorious role as Villanelle in BBC's Killing Eve, made quite the impression with her one-woman show Classy: The thespian, 29, donned a white blouse with extreme wide sleeves and tucked the garment into a flattering tailored trousers Good spirits: A pair of chunky Louboutin heels perfectly rounded things off, as did her chic up-do, which left two strands of hair framing her face Co-workers: She was joined for photographs by a slew of crew members, including Australian-British playwright Suzie Miller (pictured right, with director Justin Martin pictured left) The Liverpudlian was not short of support on her inaugural performance, as author Giovanni Fletcher and former BBC newsreader Emily Maitlis were among those hitting the West End to watch her. Giovanni, 37, wore an eye-catching red jumper underneath a white shirt, while Emily, 51, wrapped up in a pastel blue coat. Jodie's new venture sees her play an idealistic young barrister who specialises in defending rape suspects. Theatre trip: The Liverpudlian was not short of support on her inaugural performance, as author Giovanni Fletcher (left) and former BBC newsreader Emily Maitlis (right) were among those hitting the West End to watch her Character: Jodie's new venture sees her play an idealistic young barrister who specialises in defending rape suspects Acclaim: The Daily Mail's Patrick Marmion awarded her 'ferocious yet forensic performance' a strong four stars out of five Role: Prima Facie is a one-woman show by Australian-British writer Suzie Miller in which Comer plays an idealistic young barrister who specialises in defending rape suspects Emotional: In a whirlwind opening, she runs through her generic routine of discrediting victims to get clients off the hook. Blink and you miss it as she fits wig and gown, rearranges her chamberss furniture into a courtroom and rattles off her glib technique The Daily Mail's Patrick Marmion awarded her 'ferocious yet forensic performance' a strong four stars out of five. He wrote: 'Comer blows us away in a ferocious yet forensic performance thats related in a blizzard of quickly shifting perspectives. She gets us onside as the high-flying barrister with her native Liverpool accent and anti-Establishment attitude at one point tossing rubbish into the audience. 'But her abrupt disintegration into fevered, ashen-faced confusion is seriously distressing. Although her performance runs a stunning gamut from cocky joy to despair and humiliation, its the subject matter that dominates the evening.' Married At First Sight stars Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli announced earlier this week they are moving to Europe to spend a summer abroad. And ahead of the big move, Martha, 33, flew her mother Mary from Melbourne to Sydney just to help her pack. The reality star is already in Italy, and has been sharing images from her travels in Rome. Mother dearest: Martha Kalifatidis, 33, flew her mother from Melbourne to Sydney just to help her pack for her overseas move because she is 'a 30-year-old baby' In her post, she also gave her beloved mum a 'shout out' for helping her out. 'But first shout out to a few ppl (sic). Mary flew to Sydney to help me pack my s**t because I'm a 30-year-old baby,' she wrote. Sweet: Martha gave her mum Marya 'shout out' for helping her pack ahead of her trip. 'But first shout out to a few ppl (sic). Mary flew to Sydney to help me pack my s**t because I'm a 30-year-old baby,' she wrote She also thanked her partner Michael who she said is 'probably crying himself to sleep every night.' Martha jetted to Rome earlier this week with friend and podcast co-host Roj Torabi and shared a series of stunning pictures of the Italian capital on Wednesday. Posting mirror selfies of the pair together, Martha captioned them: 'We made it in one piece... quite literally. And we had a renaissance glow up!' Living it up! Martha jetted to Rome earlier this week with her friend and podcast co-host Roj Torabi and shared a series of pictures on Wednesday Sharing mirror selfies of the pair together, Martha captioned them: 'We made it in one piece... quite literally. And we had a renaissance glow up!' She said the pair enjoyed some gelato in Rome on their first day overseas. Michael, 31, confirmed that the couple were moving to Europe on Tuesday, but insisted it is only for two months. 'Okay, so this morning I said Martha and I were moving away and I inadvertently set off a massive chain of events that I didn't realise, which involved my family, my friends calling me asking me what the f**k is going on... and a lot of DMs [direct messages]. So let me clarify everything,' Michael began. Like the locals: She said the pair enjoyed some gelato in Rome on their first day overseas 'We aren't moving permanently. We are getting out of our house because of mould issues and leaking issues and a bunch of other things [and] putting our stuff in storage. 'And because of that, we are going over to Europe to work and because I haven't experienced a European summer before.' The couple expect to spend about two months overseas, with Michael saying 'it might be less, might be more... we don't know yet, but nothing is permanent'. 'Let me clarify everything': Michael, 31, confirmed that the couple were moving to Europe on Tuesday, but insisted it is only for two months 'It's not this huge, life-changing thing that we're doing. But it is something that I want to try,' he insisted. Michael explained that he wants to visit the UK to meet employees of his fitness company Tru Fit. Martha, who is a leading beauty influencer, will also be working during the trip. Kaia Gerber took to Instagram on Wednesday to wish her dad Rande Gerber a happy 60th birthday with a sweet throwback photo of the two of them. 'Happy birthday to a real life super hero of a father & my best friend @randegerber [red heart emoji] i love you,' the 20-year-old model wrote in the caption of an older photo of her laying on her dad's chest. Kaia's supermodel mom, Cindy Crawford, 56, also utilized social media to celebrate her husband's special day with a series of photos. Loving daughter: Kaia Gerber, 20, took to Instagram on Wednesday to wish her dad Rande Gerber a happy 60th birthday with a sweet throwback photo of the two of them 'Happy birthday to this legend @randegerber. Babe - you inspire us, protect us, and make us laugh everyday... but today we want to celebrate you! 50 never looked better! [wink face emoji] Love you always xo,' she captioned her post. Rande wrote back pointing out his wife's age joke, 'You're the best baby. Forever 50 works! [red heart emoji.]' He also commented on daughter Kaia's post, writing, 'You will always be my little angel forever.' Sweet: Kaia's supermodel mom, Cindy Crawford, 56, also utilized social media to celebrate her husband's special day with a series if photos In one of Cindy's photos, the couple are seen toasting glasses together as they stand underneath a floral canopy with the ocean as their background. The fashion icon looks chic as ever in a navy dress, while her other half looks dapper wearing a suit. In another classy photo the businessman is seen leaning on a window as he looks out onto the city view. Dapper: In another classy photo the businessman is seen leaning on a window as he looks out onto the city view Stylish man: In another snap, Rande is seen sitting outside of a cafe in a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and grey sneakers while enjoying a cup of coffee In another snap, Rande is seen sitting outside of a cafe in a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and grey sneakers while enjoying a cup of coffee. The Illinois native also included a sweet photo of her other half playing Backgammon shirtless by the pool, with a cute puppy resting his head on the board game. The model's followers and friends were happy to chime in with their own wishes for Rande, with Danish model Helena Christensen writing, 'Happiest birthday to your awesome husband.' Adorable: Cindy also included a sweet photo of her other half playing Backgammon shirtless by the pool, with a cute puppy resting his head on the board game The supermodel and nightlife entrepreneur met at a wedding in the early nineties while Cindy was married to Richard Gere. Following their 1995 divorce, Cindy and Rande started dating, and married in 1998 at private beach wedding at the Ocean Club in Nassau, Bahamas. They welcomed their son Presley Walker Gerber, 22, in 1999, followed by daughter Kaia Jordan Gerber in 2001. Just days after Showtime parted ways with American Gigolo showrunner David Hollander, the cable network has shut down production on the series. Production on the 10-episode series has been ongoing since July 2021, with Deadline reporting over the weekend that Hollander, 53, was let go following allegations of misconduct... though it wasn't expected to affect production. Now Deadline reports that production has been suspended for four days on the series, starring Jon Bernthal, which has two episodes left of its 10-episode order. Shut down: Just days after Showtime parted ways with American Gigolo showrunner David Hollander, the cable network has shut down production on the series Four days: Now Deadline reports that production has been suspended for four days on the series, starring Jon Bernthal, which has two episodes left of its 10-episode order While little is known about Hollander's ouster, it was said that the move was made after a misconduct investigation was launched into the showrunner's behavior. Sources claim the misconduct, 'was not of sexual-harassment nature,' though no specifics were given at this time. 'David Hollander is no longer on the drama series and Paramount Television Studios no longer has a producing relationship with him,' a Showtime spokesperson said in a terse statement over the weekend. Investigation: While little is known about Hollander's ouster, it was said that the move was made after a misconduct investigation was launched into the showrunner's behavior At the time of Hollander's removal, it was believed that production would continue seamlessly with one of his 'top lieutentants.' It was believed that co-executive-producer David Bar Katz would ascend to fill in as showrunner, who also worked with Hollander on Showtime's Ray Donovan. This new report also claims that the production shutdown is being attributed both to the leadership change, and an unnamed actor suddenly becoming unavailable. Removal: At the time of Hollander's removal, it was believed that production would continue seamlessly with one of his 'top lieutentants' The reason for the actor being unavailable was also not revealed, though sources indicated it is not COVID-19-related. Hollander has also exited the CBS sitcom How We Roll, which he had served as an executive producer on. Hollander both wrote and directed the pilot episode of American Gigolo, which follows Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal), 15 years after he was arrested for murder. Exit: Hollander has also exited the CBS sitcom How We Roll, which he had served as an executive producer on Julian: Hollander both wrote and directed the pilot episode of American Gigolo, which follows Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal), 15 years after he was arrested for murder He finds himself having a hard time navigating the sex industry in modern-day Los Angeles, while still trying to find who set him up and sent him to prison. He also tries to reconnect with, 'his one true love' Michelle, played by Gretchen Mol, in the series based on the 1980 film starring Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton. The series also stars Gabriel LaBelle, Leland Orser, Lizzie Brochere, Rosie O'Donnell and Wayne Brady. Navigating: He finds himself having a hard time navigating the sex industry in modern-day Los Angeles, while still trying to find who set him up and sent him to prison A new promotional image featuring Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington from the David O. Russell film Amsterdam was released on Wednesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. In the shot for the period piece, set in the 1930s, Bale, 48, is seen sporting an eye patch with a dark brown coat, off-white button-up top and dark khaki pants. Robbie, 31, has a short bob while donning a billowing navy blue dress with a wooden pipe in hand. The latest: A new promotional image featuring Christian Bale, 48, Margot Robbie, 31, and John David Washington, 37, from the David O. Russell film Amsterdam was released on Wednesday at CinemaCon in Las Vegas Washington, 37, has a bandage on his face while clad in a dark brown coat over a red sweater with grey slacks. The trio are standing in front of a banner with a sun in a green circle. The release date for the 20th Century Studios film was announced as November 4 at the convention, which is aimed at movie theater owners, who saw a sneak peek at the upcoming film from the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker. Disney executive Tony Chambers presented a showcase for the forthcoming film, which was described as a 'original romantic crime epic,' Variety reported on Wednesday. The film features an extended ensemble cast featuring Taylor Swift, Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek and Robert De Niro, in addition to Michael Shannon, Alessandro Nivola, Anya Taylor-Joy, Timothy Olyphant, Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough and Mike Myers. Disney executive Tony Chambers presented a showcase for the forthcoming film at CinemaCon 2022 in Las Vegas on Wednesday The motion pictured is directed by Oscar nominee David O. Russell, pictured in LA in 2020 Chambers said that the film 'brought together an all-star cast in Amsterdam,' which details the story of 'three close friends (played by Bale, Robbie and Washington) who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plans in American history,' according to IndieWire. In a clip reviewed by Variety, Swift is seen grieving her late father with Rock in the background. 'You have a dead white man in a box,' Rock's character is quoted as saying. 'Its not even a coffin, it has no lid - You know whos going to get in trouble? The Black men.' Amsterdam reunites Russell with Bale, who he has worked with on the films American Hustle and The Fighter; and De Niro, who he has collaborated with on Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and Joy. The director has past garnered five Academy Award nominations, with three for directing (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter) and two for screenwriting (American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook). Swift has past been seen in films such as Valentine's Day, The Giver and Cats. AMC's post-Walking Dead plans got a major shakeup on Wednesday when it was reported that longtime star Melissa McBride had exited an upcoming spinoff series. The 56-year-old actress, who currently appears on the ongoing eleventh and final season of The Walking Dead, will no long lead the spinoff with her costar Norman Reedus, TVLine reported. A statement from an AMC representative delivered later in the day claimed that McBride was unable to relocate to Europe, where the still-untitled series was set to be filmed. She's out: The Walking Dead's Melissa McBride, 56, will no longer costar with Norman Reedus in an upcoming spinoff series, TVLine reported on Wednesday; seen in 2019 in Hollywood McBride and Reedus are the only characters on The Walking Dead who have remained on the series since being introduced in the first season. According to the outlet, the spinoff will now focus on Reedus' character Daryl Dixon alone, though it's unclear if McBride's character Carol Peletier will be given a sign off on either the original Walking Dead or the spin-off. A rep for AMC claimed that the international shooting destination for the series was untenable for McBride. 'Melissa McBride has given life to one of the most interesting, real, human and popular characters in The Walking Dead Universe,' they told the publication. 'Unfortunately, she is no longer able to participate in the previously announced spinoff focused on the Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier characters, which will be set and filmed in Europe this summer and premiere next year. Relocating to Europe became logistically untenable for Melissa at this time. Too far: A rep for AMC claimed that McBride was no longer able to move to Europe for an extended period to film the series, which is also set on the continent; with Reedus on The Walking Dead 'We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but The Walking Dead Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways and we very much hope to see Carol again in the near future.' The spinoff series, which was first announced in September 2020, was co-created by Scott M. Gimple the former Walking Dead showrunner and current Walking Dead universe chief content officer and current Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang. Kang is expected to continue showrunning duties on the new series. 'Its bittersweet to bring [the flagship series] to an end, but I could not be more excited to be working with Scott Gimple and AMC to develop a new series for Daryl and Carol,' she said in a statement when the series was announced. 'Working with Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride has been a highlight of my career, and Im thrilled that we get to keep telling stories together.' Still kicking: She and Reedus are the only two season one stars who have remained on The Walking Dead (pictured) The Walking Dead Universe features a bevy of ongoing and upcoming spinoff projects. The first spinoff, Fear The Walking Dead, recently wrapped up its seventh season, and the universe will expand with another spinoff focused on Jeffrey Dean Morgan's villain-turned-antihero Negan and Lauren Cohan's fan-favorite character Maggie, as well as an anthology series titled Tales of the Walking Dead. Andrew Lincoln, The Walking Dead's original lead Rick Grimes, was also set to star in a series of spinoff films following his departure from the show in season nine, but so far those are still in development. Although McBride won't be joining the new series, AMC's statement does leave open the possibility that her character could join later in its run. Paul Bettany revealed that one of his children updated his profile to label him the 'worst Avenger' on Wednesday's episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers on NBC. The 50-year-old London native said he recently tried to log into Disney Plus to watch a show and realized that one of his children had edited his profile with a picture of his superhero character Vision and called him 'Worst Avenger.' Paul has 18-year-old son Stellan and 10-year-old daughter Agnes with wife Jennifer Connelly, 51, as well as stepson Kai, 24. Family fun: Paul Bettany revealed that one of his children updated his profile to label him 'the worst Avenger' on Wednesday's episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers on NBC Seth, 48, asked him if his kids were impressed that he was an Avenger. 'Yes, but they torture me with it,' Paul said. 'My daughter has moved through all the different avengers as her favorite and it's never ever me.' Paul, who wore a tan suit with a white button down shirt and glasses, stopped by to discuss his new film A Very British Scandal. He admitted hat he hadn't initially been aware of the true story that the film was based on. Disney profile: The 50-year-old London native said he recently tried to log into Disney Plus to watch a show and realized that one of his children had edited his profile and under his picture wrote 'Worst Avenger' Seth said he thought that everyone in England was deeply invested in the Royal family and its offshoots, but then he realized that might not be the case. 'Because you don't have to pay for it,' Paul said. 'Every time those kids get married it's like $36 million pounds of taxpayers' wallets.' 'You can see it on the tax bill?' Seth asked. Royal family: 'Because you don't have to pay for it,' Paul said of the Royal family. 'Every time those kids get married it's like $36 million pounds of taxpayers' wallets' 'Well, what you get is, you get to watch some medieval procession that you don't really understand for $36 million pounds,' Seth said. Seth pointed out that his A Very British Scandal co-star film Claire Foy, 38, was in The Crown, but he wasn't. 'I'm like the only British actor that wasn't in The Crown or Harry Potter,' Paul quipped. British actor: 'I'm like the only British actor that wasn't in The Crown or Harry Potter,' Paul quipped Seth asked Paul since his parents were actors whether he wanted to become an actor from a very young age. 'No, I didn't want to do it all,' Paul said. 'It's just a bit silly getting dressed up in other people's clothes. I wanted to be a guitar player and I just wasn't very good. I sort of fell into acting.' Paul said it happened when he was living with two roommates and he was working as a 'busker on the streets.' Actor parents: Seth asked Paul since his parents were actors whether he wanted to become an actor from a very young age 'The two roommates did a midnight flip and left me with the rent and the landlord took my guitars and I sort of rang my parents up and said ''I failed'',' Paul said. 'I thought what am I going to do and I thought I guess I'll do some acting.' Seth asked him if would recommend acting to his children, but Paul said no. 'I've got three kids, two I've put off acting,' Paul said. Aspiring guitarist: 'The two roommates did a midnight flip and left me with the rent and the landlord took my guitars and I sort of rang my parents up and said ''I failed'',' Paul said. 'I thought what am I going to do and I thought I guess I'll do some acting' 'I've got one left to put off acting. My eldest child is an aeronautical engineer. He's not biologically mine which is why he's an aeronautical engineer,' Paul said, referencing Kai who Jennifer had while in a relationship with photographer David Dugan. 'I haven't understood a word he has said to me since he was ten,' Paul said. 'Because of my accent, my wife thought I was super clever and stuff because you get away with it with a British accent.' Paul said Jennifer went to Yale University initially to study physics and thought he was smart when they met. Smart accent: Paul said his wife Jennifer Connelly went to Yale University initially to study physics and thought he was smart when they met Going strong: Paul, shown with wife Jennifer Connelly in March 2019 in Paris, said she went to Yale University initially to study physics and thought he was smart when they met 'I left school when I was 16,' Paul said. 'It was just awful watching the light die in her eyes as she realized actually how deeply stupid and ill-educated I am.' Seth asked him about being on WandaVision. 'We thought we were going to be the sort of kooky, niche show that five people would watch, but those five people would love it,' Paul said. 'Then we came out first and kind of s*** ourselves it went down really well.' Paul said he grew up watching Dick Van Dyke shows and initially was resistant to the idea of taping the first show in front of a live studio audience. 'I was so nervous and then I got on stage and got my first laugh,' Paul said. 'I'm so shallow that I was like ''I've wasted my entire life. I should be doing sitcoms''.' Luxe Listings Sydney, a real estate show that gives viewers a sneak peek into the millionaire lifestyle, has become a global hit for Amazon Prime Video. The popular series, produced by Kyle Sandilands, follows four top-flight real estate agents as they strike multimillion-dollar deals in Sydney's pricey market. Despite being launched with the Australian market in mind, the show has proved to be an international success story, reports Variety Australia. International phenomenon: Luxe Listings Sydney, a real estate show that gives viewers a sneak peek into the millionaire lifestyle, has become a global hit for Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video does not disclose its viewing figures, but the platform announced last week that Luxe Listings Sydney, now in its second season, was a worldwide 'top performer'. 'It really did kind of capture people's attention and captured this kind of social zeitgeist,' said Tyler Bern, Head of Content for Amazon Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Bern told Variety the show was so popular because of the global demand for programs about high-end real estate. It has been so successful, in fact, that the streaming giant is looking to take the Luxe Listings format global. Winners are grinners: Amazon Prime Video does not disclose its viewing figures, but the platform announced last week that Luxe Listings Sydney was a worldwide 'top performer'. 'It really did kind of capture people's attention and captured this kind of social zeitgeist,' said Tyler Bern (pictured), Head of Content for Amazon Prime Video in Australia Bern said Luxe Listings fitted perfectly into the streamer's goal of producing unscripted content that gives audiences a 'guilty pleasure' experience. He explained the show drove the social conversation with 'edge-of-the-seat moments' that left them wondering what might happen next. One of the local executive producers of the show, Chris Culvenor, the CEO of Eureka Productions, told Variety the stars deserve some credit for the show's success. Star power: One of the local executive producers of the show, Chris Culvenor (pictured), the CEO of Eureka Productions, told Variety the stars deserve some credit for the show's success New agent on the block: Monika Tu (pictured) joined Luxe Listings Sydney for season two The sometimes friendly rivalries between real estate gurus Monika Tu, Gavin Rubenstein, D'Leanne Lewis and Simon Cohen resonated strongly with audiences, Culvenor said. Earlier this month, Kyle Sandilands, who produces Luxe Listings through his company King Kyle, confirmed the show would be renewed for a third season. Much of the drama ensues as the agents ruthlessly try to one-up each other and compete to sell the most impressive and alluring properties. Power couple: Earlier this month, Kyle Sandilands, who produces Luxe Listings through his company King Kyle, confirmed the show would be renewed for a third season. (Sandilands is seen here with his fiancee Tegan Kynaston at the Luxe Listings season two premiere in March) During the first season, the agents showcased some of the most breathtaking homes Sydney has on offer, with unique designs, luxurious inclusions, scenic beachside views and harbour backdrops. The second season introduced new agent Monika as she joined the original trio. Her firm Black Diamondz sells more than $200million worth of property annually and cleared about $85million in just three months this year. Season three will be available to stream in 240 countries and territories in late 2022. An American divorcee who became addicted to surgery after her husband left her has increased her breast implants to 9,580ccs each. Foxy Menagerie, 45, announced the news on Instagram this week, telling her 286,000 followers she was 'super excited' about her latest enhancement. At 9,580ccs, Foxy's implants now weigh close to 10kg each, meaning the model is carrying almost 20kg in total on her chest every day. Extreme measures: Botched star Foxy Menagerie (pictured) has increased her breast implants to 9,580ccs each after injecting them with saline in her kitchen Her assets are now so large she is unable to cook with a gas top stove or walk down the stairs without a railing. Instead of having regular breast implants, Foxy has expanders, which allow her to continuously fill the implants with saline via a port. Foxy fills her breasts herself in her kitchen using a needle and tube, and has been gradually increasing her implants using this method for several years. 'Inside each boob there's a port,' she explained during an appearance on Hooked on the Look in 2020. 'You're able to hook this up to your saline bag, you end up using a needle. You have about the diameter of a quarter to be able to fit that needle into you, otherwise you pop.' Weight of the world: At 9,580ccs, Foxy's implants now weigh close to 10kg each, meaning the 45-year-old American divorcee is carrying almost 20kg in total on her chest every day DIY: She fills her breasts herself in her kitchen using a needle and tube, and has been gradually increasing her implants using this method for several years (pictured here in 2020) Foxy's most recent filling saw her add 540ccs to her implants, which brought them up to their current size. 'It went very smooth and everything went really well, so I'm super excited,' she said. Before that, she'd last filled her implants in early January. Foxy memorably appeared on E!'s Botched in 2020 alongside her friend and fellow plastic surgery enthusiast Allegra Cole. Full of it: Instead of having regular breast implants, Foxy has expanders, which allow her to continuously fill the implants with saline via a port (pictured in 2020) Claim to fame: Foxy (right) and fellow plastic surgery enthusiast Allegra Cole (left) appeared together on E! series Botched in 2020 to discuss butt implants At the time, she was requesting butt implants to match her ever-expanding chest, but surgeons Dr Terry Dubrow and Dr Paul Nassif refused to carry out the procedure. 'I think it's never a good idea to do an operation where you put a large implant in a place you're gonna sit on all day long and expect it to remain in that place,' Dr Dubrow told her. 'I don't do buttock implants. They're too dangerous,' he added. Curves: Judging by recent photos shared to Instagram, Foxy appears to have enhanced her derriere since filming Botched (pictured in January) However, Foxy said she would keep hunting for the right surgeon. 'I really, really do want implants. I think there are a lot of doctors that do implants that have not had problems. So I'm still not done looking for my surgeon,' she said. Judging by recent photos shared to Instagram, Foxy appears to have enhanced her derriere since filming Botched. The Las Vegas-based mother of one started her extreme surgery transformation after splitting from her husband of more than 20 years. Flashback: The Las Vegas-based mother of one started her extreme surgery transformation after splitting from her husband of more than 20 years. (Pictured before her surgery) Her first surgery was a breast augmentation, and she soon became addicted and started having follow-up procedures to get them even bigger. Unfortunately, she suffered complications during her third procedure and almost died. 'It was very scary,' she told Allegra Cole in a 2019 interview. Foxy now works as an OnlyFans model and often makes appearances at conventions and shows around Las Vegas. Members of a special committee for the hearing of Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo hold a meeting at the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Wednesday. The hearings for Han have been rescheduled to May 2 and 3, after earlier hearings on Monday and Tuesday broke down due to a boycott by the Democratic Party of Korea and the Justice Party. Joint Press Corps By Jung Da-min There are growing concerns that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration may start with several Cabinet positions unfilled, as several currently sitting ministers have offered to resign at the end of Moon Jae-in's term, accompanied by the uncertain future of Yoon's nominees, some of whom are not likely to pass the National Assembly confirmation hearings. In addition, the delayed hearings for Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo are making the situation worse, given that the prime minister has the right to recommend Cabinet appointees to the president. A total of seven ministers of the Moon administration who are also members of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are set to resign from their ministerial posts before the Yoon government takes office on May 10. According to media reports citing government officials, Wednesday, the seven ministers are Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol, Environment Minister Han Jeong-ae, SMEs and Startups Minister Kwon Chil-seung, Unification Minister Lee In-young, Culture Minister Hwang Hee and Justice Minister Park Beom-kye. They are reportedly planning to resign on May 9, the last day of President Moon's term. In the meantime, National Assembly hearings of minister nominees named by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol are being delayed amid escalating tensions between the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which will become the ruling party upon Yoon's inauguration, and other parties including the DPK and the progressive minor opposition Justice Party. The hearings for the prime minister nominee, held for two days on Monday and Tuesday, broke down and were postponed to May 2 and 3, as a result of a boycott by DPK and Justice Party lawmakers, in protest of Han's repeated refusals to submit relevant materials. Other hearings have also been delayed to next week for similar reasons such as insufficient materials or witness non-attendance. Defense Minister nominee Lee Jong-sup will face the Assembly on May 4, and Interior Minister nominee Lee Sang-min's hearing will be on May 3 and Culture Minister nominee Park Bo-gyoon's will be on May 2. Due to the delayed hearings, concerns are rising that the Yoon government might also be delayed from starting out with a full Cabinet. President-elect Yoon would not be able to appoint ministers without receiving recommendations from his prime minister, according to the Constitution. Thus, if Han's appointment as prime minister is delayed, other minister nominees' appointments will also be delayed, unless current Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum remains in office after Yoon's inauguration to help the next president organize a new Cabinet. There are also concerns that if the next government experiences such a vacuum, it could be prolonged if the DPK continues to oppose minister nominations. DPK floor leader Rep. Park Hong-keun said Wednesday, during a radio interview with local broadcaster KBS, that serious problems have been found in eight minister nominees. "We will thoroughly verify each candidate according to the standards of the people," Park said. PPP spokesman Rep. Kim Hyung-dong criticized the DPK floor leader's remarks, saying the DPK is making objections to obstruct the next administration's state affairs, by unnecessarily asking for too many materials including information that is too old to obtain. "It is not right that the DPK is warning to bring down many nominees while presenting a specific figure regarding how many that they will bring down to obstruct the new government's state affairs," Kim said in a Thursday commentary. "National Assembly hearings should not be about asking for too many materials or making farfetched claims regarding nominees only to bring them down without specific or reasonable reasons." Members of the honor guard rehearse for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, slated for May 10 at the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Thursday. Joint Pres Corps Home and Away actress Ada Nicodemou was spotted filming a mystery new TV project in Sydney on Friday with a host of Aussie celebrities. Ada, 44, joined the likes of The Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester, 53, and former Neighbours star Melissa Bell, 49, as they stepped out for a day of shooting at the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel in the CBD. Ada cut a stylish figure on set in a flirty mini dress, which highlighted her trim pins. On set: Home and Away actress Ada Nicodemou cut a stylish figure on Friday as she joined the likes of Ajay Rochester and veteran TV stars to film a mystery project in Sydney Her black and white frock featured a layered skirt and balloon sleeves. Ada wore her short locks out and over her shoulders, and completed her look with black Dior slingback heels, which retail for $1,500. The likes of Prisoner star Rowena Wallace, 74, Perfect Match presenter Greg Evans, 70, and Sale of the Century host Tony Barber, 82, were also seen arriving at the hotel. Looking good! Ada wore a flirty mini dress, which highlighted her trim pins, and completed her look with black Dior slingback heels worth about $1,500 Star arrivals: Former The Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester wore a long black dress featuring a gold leaf design over the waist Ajay Rochester wore a long black dress featuring a gold leaf design over the waist. The mother of one said last year she hoped to follow in Rebel Wilson's footsteps by embarking on her own 'year of health' after a health scare. 'It's time to take my health and fitness back! If Rebel Wilson can do it, I can too!' she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself in hospital. Chic: Melissa Bell, who rose to fame on E Street and Neighbours, looked chic in a beige and black dress complete with a head scarf Melissa, who rose to fame on E Street and Neighbours, looked chic in a beige and black dress complete with a head scarf. The actress-turned-real estate agent teamed the outfit with a white Louis Vuitton handbag. 'I'm ready for my close-up A very special evening of filming,' Melissa wrote on Instagram last week, teasing the new project. While the nature of the project is being kept under wraps, there are rumours the stars assembled to film an episode of This is Your Life, which is returning for a new season on Channel Seven, hosted by Melissa Doyle. Familiar face: The likes of Prisoner star Rowena Wallace (pictured), Perfect Match presenter Greg Evans and Sale of the Century host Tony Barber were also seen arriving at the hotel Ada is known for playing Leah Patterson in the Australian soap Home and Away. She started her career in 1994 playing Katerina Ioannou in teen drama Heartbreak High. In February 2020, she told Woman's Day there was a time when she almost walked away from Home and Away. She admitted she struggled with her role on the popular show in her early twenties. Fan favourite: Ada is known for playing Leah Patterson in the Australian soap Home and Away 'I was exhausted and I just didn't want to be doing a show, I just wanted a break,' Ada admitted. However, she happily added: 'But 20 years later, I'm still here!' Summer Bay sweetheart Leah has been through many ups and downs on the show, with Ada telling the publication: 'I love that she's an independent, strong woman who has gone through so much crap in life. Part of me relates to that.' Liam Gallagher took to the stage to perform at King George's Hall in Blackburn on Thursday after Oasis star 'Bonehead' Paul Arthurs announced he had been diagnosed with tonsil cancer. Paul took to Twitter on Tuesday to tell fans he would be pulling out of his upcoming gigs with Liam as he prepares to undergo treatment. However, after wishing his friend well this week, the show went on for Liam, who recently spoke out about his own health problems, with a performance in the Lancashire town on Thursday while Paul rested. On show: Liam Gallagher, 49, performed at King George's Hall in Blackburn on Thursday after Oasis star 'Bonehead' Paul Arthurs announced he had been diagnosed with tonsil cancer Liam, 49, dressed in casual attire for his gig, opting for a navy blue jacket which he teamed with a pair of blue denim jeans. He was seen on stage with a tambourine, at one holding the half-moon shaped instrument in his mouth. The star struck his signature pose as he sung, with the microphone raised above him as he sung while his hands were held behind his back. Tragic: Paul took to Twitter on Tuesday to tell fans he would be pulling out of his upcoming gigs with Liam as he prepares to undergo treatment for tonsil cancer Onwards: After wishing his friend well this week, the show went on for Liam who performed in the Lancashire town on Thursday while Paul rested Keeping it casual: Liam, 49, dressed in casual attire for his gig, opting for a navy blue jacket which he teamed with a pair of blue denim jeans Larking about: He was seen on stage with a tambourine, at one holding the half-moon shaped instrument in his mouth Making music: The star struck his signature pose as he sung, with the microphone raised above him as he sung Liam whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he performed with the remaining members of his band. The singer looked in good health despite his reveal earlier this month that he needs a double hip replacement due to his arthritis but would rather 'be in pain' than have the operation. The former Oasis star, 49, said he has been forced to use herbal sleeping tablets so he can rest as he has been left in daily agony due to the inflammatory condition. Liam, who was diagnosed with arthritis three years ago, said he would rather use a wheelchair and be in pain than undergo the surgery. Meanwhile his Oasis bandmate Paul took to Twitter on Tuesday to share his health news with fans, announcing he'd be pulling out of his upcoming gigs to undergo treatment. He wrote: 'Just to let you all know I'm going to be taking a break from playing for a while. I have been diagnosed with tonsil cancer. Showman: Liam whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he performed with the remaining members of his band Shaking: Liam could be seen shaking a pair of maracas above his head as he performed on stage Ablaze: The bright stage lights gave an atmospheric effect at the venue as Liam performed in front of a sign which read 'rock 'n' roll' Drawing in a crowd: The venue was packed with fans who had bought tickets to see the band perform Putting on a show: Liam struck a familiar pose on stage as he held his hands behind his back while performing 'But the good news is it's treatable and I will be starting a course of treatment soon. I will keep you posted how it is going.' 'I am gutted I am missing the gigs with Liam and the band.' Paul's bandmate Liam Gallagher send his well-wishes on social media, writing: 'Sending BIG love to the 1 n only Bonehead and his family wishing you a speedy recovery we're all thinking of you rasta you'll be back on stage bfore you can say r we doing Colombia LG x.' Former Oasis band member Andy Bell penned: 'Get well soon Bone @BoneheadsPage', while the group's ex bassist and co-founder Paul McGuigan wrote: 'Big love Bone!! '. Announcement: The hitmaker (pictured second left with the Gallagher brothers) took to Twitter to announce he'd be pulling out of his upcoming gigs to undergo treatment Announcement: Paul shared his diagnosis with fans in a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday, adding he was 'gutted' to miss his upcoming shows Paul is best known as the co-founder of Oasis during their 90s heyday, acting as a rhythm guitarist and keyboardist for the band. He was a key part of the group's early success, appearing on their albums Definitely Maybe, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, and Be Here Now, before quitting the band in 1999. Paul's last gig before his announcement is thought to be on March 28, where he performed with Liam at his Teenage Cancer Trust gig at The Royal Albert Hall. Bonehead has been a regular on the rock star's tours and one-off gigs - and was set to join Liam on his highly-anticipated return to Knebworth in June. Fans also took to social media to offer their well-wishes for Paul, with one writing: 'We will always support you bonehead you're a legend. I will pray for you always.' Touching: Liam Gallagher shared his own well-wishes for Paul on Twitter, wishing him a 'speedy recovery' Well wishes: Former Oasis band members Andy Bell and Tony McCarroll also passed on their love and support Support: The Fratellis bassist Barry wrote: 'All the love man, stay strong x' On stage: Paul's last gig before his announcement is thought to be on March 28, where he performed with Liam at his Teenage Cancer Trust gig at The Royal Albert Hall Long lasting friendship: Paul has joined Rock n' Roll star Liam on tours and one-off gigs of late (pictured together in 2016) Another added: 'Get well soon Bonehead take care of yourself see you back on stage soon.' A third penned: 'Hi Paul. Am sorry to hear this news but I am sending u love and strength and best wishes.. take care of yourself and get well soon look after yourself.' In 2016, Paul reflected on the legendary rivalry between the Gallagher brothers, telling the Shropshire St ar 'Generally you're big boys and it's forgotten the next morning. What is tonsil cancer? A painless lump in the neck is a textbook symptom of tonsil cancer. Others include a persistent sore throat, one tonsil becoming bigger than the other and difficulty swallowing. Tonsil cancer is easy to miss, as symptoms can be quite subtle. On the disease, Professor Nutting told MailOnline back in March: 'There is not good awareness of this cancer.' Tonsil cancer typically occurs in those in their 40s and 50s, and cases have doubled over the past ten years, according to Cancer Research UK figures. Every year, 1,600 new cases are identified. Some are linked to smoking and drinking, but tonsil cancer cases are rising sharply because of an increase in the prevalence of HPV, or human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that's so common, says Professor Nutting, 'virtually all of us will have been infected at some point. HPV is now thought to cause around half of all tonsil cancer cases. The virus is also linked to cervical cancer, which is why teenage girls have been offered a vaccination against HPV since 2008 and the vaccination of boys will start later this year. Advertisement Way back when: Paul is best known as the co-founder of Oasis during its 90s heyday, acting as a rhythm guitarist and keyboardist for the band (pictured in 1994) Making their mark: Oasis are among the most successful acts on the UK Singles Chart and Albums Chart, with eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums (pictured 1997) 'I had a good relationship with everyone. And I'm closer to Liam now than I've ever been in my life. I always used to say I was the rhythm guitarist and tour psychiatrist. 'If there was a little fallout when we were hurling down the motorway, I'd be the one pulling Noel and Liam apart and telling them to get over it and sit down. I always did jump in.' A painless lump in the neck is a textbook symptom of tonsil cancer. Others include a persistent sore throat, one tonsil becoming bigger than the other and difficulty swallowing. Icon: He was a key part of the group's early success, appearing on their albums Definitely Maybe, (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, and Be Here Now, before quitting the band in 1999 (pictured on tour with Liam in 2021) Close: 'I had a good relationship with everyone. And I'm closer to Liam now than I've ever been in my life. I always used to say I was the rhythm guitarist and tour psychiatrist,' he said in 2016 (pictured that year) The disease is easy to miss, as symptoms can be quite subtle. On the disease, Professor Nutting told MailOnline back in March: 'There is not good awareness of this cancer.' Tonsil cancer typically occurs in those in their 40s and 50s, and cases have doubled over the past ten years, according to Cancer Research UK figures. Every year, 1,600 new cases are identified. Some are linked to smoking and drinking, but tonsil cancer cases are rising sharply because of an increase in the prevalence of HPV, or human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that's so common, says Professor Nutting, 'virtually all of us will have been infected at some point. Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova were every inch the smitten Strictly stars on Wednesday evening as the couple left rehearsals for The Professionals tour hand-in-hand. Kai, 26, and Nadiya, 32, are said to have taken the next step in their relationship and moved in together after going Instagram official with their romance earlier this month. And exhibiting that their relationship is only going from strength to strength, the smitten couple flashed wide smiles from the cameras in Manchester as they made their departure. Strictly smitten! Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova held hands as they left rehearsals for The Professionals tour in Manchester on Wednesday night Ukrainian-Slovenian dancer Nadiya put together a stylish look, consisting of a plain white tee, pale blue jeans and sandals. She layered up with a chic grey blazer, toted a white bag to coincide with her shoes and top, and sported a cap. Kai meanwhile donned casualwear - an Essentials hoodie, tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers. Moving fast: Kai, 26, and Nadiya, 32, are said to have taken the next step in their relationship and moved in together after going Instagram official with their romance earlier this month Hand holding: Ukrainian-Slovenian dancer Nadiya put together a stylish look, consisting of a plain white tee, pale blue jeans and sandals It comes after Nadiya recently moved her things into Kai's place after growing close over the last few weeks, according to The Sun. They are thought to have been dating since January following Nadiya's split from her ex-fiance Matija Skarabot. A source said: 'Moving in together was the obvious next step for Nadiya and Kai. Theyve grown so close and it just made sense. Busy day: Katya Jones (left) and Dianne Buswell (right) were also spotted leaving rehearsals on Wednesday night 'Kai helped Nadiya move in her belongings this week and theyre excited about making their property feel like a shared home.' MailOnline contacted representatives for Nadiya and Kai for comment. Nadiya took to Instagram this month to share a snap of her and Kai holding hands across the table at the swanky London venue The Ivy. The pair put on a loved-up display in the photo as Kai affectionately held Nadiya's hand after their Strictly Come Dancing tour rehearsals. She stars on the recently released Roku series Swimming With Sharks as a ruthless assistant trying to climb her way up the corporate ladder at a Hollywood studio. And Kiernan Shipka was at her most glamorous on Wednesday as she made the publicity rounds in New York City to promote the new show. The 22-year-old Mad Men actress looked resplendent in a glowing metallic purple dress while heading to an interview in Manhattan, and she also changed into two other striking all-black looks amid her campaign. Stunner: Kiernan Shipka, 22, looked resplendent in a shimmering purple dress in New York City on Wednesday. She also changed into two other chic black dresses while doing publicity for her new Roku series Swimming With Sharks and her film Wildflower Kiernan, who costars in Swimming With Sharks with Diane Kruger and Donald Sutherland, lit up the day with her beaming smile and her reflective dress as she exited the Watch What Happens Live studios in New York City. The eye-catching outfit featured black-and-purple stripes corresponding with thick ruffles running across her torso. The dress featured a single thick strap over one shoulder, exposing the other, and the skimpy look only extended down to her thighs. The actress wore her blond hair parted down the middle and tied up in a playfully messy bun, which showcased her dangling earrings. She elevated her 5ft2in stature with a pair of black platform open-toe stilettos. New project: Kiernan was doing publicity for her Roku series Swimming With Sharks. She costars with Diane Kruger and Donald Sutherland as an assistant who will do anything to rise at a Hollywood studio Beaming: Kiernan lit up the day with her beaming smile and her reflective dress as she exited the Watch What Happens Live studios. She wore a shimmering black-and-purple single-strap mini dress Standing tall: She elevated her 5ft2in stature with black platform open-toe stilettos Kiernan showed that she was gracious with her time, and she stopped to sign autographs for fans outside the studio. Also on Wednesday, the Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina star put on a glamorous displaying in a tiny black dress for a taping of Late Night With Seth Meyers at NBC Studios. The sleeveless look featured thick straps and a wide V-shaped plunging neckline, and it was decorated with a long skirt of black tassels that reached down to her ankles. This time, she wore her shoulder-length tresses down in voluminous waves, and she accessorized with a black Gucci Roman Stud handbag. The film and television actress completed her look with towering black platform heels. Monochrome: Also on Wednesday, the Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina star put on a glamorous displaying in a tiny black dress with platform heels and a black Gucci bag for Late Night With Seth Meyers Striking: The sleeveless look featured thick straps and a wide V-shaped plunging neckline, and it was decorated with a long skirt of black tassels that reached down to her ankles Earlier in the day, she also rocked an all-black outfit, but this time she opted for a more modest black lace dress. While at the SiriusXM studios to chat with host Andy Cohen, Kiernan put on a busty display in a plunging black sleeveless dress with thick straps. Below the lacy bust, the look included a sheer black lace panel highlighting her toned midriff. It also included a lacy tiered skirt, and she paired it with lustrous black boots that rose halfway up her knees. On point: Earlier in the day, she also rocked an all-black outfit, but this time she opted for a more modest black lace dress. While at the SiriusXM studios to chat with host Andy Cohen, Kiernan put on a busty display in a plunging black sleeveless dress with thick straps Showing off: Below the lacy bust, the look included a sheer black lace panel highlighting her toned midriff Kiernan was pictured with Andy, who looked far more casual in an untucked black shirt with dual breast pockets and dark jeans. She stars in the satire Swimming With Sharks, which is inspired by the 1994 film of the same name, as the intern Lou Simms, who starts working at a Hollywood studio. She's led by her manipulative boss Joyce (Kruger), while Sutherland plays the overbearing studio chairman. Despite being a lowly assistant, Lou goes all out and even seduces a writer the studio is hoping to buy movie rights from in order to make herself stand out Stunner: The dress also included a lacy tiered skirt, and she paired it with lustrous black boots that rose halfway up her knees. In the pipeline: Kiernan is staying busy and has already completed filming on the coming-of-age film Wildflower, which features a stacked supporting cast including Alexandra Daddario, Jean Smart, Jacki Weaver and Charlie Plummer, among others Black comedy: The movie charts her character Bea's trajectory as she grows up with an intellectually disabled parent and extended family members that are often at war over how to help her Kiernan is staying busy and has already completed filming on the coming-of-age film Wildflower, which features a stacked supporting cast including Alexandra Daddario, Jean Smart, Jacki Weaver and Charlie Plummer, among others. The movie charts her character Bea's trajectory as she grows up with an intellectually disabled parent and extended family members that are often at war over how to help her. She's also set to appear on the miniseries The White House Plumbers, and it was announced earlier this month that Kiernan would be returning to Riverdale following the cancellation of her Netflix spinoff series Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. It won't be much longer until he's back on small screens with his new series The Offer. But Miles Teller was keeping it casual on Tuesday as he headed to Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles with his wife Keleigh Sperry. The actor, 35, wore a tie-dye Grateful Dead T-shirt, Nike shorts and flip flops as he made his way to the studio, hand in hand with his wife. To dye for! Miles Teller was keeping it casual on Tuesday as he headed to Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles on Tuesday with his wife Keleigh Sperry Miles shielded his handsome complexion with a pair of sunglasses and a bright red Philadelphia Phillies cap. In contrast to his dressed down look, Miles' wife was a vision of style. She wowed in a camel-hued coat worn over a low-cut tan top, jeans, and glossy leather boots. Her hair cascaded down in perfectly styled waves and a sleek leather tote hung on her arm. XOXO: The couple lovingly held hands as they strolled to the studio The couple looked oh-so in love as they arrived to the studio, hand in hand with smiles on their faces. Miles will surely be discussing his new 10-episode series The Offer on the later night show. The Offer sees Miles play legendary film producer Albert S. Ruddy, the man who brought Mario Puzo's 1969 The Godfather to life. She's got style! Sperry wowed in a beige coat, low-cut top, jeans and glossy leather boots It will debut on Paramount+ on April 28. Miles and Keleigh initially met in 2013 when they attended the same afterparty, during which they began dancing with each other. The two went on to begin a relationship and were often spotted in each other's company. The happy couple eventually became engaged in 2017 when the Whiplash star proposed to his now-wife during a safari trip in South Africa. They went on tie the knot during a destination wedding ceremony in 2019 that was held in Maui. New analysis suggests Netflix may be its own worst enemy by driving away viewers with its insatiable desire to launch new shows. The American streaming giant announced earlier this month it was haemorrhaging viewers - losing as many as 200,000 subscribers since the start of the year - causing its stock to plunge by 35 per cent, with a further two million subscribers set to leave by June. The Australian reports that Netflix's tendency to cancel shows with a strong fanbase has impacted viewer confidence, causing them to switch off. Subscriber exodus: New analysis suggests Netflix may be its own worst enemy by driving away viewers with its insatiable desire to launch new shows More than half of Netflix's original shows that launched in 2018 never made it to a second season, leaving fans high and dry. Shows like the sci-fi series The OA, cancelled in 2019 after two seasons but planned for five, were axed before they could capitalise on their modest yet loyal following. Instead of building strong franchises, Netflix tends to cancel shows too soon and replace them with similar programs, according to Cory Barker, the editor of a book about the company. Axed: The Australian reports that Netflix's tendency to cancel shows with a strong fanbase has impacted viewer confidence, causing them to switch off. (Pictured: The Baby-Sitters Club) Barker, the assistant professor of communication at Bradley University in Illinois, said Netflix is trying be something to everyone - and that is a mistake. 'That means there is a lot of samey content in a huge library,' he told The Australian. 'That makes you think, "There's a lot of stuff here, but is there anything I desperately want to watch?"' Cancelled: More than half of Netflix's original shows that launched in 2018 never made it to a second season, leaving fans high and dry. Recently cancelled shows include popular titles like The Baby-Sitters Club and crime series Bloodline, starring Ben Mendelsohn (pictured) Recently cancelled shows include popular titles like The Baby-Sitters Club and crime series Bloodline, starring Ben Mendelsohn. Meanwhile, reports indicate Netflix is undertaking cost-cutting measures, including cancelling already commissioned projects. This includes the sequel to Bright, starring Will Smith. Cost-cutting: Netflix is reportedly undertaking cost-cutting measures, including cancelling already commissioned projects. This includes the sequel to Bright, starring Will Smith An early Netflix feature film, Bright drew 11 million viewers within three days of its launch on the service in 2017. Now the platform has canned a sequel that was set for production in 2022. There have been reports this decision may be connected to Smith's altercation with Chris Rock at the Oscars when he slapped the comedian on stage for making a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Political move: Another factor that may have contributed to Netflix's downturn could be the company's decision to withdraw from Russia recently in support of Ukraine, which cost them 700,000 subscribers. (Pictured: a scene from Squid Game, one of Netflix's biggest hits) Another factor that may have contributed to Netflix's downturn could be the company's decision to withdraw from Russia recently in support of Ukraine, which cost them 700,000 subscribers. Netflix's dominance as the top streamer is at risk since major brands have entered the space, creating more intense competition. Disney+, Paramount+ and HBO Max have all stepped into the ring since 2019, while Stan has emerged as a market leader in Australia. Crowded marketplace: Netflix's dominance as the top streamer is at risk since major brands have entered the space, creating intense competition. (Pictured: a scene from Bridgerton) The company has also been forced to borrow $16billion in a decade to cover its productions and business costs, and is now proposing introducing advertising. Meanwhile, Netflix is trying to find a way to stop password sharing. An estimated 10 million households use someone else's account, research shows. Girls star Allison Williams made her first public appearance after news broke she had welcomed her first child with actor Alexander Dreymon. The actress, 34, looked radiant as she appeared on stage at CinemaCon 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. Allison delivered remarks on stage wearing a sexy red feathered skirt which showed off her underwear and a billowing black top. Oh baby! Girls star Allison Williams made her first public appearance at CinemaCon 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday following her baby news The beauty wore her dark tresses slicked back into a chic updo, a slick of black eyeliner, and a touch of pink blush on her cheeks. She accentuated her legs with a stylish pair of strappy black heels. When she wasn't presenting, Allison mingled with an array of big names also attending the convention. She rubbed elbows with Jamie Lee Curtis, David Harbour, and even reunited with her Get Out director, Jordan Peele. Hello gorgeous! The beauty wore her dark tresses slicked back into a chic updo, a slick of black eyeliner, and a touch of pink blush on her cheeks Strike a pose! Williams rubbed elbows with Jamie Lee Curtis Having a ball! She also shared the spotlight with Stranger Things star David Harbour Reunited! Williams also reunited with her Get Out director, Jordan Peele The appearance comes just days after People reported Allison had secretly welcomed her first child with actor Alexander Dreymon, a song named Arlo. The couple welcomed their child this past winter, multiple sources told the site. Allison, Alexander, 39, and Arlo were recently seen vacationing at a private resort in Abaco in the Bahamas with their family, according to the site. Baby makes three! The appearance comes just days after People reported Allison had secretly welcomed her first child with actor Alexander Dreymon, a song named Arlo; Willams pictured L in 2019 and Alexander R in 2018 Allison's journalist father Brian Williams was also on the trip. 'They seemed to be very happy and very much in love,' a source said of the couple. Not only that, but Allison appeared to be wearing an engagement ring. Allison and Alexander have reportedly been dating since the end of 2019, after meeting working on the 2020 film Horizon Line, a source told People. Wedding bells in the air? Not only that, but Allison appeared to be wearing an engagement ring; pictured 2019 The duo played former lovers stuck on a single-engine Cessna plane after their pilot suffers a fatal heart attack. 'They are both private people individually, and they made the decision to keep this happy news to just a small circle of family and friends,' the insider said of the couple, adding they were 'over the moon.' Even though they began a romance during the pandemic, the couple 'haven't been hiding anything,' another source said. Co-stars: Allison and Alexander have reportedly been dating since the end of 2019, after meeting working on the 2020 film Horizon Line Action-packed: Alexander has been starring on The Last Kingdom since 2015 and also serves as producer 'They've just been doing their best to keep a low profile,' they explained. Alexander was born in Germany and was raised in France, Switzerland, and the U.S., according to IMDb. His credits include a role on American Horror Story, and more recently, The Last Kingdom. Alexander has been starring on the TV series since 2015 and also serves as producer. The baby news comes almost three years after Allison announced her separation from CollegeHumor founder Rick Van Veen after nearly four years of marriage. Life or death: The couple played former lovers stuck on an airplane after their pilot suffers a fatal heart attack Van has since remarried, tying the knot with Caroline Kassie last year. 'They remain on good terms, but everyone who knows them agrees that it was for the best,' the insider told People of Allison and Ricky. The exes released a statement in late June 2019 following their shock split. 'With mutual love and respect, we have made the decision to separate as a couple. We are grateful for the friendship that we have and will continue to have,' the pair said to Page Six. Since ending Girls in 2017, Allison played Kit Snicket on A Series of Fortunate Events. She'll be starring in the 2023 horror film M3GAN. Kyle Sandilands has expressed fears TikTok could be a 'gateway' to OnlyFans for impressionable young people. The outspoken radio host, 50, said on Thursday the video-sharing app encourages teens to earn a living by creating content online, which could make OnlyFans seem like an attractive career path. 'TikTokers turn into OnlyFans people. Their idea of life and work is making money on TikTok or OnlyFans,' he explained on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. Warning: Outspoken radio host Kyle Sandilands (pictured) has expressed fears TikTok could be a 'gateway' to OnlyFans for impressionable young people His co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson disagreed, responding: 'I don't think [doing OnlyFans] has anything to do with TikTok.' 'It's a gateway platform,' Kyle insisted. It comes after Kyle and Jackie revealed the one job that almost guarantees you won't be selected for jury duty. 'TikTokers turn into OnlyFans people': Kyle said the app encourages teens to earn a living by creating content online, which could make OnlyFans seem like an attractive career path During Tuesday's show, the KIIS FM producers said that telling the court 'I work in media' almost guarantees you won't be selected for a trial. The discussion began when one of the staffers, John Nicholson, revealed he'd been called to serve on a court trial that is expected to last 28 weeks. After running down a list of possible excuses to get out of jury duty - including 'acting crazy' and 'pretending to be a white supremist' - Sandilands joked that being a media professional was a good one because 'they lie'. Sceptical: His co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) disagreed, responding: 'I don't think [doing OnlyFans] has anything to do with TikTok' Guest booker Jaimee 'Mayo' Blazquez then said she'd heard the courts 'don't like media people' to serve as jury members. While it's unclear why exactly this is the case, it has long been rumoured that media types are considered undesirable jurors. Jackie also said one easy way to avoid selection is to offer 'extreme opinions' when meeting court officials. Newsreader Brooklyn Ross joked that anyone turning up to court for jury duty wearing a 'F**k the Police' T-shirt would almost certainly be excused. Amal Clooney showcased her impeccable fashion sense on Wednesday as she rocked a casual chic ensemble while out in Manhattan with her mother Baria Alamuddin. The 44-year-old human rights lawyer looked totally at ease in an eye-catching top that sparkled in the night thanks to hundreds of silver sequins decorating. She and her mother were spotted as they left their Midtown Manhattan hotel before heading to the West Village for dinner at the upscale steakhouse 4 Charles Prime Rib. On the town: Amal Clooney, 44, showed off her casual style as she left her hotel in Midtown Manhattan with her mother Baria Alamuddin to head to dinner in New York City's West Village on Wednesday Amal glowed in her sheer silver blouse, which was only loosely tucked into her pants. She covered up the playful item with a more sober black double-breasted blazer with short peaked lapels. The barrister contrasted her flashier jacket and top with relaxed-fit high-waisted jeans. She amplified her 5ft9in stature with a set of pointy silver heels, and she accessorized with a small black handbag. Amal styled her lustrous brunette locks with a side part and let them fall down across her shoulders in thick waves. The voluminous hair was swept aside to frame her dangling silver earrings and a splash of crimson on her lips. Shiny: The human rights lawyer looked totally at ease in an eye-catching top that sparkled in the night thanks to hundreds of silver sequins decorating Suited up: She covered up the playful item with a more sober black double-breasted blazer with short peaked lapels Taking it easy: The barrister contrasted her flashier jacket and top with relaxed-fit high-waisted jeans, and she amplified her 5ft9in stature with a set of pointy silver heels Long hair, don't care: Amal styled her lustrous brunette locks with a side part and let them fall down across her shoulders in thick waves Amal's mother Baria opted for a more opulent look with a short cream-colored fur coat. She wore it over a violet suit, which was enlivened with delicate beaded designs running up the sides of her pant legs. Baria completed her look with a black alligator-print handbag and blue alligator-print pumps. She had her dark brown tresses swept back, and she wore a gold luxury wristwatch and strands of diamond earrings. While exiting the hotel, she stopped to shake the hand of a man waiting outside the hotel lobby. Catching up: While exiting the hotel, Amal's mother Baria stopped to shake the hand of a man waiting outside the hotel lobby Colorful: She opted for a more opulent look with a short cream-colored fur coat. She wore it over a violet suit, which was enlivened with beaded designs up the sides of her pant legs Accessorized: Baria completed her look with a black alligator-print handbag and blue alligator-print pumps Amal and her mother's evening out in New York City came after the lawyer's appearance at the United Nations earlier in the day. The BritishLebanese wife of George Clooney was seen arriving in a tasteful black polka dot dress with a matching short-sleeved blazer atop it. She had on modest black heels and blocked out the bright light with chunky black sunglasses while carrying a large black bag with her papers. Lovely: Amal and her mother's evening out came after the lawyer's appearance at the United Nations earlier in the day. The BritishLebanese wife of George Clooney was seen arriving in a tasteful black polka dot dress with a matching short-sleeved blazer atop it Speaking out: During a tense session at the UN, Clooney accused the body of ignoring potential war crimes perpetrated by Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine during an informal meeting of the Security Council During a tense session, Clooney accused the UN of ignoring potential war crimes perpetrated by Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine during an informal meeting of the Security Council. 'Here we are, faced with the evidence of crimes of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and mounting evidence each day of the crime of genocide,' she said during her statement, via The Hill. She went on to describe Ukraine as a 'slaughterhouse' in the 'heart of Europe,' and she expressed concerns that evidence of alleged Russian war crimes would merely sit in 'storage' for years to come. Lisa Wilkinson kicked off her national book tour for her memoir, It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This, in Adelaide on Wednesday. The Sunday Project host, 62, looked stylish in a long red dress as she promoted her memoir at a women's business lunch. Wilkinson completed her look with a navy blazer and went barefoot as she held her shoes and left the event. Off she goes! Lisa Wilkinson kicked off her 'payback tour' as she went barefoot to promote her memoir at a women's business lunch in Adelaide The TV host carried a brown bag and wore statement gold earrings as she chatted to a friend outside the venue. Wilkinson left her short brunette locks out and opted for a neutral palette of makeup for the event. It comes after Wilkinson reportedly wants 'payback' on the press for fact-checking her tell-all book, reports The Australian. Stylish: The Sunday Project host, 62, looked stylish in a long red dress as she promoted her memoir at a women's business lunch Final look: Wilkinson completed her look with a navy blazer and went barefoot as she held her shoes and left the event Accessories: The TV host carried a brown bag and wore statement gold earrings as she chatted to a friend outside the venue She will address criticism of her memoir - including allegations she omitted key details about her pay dispute with former employer Channel Nine - during her national book tour. Wilkinson will also set the record straight on 'some of the stories behind the headlines you might have read about in recent months' when she addresses a series of high-profile breakfasts for the women's networking group Business Chicks. In her book, she made a series of claims about her former Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic and how she left Nine over a reported gender pay gap dispute. Beauty: Wilkinson left her short brunette locks out and opted for a neutral palette of makeup for the event Payback: It comes after Wilkinson reportedly wants 'payback' on the press for fact-checking her tell-all book, reports The Australian She claimed the pay disparity between her and Stefanovic when they hosted the breakfast show was once 'so off the charts that no-one would have believed it'. However, it was later reported that Wilkinson had actually earned more than Stefanovic for years at the start of their on-air partnership, and it wasn't until Seven tried to poach Stefanovic that he was able to negotiate the bigger salary. Wilkinson failed to mention this important detail in her memoir, instead focusing on the pay disparity during her later years at the helm of Today. In her book, she alleged Stefanovic had proposed in August 2015 they join forces to renegotiate their Nine contracts - not unlike how the cast of American sitcom Friends famously worked together to broker better deals with NBC. Response: She will address criticism of her memoir - including allegations she omitted key details about her pay dispute with former employer Channel Nine - during her national book tour Tour: Wilkinson will also set the record straight on 'some of the stories behind the headlines you might have read about in recent months' when she addresses a series of high-profile breakfasts for the women's networking group Business Chicks But she claims he ended up ditching this idea and instead played rival networks Nine and Seven off against each other in order to secure a better deal for himself. 'Weeks later... the media became awash with stories that Stefanovic was restless at Today and looking for greener pastures and more civilised working hours at Channel Seven,' she wrote. Stefanovic was soon at the centre of a bidding war between Nine and Seven that resulted in him re-signing a five-year deal with Nine worth at least $2million per year. Wilkinson's deal was worth significantly less, about $780,000 a year, and was only for two years. 'There was no doubt about it: Karl certainly knew the art of the deal,' she wrote. Lifting the lid: In her book, Wilkinson made a series of claims about her former Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic and how she left Nine over a reported gender pay gap dispute By John L. Micek More years ago than I really care to count, the children's librarian in my little town in rural northwestern Connecticut, apparently tired of my endlessly renewing the same book over and over again, pressed a copy of "The White Mountains" by John Christopher into my eight-year-old hands. Mrs. Bullock was her name. She was the mother of one of my schoolmates. She'd taken note of my reading habits, such as they were, and decided to take matters into her own hands. If I liked the book I'd been endlessly renewing, she argued, I'd love this one. She was right. I read every volume in Christopher's pulpy series, which followed the adventures of young people rebelling against alien overlords' bent on keeping a servile population under their collective thumb with futuristic tech that suppressed their individuality and free will. It was the start of my lifelong love of books and libraries. And viewed through the prism of 40-odd years, it was an oddly prescient choice. Students and their teachers in schools across the country and now public libraries are waging a brave fight against the king of organized book- banning campaigns that once only seemed the province of the worst kind of totalitarian governments or dystopian? science fiction. As Pennsylvania Capital-Star Washington Reporter Ariana Figueroa made astonishingly clear in a recent story, hundreds of books, across dozens of states, are being banned at alarming rates. A majority of the bans we're seeing across the country have targeted books written by authors who are people of color, LGBTQ+, Black and indigenous. The books feature characters, and deal with themes, that reflect the experiences of marginalized communities, Figueroa reported. And while those behind these campaigns hide themselves behind the mask of parental control, what I think they're really concealing is fear: Fear of a country and world that's changing around them. Fear of voices that were kept silent too long who are now speaking up and demanding their seat at the table of power. Perhaps most importantly, fear of the erosion of their own privilege. Books are more than printed matter. They're conduits to an endless universe of knowledge. And they are the greatest democratizer we've ever invented. Take one down off the shelf, read it, and finish it, and it will nudge you to another, and another. Before long, you're navigating the twists and turns of human experience, letting your own curiosity be your guide, allowing it to bring you to places you've never been, and to introduce you to people, places, and cultures you might never have met or experienced on your own. And that's why, when they've sought to erase people and cultures, every authoritarian from the beginning of time until now has destroyed their books and burned their libraries. After the Romans tore down ancient Carthage, brick by brick, and sold its people into slavery in 146 B.C.E., they gave the Carthaginians' books to the city's adversaries, who either destroyed or lost them, silencing them forever. The Nazis held well-documented book burnings in 1933. And in a modern twist, Vladimir Putin's Russia is struggling to keep the truth of its savage invasion of Ukraine from its own people. Last year, students in a Pennsylvania school district about 40 minutes south of Harrisburg made nationwide headlines when they took on and won a reversal of a year-long ban on a list of anti-racism books and educational resources by or about people of color, including children's books that dealt with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. The school board's president, Jane Johnson, told the Washington Post at the time that the board was trying to "balance legitimate academic freedom with what could be literature/materials that are too activist in nature, and may lean more toward indoctrination rather than age-appropriate academic content." Hear that? Indoctrination? That's the voice of fear talking. It's a way to push back, without appearing to push back, against arguments that you're trying to silence or erase those whose voices badly need to be heard. When a student or anyone picks up a book, it's a moment of singular liberation. It's their first step down that hallway of knowledge. It's the start, rather than the end, of the adventure. And there's no telling where it might take them perhaps even to the halls of power themselves. And if they're very lucky, they will have their own Mrs. Bullock to help guide them down those twisting and turning corridors, always nudging them along, gently prodding and testing them, but never, ever standing in their way or blocking the path. Only the fearful do that. An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek (jmicek@penncapital-star.com) is editor-in-chief of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. His article was distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. She's best known for her acclaimed body of film work, which earned her an Academy Award. But Viola Davis showed off her talents as a writer on Wednesday, when she sat down with Me Too founder Tarana Burke, 48, for a conversation at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. The 56-year-old actress was on hand to discuss her recently published memoir Finding Me. Talking about herself: Viola Davis, 56, sat down with Me Too founder Tarana Burke on Wednesday at Manhattan's 92nd Street Y to chat about her new memoir Finding Me Viola cut an elegant figure on the event's red carpet with her striking black suit. The blazer featured an unusual zipper rather than buttons and it had strips of black satin running up the lapels. She matched it with baggy pants that swallowed up her figure and reached down to the ground. Just barely peaking out of her pant legs were a set of square-toed black leather boots. Back in black: Viola cut an elegant figure on the event's red carpet with her striking black suit. The blazer featured an unusual zipper rather than buttons and it had strips of black satin running up the lapels On point: She matched it with baggy pants and a set of square-toed black leather boots The Suicide Squad actress wore her lustrous raven tresses parted on the side and cascading down her shoulders in thick waves. She added some additional sparkle to her ensemble with a pair of gold jewel-encrusted hoop earrings, and she wore a striking burgundy lipstick. Moderating the conversation was Tarana Burke, who looked lovely in a flowing red dress while wearing semicircular gold earrings. In Finding Me, which was chosen for Oprah Winfrey's book club, Viola delved into her difficult early days, when several young white boys in an elementary school class would bully her incessantly. She wrote that they 'made it their daily, end-of-school ritual to chase me like dogs hunting prey,' via USA Today. Woman in red: Tarana looked lovely in a flowing red dress while wearing semicircular gold earrings Opening up: In Finding Me, which was chosen for Oprah Winfrey's book club, Viola delved into her difficult early days, when several young white boys in an elementary school class would bully her incessantly Bullied: She wrote that they 'made it their daily, end-of-school ritual to chase me like dogs hunting prey,' via USA Today The Fences star, who was born in South Carolina but later moved with her family to Rhode Island as a child, wrote in her book about dealing with a father addicted to alcohol, who routinely carried on affairs with other women and would beat her mother. In one chilling scene, she describes how he bashed a glass against her mothers face in a moment of anger, covering her in blood. She also described disturbing sexually 'inappropriate behavior' from her older brother when he was left alone with her and her sisters without any parental supervision. Shocking: The Fences star also described how her alcoholic father was physically abusive toward their mother. In one scene, he bloodies her by smashing a glass against her face Chilling: Viola and her sisters also experienced sexually 'inappropriate behavior' from her brother when he was left alone with the girls without parental supervision In other excerpts shared with the newspaper, Viola recalled a conversation she had with Will Smith on the set of Suicide Squad, when he asked her, 'Viola, who are you?' She wrote that the question initially puzzled her. 'Look, Im always going to be that 15-year-old boy whose girlfriend broke up with him,' the King Richard star explained to her. 'Thats always going to be me. So, who are you?' In that moment, she recalled the fears and insecurities that had dogged her since she was a child. 'There I was, a working actress with steady gigs, Broadway credits, multiple industry awards, and a reputation of bringing professionalism and excellence to any project,' she wrote. 'Hell, Oprah knew who I was. Yet, sitting there conversing with Will Smith, I was still that little, terrified, third-grade Black girl.' A feature-length documentary about the life of actor Michael J. Fox will be produced by Apple Original Films. The 60-year-old Canadian actor rose to fame portraying Alex P. Keaton on the 1980s NBC sitcom Family Ties and also starred in the Back To The Future trilogy of films. The untitled documentary will be directed by Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim, according to an article on Wednesday by The Hollywood Reporter. Documentary subject: A feature-length documentary about the life of actor Michael J. Fox, shown last October in New York City, will be produced by Apple Original Films The documentary already is in production with shooting taking place in New York, Los Angeles and Vancouver. The description for the project said the documentary will follow 'the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Foxs public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, will unspool alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinsons disease.' 'Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film will chronicle Foxs personal and professional triumphs and travails, and will explore what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease,' the description added. The documentary is being produced by Guggenheim's Concordia Studio that previously worked with Apple on the documentary Boys State. Hit franchise: The 60-year-old Canadian actor is shown in a still from the 1985 movie Back To The Future Fox has been married since 1988 to actress Tracy Pollan, 61, and they have four children together. His film credits also include: Teen Wolf, The Secrets Of My Success, Casualties Of War and Doc Hollywood. Fox returned to television in the ABC sitcom Spin City from 1996 to 2000. Going strong: Fox has been married since 1988 to actress Tracy Pollan, shown together in August 2021 in New York, and they have four children together He publicly disclosed in 1998 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease seven years earlier. The actor founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help fund research into the degenerative disorder. Fox won five Primetime Emmy Awards and in 2002 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is the author of four books including his 2020 memoir No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. He has just been awarded a 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his dedication to the natural world and climate change. And Sir David Attenborough has also enjoyed one of the most profitable years of his almost seven decade long career. The naturalist, 95, who continues to publish books and make TV programmes, has amassed 1.8million in the year to last September. Icon: Sir David Attenborough, 95, has made 1.8million in profit as he has enjoyed one of the most rewarding years of his career Newly filed accounts for his business, David Attenborough (Produtions) Ltd, disclose that it's sitting on a cash pile of 2.8million, up from 1.9million the previous year. Sir David, who turns 96 next month, has bills to pay - including to the taxman - of 1.3million, giving him a profit of 1.8million for last year. The shareholders are Sir David, his son Robert and daughter Susan and his wife, Jane, passed away in 1997. On screen: Accounts for his business disclose that it's sitting on a cash pile of 2.8million, up from 1.9million the previous year (Pictured on The Green Planet in January 2022) Sir Davids career as a broadcaster, natural historian, author, and environmental advocate spans over six 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. Last week, Sir David was awarded the 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award by the UN's Environment Programme (UNEP). Success: Last week, Sir David was awarded the 'Champions of the Earth' Lifetime Achievement Award by the UN's Environment Programme (Pictured at a UN conference in November 2021) The UN Environment Programmes 'Champions of the Earth' honours individuals, groups, and organisations whose actions have had a transformative impact on the environment. 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.' 40 years difference: Upon receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Sir David urged action to prevent further destruction of the planet (Pictured in January 2022 on The Green Planet) The much-loved broadcaster first presented the BBC's Zoo Quest in 1954, with the initial series filmed in Sierra Leone. The naturalist, was pictured meeting the residents of a village, who were amazed when he played back recordings to them. The intention of the programme was to film Jack Lester and his fellow zoologist Alfred Woods as they collected animals for London Zoo. Throwback: The much-loved broadcaster first presented the BBC's Zoo Quest in 1954, with the initial series filmed in Sierra Leone (Pictured in the show's second series in 1956) Incredible: The naturalist, was pictured meeting the residents of a village, who were amazed when he played back recordings to them (Pictured in 1956) He then stepped in when Lester fell ill with an unknown tropical illness and passed away from his mysterious ailment in 1956. In the show's second series, in 1956, Sir David, aged 30, was seen shirtless and clutching a bottle of water as he sailed in Borneo in search of the Komodo dragon. 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. Whilst it was initially believed that the Zoo Quest series' had been shot in black and white the BBC unearthed the original colour footage in 2015 (Pictured in 1956) The original colour footage was discovered by the BBC in 2015 and was shown the following year to mark Sir David's 90th birthday. 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, with his latest project, Prehistoric Planet, set for release next month. She's set to give birth to her third child in a matter of weeks. And on Thursday, Tammy Hembrow hinted she's already named her unborn daughter as she addressed her 14.5million Instagram followers in a video taken in her car. In the footage, the 27-year-old influencer was pictured sporting a gold necklace with the initials 'W', 'S' and 'P' as charms. Hint: On Thursday, Tammy Hembrow hinted she's already named her unborn daughter as addressed her 14.5million Instagram followers in a video taken in her car While the first two letters are obviously in honour of her children Wolf, six and Saskia, five, the latter perhaps hints the name of her third child will begin with a letter 'P'. However, it could also be 'P' for 'Poole', her fiance Matt's last name. Tammy said in the clip: 'Guys, there's three car seats in my car right now and I don't know how to act about it! W, S and... P? While the first two letters are obviously in honour of her children Wolf, six and Saskia, five, the latter perhaps hints the name of her third child will begin with a letter 'P' 'It's freaking me out a little bit, I just got the baby seat installed. It's just blown my mind that there's going to be a whole other little person in my car soon. Crazy!' It comes days after Tammy - who shares Saskia and Wolf with her ex-fiance Reece Hawkins - admitted she's scared she won't be able to love her newborn daughter as much as her eldest children. In an emotional Instagram post, the expectant mother confessed: 'Crazy to think Ill be meeting her soon not gonna lie Ive been having some of the anxious weird feelings I remember having before I welcomed Sass.' 'Do any other mamas feel like this?' It comes days after Tammy admitted she's scared she won't be able to love her newborn daughter as much as her eldest children 'That feeling of how can you possibly love another soul as much as the little ones already here. Or the guilt that you will have to give your time and attention to another. Allllll the emotions,' she lamented. Tammy went on to ask: 'Any other mamas feel like this?' before adding: 'I know all these feelings are just going to fade away as soon as shes here.' She ended her caption on an optimistic note, writing: 'This little girl was meant for me & my heart just keeps growing.' Growing brood: The influencer shares daughter Saskia, five, (left) and son Wolf, six, (Right) with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins Fears: In an emotional Instagram post, the expectant mother admitted she was questioning 'how can you possibly love another soul as much as the little ones already here'. The activewear entrepreneur accompanied her caption with two photos of herself posing with her huge baby bump on display in tiny pink lingerie The pot came after Tammy was forced to defend herself after she was criticised for jetting off to the Maldives for a babymoon while 32 weeks pregnant. The businesswoman flew business class with Singapore Airlines last 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. Baby joy! Tammy is expecting a baby girl with fiance Matt Poole (left) Case of the ex: Tammy's former fiance Reece is married to Texan influencer London Goheen. The pair share a son named Stone (all pictured) '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.' 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) '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.' 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. 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 '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. 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 recently enjoyed a lavish babymoon in the Maldives (pictured at her villa with Saskia, Wolf and Matt) 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. Not long now! Tammy showed off her huge baby bump while on holiday An average flight time from Tammy's home in the Gold Coast to the Maldives is approximately 17 hours. Tammy revealed her pregnancy back in December, just two weeks after she and Matt announced their engagement. Her ex Reece meanwhile is married to Texan influencer London Goheen. The pair share a son named Stone. Salma Hayek paid a gushing tribute to her Magic Mike 3 co-star Channing Tatum as she celebrated his 42nd birthday. The actress, 55, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a fun video of the two dancing in a trailer as they marked his big day amid filming for the upcoming movie. It comes after Salma replaced Thandiwe Newton in the film following an alleged bust-up with the show's star Channing. The 49-year-old went on to praise Channing in a post shared on Thursday, hailing him as the 'loveliest' amid their reported feud. Fun: Salma Hayek paid a gushing tribute to her Magic Mike 3 co-star Channing Tatum as she celebrated his 42nd birthday Salma and Channing looked in high spirits as they danced around together in a trailer which was decorated for the special occasion. Birthday boy Channing donned a pink birthday cake headband as he showed off his dance moves with the Mexican-American actress. While Salma looked radiant in a floral print summer dress and a bright orange cardigan, while her brunette locks cascaded down her back. Salma penned: 'Happy Birthday Channing!!!! Youre such a Joy to be around. Feliz cumpleanos @channingtatum' Celebrations: The actress took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a video of the two dancing in a trailer as they marked his big day amid filming for the upcoming movie Salma has been pictured on set for Magic Mike 3 in London, shooting her first scenes opposite Channing Tatum after taking over the role from Thandiwe. Thandiwe exited the film earlier this month after just 11 days of shooting, following an alleged bust-up with the movie's producer and star Channing over Will Smith 's Oscars slap - she has denied the incident. While Salma shot her scenes in London's Clapham, Thandiwe was pictured 5,000 miles away in Malibu over the weekend, seemingly confirming the end of their 23-year marriage with a very public display of affection with musician Lonr, 25. Salma was pictured in the same costume which Thandiwe was previously pictured wearing on set last month, as she shared a conversation with Channing in between takes for the film, which is reportedly focusing on the female lead and not Channing's character Mike. Taking over: Salma was pictured on the Magic Mike 3 set in London, shooting her first scenes opposite Channing Tatum on Sunday after taking over the role from Thandiwe who exited the movie after 11 days of filming (Thandiwe pictured right on set on March 31) What drama? The 49-year-old went on to praise Channing in a post shared on Thursday, hailing him as the 'loveliest' amid their reported feud Earlier this month The Sun reported the alleged argument between Thandiwe and Channing, which was said to be 'unimaginably vicious', was over Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. Insiders told The Sun that Thandiwe is planning on suing studio chiefs at Warner Bros over the incident. The argument reportedly took place on location in Paddington and culminated with Channing driving off set in his car. Playful: The duo looked in high spirits as they danced around together in a trailer which was decorated for the special occasion Tribute: Salma penned: 'Happy Birthday Channing!!!! Youre such a Joy to be around. Feliz cumpleanos @channingtatum' A source said: 'Channing Tatum is the producer and number one on set. Thandiwe Newton is the number two star. But 11 days into shooting and it's all over. 'They fell out over the debacle at The Oscars. I was on set. I watched her and watched him. They were in and out of the house where we were filming having this confrontation. 'After the row he just went, ''I am not working with her anymore''. Him being a producer, it's his movie, so she's off the movie.' The source added that all scenes filmed with Thandiwe will now have to be reshot with Salma while the film's director Steven Soderbergh reportedly didn't take a side in the argument. Praise: It comes after Thandiwe shared her support for Salma Hayak's 2017 film Beatriz at Dinner after the actress recently replaced her in Magic Mike 3 Big fan: The actress proved their was no hard feelings towards Salma as she took to Instagram stories on Saturday to share an image of the Mexican-American beauty's previous film A spokesperson for Thandiwe told MailOnline: 'This report is completely inaccurate.' Despite the drama, Thandiwe recently shared her support for Salma Hayak's 2017 film Beatriz at Dinner after the actress recently replaced her in Magic Mike 3. The actress proved their was no hard feelings towards Salma as she took to Instagram stories on Saturday to share an image of the beauty's previous film. Thandiwe gushed: 'I love you' as she went on to share her admiration for the Miguel Arteta directed film about a holistic medicine practitioner who is left is stranded at a client's house after driving to visit her. She wrote: 'For me, no finer performance, no finer film, about the real questions we need to be asking.' Taking her place: Thandiwe gushed: 'I love you' as she went on to share her admiration for the Miguel Arteta directed film [Salma and Thandiwe pictured in 2018] It comes as Thandiwe seemingly confirmed the end of her 23-year marriage to Ol Parker as she was pictured putting on a very public display of affection with musician Lonr, 25. The Hollywood star, dressed in a green print fleece, khaki cargo trousers and bucket hat, gave credence to the whirling speculation that she had parted ways with her director husband by stopping for a passionate kiss and holding hands with the rapper, 25, in Malibu. The embattled actress, who it has been said is heading to rehab, ditched her wedding ring and diverted her attention from recent adversity by lapping up some time in the balmy temperatures with the California native, whose real name is Elijah Dias. Accessorising with a round pair of sunglasses and toting a leopard print bag, Thandiwe, who has also faced an acrimonious exit from Magic Mike 3, appeared in very content spirits as she interlocked her fingers with Lonr's whilst walking alongside each other. Romance: It comes as Thandiwe seemingly confirmed the end of her 23-year marriage to Ol Parker as she was pictured putting on a very public display of affection with musician Lonr, 25 At 25, Lonr is only a mere four years older than Thandiwe and Ol's eldest child, their 21-year-old daughter Ripley. Lonr told The Post that all parties involved were focused on the welfare of Thandiwe's children when approached for comment on the new relationship, explaining: 'From the relatively short time I've been fortunate to spend with her, I know Thandiwe and Oliver care deeply about the welfare of their children. That's all I care about right now.' The pair filled their weekend with plenty of quality time, which included a spot of retail therapy and winding down with a bite to eat. The award-winning actress has joined her estranged husband in removing her wedding ring, as the director was spotted without his earlier this week as he left his London home. Estranged: It has been reported that Thandiwe has been suffering with emotional and family problems after separating from her husband Ol, 52, with whom she shares children Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, eight (pictured together in 2018) Lonr, born in April 1997, entered the music industry with single A.M and he released his debut EP titled Land of Nothing Real, his stage name's acronym, in 2020. He is a credible songwriter and has received nominations for multiple Grammy Awards for contributing to H.E.R's projects in 2019. It has been reported that Thandiwe has been suffering with emotional and family problems after separating from her husband Ol, 52, with whom she shares children Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, eight. Ol is a British filmmaker who previously wrote and directed the 2018 musical film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. A source said: 'Thandiwe had been acting strange on set, she has been very highly strung. Her apparent breakdown caused so much disruption, it became clear she couldn't play the role. 'There is a lot going on in her personal life, she and her husband have separated. She seemed so stressed she even brought her two pet rabbits to her hotel for emotional support.' Thandiwe has reportedly been urged to seek mental health support following the break-up of her marriage - and an alleged bust-up with Magic Mike co-star Channing Tatum over Will Smith 's Oscars slap - which she has denied. The star has previously told how she has suffered 'a number of breakdowns' in her troubled past, as well as discussing her heartbreaking experiences of sexual abuse, racism and bulimia during her time in the industry. Toyboy: At 25, Lonr is only a mere four years older than Thandiwe and Ol's eldest child, their 21-year-old daughter Ripley (pictured far right with her parents and sister Nico) Musician: Lonr, born in April 1997, entered the music industry with single A.M and he released his debut EP titled Land of Nothing Real, his stage name's acronym, in 2020 When she was 16 she was groomed by director John Duigan, who was 39 years old at the time. The violations by Duigan lasted five years, two of those years were termed a 'relationship' after he sought Newton's parents' blessing for her to be his girlfriend when she was 18, while asking her to hide their previous intimacy which began when she was just 16. The Bafta-winning actress has said the relationship left her feeling 'self-destructive' and said she has only spoken about it 'so teenagers can see they can resist and gain self-awareness'. Chrishell Stause has revealed that she considered quitting Selling Sunset amid her very public divorce from her ex husband This Is Us actor Justin Hartley. The reality star and real estate agent, 40, has told how the 'humiliating' experience made her reassess her position as star on the show as she had to film while dealing with her heartbreak. Chrishell and Justin's split aired during series three and the star claimed she was 'blindsided' when her then-husband text to say he had filed for divorce. Tough: Chrishell Stause has revealed that she considered quitting Selling Sunset amid her very public divorce from her ex husband This Is Us actor Justin Hartley Speaking on the on the Dear Media podcast Lipstick on the Rim, the star said she made the decision to continue with the show to further her real estate career. She explained: 'The divorce was the most public and humiliating thing you could ever go through. I still had to film a reality show, it was carry on with that or quit and I wanted this new career so I stayed in the end. 'I pushed through and I just had to be open and I think that is better than pretending everything is ok. 'Therapy is an amazing tool. I didn't have much control over how it went down so I had to look after myself. Difficult: The reality star and real estate agent, 40, has told how the 'humiliating' experience made her reassess her position as star on the show as she had to film while dealing with her heartbreak (pictured with Justin in 2019) She also opened up about the 'cathartic' process of writing her new book Under Construction: Because Living My Best Life Took a Little Work. Chrishell began working on the book at the start of the pandemic just before the coronavirus pandemic hit and told how she had changed as a person once it was over. She said: 'I was going through a lot of heavy things, we were locked down so there wasn't anything to do. By the end of the book I was in such a better head space. You should always be working on yourself. I get a lot of people connect to what I write about and talk about.' During the candid interview she also discussed being on Selling Sunset where she alluded to set up story lines and meetings. Ouch: Chrishell and Justin's split aired during series three and the star claimed she was 'blindsided' when her then-husband text to say he had filed for divorce She said: 'The show has been such a blessing but you are put in difficult situations and that you would never normally put yourself in but I have learnt to deal with it because of all the good things the show has brought to me. 'It's got pros and cons but there are more pros. They are not necessarily the people or conversations I would be having but yeah.' 'It was hard promoting the show when people don't get on, but it looks like things are going in the right direction.' The recently-released series five of the show followed Chrishell's new relationship with brokerage owner Jason Oppenheim, who she eventually splits up with due to him not wanting children. New love: Series five followed Chrishell's new relationship with brokerage owner Jason Oppenheim, who she eventually splits up with due to him not wanting children Now single again, she said about dating: 'I am keeping an open mind. It is important when you're happy in yourself and I'm not thinking about it too much. I have entered into a new era of my life now where I am so content. 'The show has made it harder to date, I show up to a date and the person across the table knows all these things about me as my life has all been documented. Or it may be that people have seen the show and think 'oh I know who you would be good for'. On the show Chrishell admitted her relationship with Jason is the first time she had 'felt fully like herself' with another person, making an unsubtle jibe at her ex-husband Justin, who she split from in 2019. The actress made the admission in the first episode of the new series, before her sister Shonda admitted she felt that Justin was 'disrespectful' to her during their marriage and she would sometimes 'cover' for him. During a chat with her friend and colleague Mary Fitzgerald while away in Greece on a group trip, Chrishell is seen discussing her new relationship. While sipping on cocktails with their legs dangling in the pool, Chrishell says: I feel like it's the first time I've really been my full self and I don't have to change anything. 'It's kind of nice to just kind of be ourselves instead of hiding everything. We just wanted to figure out what it was before we opened it up to everyone else's opinions on it. 'It's like backwards of any relationship I've ever been in. I've just been myself because of the way it started and it was nothing romantic. We didn't see each other that way for a long time.' Having her say: On series five Chrishell admitted her relationship with Jason is the first time she had 'felt fully like herself' with another person, making a subtle jibe at Jaosn Chrishell touched on a time when she hired a private chef to cook a meal and ushered him away before her date arrive. Suggesting she would rely on false pretences before enjoying an honest relationship with Jason. The reality personality did not mention the name of the person she hired a private chef for. Chrishell then continued: 'You know, he had a type before, so did I. I loved... I had a height thing, I'll be honest! I didn't even see him like that. 'It's so funny, it's so opposite of what I would've imagined. Just like the ultimate respect from both sides for each other, that is just something I've never had before,' she adds as Mary nods beside her.' Sad: Chrishell's sister Shonda admitted she felt that Justin was 'disrespectful' to her during their marriage and she would sometimes 'cover' for him, in dramatic series five scenes Bookending the series with another chat about her ex-husband, Chrishell once again threw shade at the actor during a chat with her sisters on the series finale. Shonda, who was also joined by another of their sisters Sabrina, admitted: 'I feel like with your last relationship, there was some criticism. A lot of what you did, I don't think that he took you seriously. 'A lot of your jobs, he acted like they were not real jobs. And this was your life. This was your job. You worked so hard for it.' Sabrina added: 'There are just some instances in the past where it felt like you were covering for your partner at the time. Maybe they were doing something that was a little disrespectful and you were, like, standing up for them and trying to cover for them and it was just so sad that you felt like you had to kind of pretend to be something else.' Chrishell agreed with her sisters, and added: 'I don't even, like, think about this anymore. But the second that you, like, my memory hits of what you're talking about, I'm like, 'Who was I?' I don't even know who that was.' 'And I really do respect and value your opinions. You know, I feel like I'm in a place where I'm so much different and I'm so much more grown than I was and I'm a fully realized person at this point. 'Not a version of what I think somebody wants me to be. Since their divorce, Justin went public with and later married Sofia Pernas, 32, in March 2021. Chrishell's relationship with Jason came to an end in December 2021. The cast of Married At First Sight finally regained access to their social media channels this week, after Channel Nine took control for the duration of the show. But on Thursday, Yahoo! Lifestyle reported that the network has given a stark warning to the cast about how they should be using their platform. The publication claims that the stars have been advised to 'move on' from the show and focus on their own futures, rather than reignite feuds with co-stars. Warning: On Thursday, Yahoo! Lifestyle reported that Channel Nine has given a stark warning to the cast about how they should be using their social media platforms. Pictured: Ella Ding A source said: 'Since the finale aired, the cast has essentially divided in two, with each side leaking stories and taking swipes at the other in the media to try and come out on top. 'It's all become very childish, and Channel Nine worry that now they've all got their accounts back they'll use them to stir drama and try to tear each other down even more. 'The cast have essentially been told to just move on and focus on their future instead.' Back: As of Wednesday, the brides and grooms all have access to their Instagram accounts again and are free to post whatever they like without approval from Nine's social media team. Pictured: Tamara Djordjevic Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Nine for further comment. As of Wednesday, the brides and grooms all have access to their Instagram accounts again and are free to post whatever they like without approval from Nine's social media team. During the show's run, Nine had final say on all their Instagram activity, including the wording of captions and the ability to respond to direct messages. 'We are very proactive in this space, and care for the health and wellbeing of the participants,' the network said was the reasoning behind the move at the time. 'As a result of the level of interest in the participant's personal lives and volume of commentary on every post, Nine manages all individual MAFS social accounts with their permission, as an extra measure of protecting them from negativity.' Jab: One cast member who couldn't resist taking a swipe at his ex was Brent Vitiello (left), who endured a tumultuous relationship with Tamara Djordjevic (right) on the show Parting dig: On Wednesday, the 33-year-old hospitality worker changed the bio on his profile to: 'Good luck, good riddance' One cast member who couldn't resist taking a swipe at his ex was Brent Vitiello, who was married to Tamara Djordjevic on the show. After gaining access to his account this week, he changed his Instagram bio to 'Good luck, good riddance'. Viewers might remember the powerful words were the last thing Brett said to Tamara at final vows, shortly after calling her 'vindictive, spiteful and self-absorbed'. Brent uttered the words right before he tossed his speech in the air and stormed off set, leaving Tamara staring ahead in shock. Georgia Toffolo has revealed that Victoria Beckham helped her to overcome her insecurities with acne as a teenager. The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, said she has battled with acne since she was 13 and still deals with it now. Speaking on Thursday's episode of Lorraine, Georgia said she read an article about Victoria Beckham's skin, saying she was the first celebrity she had ever seen who's battle with acne was discussed. Candid: Georgia Toffolo has revealed that Victoria Beckham helped her to overcome her insecurities with acne as a teenager She said: 'When I was younger, I always struggled with acne. When I woke up this morning, I thought, "my skin is looking great today". It's such a rarity, it's got to be celebrated. 'I thought back, there was really no one in the public eye who had spots like I did. It started when I was 13. I'm 27 now and I've still got them. 'I opened a newspaper and there was a ghastly article talking about Victoria Beckham and her struggles with acne but it brought me so much comfort. 'I try to be really open about it because everyone suffers with spots, from young men to middle-aged women; everyone gets them. Throwback: Georgia said she read an article about Victoria Beckham's skin, saying she was the first celebrity she had ever seen who's battle with acne was discussed publicly (Victoria pictured in 2007) Georgia, who was promoting her new book Meet Me At The Wedding, added: 'Back then, it really was only Victoria Beckham and she didn't talk about it, it was the press.' Victoria has used her expertise around skincare to develop her own cosmetics range, Victoria Beckham Beauty, which launched in 2019. It comes after Georgia recently returned from a trip to South Africa on an 'epic adventure'. In a snap from the holiday, Georgia looked gorgeous in a knitted keyhole bra top which she wore with a matching skirt. She said: 'I opened a newspaper and there was a ghastly article talking about Victoria Beckham and her struggles with acne but it brought me so much comfort' Skincare: The former Made In Chelsea star said she has battled with acne since she was 13 and still deals with it now Outfit: Georgia looked sensational in a white crop top with a matching skirt with a high leg split Sensational: The star let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders and also sported alight pallet of makeup New venture: The star was promoting her new book Meet Me At The Wedding Posing for the camera, her hip dropped to one side, the blonde beauty showed off her fantastically toned midriff. The strapless top clung to the Made In Chelsea stars enviable assets, with a racy cut out at the centre. Captioning the snap: 'Not sure Ill be wearing this in London! Sad to be leaving South Africa, but looking forward to seeing my pup after a epic adventure. I cant wait to show you on @thismorning'. The former I'm a Celebrity contestant, visited Kenya on another glamorous trip last month. 'Not sure I'll be wearing this in London': It comes after Georgia recently returned from a trip to South Africa on an 'epic adventure' Blonde beauty: The former I'm a Celebrity contestant visited Kenya on another glamorous trip last month (pictured in March) The reality TV regular went on to shared photos of her adventures, in one picture she posed with a pair of elephants at an orphanage. Writing: 'Up early to go to the elephant orphanage just outside of Nairobi, It is the most successful orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world!' The star also shared videos of her holiday, one of which was filmed by her friend and The Island With Bear Grylls star Barnes Thomas - who joined her on the trip. The pals enjoyed a boating adventure on the ocean, where they swam and spotted dolphins. However Georgia also posted that the group were covered in "guts" after they attempted to catch fish. Married At First Sight star Jessika Power is blissfully happy in her relationship with British podcaster Connor Thompson. And on Thursday, the 30-year-old praised her partner for always 'treating her right' in their romance - while taking a swipe at Australian suitors in the process. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Jessika said: 'I had to fly half way around the world to find the right guy that treats you right. Love: On Thursday, Jessika Power (right) praised her partner Connor Thompson (left) for 'treating her right' in a new interview - while taking a swipe at Australian suitors in the process 'I think I have had the worst relationships ever, and been through every toxic c**p you can think of.' She added that it was nice to have found a boyfriend who is 'so secure in himself and trusting', and now understands that this is how all relationships should be. Jessika, who now lives with Connor in Manchester with their pet dog Sushi, said she never thought she'd find anyone capable of fitting in with her busy lifestyle. However, she said Connor 'doesn't let [my lifestyle] affect our relationship'. Romance: She said it is nice to have found a boyfriend who is 'so secure in himself and trusting', and now understands that this is how all relationships should be 'I have learnt in my life not to take things in leaps and bounds any more, and to just enjoy the moment and that is what we are doing,' she added. Jessika first found fame on season six of Married At First Sight Australia after cheating on her husband Mick Gould with their co-star Dan Webb. But now the star lives in Manchester, and has applied for residency in the UK, where she has been living on a work visa for the past few months. It comes after the blonde gave an update on her financial status, boasting she 'no longer worries about money' after joining the adult subscription service OnlyFans. Remember this? Jessika first found fame on season six of Married At First Sight Australia after cheating on her husband Mick Gould with their co-star Dan Webb (left) Loaded: It comes after the blonde gave an update on her financial status, boasting she 'no longer worries about money' after joining the adult subscription service OnlyFans 'I've had it since August last year and I am able to purchase two new houses... guess it's worth it,' she said in a video on her Instagram Stories in February. 'I've also funded my whole lifestyle to come here [The UK], I flew first class, I just bought tickets to Dubai in business class,' she continued. Jessika, who earns up to $120,000 per quarter as an adult model, told The Daily Telegraph she wants to use the website 'for good'. 'I have always used my platform to talk about confidence, body confidence, self-esteem and female empowerment,' she explained. Amanda Bynes reunited with fiance Paul Michael just hours after accusing him of using drugs, watching disturbing pornography and vandalizing his mom's home following an explosive argument that led to a 911 call. Amanda and Paul shared a kiss as they were seen stepping out together on Thursday mid-morning in LA for a loved up display. The troubled actress, 36, had taken to her Instagram stories on Thursday to publicly claim he has stopped taking his medications and she declared she had 'kicked him out' of her house over his 'alarming behavior'. 'I'm afraid of what he'll do,' Amanda said, alleging that she found his 'stash of crack cocaine' and that he had put 'salmon under' his mom's bed. Right before her Instagram stories, Paul called police to their home at 2:30am during a verbal dispute with the star and accused her of taking his Adderall and calling her 'out of control,' according to TMZ. The latest: Amanda Bynes reunited with fiance Paul Michael just hours after accusing him of using drugs, watching disturbing pornography and vandalizing his mom's home following an explosive argument Hours later: Amanda and Paul shared a kiss as they were seen stepping out together on Thursday mid-morning in LA for a loved up display Amanda and Paul shared a laugh and a kiss, as they showcased PDA on their outing just hours after their dispute. The actress wore a gray T-shirt with jeans and a beanie while cuddling up to Paul, who donned a jean and hoodie style top with sweats for their outing together. Their very public display of love appears to confirm the engaged couple have reconciled after their explosive argument just hours earlier. During the 2:30 am call to the police, Paul had told the police she kicked him out of the house but he stayed there until they arrived, per the outlet's source with the LAPD. Drama: The troubled actress, 36, had taken to her Instagram stories on Thursday to publicly claim he has stopped taking his medications and she declared she had 'kicked him out' of her house over his 'alarming behavior' He spoke to the dispatcher and told them they were in a verbal dispute. According to the outlet, he reportedly went to his Instagram and said he didn't know 'what the f**k she's talking about.' Amanda's lawyer David Esquibias gave People a statement on Thursday morning after the accusations and cop visit. David said: 'Amanda and Paul had an argument Wednesday evening. Amanda left her home, where Paul has been residing, for her safety before the situation escalated. She was not there when police arrived.' 'Amanda is now back home and denies Paul's claims of taking his medication. She remains focused on her well-being,' he said to the outlet. All smoothed over: Amanda and Paul shared a laugh and a kiss, as they showcased PDA on their outing just hours after their dispute Staying close: The actress wore a gray T-shirt with jeans and a beanie while cuddling up to Paul, who donned a jean and hoodie style top with sweats for their outing together Close: The actress wore a gray T-shirt with jeans and a beanie while cuddling up to Paul, who donned a jean and hoodie style top with sweats for their outing together Drama: Their very public display of love appears to confirm the engaged couple have reconciled after their explosive argument just hours earlier Stepping out: During the 2:30 am call to the police, Paul had told the police she kicked him out of the house but he stayed there until they arrived, per the outlet's source with the LAPD In conversation: He spoke to the dispatcher and told them they were in a verbal dispute Hours before, Amanda posted a snap of Paul to her stories as he lounged on the couch. Amanda spoke directed to the camera next, listing out the accusations against her fiance. 'Paul told me he stopped taking his medications. I looked at his phone and he was looking at mom and son porn.' Adding: 'He vandalized his mom's home, he broke all of her pictures and he put salmon under her bed. His behavior is alarming and I'm afraid of what he'll do.' Shocking: The troubled actress spoke directly on her stories as she claimed he stopped taking his medications and watching disturbing porn, calling his 'behavior alarming' and revealing she 'kicked him out of' her house Accusations: 'I'm afraid of what he'll do,' Amanda said, adding that she found his 'stash of crack cocaine' and that he put 'salmon under' his mom's bed 'I forgot to mention I found Paul's stash of crack cocaine. He's been using for the past six months. He needs serious house. I kicked him out of my house.' Hours prior, Paul was seen smoking on her stories. She deleted the stories of her accusations from her Instagram and posted a new one of her in the car, noting a correction. Amanda said in the stories posted at around 7 am PST: 'Correction. Paul looked up Milfs, moms and sons just popped up. Also, I went to CVS, bought a drug test. Paul tested clean. Paul's clean. Also I had something in my teeth in the last video.' Troubling: Amanda spoke directed to the camera next, listing out the accusations against her fiance Allegations: Amanda said in her stories: 'Paul told me he stopped taking his medications. I looked at his phone and he was looking at mom and son porn' Candid: She deleted the stories of her accusations from her Instagram and posted a new one of her in the car, noting a correction Prior: Amanda shared a glam video of herself on Wednesday night Her fiance: Paul appeared on her stories one day prior smoking On Tuesday, Amanda released her second song with Paul, titled 'Fairfax.' Two weeks earlier, Amanda released a clip of her single titled Diamonds, which she made with Paul. Amanda and Paul met at a sober living home in late 2019 and got engaged the following year. The What I Like About You star's lawyer David A. Esquibias told ET that Amanda and Michael put the track together amid the initial stages of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. The shocking accusations come just one month after a conservatorship her parents presided over since 2013 was terminated in Ventura County Superior Court in Oxnard, California. New: On Tuesday, Amanda released her second song with Paul, titled 'Fairfax' Couple: Two weeks earlier, Amanda released a clip of her single titled Diamonds, which she made with Paul 'The court determines that the conservatorship is no longer required and that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person no longer exist,' Judge Roger Lund said in court docs from last month. Amanda was placed under the conservatorship in 2013 amid a series of legal issues, and problems with mental health and substance abuse. Last month, the judge said that the actress had proven she was adept to deal with her health issues without oversight from her parents, who did not object to the change in plans. When the conservatorship was initially implemented in 2013, the star's parents Rick and Lynn Bynes said in court docs they were worried Amanda could harm herself or other people unless they were able to oversee her medical affairs and finances. Her parents said they were concerned she could undergo potentially perilous plastic surgery, and told the court the actress believed she was being monitored through her vehicle's dashboard and smoke detectors in her home. Legal: The shocking accusations come just one month after a conservatorship her parents presided over since 2013 was terminated in Ventura County Superior Court in Oxnard, California Amanda told ET following the ruling that she was focused on her education and work on a fragrance product she was planning on releasing in the future. 'I am continuing with my Bachelor's Degree at FIDM, majoring in Creative Industry Studies with a core in Beauty Marketing and Product Development,' Amanda told the outlet, noting that she was 'traveling to New York in June to work on developing a fragrance.' Amanda found fame as a child star at the age of 13 on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show, and went on to have success on shows such as All That and What I Like About You. She was also featured in films including She's the Man, What a Girl Wants and Hairspray, with her last appearance in a motion picture coming in 2010's Easy A. She said on Twitter that year that she was retiring from her acting career, writing, 'Being an actress isn't as fun as it may seem. If I don't love something anymore I stop doing it. I don't love acting anymore so I've stopped doing it.' Summit could mark milestone in bilateral ties Incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden are scheduled to hold their first summit in Seoul on May 21 to discuss how to strengthen the alliance and deepen the partnership between the two countries. The summit will come only 11 days after Yoon is sworn in as president May 10. This will mark the earliest-ever meeting between the leaders of the allies following a South Korean president's inauguration. Both Seoul and Washington certainly feel the urgent need for better ties and enhanced cooperation amid growing North Korean military threats, the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine and the escalating rivalry between the U.S. and China. Thus, Yoon and Biden are expected to work together closely to open a new era in bilateral relations. It is worth noting that Yoon has already promised to further develop the two countries' comprehensive strategic alliance not only in defense and security but also in other areas such as the economy, trade, technology and climate change. Biden also needs South Korea's cooperation in bilateral, regional and international issues as he is vying to regain the U.S.' global leadership and restoring its alliance and partnership with like-minded democracies. Most of all, the two leaders should take advantage of their scheduled summit to upgrade the bilateral alliance to better cope with mounting tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has conducted 13 launches of different types of missiles, including a hypersonic ballistic missile, so far this year. It even test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, scrapping its self-imposed moratorium on ICBM and nuclear tests. More seriously, its leader Kim Jong-un recently threatened to use nuclear weapons. There are also concerns that Pyongyang may conduct a seventh nuclear test as early as next month. Against the backdrop, Yoon and Biden need to work out a new strategy to prevent the recalcitrant North from making further provocations. They are likely to discuss ways of deploying U.S. strategic assets to South Korea to enhance deterrence against possible nuclear attacks from North Korea. Beefing up the bilateral security alliance is, no doubt, crucial to ensure peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region. It is also necessary for the two presidents to hammer out measures to lure the North back to dialogue and prod it to move toward denuclearization. Yoon and Biden are also predicted to accelerate the economic partnership between the two allies. Bilateral technology cooperation is necessary for the U.S. to establish its own supply chain for semiconductors and other strategic goods. They are likely to discuss cooperation in the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing influence in the region. In addition, Biden is expected to ask Yoon to mend ties with Japan in order to push for trilateral cooperation, while calling for Korea's active participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a U.S.-led security partnership involving Australia, Japan and India. We hope that Seoul and Washington will make successful results in the May 21 summit to open a new chapter in bilateral ties and upgrade their alliance to a more comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect, trust and cooperation. Katie Price has broken her silence after her court appearance as she shared a video complaining about her sister's driving skills. The former glamour model, 43, was joined by her younger sister Sophie in the clip as the pair sat in Sophie's car and Katie complained: 'We're lost'. The clip comes as Katie's boyfriend Carl Woods has promised that he will marry the reality star and have children with her as he spent time with her kids. Video: Katie Price has broken her silence after her court appearance as she shared a video complaining about her sister's driving skills In her video, Katie spoke to the camera and said: 'Good evening everyone well, do you want to know about my evening? 'Well I just dropped the kids off and now I've been driving around in the countryside, been going around in circles for ages. 'Why? Because my sister doesn't know how to follow her own sat nav and now she's getting moody and saying "I'm tired". 'It's not hard to look at a sat nav and drive I mean come on Soph, you're a woman, you should know how to do two things at once.' Future: The clip comes as Katie's boyfriend Carl Woods has promised that he will marry the reality star and have children with her as he spent time with her kids (pictured with her daughter Princess) Meanwhile, Carl took part in an Instagram Q&A where he discussed his future plans with Katie while hanging out with her children Junior, 16, Princess, 14, Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven. When asked by one fan: 'Will you marry Katie? And do you want more children?', there was no doubt in Carl's mind as he quickly replied: 'Yes and yes'. Further professing his love for the TV star, who is also mother to son Harvey, 19, Carl replied 'for sure' when he was asked if Katie is 'the one'. Another follower asked Carl: 'What's your favourite thing about Katie?' to which he said: 'Everything'. Drive: The former glamour model was joined by her younger sister Sophie in the clip as the pair sat in Sophie's car and Katie complained: 'We're lost' Clip: In her video, Katie spoke to the camera and said: 'Good evening everyone well, do you want to know about my evening?' (Katie's sister Sophie pictured) Moments after the final queston, Princess popped up on Carl's Instagram Stories and said she was behind the answers. She said: 'Hey guys, it was all me. I answered all of these wonderful questions. So I did six not five but y'know.' Katie risked being in contempt of court on Wednesday by filming inside a magistrate's court building and posting it on Instagram. The model appeared at Crawley Magistrate's Court where she denied breaching a restraining order against her ex-husband's fiancee over a message in which she accused the pair of having an affair. During her brief appearance, she filmed a five second video from inside the court building showing photographers outside, and posted it to her Instagram story for her 2.7million followers. Family: Carl took part in an Instagram Q&A where he discussed his future plans with Katie, saying he wants them to have children However, filming inside court and publishing such a video is illegal under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act and could be regarded as contempt if it amounts to an interference with the administration of justice. Punishment for contempt is at the judge's discretion but could result in fines up to 1,000 or a prison sentence. In the video, Katie could be heard saying 'that is my life today', referring to the dozens of photographers positioned outside who had taken pictures of her arriving at court. The mother-of-five is said to have sent Kieran Hayler a message on January 21 this year in which she branded his new partner, Michelle Penticost, a 'c***ing whore' and a 'gutter s**g'. Loved-up: Further professing his love for the TV star, Carl replied 'for sure' when he was asked if Katie is 'the one' Katie was banned from contacting Michelle directly or indirectly on June 3 2019, under the terms of a five-year restraining order. She was fined hundreds of pounds for hurling a foul-mouthed 'tirade of abuse' at her during a row in a school playground. Katie, wearing white trainers, a green tracksuit and a black gilet, appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, accused of contacting Penticost indirectly in breach of the restraining order. She was supported by her reality TV star fiance Carl who sat in the public gallery. Romance: Another follower asked Carl: 'What's your favourite thing about Katie?' to which he said: 'Everything' The court heard that her message to Kieran may have been triggered by an Instagram post by Michelle, which she denies was aimed at Katie. Katie's message read: 'Tell your c***ing whore, piece of s**t, girlfriend not to start on me. 'She has a restraining order so shouldn't try antagonise me as she is in breach and I'm sure she doesn't want people knowing that she was having an affair with you behind my back. That gutter s**g.' Katie, who became a household name around the turn of the millennium, stood in the dock to confirm her name, address and date of birth, before pleading not guilty to the single charge, which can be tried in either the magistrates' court or the Crown Court. Appearance: Katie denied breaching a restraining order against her ex-husband's fiancee during a court appearance on Wednesday Rules: During her brief appearance at court, Katie filmed a five second video from inside the court building showing dozens of photographers outside, and posted it to her Instagram story for her 2.7million followers Law: However, filming inside court and publishing such a video is illegal under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act Joe Harrington, defending, said: 'The issues relate to her mental health and the triggers which led to sending that message.' Asked where she wanted the trial to be heard, Katie said: 'The Crown Court please.' The law against filming in court buildings Parliament banned photography in courts in 1925 and case law meant the ban was extended to include filming in courts. Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 makes it illegal to: take or try to take a photograph or film make or try to make a portrait or sketch of a person in court, its building or within its precincts, or any person entering or leaving a court building publish such a photo, film, portrait or sketch Section applies to all criminal and civil courts, as well as inquests. Breaches of section 41 can lead to fines of up to 1,000. A court may deem photography or filming in court to be a contempt of court in common law. The punishment for contempt is at the judge's discretion but could include a fine or prison sentence. Advertisement District Judge Amanda Kelly said the offence carries a maximum sentence of up to five years' imprisonment and warned Katie: 'You are in really grave danger of going to prison.' She said: 'This is a very serious allegation in which it is alleged you used indirectly vile and nasty language towards Ms Penticost, someone you were prohibited from contacting directly or indirectly by a restraining order.' The judge granted Katie bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on May 25 at Lewes Crown Court on condition she does not contact Michelle either directly or indirectly, except for handing over children. 'It seems to me, Ms Price, that all of the children caught up in your relationships past and present need their adults to behave like adults,' the judge said. 'Stop exposing them to very public squabbles.' Katie avoided jail in December when she was handed a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for a year, as well as a two-year driving ban after admitting drink-driving while disqualified in December. She also tested positive for cocaine after she rolled her BMW near her home in Horsham. Last month, Carl issued a public denial on Instagram over abuse claims, saying he 'didn't lay a finger' on Katie and said he had 'black and white proof' to clear his name after he was charged with using threatening and abusive behaviour towards her in an incident at their house in Essex. Carl is Katie's first serious major relationship since her split from Kieran in 2019. They were together for seven years, marrying in 2013 in the Bahamas, but their romance was marred by Mr Hayler's two flings with two of Price's close pals. She was previously married to Peter Andre, father of her two children Junior and Princess for four years, before her ill-fated marriage to husband number two Alex Reid, which lasted just 11 months. Leah Purcell looked radiant when she received a star on the Australian Film Walk of Fame in Sydney on Thursday. The accomplished actress was out to promote The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson which she wrote, directed and starred in. Leah looked sensational in a textured brown shirtdress with a belted waist as she was honoured by the mayor of Randwick, Dylan Parker. Star power: Leah Purcell was honoured with a star on the Australian Film Walk of Fame in Sydney on Thursday. Pictured with Dylan Parker, mayor of Randwick The 51-year-old complemented her ensemble with a pair of strappy brown heels, and accessorised with statement earrings. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was styled in loose curls, and she wore glasses, smiling broadly ahead of the screening. At one stage, Leah posed alongside her co-star Rob Collins, who looked chic in a pair of black tapered jeans teamed with a black T-shirt. The 42-year-old actor also wore a black blazer, and finished his look with a brown leather belt and brown leather boots. Triple threat: Leah - who wrote, directed and starred in the film - stepped out in a textured brown shirtdress with a belted waist Teaming up: Leah posed alongside co-star Rob Collins, who looked smart in a pair of black tapered jeans, which he teamed with a black T-shirt Also in attendance was Susie Porter, who looked stunning in a classic trenchcoat, which she wore over a pair of leather-look black leggings. She rounded out her stylish ensemble with a pair of high-heeled black leather boots and a white shirt. The Wentworth actress accessorised with a small black cross-body bag and a statement gold necklace. Her long blonde hair was parted in the middle and tied back in a ponytail, and she showed off her smooth complexion with natural-looking makeup. Stylish: Susie Porter looked chic when she stepped out for the Sydney premiere of The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson on Thursday All wrapped up: Also in attendance was Miranda Tapsell, who looked elegant in a black wrap dress, which she paired with black open-toe heels Miranda Tapsell looked elegant in a black wrap dress, which she paired with black open-toe heels. The 34-year-old actress carried a small black and white polka dot handbag, and accessorised simply with stud earrings, while her brunette hair was worn loose. Tammy MacIntosh was also at the premiere, stepping out in a pair of cropped black pants, which she paired with a cream blouse. The 52-year-old McLeod's Daughters alum also donned a pair of black boot for the outing and wore her long blonde hair in loose waves. Halle Berry and Mark Wahlberg appeared to be deep in conversation as they shot scenes for their new Netflix film Our Man From Jersey in London on Thursday. The actress, 55, caught the eye with her chic blonde bob while keeping it casual in a grey top and khaki camouflage trousers, and wrapped up in a burgundy zip-up hoodie. Her co-star, 50, wore a navy T-shirt and jeans which he layered beneath a bomber jacket of the same colour, as they strolled through Hyde Park. Out of this world: Halle Berry caught the eye with her chic blonde bob while shooting scenes with Mark Wahlberg for their new Netflix film Our Man From Jersey in London on Thursday The Die Another Day star appeared to be glued to her phone and carried her essentials in a blue duffel bag which she threw over her shoulder. The James Bond star, who has sported shorter locks several times over the years, recently showed off her new 'do on Instagram. Mark is serving as a producer of the film, in addition to starring alongside Halle. Looking good: The actress, 55, kept it casual in a grey top and khaki camouflage trousers Cold? The Academy Award winner wrapped up with a padded North Face black coat and completed her outfit with a pair of black heavy duty shoes Team job: She ripped off the big coat with the help of a few crew members Chilly? She donned a burgundy zip-up hoodie and carried her essentials in a blue duffel bag which she threw over her shoulder What a pair! The leading actors stared into the distance while standing at the bottom of some steps It comes one year after it was first announced that the two would be working on the thriller together. Details of the forthcoming work have been kept under wraps - it's unknown what exact roles the two are playing. Halle recently worked with the popular streaming platform, premiering her 2021 directorial debut Bruised there. Walking: Her co-star, 50, wore a navy T-shirt and jeans which he layered beneath a bomber jacket of the same colour, as they strolled through Hyde Par Gorgeous: The James Bond star, who has sported shorter locks several times over the years, recently showed off her new 'do on Instagram Talented: Mark is serving as a producer of the film, in addition to starring alongside Halle Look at this: The Die Another Day star appeared to be glued to her phone She also starred in the movie, which told the story of a disgraced MMA fighter named Jackie Justice. As for Mark's recent work, he currently stars in the movie Father Stu, which was released April 15. In October he'll mark the 25th anniversary of his breakout film Boogie Nights. Distracted: Mark looked up into the sky despite Halle's best efforts at a conversation Stunning: Halle wowed onlookers as she turned the park's pathways into her very own street-side fashion show Team: It comes one year after it was first announced that the two would be working on the thriller together Mystery: Details of the forthcoming work have been kept under wraps - it's unknown what exact roles the two are playing Alec and Hilaria Baldwin's son Rafael broke his arm when playing in a park in New York on Wednesday, causing him to spent hours inside the Lenox Hill Hospital. Hilaria, 36, took to Instagram to share photos of their six-year-old son including a snap where her 64-year-old husband held their little one in his arms while Rafael wore a sling. Another shot showed Rafael with breathing tubes spreading out all over his face and sticking in his nose. Scary: Alec and Hilaria Baldwin's son Rafael spent hours in the hospital after breaking his arm on Wednesday In a different picture, Rafael laid on the floor on top of myriad pillows while he tried to sleep. A couple of his siblings seemed to take a serious interest in his cast, and he showed them his new arm adornment. Hilaria, a yoga instructor and author, shared the long and difficult experience in her post's caption. Keeping fans in the loop: Hilaria, 36, took to Instagram to share photos of their 6-year-old son Breathing tubes: One shot showed Rafael with breathing tubes spreading out all over his face and sticking in his nose 'Really bad': Hilaria wrote that Rafael 'broke his arm really badly yesterday, playing at the park' 'Rafa broke his arm really badly yesterday, playing at the park,' the caption read. 'You will see him with a cast for quite a while now, so I wanted to give you a heads up. Thank you Lennox Hill emergency room for taking such good care of our baby. So grateful to the doctors and the nurses for your expertise and kindness. 'This is a part of being a parent that is so heartbreaking. We were with the babies when it happened and to get that call makes your heart sink. His little voice on the phone I want my mommyknowing even the 20 min to get to him is 20 min too long. 'To not be able to immediately take away their pain and fearoooof nothing prepares us for this, right? We were at the hospital until pretty late and then we made a bed on our floor (wild sleeper, was afraid he might fall off our bed). How many times he called out for me last night, I do not know. At one point I heard him whispering to himself, recounting what happened, saying over and over: I broke my arm.' She finished off her post on a positive note, writing, 'We are relieved that, while it will be a long recovery road, he is certainly on it [pink hearts emoji].' Thanking medical pros: She wrote, 'Thank you Lennox Hill emergency room for taking such good care of our baby. So grateful to the doctors and the nurses for your expertise and kindness' Sleeping on the floor: Baldwin shared a snap of Rafael sleeping on the floor because they were worried he might roll off his bed during the night Intrigued: A couple of his siblings seemed to take a serious interest in his cast, and he showed them his new arm adornment Hilaria and Alec married back in 2012 and have quickly built a huge family together. They share six children: Carmen, 8, Rafael, 6, Leonardo, 5, Romero, 3, Eduardo, 1, and Lucia, 1. The pair told People last month that they are also expecting their seventh child later this year. 'Our capacity to love continues to expand and we can't wait to embrace our new little one this fall!' they wrote in their statement. Happy together: Hilaria and Alec married back in 2012 and have quickly built a huge family together (pictured 2021) One big happy family: They share six children: Carmen, 8, Rafael, 6, Leonardo, 5, Romero, 3, Eduardo, 1, and Lucia, 1 (pictured 2021) The Baldwins have experienced quite a few difficulties recently with Alec still reeling from the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie Rust. Earlier this week, a new video emerged of the moment a distraught and confused Alec was told he had accidentally killed Hutchins. The footage was taken inside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in New Mexico on October 21, 2021, after Baldwin's prop gun fired a live round during a rehearsal for a scene. He had just finished telling cops that he didn't pull the trigger, and was therefore stunned when he saw what looked like a live round fire from his weapon and pierce through director Joel Souza's shoulder before striking Hutchins in the armpit. 'I have some unfortunate news. She didn't make it,' the investigator told him. Seventh baby on the way: The couple announced last month that they are expecting their seventh child together (pictured April 2022) New video came to light: Earlier this week, a new video emerged of the moment a distraught and confused Alec was told he had accidentally killed the cinematographer on his movie Rust last year He shot back in his seat, saying: 'No!' before asking if he can be excused to phone his wife, Hilaria. Baldwin left the room with his head in his hands. Seconds later, he was photographed in the parking lot of the sheriff's office, wailing as he spoke to Hilaria. At the time and even now, six months later, no one knows how a live bullet made its way into Baldwin's gun. Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for the movie Rust on October 21, 2021, when he pulled his gun from his costume. It fired and shot Hutchins, 42, in the armpit, fatally wounding her. The gun fired a live round which had been loaded into what Baldwin thought was an empty gun. It comes after Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza on Tuesday suggested Baldwin may still face charges for accidentally killing Hutchins. The Santa Fe Sheriff's Office this week released a trove of documents and videos from their investigation into the on-set accident. Gone too soon: Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for the movie Rust on October 21, 2021, when he pulled his gun from his costume. It fired and shot Hutchins, 42, Halyna So many questions: The gun fired a live round which had been loaded into what Baldwin thought was an empty gun More new footage has also emerged of Baldwin in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with the actor telling police that he was 'the one holding the gun' and asking for a cigarette to calm himself down. Video shows Baldwin sitting down outside the set smoking the cigarette that was handed to him. He then asks how Hutchins is doing before a police officer says that her status is 'questionable'. It comes as Sheriff Mendoza said that Baldwin could still face charges because he was who was handling the weapon. Appearing on Good Morning America on Tuesday, Sheriff Mendoza said 'He was the one that handled the weapon that fired the round that led to the fatality. 'We're going to work with the DA's office to determine if there is criminal neglect or criminal charges. We kind of know who didn't do their jobs here. That was one of the key questions. Elizabeth Taylor snuck into the hospital to see Rock Hudson on his deathbed. The legendary actress - who herself died from heart failure at the age of 79 back in 2011 - had struck up a friendship with her Giant co-star Rock Hudson and rushed to his bedside with the help of his doctor Michael Gottlieb as he lay dying from AIDS at the age of 59 in 1985. 'I picked Elizabeth up in my old station wagon and we managed to get in through a loading dock at the back of the hospital to see him,' Dr Gottlieb told Closer Weekly magazine. There for him: Elizabeth Taylor snuck into the hospital to see Rock Hudson on his deathbed. The legendary actress - who herself died from heart failure at the age of 79 back in 2011 - had struck up a friendship with her Giant co-star Rock Hudson and rushed to his bedside; seen in their film Giant in 1956 She had friends: The star got into the hospital with the help of his doctor Michael Gottlieb as Hudson lay dying from AIDS at the age of 59 in in 1985. Seen in 1950 The Written On The Wind star was initially married to secretary Phyllis Gates during the 1950s in attempt to conceal his homosexuality - which was already an 'open secret' in Hollywood - from the public but he was diagnosed with AIDS in early 1980s. Dr Gottlieb went on to explain that Hudson knew that he had a very serious illness. 'Rock understood the implications of having AIDS in those early days. He was calm and hoped for the best,' said the doctor. After the actor's death the physician and the Cleopatra star became friends as a result of the tragedy. She needed to see him: 'I picked Elizabeth up in my old station wagon and we managed to get in through a loading dock at the back of the hospital to see him,' Dr Gottlieb told Closer Weekly magazine. Seen in Giant He knew he was going to die: Dr Gottlieb went on to explain that Hudson knew that he had a very serious illness. 'Rock understood the implications of having AIDS in those early days. He was calm and hoped for the best,' said the doctor. Rock and Elizabeth in Giant '[After his death], Elizabeth became a friend to me,' added the doctor. And they did good together. 'Together, we started the American Foundation for AIDS research. Elizabeth was the most prominent person to come forward as an advocate. 'She had access to the White House and made a huge difference.' Longtime pals: Here Taylor and Hudson are seen together at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in 1956 Meanwhile, biographer Mark Griffin explained to the outlet that Elizabeth already had two gay friends who had died from the disease and that Rock's diagnosis only 'cemented' her activism. He said: 'Elizabeth had two gay assistants who died of AIDS early on in the crisis. Rock's illness further cemented her determination to raise funds for research and treatment.' Rock was one of the biggest stars of his day as he lit up the comedies Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me Now Flowers (1964) with blonde beauty Doris Day. Always buddies: The Hollywood icons were seen leaving the Savoy Hotel in 1980 in London That same year: There were seen again in 1980 in London as they went out for the evening And he also starred in the acclaimed dramas Magnificent Obsession (1954) and All That Heaven Allows (1955) with Jane Wyman. Taylor is considered one of the biggest female actresses of all time as she went from child star with National Velvet to adult star with A Place In The Sun and Hollywodo goddess with Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Taylor was also known for her eight marriages which included two walks down the isle with actor Richard Burton. She was also wed to Mike Todd and Michael Wilding. A top draw: Taylor is considered one of the biggest female actresses of all time as she went from child star with National Velvet to adult star with A Place In The Sun and Hollywodo goddess with Cat On A Hot Tin Roof This story comes after news Katy Perry is to launch a podcast based on the life of Taylor. The 37-year-old pop star has 'always felt a kinship' towards the iconic actress and will narrate the ten-part audio series Elizabeth the First. In a statement, Katy said: 'Like most people, I was attracted to her glamour, and in my own life, I continue to find myself referencing her through some of my visuals. I've always felt a kinship towards her I've even literally bathed in the same bathtub where she made that bar-setting 'Cleopatra' deal!' Elizabeth is remembered for starring as the title role in 1963 epic 'Cleopatra' - based on the life of the Ancient Egyptian Queen - but was also amongst the first celebrities to participate in HIV/AIDS activism, a move which the I Kissed a Girl hitmaker finds 'inspiring.' So much class: Taylor was also known for her eight marriages which included two walks down the isle with actor Richard Burton. She was also wed to Mike Todd and Michael Wilding; seen in 1953 in Rome She added: 'I'm inspired by her bold activism, her constant boss moves in business, and through it all, an unapologetic way of loving all things I try to live in my own life. It's an honor to be able to share her story in this way.' The series will feature stories from people closest to Elizabeth. And it will premiere exclusive audio interviews from her estate at the House of Taylor and will touch on her then-ground-breaking public announcement that she was seeking help for her alcoholism and drug addiction. Coming back to life: This story comes after news Katy Perry is to launch a podcast based on the life of Taylor. The 37-year-old pop star has 'always felt a kinship' towards the iconic actress and will narrate the ten-part audio series Elizabeth the First. Seen in 1950 House of Taylor said in a statement: 'We are proud to announce this truly innovative and unique podcast about Elizabeth. During her lifetime, Elizabeth Taylor was arguably the most famous woman in the world. As such, she was talked about, written about, photographed, referenced and celebrated ad infinitum. She was also judged, analyzed and lived her life under the constant scrutiny of the press and public. 'What makes Elizabeth the First extraordinarily special is that this will be the first narrative that explores Elizabeth as the original multihyphenate.' Elizabeth the First will debut later this spring on all major podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify. Chrishell Stause branded Christine Quinn a gold-digger who has 'openly admitted that she married for money' during Selling Sunset season five. The reality star, 40, was hitting back at Christine's accusations that she was only 'f***king the boss' in order to get better listings - a reference to her fling with brokerage owner Jason Oppenheim. Christine married tech entrepreneur Christian Dumontet - who is worth an estimated $20million - in 2019 and the couple share a baby son Christian. Drama: Chrishell Stause (pictured) branded Christine Quinn a gold-digger who 'openly admitted that she married for money' during Selling Sunset season five In tense series five scenes Chrishell is fuming to here that Christine thinks she is dating Jason to get up the career ladder quicker. Christine says to Jason while they enjoy a cosy night in: 'Are you not going to talk to her about when she said I was only getting listings because I'm f**king the boss? This is ridiculous. 'It's so hard to bite my tongue on this because she openly doesn't work, she says very openly that she married for money! 'If she put half the effort she does into tearing people down as she to real estate she would be far more successful and she wouldn't have to marry for money. Stop trying to take people down!' Awkward: The reality star, 40, was hitting back at Christine's accusations that she was only 'f***king the boss' in order to get better listings - a reference to her fling with brokerage owner Jason Oppenheim An earlier episode showed Chrishell talking about her dating life saying she had dated 'geriatric f**ks' in the past and alluded to only caring about how rich a man is. 'I don't really care about looks, I have dated 25-year-old guys, and geriatric f***s. I really do not care about looks!', she said to newcomer Chelsea Lazkani as they had a coffee. Chelsea then quipped 'you just care about money?!' to which Christine looked over at her with a knowing grin. Chelsea then added: 'You taste is like credit score!' Family: Christine married tech entrepreneur Christian Dumontet - who is worth an estimated $20million - in 2019 and the couple share a baby son Christian Christine then clapped back: 'Let's be honest, real rich people don't have credit because they don't need to take out loans.' Before getting married, Christine had a solid net worth of $1.5M as per Celebrity Net Worth. As per Forbes in 2022, Christian sold his company, Foodler, to Grubhub in 2017 for $65 million. Christian is reportedly worth $20M as per Bustle and Hollywood Worth. Upset: In tense series five scenes Chrishell is fuming to here that Christine thinks she is dating Jason to get up the career ladder quicker (Chrishell and Jason are pictured together) Selling Sunset recently returned to Netflix with its fifth season, bringing with it caviar, couture and a slew of jaw-dropping million dollar listings. Fans were also introduced to British newcomer Chelsea Lazkani, who quickly adopted a new BFF in Christine Quinn and wasted no time in securing herself a desk at the Oppenheim Group. Of course, series five hasn't been without its usual drama too, with tensions between Christine and the rest of the girls in the office reaching fever pitch. New research from Slingo has taken a deep dive into the popularity of each Selling Sunset cast member with Christine still proving to be top dog, according to the amount of new followers each cast member gained on Instagram. Over a five-day period, Christine racked up the highest number of new followers, with her account attracting an impressive 191,893. A breakdown of the total of new Instagram followers each day between April 20 and April 24 reveals Christine landed an impressive 117,038 new followers alone the day after series five dropped, the highest total of any cast member. Couple: As per Forbes in 2022, Christian sold his company, Foodler, to Grubhub in 2017 for $65 million (Christian and Christine are pictured in September 2021) Christine's total increase in new followers was more than double what her rival co-stars received, with Emma Hernan coming in second with 57,884 and Chrishell Stause in third with 48,973. Also joining the girls in the top five, not surprisingly, was newcomer Chelsea (39,205), with fans clearly curious to find out more about the self-proclaimed girl boss, and Mary Fitzgerald (27,010). Davina Potratz appeared to be the least popular with viewers, only drawing in 3,991 new followers in the days surrounding the new series dropping. Bianca Wallace showed her love for her boyfriend Ioan Gruffudd as she shared snaps of the pair during a romantic getaway to Scotland on Thursday. The actress, 29, certainly looked smitten as she cosied up to her partner, 48, against an idyllic mountain-lined backdrop. It comes days after his ex wife Alice Evans detailed occasionally seeing her true self coming back. In January 2021, she confirmed her marriage with Ioan had broken down before claiming he'd had an affair with the Australian star. Couple: Bianca Wallace, 29, cosied up to her boyfriend Ioan Gruffudd, 48, during a romantic Scotland getaway on Thursday... after his ex wife Alice Evans, 53, detailed 'coming back' almost 18 months after split In Bianca's caption, she wrote: 'A little bit of stunning Scotland,' while posing with the sea behind her, as well as the ruins of a medieval building. The pair - who went Instagram official last October - appeared to be going the distance as they continued their loved-up European trip in previous snaps. Showing off her beau's photography skills, the pretty brunette uploaded some stunning shots on Wednesday. She penned: 'Yos photography + B + Scotland An incredibly great time.' Fingers crossed: And on Sunday evening, Alice shared a makeup-free but heavily edited selfie to her Instagram as she detailed occasionally seeing her true self coming back And on Sunday evening, Alice shared a makeup-free but heavily edited selfie to her Instagram as she detailed occasionally seeing her true self coming back. The actress admitted: 'A big shock takes a while to get over!' as she touched on having been 'fooled' and thinking about what she 'did wrong' while coming to terms with the split. Alice wrote alongside her selfie: 'The real me. Almost 18 months later. No make up, just a bit of help erasing the flaky patches. Beaming: In Bianca's caption, she wrote: 'A little bit of stunning Scotland,' while posing with the sea behind her, as well as the ruins of a medieval building These things change slowly, i'm afraid ( unless you're on one of those Home Maintenance shows. Those girls seem to move from partner to partner with greatest of ease and procreate like rabbits.) I hand it to them! But me? No. A big shock takes a while to get over and necessitated a lot of thinking. Waft I did wrong, what I can improve. 'Because you know at the end of the day: Fool me once, shame on.. shame on.. what is it? Godamnit! YOU FOOLED CAN CANt GET FOOLED AGAIN! Ya get it!! Now take this goddamn microphone off before it strangles me. Candid! Alice admitted: 'A big shock takes a while to get over!' as she touched on having been 'fooled' and thinking about what she 'did wrong' while coming to terms with the split 'Apologizes. This was meant to be a serious and sensitive post. And it still is, I took a picture of myself almost every day since it happened to see if I could see 'me' coming back 'Occasionally I do! But I guess not today! Love to ALL OF YOU.' 102 Dalmatians star Alice announced her split from Welsh actor Ioan in a series of angry tweets last January. He subsequently a new romance with Bianca in October. Alice dramatically quit Twitter recently after slamming Bianca over a perceived 'lack of empathy'. The ex: In January 2021, she publicly confirmed that her marriage with estranged husband Ioan had broken down (Pictured together in June 2018) Just last month, Alice claimed that she and her daughters 'will be homeless in two months', amid her legal battle with her ex. The actress shared the update as she alleged that her children, Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, will be losing 'the only house they have ever known.' Taking to Instagram, the mother-of-two shared a candid photo before explaining her situation to her followers. Alongside a photo she penned: 'Rough, rough day today. The girls and I found out we are going to lose the only house they have ever known. In two months we will be homeless.' 'I hesitated about sharing, because when your ex has paid good money to have you gagged and you risk jail by speaking out. (Communist China, anyone?) it gets really scary. Family: Last month, Alice shared a candid photo to Instagram before explaining that she and her daughters are facing homelessness (Pictured with Ella, 12, and Elsie, 8, in 2018) Heartbreaking: She penned: 'The girls and I found out we are going to lose the only house they have ever known. In two months we will be homeless' 'But driving home tonight after hacking dropped both girls at different play dates/ parties, arranged to pick them up, been told how much they'll miss me and that they can't wait to have 'family day at home' tomorrow, I feel the tears starting again. Tears of fear. Tears of the possibility of breaking their hearts. 'They love this house. It wouldn't be the end of the world. We can find a condo to rent somewhere I'm sure. 'Just feeling wistful tonight! Bear with me, I'll be back! I promise!' Alice's update follows the news that she applied for legal and physical custody of her children following her legal battle with her ex-husband, Ioan. Exes: Alice's update follows the news that she applied for legal and physical custody of her children following her legal battle with her ex-husband, Ioan In court documents obtained by People, the actress asked that visitation rights be granted to Ioan. She also requested 'spousal support, termination of the court's ability to award spousal support to Gruffudd, and for her attorney fees to be paid by her estranged husband', while citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for their split. The 102 Dalmatians star previously asked the court to determine the rights to their family home in Los Angeles. Ioan had been married to Alice for 14 years before he filed for divorce in March last year, later applying for a restraining order in February 2022. Alice and Ioan's representatives have been contacted for comment by MailOnline. Shock: The 102 Dalmatians star had asked the court to determine the rights to their family home in Los Angeles (L-R: Elsie and Ella) It comes after the actress laid into his new girlfriend Bianca in a series of abusive texts, calling her a 'vixen' and telling him she has 'your nuts stuck in her veneers' - according to a bombshell court filing. The Welsh actor submitted 113 pages of abusive text messages, emails and social media posts as he applied for a restraining order against his ex, claiming she threatened to do to him 'what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp' and paint him as a drug-addicted abuser. In his court filing, Ioan claims he told Alice he wanted out of the marriage in August 2020 and since then, she has harassed him with hundreds of unanswered text messages, abusive emails and social media posts - many of which he included in the filing. Family drama: She is also requesting 'spousal support, termination of the court's ability to award spousal support to Gruffudd' One message read: 'If you throw me out of the house, I will call all the tabloids in the UK. There is NO going back now though. I just think you should know what you've gotten yourself into. You think you have a bad reputation now? Lol! 'You think once it's over I will stop talking? I am going to dedicate the rest of my life to spreading awareness of what you have done,' she said in one text. She went on to allege that he'd told her of times castmates bought cocaine, and that he never gave her sexual pleasure. 'Your face and body now look hideous to me. I am starting on dating apps...,' one text read, while in another she writes: 'I have no idea why the hell I fell in love with you.' At other times she appears apologetic, writing: 'I'm sorry I sent ranting texts last night, I'll try really hard not to do it any more.' But the messages quickly revert again to being abusive, but then quickly flips back to insulting him. In a written statement, Ioan claims she verbally threatened to tell the media he had abused her and do 'what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp'. Back then: In court documents, the actress asked that visitation rights be granted to Ioan 'Alice told me verbally multiple times that she would do to me what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp. 'Alice threatened to tell people I had abused her and our daughters; she threatened to call the police on me if I did not comply with her demands; she threatened to tell people I am a drug addict and put me in prison; she threatened to write a fake diary that reflected an abused victim, and to have the diary published; and she threatened to destroy my mother. 'Alice told me she would win, and everyone would believe her over me.' In her response in court, Alice said she had 'never threatened' him with slanderous statements or harassed him. Her representatives have not responded to requests for comment about the texts and emails contained in the lawsuit. New woman: Ioan had been married to Alice for 14 years before he filed for divorce in March. Their messy split centres around his new relationship with Bianca Wallace (pictured) In the declaration, Ioan goes on to claim Alice had already made 'false and harassing' posts about him on social media', as well as sending 'hundreds' of abusive emails, texts and video calls. Dozens of messages were included in the court documents, in which Alice appeared to criticize the star for not working. 'It' embarrassing now that everybody is telling me you are done. That nobody wants to [employ] you. That Dom West is at the top of the lists because he 'did the right thing'. And by the way it doesn't matter what is really going on in the relationship, for god's sake. It's about appearances. Jesus Christ think of Cary grant and Rock Hudson. 'Why on EARTH do you think Tom Cruise and John Travolta went to such extents? I'm increasingly angry that you have sabotaged your career. Insanely angry. I GAVE UP my career for this. Bombshell: Texts from Alice to Ioan include many about their kids, custody agreements and her ranting about other portions of their lives At odds: In her court filing, Alice said she that had never 'threatened or harassed' Ioan. Her attorneys and reps have not commented on the texts that were submitted 'And you throw it away because you feel a stronger connection to [your parents] than you do to your own brethren? It's just so confusing. . . You KNOW your Mum is a mental case. Why on earth do you want to give up everything we've established for the sake of somebody who doesn't even love you?' She added: 'Your face and body now look hideous to me. I am starting on dating apps ( not had the balls to actually go live yet) because I want to find a man who really loves me after being deprived of that for 20 whole years. 'I am convinced I still have time, and my personality will shine through. I have no idea why the hell I fell in love with you. Biggest mistake if my life. ( except for the kids)' The actor claimed she had also turned on his new girlfriend, Bianca, such as by publishing private information about her. He continued: 'It was extremely upsetting and stressful for me to continuously receive these types of hostile and aggressive text messages from Alice. On July 22, 2021, I blocked Alice's phone number on my phone.' Serious: Alice is also requesting 'for her attorney fees to be paid by her estranged husband', while citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for their split One of the examples appeared to show Alice saying: 'Dude your film with Bianca is the most embarrassing thing I have EVER seen in Deadline. . . You have left a family you were providing for. You had SPECIFICALLY asked this loving family to wait for you while you worked abroad. We did. 'Then you met the most psychopathic succubus ever minnow to man, and fell for her. even Prince Harry... whatever. No NO NO NO nO. 'Find some financing then make whatever film you want. But don't take away everything you have because some vixen has your nuts between her veneers. PS: There is already betting on how long until she leaves you! PROPER BETTING! Now THAT'S famous.' Alice rejected all the claims made by Ioan in the restraining order application. She wrote: 'I believe that Petitioner is filing this request merely as a ploy to gain some sort of advantage over me in our divorce proceedings. 'As Petitioner has not seen our children for over 8 months, I believe he is trying to set some type of record that I am a horrible mother.' Alice and Ioan confirmed their split in a series of furious tweets posted in January 2021. She has since documented every toxic turn in their subsequent divorce proceedings across social media, and repeatedly slated him for being in a relationship with Bianca Wallace. Nadiya Bychkova stepped out in a plunging checked blazer as she arrived at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester on Thursday. The dancer, 32, who is gearing up for the Strictly Come Dancing The Professionals tour later tonight, put on a passionate performance alongside her beau Kai Widdrington during the earlier dress rehearsal. She put on a very chic display in the stylish trouser suit as she strolled down the street clutching two coffees. Tea for two? Nadiya Bychkova, 32, stepped out in a plunging blazer ahead of The Professionals tour on Thursday... after a passionate dress rehearsal with beau Kai Widdrington Nadiya elongated her toned pins with a pair of white quilted mules and carried a Chanel tote bag with a silver chain strap. She styled her bright blonde locks in loose waves and added lashings of mascara to complete her look. Elsewhere, Nadiya and her beau Kai, 26, were every inch the smitten Strictly stars on Wednesday evening as they danced together during the dress rehearsal for The Professionals UK Tour. Elegant: She put on a very chic display in the stylish trouser suit as she strolled down the street clutching two coffees Fashion forward: Nadiya elongated her toned pins with a pair of white quilted mules and carried a Chanel tote bag with a silver chain strap The couple are said to have taken the next step in their relationship and moved in together after going Instagram official with their romance earlier this month. Their chemistry was undeniable as the professional dancers twirled around the dance floor together. Nadiya wore a sparkling champagne-coloured gown with a full skirt, while Kai cut a dashing figure in a silk navy waistcoat. Loved-up: Elsewhere, Nadiya and her beau Kai, 26, were every inch the smitten Strictly stars on Wednesday evening as they danced together during the dress rehearsal The dancer then slipped into a black fringe midi skirt with a daringly high slit to show off her lithe legs. She paired it with a leather jacket and a black crop top that put her toned midriff on full display. Nadiya recently moved her things into Kai's place after growing close over the last few weeks, according to The Sun. Incredible: Nadiya then slipped into a black fringe midi skirt with a daringly high slit to show off her lithe legs They are thought to have been dating since January following Nadiya's split from her ex-fiance Matija Skarabot. A source said: 'Moving in together was the obvious next step for Nadiya and Kai. Theyve grown so close and it just made sense. 'Kai helped Nadiya move in her belongings this week and theyre excited about making their property feel like a shared home.' The first show kicks off at the Salford's Lowry Theatre and then dances its way around the country, culminating at Aberdeen's P&J Live on 30 May. Hollywood star Alan Cumming has offered money for the return of an old friend. On Thursday it was revealed by Variety that the 57-year-old actor will pay $10,000 for anyone who can locate the missing chimpanzee Tonka. PETA shared it would add another $10,000 to that number bringing the reward to $20,000. Cumming has a soft spot for his 'friend' Tonka after the two co-starred in the 1997 movie Buddy along with Rene Russo. He wants to help: Hollywood star Alan Cumming has offered money for the return of an old friend. Seen in March in Scotland Alan has even spoken out about the animal star in a statement shared this week. Cumming said, 'During the months we filmed together, baby Tonka and I became good friends, playing and grooming each other and just generally larking about.' He added, 'Its horrible to think he might in a cage in a dark basement somewhere or have met some other fate, so Im appealing to whoever knows what has become of him to please come forward claim the reward.' At the film premiere in Los Angeles in 1997, he was seen beaming as he held onto Tonka, who was young at the time. Help Tonga: On Thursday it was revealed that the Scottish actor will pay $10,000 for anyone who can located the missing male chimpanzee Tonka. Seen in 1997 in Los Angeles Tonka was last seen in a cage, which PETA claimed was 'filthy,' in a breeding facility in Missouri called Missouri Primate Foundation. The facility was where chimps were bred then sold to private owners; it is also where animals would be rented out for movies and parties. It has since been closed and no one seems to be able to locate Tonka. PETA has also offered an additional $10,000 reward for anyone who can find Tonka, bringing the total cash reward to $20,000 after Cumming's amount is added in. PETA had sued the Missouri Primate Foundation over the chimpanzees living conditions. They worked together: Cumming has a soft spot for his 'friend' Tonka after the two co-starred in the 1997 movie Buddy along with Rene Russo. Seen in 1997 The organization said the enclosures were also 'barren.' PETA was then allowed to take Tonka and six other chimpanzees to a sanctuary. But when PETA arrived to move Tonka in July 2021 the animal count not be found. According to PETA: 'Owner Tonia Haddix claimed that [Tonka] had "died," but told various stories that didnt add up and failed to prove that this was the case. She had previously stated that PETA would never get him. In January, a judge found that mystery surrounds the primates disappearance and that Haddixs testimony was not credible, leaving PETA and Cumming to try to determine his whereabouts or perhaps his final resting place.' Anyone with information should call PETA at 757-622-PETA or submit their findings at PETA.org/Tonka. He loved his pal Tonga: Here Cumming is seen in the film as two chimps play on a see-saw The film Buddy was about wealthy eccentric Trudy (Rene Russo) who collects wild animals. She then meets the sicky young gorilla Buddy and raises him as her own child, dressing him in up and training him. But as Buddy grows older and larger, Trudy is unable to restrain him from turning increasingly violent, according to the film's synopsis. The story is loosely based on a real life socialite from the 1920s who raised animals in her mansion. She wanted to protest 'inhumane zoo conditions,' according to the Tampa Bay Times. Advertisement James Corden will step down as the host of The Late Late Show at the end of next season amid plans to spend more time back home in the UK, DailyMail.com can confirm. The Brit, 43, made the decision to quit at the end of season eight despite the best efforts of CBS executives who exclusively told DailyMail.com that they 'desperately tried to keep him for longer.' The star and his wife of 10 years Jules are mulling over a return to the UK with their three children Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four, but they are still trying to 'figure out' what's next for the family. An insider tells DailyMail.com that spending more time in the UK when the show ends is 'definitely on the horizon'. Another source suggested he is planning on moving close to West Ham United's London Stadium in east London. An insider told the Sun: 'James and Jules have had barely any time to see their families in the UK over the past few years due to his work schedule. They will go backwards and forwards for a while. 'Long-term, they both want to see more of their parents and are considering a permanent move back in a couple of years. 'They sold their house in London so would have to look for a new base in the capital.' The Late Late Show, which films out of Los Angeles, first premiered in 1995 with host Tom Snyder. Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson followed as host until James Corden came along in 2015. Corden promised to 'go out with a bang' as he informed audiences of his decision to step down as the host of The Late Late Show. Revealing the news during the latest episode of the US talk show he said the show had 'changed my life' and promised there would be 'lots of tears' when his tenure came to an end. 'Seven and half years ago I started hosting this show and there's no other way to put it, it has changed my life,' he said. 'I never saw as it as my final destination, and I never want this show to overstay its welcome, I love making it and I really think in a year from now that will be a good time to move on and see what's out there.' He added: 'We are all determined to make this the best year we have ever had...we are going to go out with a bang. 'The fact that you watch this...all over the world...is an absolute privilege for me and every single person who makes this show.' He's out! James Corden will step down as the host of The Late Late Show at the end of next season, DailyMail.com can confirm The next move: Jules are mulling over a return to the UK with three children Max, 11, Carey, seven, and Charlotte, four, but they are still trying to 'figure out' what they will do 'We [CBS] desperately tried to keep him for longer but James only wanted to do one final year that will keep him on the show until next year,' a senior CBS source revealed. 'He's been such a hit for us for so many years, we will miss him very much.' 'It's very rare to find a talent who can redefine a long running format. His skits went viral globally, smashing records and creating the most watched online clips in the history of late night TV,' they continued. 'The biggest stars in the world have appeared on his show - which even took him to the White House!' Corden told Deadline it's been a difficult decision after enjoying such huge success. 'It's been it's a really hard decision to leave because I'm so immensely proud of the show. I'm thrilled to be extending [for a year]. I always thought I'd do it for five years and then leave and then I stayed on. I've really been thinking about it for a long time, thinking whether there might be one more adventure.' When asked if he plans to move home, Corden said he and his wife 'genuinely don't know the answer to that'. 'It's something we think about and we talk about a lot but we haven't really made a decision on that yet. That's the life side of things which we'll figure out,' he added. 'I love living here [in LA]. I love everything it's given. My family and I have never taken this incredible adventure for granted. Every day I drive down Sunset to work and I just think I'm from High Wycombe.' James Corden before an episode of Carpool Karaoke in London with Paul McCartney, one of the many celebs to appear on his show 'We [CBS] desperately tried to keep him for longer but James only wanted to do one final year that will keep him on the show until next year,' a senior CBS source revealed. 'He's been such a hit for us for so many years, we will miss him very much.' Several stars have appeared on the Late Late Show with James Corden. They include the likes of Cher and Phoebe Waller-Bridge The Late Late Show: An A-list favourite James Corden has played host to many A-lister guests on the Late Late Show. Famous faces who've appeared on his show include: Tom Hanks Lady Gaga One Direction Britney Spears Chris Martin Stevie Wonder Elton John Madonna Julia Roberts George Clooney Christina Aguilera The show has also won a slew of awards, picking up 11 gongs and being nominated for 33 more. Its wins include: Primetime Emmy 2016 - Outstanding Interactive Program Critics Choice Award 2020 - Best talk show Critics' Choice TV Award 2016 - Best talk show Telly Awards 2018 - Bronze Telly Comedy Use of Humor Webby Awards 2021 - Social - Celebrity/Fan Social - Entertainment Video - Comedy: Shortform Webby Awards 2020 - Video - Entertainment (Video Series & Channels) YouTube Creator awards 2017 - Diamond Creator Award Advertisement He did admit he's eager to spend more time with his close pal Mark Noble, who is the captain of his favorite football team West Ham United. Noble is retiring at the end of this season. 'He's the happiest that I'm not leaving in September because he's desperate to get out and play some golf,' Corden said. 'I'll have been here for eight and a half years, he's been at that club since he was nine. Nothing makes me happier to be thought of in the same breath as Mark Noble but I would be undeserving of such praise.' An insider added to DailyMail: 'What's next? Well James is focused on producing a really spectacular current and final season of the show.' 'He'll also be launching Mammals in autumn (Fall), which he is excited about.' 'However more time in the UK after filming wraps is definitely on the horizon as he is very close with his family there.' Under Corden's tenure at The Late Late Show, he developed smash hit segments like Carpool Karaoke, where he drives a celebrity around and they sing together. Carpool Karaoke was later spun off into its own show for Apple in 2017 and even took home an Emmy Award. It currently in season five. 'He told us that he has had an amazing time and is incredibly grateful to CBS but feels now is right time to go out on a high and make his final year the biggest one yet,' a CBS source said. 'James and the show have won countless Emmys, he's won a Critics Choice as well as winning a Tony Award in 2012 before taking his post at CBS. He immediately won critics and fans over as well as the huge celebrities he managed to secure.' The father-of-three has previously referred to his team on the show as his family and even paid them out of his own pocket during the pandemic. James' time at the network has not been without controversy, however. In 2021, the show was forced to change one of Corden's more famous skits, Spill Your Guts, after it as accused of being anti-Asian. The segment, which has featured stars such as Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, sees participants presented with the choice of either answering a prying question or eating something dubbed 'gross'. Several of the unpalatable items hailed from Asian culture and Corden himself had called many of them 'disgusting.' Last summer, a TikTok user launched the Change.org petition which garnered nearly 50,000 signatures and James later announced on the Howard Stern Show that he would no longer use Asian foods in the segment. But Corden admits leaving the show will be a bittersweet farewell for him. 'I'll miss the adrenaline of thinking 'Next week I'm going to jump out of a plane with Tom Cruise or in two weeks' time, we're going to drive around the White House in a car with Michelle Obama or sing Penny Lane with Paul McCartney driving down Penny Lane,' he said. The Late Late Show with James Corden has become a smash-hit. Pictured is Corden with Benedict Cumberbatch and Kylie Minogue Issues: James' time at the network has not been without controversy, however. In 2021, the show was forced to change one of Corden's more famous skits, Spill Your Guts, after it as accused of being anti-Asian Leading man: The Late Late Show premiered in 1995 with Tom Snyder as host, Corden (pictured with guests Julie Andrews and Kristen Bell) took over in 2015 following Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson Beyond his own show, James hosted the Tony Awards and Grammy Awards, as well as fronting other prime time shows for CBS and the Friends reunion for HBO Max. He also has a film career starring in movies like Peter Rabbit, Prom, Into the Woods, Trolls and Cats. He will appear in a new Prime Video drama, Mammals, later this year - his first British TV role since his Gavin And Stacey Christmas special broke records as the most watched non spring event in the UK of the last decade. From Hollyoaks to Hollywood: How lad from High Wycombe who started out in soap became friend of royalty and one half of Tinseltown power couple with some of showbiz's biggest players on speed-dial James Corden is set to leave the Late Late Show to spend more time with his family in the UK, capping an extraordinary journey for a star who first found fame as an Essex lad before schmoozing his way into a Los Angeles lifestyle that rivals that of any global megastar. Corden and his interior designer wife Julia have a roll-call of Hollywood royalty on speed-dial after carefully cultivating connections with the industry's biggest movers and shakers. The Cordens' social status was cemented when they were invited to the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding where James was asked to compere the private evening reception. There they were spotted chatting with the Clooneys who, it turns out, are among the clients' of Julia's interior design brand Charles & Co. Also there were David and Victoria Beckham, who also called upon the firm when it came to redecorating. Among the Cordens' close friends are Harry Styles and Dominic Cooper, while James has had everyone from Sir Elton John to Tom Hanks and Lady Gaga on his show. The couple also boast a home worthy of Hollywood superstars, living in a 7.3 million mansion in Brentwood, an upmarket LA suburb, with their three children. The property hast five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a pool, plus such typically Hollywood features as a wood-panelled library, cinema room and gym. However, it wasn't all glitz and glamour for Corden. The actor, 43, made his first stage appearance at the age of 18 in a one-line role. He then went on to interview Meat Loaf before enjoying a small role in an episode of Hollyoaks. He first came to prominence from 2000 to 2005, when he starred in Fat Friends as Jamie Rymer. His work in the series earned him a nomination for the 2000 Royal Television Society Award for Network Newcomer On Screen. The star's recent success is a far from cry from the small role he had in Hollyoaks at the start of his career (pictured) With the immense popularity of the Late Late Show and segments like Carpool Karaoke, James has become one of America's most beloved late night presenters Corden's Fat Friends co-star Ruth Jones would pay a pivotal role in his future, with the two combining for the popular BBC Three sitcom Gavin and Stacey. The duo co-wrote the smash-hit show and also starred as the titular characters' friends. His role as Essex lad Smithy catapulted Corden into British stardom. Suddenly, his face was everywhere and starred editions of Comic Relief, performed England's World Cup football song with Dizzie Rascal and was even given a guest role in an episode of Doctor Who. The Gavin And Stacey star first cracked America when his stage show One Man Two Guvnors transferred to Broadway in 2012 after a successful stint in the West End. He was then catapulted to worldwide fame after he made his debut as the presenter of The Late, Late Show in 2015, taking over the role from Craig Ferguson. With the immense popularity of segments like Carpool Karaoke, James has become one of America's most beloved late night presenters. And thanks to his success on The Late, Late Show, James has landed a number of roles in Hollywood films like Into The Woods and The Prom, and he has also hosted the Tony Awards. He has since reportedly more than doubled his wealth to a whopping 50m after moving to Hollywood. Following his move to LA, James has become one of the partners at film production company Fulwell 73 and seen his assets swell. He was previously estimated as being worth around 22m, however in the latest accounts from his company the business' assets are declared as 140m. The star also has earnings from his film and TV roles, with him thought to earn $7m for The Late Late Show, as well as millions of dollars tied up in his properties. After first finding fame as Essex lad Smithy in British sitcom Gavin and Stacey, James Corden has seen a meteoric rise to Hollywood A-lister (pictured, in the sitcom) Slimmed down: The star revealed last year that he has signed up to the health and fitness programme. Pictured left in 2018 and right in 2000 while starring Fat Friends From decorating the homes of celebrities to hosting them on a chatshow, Julia and James have settled into the centre of life in Los Angeles. Since relocating to the States, Corden has drawn other high-profile pals into his circle, including U2 frontman Bono and actor Sean Penn. Mary Poppins actress Emily Blunt and her American husband John Krasinski one of Hollywood's most popular power couples are regular guests at his home. When he was still a jobbing actor, known mainly for his role in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys, Corden shared a flat above a London doughnut shop with Dominic Cooper. Corden joked that there was no furniture and only one piece of cutlery, a spatula, and that the fridge contained only 'half a vitamin water and a Lindt chocolate bunny'. Today, he shares a 7.3 million mansion in Brentwood, an upmarket LA suburb, with Julia and their three children. There are five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a pool, plus such typically Hollywood features as a wood-panelled library, cinema room and gym. It also has its own spa and an office complete with high-tech film editing facilities. While he stays in LA, Corden rents out the family's 3 million London home in leafy Belsize Park for about 15,000 a month. His neighbours in Brentwood just a 20-minute drive from the CBS studios where his chat show is filmed include Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Crawford, Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg. 'The children are happy and healthy and love their circle of friends,' says the source. 'James is a devoted dad and spends a lot of time with the kids. His weekends are sacrosanct. Close friends for the presenter and actor include One Direction star Harry Styles, who James recently lent his Palm Springs home to Prince Harry and James Corden on the Late Late Show yesterday. The pair have been friends for years James and Julia were snapped chatting with fellow guests at the royal wedding, including George and Amal Clooney James has been close friends with the Duke of Sussex, 39, for a decade, with the presenter previously revealing they met 'out and about' in London. 'James knows none of this success would mean anything without Julia's love and support. His family means everything to him.' Out on the town, Corden favours the luxurious Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, where phone calls and photos are banned. Jennifer Aniston held her 50th birthday party there in February. Corden's tipple? Don Julio 1492 tequila at 120 a bottle. 'The best parties are at his house,' says the source. 'He'll hire a team of private chefs and you never know who will be there, from the heads of TV networks to stars like Emily Blunt.' There is, too, an unlikely friendship with Anna Wintour, the formidable British editor of American Vogue. They met after Anna saw Corden in the Broadway version of the play One Man, Two Guvnors in 2011 and sent him a card telling him she was his biggest fan. 'Through her, he has met everyone,' says the source. James' Carpool Karaoke has seen the funny-man bantering with megastars like Madonna, Britney Spears and Adele. Meanwhile stars among their closest circle include One Direction star Harry Styles, with Corden recently lending him his Palm Springs home while the musician was shooting his part in Wilde's new movie. His relationship with Mamma Mia star Dominic Cooper dates back to 2004 when they were rooming together and starring in The History Boys, a British campus comedy. Speaking of their days sharing a flat in London on James' chat show, The Late Late Show, Dominic reminisced on how they would often sleep in the same bed due to the lack of furniture. He said: 'We were never there at the same time much, were we? But when we were, there was absolutely no furniture.We had a bed, one bed. We only had one piece of cutlery which was a spatula. 'I remember one depressing evening, he caught me, he came home and I was eating baked beans with the spatula.' James added: 'We rented it furnished. It had no furniture in it and we never thought to complain.' It was Dominic who introduced James to now wife Julia, who was an old school friend of his. He told People : 'I said, 'Hi, Jules. You might be the most beautiful woman in the world.' She said, 'Well, thank you very much. That sounds like something you say a lot.' 'And I said, 'I've never said it before in my life.' That was it. That was it, really. I was in. And by an absolute miracle, so was she.' Later, the two slinked off to a corner to plan the rest of their lives, with James revealing: 'I remember saying to her, 'Well, what about on Friday we could do nothing together? You could come over and we could just do nothing. 'And then maybe we could do nothing on Saturday, and we could do nothing on the Sunday. And if our evenings are enough of nothing, then maybe this would become something.' 'And she said, 'That sounds like a fun idea.' James proposed on holiday in the Maldives in 2008, while Julia was expecting their eldest son Max. They married in September 2012 at Babington House, with a spectacular guest list including Lara Stone, comedian Michael McIntyre, and Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody. The couple also have two daughters, Charlotte, six, and Carey, three. James and Prince Harry have been friends for years. He previously told People: 'The friendship mostly started with being out and about the same places in London.' The chat show host and his wife Julia attended the royal wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018. At the time, he described the nuptials, revealing: 'It was so lovely. I've known Prince Harry about seven years now and it was wonderful. 'It was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've ever been to. It was gorgeous, it was a whole affair, it was happy, it was joyous, it was uplifting.' James made a showstopping entrance to the palace afterparty as it was claimed he arrived at Prince Harry and Meghan 's wedding reception dressed up as King Henry VIII. At the time, People Magazine reported the presenter arrived last to the reception, clad in the monarch's signature Tudor costume, saying he 'didn't know what to wear'. ... AND THE TRAPPINGS OF AN LA LIFE When he was still a jobbing actor, known mainly for his role in the Alan Bennett play The History Boys, Corden shared a flat above a London doughnut shop with Dominic Cooper (now star of hit TV show Preacher). Corden joked that there was no furniture and only one piece of cutlery, a spatula, and that the fridge contained only 'half a vitamin water and a Lindt chocolate bunny'. Today, he shares a 7.3 million mansion in Brentwood, an upmarket LA suburb, with Julia and their three children. There are five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a pool, plus such typically Hollywood features as a wood-panelled library, cinema room and gym. It also has its own spa and an office complete with high-tech film editing facilities. While he stays in LA, Corden rents out the family's 3 million London home in leafy Belsize Park for about 15,000 a month. His neighbours in Brentwood just a 20-minute drive from the CBS studios where his chat show is filmed include Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Crawford, Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg. 'The children are happy and healthy and love their circle of friends,' says the source. 'James is a devoted dad and spends a lot of time with the kids. His weekends are sacrosanct. 'James knows none of this success would mean anything without Julia's love and support. His family means everything to him.' Out on the town, Corden favours the luxurious Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, where phone calls and photos are banned. Jennifer Aniston held her 50th birthday party there in February. Corden's tipple? Don Julio 1492 tequila at 120 a bottle. 'The best parties are at his house,' says the source. 'He'll hire a team of private chefs and you never know who will be there, from the heads of TV networks to stars like Emily Blunt.' Advertisement He said: 'Harry asked me to do some kind of performance...it was fun, it was a really special day.' Meanwhile the presenter also stole the march on Oprah by airing his antics with Prince Harry days before the prime-time interview that enraged Buckingham Palace. In a wide-ranging chat mostly carried out on an open-top bus, the Duke of Sussex - or 'Haz,' as Corden calls him - reveals he went from 'zero to sixty' with Meghan and how the pressures of living in London were 'destroying my mental health.' Meanwhile Julia is co-founded of the interior design company Charles & Co, which counts The Beckhams among its clients While James has a successful acting and presenting career, his wife Julia runs a hugely successful and popular interior design company. With a background in TV production, talent management and PR, she founded Charles & Co in 2016 with Vicky Charles, who was the design director for Soho House having worked for the group for 20 years. The pair were introduced by Soho House CEO Nick Jones and set up the business while Julia was taking time off to have her children. She handles the business side of Charles & Co, recently telling The Telegraph her role is 'to allow Vicky to be as creative as possible.' High-profile clients include the Beckhams, the Clooneys, Emma Stone, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. Builds for the pair usually include a 'social, club-like spaces' within their homes, including bars, wine cellars, playrooms and even libraries. Meanwhile others might value a recording studio, with Julia revealing: 'Being able to record a little voiceover without having to leave your house can make a huge difference, especially if you live outside the city.' Last year, James was unveiled as the new ambassador for WW, previously known as Weight Watchers, after becoming 'embarrassed' over his body. During a chat with Oprah Winfrey on WW's Facebook page he revealed he 'hates' doing exercise but his wife Julia plans circuits for them to do. James revealed in the New Year that he has signed up to the health and fitness programme to help shift the conversation around wellness. He said: 'I want to change the way that I live. I want to be better for my children and for my family. I don't want to wake up tired, or feel embarrassed when I'm chasing my son on the soccer field and out of breath after three minutes.' James has been candid about his weight struggles in the past and back in 2017 he shed six stone in weight and found major success in Hollywood, however he has also admitted the one food that he can't stop eating is bread. Speaking about the last time he was 'off bread' for dietary reasons, James recalled an incident while he was out at dinner saying: ''[I have] a sort of battle with food... 'Then they delivered this basket of warm, fresh bread and we're like, 'It's happening, we're doing it. Who are we trying to kid?' 'It's our nemesis, it's out to destroy us!' Samsung Group's corporate flag flies in front of its headquarters building in Seoul / Yonhap Samsung Electronics reported its best first-quarter earnings in four years Thursday on the back of solid semiconductor and mobile demand. The world's largest memory chip and mobile phone maker said its operating profit rose more than 50 percent to 14.1 trillion won ($11.1 billion) year-on-year in a regulatory filing. Its January to March operating income beat the market consensus of 13.2 trillion won from a survey of analysts by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency. Sales increased 18.9 percent to 77.7 trillion won in the first quarter, an all-time quarterly record and the third consecutive quarter that the tech giant has logged more than 70 trillion won in quarterly sales. Prices of memory chips, which support a great portion of Samsung's top and bottom lines, held up better than expected. Robust demand for server memory chips, smartphones and high-end home appliances helped boost the tech giant's profits. (Yonhap) Chelsea Handler is opening up about a recent health scare that led to her canceling multiple dates of her Vaccinated & Horny tour earlier this year. The topic came up when the comedian, 47, was asked about 'not taking [herself] too seriously' during an interview with E! Handler revealed she'd been unknowingly taking herself way too seriously for many years, which led to her suffering a 'hospital scare' in February after a comedy show in Seattle, Washington. Health scare: Chelsea Handler is opening up about a recent health scare that led to her canceling multiple dates of her Vaccinated & Horny tour earlier this year; Handler pictured in 2021 'I had this cardiomyopathy, which means, like, an adrenaline shot to the heart,' she explained. According to the CDC, Cardiomyopathy 'represents a collection of diverse conditions of the heart muscle' that reduce the 'heart muscles ability to pump blood' which can lead to 'irregular heartbeats, the backup of blood into the lungs or rest of the body, and heart failure.' While speaking with a doctor at the hospital, Handler wondered if her issue was something that had occurred out of nowhere or if it was something that'd been building over time. 'I was like, "Was this an instance, or was this building?" And the doctor says, "Well, it's an instance, but you've basically been very stressed for a long period of time and you probably did not recognize that." And I was like, "Oh, s**t."' Hospital: Handler suffered a 'hospital scare' in February after a comedy show in Seattle, Washington; Chelsea pictured in February Handler's Vaccinated & Horny tour kicked off in July 2021, with 10 stops across the United States. 24 more dates were eventually added, which meant Handler would continue her tour until July 2022. She continued, 'And he goes, "I don't know a lot about you, but isn't your whole shtick that you don't take yourself too seriously?" And I went, "Yeah" And he goes, "Well then you should start taking your own advice because you're taking yourself too seriously." 'And I thought, "God, you're right. What am I doing here? I'm stressed out so much that I landed in the hospital?" I'm fine now. But I was like, "Good advice: Practice what you preach." It was a good reminder to let everything go.' On top of talking about her health concerns, the New Jersey native also opened up about her relationship with beau Jo Koy. Having to do with her heart: 'I had this cardiomyopathy, which means, like, an adrenaline shot to the heart,' she explained; Chelsea pictured performing in October 2021 Stress related: 'I was like, "Was this an instance, or was this building?" And the doctor says, "Well, it's an instance, but you've basically been very stressed for a long period of time and you probably did not recognize that." And I was like, "Oh, s**t"'; Chelsea seen in April 2022 When asked how it feel to be dating someone who can really understand the pressures of her career, Handler replied, 'It's pretty awesome. He's the best. And he was a great reminder of all the people that came out of Chelsea Lately, and the careers that were launched: Fortune [Fesiter], Tiffany Haddish. 'We were putting all these people on television before people were saying, "We're underrepresented with the LGBTQ community." It was just an open door policy for everybody. If you were funny, that's all that mattered.' She went on to say that the two support each other a lot in their professional careers, and she hinted at a possible collaboration in the future where they could perform together. In love: On top of talking about her health concerns, the New Jersey native also opened up about her relationship with beau Jo Koy; the couple pictured in April 2022 Handler says a big difference between her current relationship and any she's had in the past is that she's 'an adult now.' She added, 'I had gone a long time without ever sitting down to contemplate or reflect. And therapy changed that. It gives you the gift of self-awareness. I would never have been open to dating Jo Koy unless I had had therapy. So what's different about it is, I'm in a different place. He's in a different place. He's a man and I'm a woman, whereas before I was a girl and he was a boy. It's been a great love story. I didn't really think I would get this.' The This Means War actress said she may even write a book about her love story with Koy, though she did admit she has a number of other projects she's currently focused on. Koy frequently guest starred on Handler's popular television show Chelsea Lately which ran from 2007 to 2014. Awesome: Real understanding: When asked how it feel to be dating someone who can really understand the pressures of her career, Handler replied, 'It's pretty awesome. He's the best' Friends to lovers: She told Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on The Tonight Show that it took her more than 20 years to see Koy as anything more than a friend However, rumors that the two were couple only started swirling last summer. Handler teased that she was dating someone in September, but wouldn't say who before going Instagram official with Koy later in the month. She lated told Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on The Tonight Show that it took her more than 20 years to see Koy as anything more than a friend. They made their red carpet debut at the 2021 Peoples Choice Awards last December. Daniel Craig looked more debonair than ever before as he finally attended the opening night of Macbeth at the Longacre Theatre in New York City on Thursday. The actor, 54, donned a navy suit for the glitzy occasion, teamed with a crisp white shirt and grey tie as he posed with glamorous co-star Ruth Negga, 40, - before sporting a bloodied face on stage after the performance. It comes after the movie icon was forced to temporarily pull out of his performance in the Broadway adaptation of the play after testing positive for Covid earlier this month. Broadway: Daniel Craig looked more debonair than ever before as he finally attended the opening night of Macbeth at the Longacre Theatre in New York City on Thursday - pictured with co-star Ruth Negga The handsome star looked sharp as he posed on the red carpet in front of the publicity backdrop. He furnished the look with a pair of leather Oxford shoes as he stood confidently with his hands in his pockets while showing off a statement piece silver watch. He was later joined by his co-star Ruth Negga who looked incredible in a lilac embroidered gown with she teamed with a pair of sheer Opera gloves. In character: Later Daniel sporting a bloodied face on stage after the performance Handsome: Daniel looked more debonair than ever before as he stepped out for his big night In the revival of William Shakespeare's tragedy, the James Bond frontman stars alongside Ruth, who makes her Broadway debut playing Lady Macbeth. Earlier this month, the English actor bowed out of the preview play with less than two hours until its commencement, through an announcement on the show's Twitter page. It read: 'Today's matinee and evening performance of Macbeth are cancelled due to Daniel Craig just testing positive for COVID this afternoon. Dreamy: The former Bond star showed off his Hollywood looks as he posed for photos Confident: He furnished the look with a pair of leather Oxford shoes as he stood confidently with his hands in his pockets while showing off a statement piece silver watch Characters: Daniel stars in the leading role as Macbeth while Ruth plays the relentless Lady Macbeth in the Shakespeare tragedy filled with ambition and murder Exciting night: The two actors looked in high spirits ahead of the shows opening night on Thursday Happy: He looked pleased after the show Thrilled: He threw his arms in the air in joy In a good mood: He was clearly thrilled to finally be on the stage Support: He clapped for his co-star Ruth 'We apologise for the inconvenience this causes ticket holders, but the safety of our audiences, the cast and crew remains our top priority. 'All tickets for the cancelled performance will be refunded at the point of purchase.' Preview performances began at Midtown Manhattan's Longacre Theatre on March 29 ahead of its April 28 opening night. Oh no! The actor bowed out of the preview play earlier this month with less than two hours until its commencement, through an announcement on the show's Twitter page It's all over: Craig and the rest of his castmates were later seen celebrating the end of their performance during the curtain call Castmates: The James Bond star later shot a warm glance at Negga during the end of the show All together now: Several other performers, including Grantham Coleman, were present during the curtain call Grateful: The Preacher actress flashed a wide smile after being given a bouquet of roses Happy: The performer later covered her mouth while being applauded by both her castmates and the audience Tony Award-winner Sam Gold will direct. Barbara Broccoli, who produces the James Bond films with her brother, is a producer. Daniel was last on stage in a 2013 revival of Harold Pinter's Betrayal opposite his wife, Rachel Weisz, and directed by Mike Nichols. He also starred opposite Hugh Jackman in 2009's A Steady Rain. Sam directed him in a 2016 off-Broadway production of Othello alongside David Oyelowo. Emma Hernan was serving CEO energy as she arrived to a meeting in Santa Monica, California on Thursday. The reality star took business attire to a whole new level as she stepped out in a sleek, off-the-shoulder white top and a pair of black skinny jeans. She accentuated her statuesque legs with black sling back heels decked out with a gold chain on the front strap. She means business! Emma Hernan was serving CEO energy as she arrived to a meeting in Santa Monica, California on Thursday Emma also carried a luxurious Louis Vuitton tote bag and shielded her eyes with stylish shades. She styled her hair in its usual full waves and touched up her radiant complexion with pink blush and a matching slick of lipstick. Emma gave fans an inside look at her busy day on her Instagram Stories. In one video, she twirled her hair as she drove about Santa Monica in her sleek car. Living in the lap of luxury! Emma also carried a luxurious Louis Vuitton tote bag and shielded her eyes with stylish shades 'WORK HARD,' she wrote in the post along with a coffee cup emoji. Emma certainly has a lot on her plate with her line of plant-based empanadas now being sold in Costco stores. 'My @emmaleighandco_ empanadas are now available in @costco (starting in the Northwest region)!! I could not be more excited to share the news with you all!' she announced on Instagram. Hard at work! Hernan gave fans a look at her busy day on her Instagram Stories Meeting of the minds! Emma also met with a pal for a brainstorming coffee session Now in Costco! Emma certainly has a lot on her plate with her line of plant-based empanadas now being sold in Costco stores On top of her work in the food industry, she has also been busy selling luxury properties as a realtor on Selling Sunset. In episode two of season five, Emma left viewers aghast as she went to extreme lengths to sell a house by running across the ledge of an infinity pool. And Emma once more proved she was a daredevil as she struck a pose on the very edge of a pool in a bid to entice her client to buy the house on her Instagram account. Here she goes again! Hernan risked her life once again as she was pictured teetering on the edge of an infinity pool Alongside the Instagram image of her wearing a little black dress with the stunning LA view behind her, Emma wrote: 'Another showing, another infinity ledge to run out on.' The star placed one arm on her hip and one arm in the air as she showcased the selling points of the no doubt incredible property. Just days previously on the Netflix show, Emma pulled the same stunt, much to the horror of fans. Teetering on her skyscraper heels, Emma was joined by Chrishell Stause as she visited a $24million Los Angeles property on behalf of her client. Shock! The real estate agent, 29, left viewers aghast as she went to extreme lengths to sell a house as she ran across the ledge of an infinity pool in episode two of season five Emma said that she would like to take Chrishell to see the 'magnificent pool' as the duo linked arms to steady each other. She showed off the incredible infinity pool that features a steep ledge that disappears off into the rolling Hollywood hills. 'I want to just go and walk across that. If I take my shoes off and give you this phone...' Emma said. 'I feel like he would appreciate a picture of me standing there.' Dynamic duo: Teetering on her skyscraper heels, Emma was joined by Chrishell Stause as she visited a $24million Los Angeles property on behalf of her client Chrishell reacted in horror as she screamed: 'Emma, you better not. No what is wrong with you, oh my God I hate this!' Enticed by the prospect of $719,000 in commission, Emma explained: 'This is going to sell the house, I'm telling you, Patrick [client] will love this!' Convinced that the selfie will sell the million dollar listing, Emma threw off her heels and ran across the ledge as water flowed beneath her feet. Swinging her open handbag, she then threw her hands in the air as Chrishell quickly snapped a photo. What a view: Emma said that she would like to take Chrishell to see the 'magnificent pool' as the duo linked arms to steady each other Terrified: Chrishell reacted in horror as she screamed: 'Emma, you better not. No what is wrong with you, oh my God I hate this!' 'You're making me sweat so bad,' Chrishell said. Emma responded: 'Anything for my clients.' Viewers of the show took to Twitter to voice their concerns with some branding the outrageous moment 'scary' and saying it filled them with 'anxiety'. One penned: 'Emma must have been thinking about that commission when she walked on the edge of that infinity pool becauseaint no way.' Daredevil: Convinced that the selfie will sell the million dollar listing, Emma threw off her heels and ran across the ledge as water flowed beneath her feet Strike: Swinging her open handbag, she then threw her hands in the air as Chrishell quickly snapped a photo 'Emma in those heels on the edge of the infinity pool with her Louis Vuitton haphazardly open literally altered my heart rate.' 'Emma standing on the ledge of that pool is probably the most scariest thing on this show.' 'Emma walking across the pool made feel like I was watching Americas Next Top Model! She wouldve won that catwalk challenge.' Annoyed with the power cuts and the increasing amount of electricity bills? Well, you are not the only one. Everyone in the country is finding it difficult to deal with the severe heatwave situation. India is not new to heatwaves. But whats different this year is that the heatwave conditions started very early and there is no relief in sight yet. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures broke all records this year making this March India's hottest in 122 years since 1901. The meteorological department forecast has said that there will be a gradual rise in maximum temperatures over most parts of north-western and central India this week. Heat wave conditions over Northwest & Central India during next 5 days and over East India during next 3 days and abate thereafter.Rain/Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning/gusty winds likely to continue over Northeast India. pic.twitter.com/Ymgi2eOU4B India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) April 28, 2022 HOW BAD IS IT THIS TIME? The heatwaves in India this year began on March 11 and have impacted 15 Indian states, The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a think-tank, reported. Scorching & dangerous heat on the way for India & Pakistan.Temperatures will approach April record levels. The high 40s Celsius are expected, parts of Pakistan close to 50C.It has been hot here for a very long time now... since early March. pic.twitter.com/EuxZQR45Rc Scott Duncan (@ScottDuncanWX) April 24, 2022 Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have suffered the most, with 25 heatwaves and severe heat wave days each during this period. Surprisingly, after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the mountain state of Himachal Pradesh has been the most affected with 21 heatwaves and severe heat wave days, reported the CSE. IT MAY GET WORSE The IMD on Wednesday predicted heatwave conditions in large parts of the country for at least the next five days. A 'yellow alert' has also been sounded for Delhi, reported ANI. Photo: AP Eastern states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha are expected to be reeling under severe heat in the next few days, reported the Weather Channel quoting the IMD. The states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are all set to see a comeback of heatwave conditions from April 28 until the end of the month, reported the Skymet Weather. BTW, WHAT IS HEATWAVE? Heatwave is considered if the maximum temperature of a place reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius or more for plains and at least 30 degrees Celsius or more for hilly regions. For coastal regions, heatwaves may be described when the maximum temperature is 4.50 degrees or more from normal, provided the maximum temperature is 37 degrees Celsius or more. #India and #Pakistan have been gripped by record heat since March and it's about to get a whole lot worse.100s of millions will experience 38C (100F) heat for the next week and likely much longer. National record highs will be threatened as temperatures soar to near 50C (122F). pic.twitter.com/2khjUXtg8c US StormWatch (@US_Stormwatch) April 26, 2022 EARLY AND SEVERE HEATWAVES D Sivananda Pai of the Institute for Climate Change Studies in Kottayam said that anticyclones over western parts of Rajasthan in March and the absence of rain-bearing western disturbances had triggered the early and extreme heatwaves, reported the CSE. Anticyclones cause hot and dry weather by sinking winds around high pressure systems in the atmosphere. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said that global warming is still the main reason behind the rise in heatwaves, reported the BBC. "That's the root cause for the increase in heatwaves," he said. According to a Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, human activities have warmed the planet at a rate never seen before. Earths global surface temperature has warmed by 1.09 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900. Heatwaves in India are likely to "last 25 times longer by 2036-2065" if carbon emissions remain high and push global temperature rise to 40 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, said the IPCC report. FREQUENCY OF HEATWAVES RISING The number of heatwave days in India are increasing at a rapid pace every 10 years. From 413 in 1981-90 to 575 in 2001-10 and 600 in 2011-20, the number of days that see extremely hot days is persistently increasing at 103 weather stations, reported the World Economic Forum. According to a report in the Business Standard, the IMD and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that in 2015, around nine states were impacted by heatwaves, while in 2020, as many as 23 states have been impacted by heatwaves, a 156 per cent jump. Photo: AP IMPACT: BAD FOR PEOPLE, BAD FOR ECONOMY The unprecedented heatwave conditions have put millions, especially those in blue-collar jobs, including construction workers, farmers, factory workers and anyone who is exposed to the heat at a risk of being hit by sunstrokes. Heatwaves have direct impact on labor productivity. Since this extreme temperature reduces the working hours. Whether it is agriculture field or a rikshaw puller. This impacts all human labor. And in all probability these extreme events will increase. Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) April 27, 2022 The extreme heat conditions have disrupted the power supply throughout the country and have slowed down the economic activity, reported Reuters. The high temperatures are also damaging India's wheat harvest, reported the CNBC. Devendra Singh Chauhan, a farmer from UPs Etawah district, told CNBC that his wheat crop was down 60 percent compared to normal harvests. By Kim Jae-heun Kang Byong-chol, a general manager of sales at Hyundai Motor's Seobu Truck Branch, has been chosen as a "sales master" after selling over 2,500 commercial vehicles, the company said on Thursday. The title of sales master is the highest honor given to outstanding salespeople who have sold over 2,500 vehicles. Only three others have been chosen as sales masters at the automaker before Kang. The 51-year-old salesman has been selling cars for Hyundai Motor since 1997. "I would like to thank my customers, my family and my colleagues for always supporting me. I am proud that my efforts to achieve value for my customers during the last 26 years gave me his incredible honor," Kang said. Kang picked his consistent commitment to establish good relationships with his customers as the secret to his success. "I will take full responsibility to continue my good work in achieving value for my customers in the future too," Kang said. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor runs various reward programs, such as the "Sales Honor Reward System," "Master of the Year" and "The Class Award" to induce healthy sales competition among its sales workers. The Sales Honor Reward System gives prizes and titles to salespeople achieving cumulative sales of 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 vehicles each. Master of the Year and The Class Award select and reward Hyundai Motor's staff who have achieved the largest numbers of annual sales. From left, Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, Founder of Heritage Foundation Edwin John Feulner Jr. and Hanwha Hotels & Resorts Managing Director Kim Dong-seon pose after dinner at a restaurant in Seoul, April 27. Courtesy of Hanwha Group By Kim Jae-heun Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn met with Edwin John Feulner Jr., the founder of the Heritage Foundation, late Wednesday, to discuss a range of issues concerning Korea and U.S. ties, the company said Thursday. The Heritage Foundation is a conservative U.S. policy think tank that was established in 1973. The meeting took place on the occasion of Feulner's visit to Korea to participate in an international conference. During the two-hour dinner, Kim and Feulner shared their opinions on global economic issues including the ongoing price increases of raw materials triggered by the Ukraine-Russia war and energy security. They also talked about ways to promote friendly relations between Korea and the United States. Chairman Kim's youngest son Kim Dong-seon, managing director of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, also joined the meeting. Feulner had been the chairman of the Heritage Foundation until 2013 and he still heads the Asian Studies Center within the group. With his deep knowledge of and diverse experience with Korea's politics, economy and society, he is widely seen as an expert on the region. Kim and Feulner have been close for nearly 40 years since the early 1980s. They have been sharing their views not only on pending issues between Korea and the United States but also on the global economy as a whole whenever they have the chance to meet. Kim also met with former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in March to discuss Korea-U.S. relations. Kim mentioned the difficulties local companies were facing then due to international tensions and stressed the importance of global leaders' cooperation in resolving the issues. Pence joined the Heritage Foundation as a guest research fellow in February 2021. Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while addresses a meeting of the Council of Legislators under the Russian Federal Assembly at the Tauride Palace, in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 27. AP-Yonhap President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday that if any other country intervenes in Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, Russia will launch a quick-fire military response. Speaking to lawmakers, Putin said that "if anyone sets out to intervene in the current events from the outside and creates unacceptable threats for us that are strategic in nature, they should know that our response... will be lightning-fast." The Russian leader said that the military would not hesitate to use its most modern weaponry. "We have all the tools for this, that no one else can boast of having. We won't boast about it: we'll use them, if needed. And I want everyone to know that," Putin said. Mumbai: If Hindi is not the national language of India, why are movies made in different languages and eventually dubbed, Bollywood star Ajay Devgn said on Wednesday in response to a statement by south star Kichcha Sudeep. "Hindi is no more our national language," Sudeep said at a film launch event last week when he was asked how he viewed the record-breaking pan-India success of the Kannada film "KGF: Chapter 2", the Hindi version of which alone has minted Rs 336 crore since its April 14 release. The film has reportedly earned Rs 850 crore worldwide. Devgn, who recently starred in filmmaker SS Rajamouli's pan-India blockbuster "RRR", tagged the Karnataka-based actor on Twitter and wrote, "Hindi was, is and always will be our national language." "My brother, according to you if Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your mother tongue movies by dubbing them in Hindi?" Devgn wrote in Devanagari, the Hindi script. "Hindi was, is and always will be our mother tongue and national language. Jan Gan Man," the actor-filmmaker, who is looking forward to the release of his film "Runway 34" on Friday, added in his tweet. Addressing the media in Kannada, Sudeep had said, "Hindi (filmmakers) should say they are making pan India movies. They have been dubbing those (Bollywood) movies into Tamil and Telugu, etc and they are struggling. They are not able to. Today, we just make films that reach everywhere." The "Eega" star's comments had sparked a debate on social media over the apparent imposition of Hindi, with many fans of the actor defending his stand. India doesn't have a national language, and Hindi and Kannada are among the 22 languages listed in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. Sudeep's upcoming actioner "Vikrant Rona" is also billed as a pan-India film, expected to be released in Hindi apart from Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Devgn's tweet prompted Sudeep to post a reply explaining that his statement was perhaps taken out of context. Sudeep, who has also featured in Hindi films like "Dabangg 3", "Phoonk" and "Rann", said he didn't want to "hurt, provoke or to start any debate". "Hello @ajaydevgn sir... The context to why I said that line is entirely different to the way I guess it has reached you. Probably will emphasise on why the statement was made when I see you in person. It wasn't to hurt, provoke or to start any debate. Why would I sir. "I love and respect every language of our country sir. I would want this topic to rest as I said the line in a totally different context. Much love and wishes to you always. Hoping to seeing you soon," he wrote in English. In a follow-up tweet, Sudeep said he understood what Devgn wrote in Hindi but wondered what his fellow actor would do if his response was in Kannada. "And sir @ajaydevgn, I did understand the text you sent in Hindi. That's only because we all have respected, loved and learnt Hindi. No offense sir, but was wondering what'd the situation be if my response was typed in Kannada! (sic)" he wrote. "Don't we too belong to India sir," Sudeep asked Devgn. Devgn then thanked Sudeep for "clearing up the misunderstanding" and said he simply wanted to ensure that people respect all languages. "Hi @KicchaSudeep, You are a friend. thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding. I've always thought of the film industry as one. We respect all languages and we expect everyone to respect our language as well. Perhaps, something was lost in translation (sic)" he added. Translation and interpretations are "perspectives", Sudeep said in his response to Devgn. "That's the reason not reacting without knowing the complete matter, matters. I don't blame you @ajaydevgn sir. Perhaps it would have been a happy moment if I had received a tweet from you for a creative reason. Love and regards (sic)" Sudeep concluded. Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages. Presiding over the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee in Delhi, Shah had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that the medium of running the government is in the official language and this would definitely increase the importance of Hindi. Eminent composer A R Rahman, whose mother tongue is Tamil, had also weighed in on Shah's remarks, saying "Tamil is the link language." The Vikarabad police said law will take its course now. (Representational Image/ DC) Hyderabad: Taking a serious note of the abusive audio tape issue linked to former minister and TRS party MLC Mahender Reddy, police officials have initiated action by sending the clips to the forensic department for examination. This, even as the MLC tendered an unconditional apology, saying it was a slip of his tongue and he did not mean to abuse the police. The Vikarabad police said law will take its course now. The Tandur Town Inspector Rajander Reddy said he had faced humiliation from the MLC earlier too. I lodged a complaint with the police by informing senior officers seeking action against the MLC. The investigation officer recorded the statements of the Inspector and collected audio clips for forensic tests, he said. The Inspector pleaded with officials to grant him long leave but the request is kept pending. Yalala SI Arvind meanwhile alleged that it was very difficult for him to discharge his duties under pressure from local political leaders and public representatives. He said the MLC threatened him with a transfer from this place after the SI refused to follow some of his instructions. Chief Minister held a review meeting with health department officials and directed them to implement Covid-19 preventive measures effectively. (Photo:DC) VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday participated in the video conference that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held with Chief Ministers on the evolving Covid-19 situation and discussed preventive measures to control its spread. The Chief Minister held a review meeting with health department officials and directed them to implement Covid-19 preventive measures effectively. He instructed officials to ensure that there was no recurrence of the ambulance incident at SVR Ruia Government General Hospital. He said the phone numbers for lodging complaints should be displayed at Arogya Mitra kiosks. The complaint numbers should be clearly visible on 104, 108 and Thalli Bidda vehicles. The CM said one or two such incidents would tarnish the system and directed the officials to be on alert and set up an effective protocol to ensure that the Ruia-type incidents are not repeated. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the police to take strict measures to ensure that the incident at Vijayawada government hospital, where a woman was sexually assaulted, is not repeated. He said CI and SI were suspended due to their negligence. Home minister Taneti Vanitha, health minister Vidadala Rajini, Chief Secretary Dr Sameer Sharma, DGP K.V. Rajendranath Reddy, Chief Ministers Special Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, principal secretary, health, (Covid management and vaccination) Muddada Ravi Chandra, home principal secretary, home, Kumar Viswajeet were present in the meeting. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy shows Manifesto to Ministers, District Presidents and regional coordinators at the meeting in the camp office on Wednesday. (Photo by arrangement) VIJAYAWADA: YSRC president and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday set party leaders the target of winning more than 151 seats, the 2019 tally, in the 2024 elections. The Chief Minister said that the YSRC government was not fighting only TD leader N. Chandrababu Naidu but also united evil powers including a section of the media. He warned the public representatives to be watchful, as there were chances that each MLA would be targeted and branded in a terrible way by those evil forces. Speaking at a YSRC meeting with ministers, legislators, district unit party presidents, regional coordinators and leaders to chalk out election strategies for Mission 2024, he instructed them to mingle with the people and inform them of the YSRC governments welfare and development activities. Speculation was rife that the CM would give an indication of going to the poll six months early but that did not come about. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the party cadre to take up door-to-door campaigning from May and brief the people on the implementation of government schemes and development activities. He instructed MLAs to visit at least 10 village or ward secretariats every month, and monitor each of them for two days. He said tickets would be given to those who would perform this task well. He pointed out that the government had met 95 per cent of its 2019 poll promises and credited over `1.37 lakh crore through direct benefit transfer without corruption. Terming the party as the supreme, he said that all district in-charges, regional coordinators, and ministers must take responsibility and work for the development of the party by coordinating at the ground level. The CM said that the main intention behind these programmes was to tell the people of the promises met and the good initiatives taken up in the last three years. He said that people will be given questionnaires to rate the governance as well as the performance MLAs. In regard to booth committee members, he said that 50 per cent must be given to women and 50 per cent to those from the SC, ST, BC and minorities communities. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a whirlwind three-day visit starting May 2 to three European nations -- Germany, Denmark and France -- during which he will hold talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, participate in the second India-Nordic Summit hosted by Denmark and also later hold talks in Paris with newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron. The visiting minister of state in the German foreign office, Mr Tobias Lindner, said on Wednesday that Germany was looking forward to talks with Mr Modi and his country would seek to pull India to convince it of the German and European line on the Ukraine war but not push New Delhi around. Condemning Russias actions in Ukraine on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, Mr Lindner said it was an enormous attack on the international rules-based order. The MEA said in a statement: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Germany, Denmark and France on 02-04 May 2022. This will be the Prime Ministers first visit abroad in 2022. In Berlin, Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany, and the two leaders will co-chair the sixth edition of the India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). The biennial IGC is a unique dialogue format that also sees participation of several ministers from both sides. This will be the Prime Ministers first IGC with Chancellor Scholz, and also the first such government-to-government consultations of the new German government, which took office in December 2021. During his visit, the PM and Chancellor Scholz will also jointly address a Business Event. Prime Minister (Modi) will address and interact with the Indian community in Germany. On the second leg of the visit, the MEA said: The PM will thereafter travel to Copenhagen on an official visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Denmark, Ms Mette Frederiksen. He will also participate in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit hosted by Denmark. ... During the 2nd India-Nordic Summit, the PM will interact with other Nordic leaders -- Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir of Iceland, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden and Prime Minister Sanna Marin of Finland. The summit will focus on subjects like post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region. The 1st India-Nordic Summit took place in 2018 in Stockholm. On the trips third and final leg, the MEA said: On his return journey on 04 May 2022, the Prime Minister will briefly stop over in Paris and meet Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of France. India and France are celebrating 75 years of their diplomatic relations this year and the meeting between the two leaders will set a more ambitious agenda of the Strategic Partnership. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will not attend the joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts. (Photo: Twitter) Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will not attend the joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on April 30. Official sources said that Rao has decided to stay away from the two-day conference and has deputed law minister A. Indrakaran Reddy to attend the event, which will be chaired by the Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana. Rao had also not attended the Prime Ministers video conference with chief ministers on Wednesday to review the Covid situation as he was busy with the TRS plenary. Rao has been staying away from meetings and video conferences convened by Modi for the last one year as TRS and BJP are engaged in a bitter political battle since the Huzurabad Assembly by-election and over the paddy procurement issue. The ensuing conference is being held after a gap of six years. The last one was held on April 24, 2016. The conference is a platform to discuss challenges faced by the judiciary. Speedy delivery of justice, reduction in pendency of litigations and rising vacancies in judiciary are likely to be on the agenda of the conference. Earlier in January, Modi had convened two video conferences with CMs, one to review Covid situation and other to discuss aspirational districts. Rao stayed away from both meetings. Rao did not receive Modi when the latter arrived in Hyderabad on February 5 to launch the Statue of Equality in Chinna Jeeyar Swamy ashram citing illness. Hyderabad: In a sudden development, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren arrived at Pragathi Bhavan to meet Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday. Soren reached Pragathi Bhavan around 8.30 pm. Official sources said both the leaders discussed the current political situation in the country and the need to bring about an alternative political agenda for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It is learnt that Soren arrived in Hyderabad on Thursday on a private visit and sought the CMs appointment all of a sudden. Rao agreed to meet him soon after his return from Nalgonda district. The CM toured Nalgonda during the day to review development programmes in the district and returned to the city by 6 pm. Raos meeting with Soren assumed significance in the backdrop of the TRS plenary held on Wednesday in which he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centres alleged anti-farmer, anti-poor policies and for the BJPs communal and divisive politics. Rao also stated that there was no need for setting up any political front or tents by bringing together a few political parties or CMs to dethrone anyone from power and stressed the need for setting an 'alternative political agenda' which should be both 'people-oriented and development oriented' to face the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. KCR also stated that he was not attempting to forge any anti-BJP front or any pro-party front but only trying to set up a People's Front to take up people's issues and problems. It is learnt that both the CMs discussed fielding a joint opposition candidate for the upcoming Presidential election in July. They would consult chiefs of various regional parties for a consensus on this. Rao had met Soren in Ranchi on March 4 to discuss national politics. He distributed Rs 10 lakh compensation each to two families of Galwan martyrs from Jharkhand on behalf of the Telangana government along with Soren. A security surveillance camera is seen near the Microsoft office building in Beijing, July 20, 2021. Microsoft says cyberattacks by state-backed Russian hackers have destroyed data across dozens of organizations in Ukraine and produced a "chaotic information environment." The company said in a report that Russia-aligned threat groups were preparing long before the Feb. 24 invasion April 27. AP-Yonhap A handful of hacker groups aligned with the Russian government have carried out hundreds of cyberattacks against Ukraine since Moscow invaded, U.S. tech giant Microsoft said in a report Wednesday. It added that in "hybrid" warfare tactics, Russia often matches cyberattacks with military assaults on the battlefield. "Starting just before the invasion, we have seen at least six separate Russia-aligned nation-state actors launch more than 237 operations against Ukraine," said Microsoft, which is working with Ukrainian cybersecurity experts and private companies to counter such attacks. It said the cyber-warfare included "destructive attacks that are ongoing and threaten civilian welfare." Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi leadership is believed to have taken a serious note of the frequent infighting between party leaders in Tandur Assembly constituency. Party MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy and MLA Pilot Rohith Reddy are fighting for supremacy in the constituency with each claiming that the party high command had promised to give them tickets to contest the next Assembly elections from Tandur. The legislator met party working president K.T. Rama Rao here on Thursday and complained against the MLC and sought stringent action against him for damaging the party's image in the constituency while openly abusing him, officials and in the latest instance a circle inspector, the audio of which went viral on social media platforms. Later, speaking to the media, Rohit Reddy claimed that he has been promised the party ticket for Tandur seat in the 2023 Assembly elections. Mahender Reddy, on the other hand, denied abusing CI on the phone and stated that the recorded voice was not his. He accused Rohith Reddy of conspiring against him with fabricated audio tapes. He threatened to take legal action if police issue notices to him in this case. The party leadership reportedly warned both the leaders of severe consequences if they continue to indulge in infighting and damaging the party's image. Following this, both leaders reportedly promised to work together. Rohith Reddy, representing the Congress, defeated the then transport minister Mahender Reddy of TRS from Tandur in the 2018 Assembly polls. But within six months, he defected to TRS, which led to a political tussle between the two groups. The party nominated Mahender Reddy as MLC and made his wife Sunitha Reddy the ZP chairperson of Vikarabad district. However, it failed to douse the fire. 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, Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan) Ramzan, the month of so much fun in the days of the joint family, has passed this year in Delhi with Jahangirpuri as the bleak backdrop. Three of our sisters fasted while the non-fasting four brothers, me being the eldest, picked up the blessing almost as our birthright. The different approach to religiosity has something to do with our divergent schooling. To keep the wolf from the door, the declining gentility of Awadh fell into deep thought about the next generations education. The family was divided down the middle on the subject of Western education. The conservatives, with abiding family affiliations to the Congress Party, insisted on an Urdu education. They saw their role model, Jawaharlal Nehru, as an Urdu-speaking, sherwani wearing (a rose in the buttonhole) Awadhi and a Kashmiri Pandit. The progressives in the family, all Communists, invoked Nehrus other persona as a Fabian socialist with an open mind. Since my mothers casting vote was with the progressives, the brothers were admitted to the La Martiniere College in Lucknow, a finer school than which would be difficult to imagine. In consigning the two sisters, who were chronologically my immediate youngsters, to Taleem Gahe Niswaan (Ladys College), my mother was not letting down her gender her role models were women of enlightenment: Dr Rasheed Jahan, Ismet Chugtai who by writing Angarey (embers) and Lehaf (quilt) had caused convulsions in the local clergy. Boys were set on the path for careers; women would preserve traditions and look at the stars. By the time the third and youngest sister came of age, though, my parents had changed their outlook. Naheed was sent to the same school as the boys. In the long run, it didnt seem to matter. Suraiyya, the eldest sister, topped her law, and Najma took up popular causes in Lucknow University. Sadly, Suraiyyas admission to Berkeley and Najmas study of Kathak were both scuttled by the conservatives. These accomplishments would obstruct them in the depleted marriage market. The boys respected namaz and fasting, on which our sisters were firm. For ourselves, we had found an elegant escape route in our poets. Ghalib was just one of them. It is a truth insufficiently propagated that there is not a single verse in Urdu where the mullah or the Islamic variant of the Salvation Army is praised he is always the butt of derisive humour. Not for a moment does irreverence mean opposition to the faith itself. It entails a critical, even satirical contemplation of its self-appointed intermediaries who were deemed to be of insufficient learning. The weaker the intellect, the greater the tendency to deviate from fact and logic into miracle and magic. The aalim, or the religious scholar, was always respected. Even the most audacious poets never crossed certain red lines. An article of faith was: Ba khuda deewana baash-o-ba Mohammad hoshiyar. (Take liberties with God, but be careful with Mohammad). Irreverence was an attitude to be sustained with some delicacy. Even an agnostic like Ghalib was cautious during the period of fasting. He snatches a morsel of bread here and a gulp of water there, as he admits in his letters. His furtive forays into food during Ramzan must have influenced our behaviour too, particularly in the large joint families. The 50 per cent who did not fast wore expressions of austerity for the benefit of those who did. Cosmopolitan schooling ruptured traditionalism but it did not induce indifference to traditions, which had a world to commend them. In fact, Urdu culture was itself inherently urbane and cosmopolitan. A great deal of Urdu culture depended on the cultural derivatives of religion. Mir Anees, Nazeer Akbarabadi and Mohsin Kakorvi were the staple of this culture, just as Tulsidas and Malik Mohammad Jaisi were a part of it. Just as Socrates misguided the youth of Athens, Ghalib did generations of Urdu poetry lovers, among whom was my maternal uncle, Saiyid Mohammad Mehdi, a gentleman to boot, erudite and a card-carrying member of the Communist Party in his youth. Towards the end, he did not mind The God That Failed, Arthur Koestlers disappointment with the creed, as a book in my modest collection. A Persian quatrain I picked from his circle of friends has remained with me as a whimsical calendar: Ba har hafta, faaqa,/ Ba har maah, qae,/ Ba har saal mus-hil,/ Ba har roz mae. (Weekly fast, monthly kunjal or vomit, yearly purgation and daily wine). I have always wondered if this comes from the same school of Persian etiquette as Omar Khayyams code for drinking? In the course of some litigation, Ghalib famously informed a magistrate that I am half a Muslim because I drink wine but do not eat pork. That would be a misleading yardstick to compare me with, but I suspect my wife and I are conscientious hosts during Ramzan, making arrangements for saheri, the meal before the crack of dawn, and iftar, the meal after the days fast. With ritual regularity I maintain another practice: I visit Jama Masjid at least for one saheri and iftar, if possible, with non-Muslim friends. These expeditions show a diminishing success rate. Some years ago, Lord Meghnad Desai and the late Swami Agnivesh accompanied me for saheri to Karims in the old city. I had anticipated Swamijis inhibitions and carried with me home-cooked vegetarian food which the management graciously served. In recent years, I have given up trying. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday called on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who underlined the importance of connectivity between the two neighbours and offered her country's main seaport - Chittagong Port - to India's landlocked northeastern states like Assam and Tripura. Jaishankar, who arrived here on Thursday on a brief official visit, handed over an invitation to Hasina on her Indian counterpart Narendra Modis behalf to visit New Delhi. "Thank Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her warm reception. Conveyed personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our bilateral relations are moving from strength to strength under the guidance of the two leaders," Jaishankar tweeted. During the meeting, Prime Minister Hasina said that the two countries have to increase the connectivity further, her press secretary Ihsanul Karim told PTI. She told Jaishankar that the enhanced connectivity was needed for mutual benefit while it would particularly benefit Indias northeastern region in using Bangladesh's southeastern Chittagong port, Karim said. Read | Bangladesh, India have 'sweet' bilateral relationship: Abdul Momen "If the connectivity is increased, the Indian northeastern states -like Assam and Tripura- can have access to the seaport in Chattogram," she said. The Bangladesh premier noted that initiative were taken to resume cross-border routes between Bangladesh and India which were stopped during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, when Bangladesh was eastern wing of Pakistan. Karim said a number of bilateral and international issues were discussed during Prime Minister Hasina's more than half an hour long meeting with Jaishankar. Jaishankar later held "positive discussions" with his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen and then jointly briefed the media. "Agreed that our close neighbourly partnership is progressing steadily. Our shared endeavour would be to take it forward. Looking forward to hosting him for the Joint Consultative Commission," he tweeted. The Bangladesh foreign ministry said that the two ministers "discussed the bilateral issues between Bangladesh and India. They expressed satisfaction about the ongoing Bangladesh-India cooperation, vowed to further strengthen the bilateral ties, stressed on regional stability for socio-economic development as a whole." Jaishankar said that during the talks with Prime Minister Hasina he extended Prime Minister Modi's invitation to her to visit India at the time of her convenience. "I conveyed (her) that we look forward to her visit to India at a time her convenience, he said, adding that a number of issues relating to bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues figured during the talks. During the meeting, they expressed delight at the current state of the existing bilateral relations between the countries, Karim told reporters. Defence sector cooperation, water sharing of Kushiara and Feni rivers, current Covid -19 situation and impacts of Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy came up prominently in the discussion, Karim was quoted as saying by local media. Jaishankar, who arrived here on a brief official visit, was received at the Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu by Foreign Minister Momen. His visit to Bangladesh is aimed at preparing the grounds for Prime Minister Hasina's visit to India. The two countries are expected to fix the date of the 7th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi. Momen also hosted an Iftar party followed by a dinner in Jaishankars honour at the Foreign Service Academy. Jaishankar would leave Dhaka for Bhutan on Friday morning. His last visit to Bangladesh was in March last year. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that the visit of the external affairs minister to Bangladesh may be seen in the context of frequent bilateral high-level visits and exchanges particularly as both sides commemorate 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Hasina last visited New Delhi in 2019 to attend the Indian Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) when she also had bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart. Modi, on the other hand, visited Bangladesh on March 26-27 last year at Hasinas invitation to join golden jubilee celebration of the country's independence, birth centenary of Bangladeshs Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 50th years of establishment of Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations. President Ram Nath Kovind also paid a state visit to Dhaka from December 15-17 last year at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid to attend the 50th victory day celebration of Bangladesh. Watch latest videos by DH here: Two men of different faiths - a Hindu and a Muslim - in Bangladesh's Khulna division have been delivering a lesson in communal harmony through their acts of charity towards each other's religion. Pranab Kumar Ghosh, an assistant professor at Fakirhat Azhar Ali Degree College in Bagerhat district, donated land for the construction of a mosque, and Sheikh Mizanur Rahman, a local Awami League leader, gave away a piece of his land to be used as a cremation ground for the Hindus to promote communal harmony in their locality, Bangladesh's bdnews24.com reported on Thursday. Ghosh, a landowner in Fakirhat, donated land for the construction of a mosque as locals sought his help because there was no mosque in the area. According to the media report, initially, a small prayer house was built in the area, which was later replaced by a two-storey building constructed on nearly 40 acres of land. Gaus Sheikh, an official at the mosque, said Ghosh "did not just give us the land", but also came and ate with us when invited to the mosque. "He has given as much land as needed for an Eidgah [open air enclosure] and a separate space for women to pray, he added. Meanwhile, Sheikh Mizanur Rahman, who owned land next to a Sanatan Dharma crematorium on the banks of river Bhairab, gave away his own land for the construction of a new cremation ground as the old one was washed away. Mizanur, a former vice chairman of Fakirhat Union Council, said he was deeply moved by the thought that a community did not have any land to conduct the funeral rites for their dead. "People from different communities, including Hindus and Muslims, live here. When the central cremation ground was swallowed by the river, the Hindu devotees had some problems performing their funeral rites. I owned land next to the cremation ground. When local Hindus asked for it, I gave it to them," he said, adding that people of the locality wished to live in harmony in the days to come. Fakirhat Upazila Council Chairman Swapan Kumar Das believes that the acts of these two men will inspire people in the area and future generations to take similar initiatives. Watch latest videos by DH here: A Goan-origin Cabinet minister on Thursday blamed recent allegations around inappropriate behaviour and comments by British parliamentarians on some bad apples, as she admitted that a minority of male politicians behave like animals. UK Attorney General Suella Braverman told the BBC in a radio interview that she was "ashamed" that an MP accused of watching porn in Parliament reportedly belonged to her party and "wore a Conservative rosette". She was reacting to reports that emerged earlier this week that a minister has accused a fellow Conservative MP of watching pornography on a device in the House of Commons chamber, which is now being investigated. "My personal experience, I've been an MP for seven years, been in the Conservative Party and in politics for 20 years on no occasion have I been made to feel uncomfortable and all the men I have worked with have been respectful, said Braverman. There is however a very small minority of men who fall short and there are some bad apples who are out of order, who behave like animals and are bringing Parliament into disrepute, she said. The 42-year-old minister said the issue was a "worrying symptom" of a wider problem in society and said watching porn in public had become "normalised". Her intervention makes her the latest high-profile politician to wade into an ongoing debate since a media report quoted an anonymous Tory party source to accuse the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Labour Party, Angela Rayner, of crossing and uncrossing her legs to distract British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons. It led to Johnson condemning the dubious reference to the 1992 Sharon Stone film Basic Instinct as an appalling load of sexist, misogynist tripe and threatening action against anyone found to be behind those comments. Since then, female politicians have been speaking out about other inappropriate behaviour, including a Labour MP being accused of using graphic language when describing a female colleague as the party's "secret weapon" because women want to be her friend and men want to sleep with her. "The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously. They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken," a Labour Party spokesperson said. On Wednesday, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas cited a report in The Sunday Times' in the Commons that said a total of 56 MPs, including three Cabinet ministers, were facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being reported to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS). She asked Boris Johnson whether such behaviour was grounds for dismissal under the ministerial code. The UK PM replied to confirm that sexual harassment was "of course... grounds for dismissal". The current parliamentary complaints scheme, the ICGS, was set up in 2018 following complaints about how claims of sexual harassment by MPs were dealt with. The new independent procedure removes MPs from the process of judging whether one of their colleagues had breached rules on bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct. If an MP is suspended for at least 10 days, their constituents can demand a by-election through a recall petition. Watch latest videos by DH here: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday arrived here in Bangladesh on a brief official visit during which he will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hold bilateral talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart. He was received at the Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu by Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen. It is learnt that Jaishankar's half-day official visit to Bangladesh is aimed at preparing the grounds for a visit to India by Prime Minister Hasina. The two countries are expected to fix the date of the 7th Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi. During his visit, Jaishankar will call on Prime Minister Hasina and handover an invitation to her on her Indian counterpart Narendra Modis behalf to visit New Delhi, officials here said. Read | Bangladesh, India have 'sweet' bilateral relationship: Abdul Momen He is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Hasina at her Ganabhaban official residence to handover the invitation letter, an event which will be followed by a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Momen at Foreign Service academy, the official said. Momen would also host an Iftar followed by dinner in Jaishankars honour at the academy. Jaishankars last visit to Bangladesh was in March last year. In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that the visit of the external affairs minister to Bangladesh may be seen in the context of frequent bilateral high-level visits and exchanges particularly as both sides commemorate 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Hasina last visited New Delhi in 2019 to attend the Indian Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) when she also had bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart. Modi, on the other hand, visited Bangladesh on March 26-27 last year at Hasinas invitation to join golden jubilee celebration of the country's independence, birth centenary of Bangladeshs Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 50th years of establishment of Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations. President Ram Nath Kovind also paid a state visit to Dhaka from December 15-17 last year at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid to attend the 50th victory day celebration of Bangladesh. Watch latest videos by DH here: Congress veteran Kamal Nath on Thursday tendered his resignation as the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, but will continue as the MPCC president, party sources said. Nath resigned from the post as per the party's 'one person-one post' policy. The Congress leadership accepted his resignation and approved the appointment of the former minister and seven-time Congress MLA Dr Govind Singh in his place as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), they said. In a communication addressed to Nath on Thursday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal said, "The Congress president has accepted your resignation from the post of Leader, Congress Legislature Party (CLP), Madhya Pradesh with immediate effect." Nath had offered to resign from the post as part of the Congress's 'one person-one post' formula, the sources said. The communication further said, "The Congress president has approved the proposal to appoint Dr Govind Singh as the CLP leader." Nath will continue as the state unit chief of Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls are due in 2023. Watch latest videos by DH here: Hundreds of saints and seers led by Alwar MP Balaknath took out a protest march in Alwar district's Rajgarh on Wednesday against the demolition of two temples during a recent anti-encroachment drive. The temples and some other structures were demolished last week, with officials describing the action as part of an anti-encroachment drive to widen a road in the municipal town. Balaknath alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan is doing politics of appeasement to benefit a particular community. He said the Congress government will face the "consequences" if the demolished temples are not rebuilt. "The Rajasthan government should take cognisance of is matter at the earliest. If Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is not able to run the government then he should resign," he said. The protest march started from Company Bagh Choraha in Rajgarh and seen participation of a large number of saints as well as BJP workers. Saints from different districts of Rajasthan and from neighbouring states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the national capital Delhi also took part in the rally. The demolition of two temples (one complete and one partially) and other structures under the anti-encroachment drive has triggered a controversy. Check out the latest DH videos here: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said violence does not benefit anybody and emphasized the need to bring together all communities and preserve humanity, comments coming in the backdrop of recent clashes between different groups in several parts of the country. He also underlined the need for establishing a Sindhi university in the country to ensure the survival of the Sindhi language and culture. The RSS chief said India is a multi-lingual country and each language has its own importance. Bhagwat was speaking as the chief guest at the 'Gaddinashini' programme (ceremony to assume religious seat) of Sai Rajeshlal Mordiya, the great-grandson of Sant Kanwarram, at Kanwarram Dham on Bhankheda Road near here in eastern Maharashtra. Hundreds of Sindhi community members from the Amravati district and different parts of the country attended the ceremony. The RSS chief asserted no one benefits from violence and called for bringing together all communities and preserving humanity. "Violence does not benefit anybody. The society to which violence is dear is now counting its last days. We should forever be non-violent and peace-loving. For this, it is essential to bring together all communities and preserve humanity. We all need to do this work on a priority," said Bhagwat. The RSS leader's remarks came in the backdrop of communal clashes during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in nearly half a dozen states, including the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Observing that the Sindhi community has contributed richly to the development of the country, Bhagwat stressed the need of having a Sindhi university to promote and preserve the Sindhi culture and language. "While some Sindhi brethren stayed back in Pakistan to protect their religion and land there, many came to India to protect their religion at the cost of land," the RSS leader said. He said the Sindhi community has to put pressure on the central government to get its demand for a university fulfilled. "The society is desirous of having a Sindhi university and an undivided India. These feelings were expressed on this dais also. I was appealed to make efforts for a Sindhi university, but I am not a part of the government. "Be it this government or any other, it acts on the pressure of the society. Social pressure is like petrol to the government. If you desire to see your dream of a Sindhi university becoming a reality, you need to put pressure on this government," Bhagwat said. Speaking on the occasion, Jagatguru Shankaracharya Wasudevanand Saraswati Maharaj said, "Undivided India is the dream of all in the country and this dream will certainly be realized during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. " Check out DH's latest videos: Kannada organisations on Thursday staged a protest here against Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn for his comments on Hindi being the national language of the country. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Praveen Shetty faction staged a flash protest in Mysuru Bank circle in Bengaluru and raised slogans against the actor. Since no permission was obtained from the police prior to the protest, the agitators were taken into custody. They slammed the actor for putting out a tweet for Hindi disrespecting the local regional languages. The protestors held photographs of Ajay Devgn and raised slogans against him. The agitators explained that repeatedly north Indians are provoking the people of Karnataka regarding the imposition of Hindi. Hindi movies are watched by Kannadigas and at a time when the Kannada film industry is growing which is not being tolerated, one of the agitators told while being dragged away by the police. T.A. Narayana Gowda, President of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike explained that due to the importance given for Hindi language in the constitution, Hindi speaking people have developed a feudalistic approach towards other languages. The statement of Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn is symbolic of Hindi feudalism. The provisions which give Hindi importance in the constitution have to be dropped, otherwise, this feudal attitude of Hindi speaking people won't end. They will continue to dominate over regional languages, he explained. Check out DH's latest videos: Russia destroys warehouses storing foreign weapons in Ukraine: spokesperson Xinhua) 15:05, April 28, 2022 MOSCOW, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Russian army has destroyed warehouses storing foreign weapons at Ukraine's Zaporozhye aluminum plant, Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The Russian armed forces used high-precision sea-based Kalibr missiles to destroy "hangars, with a large batch of foreign weapons and ammunition supplied by the United States and European countries," ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing. Russia's aerospace forces hit 59 Ukrainian military facilities overnight, including 50 areas of Ukrainian manpower and equipment concentration, Konashenkov said. Russian missile and artillery troops carried out 573 fire missions overnight, he added. According to the spokesperson, since the start of Russia's special military operation, the Russian army has destroyed a total of 141 Ukrainian aircraft, 110 helicopters, 607 drones, 273 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,596 tanks and other armored vehicles, 296 multiple rocket launchers, 1,134 field artillery and mortar guns and 2,413 special military vehicles. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) People walk through Times Square in New York City, April 27. Unlike other parts of Manhattan, Times Square is quickly returning to its pre-pandemic population with Broadway shows and area hotels at near full capacity on many nights. AFP-Yonhap Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of COVID-19 in the United States, saying the country is ''out of the pandemic phase'' when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to the coronavirus becoming an endemic disease occurring regularly in certain areas. The U.S.' top infectious disease expert, said on PBS ''NewsHour,'' Tuesday, that the coronavirus remains a pandemic for much of the world, but the threat is not over for the United States, adding that he was speaking about the worst phase of the pandemic. ''Namely, we don't have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now,'' he said. In comments Wednesday to The Washington Post, however, Fauci seemed to clarify his earlier remarks, saying that unlike the ''full-blown explosive pandemic phase'' during the brutal winter Omicron surge, he was describing what appears to be a period of transition toward the coronavirus becoming an endemic disease. The SDLP have unveiled a radical plan to make Derry the cross-border capital of the North West. Foyle candidate, Sinead McLaughlin, insisted the city must be a regional capital with the confidence, drive and success of cities such as Belfast, Galway and Cork. Ms McLaughlin was speaking during her unveiling of the SDLP's job creation plan for both Derry and the North West of Ireland. The plan's main strategy focusses upon addressing the high levels of unemployment and poverty in the city as well as the lack of investment compared to other Irish cities that Derry has received over the years. Although a bone of contention with the unionist parties, Ms McLaughlin stated that the Northern Protocol does have its benefits ones that could help the growth of North West businesses and give a boost to local sectors such as health, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and manufacturing. Ms McLaughlin also called for integrated working between Invest NI and the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) in the Republic to attract investment and for all local and national authorities both North and South to address the regional imbalances that the area has endured. She said: For too long people in Derry and the wider North West have failed to get their fair share. Generations of families have been unable to pursue their chosen career, to earn a fair wage or to study in the way that they would like because of the legacy of neglect that this area has been subjected to. SDLP Assembly candidate for Foyle, Sinead McLaughlin We learned a long time ago in Derry that if we want to get something done then we have to do it ourselves. Despite our citys best efforts, numerous administrations at Stormont have failed to deliver for our city. It has taken the work of the SDLP to secure investment and jobs through companies like Seagate, in our City Deal and the new Medical School. We will continue to hold the British and Irish governments to their commitment to deliver 10,000 students for Magee. The potential in this area is clear for all to see and we have produced this strategy to show what we can do to change things weve had more than enough excuses. If the political will exists we can transform this city and region in the years and decades ahead and truly deliver for all our people. This is a fluid document, we will continue to consult widely on it, but we need to make much faster progress we cant keep doing the same things and expecting different results. At the cornerstone of this strategy is the view that Derry must be recognised as the cross-border capital of the North West of this island. We must be a regional capital with the confidence, drive and success of cities such as Belfast, Galway and Cork and we need both the Executive and the Irish Government to get on board with that. This area has been left behind on both sides of the border, but this is the start of a conversation that can drive real change here and Im determined to make this plan a reality to put people first and benefit communities right across the North West. The owner of a new County Derry childrenswear outlet who took a leap of faith during the 2020 lockdown has said she is 'flying' after her first fortnight in business. Kirsty Campbell opened Mini Me Childrenswear in Magherafelt at the beginning of the month, a project that connects three generations of her family. The shop is named after Kirsty's 7-year-old niece Connie, affectionately known to her auntie as 'Mini Me' due to a similar fanaticism for fashion. It runs in the family. The Ardboe woman's mother Josie had always harboured her own dream of opening a children's fashion outlet. It was really my mummy that encouraged me to go for it, she told the County Derry Post. This was her dream. She went to the [Invest NI] Go For It programme many years ago, but didn't go through with it. She's now living her dream through me, she loves it. She wanted to do children's clothing, so she's loving life now because her daughter is now doing it. Kirsty with niece Connie, the inspiration for the store's name, and mum Josie, whose own dream was to open a childrenswear shop. Pic by John O'Neill. Having started at the age of 16 with Tempest in Cookstown, Kirsty progressed into management, securing a Business degree in between before landing a manager's job at River Island in Magherafelt. When Covid hit, she left her role, determined to use the lockdown-imposed hiatus to finally realise her dream. I've been doing the research for about ten years, but it's only in the past two or so that I really focused on it, she said. I contacted the Go For It programme, who helped me with the business plan and things like that. I had left the job in River Island, which was a big sacrifice, a big risk to take, but with my passion for it, I had all eyes on it and said now is the time to go for it. This [building] used to be a barber shop. I'd been searching for premises for a good year and a half, and I'd looked at a few and didn't like them. This one came up, and it was only on the website two hours, and I contacted them right away, saw it the next day and then took it. I've new flooring, new lighting, all the paintwork; everything. There used to be sinks in here and all the plumbing, so there was a lot to do. Part of the reason her search for premises had been delayed was that Kirsty only ever envisaged her business opening in one town. I always had Magherafelt in my head, I just love the town. There was nowhere else in my head other than Magherafelt, said the 32-year-old. I went to school in Cookstown, but there was always something about Magherafelt; the people, the buzz. Because I'd worked in River Island, I grew a customer base and they came into me because they got to know me. I'm overwhelmed by the support I've had so far. I set up an Instagram account and a Facebook page a few months ago, just to say it was coming soon. Even the amount of messages and phone calls I was getting before I opened, to say people were so excited and that this is what Magherafelt needed. One of the brands Kirsty is most proud of is Sergent Major, a French brand of which she is the only UK and Ireland stockist outside of industry behemoth John Lewis. It was in sourcing the brand that she realised the enormity of the journey she had gone on since entering retail as a teenager. There is a showroom in Dublin where I can go down and view a lot of the European brands, but for this brand, I went over to France and went to their showroom, she said. It was amazing. I didn't want to order something where I'd just seen digital images of online; I wanted to go and actually feel the stuff and see what it was like. It's a big risk ordering something you can't feel or see. The price point is amazing and the quality is amazing. No one else around here is going to have it, and once it's sold out, it's sold out, basically. You won't get children running around with the same things on. That's the biggest highlight so far, having a brand like that when I've only opened. I knew what I wanted, so I went and got it. Now entering her fourth week of business on Magherafelt's Union Road, Kirsty is having to pinch herself at the reality of it all. I've always been into fashion my whole life, I think because I was the only girl, she said. My mummy had me dressed in the best of the best, and I've all girl cousins mostly as well, so I always looked up to them for fashion. I always had this in my mind. From I was a wee girl, I always said I was going to open my own kids' shop some day. I've done a few office jobs in between, and I was never happy. I always said I'd never be happy unless I'm my own boss, and here I am. A poignant anniversary is to be marked by the placing of two bouquets at significant spots in Buncrana. On May 4, 1922, Mary-Ellen Kavanagh (19) and Esther Fletcher (10) died in Derry's Infirmary, following their shooting during the gun battle which followed a bank robbery in the seaside town. The incident is believed to be one of the first in the Civil War. Mary-Ellen's nephew, Pa Deeney, is planning to mark the centenary anniversary by placing flowers on her grave in Cockhill cemetery and at the Market Square memorial to the two young women. At the time of the shooting, the Donegal Democrat newspaper reported that Mary-Ellen and Esther died following their admission to Derry Infirmary. At the Inquest, which was carried out in Derry, by Mr James O'Doherty, deputy-coroner, Dr Honeyford, resident surgeon in the Infirmary, said Mary-Ellen had been admitted to the hospital suffering from shock and loss of blood, as a result of a gunshot wound in the upper part of the back, and had died at 6.30 that evening. Speaking to Derry Now Pa said his mother, Annie, would often have talked about her sister Mary-Ellen. Annie was 10 when Mary-Ellen died. Pa Deeney, the nephew of Mary-Ellen Kavanagh My mother said to me all through her life not to forget Mary-Ellen, he said. I got the council to put a memorial to Mary-Ellen and Esther at the Market Square in Buncrana 10 years ago. No one else had done it and, at that time, I wasn't too sure I would still be here for the 100th anniversary. Thankfully, I am and I am going to mark it by placing a bunch of flowers at the Market Square memorial at 11am on Tuesday and placing another bunch on Mary-Ellen's grave in Cockhill cemetery. Pa recounted the heartbreaking story he had been told about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mary-Ellen and Esther Fletcher. What I know about it is there was a ceasefire at the time, but these boys in the town, who thought they knew better, they broke the ceasefire. They came and robbed the bank. They came to rob the two banks, one was the Hibernian and the other one was the Belfast Bank, which then became the Royal Bank and is now the AIB. The Hibernian Bank was not open because the manager was coming from Derry and he had missed his bus. The Belfast Bank was raided by anti-Treaty IRA volunteers. They were in robbing the Belfast Bank and there was a rumpus going on in the street, said Pa. A young man was supposed to be coming down the street. He looked into the bank and saw what was going on. So, he ran down to the old Gardai barracks. At this time, the army was down there. The British had left the town and the army for the Government had taken over. They came up the street, according to the story the way I got it, and some of them dispersed and came around by St Mary's Road and came back up Church Street, to surround the men [robbing the bank]. And then, they came out of the bank. They had not expected the police and the army to be there and they started shooting. The shooting continued and the two girls, Mary-Ellen and Esther, were shot. My aunt was shot in the back. My aunt would have lived in the street, not more that 200 to 300 yards away from the bank. Her father, John Kavanagh, went out into the street looking for her because he heard the rumpus going on and he was shot through the hand and the bullet lodged in my aunt, said Pa. Mary-Ellen's home house on Buncrana Main Street According to Pa, the men in the bank were told they would be let go, if they left the money behind. They would not be arrested. He added: But they decided then they would have a shoot-out and that is when Mary-Ellen and Esther got shot. Anyway, the boys got into a getaway car and they went down Maginn Avenue, up through Ahilly, and up what we would call the Marsh and they came down, out at Burnfoot behind the Metric Ballroom. The Irish Independent of May 5, 1922, reported that one of the Irregular forces [anti-Treaty] was killed in the bank shoot-out and others were wounded. It said: The Regular [pro-Treaty] garrison, which is small in number, phoned their divisional headquarters for reinforcements but on their arrival in town, the raiding party had got away. While returning later in the evening from Buncrana, this party of Regular troops came upon a strong force of Irregulars, armed with machine guns and rifles at Newtowncunningham. An encounter took place in which the Regular forces offered a stout resistance, though lesser in numbers. One volunteer named McGinley was killed and four other soldiers of the Regular forces wounded. The casualties on the side of the opposing forces are not known. Pa said: The Newtowncunningham ambush took place at Dr White's Corner. I have read a lot of history from that time and there were referenda all around the country about the Treaty. At the vote taken in St Mary's Hall in Buncrana, 84% of those who voted were in favour of accepting the Treaty. Anyway, the boys who robbed the Belfast Bank in Buncrana got away. However, they were arrested at a later stage and ended up in the Curragh Camp. But then you had a change of Government in Ireland and De Valera got into power and those boys were all freed and got pensions for life, said Pa. Sadly, Mary-Ellen was pre-deceased by her mother, Sarah, who had had 15 children. Paying tribute to his eldest aunt and uncle, Pa said: At that time there was talk of splitting the children up and sending them to live with different family members. But, my eldest aunt and uncle, who were still living at home said under no circumstances were the wanes going to be divided. Instead they stayed at home and reared the wanes. They never married. The Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) has called on the Irish Government to "act now to defend the integrity of the protocol and the Good Friday Agreement". The call came in the wake of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) removal of in-factory weigh permits to two Killybegs fish processors, after a recent fish catch came via Foyle Port in Derry. The grounds cited by the SFPA were that the landing took place outside of Ireland. The loss of in-factory weigh permits curtails the functioning of the fish processing businesses, because they cannot conduct the weighing required for official controls on-site. In a statement, Aodh O Donnell, chief executive, IFPO said: The development over the last 24 hours has shocked the seafood industry, is another blow to the sector and leads to additional uncertainty. Left unchallenged, this is going to have significant consequences for the sector generally. There is long standing and a massive inter-dependence between the catching and processing sectors on the island. The special arrangement and protocol for Northern Ireland is key to the smooth running of the fishing industry island-wide. The indication by the SFPA that they cannot treat the ports in Northern Ireland as part of the protocol arrangement is nothing short of shocking, and is contrary to the protocol and the Good Friday Agreement. The IFPO calls on the Government to act now to defend the integrity of the protocol and the Good Friday Agreement. See The Skipper article on this here. Globe Telecom has penned a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AST SpaceMobile to boost its coverage and connect underserved areas in the Philippines. AST SpaceMobile has developed a cellular broadband network designed to be accessible by standard mobile phones. When it launches, it will aim to provide Globes 86 million subscribers with expanded coverage in remote locations. In a statement, AST SpaceMobile chief commercial officer Chris Ivory said: The Philippines thousands of islands create formidable challenges to meet the growing demand for cellular broadband connectivity. We believe our planned space-based network solution is well-suited to help, and were excited to work with Globe. AST SpaceMobile has entered into agreements and understandings with operators globally which collectively serve over 1.8 million cellular customers. It recently signed an MoU with Orange to plug coverage gaps in the operator groups African footprint. Will the price of 5G spectrum be set at what operators feel is a reasonable rate before the imminent Indian 5G spectrum auctions? Telecommunications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the government is working on a plan to resolve the industrys concerns around the issue. According to a report in Indias Economic Times, the Digital Communications Commission (set up in the late 1980s with administrative and financial powers of the government of India to deal with various aspects of telecommunications), is to consider the Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indias (TRAI) recommendations in five to six days. It will then send its recommendations on pricing to the Cabinet. However, the most recent suggestion from TRAI was for price cuts (compared to its last recommendation in 2018) of between 36% and 40%. This is way behind operator calls for a 90% cut in the reserve prices of 5G airwaves, which they suggest would be in line with global rates. But there isnt much time to decide on prices. The minister has confirmed that the next auction of spectrum is to be held in June in the hope that an initial launch of commercial services can take place on 15 August. The Economic Times lists the spectrum on sale as coming from the 3.3-3.67GHz and the 700MHz bands, as well as the 600MHz, 800MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz and 2500MHz bands. Millimetre wave bands in the 24.25GHz to 28.5GHz range will also be sold. Or, at least, that is the hope. Pricing concerns have left spectrum unsold before and it may happen again if government misjudges the amount industry is willing to pay for the opportunity to roll out 5G. St. Patricks Day events with our Irish community in Austin and San Antonio News The Ireland House team was pleased to welcome back business contacts for a networking reception and whiskey tasting. It was a pleasure to see so many of our Irish community again for a St. Patricks Day community reception, welcoming Minister Donnelly to Austin and introducing new Consul General Robbie Hull. Thank you to Andrea Magee and Pat Byrne for the wonderful Irish music. On 17 March, Minister Donnelly joined the Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas to unveil a plaque commemorating the Irish who died at the Battle of the Alamo. Consul General Hull and Niamh Marshall joined the Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas to take part in the worlds only St. Patricks Day parade by boat! We are very grateful for the efforts of Irish communities in the region in organising St. Patricks Day celebrations. On behalf of the team, we hope you had a wonderful St. Patricks Day! Previous Item | Call for nominations for 2022 Presidential Distinguished Service Award announced by Minister Brophy Press release The Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Mr. Colm Brophy, T.D., has announced the opening of the nominations process for the 2022 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad. Minister Brophy said: I am delighted to announce the call for nominations for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, which acknowledges the many ways members of our Diaspora contribute to Ireland, the Irish community abroad and Irelands reputation across the world. Over the last 10 years, 108 remarkable recipients have received the Award, across a range of categories, chosen from pools of high quality nominees. Among them are some well-known international names, including Jack Charlton, Liam Neeson, Chuck Feeney, Fionnuala Flanagan, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot OLeary, Terry Wogan, Fiona Shaw, Thomas Keneally, Edna OBrien, George Mitchell and Jim Stynes. The awards also allow us to celebrate the outstanding efforts made by recipients who may be less well-known, in order to rightly draw attention to their highly significant contributions to the societies in which they live. People such as emigrant rights activist Sally Mulready, retired policeman and founder of the Project Children Charity Denis Mulcahy, human rights and charity activist Sally ONeill Sanchez, astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell and biographer Ian Gibson to name but a few. As Minister of State for the Diaspora I am aware of the profound impact our global family has had around the world in so many countries and in a variety of fields, and I am proud that Ireland recognises all that our diaspora have done and continue to do. The Presidential Distinguished Service Award remains a very important opportunity to acknowledge in a formal way those who have made a sustained contribution to Ireland or Irish communities abroad. We want to ensure that the Award continues to attract outstanding nominees and I encourage everyone to consider nominating eligible candidates. The Presidential Distinguished Service Award was established as a means to recognise the contribution of members of the Irish diaspora, and the first awards were made in 2012. Nominations are made by Irish communities abroad through Irelands network of Diplomatic Missions. In order to be eligible for consideration, nominees must be habitually resident outside the island of Ireland and are required to satisfy one of the following additional requirements: have rendered distinguished service to the nation and/or its reputation abroad; have actively and demonstrably contributed to Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad in at least one of the listed categories; have a track record of sustained support and engagement with Ireland and/or its international reputation and/or Irish communities abroad over a period of not less than 5 years; or have made a sustained and distinguished service to Ireland on a global or international issue of importance. Nominations should be submitted through the Embassy of Ireland in the country of residence of the nominee before Wednesday, 11th May 2022. Note for Editors The Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad is neither an honours system nor does it confer any legal entitlements upon the recipients. The scheme is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, and a High Level Panel is established to make recommendations to Government. This Panel includes: Mr Joe Hackett, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs (Chair), Mr Martin Fraser, Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach; Ms Orla OHanrahan, Secretary General to the President; and four representatives from the non-Government sector. Nominations are made by Irish communities abroad through Irelands network of Diplomatic Missions. ENDS Press Office 28 April 2022 Previous Item | Its been just over 48 hours since Elon Musk outright bought Twitter for a monumental sum of $44 billion and, pardon my French but the proverbial s**t has hit the fan! Im not even kidding, Twitter has exploded like a hornets nest, with tweets flying left, right and centre. Everyone and their grandmum has been reacting to the worlds richest mans purchase of the popular microblogging platform and how!! Reactions galore The age of social media has given us unfettered access to movie stars, politicians, musicians, and everything in between. Some might say that its a good thing, but the phrase never meet your heroes comes to mind here. But it seems like one man is here to change the way things are done on everyones favourite bite-sized social media app, for better or worse. Some are hailing Elon Musks purchase of Twitter as the greatest victory for free speech in the modern era, while some decry it as a billionaire feeding his own over-inflated ego. While both may be right, the acquisition of Twitter has drawn some of the hottest takes on freedom of speech and in the process highlighted a few glaring concerns that could derail the entire thing. Over the years, Twitter has simultaneously become the worlds largest platform for discourse and the worlds largest septic tank. Peoples lives have been destroyed by discourse on the platform, banned for wrong-think and even had their reach throttled by the almighty algorithm. What started as a well-meaning platform for debate and discussion, Twitter quickly turned into a political battleground that has even seen the banning of a former US President while he was in power no less. It eventually got so bad that even co-founder Jack Dorsey resigned from his position as CEO, leaving Parag Agrawal to take over the hot seat. To say that American politics has seeped into every cultural moment in the past few years is an understatement. The Hottest of Hot Takes Even though the platform was seen as toxic, it was still an important source for breaking news, updates and such. After all the controversy, it looks like the biggest one was just around the corner. The acquisition by Musk has been seen by some as an extravagant impulse purchase by a spoiled billionaire and that the 44 billion he spent could have been used to end world hunger. Silly tweets, no doubt, but the seed of discord against Musk has already reared its head. As a bit of a rebuttal, if $44 billion was all it took to end world hunger, how has it not happened already? Elon Musk told the United Nations he would give them $6 billion to end world hunger if they showed him a detailed plan of how they would use the money. They called his bluff and gave him their plan and then they never got the money. Now hes buying Twitter for $45 billion. No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 25, 2022 Others have even complained that the $44 billion matches Joe Bidens climate change proposal. The amount Elon Musk just paid for Twitter ($44 billion) is nearly equal to Bidens proposed climate budget ($44.9 billion), in case anyone's wondering how seriously were taking the climate crisis Stephen Semler (@stephensemler) April 26, 2022 US Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was recently derided for claiming Native American heritage when she was clearly a white woman, also chipped in with her rather silly take. She claims that democracy shouldnt be held hostage in the hands of a few and that billionaires like Musk should pay their fair share of taxes. This deal is dangerous for our democracy. Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain. We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable. Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 25, 2022 Jack Dorsey also endorsed Musk as he tweeted out that if there was one person that he trusted to take over Twitter, it would be Musk. High praise from the co-founder of Twitter. Elons goal of creating a platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is the right one. This is also @paragas goal, and why I chose him. Thank you both for getting the company out of an impossible situation. This is the right path...I believe it with all my heart. jack (@jack) April 26, 2022 This is par on course for celebrities of course, but now that Musk has firmly planted his foot in the domain of public discourse, this is only going to get much worse. Case in point, Elon Musks close relationship with China. The Chinese Candidate Right now, Twitter does an excellent job of marking and identifying Chinese state-affiliated media such as CCTV, CGTN etc along with state actors such as ministers and such. As we all know, China is notorious for its censorship and absolutist approach to shutting down dissent. Freedom of speech does not exist in China. Twitter isnt even accessible on the Chinese mainland. You can thank the Great Firewall for that. Elon Musk also has close ties to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) with China being the second-largest market for Tesla. It complicates things when a Tesla Giga Factory is located in Shanghai. So what happens when the CCP threatens Musk with IP seizure and shutdowns if Twitter does not comply with Chinese censors? Even Lex Luthor's stand-in, Jeff Bezos has a good point once in a while. Interesting question. Did the Chinese government just gain a bit of leverage over the town square? https://t.co/jTiEnabP6T Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 25, 2022 Politicians all across the US were quick to jump on with their opinions and thoughts on the matter with Senator Ron DeSantis praising Musk for the acquisition. The Left weren't so happy though, with a large cadre of users wishing death on the billionaire. Elon Fights back For all his talk, Elon has actually seemed to back up what he stated. Even if things go south from here, its clear that the status quo has changed forever. The madlad even joked about buying Coca Cola next! If anything, the past two days have been unexpectedly entertaining. In fact, news outlets like WION even went as far as to report that Elon Musk was planning on introducing cocaine to Coca Cola. Clearly, they didnt get the joke. Next Im buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2022 Another unintended consequence of the buyout is that banned accounts have come back. Right-wing users have seen an uptick in followers while left-wing figures have seen a drop in follower count. We cant verify this but we have seen accounts that were banned make their way back to the platform. Every major right-wing account suddenly got thousands of "new" followers overnight. Meanwhile, almost every major left-wing account has lost thousands of followers. Shadow bans are being lifted and bots are being deleted. Twitter is mopping up before the new boss comes in. pic.twitter.com/YUxWYz7ifR Possum Reviews (@ReviewsPossum) April 27, 2022 This is trippy! Thanks Elon for bringing back my old account that was suspended. pic.twitter.com/yYom6WjM6p Drunk3po (@Drunk3po_Joay) April 26, 2022 Its still only 48 hours since the acquisition but it seems like the online world has been turned upside down. Its gotten to the point where the Biden administration actually set up a Disinformation Governance Board! Sec. of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas says a "Disinformation Governance Board" is being created to counter misinformation. pic.twitter.com/Qysmy0kGTP The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) April 27, 2022 Where this all leads to is still a mystery, as our resident Editor has expressed. But we know one thing for sure, were not in Kansas anymore. What Indians had to say For what its worth, India has about 23 million users on Twitter. Thats a huge section of people on the platform, but it really is a drop in the total population of the country. A lot of users seem to be incredibly happy that Musk has taken over Twitter while others fear that it will lead to Islamaphobia in the country. Its been a roller coaster ride here and its only going to get more interesting as the days go by. #TwitterTakeover is against Geneva Convention and will promote IsIamophobia in India. RW used to mince words to avoid suspension. In #ElonMusk's reign they'll make no attempt to hide bigotry, provoking scared minority into stone pelting. SC must stay this unconstitutional deal. THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) April 25, 2022 Anand Mahindra shipped in with his two cents as well and as far as his message goes, its hard to find anything wrong with it. He says that allowing trolls and the like to show themselves on the platform will make catching them much easier for Indian law enforcement. A novel idea, no doubt. Clearly Freedom of Speech is cherished. I,too,agree Twitter can permit a greater degree of participation & expression. Because censorship doesnt suppress the hate-mongers & a platform like this can flush them out into public view allowing law enforcers to act against them. (1/2) https://t.co/GgtWZR3Z4M anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 27, 2022 Even delivery services such as Swiggy and Zomato got in a few digs regarding the entire situation. Swiggy even went so far as to share a photoshopped image of Elon Musks cart with Twitter, Motichoor Ladoo and Kaju Kati as his checkout items. we saw what elon bought next pic.twitter.com/z18MvMtqTi Swiggy (@swiggy_in) April 26, 2022 Zomato wasnt going to be left behind and tweeted that Elon Musk bought Twitter faster than most users could even decide on what pizza to order. A bit out of line, but theyre right. But, the best out of the lot has to be the tweet by Amul. The image included the cheeky caption Yeh Cheez Badi hai Musk, Musk followed by Share it, dont have it, Elon. Media reacts The media weren't silent through this entire situation with publications like The Verge stoking the flames by publishing an article titled, How to deactivate your Twitter account and promptly got ratioed by a troll Twitter account. How to deactivate your Twitter account https://t.co/KVLIDkfWBg pic.twitter.com/IWg3Oh1BJp The Verge (@verge) April 25, 2022 Podcast host and MMA commentator Joe Rogan found out that Musk had bought Twitter live on his podcast and reacted the only way he could. Check out the video below for his live reaction. Rogan actually had Musk on his podcast a few years ago where he actually got the billionaire to take a hit of a marijuana joint. Conclusion: Everyone and their pets now have something to say about Musk but at the end of the day, as weve said before, the status quo has been upended. The deal is done and now only time will tell what Musk will do with the platform. Will Elon Musk uphold the values of free speech or will it capitulate to state-sponsored interference? Honestly, only time will tell and the only thing we can all collectively do is wait and see. Aside from the new maps, players can also get their hands on a new functional weapon Call of Duty: Mobiles Season 4 Wild Dogs update is finally out. The update should be available to all users, and if you havent got it yet, just sit tight and you should get it soon. As with any major update, players can expect a bunch of new updates. This includes new maps, new game modes, weapons and more. Call of Duty: Mobile Season 4 Wild Dogs - New maps Satellite The Satellite map is set in the Central African Desert and is set around a crashed American KH-9 spy satellite. This match features a wide open area on one side of the map, with rocky caverns on the other side. The wide-open spaces mean that players will have to be careful when traversing the area as they will be open to being shot by snipers. Khandor Hideout The Khandor Hideout map is set in Central Asia and is an urban map with multiple indoor locations. Players can expect a lot of close-quarters battles as they battle to gain control of locations. However, the map will also feature multiple sightlines which should make snipers quite happy. Aside from the new maps, players can also get their hands on a new functional weapon. Called the Koshka Sniper Rife. You also get a new throwable grenade called the Contact Grenade. Aside from these two, players can also expect Weapon Blueprints, Calling Cards, Charms, COD Points, and more. Aside from this, players will also get to participate in new season challenges as well as a new seasonal event called Sandstorms Eye. You can learn more about the new update here. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has quipped that he will bebuying Coca-Cola next and put the cocaine back in. Coca-Cola, the multinational carbonated soft drink brand has reportedly been breached by a Pro-Russian hacker group called Stormous. The report comes from The Register, to whom the Coke brand has revealed its ongoing investigation. The company is apparently aware of the data loss claim and is working with law enforcement to sort things out. Coca-Cola Hack: Details The Pro-Kremlin hacker group Stormous has listed around 161 gigabytes of hacked Coca-Cola data on the dark web. The listing reads, We hacked some of the companys (Coca-Colas) servers and passed a large amount of data inside them without their knowledge and we want to sell it to someone else. #Stormous claims responsibility for Coca-Cola's ransomware attack. They are allegedly selling 161 GB of data allegedly belonging to Coca-Cola...#Ransomware #RansomwareGroup pic.twitter.com/xCSHwdVQpR BetterCyber (@_bettercyber_) April 25, 2022 The hackers are selling the Coca-Cola leaked data for around $64,000 in cryptocurrency. It also adds the price could be negotiated "depending on the amount of data you want". This Coca-Cola data was leaked on April 24, 2022, and since then, the victim, ie., Coca-Cola has come forward with a statement. Coca-Cola Communications Global VP Scott Leith has told The Register, "We are aware of this matter and are investigating to determine the validity of the claim. We are coordinating with law enforcement. Days before the hack, Stomrous had apparently held a poll on its Telegram group asking its followers which brand it should target and Coca-Cola has received about 72-percent of the votes. STORMOUS ransomware gang has officially announced its support for the Russian governments. pic.twitter.com/D0qHccZ8jU DarkTracer : DarkWeb Criminal Intelligence (@darktracer_int) March 1, 2022 Coming to the why of it all, the hacker gang had previously posted that if any party in different parts of the world decides to organize a cyber-attack or cyber-attacks against Russia, we will be in the right direction and will make all our efforts to abandon the supplication of the West, especially the infrastructure." So, thats the world we are living in. As the American computer security consultant and author, Kevin Mitnick notes, Hackers are breaking the systems for profit. Before, it was about intellectual curiosity and pursuit of knowledge and thrill, and now hacking is big business. As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in. The removal requests should fall within the scope of Googles privacy policy. Google Search becomes more privacy friendly with this feature that lets you delete sensitive personal information like contact details and login credentials. All you got to do is submit a request, which Google will evaluate and if it meets the companys criteria, then those would be removed. We will see what those requirements are and what you need to do to clear those personally identifiable details from the search results. Requirements to clear personally identifiable info from Google Search The list of personal data that you can get removed from Google Search are: Confidential government identification (ID) numbers like U.S. Social Security Number, Argentine Single Tax Identification Number, Brazil Cadastro de pessoas Fisicas, Korea Resident Registration Number, China Resident Identity Card, etc. Bank account numbers Credit card numbers Images of handwritten signatures Images of ID docs Highly personal, restricted, and official records, like medical records Personal contact info (physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses) Confidential login credentials Now for your request to be eligible for the removal, your personal info on Google must include: Your contact info Explicit or implicit threats Explicit or implicit calls to action for others to harm or harass Google says when the request is found to be within the scope of our policy, either the URLs will be removed for all queries or the URLs will be removed only from search results in which the query includes the complainants name, or other provided identifiers, such as aliases. How to initiate a removal of personal info from Google Search Its fairly straightforward process. Heres what you have to do: Visit this page and fill in the Request to remove your personal information on Google form. Submit it. You will get an automated email confirmation from Google. The request will be reviewed in terms of the aforementioned requirements. If in case, the company finds it needs for details from you, it will seek the same. It will give you further instructions to resubmit the application. Now, your request wiull be reevaluated and again you will receive a notification from Google once the requested data is removed from the public domain. Thats all. As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in. NEWS RELEASE Release Number: 2022-38 Date: April 28, 2022 DIR and Cal/OSHA Honor Workers Memorial Day OaklandOn Workers Memorial Day 2022, the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) commemorate the workers who have lost their lives due to work-related injuries and illnesses in California. This international day of remembrance is held annually on April 28, the date Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, ensuring all workers have the right to a safe and healthful workplace. We observe Workers Memorial Day to honor all of the workers who lost their lives on the job, said Cal/OSHA Chief Jeff Killip. Workplace safety regulations are critically important in preventing tragedies from occurring at work. Our team stands ready to support employers and workers with workplace safety and health guidance, trainings and on-site consultation to prevent workplace death, injury or illness. According to the most recent data available in the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released in December 2021, 463 Californians died from work injuries in 2020. In addition, many workers have lost their lives or were hospitalized after getting COVID-19 at work. To address the hazards related to COVID-19, Cal/OSHA posted guidance for employers and workers. The Division also enforces the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards, which were adopted to strengthen infection prevention requirements to keep employees safe, and gives workers information on how to protect themselves and prevent the spread of disease. The Emergency Temporary Standards are in addition to the protections afforded specifically to workers in health care and other industries, which are covered by the nations only permanent standard on workplace aerosol transmissible disease prevention. Workers in the state are also protected by the nations first heat illness prevention regulation, which was adopted on an emergency basis in 2005 and subsequently amended to add high-heat procedures and other important requirements to protect outdoor workers and set baseline requirements for water, rest and shade to prevent heat illness. After one the most destructive fire seasons in the states history in 2018, Cal/OSHA adopted an emergency regulation to protect workers from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. This regulation became permanent in February 2021. All together, these efforts provide California workers with greater protections, and maintain workplace injury and fatality rates below the national average. Cal/OSHA was the first in the nation to adopt a general industry Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) regulation in 1991, to set a standard for all employers across the state on identifying, preventing and training employees on workplace hazards. California also adopted the most comprehensive workplace violence prevention in health care standard in the country. Workers in California are also protected by permissible exposure limits that go beyond the corresponding federal minimums and cover a wider variety of chemicals. DIR and Cal/OSHA are committed to raising awareness of workplace safety and health requirements by educating employers on their responsibilities and informing workers of their rights. Cal/OSHA offers free assistance to employers and workers, creates guidance and educational materials in multiple languages, organizes outreach events and more to share information on whats required to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, is the division within the Department of Industrial Relations that helps protect Californias workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace. Cal/OSHAs Consultation Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers to improve their health and safety programs. Employers should call (800) 963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services. Workers who have questions about COVID-19 hazards, heat illness prevention and wildfire smoke protections can call 833-579-0927 to speak with a Cal/OSHA representative during normal business hours. Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices. Contact: Office of Communications, Communications@dir.ca.gov, 510-286-1161. 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. Jinx Lennon returns to the Spirit Store tomorrow, Friday night, following the life affirming roller-coaster ride of last November's jam packed show in the Store. This is the launch for his new album PET RENT an hour long garage rock odyssey full of punk, glam,and showband beats, a cracked eye lens view of provincial Irish life. PET RENT is named after the horrible new charge that some landlords are landing on tenants heads making them pay extra for keeping domestic animals. They get away with it in Dublin but it probably won't get too far amongst the citizens of North Louth, Jinx said. Jinx recently took part in TG4 Cumasc:Seisiun sa Black Gate where himself and Mary Wallopers compose a new song there and then, on the spot. The episode will be televised on Sunday April 10th, and many caught Jinx on the Tommy Tiernan Show bringing the sound of North Louth to the masses. The Jinx Lennon show always aims to lift the soul when the world stomps on your head so expect rawness and mayhem onstage as Jinx transforms the everyday mundane border life stories into tales of heroism and righteous truth. New songs include one about the Belfast refugee crisis of the early seventies when Dundalk town opened up its doors to those seeking refuge from the trouble in the North. Joining Jinx on stage on guitar will be Chris Barry from Myles Manleys band who produced Junior Brothers debut album and some of the recent Jinx LPs. Special guest act include Derry sons Strength N.I.A.who fall into that strange space between the Fall and Ray Manzarak of the Doors.Tales from the Foyleside through the Brandywell gates and back .Great recent LP 'Ulster is a Dance Master',will be available to buy at the show. PET RENT will soon be available from the bandcamp store jinxlennon1.bandcamp.com ,itunes, Classified Records or you can buy it at the Spirit Store from Jinx himself. The PET RENT tour starts in Dublin in Thomas House on April 15th. Strength N.I.A. will be doing a warm up show at Classified Records on April 23rd. You can buy tickets for the Spirit Store show on Friday 29th or now from spiritstore.ie EBRD and donors provide emergency assistance to Ukrposhta and Nova Poshta. Swedish and Taiwanese funds worth 1 million to help the companies adjust their international logistics to the crisis. One of the first technical assistance projects to help countries directly affected by the war on Ukraine. As a response to the war on Ukraine, the EBRD and its donors are providing emergency technical assistance to Ukrposhta and Nova Poshta, the two largest delivery companies in Ukraine. With funds worth 1 million 500,000 from Sweden and the same amount from Taiwanese contributions the EBRD will help the companies adjust their international logistics systems to the crisis. This is one of the EBRDs first technical assistance projects that will contribute to achieving the objectives of the Resilience and Livelihoods Framework, which aims to help countries directly affected by the war on Ukraine. Since the start of the war, both clients have had to re-arrange their logistics networks and are now using their warehouses in Poland as international delivery hubs. The donor funds will enable cargo to be delivered to these hubs in order to help private businesses in Ukraine stay operational and withstand the crisis. The funds will also ensure the continued supply of critical humanitarian aid such as food, water and medical supplies, to the population in Ukraine. The technical assistance will help thousands of private entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals in Ukraine who sell their products on global e-commerce platforms and rely on Nova Poshta and Ukrposhta to reach their customers across the world. The EBRD declared its unwavering support for Ukraine and its people, and condemned the aggression by Russia and Belarus in February. In March it unveiled an initial 2 billion resilience package of measures to help citizens, companies and countries affected by the war on Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the largest economies in which the Bank invests, with cumulative lending of more than 16 billion in 511 projects since the EBRD started work there, including more than 1 billion in 2021. New EBRD 5 million credit line to Intesa Leasing SMEs to be able to access new finance to help increase their competitiveness EU grants to make company investments more affordable Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Serbia are to benefit from new funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU), made available through Intesa Leasing. A new 5 million credit line will be on-lent by Intesa Leasing to Serbian firms in the form of leases for equipment, vehicles and so on, enabling them to invest in their working standards and processes and become more competitive on local and EU markets. The aim is to encourage SMEs to invest in upgrades in three key areas: environmental protection, health and safety, and product quality. Once projects are successfully completed, SMEs will be able to access grants worth up to 15 per cent of the total lease amount. A particular focus will be on investments in greener technologies, to help SMEs adapt to EU environmental standards and improve their energy efficiency. At least 60 per cent of all leases will support energy-saving measures. The new facility is part of the Western Balkans SME Competitiveness Support Programme, to which the EBRD provides loans and the European Union (EU) contributes incentive payments and technical assistance. The goal is to help SMEs modernise their activities and take advantage of trade opportunities in the Western Balkans region and wider European market. Matteo Colangeli, EBRD Director for the Western Balkans, said: The competitiveness of SMEs and their green transition, in particular, are key to Serbias sustainable economic development and resilience in changing global markets. We are very pleased to support the countrys SMEs with this new facility, which also marks another important step in our excellent cooperation with the Intesa Group in Serbia and the broader Western Balkans region. Darko Popovic, President of the Board of Directors of Intesa Leasing and CEO of Banca Intesa, said: We are very glad to continue our successful cooperation with the EBRD, particularly in these post-Covid-19 circumstances, which have been especially challenging for SMEs. With the new credit line, we will offer favourable leasing conditions to our SME clients, aimed at improving their working standards to boost the competitiveness of this segment in the local and EU markets, while fostering their engagement in environmental protection, health and safety, and product quality areas. * * * Intesa Leasing Belgrade is a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo banking group and one of the major leasing companies in Serbia, with significant business activities in the vehicles, equipment and real-estate sectors. By combining global experience with local skills, it seeks solutions that meet client needs and support a better quality of life, prosperity, and economic and societal development more broadly. The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Serbia. The Bank has invested more than 7.2 billion in the country to date. The EBRD is focusing on support for private sector development, the improvement of public utility services and on the overall transition towards a green economy. EBRD investment of up to US$ 100 million in a certified green bond issuance in favour of Scatec ASA US$ 30 million Credit Enhancement Facility First private green project bond issuance in Egypt and the SEMED region The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is investing up to US$ 100 million in a certified green bond issuance of US$ 334.5 million, backed by six solar power plants owned by Scatec ASA. The Bank is also providing a US$ 30 million Credit Enhancement Facility (CEF) for participating institutional investors. Certified under the Climate Bonds Standard, this bond is the first private green project bond issuance in Egypt and the southern and eastern Mediterranean region. The issuance will have a catalytic effect on renewable energy investors seeking access to capital markets in a volatile post-pandemic macroeconomic environment, allowing them to source funding from the growing pool of international institutional investors. The issuance is co-financed by the EBRD, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), FMO Entrepreneurial Development Bank, the German Development Finance Institution (DEG) and private institutional investors. The CEF, alongside the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) Political Risk Insurance cover, is an innovative instrument, which will draw a new class of international institutional investors into Egypts renewable energy sector, thus paving the way for greener bond issuances in the future. In addition, the EBRD will support the regional economic development of the Aswan governorate in the country. The Bank will work on increasing access to skills and economic opportunities for people in the less developed rural areas near Benban Solar Park, by introducing a certified training programme for agribusiness entrepreneurs, with a specific focus on youth and women. Nandita Parshad, EBRD Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, said: We are delighted to continue our support of Egypts renewable energy sector and to mobilise new private and institutional capital through this highly innovative and timely instrument. Mikkel Trud, the CFO of Scatec, said: We are thrilled to be part of this innovative green financial transaction which has attracted capital from both development financial institutions and international institutional investors. This transaction demonstrates strong support for the Egyptian governments ambitions to become a green hub in the Middle East. Scatec ASA -- a Norway-based integrated independent solar power producer -- develops, builds, owns and operates renewable power plants, with 3.5 GW in operation and under construction around the world. Egypt is a founding member of the EBRD. Since the start of its operations there in 2012, the EBRD has invested more than 8.5 billion in 144 projects in the country. By Dominic McGrath, PA Foreign Affairs Minster Simon Coveney will travel to Washington to meet with senior officials in the Biden administration. Mr Coveney will visit Washington DC and Boston, with the three-day trip from April 27-29th set to include meetings with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. He is also set for meetings on Capitol Hill. The meeting comes amid ongoing negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol, as well as days before the Assembly elections on May 5th. Mr Coveney is expected to raise the Northern Ireland Protocol, as well both the war in Ukraine and the upcoming elections, during his visit. The protocol is aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland, but has created a series of economic barriers on Irish Sea trade. President Joe Biden has been a vocal opponent of any moves perceived to pose a threat to peace in Northern Ireland and the stability of the Good Friday Agreement. The UK Government has refused to be drawn on reports that the Queens Speech on May 10th may include legislation to unilaterally suspend the protocol if a negotiated solution does not emerge. Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Coveney said: Ireland and the United States have deep and warm relations built on a foundation of historic ties and shared values. Strengthening this relationship further is a priority for the Government. This visit to Washington DC and Boston is an important opportunity to discuss shared approaches to confronting global challenges, and to re-engage with our diaspora community and other friends of Ireland in the United States as we emerge from the pandemic. In the first major deal to come out of the COP26 climate talks, more than 100 countries have pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. The countries agreeing to the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use include nations with important forest cover like Brazil, Russia, Canada, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well as major emitters like the U.S. and China. All told, the signatories hold more than 85 percent of the worlds forests within their borders. These great teeming ecosystems these cathedrals of nature are the lungs of our planet, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose nation is hosting the climate talks, said in a statement reported by CNN. Forests support communities, livelihoods and food supply, and absorb the carbon we pump into the atmosphere. They are essential to our very survival. With todays unprecedented pledges, we will have a chance to end humanitys long history as natures conqueror, and instead become its custodian. https://twitter.com/COP26/statuses/1455477840854540289 Deforestation is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions because removing trees removes natural carbon sinks and instead releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. All told, the degradation and logging of forests contributes around 11 percent of global emissions. Protecting forests is therefore an important part of halting the climate crisis. The deal was announced alongside financial commitments to support it, according to a UK government announcement. These pledges include: $12 billion in public finance from 12 nations to support restoration, wildfire prevention and Indigenous communities in developing nations over the next four years. $1.5 billion from 12 nations and philanthropists to protect the forests of the Congo Basin, the worlds second-largest tropical rainforest. $1.7 billion from 14 nations and philanthropists to support Indigenous forest rights by 2025. In addition, nations and companies that trade in agricultural commodities like soy and palm oil that threaten forests have pledged new actions. Twenty-eight governments responsible for 75 percent of this trade signed a new Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT) Statement to support sustainable trade. Further, 10 companies responsible for more than half of the trade in these commodities promised a plan before the next COP to make their supply chains consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The announcements were met with cautious optimism by experts and forest advocates. It is good news to have a political commitment to end deforestation from so many countries, and significant funding to move forward on that journey, University College London forest and climate expert professor Simon Lewis told BBC News. But he also pointed out that a similar agreement in 2014 failed to slow deforestation at all. That agreement, the New York Declaration on Forests, promised to half deforestation by 2020 and end it by 2030. However, it only had 40 signatories and key players like Brazil and Russia were not among them. Other advocates said the funding was not enough to support Indigenous forest guardians. We are undervalued and our rights are still not respected, Borneo Idigenous rights activist Mina Setra told The Guardian. A statement is not enough. We need evidence, not only words. Human activity has degraded as much as 40 percent of the worlds land, impacting half of the people on Earth and putting about half of global gross domestic product at risk. Thats the stark finding of the Global Land Outlook 2, a new report from the UNs Council to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). With more than 1,000 references and the support of 21 partner organizations, the publication is the most comprehensive assessment to date of the state of the worlds land, and it offers both a dire warning and promising solutions. In a world of profligate consumerism, global supply chains, and a growing population, land resources our soil, water, and biodiversity are rapidly being depleted. As a finite resource and our most valuable natural asset, we can no longer afford to take land for granted. We must move to a crisis footing to address the challenge and make land the focus, UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw wrote in a foreword to the new report. Mining vs. Managing More than 70 percent of the Earths land has been altered by human activity, and up to 40 percent is degraded, meaning that it has become less biologically or economically productive over a sustained period of time. Land degradation increases poverty and pollution and puts the people who live on or near it at risk for diseases and disasters. One major driver of this degradation is the global food system, which is the leading cause of land-based biodiversity loss and is also behind 80 percent of deforestation and 70 percent of freshwater use. Yet UNCCD members emphasized that the main problem was not any particular type of land use, but rather the dominant economys overall attitude towards land. We have been mining land, we have not been managing it, Thiaw told reporters in a Wednesday press conference. He defined mining as a linear approach that favored using and discarding resources, while managing would mean a more circular approach that uses and reuses resources sustainably. It is the way that our economy is shaped right now, UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza Murillo agreed. In an interview with EcoWatch, UNCCD lead scientist Barron Joseph Orr said that the land-use conversation had moved on from 10 years ago, when it had focused on single direct drivers like overgrazing. We know now that the cup of coffee that you or I may have had this morning may have contributed to land degradation somewhere very far away, as is true for almost everything that we eat, that we wear, etc., he said. And so unsustainable consumption and production is probably the underlying, major indirect driver. Three Scenarios The new report outlined three scenarios for how humanity might respond to this land-use crisis and what their impact would be by 2050. Business-as-usual: If we continue with current consumption and production patterns, we will lose an additional 16 million square kilometers (approximately six million square miles) of land by 2050, an area the size of South America. Further, land-use change and soil degradation will pump an additional 69 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the growth in crop yields will decrease and biodiversity loss will continue. Restoration: If we restore five billion hectares 35 percent of the Earths land area through measures like conservation agriculture, agroforestry and improved grazing, this will increase carbon stocks by 17 gigatonnes, increase crop yields by five to 10 percent in most developing countries compared to the first scenario and prevent 11 percent of biodiversity loss predicted in the first scenario. Restoration and Protection: This scenario builds on the restoration scenario with the additional protection of areas important for biodiversity, water, soil and carbon storage. Together, the measures would impact nearly half of the Earths land area, storing an additional 83 gigatonnes of carbon and reducing projected biodiversity loss by one third. However, in order to feed the worlds population, agricultural yields would have to increase by nine percent compared to the business-as-usual scenario. All of these scenarios illustrate one of the reports major messages: that land degradation is intimately linked to all of the other environmental and social crises facing humanity today. Whats really important about this report is that it brings together that we have to look at nature, people, climate, water, etc. all together, Orr told EcoWatch. That you cant anymore deal with these in separate ways, and, at the same time, it makes it clear that land is underneath all of these, and if you do well with land, you can make a difference in all of those categories through restoration. Enabling Environment If the problems surrounding land-use change are all interconnected, the solutions also require a holistic approach. The report called for an enabling environment in which governments, financial institutions, businesses, scientists and local communities all work together to restore land. Orr said that restoration must also look beyond single acts of conservation to consider a systemic approach that decides where it is best to build a biodiversity corridor or launch a climate mitigation project. He offered the example of Africas Great Green Wall, which focuses on land restoration in the Sahel covering 8,000 kilometers (approximately 4,971 miles) and 11 countries. In recent years, the vision has evolved from a tree-planting program to an integrated ecosystem management approach, striving to optimize a mosaic of different land use systems, the report wrote. On a global level, UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 15.3 has called for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030, which is defined by the UNCCD as a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable or increase within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems, according to the report. Currently, land restoration targets made by 115 countries, nearly half of them LDN targets, would restore a total of one billion hectares. The report also joined with the emerging scientific consensus that protecting the land rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities is essential for protecting the land itself. In the face of rising threats to tropical forests UN and other climate and biodiversity experts have begun to argue for expanding the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities and for drawing on their traditional knowledge as a proven solution for protecting intact ecosystems, General Coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal said in a statement emailed to EcoWatch. The new global land report for the first time recommends scaling up the land rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities not just as a climate solution but as a means for ensuring the success of projects to restore nature. The report comes at an opportune time to make a difference. It was released weeks ahead of the UNCCDs 15th session of the Conference of Parties in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire in May and in the first year of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It will not be the end all of all that comes out on this, but it certainly will generate a lot of energy and movement, Orr said. The largest study ever conducted on the extinction risk of reptiles on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species warned that 21 percent of all reptile species worldwide are threatened with extinction, which could have a devastating effect on the planets ecosystems, The Guardian reported. Led by NatureServe, the IUCN and Conservation International, the study compared the conservation needs of 10,196 reptile species with those of birds, mammals and amphibians, according to a press release by NatureServe. The specific subjects of the study were crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards and tuatara, a reptile native to New Zealand that is the only living representative belonging to a lineage that evolved about 200 to 250 million years ago, during the Triassic period. King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2011. We would lose a combined 15.6bn years of evolutionary history if each of the 1,829 threatened reptiles became extinct, said manager of the biodiversity assessment unit at the IUCN and Conservation International Neil Cox, who was the studys co-leader, as reported by The Guardian. This is evolution that we could never get back. It would be a devastating loss. The study, A global reptile assessment highlights shared conservation needs of tetrapods, was published in the journal Nature. The Global Reptile Assessment was conducted by 52 experts representing 24 countries across six continents, and in the last 17 years it has received contributions from more than 900 scientists, The Guardian reported. It may come as a surprise that most reptile species live in forests, where they face the same threats as other woodland creatures, like logging and the destruction of trees to make way for agriculture. The researchers found that 14 percent of reptiles that live in arid habitats like scrubland and deserts are at risk of extinction, compared with 30 percent of those that live in forests. Zhous Box Turtle Cuora zhoui has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2000. Invasive species are a major threat to lizards native to islands, while half of turtles and crocodiles are at risk of extinction. For them, hunting is the primary threat. Conservation efforts directed at birds, amphibians and mammals were more likely than expected to benefit many reptiles threatened with extinction, the study found, as stated in the press release. I was surprised by the degree to which mammals, birds and amphibians, collectively, can serve as surrogates to reptiles, commented chief zoologist and senior conservation scientist at NatureServe Dr. Bruce Young, who was co-leader of the study, the press release said. This is good news because the extensive efforts to protect better known animals have also likely contributed to protecting many reptiles. Habitat protection is essential to buffer reptiles, as well as other vertebrates, from threats such as agricultural activities and urban development. The 1,829 reptiles that are currently threatened with extinction are living examples of an important branch of the worlds evolutionary history 15.6 billion years total, with innumerable environmental adaptations. The results of the Global Reptile Assessment signal the need to ramp up global efforts to conserve them, Cox said, according to the press release. Because reptiles are so diverse, they face a wide range of threats across a variety of habitats. A multifaceted action plan is necessary to protect these species, with all the evolutionary history they represent. Reptiles have many benefits for ecosystems, from helping manage populations of rats and mosquitoes to aiding seed dispersal, particularly on islands, The Guardian reported. There are more reptile species under threat of extinction than bird species, said head of wildlife recovery at the Zoological Society of London Mike Hoffmann, who was one of the scientists involved with the study. This global assessment is a key beginning to understanding reptile conservation needs. Now we know where the priorities are and what the threats are that we need to ameliorate. There is no longer any excuse for leaving reptiles out of conservation planning and implementation efforts worldwide, Young added, as Reuters reported. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the Mexican Government are tentatively celebrating the initial success of their enhanced partnership to protect the critically endangered vaquita. The long-term effectiveness of the program is still to be seen. What Is the Vaquita and Why Is It Endangered? The vaquita is an endemic species that exists only in a small region of Mexicos Upper Gulf of California. According to Sea Shepherd, scientists estimate that fewer than 20 vaquitas remain. Some reports, which are a few years old, put that number closer to ten. The smallest of all living cetaceans, the vaquita often gets caught as bycatch in gillnets set to catch totoaba fish. Totoaba, another endangered marine species, is a fish hunted for its swim bladder. It sells on the black market in China for thousands of dollars. Due to entanglement in totoaba fishing gear, the vaquita population has dropped 99 percent over the last decade. History of Protective Measures Because of this drastic decline, Operation Milagro, which means miracle, was established as the collaboration between Sea Shepherd and various Mexican government agencies and researchers to prevent and remove illegal fishing gear from within the refuge. Since 2015, Sea Shepherds fleet has removed over 1,000 pieces of illegal fishing gear from the refuge. In 2017 the Mexican government banned totoaba fishing and the use of gillnets inside the Vaquita Refuge, the UNESCO-recognized and federally protected area where vaquitas live. Furthermore, the government established a Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) over 225 square miles within the Vaquita Refuge where scientists and conservationists believe the remaining vaquita population is located. This makes it a high-priority area. Despite this policy progress, lack of patrol and enforcement caused some to say that the porpoise is still doomed. For a period in 2020 and 2021, Sea Shepherd suspended protection efforts due to coronavirus, and Mexico opened up vaquita habitat to fishermen. New Protocol Is the tide turning? Slowly, perhaps, but both Sea Shepherd and the Mexican government are hopeful. During a five-day expedition in October and November 2021, scientific surveys in the ZTA revealed seven to eight adult vaquitas and one to two calves, Sea Shepherd Chairman of the Board Pritam Singh said in an April 2022 press conference. Unfortunately, the survey also identified a lot of fishing pangas and nets within the same protected areas. Due to this, since November 2021, Sea Shepherd and the Mexican Navy have been jointly patrolling the ZTA of the Vaquita Refuge. In January 2022, the enhanced Operation Milagro partnership began and is giving the vaquita a significantly improved chance for survival, Sea Shepherd said in a press release. New reporting and response protocol in the ZTA has led to a substantial reduction in the number of fishing vessels in the area, Sea Shepherd reported. In the past, Sea Shepherd would identify nets in the water and pull them out sometimes with local resistance. Under the new protocol, Sea Shepherd spots nets and vessels and reports those sightings to the Navy. The latter then moves the pangas out of the ZTA and pulls nets where necessary. The governmental body provides coordination and security and also has more authority than Sea Shepherd to take action, Sea Shepherd representatives reported. Sea Shepherd called the new protocol extraordinarily effective within the ZTA to reduce illegal fishing. Their ships report what they see hourly. During the first three days of the protocol being in place, Sea Shepherd ships spotted 58, 35 and 27 illegal fishing vessels in the ZTA. In the three days before the press conference, there were 2, 3 and 1 vessels. Sea Shepherd CEO Chuck Lindsey said, I can say with absolute confidence that our partnership with the Mexican Navy works. Our collaboration is real, its effective and, together, we are reducing illegal fishing within the ZTA and improving the vaquitas chance of survival. Long-Term Success? While positive, the results of the protocol only hold for the ZTA, where efforts have been focused. Fishing levels in other areas are not being monitored as closely or reported on. Additionally, to prevent illegal fishing, fishermen are supposed to undergo a government inspection before launching their boats. However, as Reuters reported, when the news agency visited the ZTA, fishermen were seen entering the sea in places where they could avoid inspection. Sea Shepherd is saying there has been a significant improvement in their work with the Navy since January of 2022, DJ Schubert, a wildlife biologist for the Animal Welfare Institute, told Reuters. The problem is as long as there is still illegal fishing, it does not help the vaquita. They have to stop illegal fishing completely and permanently in order for the vaquita to have a chance of recovery, he added, the news report said. Finally, when asked if any vaquitas had been seen in 2022, Sea Shepherd representatives said none had, but that the creature was famously shy and that they keep hoping. Tiffany Duong is a writer, explorer and inspirational speaker. She holds degrees from UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. As a contributing reporter at EcoWatch, she gives voice to whats happening in the natural world. Her mission is to inspire meaningful action and lasting change. Follow her on Twitter/Instagram/TikTok @tiffmakeswaves. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)'s Global Education Monitoring Report calls for introspection on gender inequality in education that restricts girls from reaching their full potential. The annual gender report analysed data from 120 countries in primary and secondary education. The report points out the disparity between boys and girls when it comes to Mathematics, especially in the early grades. However, this gradually disappears as the children grow older. The report confirms that even the poorest of countries have done a commendable job of reducing the gender gap, reports ANI. In some countries, the gap has reversed. In Malaysia, for example, girls perform better in Mathematics than boys by Grade VIII by seven percentage points. Similarly, countries such as Cambodia, Congo and the Phillipines report a similar result in favour of girls by three, 1.7 and 1.4 percentage points respectively. Despite these heartening figures, representation still remains a matter of contention. Boys continue to be overrepresented among the high performers in Mathematics in all countries, says the report. As a result, this impacts overall learning outcomes in girls due to biases and stereotypes. The research examines data released in the last 18 months and happens to refer to the situation just before the pandemic struck. When it comes to Science, the report finds that in secondary school, girls outperform boys significantly in middle and high-income countries. However, representation for girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields remains low because girls are less likely to opt for careers in Science. In reading as well, girls tend to go one up on boys, with more girls achieving minimum proficiency in reading. In this area, Saudi Arabia stands out, as the country showed the largest gap in primary education in reading, with 77 per cent girls achieving minimum proficiency, when compared with 51 per cent in Grade IV. Girls outperform boys by 18 percentage points in Thailand, by 11 points in the Dominican Republic and in Morocco by 10 points. "Although more data is needed, recent releases have helped paint an almost global picture of gender gaps in learning outcomes right before the pandemic. Girls are doing better than boys in reading and in Science and are catching up in Mathematics. But they are still far less likely to be top performers in Mathematics because of continuing biases and stereotypes. We need gender equality in learning and ensure that every learner fulfils their potential," said Manos Antoninus, Director of UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report. Indian medical students who were pursuing their education in China but have been stuck in India for two years because of Bejing's visa ban will gather for a gathering at Jantar Mantar in Delhi tomorrow, Friday, April 29. This will begin at 10.30 am and will go on for a few hours. A crowd of over 100 people, including students and parents, will be gathering and will bring along placards and banners. "For two years, students have been going through unimaginable trauma and all we want to do is express the urgency of the matter," says Joint Secretary of Foreign Medical Graduates Parents Association (FMGPA), Mohammed Sageer. He is a parent of a student who is stuck here and has travelled from Thrissur, Kerala to Delhi just for the gathering. FMGPA and Indian Students In China are organising this gathering together. "We need support from the public and more so from the government so that the stranded students receive some help," says the General Secretary. But this is just the beginning. In May sometime, they are planning a mass gathering, wherein, students from all over the country will gather in Delhi to make their objections known. Just a week back, China had informed Sri Lanka about permitting some of its students, who have been stranded at home for the last two years because of China's COVID-induced visa ban, to return. Though it continues to remain mum about permitting the over 23,000 Indian medical students who were pursuing their education in the various institutes of China who have been stranded in India for the same reasons. Last month, when Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister, visited India and met S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, the issue was taken up. Even as students of countries like Pakistan, Thailand and the Solomon Islands are being permitted by China, Indian students are still waiting, and protesting vehemently, so that they can continue their education back in China. Is the Taliban trying to force girl students out of education by imposing impossibly strict dress codes? The terrorist group that took over control of the Government of Afghanistan in August last year has closed secondary schools for girls in March, reneging on its promise to support girls' education in the country. However, in some provinces, where the Taliban was forced to keep girls secondary school open due to community pressure, the group is implementing increasingly harsh dress codes, reports ANI. For instance, in the Balkh province, schools have been threatened with closure if the dress code is violated. In fact, rights groups reveal that one such school in the province was shut for days after some students removed the veil that covered their faces. Taliban's version of the dress code for women and girls requires them to wear a hijab that covers their entire head, shoulders and face, leaving just their eyes uncovered. A Taliban official was recorded threatening a school principal to fire a teacher for "immodest dressing". What is a "modest dress" then, according to the Taliban? Consider this: The sleeves on the teacher's shirts should be wide enough to hide the elbows and the shape of their arms. However, teachers complain that they were reprimanded when these loose sleeves rolled back while writing on the board in the classroom, thus revealing their arms. "One day, we are asked to have loose sleeves and the next day, we are admonished for it," shared a student. To counter this dilemma, the Taliban has now ordered that women wear loose sleeves, but pin them at the wrist, said the student. Teachers also report that the Taliban has appointed spies inside the schools that relay information to the group. This leads to teachers being fired or students being expelled for the smallest of diversions from the dress code. Students believe that the terrorist organisation is enforcing such outrageous dress codes in order to force students to quit education on their own. "The decision is to not let them win," say students. VIV Europe is coming back full-power. | Visitors registration now open! The road is heading towards the leading feed to food event in 2022, May 31 June 2. VIV Europe will be the first animal husbandry event to take place LIVE in Europe after the pandemic compromised trade activities. The industry is thrilled to meet face-to-face and finally resume global business in Europe. Organised every four years at the Jaarbeurs Utrecht venue, this is the premium gathering of the animal protein sector for the production and processing of poultry, eggs, meat, fish and dairy. Utrecht, the city hosting the event, is just 30 minutes from Amsterdam. Holland is opening up and registrations have started In a big boost to the business, the Netherlands, as recently announced by the Dutch government, is removing many COVID-related restrictions by the end of February. From February 25, international travelers are no longer required to quarantine. Moreover, all the vaccinated travelers are even exempted from the requirement of taking a PCR test before departure. This means that VIV Europe can take place in May/June at its full capacity and host leading exhibitors in the sector from the globe, providing visitors with a complete show at Jaarbeurs venue, Halls 7 to 12. All the interested stakeholders can already register to visit the event. This year around 600 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors are expected to mark their presence at VIV Europe 2022. Go to the Registrations.(https://www.viveurope.nl/) Clear focus on feed thanks to an unparalleled network A clear focus is dedicated to the feed industry at this 2022 edition of VIV Europe. This is also evident from its co-location with VICTAM International. The VIV Europe Feed to Food concept together with the strong network of VICTAM in feed technology and animal feed processing will deliver a complete platform to all its visitors. Additionally, VIV Europe carries a legacy of almost four decades. The first VIV Europe was organised in the Netherlands over 40 years ago. Since then, the organisers have developed a very well-connected network of industry professionals from around the world. Invitations to global stakeholders are being send out. With the support of this ever-growing network, leading up to the show, VIV Europe organises various webinars under the title, VIV Europe Feed Series. These webinars serve as a platform to gather key knowledge for your business. VIV worldwide has already started with its first in the series webinar along with its partner Orange Pig. It had eminent industry leaders sharing their technical knowledge and making room for an interactive session. Next in line are another three webinars in the months of March and April. The sessions cover topics about future food production for poultry, dairy, swine and aquaculture. These webinars allow visitors, in advance, to gauge the quality of industry leaders and the richness of content, that will be further elaborated and come live at the show floor from May 31 - June 2, 2022. As a matter of fact, the 2022 European Live Feed Congress, Strategies to Future-Proof Food Production, is scheduled to take place onsite on May 30, 2022 just a day before the exhibition opening. This high-level conference examines how science-based measures and new technologies used throughout the feed supply chain reduce and improve animal agriculture's environmental footprint while delivering value to the consumer. Feed industry stakeholders attend this forum to glean leading-edge insights, best practices and proven feed additive solutions to address critical sustainability issues while maintaining productivity and profitability in poultry and livestock production. Much more will be disclosed in the coming press releases about VIV Europe offer and the program details. Keep an eye on the official show website and book your ticket via the Registration page. (https://www.viveurope.nl/) See you from May 31 June 2 at VIV Europe 2022, World Expo From Feed to Food. Visiting restrictions eased across hospital settings Manx Care is making changes to its visiting policy at its hospitals following a fall in coronavirus cases. Visitors will now be allowed across Nobles Hospital, Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital and Manannan Court in accordance with the visiting times of the ward. Although prior arrangement of visiting is not required, they do ask that a maximum of two people visit at one time. Visitors are asked to undertake a LFD one hour prior to visiting, and must wear an IIR Fluid Resistant face mask and wash/gel their hands on arrival. Manx Care CEO, Teresa Cope, said: We are pleased that these changes can now be made to the visitor policy, as friends and family members can be a great source of support for patients. We will be regularly reviewing the situation to ensure we continue to work to protect our patients, colleagues and our community. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com At the start of the year, Google announced the Privacy Sandbox on Android project, a new system designed to eventually replace today's existing third-party cookie schemes and reinvent a more privacy-centered method for serving advertisements. After an initial round of alpha testing and feedback, Google announced on Thursday that the first developer's preview of the sandbox is now available as part of Android 13 beta 1. The Privacy Sandbox is a multi-year development effort that will "limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID," Google wrote in a February announcement. "Were also exploring technologies that reduce the potential for covert data collection, including safer ways for apps to integrate with advertising SDKs." This preview provides developers with early looks at the sandbox's SDK Runtime and Topics API so that they can better understand how they'll fit into their apps and processes once it is officially released. We first saw Topics API back in January. It pulls data from the Chrome browser to identify the user's top five interests for the week, based on their search and browsing history. Those topics are then compared against a database of topics from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and Google's own data. Partner publishers can then ping the Topics API, see what the user is currently into, and then serve the most appropriate ads without having to know every nitty-gritty detail about their potential customer. Developers will also have access to an early version of the Fledge API. This allows sites to run "remarket" to existing users ie, serving users ads to remind them that they left items in their shopping cart and should just check out already. The Sandbox comes with everything that developers will need to test it, including the Android SDK and 64-bit Android Emulator. The company intends to further refine the toolset over the coming months and welcomes feedback and questions from the developer community The US Postal Service is facing more than just stern warnings over its decision to buy mostly gas-powered mail delivery trucks. Environmental activist groups (including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club) and 16 states have filed lawsuits in California and New York State to challenge the Postal Service's Next Generation Delivery Vehicle purchasing decision. They argue the USPS's environmental review was flawed and illegal, ignoring the "decades of pollution" the combustion-engine trucks would produce. The USPS allegedly violated the National Environmental Policy Act by committing to buy 165,000 delivery vehicles (just 10 percent of them electric) without first conducting a "lawful" environmental review. The service only started its review six months after it had signed a contract, according to the California lawsuit. Both suits accuse the USPS of using botched estimates, including "unrealistically high" battery costs as well as wildly low fuel prices and emissions levels. They also noted that contract recipient Oshkosh Defense has no experience producing EVs. The lawsuit also pointed out that the gas versions of the next-gen vehicle weren't much kinder to the climate than their roughly 30-year-old predecessors. While the 14.7MPG without air conditioning beats the earlier models' 8.2MPG, that fuel economy drops to just 8.6MPG with air conditioning turned on. Many of the powerplant-independent upgrades revolve around ergonomics, such as easier access to packages. In a statement to the Associated Press, USPS spokesperson Kim Frum maintained that the organization implemented a "robust and thorough review" that met NEPA requirements. Previously, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy maintained that the institution couldn't afford to buy more EVs and needed to concentrate on basic infrastructure upgrades. Unlike many government agencies, the Postal Service is legally required to be self-sufficient and can't request government help to tackle deficits and debts. Not that those arguments will necessarily help. If successful, the lawsuits will halt the truck order until it honors the plaintiffs' expectations for NEPA and other regulations. This doesn't guarantee an increased volume of EVs, but it won't be surprising if the USPS ends up falling more in line with the current White House's push for zero-emissions vehicles. 28 April 2022 A joint report by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) published today, Deep tech innovation in smart connected technologies, identifies unique obstacles small businesses face in developing advanced digital technologies in the European Union. Cloud computing, the internet of things, 5G networks and artificial intelligence are often described as Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies and form an important part of deep tech. Following the digital revolution, the Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to how these new technologies are blending the physical, digital and biological worlds. The new report offers recommendations to further spur the growth of EU firms and foster deep tech innovation in the European Union. "From the internet of things to cloud computing, 5G and artificial intelligence, innovations in smart connected technologies are disrupting the status quo at accelerating rates across the globe," said EPO President Antonio Campinos. "Europe's small but highly innovative companies working in these areas can play a decisive role in advancing its competitive position in digital technologies. Today's study highlights the policy and business conditions needed for these companies to thrive." "New smart connected technologies will add 2.2 trillion to the EU economy by 2030," said EIB Vice-President Ricardo Mourinho Felix. "European businesses are catching up with leading international counterparts, and investments in deep tech innovation are crucial to further enhance Europe's competitiveness in advanced digital technologies. The EIB Group and its partners stand ready to mobilise private and public investments. We are striving to help firms developing these technologies to flourish." US head start in global patenting activity The report finds that global patenting activity in 4IR technologies, which mainly concern smart connected devices from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remains strong in Europe: between 2010 and 2018 (the reference period of the study), the EU27 accounted for about 15% of international patent families (patent applications that are filed in at least two countries or with a regional patent office), and was the third largest contributor to international patent families after the United States and Japan. Patent activity in these technologies from small and medium-sized EU businesses rose rapidly during this period, with an average annual growth rate close to 20%. Despite robust patent activity, the EU bloc shows the lowest specialisation in 4IR technology innovation relative to its overall innovation capacity. Top global innovation centres such as the United States, Japan, China and South Korea show the highest specialisation in the field. In absolute terms, Europe also trails behind the United States when it comes to the number of small and medium-sized enterprises developing 4IR technologies. While the United States has 6 517 small businesses patenting in smart connected devices, the European Union has less than half that number, with 2 634. EU frontrunners Within the European Union, Germany (570), France (400) and Italy (273) have the largest number of small and medium-sized enterprises developing 4IR technologies. Some smaller EU countries, namely Finland, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark, are outperforming other EU member states and even the US relative to their size thanks to their high concentration of small 4IR businesses. Outside the EU, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway also perform exceptionally well. Differences and commonalities between the US and EU Access to finance and the lack of skilled talent are cited most often as business barriers by three-quarters of deep tech small and medium-sized enterprises developing 4IR technologies in the EU and the US. The study shows that both in the European Union and the United States these businesses have an above-average investment intensity, face higher development costs and also need time to bring their innovations to market. According to survey responses, 49% of small and medium-sized enterprises developing 4IR technologies consider patents as very important to securing finance, and 80% report that intellectual property strategy is of relevance to their investors. The businesses surveyed in Europe and the United States have similar size and age distribution statistics: 80% of European 4IR SMEs have fewer than 50 employees and 42% are less than ten years old. Their activities span the healthcare, transport and cleantech sectors, as well as data analytics, and they are frequently (44%) involved in manufacturing. Small and medium-sized enterprises contribute to a larger share of overall 4IR patent activity in the United States (16%) compared to Europe, where they account for 10% of the bloc's activity in the field. European SMEs developing 4IR technologies are more likely to consider the European Union and the United States as primary markets for growth: 57% of companies cite Europe as the top market for growth, while 24% consider the US their future primary market. In contrast, their US counterparts cite the US domestic market as a priority for both current and future growth. Only 10% of them view Europe as a future primary market. Main recommendations Leveraging data, survey feedback and the case studies, the EPO-EIB report proposes a series of policy tools to foster smart connected technologies innovation in Europe. Among its top policy recommendations, the study highlights the importance of innovation finance: Targeted grants and early deployment policies to get 4IR start-ups off the ground, combined with larger rounds of funding made available to these businesses at later stages of development. The EIB Group has specific instruments to close the access to finance gap for innovative EU companies. In addition to EIF investment activity in EU venture capital and scaleup funds, innovation finance activities within the EIB take the form of investment advisory support for the European Innovation Council Fund (for the grant and equity part) and direct investments through venture debt/quasi-equity instruments in a significant portfolio of innovative ventures. Market fragmentation across the European Union and access to top talent continue to hold companies back. Improved European collaboration on intellectual property, such as the introduction of the Unitary Patent in the European Union, is therefore a welcome development. The promotion of digital skills and more educational and vocational learning opportunities feature among the study's longer-term policy remedies. The EPO-EIB study forms part of the EPO's ongoing commitment to SME growth and digital transformation in Europe. According to the EPO's Patent Index 2021, one in five patent applications to the EPO originating in Europe came from an individual inventor or small or medium-sized enterprise (fewer than 250 employees). Another EPO study published in 2021 highlights the economic benefits of owning intellectual property rights, especially for small businesses. It found that SMEs that own intellectual property rights have a 68% higher revenue per employee than those that do not. Further information In April 2014, the first EU-Africa Summit for several years was held in Brussels. It was attended by almost every European and African head of state or government except the then British prime minister, David Cameron. It seemed that neither the European Union nor Africa was that much of a priority for him at least, not more important than the Conservative Party constituency event in Wales that he attended instead. In this, Cameron might have been reflecting the views of the many British voters who had little interest in Africa or, at the time, the EU. Alternatively, he may simply have taken both for granted, thinking that they would always be there when he needed them. Following Britains exit from the EU, the current prime minister pledged that Global Britain would engage more actively with the rest of the world. In the event, the governments February 2021 Integrated Review of Security, Defense, Development, and Foreign Policy made few references to either the EU or Africa. Clearly, neither were government priorities. Yet Britain and Africa still have significant shared interests. The partnership between the two has great potential. But it will not fulfill that potential without some significant changes in Britains priorities and actions. And the effort will be all the more effective if Britain engages with Africa in cooperation with the rest of Europe. Britain retains great assets in Africa and in its African diaspora. But, having neglected both, the country is now paying the price in diminished influence and reduced business. It needs to change policies and priorities if it is to reverse that trend. The key to this is for the government to listen to what Africans are saying including those who are now an integral part of British society and to address their concerns, not merely seek to impose its own policies on them. This is now a matter of domestic and international politics. Listening and responding is very much in Britains national interest if only the government would admit it. Britains position in the world depends on real power, hard security, and economic benefits not on wishful thinking. Waffle, in Whitehall and Westminster has no clout in Africa. And Britains global influence depends as much if not more on African and South Asian opinion as on the views of China, with whom it is currently engaged in a stand-off, and the US, which too often takes Britain for granted. Having friends still matters in global politics. It is essential for Britain to build fruitful partnerships with African countries domestically and internationally. This is obviously true of Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, which are courted by all major players and can pick and choose their partners. Therefore, Britain should make a particular effort to court Francophone and smaller Anglophone countries that global powers regularly ignore Malawi, Botswana, Zambia, Gambia, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan, Cote dIvoire, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A real commitment to Africas interests and progress would produce big political dividends. The transformation of the international order caused by Russias war on Ukraine makes Africas role in the world more important than ever. Some African countries will be tempted to equivocate or play one great power off against the others. This is a dangerous and potentially damaging game, as Russias involvement in Syria has demonstrated. It is fundamentally in the interests of Africas democracies, Africas development, and arguably all African people to enhance global stability rather than encourage or tolerate continued conflict. This is profoundly in the self-interest of both Britain and the EU. By acting separately, they weaken their ability to support Africas development. The case for democracy, liberal values, and an open economy needs to be argued, demonstrated, and won in public debate. By allowing its influence in Africa to fade, and by distancing itself from the European mainstream, Britain has limited its ability to affect the outcome of that debate in ways that have serious consequences for its role in the world. Britains assets in soft power, security engagement, financial expertise, and political understanding could have far greater impact if they were linked to the EUs resources and economic clout. The longer Britain continues to separate itself from the EU by avoiding close coordination on policies that are in their mutual interest, the faster its influence in Africa will diminish. A dogmatic commitment to autonomy will only hasten its irrelevance. Some in government may find such advice unpalatable, but ignoring it will only hasten Britains decline. If Britain cannot work with its friends and neighbors, it will swiftly lose the respect of all. Investing in Africa still makes economic sense, as the continents economies and populations are growing. And Africans will welcome it: faster economic growth is essential to manage the demographic shift, the impact of climate change, and the risk of conflict on the continent. These are important issues for all concerned. Therefore, in practical terms, the key recommendations are: Firstly, the British government should consult and otherwise engage more directly with the African diaspora on its Africa policy, including on visas. Secondly, the UK should make common cause with the EU and Africa in the preparations for COP27. Thirdly, the UK and the EU should begin an intensive joint dialogue with all African countries on how to accelerate growth and to generate jobs for young Africans. Fourthly, Britain should encourage its representatives in Africa to liaise more closely with their European colleagues, and should accelerate negotiations for a foreign policy coordination mechanism in Brussels. Above all, both the UK and the EU need to make a greater political investment in Africas future starting right now, before it is too late. Shared Fortunes: Why Britain, the European Union, and Africa Need One Another Policy Brief by Nicholas Westcott European Council on Foreign Relations / ECFR. The Policy Brief can be downloaded here Russia loses at least one company daily, sometimes more, and is unable to carry out its plans - says Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. He states that Russian troops had slowed down their offensive in the Zaporizhzhya direction. The Ukrainian soldiers also disrupt the occupiers plans to surround the defenders of Ukraine in the Joint Forces Operation area or to advance to the north of the Kherson region in the direction of Kryvyi Rih. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Chimene Van Gundy, a New Braunfels entrepreneur who has boasted about making millions from buying and selling mobile homes, has gone bankrupt. Shes referred to herself as the Queen of Mobile Homes and the the Mobile Home Millionaire, buying, repairing and selling more than 600 mobile homes in 17 states. She also has said she owns dozens of mobile-home parks. In recent months, however, Van Gundy and one of her companies have been hit with multiple lawsuits by investors who allege shes been operating a fraudulent mobile-home investment scheme. Van Gundy filed for Chapter 7 liquidation Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Antonio, listing less than $50,000 in assets and debts in the range of $100,000 to $500,000. Investors say she reneged on promises to pay them back principal and interest on money they loaned her company to buy mobile homes. The Express-News chronicled Van Gundys legal troubles in an article that appeared online just hours before her bankruptcy filing. On ExpressNews.com: Queen of Mobile Homes accused of running a Ponzi scheme Five individuals and two companies based in California allege in their lawsuit in Comal County district court that Van Gundy has been operating a Ponzi scheme intending to repay investors with new loans from other unsuspecting individuals. Van Gundy filed for bankruptcy just eight days after the California plaintiffs convinced Judge Dib Waldrip to appoint a receiver to take over her company, Outstanding Real Estate Solutions Inc. (ORES), and her personal finances. David Jed Williams and Clayton Matheson, San Antonio lawyers for the plaintiffs, argued that assets were in danger of being lost without a receiver taking control. During an April 19 hearing, ORESs operations director Meagan Dockens testified she didnt know where the company maintained its bank accounts and that it had no current financial records. Everything Ive heard is like the arrow is now with neon lights for appointing a receiver over ORES and Van Gundy, Waldrip said after Dockens testimony. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Waldrip appointed certified public accountant Charles H. Adams receiver. Making matters worse for Van Gundy, 45, she fell in late December and suffered a concussion. Dr. Andrew Wong of Neuromuscular & EMG Specialists of Texas said in an April 14 letter filed with the court that as a result of her injuries, Van Gundy has significant deficits in memory, attention and concentration. Van Gundy is mentally incapable of giving legal testimony, said Wong, though he added she was able to continue working full-time. Her lawyer told the judge Van Gundy risked having an epileptic seizure if she testified. Van Gundy didnt attend the hearing but was in the courthouse, using a walker to get around. The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly Her bankruptcy filing gave no details on her assets, liabilities or income. The petition said she has up to 49 creditors. Its the second time Van Gundy has filed for bankruptcy. In 1997, she and her husband at the time filed a Chapter 13 reorganization in Georgia. Under a Chapter 7 liquidation, a debtors assets can be sold for the benefit of creditors. Bankruptcy filings generally put on hold any pending litigation against a debtor. Michael Morris, a New Braunfels lawyer who has been representing Van Gundy and ORES in litigation, filed court papers Wednesday to withdraw as their counsel. Morris indicated the interests of Van Gundy and ORES may prove adverse with the receivers appointment, so his continued representation of both would be unethical. James Wilkins, Van Gundys bankruptcy lawyer, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. pdanner@express-news.net Supernatural star Jared Padalecki is lucky to be alive after a recent car accident, according to friend and former costar Jensen Ackles. Ackles shared the news Sunday while speaking at a convention in New Jersey, saying that Padalecki, who went to high school in San Antonio, was in the passenger seat when the crash occurred. You might also like: Buc-ees stole my money: Iconic Texas chain has amassed nearly 100 complaints from the Better Business Bureau Ackles said Padalecki is recovering at home. Padalecki now lives in Austin. Fans took to social media to send their best wishes to the actor, prompting a response from Padalecki. Hey yall! I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love, Padalecki said on Twitter. The post included a photo of Padalecki and one of his three children. Im definitely on the mend and hoping to return to filming later this week," he said. Im so lucky to have had the best care and be surrounded by people who love me. So grateful for everyone. On ExpressNews: This $54 million ranch near Boerne has a cave and is next door to George Straits resort Padalecki plays Cordell Walker in the CWs Walker, a reimagining of the Walker, Texas Ranger series. The reboot is filmed in Austin. Padalecki graduated from Madison High School long before he would star as the love interest of the younger half of the Gilmore Girls and play Sam Winchester in Supernatural, the show he appeared on with Ackles. He also attended Wood Middle School. In high school, he won awards for speech and drama competitions. timothy.fanning@express-news.net (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida (THE CONVERSATION) There is growing concern that Moldova and Transnistria could be dragged into Russias war against Ukraine. Both Transnistria and Moldova are directly west of Ukraine. Transnistria, a small, breakaway region of Moldova, is sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine along its southwestern border. Three explosions were reported on April 25 and 26, 2022, in Transnistria. Transnistria military forces also reported sightings of drones and shots fired by an unknown person on April 27. The attacks damaged two radio towers that broadcast in Russian, but no human casualties were reported. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Ukraine has alleged that the explosions were set off by Russia as a pretext for Russian troops advancing to Transnistria, and using it as a military platform for further operations in Ukraine, more than two months after it first launched a war there. As an expert on Eastern European politics, I provide insight into the complex dynamic among Moldova, Transnistria and Russia that is useful in understanding Russias military interest in Transnistria. Here are four key points to keep in mind. 1. What is Transnistria? Transnistria officially called the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic is a narrow strip of land between Moldova and western Ukraine that is home to about 500,000 people. It is an unrecognized breakaway state that left Moldova after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. The Transnistrian government has de-facto independence, but it is recognized by other countries and the United Nations as part of Moldova. Although Russia also does not officially recognize Transnistria as an independent country, Transnistria retains its independence today thanks largely to the military support provided by the Russian army, stationed in Transnistrian territory. Transnistria has close ties to Russia. People living there are largely Russian speakers and the government is run by pro-Russian separatists. Russia also provides Transnistria with free natural gas and has supported older people in the region with pension supplements. Approximately 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed in Transnistria. Only 50 to 100 of those soldiers are from Russia. The rest are local Transnistrians who have been given Russian passports. These soldiers have homes and families in Transnistria. Moldova does not allow Russian soldiers to fly into the Chisinau International Airport. Since 2015, Ukraine refused them entry through its territory. These transportation restrictions led to Russias contracts with locals in Transnistria. The Transnistrian military itself is relatively small, and consists of 4,500 to 7,500 soldiers. Russian military commander Rustam Minnekaev said on April 22, 2022, that Russia intended to establish a land corridor through southern Ukraine to Transnistria. 2. Why is Russia interested in Transnistria? Russia has long sought to keep Moldova, formerly part of the Soviet Union, in its political sphere of influence. Moldova is located between the European Union, bordering Romania and southwestern Ukraine. Russian troops stationed in Transnistria give Moscow a way to intimidate Moldova and limit its Western aspirations. Moldova applied for European Union membership in March 2022. The presence of Russian troops in Transnistria prevents Moldova from fully controlling its own borders. If activated, combat-ready Russian troops in Transnistria could quickly destabilize the region. Without border and territorial control, Moldova cannot join the EU. This is one of the conditions for EU membership. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita has said the country does not want to join NATO, which Russia would perceive as a direct threat, as it did in Ukraine. 3. Is Transnistria loyal to Russia? While free gas has helped ensure Transnistrias allegiance to Moscow, the European Union has also provided an economic lifeline to Transnistria with new trade deals. Russias annexation of Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula, in 2014, as well as Russias 2014 war with Ukraine over the Donbas region, transformed Transnistrias economic orientation from Russia to western Europe. The fighting in Ukraine prompted Ukraine to reevaluate and tighten its border policy. This resulted in a crackdown on routes in and out of Transnistria that had been used for illegal trafficking of goods for nearly three decades. The squeezing of contraband routes came at an opportune moment for Transnistria. Moldova signed a free-trade deal with the European Union in 2014, also allowing trade to be conducted from Transnistria. Transnistrias trade with western Europe has since continued to grow, as its trade with Russia declines. Today, more than 70% of Transnistrias exports go to western Europe. 4. How vulnerable is Moldova? The Ukraine war and the presence of Russian troops in Transnistria has made Moldovans and some international experts worried that Russia could attack Moldova next. Unlike Ukraine, Moldova has a weak military, smaller than Transnistrias forces. Moldovas active military personnel amounts to 6,000 soldiers, who likely do not have the ability to successfully fend off Russian troops. Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with a population of about 3.5 million. Moldovas energy sector is one of its greatest vulnerabilities. It is 100% dependent on Russian gas, which makes it difficult for Moldova to escape Moscows orbit, despite its pro-European political orientation. On paper, Transnistria looks like an ideal place for Russia to easily launch attacks on Ukraine or Moldova. However, Transnistria on its own does not have much capability to fight against Ukraine, or the will to fight against Moldova. Reaching Transnistria, in turn, would require Russia to make massive gains in southern areas of Ukraine, where Russian troops for weeks have been making limited and slow advances. [Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/4-things-to-know-about-moldova-and-transnistria-and-why-russias-war-may-spread-beyond-ukraine-to-reach-them-soon-182030. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 AP Show More Show Less 2 of 2 AP Show More Show Less KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Two explosions, within minutes of each other, killed at least nine people and wounded 13 in northern Afghanistan on Thursday, a spokesman for a Taliban-appointed police chief said. The blasts targeted two separate vehicles in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, according to Mohammad Asif Waziri, the spokesman. Two people were killed and another hospitalized after an unidentified gunman opened fire near the Medical Center. San Antonio police were called to the 5500 block of Fredericksburg Road at around 9:45 p.m. for a shooting in progress. There they found a man and two women inside a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Trevor Reed, the former Marine from Texas who was detained in Russia for more than two years, made it back home Thursday morning. Just after midnight, Reed landed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Reed traveled to Russia in summer 2019 with his Russian girlfriend, where he was arrested for intoxication and taken to jail to get sober, the Texas Tribune reported. Instead, he was sentenced to nine years in prison. On Wednesday morning, President Joe Biden announced that Reed had been freed in a prisoner exchange. Trevor has survived a real-life nightmare, held in a Russian prison for nearly 1,000 days with little to no access to badly needed health care or communication with his family, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said in a statement. Im beyond relieved Trevor will return home to his family in Texas, who were relentless in the fight to secure his release and never gave up hope. While it is unclear why Reed was brought to San Antonio, Brooke Army Medical Center is renowned for its expertise in treating former prisoners of war. Psychiatrists on the base are skilled in working with individuals who have been in captivity and solitary confinement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jonathan Franks, HONS / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Ken Branca / Contributor Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Jonathan Franks, HONS / Associated Press Show More Show Less Reed, who was exchanged for a Russian drug trafficker serving a lengthy prison sentence in the U.S., has recently been ill with tuberculosis, and his parents had lobbied for a prisoner swap. The U.S. government is focused on ensuring that Trevor Reed and his familys well-being are prioritized and that all reintegration assistance available be offered in an appropriate manner, a State Department official said in a statement to the Express-News. Meanwhile, Reeds release has refocused attention on the plight of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who has been detained in Russia since mid-February. Griner an Olympic gold medalist, seven-time all-star with the Phoenix Mercury and three-time All-American at Baylor University was arrested Feb. 17 and accused by Russian officials of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow, an offense that could carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. In March, Russian state media reported that her detention had been extended to May 19. We are working very closely with her team. Her case is a top priority for us, State Department spokesman Ned Price told CNN on Wednesday morning. I can tell you that with the utmost certainty. Were in regular contact with her team, we regularly are engaging through our embassy in Moscow with their counterparts in order to see to it that shes treated fairly. We will continue to pay very close attention to this case, to seek its resolution as we seek the release of Paul Whelan. Whelan, a former security executive, has been in custody in Russia since his arrest at a Moscow hotel in December 2018. Express-News staff writer Taylor Pettaway and Cindy Boren of the Washington Post contributed to this article. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway Children in South Texas are developing hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, for reasons that doctors at UT Health San Antonio are struggling to pinpoint, according to a UT Health San Antonio news release. Clinicians in the universitys division of pediatric gastroenterology, the branch of medicine that deals with the digestive system and its disorders, started reporting atypical cases of the serious condition at UT Health Pediatrics Wurzbach Gateway Clinic in the second half of 2021. Naveen Mittal, the chief of the division, said that since then, they have flagged about six to 10 to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vast majority of the affected children were under 5, Mittal said. Because the UT Health Transplant Center is one of only three medical institutions in Texas that performs pediatric liver transplants, the children hail from San Antonio and elsewhere. While most recovered fully without hospitalization, several had to spend a couple of days in intensive care. Some of them came close to meeting the indication for liver transplantation, Mittal said. One patient is being evaluated for a transplant, though Mittal said UT Health San Antonio staff are still working hard with the infectious disease experts and critical care experts to see if we can make the child recover without needing any major intervention. Mittal said he was not aware of similar cases at the other two institutions in Texas that perform pediatric liver transplants, UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston. However, in an April 21 news release, the CDC revealed clinicians at an Alabama childrens hospital had reported a cluster among nine 1- to 6-year-olds. Five of the Alabama cases were identified in October 2021 alone, according to the release. Upon reviewing hospital records, investigators discovered four more, the release stated. None of the children had any known epidemiological link or common exposures, but all had been admitted to the hospital for a significant liver injury, up to and including acute liver failure. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C were all ruled out as the cause of the liver injury in the Alabama children. Circumstantial evidence may point to another virus as the culprit. Without exception, the children tested positive for adenovirus, a common bug that most often causes respiratory illness. Some tested positive for adenovirus type 41, a strain previously linked to cases of acute pediatric gastroenteritis. However, adenovirus type 41 is not known to cause hepatitis, much less acute liver failure, in healthy children. Mittal said the recent hepatitis cases UT Health San Antonio reported to the CDC were noteworthy not for their existence, but for their frequency and severity. Even the common cold can cause hepatitis if the infection spreads far enough. However, he said the hepatitis caused by most viruses is almost always mild to moderate. Its rarely severe enough, if ever, to warrant an admission to the ICU or a liver transplant. So the CDCs findings so far raise the possibility adenovirus type 41 has mutated to become more virulent. What is new phenomena is that a lot of these cases (are) suddenly showing up with a good number of them being positive for adenovirus, and not only showing up but showing up kind of on (the) serious end of the spectrum, Mittal said. Most of the UT Health San Antonio patients, Mittal said, dont fit the profile of the Alabama patients. Only the patient currently being evaluated for a liver transplant has tested positive for adenovirus so far. Was it something new about the virus? Was it the same strain, 41, that has been known before, but now acting differently? Or is something different with the host? Mittal said. So that all has to be tested. caroline.tien@hearst.com For months, things have been spiraling out of control for Paul Silva, a San Antonio internal medicine doctor who dispensed copious amounts of opioids, even after losing his medical license. He got hooked on the stimulant Ritalin and is accused of using heavier drugs. His marriage and finances are in shambles. He shuttered his practice without informing his patients. And he allegedly started using his patients personal information to write some of the hundreds of prescriptions for painkillers and other controlled medications that were being distributed underground by him and four alleged accomplices, two of whom have been charged. The Texas Medical Board yanked his medical license in mid-March. Silva, 46, had been hiding not only from police, but his own family, who pleaded with him to get help, prosecutors said. Finally, when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration tracked him down earlier this month at a downtown San Antonio hotel, he was on his way to score methamphetamine. He was armed with a gun. The handcuffs on Silvas wrists finally sent him the message he needs to get help, Silvas lawyer, Daniel McCarthy, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad on Wednesday during a bail and probable cause hearing. He pretty much hit rock bottom, McCarthy said, as Silva sat next to him in jail garb. He asked me to ask you he would like (drug) treatment. Hes had a come to Jesus moment judge, basically. Prosecutor Margaret Leachman argued that the community would be safer if Silva stayed in jail. But the judge agreed with McCarthys request and ordered Silva to an inpatient drug treatment center once Silva and his father post $5,000 of a $50,000 bond. Bemporad also ordered Silva to wear an ankle monitor, give up his passport, undergo mental health evaluations, drug testing and stay the straight and narrow. Silva could be out of jail by this weekend if a treatment center has room for him. McCarthy told the judge that, from 1993 to 1995, Silva was a medic in the 101st Army Airborne, then went on to obtain bachelors and masters degrees in science in the Massachusetts area. This is impressive, judge, he went to Harvard Medical School and graduated from there with an internship in internal medicine, and where he did his residency, McCarthy said. Texas Medical Board records show Silva graduated in 2006 from Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados. He did an internship at Harvard from 2006 to 2007, then did his residency until 2009. He was licensed in Texas that year. His LinkedIn account said he worked as a contract medical director for Alamo Hospice from June 2014 to October 2019; as full-time medical director at WellMed Medical Management from December 2011 to November 2018; and as a contract physician at Sound Physicians from December 2015 to October 2018. His account says he ran Libertad Internal Medicine Group on Thousand Oaks since October 2018, but Leachman told the judge that it shut down a year ago. That business was shuttered in March of 2021, suddenly and without notice to the patients, without notice to the employees, Leachman said. Since August, investigators have tracked prescriptions he issued. His medical license was temporarily suspended on March 18, removing his legal authority to prescribe medications. He allegedly continued to write more than 500 prescriptions to himself, in the names of family members, dead people and fake patients for oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol and other controlled medications. A DEA agent testified Wednesday that Silva had accomplices, whom he allegedly referred to as bozos, working for him, picking up prescriptions at pharmacies, including one at Blanco and Loop 1604. Text messages the agents reviewed showed Silva sent the accomplices screen shots or pictures of patient identifying information, the type of medication and instructions like, This is where you are going to pick this up, the agent said. One of the alleged accomplices is Nicholas Klumpp, who worked for Silva as an intern in 2019, then left to go to drug rehab and returned to help him with his illicit scheme, the agent testified. During at least the past year, some neighbors had complained to San Antonio police and later, the DEA, that they saw increased traffic at Silvas home in the normally quiet Lorrence Creek subdivision off Heimer Road. And for at least a month before April 1, he apparently had avoided process servers, the medical board, police checking on his welfare and others hiding out inside his home, Leachman said. He had also changed SIM cards on his phone, and was staying in hotels more recently, so he could not be tracked down, Leachman said. Leachman said his family had tried interventions, but Silva rebuffed them. Investigators also alleged he tried taking out a $100,000 loan in the name of his mother, though Silvas lawyer claims the mother had consented. They describe him as mentally ill, and describe him as having a lifelong problem with fraud, stealing checks, Leachman said. He himself admitted infrequent family contact and the evidence suggests hes avoiding his family, who ostensibly want to help him and I believe would help him. Hes a danger to himself by this drug use. Hes a danger to others by diverting drugs from the legal system dealing with or being involved with non-prescription drugs, methamphetamine and cocaine. She told the judge that Silvas case will likely be presented to a grand jury with charges relating to diverting prescription drugs, and drug-trafficking conspiracy, which carry high sentences, but he could also face charges for having a gun while involved in drug activity, which could stack five years on top of what he faces for the drug charges. My view is there are conditions I can set, but you know what, there can be disagreements, the judge said, noting prosecutors might appeal the bond order. This is a serious case. In a news release issued in March, the Texas Medical Board said its disciplinary panel decided to suspend Silvas license without a hearing after determining his continuation in the practice of medicine poses a continuing threat to public welfare. The Board panel found that Dr. Silva, whose license is in delinquent status and is unable to be renewed due to a default judgment against him for failure to pay child support, has continued to prescribe controlled substances to patients and has failed to cooperate and respond to requests for information from Board staff, the boards news release said. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland Twitter has never been a place for rational, nuanced speech. Expect it to get much, much worse. The decision by Twitters board of directors Monday to accept a takeover bid from Elon Musk means the company thinks the social media company would be best served by the ownership of a man who uses the platform to slime his critics, body-shame people, defy securities laws and relentlessly hawk cryptocurrencies. Musk said that central to his vision for the service is for it to be an inclusive arena for free speech, but users should understand what that phrase means: It means free speech for people like Musk, a billionaire and the worlds richest man. Even as Twitters board on Monday was debating his offer of $54.20 per share, which it accepted, Musk was setting the tone for his leadership by tweeting that Securities and Exchange Commission officials were shameless puppets. RELATED: Commentary: Time for Elon to lead as a human, too Musk has not been a responsible caretaker for the companies he already oversees: Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and the Boring Co. In the early months of the pandemic, Musk thumbed his nose at health officials whose shelter-in-place orders he called fascist by forcing workers at Tesla back on the job, in violation of local health regulations. And Tesla has been dogged for years by allegations of racist abuse, discrimination and sexual harassment at its factory in Fremont, Calif., where six women say they suffered catcalling and unwanted touching and advances. The company has said it does not tolerate such behavior. Several former SpaceX interns made similar allegations about a lax attitude toward sexual harassment by supervisors and peers, the New York Times reported. The company has said it is investigating the allegations. A California regulator, meanwhile, recently sued the company over reports of racial discrimination against hundreds of employees, including a lack of promotion opportunities and the use of racial slurs by supervisors. According to a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing in California Superior Court in Alameda County, Musk told workers to be thick skinned about suffering racist harassment while on the job. Tesla has denied the allegations. No wonder many Twitter employees are aghast at the prospect of Musk leading the company. Certainly, Twitter could benefit from some improvements to its service. Its rules are enforced unevenly; it is filled with racist trolling, harassment and misinformation. Politicians and celebrities also seem to enjoy a lighter touch from Twitters enforcement of its policies against misinformation, despite the evidence that they are more likely to be believed than regular users. Twitters usual approach to moderating content has been to slap warning labels on tweets, which are easy to ignore and dont mitigate the damage done by misinformation. Before and after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Donald Trump used Twitter to whip his followers into a frenzy. The company rightfully barred Trump from Twitter for his role in that shameful episode, but it had turned a blind eye to similar behavior for years. Into that toxic stew comes Musk. He has called someone he disagrees with pedo guy, made jokes about womens anatomy and was forced to delete a union-busting message aimed at his factory workers all on the platform hell soon own. Loosening content moderation, as Musk appears poised to do, wont make Twitter a better place; that will make it far more toxic. Under the notion that more speech is the best antidote to harmful speech, earnest users can probably expect to be shouted down even more frequently by trolls and bots. (I am hopeful Musk was serious when he said hell defeat the spam bots or die trying!) MORE LIKE THIS: Manjoo: Cars keep getting smarter. Do they have to look so boring? Female Twitter users, in particular, ought to worry about whether Musk will bring his apparent disdain for women to the company he is about to own. Twitter is already a toxic place for women who use it, particularly those of color. And the whole world should be concerned that Musk might reinstate Trump, who has so adroitly used social media platforms to spread dangerous COVID misinformation, mock his enemies, and cast doubt on the integrity of free and fair elections. Trump said Monday he would not return to Twitter if allowed back on, in favor of his Truth Social network, but, of course, the former president has reneged on many promises. Musk is correct that Twitter has become a de facto public square. But consider the fate of another public square led by a billionaire with no real check on his power: Facebook. Leaks over the past year have shown that Meta, under Mark Zuckerbergs leadership, has overlooked evidence that hurtful comments on the companys platforms caused emotional harm to teenagers and increased users anxiety and anger. The company knows its algorithms are deeply flawed, but because Zuckerberg holds a controlling share of votes on the board, external and internal pressure on the company to change how they are designed and deployed has proved futile. Perhaps Jack Dorsey, one of Twitters co-founders and a board member, should have trusted his instincts when he tweeted that he doesnt believe any individual or institutions should own social media, or more generally media companies. Musk has said that he doesnt care about the economics of his deal for Twitter. He may need that attitude if, as some expect, the platform becomes a free-for-all and advertisers abandon it. Where can people go if they dont like what Twitter turns into under Musk? New social media networks promising a free-speech alternative to Twitter have so far failed to gain traction, notably Truth Social among them. As with the motives for establishing those competitors, Musks reasons for taking control of Twitter arent about free speech; its about controlling a megaphone. With his legion of fans, Musk will command a gigantic megaphone and be free to plug his own investments, pooh-pooh sound health regulations and shout down critics. Speaking freely: Does that sound like a better place? On April 22 in Eagle Pass, Texas National Guard soldier Bishop E. Evans shed his body armor and rushed into the Rio Grande to rescue two migrants struggling in the current. The 22-year-old specialist from Arlington died saving others. Crews recovered his body Monday a mile from where he disappeared. The migrants survived and were placed in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody. Evans was at the river as part of Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbotts controversial and deeply flawed border security mission that the state claims has mobilized 10,000 guardsmen and state troopers. Evans death isnt the first tragedy to strike the operation. Since Jan. 1, two soldiers have died from personal firearm accidents. Another four soldiers died by suicide in 2021. Before Evans death, wed heard accounts of other guardsmen helping people from the river and wondered about their safety, training and equipment considering Operation Lone Stars logistics, morale, pay and transparency problems. Despite the missions obvious political nature, Evans carried on with his service as soldiers do. When he saw people in trouble, he exemplified humanity and sacrifice with his decision to dive into the water. Politicians on both sides seized Evans story before his body was found and made it part of their talking points. Republicans were quick to blame President Joe Bidens border policies, arguing that guardsmen wouldnt have to be deployed if the federal government were more forceful in addressing immigration. Democrats pointed to Abbotts border militarization, noting that immigration is a federal issue and Operation Lone Star is a politicized state response. True, the federal government has failed on comprehensive immigration reform that would meaningfully balance security and immigration needs. But Operation Lone Star is overtly political, overstepping federal authority, placing migrants in detention for trespassing and disrupting the lives of guardsmen. But these points are often made for political purposes, not policy or better understanding. While we support the planned surge in resources to the border in advance of Title 42s repeal, we see no bipartisan groundswell for serious, comprehensive immigration reform. Consider how a group of Republican lawmakers touring the border Monday invoked Evans name one did so incorrectly to score political points. Evans bravery and humanity should be honored. Why he was at the border because immigration has been politicized at the expense of understanding should be scorned. Without elaborating, the Texas Rangers and Texas Military Department claim the two migrants were trafficking narcotics. But we are more interested in why Evans was deployed, and why he lacked a flotation device given the dangers of the river. Evans unnecessary death demands answers from Abbott and the Texas Military Department, especially on the question of the availability and use of proper flotation equipment. Fundamentally, though, the public should demand comprehensive immigration reform. Currently, 2,500 federalized National Guard troops are on the border. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense, told the Air Force Times on Monday that the answer is not more troops on the border but a better-funded Customs and Border Protection agency. Placing troops at the border is not an immigration solution. Comprehensive reform would recognize security concerns, investing in so-called smart wall technology to help identify crossings and protect private property. But comprehensive reform would also honor asylum law (and speed up the timeline for processing claims), recognize the important role migrants have in our workforce and offer pathways to citizenship. Comprehensive reform also includes addressing the root causes of immigration in other countries. As we mourn the loss of Evans, we are reminded of another border tragedy that riveted the nation nearly three years ago: the deaths of a father and his 2-year-old daughter, Valeria, migrants from El Salvador who drowned crossing the Rio Grande. Until lawmakers seek to understand the border, and not politicize it, we fear nothing will change. One must wonder, what is the true point of Operation Lone Star? How does it meaningfully address immigration? What solutions does it offer? What lasting partnerships has it built? What understanding has it cultivated? The political posturing is discordant with Evans last public Facebook post from October: If I have ever helped you, in anyway. I need you to pay me back, by paying it forward. Help others and make my job a bit easier. Rest in peace, Bishop Evans. May we all live by your words. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With no immediate path to expand marijuana access at the statewide level, Texas advocates are taking the decriminalization fight to local governments. Austin residents began voting this week on Proposition A, which would abolish low-level marijuana charges in the capital city. About 230 miles north, Denton activists say they have gathered enough signatures to put a similar question on their ballot this fall. Cannabis law reform, coming soon to a Texas city near you! the advocacy group Decriminalize Denton tweeted on Tuesday. Its a localized workaround for activists who have long pushed to decriminalize cannabis in the Lone Star State but face opposition in the state Legislature. Advocates in several other cities, including Killeen and San Marcos, have also pursued ballot initiatives this year. People are just learning more about the discretion that localities have, and therefore for lack of a better term taking advantage of stopping the bleeding, stopping the harms, where we can, when we can, while we wait for the Legislature to catch up with the will of the people, said Jax James, the executive director of Texas NORML, a nonprofit that advocates for marijuana decriminalization. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C. have legalized the drug for recreational use, and another nine have decriminalized marijuana in small amounts but Texas falls in neither category. A June 2021 poll by the Texas Politics Project found that 60 percent of Texans believe marijuana possession should be legal, at least in low amounts. Possession of marijuana, depending on the quantity, is at least a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. But many of the states urban areas, including Austin, Houston and Bexar County, have diversion policies that allow those charged with possessing small amounts of the drug to avoid arrest and other penalties. Those programs are less popular in the GOP-controlled Capitol. Efforts to decriminalize marijuana, or at least widely expand the states medical marijuana program, have garnered bipartisan support in the past but theyve always failed in the Texas Senate, which is led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The Texas House of Representatives advanced a decriminalization bill in 2019, but Patrick killed the measure in the upper chamber. LAST MONTH: Beto ORourke pledges to legalize marijuana in Texas if he wins governors race The lieutenant governor has also opposed local efforts to legalize the drug. In 2017, Patrick blasted Harris County District Attorney Kim Oggs diversion program for minor possession cases, saying the policy made Houston a sanctuary city for low-level drug crimes. The lieutenant governor has said repeatedly regarding sanctuary cities that he does not believe that law enforcement has the discretion to choose what laws to enforce and what laws to ignore, Patricks press secretary said at the time. Last year, the Legislature considered a measure to expand the states limited medical marijuana program to include patients with any condition causing acute or chronic pain, and to allow the states health department to approve other conditions. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Stephanie Klick, a Fort Worth Republican, would have increased the legal limit for THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, from .5 percent to 5 percent. But the Senate tossed those provisions, instead approving a variation that added all stages of cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder to the eligibility list. Previously, the program was only open to those with terminal cancer and a handful of other severe conditions, like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. The Senate also struck the 5 percent THC increase, agreeing instead to raise it to 1 percent. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the scaled-back version last summer. He has since indicated that he is open to decriminalization measures, saying at a January news conference that prison and jail is a place for dangerous criminals who may harm others, and small possession of marijuana is not the type of violation that we want to stockpile jails with. A spokesman for Patrick did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Both Abbott and Patrick are up for re-election this fall, and their Democratic opponents have all said they support legalizing marijuana entirely. James said advocates have their work cut out in helping to educate the lieutenant governor and make sure that he understands the science and the policy and all of the information that surrounds the issue. Texas NORML, alongside other pro-cannabis organizations, will pursue the matter again when the Legislature returns to Austin in January. The local initiatives are not true decriminalization, James said, and Texas needs a statewide policy to fully remove all criminal penalties for possessing cannabis. I worry sometimes about this patchwork of policy and how it confuses people, she said. I wouldn't change it for the world, because it's helping people in those localities, but it it just further exemplifies how this patchwork is just not a sustainable avenue. cayla.harris@express-news.net The pathway to a green future involves taking millions of acres of pristine wilderness and turning them into fields of windmills and hot expanses of glistening panels. The Biden administrations goal of supplying 40% of the nations energy from the sun by 2035 means covering millions of acres of forest and desert habitat with vast solar panel installations fenced off like prisons. It would require 8,800 square miles of land, or 5.6 million acres, to generate that power (leaving out small installations on buildings and the like) -- about the size of Rhode Island and Massachusetts combined. But the push to convert that land from pastoral to energy-productive is galvanizing a new environmental movement, one led by citizen groups and small non-profits rather than the monied green interests arrayed against them -- ones ironically accustomed to casting the fossil fuel industry in the role of the ecological heavy. The potential impacts of solar-power installations have flown under the radar while much public resistance has centered on wind farms which kill an estimated 1.2 million birds per year in the U.S. and are considered loud and unsightly by many who live near their towering turbines. Even as the Biden administration has made limiting the environmental impact of oil and gas a key goal, it has opened large tracts of federal lands to solar development by major corporations including Duke Energy, Exelon and BrightSource Energy. Solar advocates say mitigating climate change requires a switch to carbon-free energy, and utility-scale solar installations are vital to the effort. They contend a looming climate crisis requires the switch to be made quickly, although the effects of widespread solar development are not fully understood. Numerous critics say hold on. They do not oppose a buildout of solar, but argue for more environmentally sensitive placement on brownfields, abandoned military bases, rooftops and other areas, an approach that would cost more than plunking down massive solar installations on pristine lands but do less damage. They contend that mega-solar installations are disrupting fragile ecosystems, including imperiling species of indigenous animals and flora, while ruining tourist destinations and clogging roads. Some also voice concern about the unknown long-term effects of solar power plants, such as how they age, the waste they create and concerns that heat produced by the panels could itself contribute to global warming. But green corporate interests favor the largest and cheapest way to produce solar energy -- and a number of interested parties, including resident groups, say they are getting a pass. Several of the nations largest wilderness advocacy groups have board members with ties to corporate solar developers, referred to by watchdogs as Big Solar. Terry Frewin, who chaired the Sierra Clubs Desert Committee for 15 years, said he stepped down from that role this year after watching what he described as the clubs leadership in Washington rolling over for Big Solar. The big thing now is fundraising, and that doesnt include fighting big energy, Frewin said. The people fighting these developments just want them sited in places that are responsible. A decade ago, some of the big green groups would routinely challenge solar plants along with oil drilling and fracking. But ecological protests in the past several years have been left mostly to small, poorly funded, and local groups, said Laura Cunningham, who with her husband, Kevin Emmerich, operates Basin and Range Watch, focused on protecting deserts in California and Nevada. The argument from these environmental groups is that big solar farms are good because theyre so clean, Cunningham said. Thats the standing of the Sierra Club and the others. Large solar energy groups are taking a page from Big Oil, she added. These big companies come in and some of the time they are also part of the big oil companies and they do the same thing fossil fuel companies did years ago. They threaten lawsuits when you try to stop them, or they buy everyone out. The national office of the Sierra Club whose foundation has had several board members with direct ties to Big Solar over the years did not respond to an interview request. More worrying to some is the speed with which these farms fenced off tracts of land protected by barbed wire are being pushed through despite incomplete research on the damage to the environment. There is a rush to do this, and research takes time, said one federal scientist, who studies the environmental impact of solar power plants on the desert and spoke on the condition of anonymity. So there is this lag of research and this rapid development to meet the goals of renewable energy development. Projects are required to gather public comments, including objections to the environmental impact of solar farm placement. The Bureau of Land Management, which has signed off on most of the desert solar plants, has denied every objection from environmental groups and individuals on desert projects going back to 2010. Critics see hypocrisy and a dangerous inconsistency in the Biden administrations acceptance of solars potential negative impacts when it's contrasted with its efforts to curb fossil fuels. The administration halted Trump-era moves to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to gas and oil exploration, even though it would be limited to a relatively small area with proven safeguards in place. In addition, while approximately 1,200 to 1,500 people visit the National Wildlife Refuge each year, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service, an average of 664,000 visitors a year visit the Mojave Desert where several large solar power plants have already been constructed and more are in the works. The administration insists it follows the science even though some call solar panels and wind turbines unproven, impractical, and polluting to produce. Many of the same groups that protest Alaskan drilling, including the Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Nature Conservancy, have supported sequestering desert land for solar developers. The Mojave Desert has favorable solar energy development characteristics, the groups noted in a 2020 letter to the Nevada office of the Bureau of Land Management. The Wilderness Society, which claims to have protected 109 million acres of outdoor space from development since 1935, has on its governing council members with ties to solar power players including JP Morgan Chase, TPG and white shoe law firm Morrison & Foerster. The National Resources Defense Councils board of trustees includes members with links to equity firms committed to solar investments, including Apollo Global Management, Impact Assets, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, a law firm that has helped large solar developers secure financing. The board of the Nature Conservancy, which claims on its website to protect treasured landscapes, includes members from JP Morgan Chase and the Carlyle Group, which last year opened its own renewable investment arm that includes solar projects. The Wilderness Society and Nature Conservancy declined an interview request, while the National Resources Defense Council did not respond to an email. The Desert Tortoise Council, a nonprofit formed in 1975 to protect the reptile that lives in the southwest deserts, includes Ken MacDonald, an environmental engineer at NewFields, a Las Vegas-based consultancy that worked for a subsidiary of solar giant 8minute Solar Energy, a large entity with 50 solar projects. The board is led by Mari Quillman, who works for ECorps, a consultancy that worked on a solar farm comprising six square miles of California desert next to Joshua Tree National Park and owned by several energy giants including a unit of General Electric. Solar is going to happen, said Ed Larue, who joined the Desert Tortoise Council in 1990 and continues to write letters of protest over large-scale solar plants. So, it would help if at least we have conscientious people involved that are trying to minimize the impact. I mean, Biden came into office pushing for this, and biology is taking a back seat. Solar power plants have also swooped in on smaller towns and marginalized communities, where they are meeting with unexpected resistance. First Solar and Duke Energy in 2020 came to tiny Archer, Florida, with plans to clear 650 acres of forest adjacent to a historically black settlement and install a solar development. Alachua County Commissioner Chuck Chestnut noted the plan bordered on environmental racism during contentious hearings, and the county turned down the plan after citizens rallied to protest. First Solar and Duke Energy appealed to state lawmakers, who overrode the protests and passed a measure giving the project and others like it in the future the go-ahead by preempting local communities from blocking solar power plants. Solar projects on Native American land have prompted outcries of protest that efforts to take some property threatened to destroy cultural resources and artifacts that are valuable to a local tribe. Residents in Ohio and Nebraska are also fighting large solar projects. A protest in Virginia lost out to Fortune 500 company AES Corporation worth an estimated $10.9 billion which is plowing under 6,350 acres for a solar power plant. The plant, about halfway between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, was opposed by a group of locals, who also reached out to the local chapter of the Sierra Club, which ultimately supported the development, criticizing foes in the process. I think these [environmental groups] run in the same circles, said Sean Fogarty, one of the organizers of the local opposition. They have solid goals but in this case, they were ultimately misinformed or looked the other way because they bought into renewables at the expense of the environment. Solar advocates concede there are unavoidable environmental problems, as its challenging to site any infrastructure projects without problems, said Lori Bird, director of the U.S. Energy Program at the World Resources Institute, a progressive environmental advocacy group. But solar, she said, is very cost effective when compared to the alternatives, and there is flexibility as to where it can be located. The large-scale solar plants going up are necessary, she added, and they need to be constructed quickly. We are seeing major impacts from climate change already, Bird said. There is a consensus that we need to move rapidly to carbon-free. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Stuart Roberts, former NFU deputy president, has announced he has joined the Liberal Democrats to help push the party's food and farming policy. Mr Roberts, who was previously a Conservative Councillor, unveiled the news as he met with party's leader Ed Davey at an agriculture college in Hampshire. The Hertfordshire farmer has held numerous senior positions in the NFU and the food and farming industry over the years. He will now help the Liberal Democrats' newly formed Food and Farming Working Group in developing policies for farmers and consumers. Commenting on the decision, Mr Roberts said it was "time politicians spoke up for rural communities who urgently need help and support". He added that the Conservative government had "badly let down" farmers and rural communities. "The Liberal Democrats have proved they want to listen and engage with farmers who have been taken for granted by the Conservative party. A different and exciting journey started today and before I say anything else can I say a massive thank you to @EdwardJDavey & @DannyVet for such a positive morning visiting a fantastic farming business in Hampshire. 1/8 pic.twitter.com/PjgZlWJdLx Stuart Roberts (@HertsFarmer) April 27, 2022 "What I have heard from Ed Davey and rural Lib Dem MPs such as Tim Farron is a party determined to campaign for policies which support the farming industry." Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey welcomed the news, adding that the government should "start listening to farmers like him". "The Tories simply dont understand farmers they have taken them for granted for too long," Mr Davey said. Huge welcome @HertsFarmer to the Lib Dems! Stuart Roberts is a stalwart of the farming community and I am enormously proud he has joined us. He is a champion for British farming and animal welfare. The Govt should start listening to farmers like him. pic.twitter.com/wjWZAHabCF Ed Davey MP ?? ???? ???? (@EdwardJDavey) April 27, 2022 "The governments trade deals arent worth the paper they are written on and a betrayal of rural communities." According to a recent poll by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), support for the Conservatives in UK rural areas is falling. The organisation polled 1,000 people across five of the UKs most rural counties: Cornwall, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Norfolk and Gwynedd. Results show that most respondents voted Conservative (46%) in the 2019 general election, while 29% voted Labour, and 13% Liberal Democrats. Barely two and a half years on and over a third of the same voters now intend to vote Labour (36%) at the upcoming election. While only 38% intend to vote Conservative, a 7.5-point swing. Mark Tufnell, president of the CLA, said the poll's results showed that no party should take rural voters for granted. 2019 showed us that the old tribal loyalties of politics are dissipating. Any party that comes up with a genuinely ambitious plan to grow the economy in rural areas would, I suspect, win a great deal of support. Even the most docile animals can turn, a Welsh farmer has warned as he admits he is still struggling to regain full strength after his accident. Robert Lewis, a Mid Wales farmer and former chair of Brecon & Radnor NFU, is slowly building up strength almost 12 months after a cow whose new-born calf he was feeding attacked him. Rob, who farms around 260 acres near Rhayader, suffered major injuries including five fractures to his T12 vertebrae. His wife Audrey watched the terrifying incident unfold in a matter of seconds, as the protective cow barged Rob from behind, before its frenzied attack of stamping, kicking and head-butting him as he lay on the floor. His life was undoubtedly saved by the quick-thinking and sheer strength of one of his sons, Rhys, who rushed to the scene having heard his mum screaming over the roars of the angry cow. Rhys managed to physically barge the cow sideways, so that it momentarily stopped attacking me and in the few seconds following, he was able to drag me to safety outside. The nightmare began on a fateful morning in April 2021, when Rob spotted that a calf born just a couple of hours earlier was on its feet but not suckling. Having ascertained that the cow, a reliably calm animal, had blood in her colostrum he decided to prioritise the calfs wellbeing. Armed with a jug of colostrum and a tubing kit, he and Audrey went back to the calving pen to assist. Rob said: The cow was still completely calm, so I focused on getting the tube down the calfs throat, holding it firmly between my legs with my back to the cow, while Audrey held the jug of colostrum. Unfortunately, the new-born made a choking noise and the sound of it spluttering, panicked the protective cow which immediately barged into the back of me, sending me sprawling." Rob rolled up into a ball on the concrete floor in a bid to protect himself, but the angry cow was undeterred, determined to keep him down. Audrey realised she had no option but to clamber over a sheep feeder to relative safety and call the emergency services. A locally-based paramedic from the St. John Ambulance service was on the scene very quickly and able to administer immediate first aid to Rob, by now outside the calving pen. He remembers being in agony and was obviously suffering from shock, but at that stage, although doubled over in pain, he had managed to stumble to his feet. Rob says that what followed will be etched on his brain forever. The Wales Air Ambulance helicopter was on the scene almost immediately, he was safely strapped onto a body-board and flown to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. A full MRI scan revealed five fractures to the vertebrae, compression injuries with less serious lesions and bruising to his body, arms and legs. Two days later, Rob was allowed home. But 48 hours later he suffered a relapse and could not move. This time, it took a team of local part-time firemen many of them mates to lift him off the bed, strapped back on to a body board and down the narrow farmhouse stairs before being transported by land ambulance back to A&E in Cardiff. More scans followed and Rob, who recently turned 60, was advised that he already had the sort of standard wear and tear to his back that many farmers acquire. He needed his substantial back brace for many more months, a lot more rest, regular physiotherapy, painkillers - everything his medical advisers could suggest to get him back to full strength. He said: Im trying to reduce my dependency on the pain relief, but nothing can really conquer the ongoing fatigue and the pain levels and spasms that still stop me getting more than three or four hours sleep a night. Rob said that had it not been for the support of his family and friends, the brilliant response of the emergency services and the Cardiff medical team who still monitor his progress regularly, he would not be where he is now. So, what should he have done differently that day? Like all farmers, I know the risks of working with large animals," he explained. "But that day, I took the newly calved cows behaviour for granted - I went in to deal with a situation without considering what steps I should have taken to protect both myself and Audrey. That momentary lapse of judgement, rushing in without using a barrier to separate cow and calf, cost me heavily and will never happen again." He warned: Never work with unrestrained cattle or stock without utilising suitable handling facilities. Never underestimate the risk from cattle, even with good precautions in place and always consider handling equipment and escape routes. Concerns over the future of UK food security dominated NFU Scotland's intensive two-day lobbying visit to Westminster, as fears mount over the impact of surging costs on farmers. The union's delegation highlighted numerous critical issues impacting farmers, such as the escalating costs linked to fertiliser, fuel, energy, animal feed and labour. For the first time since being elected in February 2021, Vice Presidents Andrew Connon and Robin Traquair joined President Martin Kennedy in meeting cross-party MPs and Lords. Given the importance of the sector to the Scottish economy, the group discussed the unprecedented increases in input costs as well as labour shortages and the 'dysfunctional' immigration system. Supply chain problems and the role of the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA) in ensuring farmers receive a fair price for their produce were also tackled. Following the visit, President Martin Kennedy said: NFU Scotland continues to put food security front and centre of our lobbying priorities. "It is abundantly clear that the context around food security has shifted, and we need political action to address it in the short and medium term." Mr Kennedy has previously warned that the UK was on the verge of food security concerns not seen since World War Two. This was due to a 'perform storm' of issues consisting of Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the Ukraine war. He warned that the UK would see 'real food supply problems in the not-too-distant future' if nothing was done to boost domestic production. The union president added: We used this intensive two-day meeting to highlight the growing impact that surging costs linked to fertiliser, fuel, energy, animal feed and labour are having on the nations ability to produce food." Post-Brexit labour shortages and other ongoing Brexit issues such as the loss of the seed potato market to Europe were also on the agenda. As was the recognition that rapid land use change would compromise farmers' ability to produce food in an increasingly unstable operating environment. Longer term solutions to create a sustainable platform for farmers are required but they are reliant on long term financial commitments from HM Treasury to support the sector," Mr Kennedy said. That financial commitment at a UK level will enable us to deliver on a new and more urgent agenda around food production, emission reduction and enhancing the environment. Over 2 million-worth of classic machinery and collectors items were sold at a record-breaking vintage sale in Cambridgeshire. The first Cheffins collective vintage sale of the year grossed over 2m as record prices were paid for classic and vintage machinery and collectors items. Taking place on 22 and 23 April at Sutton, near Ely, the sale saw over 2,800 lots go under the hammer and buyers in attendance from the UK and Europe. The highest price paid on the day was 214,400 for a 1982 County 1474 Short Nose tractor, which smashed its presale estimate of 120,000-140,000. Having been fully restored, the tractor saw significant presale interest and now holds the record for the most expensive modern classic tractor sold to date. Other significant sales in the tractor section include 73,000 for a 2004 JCB 2140, against an estimate of 60-65,000. Other significant sales in the tractor section include 73,000 for a 2004 JCB 2140, against an estimate of 60-65,000 A 1983 Mercedes-Benz MB-Trac 1500 went for 48,240, well over its pre-sale estimate and 42,880 for a stunning 1974 County 1164. These were bought by collectors from the UK and Ireland. Another noteworthy lot was a 1956 Fowler VF Crawler, which was found in original condition having been used on the Landwade Hall Estate, near Newmarket, since new. It sold for 16,080, against a presale estimate of 6-7,000 and is a new record price for this particular model. Oliver Godfrey, head of the machinery at Cheffins said: We knew the April sale was going to be a record breaker, with a strong catalogue of varied items, however, to sell over 2m-worth is bonkers. "The market is alive and well, in fact it is thriving, as collectors still have cash in the bank which they want to invest in something tangible. "Collectors are becoming younger, so the focus in the market is really on tractors and machinery from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s as they look to buy up a part of their youth." China, Pakistan to cooperate on hunting down terrorists: spokesperson Xinhua) 15:09, April 28, 2022 BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has described Tuesday's terrorist attack in Karachi, Pakistan, as very vile, adding that China will work with Pakistan to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to justice and make them pay a heavy price. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks on Wednesday at a regular news briefing in response to the terrorist attack on a van of the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi. "We once again extend deep condolences to the victims of the two countries and sincere sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families," Wang said. He described the incident as a premeditated suicide terrorist attack against Chinese citizens. The terrorists directly targeted teachers, the inheritors of human civilization and promoters of cultural exchanges, making the attack a very vile and a heinous act, said Wang, adding that the Chinese side expresses strong condemnation and indignation at it. The Chinese government always attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions overseas, Wang said, pointing out that following the incident, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan immediately activated the emergency response mechanism and sent staff to the scene. Officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan have urged the Pakistani side to do its best to treat the injured, properly handle the follow-up matters of those killed, conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack, arrest the perpetrators and severely punish them according to law, he said. At the same time, stronger measures should be taken to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Pakistan so that such incidents will never happen again, he added. The Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan also reminded Chinese institutions and personnel in Pakistan to strengthen security awareness and enhance the security level to ensure their own safety. "Yesterday, the Chinese Consul General in Karachi went to the hospital to visit the injured Chinese teacher, who is receiving proper treatment and recovering," the spokesperson said. Wang noted that Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday evening to express his condolences, stressing that the Pakistani government is using all its resources to conduct an in-depth probe into the incident, and will spare no effort to hunt down the perpetrators and make an example of the perpetrators in punishing them. Wang added that the Pakistani side pledged to take further measures to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan in an all-round way. Sharif said his government will never allow any force to undermine Pakistan-China friendship and cooperation. The blood of the Chinese people should not be shed in vain, Wang said, adding that China firmly supports Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts and will work with Pakistan to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to justice and make them pay a heavy price. "We once again remind Chinese citizens in Pakistan to pay close attention to the local security situation and prevent security risks," he added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 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! Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category With a filmography that ranges from Heropanti, Baaghi and their subsequent sequels, Tiger Shroff has established himself as an action star in the Bollywood industry over the years. The actor is all set to return to doing what he does best with the romantic-action film Heropanti 2 which releases this week. As he gears up for the upcoming theatrical release, Tiger has revealed his goal of breaking into Hollywood. Speaking to a leading news portal, Tiger Shroff reacted to a comment made by his sister following the launch of Heropanti 2's trailer about trying out a Hollywood stint. Responding to the comment, the actor said "that is my eventual goal". Referring to the kinds of action heroes in Hollywood, the actor explained, "There is a void in terms of a young action hero in the West. Tom Cruise, perhaps Jackie Chan, there isn't an action hero perhaps of my age group." He added, "It's been a while since you have seen somebody with that skill set, portraying action or the kind of action I do at least unless it's Spider-Man or something." Interestingly he also revealed that he has representation in Hollywood and has tried auditioning. "That is my goal eventually to sort of get into that space and try my luck in the West. So I have been offered a couple of times. I have auditioned and failed a couple of times in auditions, but I am still trying." He said. The list of Indian actors making headlines for their work in Hollywood includes Ali Fazal, Priyanka Chopra, Dhanush who joined the cast of the upcoming film The Grey Man and Alia Bhatt who recently announced her Hollywood debut alongside Gal Gadot in Heart of Stone. It looks like Tiger Shroff is next in line, ready to start a career overseas. But in the meantime, he's gearing up for the release of Heropanti 2 alongside Tara Sutaria, Kriti Sanon, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and more. The film releases on April 29. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 27, 2022) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTC Pink:OMGGF) ("Omai" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the second and final tranche of the non-brokered private placement offering announced on April 14, 2022 of up to $2.5 million. The final tranche consists of 5,066,667 units at a price of C$0.12 per Unit for $608,000. In total, the Company issued 21,733,333 units for a total of $2,608,000 raised. Each unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") and one-half of a common share purchase warrant. Two such half warrants constitute a full warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.17 for a period of 24 months from the closing date. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for an expanded exploration program at the Omai Gold Project and for general corporate purposes. Elaine Ellingham, President and CEO, stated, "This financing further supports our accelerated exploration currently underway at our 100%-owned Omai Gold Project in Guyana and we are delighted to see most of the financing taken by new shareholders, and we appreciate the on-going support from existing shareholders that participated." The Company paid an aggregate of $133,920 in Finders' fees and issued 1,116,000 finders' warrants ("Finders' Warrants"), with each Finders' Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of C$0.12 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. Common Shares issued pursuant to the Offering and any Common Shares issued upon the exercise of Warrants or Finders' Warrants will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period from the closing date in accordance with applicable securities laws of Canada. The private placement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The purchase of Units under the First Tranche of the Offering by Elaine Ellingham (Chief Executive Officer of the Company) constituted a "related party transaction" as such term is defined by Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company was exempt from the MI 61-101 valuation and minority approval requirements for related party transactions in connection with the Offering under sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involves Ms. Ellingham, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). ABOUT OMAI GOLD Omai Gold Mines Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., holds a 100% interest in the Omai Prospecting License that includes the past producing Omai Gold Mine, and a 100% interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits. Once South America's largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005. In 2022, the Company announced an initial Mineral Resource Estimate on the new Wenot gold deposit. The Company's short-term priorities are to build on the known Mineral Resources, while advancing exploration on key targets, providing a solid opportunity to create significant value for all stakeholders. For further information, please see our website www.omaigoldmines.com or contact: Elaine Ellingham P.Geo. President & CEO elaine@omaigoldmines.com Phone: +1 416-473-5351 Greg Ferron VP Business Development greg.ferron@omaigoldmines.com Ph: +1 416-270-5042 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of exploration, trenching and drill programs, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to 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; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in the Omai Gold news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company 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 required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121966 MONTREAL QC / ACCESSWIRE / April 27, 2022 / Alphinat Inc. (TSXV:NPA) announces a loss of $85,157 for the financial quarter ended February 28, 2022. During the quarter ended February 28, 2022, Alphinat concentrated most of its commercial efforts on its partnerships and accelerating sales in the public sector. Furthermore, SmartGuide software continues being used by federal government departments & agencies, state / provincial and municipal governments. Our teams are involved in a variety of strategic projects with very short delivery delays, demonstrating the level of productivity that SmartGuide offers our clients and partners. At Alphinat, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance user experience and interoperability of client IT infrastructures. SmartGuide allows the IT department to focus on the infrastructure, technical conventions, connections to existing systems and security while business subject matter experts expand on that foundation to convert their knowledge and know-how into citizen-centric online services. SmartGuide has many times demonstrated that it offers our clients and partners the lowest Total Cost of Ownership ("TCO") compared to custom coded solutions. In order to accelerate future growth, Alphinat has considerably broadens its horizons by now counting four main areas of solution development: SmartGuide Portal Edition for Dynamics 3651 has optimize the way that clients can now create and deploy online services on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM solutions. This offering is available in SaaS mode as well as on-premises; SmartGuide GreenHouse Gas Registry solutions (SmartGHGR.ca) is a green fintech solution allowing governments and industry to work together in reducing the harmful effects of greenhouse gas. Alphinat currently has two provincial clients for our SmartGHRG.ca solution. SmartGuide Claims solutions (SmartClaims.ca) were developed in conjunction with a major IT consulting partner, which aim at offering unparalleled productivity to federal, state and municipal clients for financial claims applications, ajudication and settlements for financial compensation and class action settlements with customizable citizen-facing services and internal applications. SmartGuide CIVIC Portal, CIVIC Portal for Amanda2 and SmartGuide Municipal Cloud are Municipal Cloud and on-premises solutions front ending partner solutions and other digital services for improved user experience for both the client cities and their citizens. During the quarter ended February 28, 2022, our R&D team has continued to improve SmartGuide and SmartGuide derivative products in order to support the growing ambitions of our clients and partners all while supporting our own strategic growth. We added class actions and financial claims automation processing to our repeatable solutions offerings and are marketing these solutions with an IT consulting partner. The team delivers solutions to various federal, state / provincial agencies and municipalities across North America. In addition, the company continues to be involved in supporting its partners to ensure the delivery of solutions to government customers. For the 3-monthperiod ended February 28, 2022, the Company recorded total revenue of $310,521 compared to $402 974 for the same period in 2021. The net loss for the quarter ended February 28 2022, amount to ($85,157) or $0.001 per common share compared to net loss of $ ($6,376) or $0.0001 per common share for the same period ended February 28 2021. Alphinat's financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ending February 28 2022, can be found on SEDAR, at www.sedar.com. About Alphinat At Alphinat, we are driven by the passion to make application development easy for everyone and system interoperability issues a thing of the past. We enable people with the vision of how a finished application should look and behave to be a major part of the development process. After all, what better way to ensure a favorable outcome than to provide those closest to an application's end-users with a vested interest in its success throughout its development? That's why we bring you new ways to empower the right people at the right time throughout the application development process. At the same time, we're constantly working to reduce the need to code in order to make application development and maintenance simpler and less error prone. So, whether you choose to develop your applications with the help of our low-code platform SmartGuide, kick start your project using one of our pre-built apps or engage us or one of our partners to do the work for you, we're here to help you deploy better applications in record time. Visit us at https:// www.alphinat.com for more information. We look forward to hearing from you. Forward-looking statements Certain statements in this document, including those which express management's expectations or estimations with regards to the Company's future performance constitute forward-looking statements" as understood by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are, of necessity, based on a certain number of estimates and hypotheses; while management considers these to be accurate at the time they are expressed,they are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and risks on the commercial, economic and competitive levels. We advise readers that these forward- looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other known and unknown factors that 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 in these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause significant differences between actual results and those described in forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's capacity to increase acceptance of its products on the market, and to penetrate new markets; the potential existence of defects or undetected problems in the Company's products; the Company's ability to manage its growth; the Company's ability to compete with others;potential commitments; maintaining the Company's intellectual property rights and defending against litigation putting those rights in question;the Company's reliance on the knowledge of its key personnel; and the Company's access to sufficient capital to finance its future needs. This is a partial and non-exhaustive list of factors that could bear on any of our forward-looking statements. Investors are advised to not rely unduly on the forward-looking statements. This advisory applies to all forward-looking statements, whether expressed orally or in writing, attributed to Alphinat or to any individual expressing them in the name of the Company.The Company is under no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events, or other circumstances. Risks and uncertainties that bear on the Company are described in greater detail in the Company's Annual Report. 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. For further information please contact: Mr. Curtis Page Chief Executive Officer AlphinatInc. (514) 398-9799 ext 225 1 Dynamics 365 is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation 2 Amanda is a registered trademark of Granicus SOURCE: Alphinat Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699219/Alphinat-Announces-a-Loss-of-85157-for-Fiscal-Quarter-Ended-Feburary-28-2022 Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 27, 2022) - Austral Gold Limited (ASX: AGD) (TSXV: AGLD) (the "Company" or "Austral") is pleased to provide an update on its on-going exploration programs in Argentina and Chile during Q1 2022. Exploration expenditures during Q1 2022 were US$1.3 million (CY21: US$8.4 million). The Company continued with its exploration strategy that focused on: The Chilean Paleocene Belt targeting Tier 1 or 2 projects including the Morros Blancos and Cerro Blanco prospective projects to further extend the life of mine of our flagship Guanaco-Amancaya mine complex; The Argentine mining clusters targeting to re-start the Casposo-Manantiales mine complex and the development of the Sierra Blanca- Pinguino project; The Argentine Indio Belt targeting Tier 1 or 2 projects as part of the planned strategic alliance with Mexplort Exploraciones Mineras SA ("Mexplort"). Exploration Highlights Chile Morros Blancos: Completed four of the five drillholes planned for phase 1 of our drilling campaign at the Rosario del Alto target, totaling 1,020 meters. In addition, at the Morro Colorado target, delineation confirmed the high-sulfidation features on the eastern block, where advanced argillic altered phreatomagmatic rocks outcrop. Completed four of the five drillholes planned for phase 1 of our drilling campaign at the Rosario del Alto target, totaling 1,020 meters. In addition, at the Morro Colorado target, delineation confirmed the high-sulfidation features on the eastern block, where advanced argillic altered phreatomagmatic rocks outcrop. Pampa Metals Corp. Option Agreement: Expenses incurred on the Morros Blancos and Cerro Blanco projects were US$0.7 million in Q1 2022. The first-year expenditure commitment was met as total expenses incurred were US$1.2 million. An additional US$1.8 million is required to be expended prior to the end of Q3 2023 to obtain an initial 60% interest in the properties. Exploration Highlights Argentina Casposo-Manantiales: Launched a second drilling campaign supported by detailed geological mapping and systematic channel sampling over the main mineralized corridors in La Puerta, Awada and Fabiola targets. Launched a second drilling campaign supported by detailed geological mapping and systematic channel sampling over the main mineralized corridors in La Puerta, Awada and Fabiola targets. The first drill hole was in La Puerta Oeste following the high gold grades identified through surface geochemistry announced in Q4 2021. During Q1 2022, 224 meters were drilled (CY 2021: 2,799 meters). Sierra Blanca-Pinguino: Activities were focused on the southwestern area of the property following anomalies and indicators of potential mineralisation in the Vetarron area. Activities were focused on the southwestern area of the property following anomalies and indicators of potential mineralisation in the Vetarron area. Mexplort Option Agreement: Field work and surface mapping commenced on the Jaguelito project as part of the agreement signed in February 2022. Chile Paleocene Belt High Sulfidation District Exploration At the Morros Blancos project, the Company completed four of the five drillholes planned for the Rosario del Alto target and continued surface studies at the Morro Colorado target. During Q1 2022, four diamond drill holes totaling 1,020 meters were completed in three main phreatomagmatic complexes (Maar Austral, Maar Central, Maar Oriental) identified in the delineation stage at Rosario del Alto. All drill holes intercepted large columns of phreatomagmatic rocks, confirming a high degree of preservation and continuity of the systems at depth. No significant gold intercepts were obtained. The phreatomagmatic facies show a progression from crater-fill environments towards the edges of the complexes. All recognized geological features such as breccia rock type, hydrothermal alteration, and oxidation level allow for vectoring towards the mineralised center of the system in the next phase of drilling. At the Morro Colorado target, delineation is progressing where a ~2x1 km area with phreatomagmatic breccias affected by high-level high sulfidation alteration was identified, developed in volcanic sequences that include domes and blocks and ash deposits. This structural block is in contact to the west with a domain characterized by lavas and numerous intrusive bodies, some of them with evidence of porphyry-style alteration. MORROS BLANCOS Rosario del Alto Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/690/121971_figure1.jpg.jpg Argentina Casposo - Manantiales Phase l drilling was completed in five vein targets including 14 holes in 2,800 meters in 2021 as disclosed in the Company's press release 26 October 2021. At the Manantiales vein, a blind ore-shoot was intercepted opening the upside to the south and the exploration potential to the north in the preserved block related to Vallecito reverse fault. Phase II drilling commenced in 2022 and drill hole LPO-22-001 of the "La Puerta Oeste" was completed in April 2022 at 224 meters. Final results are expected to be received in Q2 2022. Several metric intervals with high to very high pervasive silicification were intercepted, affecting the host rock (rhyolitic tuff) in the first 75 meters drilled in drillhole LPO-22-001. In addition, despite not having intercepted vein structures larger than 20 cm, many millimetric veinlets up to 12 cm were intercepted and were comprised of white and gray cryptocrystalline and saccharoidal silica. In addition, cryptocrystalline gray silica veinlets with black bands associated with adularia were intercepted between 67-69 meters and from 110.0 meters, tufisite dikes and polymictic supported breccia were intercepted. New geological interpretations confirmed diatreme with preserved maar facies, migrating to polymictic breccias at depth opening potential for new ore controls. The program has been redefined and aimed to test for this new conceptual target. As part of the Phase II drilling program, two more holes are to be drilled at Puerta Oeste, while five follow-up holes are to be drilled at Manantiales Vein and another three holes are to be drilled at Fabiola and Awada, where recent surface sampling has returned high-grade values. CASPOSO-MANANTIALES Cerro Amarillo and La Puerta Oeste Geological Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/690/121971_figure2.jpg.jpg Jaguelito During Q1 2022, we acquired an earn-in option from Mexplort, where we may acquire a 50% interest in the Jaguelito project, located in the Province of San Juan, Argentina, which is a High Sulfidation deposit that has had 30,000 meters drilled. The preliminary structural mapping highlighted the presence of first order structures generating a triangular zone, defined by the lift of basement of the Paleozoic Choiyoi Group in both sides and protecting the units of the Vacas Heladas Formation in the central zone affected by high sulfidation alteration and mineralisation assigned to Miocene age. In the Jaguelito Norte area, in progress detailed mapping preliminarily confirmed phreatomagmatic activity controlled by reverse fault movement, generating a contact between the Paleozoic basement and the Miocene flat intrusive complex (Infiernillo Unit - 13,65 Ma). Much of the steam-heated alteration is preserved in Jaguelito Norte, and most of the vuggy silica and mineralisation is related to phreatomagmatic products suggesting similarities with observations in Veladero and Alturas, both which are very close to the project. Sierra Blanca-Pinguino During Q1 2022, the main exploration activities focused on to the southwestern area of the property following Aster anomalies and geological indicators of potential mineralisation in the Vetarron area. Preliminary studies confirm the presence of a dome-diatreme system controlling a large zone of argillic alteration of the same age and characteristics of the Cerro Vanguardia and Cerro Negro endowment. Detailed mapping identified vuggy silica and quartz-alunite alterations confirmed by petrography studies, which precede a low sulfidation type alteration. SIERRA BLANCA-PINGUINO Sierra Blanca Geological Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/690/121971_9433b414d445f988_007full.jpg Competent Person Technical information in this press release that relates to Exploration Results is based on work supervised, or compiled on behalf of Robert Trzebski, a Director of the Company. Mr. Trzebski, who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and qualifies as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' consents to the inclusion of the technical information that he has reviewed and approved or has been compiled on his behalf. About Austral Gold Austral Gold Limited is a growing gold and silver mining, development and exploration company whose strategy is to expand the life of its cash generating assets in Chile, restart its Casposo mine in Argentina and build a portfolio of quality assets in Chile, the USA and Argentina organically through a Tier 1 or 2 exploration strategy and via acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Austral owns a 100% interest in the Guanaco/Amancaya mine in Chile and the Casposo Mine (currently on care and maintenance) in Argentina, a non-controlling interest in the Rawhide Mine in Nevada, USA and a non-controlling interest in Ensign Gold which holds the Mercur project in Utah, USA. In addition, Austral owns an attractive portfolio of exploration projects in the Paleocene Belt in Chile (including those acquired in the 2021 acquisition of Revelo Resources Corp), a non-controlling interest in Pampa Metals and a 100% interest in the Pinguino project and a 51% interest in the Sierra Blanca project, both in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Austral Gold Limited is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: AGLD) and the Australian Securities Exchange. (ASX: AGD). For more information, please consult Austral's website at www.australgold.com . Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Release approved by the Chief Executive Officer of Austral Gold, Stabro Kasaneva. For additional information please contact: David Hwang Company Secretary Austral Gold Limited info@australgold.com +61 (2) 9698 5414 Ben Jarvis Director Austral Gold Limited info@australgold.com +61 413 150 448 Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical, and consist primarily of projections - statements regarding future plans, expectations and developments. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "potential", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import tend to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include the planned strategic alliance with Mexplort, drilling results expected to be received in Q2 2022, future drill targets, and future exploration activities. All of these forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied, including, without limitation, business integration risks; uncertainty of production, development plans and cost estimates, commodity price fluctuations; political or economic instability and regulatory changes; currency fluctuations, the state of the capital markets especially in light of the effects of the novel coronavirus, uncertainty in the measurement of mineral reserves and resource estimates, Austral's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and management, potential labour unrest, reclamation and closure requirements for mineral properties; unpredictable risks and hazards related to the development and operation of a mine or mineral property that are beyond the Company's control, the availability of capital to fund all of the Company's projects and other risks and uncertainties identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed on the ASX and on SEDAR. You are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used. Austral cannot assure you that actual events, performance or results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Austral's forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and Austral does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121971 Automated and streamlined interface cuts integration of external solutions required to meet AML requirements TAIPEI, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Blockchain security firm CoolBitX has unveiled Sygna Hub, the latest AML/CTF-focused product to help virtual asset service providers (VASPs) meet evolving crypto regulations. The comprehensive new API-based solution provides an easy-to-use platform boasting a modular integration of optional AML services from industry leaders such as Chainalysis and Elliptic, including advanced blockchain analytics and sanction screening, as well as Sygna Bridge, the Travel Rule protocol that is made to be interoperable with other protocols, like TRISA, through the Hub solution. Changing regulatory landscape for VASPs Sygna was launched in 2019 in response to the Financial Action Task Force's Recommendation 16 update that mandates Travel Rule compliance for VASPs. Since then it has built out a Sygna Alliance network of VASPs and collaborated with the world's biggest AML firms, including Chainalysis , Elliptic, CipherTrace , Merkle Science and ComplyAdvantage . "In the path toward mass institutional adoption of crypto, integration still remains a major challenge for the industry," said Mriganka Pattnaik, Co-founder & CEO of Merkle Science. "Travel Rule, sanctions screening, and blockchain analytics all play key roles in the fight against illicit activity in crypto. The Sygna Hub platform allows for integration and communication between previously siloed parts of this objective and Merkle Science is glad to be an active member of this initiative." With FATF's latest reviews and updates to its Risk-Based Approach to Virtual Assets and VASPs adding new complexity to the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies, Sygna has been broadening the scope of its service offering to better meet the needs of crypto companies. Michael Ou, Founder/CEO of CoolBitX said: " The Sygna team has again demonstrated that they fully understand VASPs' compliance pain points and how to alleviate them through intelligent product design. Sygna Hub represents our most ambitious AML endeavour as of yet. It has required many months of hard work, where we had to not only leverage our existing proprietary travel rule protocol Sygna Bridge, but also combine forces with industry leaders to create something unique for the greater good of the crypto industry as it faces evolving regulatory requirements." Sygna Hub and Sygna Gate, its simplified browser-based version, constitute the end result of these efforts, providing VASPs with the tools to build a robust compliance system to fulfill their regulatory duties. Juntao Zhu, CEO/Co-Founder of Hodlnaut, a Sygna Hub client, said: "Hodlnaut is elated to be partnering with Sygna to comply with the regulatory changes in Singapore. We are tirelessly working towards providing a great user experience and collaborating with Sygna will help us achieve the same." Key features of Sygna Hub Sygna Hub aims to solve the following current pain points in crypto compliance: Integrated and Enhanced Risk Screening Hub's integrated third-party blockchain analytics and sanction screening services makes it an excellent fit for VASPs operating in countries like Singapore and Japan with mature and sophisticated existing regulatory frameworks. Both Sygna Hub and Gate offer the latest integrated AML blockchain analytics services from Elliptic, Chainalysis (KYT V1 and V2) and Merkle Science. Sygna Bridge, the standalone VASP-focused Travel Rule protocol, is also built into Sygna platforms at a software level. Sygna achieved live interoperability, offered through Gate and Hub solutions, with CipherTrace's TRISA in February 2022, and with a similar cooperation with Shyft Network's Veriscope targeted for Q2. Other leading Travel Rule solution providers are in the works to follow later this year. Sunrise issue Sygna previously adopted IVMS101, the industry messaging protocol and has been working diligently to address the onerous so-called "sunrise issue" , which refers to an uneven roll-out of FATF-required Travel Rule regulation across member countries. As a result, Sygna clients and VASP counterparties that are using different or no Travel Rule protocol will still be able exchange the necessary data as various features of Hub are released. " Satoshi Test " for private information identification An increasing number of jurisdictions such as Singapore, Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein are starting to require further due diligence on the VASP side, which has led to increasing demand on establishing proof of ownership of non-custodial wallet addresses. To facilitate this identification, Sygna Hub's new Sygna Private Wallet Ownership Tool (SPOT) leverages a "Satoshi Test" by requesting the unhosted wallet address owner conduct an on-chain-transaction to establish proof-of-wallet ownership. ISO 27001-certified data privacy & information security Authorities globally are cracking down on companies misappropriating the data of their customers. As an on-premises-only product, the Sygna Hub portal allows clients to manage all of their customers' information without the risk of exposure on external servers. All Sygna products are officially ISO 27001 certified and strictly follow ISMS standards, which can now also be adopted with ease by Sygna VASPs. CoolBitX CEO Michael Ou is available for media interviews. About CoolBitX CoolBitX Ltd. (CBX) is an international blockchain security company building the next-generation infrastructure necessary to maximize digital asset adoption. Founded in 2014 by Michael Ou and backed by SBI Holdings, CoolBitX provides solutions for a rapidly-changing blockchain industry in order to foster the mass adoption of virtual assets through its two product lines: CoolWallet and Sygna. CoolWallet is a credit card-sized hardware wallet that allows for Bluetooth-enabled pairing with users' mobile phones. The Sygna line of regulatory compliance products are tailored toward Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), simplifying the compliance efforts of VASPs through the use of effective and secure technology. For more information on CoolBitX, visit https://coolbitx.com/ . About Sygna Seedbank has audited value of more than C$9 million and core to Company's IP strategy TORONTO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franchise Global Health Inc. ("Franchise Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: FGH) is pleased to announce the Company's wholly owned Danish subsidiary, Rangers Pharmaceutical A/S ("Rangers"), has successfully established Europe's first legal and registered seedbank in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2021 it received a third-party audited value of C$9.5 million. The seedbank, which is arguably the largest globally, and the 286 strains held within, including several world-class genetics and winners of 19 Cannabis Cups, is a key component to Franchise Global's IP strategy and exemplifies Franchise Global's long-standing heritage to premium quality. The seedbank is licensed to store, sell and export cannabis seeds globally under legal international trade frameworks and import/export permits. Franchise Global has decided to offer a number of strains to the market and has subsequently signed numerous seed purchase orders and strategic agreements with many emerging cannabis cultivators and wholesalers to further expand global commercialization opportunities. These orders will be fulfilled in the coming quarters, creating a new source of revenue for the Company and solidifying new global strategic alliances. Franchise Global will retain its most distinguished strains for its own internal flower production for global markets. Franchise Global Executive Chairman and CEO, Clifford Starke, said: "Our goal is to become Europe's most trusted source of high-quality EU-GMP cannabis. This will be achieved in part by establishing our seedbank as a source for high-quality, Cannabis-Cup winning genetics. Essentially this is 30 years worth of IP from land races all around the world with strong genetic heritage including from Thailand, Colombia and other highly sought after sources of origin." About Franchise Global Franchise Global, through its subsidiaries, is a multi-national operator in the medical cannabis and pharmaceutical industries, with principal operations in Germany and with operations, assets, strategic partnerships and investments internationally. Franchise Global's business objective is to develop a fully-integrated, leading European medical cannabis business, with the goal of providing high-quality pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis to distribution partners and, ultimately, to patients, at competitive prices. For further information, please contact: Franchise Global Health Clifford Starke, Executive Chairman and CEO Via Buchanan www.franchiseglobalhealth.com (http://www.franchiseglobalhealth.com/) Media Enquiries Buchanan Jamie Hooper / Ariadna Peretz Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 FGH@buchanan.uk.com (mailto:FGH@buchanan.uk.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 PRESS RELEASE. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction, including in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including without limitation statements regarding the business of Franchise Global and its prospects. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations, estimates, beliefs and/or opinions and is based on information currently available to them (including information obtained from third party industry analysts and other third-party sources) and on assumptions they believe not to be unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to general economic conditions, counterparty risk, regulatory factors, the financial markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Accordingly, readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Please refer to the filing statement of the Company available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com for more details on the risks and uncertainties faced by Franchise Global. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update any forward-looking information contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable law. 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 (mailto:rns@lseg.com) or visit www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/). 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. NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial in glaucoma at over 98 % recruitment D evelopment pathway for NCX 4251 i n dry eye disease confirmed following meeting with the U.S. FDA First quarter 2022 U.S. prescriptions for VYZULTAincreased by 43% over first quarter 2021 Cash position of 42.0million as of December 31, 2021 and 35.1 million as of March 31, 2022, confirming the Company is financed to Q4 2023 April 28, 2022 - release at 7:30 am CET Sophia Antipolis, France Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today announced the financial and operating results for Nicox and its subsidiaries (the "Nicox Group") for the year ended December 31, 2021, as approved by the Board of Directors on April 27, 2022, along with a business update and financial highlights for the first quarter 2022, and provided an update on key upcoming milestones. "We are very pleased by the rapid progress of the NCX 470 Mont Blanc phase 3 trialand are eagerly expectingits completionwhich will mark a major inflexion point for our Company and a turning point in the development of drugs for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension." said Michele Garufi, Chief Executive Officer of Nicox. Key UpcomingMilestone Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial on NCX 470 in glaucoma: recruitment advances more quickly than anticipated and thus topline results fully on track. First Quarter 2022 and Recent Events and Pipeline Updates Product candidates NCX 470 NCX 470 is a novel nitric oxide (NO)-donating prostaglandin analog currently in a Phase 3 clinical program for the lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. is a novel nitric oxide (NO)-donating prostaglandin analog currently in a Phase 3 clinical program for the lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Owing to a better than expected enrollment rate in recent months, over 98% of the patients required to complete the NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial have been enrolled. Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial have been enrolled. Patient enrollment is continuing in both the United States (U.S.) and China in the ongoing Denali Phase 3 clinical trial on NCX 470 in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Denali, which also includes a long-term safety extension, has been recruiting patients in the U.S. since November 2020. Approximately 670 patients are expected to be randomized at approximately 60 clinical sites in the U.S. and China, with approximately 80% of the patients to be recruited in the U.S. and the remaining 20% of the patients to be recruited in China. The topline results will not be available by the end of 2023 as previously communicated due to several hurdles (including the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the U.S. and China). The Company will announce a new date for availability of the results when we have more visibility on the overall timelines of the trial. in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Denali, which also includes a long-term safety extension, has been recruiting patients in the U.S. since November 2020. Approximately 670 patients are expected to be randomized at approximately 60 clinical sites in the U.S. and China, with approximately 80% of the patients to be recruited in the U.S. and the remaining 20% of the patients to be recruited in China. The topline results will not be available by the end of 2023 as previously communicated due to several hurdles (including the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the U.S. and China). The Company will announce a new date for availability of the results when we have more visibility on the overall timelines of the trial. The Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration has granted Nicox a formulation patent for NCX 470 in China to 2039. With the equivalent U.S. and European patents already granted, the formulation is now covered in most major global territories. NCX 470 is also covered by granted composition of matter patents. NCX 4251 NCX 4251 is a novel, patented, ophthalmic suspension of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals in clinical development stage for dry eye disease. Following the encouraging post hoc results from the Mississippi Phase 2b clinical trial and a subsequent meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the future development of NCX 4251 will be focused on dry eye disease. The Mississippi post hoc results, reported (https://www.nicox.com/wp-content/uploads/EN_MississippiDry-Eye-PR_20211130_F.pdf) on November 30, 2021, suggest that once-daily dosed NCX 4251, fluticasone propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.1%, is effective in reducing dry eye symptoms in patients who score more highly for a key sign of dry eye disease. The Company is currently exploring how to best advance the development of NCX 4251 in dry eye disease and will communicate its strategy at a future date. is a novel, patented, ophthalmic suspension of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals in clinical development stage for dry eye disease. The Japanese Patent Office has granted a new patent expiring in 2040 for NCX 4251. Patent JP.7021301 covers ophthalmic suspensions comprising a specific form of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals and the method for manufacturing the ophthalmic suspensions. It complements the recent granting of a patent from the same family in Europe. Corresponding patent applications are under examination in the U.S., China and other territories. Commercial Out-licensed Products VYZULTA (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024% U.S. prescriptions 1 increased by 43% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to first quarter 2021, however revenue remained unchanged due to an increased level of rebates. As of December 31, 2021, VYZULTA, exclusively licensed worldwide to Bausch + Lomb, was commercialized in 7 territories: United States (2017), Canada (2019), Argentina (2020), Mexico (2020), Hong Kong (2020), Taiwan (2021) and Ukraine (2021). VYZULTA is also approved in 9 other countries, namely Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. VYZULTA is indicated for the reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024% U.S. prescriptions increased by 43% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to first quarter 2021, however revenue remained unchanged due to an increased level of rebates. As of December 31, 2021, VYZULTA, exclusively licensed worldwide to Bausch + Lomb, was commercialized in 7 territories: United States (2017), Canada (2019), Argentina (2020), Mexico (2020), Hong Kong (2020), Taiwan (2021) and Ukraine (2021). VYZULTA is also approved in 9 other countries, namely Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. VYZULTA is indicated for the reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Our partnership with Samil Pharmaceutical concerning ZERVIATE in South Korea has been expanded to include Vietnam. in South Korea has been expanded to include Vietnam. Our Chinese partner Ocumension Therapeutics successfully completed a Phase 3 clinical trial of ZERVIATE (cetirizine ophthalmic solution), 0.24% in Chinese patients with allergic conjunctivitis in which ZERVIATE was compared to emedastine difumarate ophthalmic solution, 0.05%, an antihistamine marketed under the brand name EMADINE. ZERVIATE was found to be non-inferior to emedastine difumarate in the primary efficacy endpoint of change from baseline in the itching score in the 24 hours prior to the Day 14 visit. ZERVIATE was safe and well-tolerated with no difference in the proportion of patients with adverse events compared to emedastine difumarate. This Phase 3 clinical trial was required for Ocumension to be able to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) for approval to commercialize ZERVIATE in China. Other partnerships The U.S. FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation for naproxcinod for the treatment of sickle cell disease, which affects an estimated 100,000 Americans. Naproxcinod is a nitric oxide (NO)-donating naproxen combining the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory activity of naproxen with that of nitric oxide developed by Nicox and exclusively licensed to Fera in the U.S. Nicox has tested naproxcinod in over 2,700 patients in osteoarthritis, generating a significant package of clinical safety data which is available to support Fera's development of naproxcinod, and ultimately an NDA submission for sickle cell disease. Management and Advisors In December 2021, we announced the appointment of Doug Hubatsch as Chief Scientific Officer to lead all of the Company's non-clinical and clinical development activities. Based in Nicox's U.S. subsidiary Nicox Ophthalmics Inc., he is responsible for setting the research and development strategy of the Group and is a member of the Nicox Executive Committee. In July 2021, we announced that two internationally recognized experts in glaucoma, Robert N. Weinreb, M.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair, Ophthalmology and Director, Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San Diego, and Sanjay G. Asrani, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology, Duke University, joined the Nicox Glaucoma Clinical Advisory Board. 2021 Financial Summary Net revenue2 for the full year 2021 was 7.2 million (2.4 million in net royalties, 4.8 million in license payments), compared to 12.9 million (2.4 million in net royalties, 10.5 million in license payments) for the full year 2020. The principal difference in revenue is due to an IFRS treatment of a licensing payment received from our partner Ocumension Therapeutics in 2020. Operating expenses for the year 2021 increased to 25.1 million from 19.5 million for the previous year among which 5.2 million comes from non-clinical and development expenses due to the advancement and progress of the Phase 3 trials on NCX 470. Net loss of the Nicox Group for the full year 2021 was 43.8 million against 18.1 million for the full year 2020. However, the 2021 net loss includes 27.8 million of non-recurring, non-cash items due to a reduction in the estimated fair value of ZERVIATE (of 12.7 million) and of NCX 4251 (of 15.1 million) reflecting, respectively, the changes in the allergic conjunctivitis market in the U.S. and the changes in the development plan and timeline for NCX 4251. As of December 31, 2021, the Nicox Group had cash and cash equivalents of 42.0 million, as compared with 47.2 million at December 31, 2020, and as previously announced, the Company is financed until Q4 2023, assuming the development of NCX 470 alone. As of December 31, 2021, the Nicox Group had financial debt of 20.5 million, consisting of 18.5 million in the form of a bond financing agreement with Kreos Capital signed in January 2019 and a 2 million credit agreement guaranteed by the French State, and granted in August 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights As of March 31, 2022, the Nicox Group had cash and cash equivalents of 35.1 million as compared with 42.0 million at December 31, 2021. Net revenue2 for the first quarter of 2022 was 0.7 million (entirely composed of net royalty payments). Net revenue2 for the first quarter of 2021 was 1.7 million (including 0.7 million of net royalty payments). As of March 31, 2022, the Nicox Group had financial debt of 20.5 million consisting of 18.5 million in the form of a bond financing agreement with Kreos Capital signed in January 2019 and a 2 million credit agreement guaranteed by the French State, and granted in August 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the figures related to the cash position, revenue and debt of the Nicox Group as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 are audited; all other figures of this press release are non-audited. The Danish National Genome Center has awarded Lifebit a four-year contract to implement Lifebit's Federated Trusted Research Environment software, Lifebit CloudOS, within Denmark's national supercomputing center. LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifebit, whose leading technology enables secure analysis over sensitive datasets for researchers and interconnects such large patient cohorts worldwide, today announces a long-term partnership with the Danish National Genome Center (NGC). Lifebit will deploy Lifebit CloudOS to create a Federated Trusted Research Environment within the Danish NGC's supercomputing cluster to serve as the scalable and secure data management and analysis platform for Denmark's national researchers, clinical scientists and international collaborators. The Danish NGC, a government agency and authority within the Danish Healthcare system, was created to implement the Danish Government's National Personalised Medicine Strategy. The core vision of the NGC is to develop more precise diagnosis, targeted treatment and strengthen research within the Danish healthcare system. During the first phase of the strategy, the Danish National Genome Center and its collaborators will recruit and sequence whole genomes of 60,000 patients diagnosed with cancer, autoimmune disorders and rare diseases by 2024. The platform will deliver a next-generation computational infrastructure within Denmark's on-premise supercomputing center, allowing the NGC to meet its vision of establishing and operating a state-of-the-art national infrastructure for personalised medicine while keeping the data at all times in the secure national infrastructure. Only Lifebit with both its genomic data expertise as well as its internationally proven ability of managing such complex Government environments through its patented operating system Lifebit CloudOS was deemed capable to deliver this project. The platform will thus enable researchers with secure access, querying and analysis of this sensitive clinico-genomic data in a fully scalable and flexible way; also allowing for them to collaborate at a global scale. Federation will play a crucial role in enabling the future possibility to collaborate with international partners such as Genomics England, France Genomique, Genomic Medicine Sweden and other biobanks from around the world. Virtually connecting these sensitive datasets, enabling joint analysis that is however performed in situ without moving data, can lead to exponentially higher research findings. In some cases, it can be observed that increasing the number of patients in a study by 10x led to ~100x the number of scientific findings and genomic associations making clear how important real connectivity of these datasets is. "Lifebit continues to guide and power the world's largest national and private precision medicine programmes. We are extremely proud to be delivering this flagship programme for the nation of Denmark. This Federated Trusted Research Environment will enable researchers to more effectively collaborate over this rich dataset at scale and drive international collaboration between other government initiatives - many of which already leverage Lifebit's federated technology." Thorben Seeger, Chief Business Development Officer at Lifebit Other examples of Lifebit's data platform at work include Genomics England , NIHR Cambridge and the Hong Kong Genome Institute . About Lifebit Biotech, Ltd. Lifebit builds enterprise data platforms for use by organisations with complex and sensitive biomedical datasets. Lifebit's patented federated technology securely unlocks access to biomedical data. From providing Trusted Research Environments for national precision medicine programmes to enabling pharmaceutical companies to discover new drug targets faster, Lifebit empowers customers to transform how they leverage sensitive biomedical data. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806414/Lifebit_Biotech.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752754/lifebit_logo.jpg CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Southern Energy Corp. ("Southern" or the "Company") (TSX.V:SOU)(AIM:SOUC), a U.S.-focused, growth-oriented oil and natural gas producer, announces that the Company has issued 125,000 new common shares in the Company ("Common Shares") to satisfy an exercise of warrants over Common Shares at an exercise price of CAD0.32 per Common Share. In addition, the Company has issued 1,250 new Common Shares to satisfy the Convertible Debenture conversion rights at a price of CAD0.80 per Common Share. Admission to Trading on AIM and Total Voting Rights Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange plc for the admission to trading on AIM of the 126,250 new Common Shares, which is expected to occur at 8.00 a.m. on or around 3 May 2022 ("Admission"). On Admission, the new Common Shares will rank pari passu with the existing Common Shares. On Admission, the issued share capital of the Company will be 78,326,233 Common Shares and this figure may be used by shareholders as a denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in or change to their interest in the Company. There are no Common Shares held in treasury and each Common Share entitles the holder to a single vote at general meetings of the Company. Accordingly, on Admission, the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 78,326,233 For further information, please contact: Southern Energy Corp. Ian Atkinson (President and CEO) Calvin Yau (VP Finance and CFO) +1 587 287 5401 +1 587 287 5402 Strand Hanson Limited - Nominated & Financial Adviser James Spinney / James Bellman Hannam & Partners - Joint Broker Sam Merlin / Ernest Bell Canaccord Genuity - Joint Broker Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor / James Asensio +44 (0) 20 7409 3494 +44 (0) 20 7907 8500 +44 (0) 20 7523 8000 Camarco James Crothers, Billy Clegg, Daniel Sherwen +44 (0) 20 3757 4980 About Southern Energy Corp. Southern Energy Corp. is a natural gas exploration and production company. Southern has a primary focus on acquiring and developing conventional natural gas and light oil resources in the southeast Gulf States of Mississippi, Louisiana, and East Texas. Our management team has a long and successful history working together and have created significant shareholder value through accretive acquisitions, optimization of existing oil and natural gas fields and the utilization of re-development strategies utilizing horizontal drilling and multi-staged fracture completion techniques. 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.The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended). SOURCE: Southern Energy Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699211/Southern-Energy-Corp-Announces-Exercise-of-Warrants-and-Convertible-Debenture-Conversion Regulatory News: Press release 28 April 2022 Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Conor McQuaid as Executive Vice President of Corporate Communication, Sustainability and Responsibility (S&R) and Public Affairs as of July 1st, 2022. Conor will report to Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard. He will be a member of the Executive Board and the Executive Committee, based in Paris. This newly-created global position brings together Corporate Communication, S&R and Public Affairs for the first time within Pernod Ricard. Conor brings to this role a wealth of industry experience and expertise from working in both our markets and brand companies, as well as within Global Business Development. As a COMEX member, he has contributed to shaping Pernod Ricard's business strategy since 2015. Conor McQuaid holds a degree in International Marketing Languages from Dublin City University and Universidad de Sevilla. He began his career with Golden Vale Group plc before joining Irish Distillers Ltd in 1998 as Regional Manager for Southern Europe. He subsequently became Regional Director for Europe in 2000 before taking up the position of International Commercial Director of Irish Distillers Ltd in July 2005. He was appointed Managing Director of Pernod Ricard South Africa in July 2011. In March 2015, Conor McQuaid was appointed Global Business Development Director before moving back to Dublin as Chairman CEO of Irish Distillers in July 2018. About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales amounting to 8,824 million in FY21. The Group, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive portfolios in the industry with over 240 premium brands distributed across more than 160 markets. Pernod Ricard's portfolio includes Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Campo Viejo, Mumm Sparkling and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term and sustainable growth for all its stakeholders, remaining true to its founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and strong sense of ethics. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 18,500 employees to be on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Createurs de Convivialite". Pernod Ricard 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap "Good Times from a Good Place" is integrated into all its activities from grain to glass, and Pernod Ricard is recognised as a UN Global Compact LEAD participant. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220427006249/en/ Contacts: Pernod Ricard Emmanuel Vouin Head of External Engagement +33 (0) 1 70 93 16 34 Florence Tresarrieu Global SVP Investor Relations and Treasury +33 (0) 1 70 93 17 03 Edward Mayle Investors Relations Director +1 416 779 6092 PRESS RELEASE Paris, 28 April 2022 2022 has got off to a good start, with Q1 growth of 14% at current exchange rates (up 6.0% like for like), driven by a favourable comparison base and the extension of the Group's scope of consolidation. Revenues in million (unaudited) 2021 2022 Change Q1 turnover 48.5 55.3 +14.0% Bogart Fragrances & Cosmetics[1] 8.7 10.6 +21.8% Bogart Beauty Retail[2] 39.8 44.7 +12.3% Other Q1 revenues[3] 2.9 2.5 -13.8% Total Q1 revenues 51.4 57.8 +12.5% First quarter 2022 turnover amounted to 55.3 million, compared with 48.5 million for the same period last year, representing substantial growth of 14.0% (up 6.0% like for like). Both of the Group's businesses recorded double-digit growth, particularly the "Bogart Fragrances & Cosmetics" business, which grew 21.8% in the first quarter of 2021, while the extension of the Group's scope bolstered the "Bogart Beauty Retail" business. Note that the comparison base also remains favourable, since the first quarter of 2021 was impacted by widespread administrative closures (Germany, Belgium, France and Israel). For 2022 as a whole, the Group is confident that both of its businesses will continue to grow, as they stand to benefit from numerous innovations across all brands and from the positive effects of the extension of the scope (addition of 38 Nocibe stores since October 2021 and the 70 perfumeries of the Fann chain in Slovakia since January 2022). Note that BOGART is anticipating strong momentum in its "Bogart Fragrances & Cosmetics" business, with the release of nearly 500 new make-up products under the April brand. Major fragrance launches are expected for the Jacques Bogart and Carven brands. Methode Jeanne Piaubert, Stendhal and Close combine innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The brands are committed to vegan product launches, eco-designed packaging and skincare formulas in which over 90% of ingredients are of natural origin. While momentum is positive, BOGART remains particularly attentive to international issues, which could impact the price of raw materials and supplies, as well as energy costs, and, more indirectly, consumer purchasing power. Next publication H1 2022 turnover: 28 July 2022 Group website www.groupe-bogart.com CONTACTS BOGART contact@jbogart.com Tel.: 0033 1 53 77 55 55 ACTUS FINANCE ET COMMUNICATION Investor relations Anne-Pauline PETUREAUX apetureaux@actus.fr Tel.: 0033 1 53 67 36 72 Press Manon CLAIRET mclairet@actus.fr Tel.: 0033 1 53 67 36 73 [1] Fragrance/Cosmetic brands division [2] Own-brand boutiques division [3] Income from licences and advertising rebates to brands distributed through Bogart's own networks. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: xpppYJ1qlW/JyXJraZdnZ5OZbptpxZPJbWjKyGhqZpeZa2yRlmiVl5jKZnBllmxn - 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-0-74171-cp_bogart_ca_t1_2022_vdef_en.pdf LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital marketing agency Startup Voyager will pump 2.2 million over the next two years to expand its newly launched UK-based travel site ExperiWise. "With renewed interest in inbound tourism, we are excited about the huge growth potential of our travel site ExperiWise in the UK," said Arijit Banerjea, co-founder and CEO of Startup Voyager. The investment is a part of the new 1 billion trade deals between UK and Indian businesses that British Prime Minister Mr. Boris Johnson announced on April 21, 2022, during his two-day visit to India. "Over the next few months, ExperiWise will be collaborating with UK travel organizations to drive tourism from India for the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham," said Jayati Ghose, co-founder, and CSO at Startup Voyager. "ExperiWise plans to drive domestic and international tourist traffic to small travel service providers in the UK who do not have a robust web presence. In doing so, we hope to add to sustainable and community driven tourism in the UK and thereby create more jobs in the travel industry," added Ghose. Startup Voyager is keen on hiring over 25 people in the UK to grow its travel business. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the UK travel and tourism industry will contribute around 192 billion to the country's economy in 2022. About the Company: Startup Voyager is an SEO and content marketing agency that has helped US-based billion dollar companies and tech startups grow their organic website traffic. Startup Voyager is a 100% remote company with 35+ employees across 7 countries and has corporate entities in the UK, India, and Canada. Website: https://startupvoyager.com/ ExperiWise is a UK-based travel website that helps travelers find beautiful destinations often overlooked or under-explored. ExperiWise is part of Startup Voyager Digital UK Limited. Website: https://www.experiwise.com/ About the Founders: Arijit 'Peter' Banerjea: Before founding Startup Voyager, Arijit consulted and worked for several tech companies in various digital marketing roles. His work has appeared in top blogs like Entrepreneur, Inc., HuffPost, Fast Company, Lifehacker, etc. Jayati Ghose: Before launching Startup Voyager, Jayati was a business journalist for more than 12 years with The Telegraph and Financial Express, interacting with CXOs of Fortune 500 companies, startup founders, and leaders of nations. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806440/Startup_Voyager_Logo.jpg DGAP-News: Dolkam Suja a.s. / Key word(s): AGM/EGM Dolkam Suja a.s.: CONVOCATION OF ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING 28.04.2022 / 08:30 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. CONVOCATION OF ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING The board of directors of the company D O L K A M Suja a.s. with seat at Suja, 015 01 Rajec, Slovakia, company ID No.: 31 561 870, registered with the commercial registry of the District Court Zilina, Section Sa, Insert No. 73/L (the "Company") in accordance with Sec. 184 et seq. of the Slovak Act No. 513/1991 Coll. Commercial Code as amended ("CC") and Art. XI. Para. 11.1 of valid Articles of Association of the Company convenes ordinary general meeting of the Company to be held on 01.06.2022 at 11:00 am ("OGM") at the seat of the company Schonherr Rechtsanwalte GmbH, o.z. at the address Prievozska 4/A, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovakia (in the premises of Apollo Business Center II, block B, on the 6th floor) in the conference room with following agenda: Opening Election of a chairman of the ordinary general meeting, minutes clerk, two minutes verifiers and scrutinizers Debate on: ordinary individual financial statement for year 2021 annual report for year 2021 independent auditor's report on audit of the financial statement for year 2021 supplement to independent auditor's report on the annual report for year 2021 proposal for distribution of profit for year 2021 statement of the supervisory board on the financial statement for year 2021 and proposal for distribution of profit for year 2021 report of the supervisory board on results of its supervisory activities for year 2021 Approval of: ordinary individual financial statement for year 2021 annual report for year 2021 proposal for distribution of profit for year 2021 Debate on Business plan for 2022 Election of auditor's company for performance of statutory audit for the Company for year 2022 Revocation of members of the board of directors of the Company Election of members of the board of directors of the Company and designation of chairman of the board of directors of the Company Revocation of members of the supervisory board of the Company Election of members of the supervisory board of the Company Approving agreement on performance of function of the Company's supervisory board member Closing The record date under Sec. 156a CC and Sec. 180(2) CC for exercising the shareholder's right to participate in OGM, vote, request information and explanations and to submit proposals, or to exercise other shareholder's rights, is 29.05.2022. Registration of shareholders and entry into attendance list will be held between 10:00 am and 10:45 am on the day and at the place of OGM. During the registration, it is necessary to submit: i) Natural person being shareholder: valid identity document (ID card or passport); ii) Natural person being proxy holder: written proxy with officially verified signature of the principal - shareholder (or person(s) acting on behalf of the principal - shareholder), valid identity document (ID card or passport) of the proxy holder; iii) Legal entity being shareholder: commercial registry excerpt (original or officially verified copy) not older than 3 months, or if not registered in commercial registry, excerpt from similar registry or document proving legal capacity including document attesting the person authorized to act on behalf of the shareholder (original or officially verified copy) and valid identity document (ID card or passport) of statutory body or member of statutory body of the shareholder; iv) Legal entity being proxy holder: written power of attorney with officially verified signature of the principal - shareholder (or person(s) acting on behalf of the principal - shareholder), up-to-date commercial registry excerpt (original or officially verified copy) of the proxy holder not older than 3 months, or if not registered in commercial registry, excerpt from similar registry or document proving legal capacity including document attesting the person authorized to act on behalf of the proxy holder (original or officially verified copy) and valid identity document (ID card or passport) of statutory body or member of statutory body of proxy holder. v) Shareholder whose shares of the Company are held via trustee holding the shares for shareholder on holder's account established at central depositary of securities under Sec. 105a of the Act No. 566/2001 Coll. on Securities as amended or his/her proxy holder shall submit, in addition to documents stated above, also written confirmation of the trustee that the shareholder is owner of the specified number of shares of the Company held by the trustee on holder's account of the trustee as at the above record date. During registration, documents mentioned in sections i) to v) above, except for identity documents, must be given to the person in charge of entries into the attendance list for record-keeping purposes. Apart from identity documents, all submitted or delivered documents in foreign language (except for Czech language) must contain also official translation into Slovak language. Each shareholder participates in OGM at own expenses. Advice pursuant to Sec. 184a CC: Shareholder has the right to participate in and vote at general meeting. Shareholder has the right to request at OGM information and explanations regarding matters of the Company or matters of persons controlled by the Company relating to the subject-matter of OGM and submit proposals as stated under Sec. 180(1) CC. The board of directors of the Company ("BoD") is obliged to provide each shareholder, upon request, with complete and true information and explanations relating to the subject-matter of OGM. If the BoD is unable to provide a shareholder with complete information at OGM, or if at OGM a shareholder so requests, the BoD is obliged to provide the shareholder with the information in writing within 15 days from the day of OGM. The BoD shall send the written information to the shareholder to the address he/she stated; otherwise, it shall provide the information at the seat of the Company. If the BoD refuses to provide the information, upon shareholder's request, the supervisory board of the Company ("SB") shall decide about duty of the BoD to provide the requested information during the OGM. If the shareholder is not provided with the requested information, or if the provided information is incomplete, shareholder is entitled to file a petition with the court which shall decide about duty of the Company to provide the requested information. This shareholder's right expires unless exercised within one month from the day of OGM at which he/she requested BoD or SB to provide such information. A shareholder or shareholders holding shares with nominal value of at least 5% of the registered capital has/have the right to request the BoD in writing to put items on the agenda of OGM and OGM is obliged to discuss these. The request for supplementation of the agenda must be accompanied by a justification or a draft resolution to be adopted; otherwise, OGM is not obliged to attend to such request. If the request for supplementation of the agenda is delivered after the convocation of OGM was published, the BoD shall publish a supplement to the agenda of OGM in a manner stipulated by law and determined by the Articles of Association of the Company ("AoA") for convening the general meeting at least ten days before OGM. If such a notice on supplementation of the agenda of OGM is not possible, the item in question can be put on the agenda of OGM only if all shareholders of the Company participate in OGM and consent thereto. If the request for supplementation of the agenda is delivered 20 days before OGM at the latest, the BoD is obliged to publish the notice on supplementation of the agenda not later than 10 days before OGM. A shareholder attends the general meeting personally or represented by proxy holder based on a written proxy pursuant to Sec. 184(1) CC and Sec. 190e CC. The signature of the principal - shareholder, or in case of shareholder - legal entity, of the person authorized to act on behalf of the principal - shareholder, shall be officially verified. If the shareholder grants the proxy to exercise voting rights attached to the same shares at one general meeting to more proxy holders, the Company shall allow voting to the proxy holder who was registered in the attendance list at the general meeting at first. If more shareholders granted a written proxy for representation to the same proxy holder, such proxy holder may vote at the general meeting on behalf of each of the represented shareholders independently. A SB member may act as shareholder's proxy holder as well; however, he/she shall notify the shareholder of all facts that might influence shareholder's decision on granting the proxy for representation at the general meeting to a SB member. The proxy shall contain specific instructions for voting on each decision or item of the agenda of the general meeting on which the SB member shall vote as the proxy holder on behalf of the shareholder. If a shareholder has shares on more than one securities accounts under a special act, the Company shall allow the shareholder to be represented by one proxy holder in relation to each securities account, whereas the proxy shall specify the amount of the Company's shares and the respective securities account of the shareholder covered by the proxy. Template of the written proxy which can be used for proxy voting is attached to this convocation. This template is also available on website of the Company at www.dolkam.sk in section "VALNE ZHROMAZDENIE" and subsection "RVZ 01.06.2022". Electronic means by which the Company receives notices of appointment of proxy holder, change of granted proxy and of revocation thereof is e-mail sent by shareholder to electronic (e-mail) address of the Company dolkam@dolkam.sk. E-mail sent by shareholder shall contain an attachment - a scanned copy of a sufficiently certain expression of will of shareholder (if in other than Slovak or Czech language, official translation into Slovak language required) regarding appointment of proxy holder, change of granted proxy or revocation thereof, in format "pdf" or "tiff". This does not affect duty of the proxy holder to submit and hand over the written proxy with officially verified signature of principal - shareholder (or person(s) acting on behalf of the principal - shareholder) during registration. A shareholder exercises delivery of the notice of appointment of proxy holder, change of granted proxy or revocation thereof at own risk and notices are considered to be delivered to the Company when delivered at the above electronic (e-mail) address of the Company. Since the AoA regulate neither the possibility of absentee voting by mail pursuant to Sec. 190a CC nor the shareholders' participation in and voting at the general meeting by electronic means pursuant to Sec. 190d CC, a shareholder does not have the right to vote at OGM by mail or the possibility to participate and vote by electronic means. Consolidated versions of materials, documents and draft resolutions of OGM to be discussed as a part of the agenda of OGM can be obtained or inspected personally at the seat of the Company at the address Suja, 015 01 Rajec, Slovakia, in the room Economist's Office (Kancelaria ekonomky) on working days during the period from the day of publishing of this convocation of OGM until 01.06.2022 between 8 am and 12 noon. Data and documents pursuant to Sec. 184a (2) let. c) to e) CC, including consolidated versions of all documents to be discussed as a part of the agenda of the general meeting, draft resolutions of OGM pursuant to individual items of agenda of OGM and statement of the BoD to each item of agenda of OGM to which no draft resolution is submitted and template proxy will be published on the website of the Company at www.dolkam.sk in section "VALNE ZHROMAZDENIE" and subsection "RVZ 01.06.2022". Electronic means by which the Company publishes the information under special regulation is internet, i.e. website of the Company at www.dolkam.sk. Any electronic communication with the Company shall be performed by sending an e-mail to electronic (e-mail) address of the Company dolkam@dolkam.sk. Notice for the shareholders pursuant to Sec. 184 (6), (7) and Sec. 192 (1) CC: The ordinary individual financial statement for year 2021 and the list of the BoD and SB nominees are available to shareholders for inspection at the seat of the Company at the address Suja, 015 01 Rajec, Slovakia, in the room Economist's Office (Kancelaria ekonomky) on working days during the period from the day of publishing of this convocation of OGM until 01.06.2022 between 8 am and 12 noon and will be published at least thirty days prior to OGM on website of the Company at www.dolkam.sk in section "VALNE ZHROMAZDENIE" and subsection "RVZ 01.06.2022". Shareholder has the right to request copy of the list of BoD and SB nominees, or to request that such copy be sent to the address stated by the shareholder at his/her expense and risk. A shareholder being holder of bearer shares and who has established a pledge over at least one share of the Company as a security for recovery of costs related thereto in favour of the Company has the right to ask for sending copy of the ordinary individual financial statement for year 2021 to the address stated by the shareholder at his/her expense and risk. These rights can be exercised by shareholder by written request sent to the address of the seat of the Company or personally at the seat of the Company at the address Suja, 015 01 Rajec, Slovakia in the room Economist's Office (Kancelaria ekonomky) on working days during the period from the day of publishing of this convocation of OGM until 01.06.2022 between 8 am and 12 noon. Since the Company has issued bearer shares, the main data of the ordinary individual financial statement for the year 2021 are part of this convocation of OGM: Main data of the ordinary individual financial statement of the company D O L K A M Suja a.s. for the year 2021 Balance sheet as at 31.12.2021 Profit and loss statement as at 31.12.2021 in EUR in EUR Total assets 12 247 942 Production 6 653 006 Receivables from subscribed own equity - Purchased consumables and services 3 365 963 Fixed assets 5 535 722 Added value 3 287 043 Current assets 6 709 167 Staff costs 829 450 Other assets 3 053 Taxes and charges 84 870 Depreciation of intangible and tangible fixed assets 499 703 Total liabilities and equity 12 247 942 Sales of fixed assets and material 94 691 Carrying value of fixed assets and material sold 92 401 Share capital 937 828 Other operating income 64 465 Other operating expenses 61 281 Statutory funds 10 446 Operating profit or loss 1 878 494 Funds from profit 8 582 991 Financial income 2 377 Profit or loss for the current period after tax 1 429 123 Financial expenses 77 584 Profit or loss of prior periods - Financial profit or loss -75 207 Liabilities 1 279 941 Profit or loss from ordinary activities prior tax 1 803 287 Other liabilities 7 613 Income tax on ordinary activities 374 164 Profit or loss for the current period after tax 1 429 123 In Suja on 21.04.2022 Board of Directors of the company D O L K A M Suja a.s. Template proxy (please complete legibly in block letters) PROXY for participation in the ordinary general meeting of the company D O L K A M Suja a.s. Undersigned principal: title, forename, surname / business name: ..............................................................., permanent residence / registered seat: ...................................................................., birth certificate No. / company ID No.: ..................................................................., date of birth (only natural person): ........................................................................., personal ID No. / passport No. (only natural person): ................................................, registered in the commercial registry or other similar registry (only legal entity): ..........................................................................................................................., forename, surname and position of the person authorized to act on behalf of the shareholder (only legal entity): ................................................................................................................, (the "Principal") as a shareholder of the company D O L K A M Suja a.s., with seat at Suja, 015 01 Rajec, Slovakia, company ID No.: 31 561 870, registered in the commercial registry of the District Court Zilina, Section Sa, Insert No. 73/L (the "Company") hereby grants proxy to the proxy holder: title, forename, surname / business name: ..............................................................., permanent residence / registered seat: ...................................................................., birth certificate No. / company ID No.: ..................................................................., date of birth (only natural person): ........................................................................., personal ID No. / passport No. (only natural person): ................................................, registered in the commercial registry or other similar registry (only legal entity): ..........................................................................................................................., (the "Proxy holder"), to act as a proper and authorized proxy holder of the Principal performing the following: to represent the Principal in relation to: all shares of the Company belonging to the Principal** shares of the Company which the Principal has on securities account(s):** Securities account No. Where the securities account is maintained (name of the member of central depositary of securities is sufficient) Number of shares of the Company on the securities account **Delete as appropriate. In case that no option is deleted as appropriate or otherwise unambiguously chosen, option 1.a) is valid and the proxy is held for all shares of the Company belonging to the Principal as the Company's shareholder. If option 1.b) is chosen and the securities account(s) was/were sufficiently specified, it is held, that the proxy relates to all shares that the Principal has on this/these securities account(s). In case option 1.b) is chosen, it is necessary to specify the securities account(s) on which the Principal has shares of the Company and to which this proxy relates; otherwise this proxy can be invalid due to uncertainty. The Principal and the Proxy holder confirm by signing this proxy that they agree with these rules. and that to full extent and without any limitation as a shareholder of the Company at the ordinary general meeting of the Company to be held on 01.06.2022 at 11 am ("OGM") at the seat of the company Schonherr Rechtsanwalte GmbH, o.z. at the address Prievozska 4/A, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovakia (in the premises of Apollo Business Center II, block B, on the 6th floor) in the conference room, in particular but not limited to, to exercise voting rights at OGM to full extent and without any limitation, to request information and explanations, to submit and apply proposals and to execute any and all other acts which the Principal as a shareholder of the Company is entitled to exercise at OGM, in particular but not limited to, pursuant to the Articles of Association of the Company, the Slovak Act No. 513/1991 Coll. the Commercial Code as amended and/or pursuant to other applicable laws of the Slovak Republic; to act, sign and/or execute for and on behalf of the Principal any and all legal and/or other actions relating to and/or connected with actions stipulated in section 1. above, and all that also in cases in which pursuant to generally binding legal rules of Slovakia a special proxy is required; to comply with the following specific voting instructions, if the Proxy holder is also supervisory board member of the Company: Item of Agenda of OGM: Instruction: 2. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. In the case the Proxy holder is also supervisory board member of the Company, the Principal and the Proxy holder confirm by signing this proxy that the Proxy holder has informed the Principal about all facts that might affect the decision of the Principal as a shareholder to grant proxy for representation at OGM to a supervisory board member of the Company. The Proxy holder is entitled neither to grant power of substitution to a third party nor to grant to him/her any authorization, whether individual or in the entirety of the proxy granted to him/her. The Principal hereby confirms everything and anything that the Proxy holder lawfully executes and/or arranges pursuant to and in accordance with this proxy during the validity of this proxy. This proxy supersedes any and all prior, oral and written, proxies granted by the Principal to the Proxy holder in the matters falling under the scope of the Proxy holder's authorization according to this proxy, and these previous proxies are considered hereby revoked and invalid. This proxy is governed by applicable laws of the Slovak Republic. In ................................., on ................................. The Principal: Forename, surname / business name: ...................................................................... Signature: ..................................................................... (please do not forget to have your signature verified) I agree with my appointment as a Proxy holder and I accept this proxy in the above scope. The Proxy holder: Forename, surname / business name: ...................................................................... Date of acceptance of the proxy: ............................. Signature: ..................................................................... 28.04.2022 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 COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Danish brewer Carlsberg A/S (CABGY.PK) reported Thursday that its first-quarter reported revenue grew 26.5 percent from last year to 14.9 billion Danish kroner. Organic revenue growth was 23.6 percent. The results reflected the war in Ukraine. Performance outside Ukraine was strong. Western Europe revenues climbed 36.2 percent, and the growth was 16.5 percent in Asia and 8.2 percent in Central & Eastern Europe. Total volume growth was 8.6 percent, and organic volume growth was 9.1 percent. Revenue/hl grew 13 percent, impacted by price increases and channel and country mix. Further, the company said it will launch the second quarterly share buy-back programme today, amounting to 1 billion kroner. Further, for fiscal 2022, the company continues to expect organic operating profit development of around negative 5 percent to positive 2 percent. CEO Cees 't Hart said, 'Looking at business performance, the first quarter saw only limited impact from the war. The Group had a strong start to the year, albeit Western Europe had easy comparables due to the extensive lockdowns last year. We're in the process of implementing our new SAIL'27 strategy, ensuring adequate support for our strategic priorities.' 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. Regulatory News: Air Liquide (Paris:AI) and EZZ Steel, one of the leading steel producers in the Middle East and Africa, have signed a new long term agreement for the supply of industrial gases to EZZ's new plant in Ain Sokhna, East of Cairo, Egypt. Air Liquide Egypt will invest around 80 million dollars in building an Air Separation Unit (ASU) to supply EZZ needs throughout the duration of the contract, as well as other customer needs in the basin. With an oxygen production capacity of 770 tons per day, this ASU will notably allow Air Liquide to support the development of the Ain Sokhna area as one of the country's major basins for heavy industries within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Air Liquide will also expand its existing pipeline network in Ain Sokhna to connect the new plant with Air Liquide's 4 other Air Separation Units already in operation,increasing the reliability of supply. In line with Air Liquide's Sustainability Objective of carbon neutrality by 2050, the project includes a CO2 emissions reduction roadmap based on renewable power sourcing. Pascal Vinet, Senior Vice President and a member of the Air Liquide Group Executive Committee supervising Europe Industries activities and Africa Middle East India, said: "Air Liquide is pleased to collaborate with EZZ Steel, accompanying the growth of the Egyptian steel industry through the establishment of one of the largest industrial basins in Egypt. The investment in this ASU and pipeline infrastructure will further enhance Air Liquide's network capabilities, allowing us to meet the growing industrial gas demands of our customers." A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 75 countries with approximately 66,400 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide's ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability with a strong commitment to climate change and energy transition at the heart of its strategy. The company's customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable, regular and responsible growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders. Air Liquide's revenue amounted to more than 23 billion euros in 2021. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes. www.airliquide.com Follow us on Twitter @airliquidegroup View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220427005850/en/ Contacts: Corporate Communications media@airliquide.com Investor Relations IRTeam@airliquide.com MADRID (dpa-AFX) - Spanish oil major Repsol S.A. (REPYY.PK) on Thursday reported that first-quarter net income was 1.392 billion euros, higher than last year's 648 million euros. The company noted that the rise in hydrocarbon prices, reaching highs not seen since 2008, had an impact on its earnings. The first three months of 2022 were marked by the invasion of Ukraine, which led to an abrupt rise in hydrocarbon prices. Brent crude oil traded at an average of $102.2 per barrel, compared to $61 in the same period of 2021. Adjusted net income, which specifically measures the performance of the businesses, was 1.056 billion euros, compared to 471 million euros in the previous year. The Exploration and Production unit, which carries out all its activities outside Spain, contributed 69 percent. The company's service stations in the country accounted for just under 5 percent of total adjusted net income. First-quarter average production was 558,500 barrels of oil equivalent, lower than the same period in 2021. Further, the company said its Board of Directors will propose to the Annual Shareholder Meeting a 5 percent increase in the cash dividend, to 0.63 euro per share. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX REPSOL-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Regulatory News: Sequa Petroleum N.V. ("SPNV") is pleased to announce that Sungara Energies Limited ("Sungara") has entered into an agreement with Sonangol Pesquisa E Producao, S.A. ("Sonangol P&P") to purchase a 10% participating interest in Block 15/06, 40% participating interest in Block 23 (with operatorship), and 35% participating interest in Block 27 (the "Transaction"). Sungara is jointly owned by three partners: the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia's subsidiary NAMCOR Exploration and Production (Proprietary) Limited ("Namcor"), Petrolog Energies Limited ("Petrolog", a company affiliated with African multinational Petrolog Group), and SPNV's subsidiary Sequa Petroleum UK Limited ("Sequa"). Sungara is a new entity with a focus on Sub-Saharan African upstream oil and gas, combining world-class technical expertise with local capability and commitment, able to operate and develop oil and gas assets throughout the region in line with the highest standards of integrity, quality, governance and responsibility. Concurrent with the Transaction, NAMCOR, Petrolog and Sequa have signed a shareholder agreement relating to their interests in Sungara, with equal terms and shareholdings in Sungara for each partner. A general meeting of shareholders of SPNV will be convened to approve its entering into the Sungara partnership. The Block 15/06 Joint Venture comprises Eni (operator, 36.84%), Sonangol P&P (36.84%) and SSI Fifteen Limited (26.32%). Block 15/06 is one of the most prolific blocks in deepwater offshore Angola with current oil production of more than 100,000 barrels per day through two large floating production and storage facilities. Following successful exploration and appraisal in the past several years, an ongoing development programme is forecasted to increase production in the medium term beyond 150,000 barrels per day. The block has further upside potential which may materialise following future exploration, appraisal and development activity. Sungara's 10% participating interest in Block 15/06 provides it with current production of more than 10,000 barrels of oil per day, forecasted to grow beyond 15,000 barrels per day in the medium term, 75 million barrels reserves and resources, and further upside potential. Offshore exploration Blocks 23 and 27 also provide upside value. The consideration for the Transaction is ca. USD 500 million which includes a contingent payment of up to USD 50 million. The Transaction is planned to be funded by Sungara through a combination of equity contributions from each of the Sungara partners and third party debt. The economic effective date of the Transaction is April 2022 and completion, subject to customary conditions and approvals, is planned to occur in 2022. Cautionary notice This press release may contain information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This communication may contain forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words such as possibly and expected or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of SPNV to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, risks relating to the SPNV's ability to engage a depositary and a listing agent, generate positive cash flows, general economic conditions, turbulences in the global credit markets and the economy, geopolitical events and other factors discussed in SPNV's public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the SPNV's management and assumptions based on information currently available to SPNV's management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the SPNV does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005517/en/ Contacts: Jacob Broekhuijsen Chief Executive Officer Sequa Petroleum N.V. info@sequa-petroleum.com FLOOR ONE S3 Extreme & S5 Extreme: Exclusive high-power suction mode for house cleaning NEUSS, Germany, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tineco, premium brand of intelligent household appliances, expands its innovative product range with the FLOOR ONE S3 Extreme and the FLOOR ONE S5 Extreme. Both new products will be available for purchase in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain beginning in late April at selected retailers. Annual spring cleaning is a necessary part for many households. To address this need, Tineco introduced these upgraded versions of its award-winning wireless FLOOR ONE Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner, helping homeowners clean their floors with more convenience and efficiency. New Features: Suction Mode: The FLOOR ONE Extreme models feature a suction mode that targets damp bathroom floors as well as spilled liquids anywhere, absorbing debris and moisture without consuming fresh water. This allows users to clean large areas with the same clean water tank. The FLOOR ONE Extreme models feature a suction mode that targets damp bathroom floors as well as spilled liquids anywhere, absorbing debris and moisture without consuming fresh water. This allows users to clean large areas with the same clean water tank. Additional Brush Rollers: For optimum hygienic and odourless use, Tineco's Extreme models contain 2 replacement brush rollers for use in different spaces. The Tineco FLOOR ONE Family The FLOOR ONE Series includes various products to meet a variety of needs in the home. All products are equipped with the intelligent iLOOP dust sensor, which detects the dirtiness level of the floor and automatically adjusts suction power and roller speed for an effective clean. More smart features include the Tineco voice assistant, app connectivity, and an LED display. The popular FLOOR ONE S3 is the predecessor to the S3 Extreme and is Tineco's first generation smart wet/dry vacuum. The more recent FLOOR ONE S5 and S5 PRO contain larger water tanks and have improved edge cleaning performance. With the S5 COMBO, users get an intelligent floor cleaner and a handheld vacuum cleaner. "We are pleased to bring more people powerful cleaning options. Customers can access and try out our products at retail stores, as usual, to find a better, smarter cleaning tool for their home", says Marco Getz, General Manager of Tineco Europe. For more information, please visit our website. About Tineco Founded in 1998, with the launch of its first vacuum cleaner, Tineco has pushed innovation in the home smart appliance category resulting in hundreds of patents globally. Tineco specializes in creating innovative, intelligent technology to make everyday home products smarter and easier to use. Tineco has quickly shifted to a leader in the smart appliance category with its PURE ONE vacuum portfolio, and with the launch of the market's first smart wet/dry vacuum line - the FLOOR ONE Series. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1804573/Tineco_06_291112____2.jpg ZUG, Switzerland, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MET Group is growing its European renewables portfolio by expanding into the Italian and Spanish markets. The Swiss-based energy company acquired a 100% stake in five greenfield solar power projects in Italy with an expected installed capacity of 213 MWp, and a ready-to-build solar power project in Spain with an expected installed capacity of 50 MWp - increasing its total portfolio to 714 MWp. On 9 February and 2 March 2022, MET Group signed share purchase agreements with Italian developers to acquire 100% stakes in five greenfield photovoltaic development projects in Central and Southern Italy. The photovoltaic power plants are expected to achieve ready-to-build stage in 2024. On 7 April, MET Group acquired a 100 percent stake in a Spanish 50 MWp solar project at ready-to-build status. The Puerto Real 3 project is situated in the Andalucia region of Spain, known for its high irradiation levels. The project should start commercial operations in the summer of 2023. Within MET Group, a dedicated Green Assets Division provides all the necessary expertise and support to the renewable expansion strategy, with an ambitious target of reaching a 1GW renewables portfolio by 2026. The integrated energy company aims for a 500 MW portfolio to be in operation by 2023, and an additional 500 MW by 2026. MET is targeting further growth of wind and solar installations across the European Union, seeking to play an active role in the energy transition. Christian Hurlimann, Renewables CEO of MET Group said: "Our goal is to build a geographically diversified 1 GW pure-play renewables portfolio in Europe, and with these transactions we have now also entered the Italian and Spanish renewables markets. MET's expansion strategy focuses on European markets where we already have a local presence, building on our existing operations across the Group. MET's sales subsidiaries already offer green power and services to their customers, and the percentage of partners adopting renewable energy products is constantly increasing. MET Group is dedicated to support a sustainable energy future for Europe." MET Group MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas and power markets. MET is present in 13 countries through subsidiaries, 26 national gas markets and 22 international trading hubs. In 2021, MET Group's consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 18,1 billion, the volume of traded natural gas was 55 BCM. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1805177/Christian_Hurlimann.jpg LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Smith & Nephew Plc (SN, SNN), a U.K.-based medical technology business, reported that its first quarter revenue was $1.306 billion, up 5.9% on an underlying basis. Reported revenue growth was 3.3% including a -2.6% headwind from foreign exchange. The company said it is on track to meet its full year guidance for 2022, which is unchanged. For 2022, the company targets underlying revenue growth of 4.0% to 5.0%. On a reported basis the guidance equates to a range of around 1.3% to 2.3%, with a foreign exchange headwind of 270bps based on exchange rates prevailing on 22 April 2022. The company noted that a final dividend of 23.1 US cents per ordinary share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2021 will be paid on 11 May 2022 to shareholders. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX SMITH & NEPHEW-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTCQX:PMMCF) is pleased to provide an update on exploration activities being carried out by Austral Gold Ltd. ("Austral" - ASX: AGD / TSX-V: AGLD) at the Company's 7,300-hectare Morros Blancos property in northern Chile, where Austral has an option to earn up to an 80% interest in the Morros Blancos property by completing a Bankable Feasibility Study. Morros Blancos is located along one of the prime mineral belts of northern Chile that is host to major copper mines such as Spence and Sierra Gorda, as well as important gold-silver mining districts such as El Penon, and is situated immediately adjacent and to the east of the producing Amancaya gold-silver mine operated by Austral. Highlights: Austral has announced preliminary results from its exploration programs at the Company's Morros Blancos project in northern Chile (see Austral ASX news release dated April 28, 2022). Two targets are currently being investigated along a 15 km hydrothermal alteration corridor at Morros Blancos (see map at end of this release). Austral has completed four of the planned five diamond drill holes totalling 1,020m at the Rosario del Alto target in the north of the property, and continued surface exploration studies of the Morro Colorado target in the center of the property. Additional detailed surface geological mapping, rock-chip sampling, geophysical surveys, spectrometry (alteration) studies, and petrographic studies have been completed at both targets. Extensive geological and hydrothermal alteration features of high-sulphidation gold-silver systems have been encountered and mapped at surface at both Rosario del Alto and Morro Colorado, and in drill holes at Rosario del Alto. Additionally, evidence for the juxtaposition of hydrothermal alteration with high-sulphidation features and porphyry-style characteristics, has been found at Morro Colorado. Morros Blancos - Rosario del Alto Exploration Four (out of a planned five) diamond drill holes totaling 1,020 meters were completed at Rosario del Alto in the north of the property, targeting three main phreatomagmatic complexes (Maar Austral, Maar Central, Maar Oriental) identified by geological mapping (see map below). All drill holes cut large columns of phreatomagmatic rocks, confirming a high degree of preservation and continuity of the systems at depth. No significant precious metals intervals were intercepted to date, but partial results from multi-element geochemical analyses show strong pathfinder anomalies, consistent with surface geochemical anomalies. The phreatomagmatic facies show a progression from polymictic crater-fill environments in the centers of the diatremes and at depth, towards monomictic environments at the edges of the complexes. Surficial tuffaceous maar sediments also occur. All the recognized geological elements such as breccia rock type, hydrothermal alteration, and oxidation level, will allow vectoring towards mineralisation in the next phase of drilling, which is planned for later this year. Morros Blancos - Rosario del Alto Target Summary Map Morros Blancos - Morro Colorado Exploration At the Morro Colorado target, Austral has delineated a ~2x1 km area with phreatomagmatic breccias affected by high-level, high-sulphidation alteration developed in volcanic sequences that include domes and block and ash deposits. This structural block is in contact to the west with a domain characterized by lavas and numerous intrusive bodies, some of them with evidence of porphyry-style alteration. It is likely that Austral will drill test Morro Colorado later this year. Pampa Metals / Austral Gold - Agreement Pampa Metals and Austral Gold signed an option agreement (the "Agreement") in July 2021 (see news release dated July 28, 2021) allowing Austral to earn up to an 80% interest in two of the Company's properties - Morros Blancos and Cerro Blanco - by completing certain expenditures, returning to the Company's treasury some shares of Pampa Metals held by Austral, and ultimately by completing a Bankable Feasibility Study ("BFS") on one or both projects. Expenses incurred on the Morros Blancos and Cerro Blanco properties pursuant to the Agreement to date are reported by Austral to be approximately US$ 1.2 million, thus completing the first-year expenditure commitment. An additional US$1.8 million is required to be expended on the properties prior to the end of Q3 2023 for Austral to obtain an initial 60% interest in the properties. Subsequently, Austral can earn an additional 5% interest in each property, to 65%, by completing a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA) on either or both properties within 5 years based on a minimum of 15,000m of drilling and related engineering studies. Any property that does not have a PEA completed within 5 years will be returned to the Company. Austral can further increase its interest to 80% by producing a Bankable Feasibility Study ("BFS") to NI 43-101 standards with an additional 10,000m (minimum) of drilling on any one of the Properties. Pampa Metals has a back-in right if the results of exploration or the BFS indicate that the value of mineralization is dominated by copper rather than gold, in which case the Company can earn an 80% interest in any such discovery by diluting Austral to 20% using the same expenditure formula by which Austral has earned its interest. ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCQB: PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective, wholly owned, 62,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively progressing four of its projects, including completed and planned drill tests, and has two additional projects optioned to Austral Gold Ltd., with Austral drill testing its first target on Pampa Metals' ground. The Company has also signed an agreement with VerAI Discoveries Inc. giving Pampa Metals access to the latest in artificial intelligence technologies in relation to mineral exploration, as well as a further 18,700 hectares of highly prospective terrain in the core of the highly productive mineral belts of northern Chile. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper or gold discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G, Geologist and a Registered Member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the Company. Note: The reader is cautioned that Pampa Metals' projects are early-stage exploration projects, and reference to existing mines and deposits, or mineralization hosted on adjacent or nearby properties, is not necessarily indicative of any mineralization on Pampa Metals' properties. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Paul Gill | CEO & Director www.pampametals.com INVESTOR CONTACT Ioannis (Yannis) Tsitos | Director investors@pampametals.com The CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Morros Blancos Project - Target Locations Along 15 km Hydrothermal Alteration Corridor SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699162/Pampa-Metals-Provides-Update-for-Morros-Blancos-JV-with-Austral-Gold LONDON (dpa-AFX) - DS Smith Plc (SMDS.L), a British packaging company, on Thursday said in a pre-close statement that its trading for the year ending on April 30 is in line with its expectations. For the fiscal 2022, the London-based company expects adjusted operating earnings of 605 million pounds - 615 million pounds. However, due to ongoing war in Ukraine and its impact, the company is impairing its investment in the country and expects one-off non-cash charge of around 30 million pounds for the fiscal 2022. For the fiscal 2021, the Group's investment in Ukraine had contributed 4 million pounds in earnings after tax. Miles Roberts, CEO of DS Smith, said: We have seen continued good momentum across our customer base, with volumes from our FMCG customers growing particularly well, underpinned by consistently high levels of service and product quality. Within Europe our Eastern and Southern regions have performed ahead of the Group average, and in the US we are seeing the benefit of the Indiana site contributing to further very strong volume growth in the region.' Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Financial conglomerate St. James's Place plc (STJ.L) on Thursday said its closing funds under management in the first quarter rose to 151.25 billion pounds, from 135.46 billion pounds in the year-ago period. Net inflows during the quarter edged up to 2.91 billion pounds from 2.90 billion pounds in the comparable period of the previous fiscal. However, Gross inflows in the first quarter slid to 4.73 billion pounds from 4.79 billion pounds in the year-ago period. 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. NEW YORK, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global air purifier market is set to reach $31,195.6 million by 2030 from $11,422.7 million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 11.8% during 2021-2030, according to P&S Intelligence. The market's growth is attributable to the rising air pollution levels throughout the world, decreasing indoor air quality, increasing incidence of airborne illnesses, as well as individuals' rising living standards and spending power. As per the WHO, nearly all of the world's population breathes air that surpasses the minimum quality standards. Indoor air quality is among the leading causes of respiratory sickness, cancer, and even blindness, as well as premature mortality, particularly in underdeveloped nations. Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/air-purifier-market/report-sample Key Findings of Air Purifier Market Reprot The cost of air purifiers utilizing the ionizing technology depends on the size, model, and brand. Moreover, ionic air purifiers' inexpensive operating and purchase costs, as well as their reduced noise, are boosting the industry, with North America being, by far, the leading user. However, nations such as Russia , India , and China are likely to have a strong need for them in the future. being, by far, the leading user. However, nations such as , , and are likely to have a strong need for them in the future. HEPA and ionic air purifiers hold over half the air purifier market share, with HEPA-based air purifiers leading the way. HEPA filters are multi-layered meshes comprised of tiny fiberglass threads, which are struck with high-pressure air to kill viruses. share, with HEPA-based air purifiers leading the way. HEPA filters are multi-layered meshes comprised of tiny fiberglass threads, which are struck with high-pressure air to kill viruses. Because ionic air purifiers do not have a filter, production costs are likely to fall in the coming years, along with the appearance of new technologies, thus providing chances for product development for market players. COVID-19 prompted individuals to seek out cleaner air, in order to reduce their chance of contracting the disease. Therefore, the market saw significant growth in 2020. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for over 40% of the worldwide revenue, owing to its growing population, fast urbanization and industrialization, as well as rising disposable income. Moreover, Bangladesh , Pakistan , and India are among the nations with the poorest air quality. region accounts for over 40% of the worldwide revenue, owing to its growing population, fast urbanization and industrialization, as well as rising disposable income. Moreover, , , and are among the nations with the poorest air quality. As a result, China dominates the market in the region, accounting for around half the air purifier market share. Moreover, it serves as the production base for a significant number of players and component suppliers, which leads to easy and cost-effective product availability. Residential air purifiers held roughly 20% share in the market in 2021, and they are expected to grow at the highest rate over the forecast period. The rising popularity of smart homes and increasing awareness among individuals about their health, as a result of the worries about breathing contaminated air, are both contributing to the rise in the demand for these appliances in this sector. Browse detailed report on Global Air Purifier Market Opportunities, Emerging Trends, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts 2022-2030 To stay competitive, air purifier market players have launched goods with innovative features and technologies, as well as upgrading their product portfolios and expanding their activities, in recent years. Major manufacturers of these systems include Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Dyson Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., Daikin Industries Ltd., Whirlpool Corporation, IQAir, Sharp Corporation, and LG Electronics. Air Purifier Market Segmentation Analysis By Technology HEPA Ionic Activated Carbon Photocatalytic Ultraviolet Electrostatic Precipitators By Application Residential Office Spaces Hotels Hospitals Airports Educational Institutes Shopping Malls Gyms & Fitness Centers Government Centers By Region North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany France U.K. Russia Italy Asia-Pacific China Japan South Korea Australia India Latin America Brazil Mexico Chile Argentina Colombia Middle East and Africa and U.A.E. Saudi Arabia Turkey South Africa Egypt Browse More Related Reports Global Air Quality Monitoring Market Trends, Advancement, Growth and Business Opportunities Global Filters Market Trends, Advancement, Growth and Business Opportunities 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 LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British automotive distributor Inchcape plc (INCH.L) on Thursday reported group revenue of 1.8 billion pounds in the first quarter, a 13% increase on organic basis. Looking forward, the company expects full-year profit before tax of at least 300 million pounds, a 25% growth year-on-year. Additionally, Inchcape announced its decision to exit Russia by selling its business there to local management. Closing of sale is expected during May 2022. The company said the purchase price of 63 million pounds will be satisfied over a period of 5 years through annual instalments. Inchcape plans to invest the proceeds from the sale in the growth of its core distribution business. 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. 28 April 2022 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau/ISIN XS2475954900 Pre-stabilisation Period Announcement Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg (contact: Torsten Zittlau; telephone: +49 711 74640) hereby gives notice, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilisation Manager(s) named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU/596/2014). Securities Issuer: Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (Aaa/AAA/AAA by Moody's, S&P & Scope) Guarantor(s) (if any): Federal Republic of Germany Aggregate nominal amount: EUR Benchmark Description: 07 June 2032 EUR green BMK, RegS, Bearer, Off the Issuer's EMTN Programme Listing: Luxembourg Offer price: [XX.XXX] Other offer terms: NA Stabilisation: Stabilisation Manager(s): Danske Bank, HSBC, Natwest Markets and LBBW Stabilisation period expected to start on: 28 April 2022 Stabilisation period expected to end no later than: 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over?allotment facility: The Stabilisation Manager(s) may over?allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law Stabilisation trading venue(s): Over the counter (OTC) In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over?allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time. Any stabilisation action or over?allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement and the offer of the securities to which it relates are only addressed to and directed at persons outside the United Kingdom and persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters related to investments or who are high net worth persons within Article 12(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the United Kingdom. If and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation") (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. There will be no public offer of securities in the United States. LONDON, April 28, 2022magazine recently hosted a virtual panel discussion on the impact of global risks on countries with Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes. The virtual discussion features a distinguished panel of experts from major intelligence agencies including Karen Kelly, director of strategy and development at Exiger; Eddy Leviton, chief operating officer at Fact WorldWideand Heyrick Bond Gunning, chief operating officer at S-RM. Yuri Bender, editor in chief Professional Wealth Management magazine moderated the panel. The third instalment offers a rich discussion which contrasts different jurisdictions and investigates whether standards of due diligence processes are fairly consistent across the board and highlights programmes that are more rigorous, making their citizenships more valuable and better respected internationally. Karen Kelly, director of strategy and development at Exigersaid "We find that countries who are already engaging top due diligence intelligence companies have consistent standards across their CBI programmes. "When looking at countries which are top rated, such as those in the Caribbean, we see that they are doing more in upscaling their programmes so that they are not just meeting minimum standards. Their CBI Units are always trying to achieve best practices by asking their due diligence agents on a regular basis how they can improve their risk-based approach, how they can evaluate applicants better and they are actively involved in the due diligence process from beginning to end." Kelly noted that she was more concerned about CBI programmes that are not transparent about their processes because it is highly likely that they are not as rigorous as they should be. Comprehensive due diligence processes should involve levels of due diligence - CBI Units should be engaging with intelligence agencies as well as with their regional and international law enforcement counterparts to enable information sharing. Many well-regarded programmes are increasingly mandating their immigration and marketing agents to carry out minimum Know Your Customers due diligence on applicants at a basic level before they put them forward to the CBI Units. When asked about fast-track CBI applications and whether they were as stringent as the 'normal' applications, Eddy Leviton, chief operating officer at Fact WorldWidecommented that if a CBI Unit is carrying out all its due diligence processes correctly, then the fast-track application process would also be just as stringent. "There's so only so much you can do to speed up the due diligence process. This is because you have to do in-country verifications, you have to check all the documentation provided, verify it and double verify. You also have to cross reference a lot of different sources, so there is only so much time you can squeeze on producing a report. "I have to reiterate that when you read a report produced by an intelligence firm, it is like reading the life story of a person - it is a biography from when an applicant was born, who they have mixed with, where they have worked - and to produce a document like that takes time. We can expedite reports, but you can only squeeze so much time otherwise the quality suffers," added Leviton. Thanks to a "rich tapestry of information" provided to intelligence firms and the information gathered through continuous monitoring, CBI Units are able to cross-reference and triple check any documents they receive from applicants and give a view on the veracity of information provided added Heyrick Bond Gunning, chief operating officer at S-RM. The Caribbean continues to improve its due diligence standards making their programmes internationally recognised and respected. International respect is vital for any CBI programme to thrive as many nations, especially in the OECS region, use CBI funds to fast-track economic transformational opportunities. "Caribbean countries are on an ongoing drive to continuously enhance the due diligence of their programmes as they are very keen to protect the integrity and value of these programmes," notes Paul Singh, Director at CS Global Partners - a leading citizenship planning firm. He continues "CBI is enabling many of these nations to be independent and not rely on international aid which can be difficult to come by for Small Island Developing Nations." Funds from CBI programmes often provide a vital source of income for some countries, especially in times of crisis - as is often the case for Caribbean countries devastated by hurricanes - these countries value the investment that goes into their economies, and the benefits to their people. The due diligence standards in the Caribbean region are some of the most effective in minimising perceived and actual security risks and these countries offer citizenship by investment programmes with notable track records. St Kitts and Nevis' Programme was established in 1984 and Dominica's Programme was established in 1993 as an example. Professional Wealth Management, from the FT Group, is the premier resource for private banking and mutual fund coverage in Europe, Asia and beyond. Watch the series here: https://video.pwmnet.com/ r@csglobalpartners.com www.csglobalpartners.com +447824029952 68% of British office workers surveyed said they would be likely to consider working from the office full-time again if their commute was fully paid for Close to 6 in 10 (59%) office workers would welcome a four-day week, ranking it the top incentive that would tempt them back to the office Wednesday tops the list as most popular day to work from the office, if given the choice (66%) Emburse, a global leader in spend management solutions, announces the findings of its latest YouGov survey of British office workers, aiming to unpick some of the popular issues facing the future of work. A survey of 1,000 British employees, of which 724 worked in an office, were asked questions around their new working preferences in order to understand what the future of work looks like. As employers continue to navigate new expectations around working conditions, the data reveals some interesting perspectives around career prospects for remote workers, and highlights some of the top incentives that could tempt workers back to the workplace full-time. Key findings: Commute costs deterring workers from returning to the office full-time Base: 724 office workers Over two-thirds of UK office workers (68%) said that they would be likely to consider going into the office full time if transport costs to the office were fully covered More than a quarter (27%) wouldn't consider coming back into the office full time, even if costs were covered. This is still a high percentage of UK employees preferring to work from home There's a distinct divide between all age groups; with 35-44 age bracket most tempted by a fully paid commute to the office 72% and the least being respondents aged 55+ (67%) The top incentives that would lure workers back to the office full time: Base: 724 office workers Four-day week (same number of work hours over four days, with a three-day weekend): 59% Fully-paid commute: 52% More paid holidays: 51% Employer-paid lunch in the office: 30% Younger workers (under 35s) are far more tempted by free lunch (48%) than the 55+ bracket (17%) Receive reimbursement for lunch expenses: 24% Under 35s are five times more likely (40%) than those ages 55+ (10%) to be swayed by the opportunity to expense their lunch Paid childcare on work days: 14% Paid childcare speaks to the 35-44 age group unsurprisingly, with (34%) saying this would make them consider returning to the workplace full time, significantly more than other age groups (23% for under 35s and 8% for 45-54s) Hump day: British office workers choose Wednesday when asked to select which days they would be willing to work from the office Base: 724 office workers Monday: 32% Tuesday: 62% Wednesday: 66% Thursday: 51% Friday: 12% Interestingly, Friday ranked lowest (one in 10), indicating perhaps that 'Friday work drinks' is a thing of the past. Additional findings: Proximity bias not a concern for most, but a quarter of employees worry about career prospects Base: 1000 (all employees) Almost a quarter (24%) of all surveyed said they be worried their boss would overlook their career development if they weren't in the office Where visibility is traditionally the best way to climb the career ladder, there has been speculation around whether reduced presence in the office equals less chance of a promotion for some employees Paid commute additional datapoints: Of those who answered the question (sample: 724) Age demographic comments: The squeezed middle: 35-44 age bracket most tempted by a fully paid for commute to the office (72%) The 55+ cohort is least tempted by an employer-paid commute to the office (67%). It seems they would still prefer to work remotely Kenny Eon, GM and SVP EMEA at Emburse, commented: "The impacts of COVID and the Great Resignation mean that companies need to be more employee-centric in their approach, and humanising the workplace has never been more important. Part of this means ensuring team members get the best possible work environment. Whilst working remotely is certainly convenient for employees, there are clear benefits of having in-person interactions, as well as the cultural importance of bringing teams together. Data clearly shows that they are more productive than audio or video meetings, so there needs to be a balance between convenience and productivity. A relatively small investment from employers could have a significant impact in driving more in-office collaboration. He added: "Given the sharp increase in the cost of living, businesses should consider how they can support staff by reducing the financial burden of attending the office in-person. Reimbursing travel and lunches can certainly help do this. It also doesn't have to mean endless time on paperwork, as expense apps can make the process easy for both the employee and the finance team." About Emburse Emburse is a modern spend management company offering solutions that revolutionise the way organisations manage employee expenses, process invoices and make payments. Emburse humanises work by empowering business travellers, finance professionals, and CFOs to eliminate manual, time-consuming tasks, so they can focus on what matters most. Its innovative offerings, which are tailored to meet the unique business needs of specific industries, company sizes, and geographies, are trusted by more than 9 million users in more than 120 countries. Over 18,000 customers, from start-ups to global enterprises, including Bosch, Grant Thornton, Telefonica, Lufthansa Systems, and Toyota, rely on Emburse to make faster, smarter decisions, improve compliance, and optimise spend -- making corporate spend deliver meaningful value for the organisation. Emburse is recognized as a leader in expense management and accounts payable automation by analyst firm IDC, and has received multiple awards for innovation and its high levels of customer satisfaction. For more information on Emburse, visit emburse.com, call 877-EMBURSE, or follow the organisation's social channels at @emburse. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1000 employees, of which 725 were office workers. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th 29th March 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of British business size. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005129/en/ Contacts: Ellie Campbell Aspectus Group for Emburse +44 (0) 20 3917 5611 emburse@aspectusgroup.com The new BrainOS-powered Inventory Scan tower accessory will be fitted to Tennant autonomous floor scrubbers to capture and report key in-store inventory data insights Inventory Scan technology to be demonstrated in Europe for the first time at Interclean, May 10-13, 2022 at RAI Amsterdam, at Brain Corp stand Hall 7, Booth 108 Brain Corp sees 100% year-on-year growth in European countries deploying BrainOS-powered robots Brain Corp, an artificial intelligence (AI) company creating transformative core technology in robotics, and Tennant Company, today announced the European demonstration of Inventory Scan, a powerful new data capture accessory that will be fitted to Tennant's autonomous floor scrubbers to autonomously scan and report key detail on in-store inventory. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005188/en/ Brain Corp Demonstrates 'Inventory Scan' Technology with Tennant Company at Interclean (Photo: Business Wire) "By adding Inventory Scan to new or existing robotic scrubber fleets, retailers are immediately able to access critical in-store inventory data in near real-time," said Dave Ross, Vice President of Business Development at Brain Corp. "Knowing where an item is, if it's in stock, if it's in the correct location, if the price is accurate, and more allows managers to operate stores with a new level of efficiency while providing optimal shopping experiences for their customers. Based on the success we've seen in the US with the technology, we are excited to get feedback from those in the European market." Utilizing a first-of-its-kind, multi-purpose design, the powerful new scanning accessory will be fitted to Tennant's floor scrubbers powered by Brain Corp's BrainOS autonomy software platform. The new, cloud-connected Inventory Scan tower is able to capture data as it moves autonomously around the store. Reports are then delivered to the store managers, providing numerous insights including: verification of pricing accuracy, planogram compliance, product stock levels and product localization. Each function negates the need for time-consuming and potentially inaccurate manual processes, which often lead to lost revenue opportunities, waste caused by overordering and not enough attention given to shoppers. "The new integrated inventory analytics accessory is filling a much-needed AI and data process gap for retailers," said Maggie Koester, Global Product Manager at Tennant Company. "What makes this solution compelling is the ability to integrate with retailers' inventory management systems utilizing their existing floor scrubbers. By adding data collection functionality to these machines, we are dramatically improving how stores operate. Inventory Scan allows retailers to be more efficient and effective by reducing the disruption of labor-intensive manual approaches. Our vision is that data collection and floor care become fully automated so our customers can focus on managing their businesses." Interclean 2022 to Host the Unveiling of the Technology in Amsterdam Inventory Scan will have its European introduction on May 10-13, 2022 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam, on Brain Corp stand Hall 7, Booth 108. "This new product marks the beginning of realizing the next phase in our company's vision and continued growth in Europe as well as the US," said Dr. Eugene Izhikevich, CEO of Brain Corp. "We are actively taking BrainOS-powered robots from primarily task-oriented machines to in-store data acquisition platforms. This delivers critical insights and this will add significant ROI for European retailers as we continue to expand our activity in Europe and beyond." Brain Corp Sees 100% Year-on-year Growth in European Countries Deploying BrainOS-powered Robots Partnering with many of the world's leading OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) including Minuteman, Karcher, Nilfisk and Tennant, autonomous robotic scrubbers, powered by Brain Corp's AI operating system BrainOS, are now operational across multiple sectors in 16 European countries. New countries seeing robotic deployments include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland. Countries implementing the largest numbers of autonomous robots include France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands. "There's no doubt that we're starting to see the tipping point where the integration of robotics with human teams has gone beyond a novelty and become a practical solution for maintaining sustainable operations," said Michel Spruijt, SVP International Business at Brain Corp. "We're seeing significant increases in demand across multiple industry sectors which have been impacted most severely by labor shortages and increased operational strain as a result of the pandemic. Autonomous robotics have proven themselves to be a very effective and welcome solution to these growing problems." In 2021, the BrainOS-powered fleet of autonomous mobile robots hit a major milestone of 500 million square feet covered (46.45 million square meters) autonomously in Europe. In total, over 46,000 hours were given back to workers during the year with the most significant growth coming within retail, logistics, and warehousing sectors. About Brain Corp Brain Corp is the global leader in robotic AI software that powers the largest fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) operating in commercial public spaces. Global OEM partners use the company's cloud-connected platform, BrainOS, to create scalable, self-driving robots that are used by end customers to clean floors, move inventory, and sense environmental data turning manual operations into automated workflows. Fortune 500 brands across multiple verticals benefit from the growing portfolio of BrainOS-powered robots and our industry-leading privacy, safety and efficiency tools that make managing and scaling automation easier. Brain Corp currently powers more than 20,000 AMRs, representing the largest fleet of its kind in the world. For more information, visit www.braincorp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005188/en/ Contacts: Josh Stanbury josh@sjspr.co 416-628-7441 LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The aviation industry has shown a high commitment to meeting the diverse expectations and interests of its key stakeholders, including employees, customers, governments, and regulatory bodies on matters pertaining to ESG issues. In its most facile form, ESG is a hypernym that describes a framework adopted by aviation players to address environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) issues emanating from their core operations. As an incipient domain, ESG has become the new focal point for airline companies, investors, regulatory bodies, aviation operators, and lessors worldwide. For a greater reason, there is increased focus on how the industry can achieve a paradigm shift towards environmental-friendly solutions, green financing efforts to drive sustainable performance and creating a positive impact in the global community. Global airlines have embraced ESG efforts not only as a framework to drive sustainability but also to differentiate themselves and stand out in the highly competitive markets by making their brands more attractive to sustainability-conscious customers and other stakeholders. The current situation is that the ESG landscape is nothing more than just an 'alphabet soup' as regards where different global carriers stand and their efforts to implement the environmental, social, and corporate governance objectives. While global airlines in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and other countries around the world continue to invent solutions to address sustainability issues, there arose a more pressing issue that has created a clarion call for all industry stakeholders; the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing global pandemic has highlighted a compelling need for airlines to build resilience and implement long-term strategies to cushion the entire industry from high-impact shocks that have threatened to sabotage the ongoing efforts to address ESG issues. Looking at ESG from an environmental perspective, we can contend that the aviation sector has made considerable progress in addressing the formidable carbon emissions problem. As of now, the industry accounts for over 2.4% of ambient carbon emissions reported globally. Fast forward, the industry will have to ramp up its efforts to achieve the 80% improvement in CO2 emissions per the regulations outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS), and those stipulated by the ICAO under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The anticipation is that these regulations will provide both a short-term and long-term solution for the aviation CO2 problem and give a rundown of how global airlines can lower their net emissions footprint. In some regions, for example Europe, airline companies have experienced insurmountable pressures to implement sustainability programs from environmentally conscious travelers, some of whom have started 'flight shaming' campaigns and blandishing the public to use alternative means of transport. Other global airlines have picked up lessons from the experiences of the European carriers to effectuate environmental obligations and protect their reputations from the growing threat of conscious consumerism among air travelers. Markedly, COVID-19 has led to a shift in business priorities. Some airlines have buckled down on core operational areas and diverted their attention from environmental objectives. Additionally, the inflection on addressing various issues related to the aviation culture has provided a better positioning for global airlines and placed them in the path of social sustainability. Even as airline companies continue to implement cost-cutting measures to relieve themselves from the harsh COVID-19 effects, on-time performance, service excellence, and passenger safety have remained at the core of all decision-making processes, notwithstanding the associated costs. Many airlines have shown increased centeredness on reducing the prevalence of safety-critical incidents to instill confidence in the public and attract more business from air travelers. We are also seeing more airlines trying to improve labor relations with their employees and address the persistent power struggles with union leaders. Altogether, these efforts have a positive outcome on the satisfaction among stakeholders and a parallel effect on social scores for global airlines. Imperceptibly, the global aviation industry has also continued to implement corporate governance practices to deliver a greater stakeholder value, improve compliance with existing business laws, and promote efficiency in decision-making processes. Given the financial uncertainties implicated by the global pandemic, there is a growing need for airlines to create governance strategies and models that will help them deliver their business objectives and meet the competing interests of all stakeholders. These include requirements for transparency, accountability, responsibility, commitment, and social responsibility. With the increased prominence on principles of good governance, we look forward to airline carriers starting to adapt business models that promote their sustainability priorities. Although the outcomes of ESG remain largely inconsistent, we believe that aviation players who are yet to make ESG a priority should move towards environmental stewardship, social performance and adapt their governance practices and structures to deliver long-term value. Fundamentally, the particularism on ESG improvements will enable airline companies to mitigate the prevalent risks emanating from ESG-themed prospectuses and mounting pressures from various stakeholders. For media inquiries: Vilma Vaitiekunaite +370 686 16336 vilma.vaitiekunaite@aviasg.com About Gediminas Ziemelis: Throughout a business development career spanning more than 24 years, Gediminas Ziemelis has established over 50 start-ups and green-field investments in various industries such as IT, media, luxury furniture, pharma, clinics, agriculture, and across other industry sectors. At present, these companies are either owned by PE "Vertas Management", or have previously been sold and are now components of other sizeable organisations. Gediminas Ziemelis is the founder and chairman of Avia Solutions Group - a leading global aerospace services group with almost 100 offices and production stations providing aviation services and solutions worldwide. Spanning his career to date, G. Ziemelis has received many prestigious awards and industry recognitions. In 2016, G. Ziemelis received a prestigious European Business Award in recognition of his visionary business management and development skills. The same year, under his leadership, Avia Solutions Group was named a national public champion in the category of Entrepreneurship, earning a spot in the top 110 European businesses. Twice - in 2012 and again in 2014 - Ziemelis was acknowledged as one of the top 40 most talented young leaders in the global aerospace industry by the leading USA aerospace magazine 'Aviation Week'. Over his career, Gediminas Ziemelis has taken part in many impressive business ventures. Between 2014 - 2017, he personally supported and consulted Chinese Banks (including ICBCL, CMBL, and Skyco Leasing) concerning financing aircraft sale-leaseback transactions where the total value was more than US$ 4 bn. Between 2006 - 2019, Avia Solutions Group Chairman executed successful IPOs of 4 companies at OMX and WSE, oversaw many public bonds issues, along with the raising of public capital worth more than US$ 400 M. His total net worth is US$ 1.1 bn, according to local business media. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806809/Gediminas_Ziemelis.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1039700/Avia_Solutions_Logo.jpg Firm recognised by Great Place to Work for third consecutive year LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisher Investments UK-a subsidiary of US-based Fisher Investments-was named to the 2022 UK Best Workplaces list by Great Place To Work-the global authority on workplace culture. This is the third consecutive year Fisher Investments UK was named to the UK Best Workplaces list, which recognises companies for creating a positive work environment. To select the list, Great Place to Work analysed anonymous employee feedback on factors including compensation, manager quality, workplace atmosphere and the employer pride. "It's an honour to be recognised by Great Place to Work again. Cultivating a rewarding work environment is essential in our mission to help more clients plan brighter financial futures around the world," said Ric Bremer, Fisher Investments UK's Executive Managing Director. Great Place to Work UK also recently recognised Fisher Investments UK on their 2022 Best Workplaces for Wellbeing list and 2021 Best Workplaces for Women. Fisher Investments and its affiliates are hiring for a variety of roles in numerous locations globally. Visit FisherCareers.com to learn more about our exciting career opportunities. About Fisher Investments UK and Fisher Investments Europe Limited Fisher Investments UK is the trading name of Fisher Investments Europe Limited and is part of the global group of Fisher companies. Fisher Investments UK is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Number 191609) and is registered in England (Company Number 3850593). Fisher Investments Europe UK's registered office is located at Level 18, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX. For more information on Fisher Investments UK, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com/en-gb. About Fisher Investments Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. As of 31/03/2022, Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over 150 billion in assets globally-over 118 billion for private investors, 29 billion for institutional investors and 1 billion for US small to mid-sized business retirement plans. Fisher Investments maintains four principal business groups: US Private Client, Institutional, Private Client International and 401(k) Solutions, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes "Portfolio Strategy" column from 1984 through 2016, making him the longest continuously running columnist in the magazine's history. In recent years, Ken's columns have run consistently in major media outlets across almost every Western European country as well as material Asian countries, spanning more countries and more volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has also authored 11 books, including four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information on Fisher Investments, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com/en-us Media Contacts Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1330249/Fisher_Investments_UK_Logo.jpg Digital Capital Management's Crypto Asset Fund (CAF), Class X Ranked #1 in Performance Amongst All Crypto Funds as well as All Hedge Funds in 2021. - Preqin.com "These prestigious industry rankings speak to the value we deliver to our investors, both individual and institutional." - Tim Enneking, Managing Director LA JOLLA, Calif., April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Capital Management (DCM), manager of Crypto Asset Fund (CAF), one of the first crypto trading funds in the United States (launched July of 2017), announces that CAF Class X was ranked #1 in Net Return for Crypto Funds in 2021 in addition to ranking #1 in Net Return for all Hedge Funds by Preqin. "Preqin is The Home of Alternatives, the foremost provider of data, analytics, and insights to the alternative assets community." These rankings come from Preqin's database of nearly 30,000 hedge funds which actively report performance. See the Preqin website here for details. Earlier this year, CAF Class X was awarded the "#1 Top Performing Crypto Fund, Overall" for 2021 by Crypto Fund Research (CFR). CAF Class X also received three additional CFR awards in several other categories, including "#1 Top Performing Crypto Fund, Quant/Arb Strategies" for 2021. These awards are from the CFR database of 800+ crypto funds. See the Crypto Fund Research website here for details. Class X performance for 2021, the first year of its existence, exceeded 2,500%.* Class X is a crypto venture capital-like strategy, augmented by staking and mining. Performance is a combination of appreciation and rewards from staking/mining. Class X is reserved for prior investors so is closed to new investment. However, given the success of Class X, CAF launched its Class F this year, which follows a similar, but, in our opinion, improved strategy. Class F is a quasi-fixed-income share class, with staking and mining (like Class X) as well as yield farming and lending. Class X performance in 2021 has attracted the attention of investors from around the globe. In March, DCM was one of ten companies invited to represent the United States at the U.S. Department of Commerce Virtual Certified Trade Mission for Blockchain, Digital Asset and Crypto Fund Managers - 15 March 2022, in Berlin, Germany. Over 50 investors and investment companies attended this event. DCM met with over 20 investment companies and is completing investment due diligence with many of them. Preqin and CFR use performance databases to determine rankings and award winners. Results are based on performance data, net of fees, provided to Preqin and CFR for the various categories. Access to the performance databases and individual fund returns is restricted to accredited investors and qualified clients for CFR and restricted to premium subscribers for Preqin. * Past performance does not guarantee future results. About DCM and CAF DCM, a fund manager located in La Jolla, CA, focuses primarily on managing investment portfolios of digital currencies and related assets through CAF fund classes designed for investment by US and non-US high net worth individuals and institutional investors. Additional information, and registration for access to newsletters, current performance data and monthly performance update webinars, is available at www.digital-capital-management.com or through investor.relations@digitial-capital-management.com. Disclosures This Release is directed to sophisticated prospective investors for informational purposes only in relation to strategies offered by CAF ("Fund"). This is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation for an offer to buy interests of the Fund, which are offered and sold in the United States per the exemption provided by Rule 506(c) of Reg. D under the Securities Act of 1933, and other applicable exemptions. The Fund is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Any offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Fund interests will be made solely through a definitive Fund offering document in compliance with the terms of applicable laws. As the information in this Release does not comport to be complete, it is entirely subject to and qualified by the information provided by such definitive offering document. Awards/rankings do not represent any single investor's experience. There is no guarantee that any investment will achieve its objectives, generate profits or avoid losses, and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Investments in digital currencies or funds pursuing investments in digital currencies and related assets are very speculative and can involve a high degree of risk. Investors must have the financial ability, sophistication, experience, willingness to bear the risks inherent with digital assets, and the ability to weather a potential total loss of their investment. Digital assets are not suitable or desirable investments for all investors. Digital assets may have limited operating histories, and the fees and expenses associated with funds pursuing investments in digital assets may be substantial. The information provided in this Release is not intended to be, nor should it be construed or used as investment, tax or legal advice, and each prospective investor is urged to consult with its own advisors regarding legal, tax, regulatory, financial, accounting, and similar consequences of investing in the Fund, the suitability of the investment for such investor, and other relevant matters concerning investment in the Fund. Chad Anderson, Manager, Investor Relations & Marketing Digital Capital Management investor.relations@digital-capital-management.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806914/Preqin_Ranks.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806915/CFR_Awards.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1758742/Digital_Capital_Management_Logo_Logo.jpg PDF - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806916/GERMAN_TRADE_MISSION_INFORMATION.pdf DUBAI, Apr 28, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - World's longest-running AI show series, World AI Show & Awards is set to make its return to where it started from - Dubai! The 35th global edition will take place on 25 - 26 May 2022 at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. Aligned with the UAE's National Innovation Strategy and AI Strategy 2031, the show aims to explore the prospects of innovations in the global AI landscape.Among globally-renowned speakers, thought leaders and AI influencers is Mr Sanjay Patil, Sr. Manager - Enterprise Sales, Enterprise Bot, who will shed light on how 'omnichannel AI-powered automation accelerates innovation for the modern enterprises'.With customer experience emerging as the key differentiator across industries & regions, innovation has truly come to the forefront. AI-powered automation on all communication channels is the most sought-after technology to accelerate innovation, resulting in enhanced customer experience.Mr Sanjay Patil was quoted saying, "At World AI Show, we want to show organizations how they can quickly step up their communications - be it with customers or employees - by leveraging Omnichannel AI-powered automation." He further added, "We are excited to bring Enterprise Bot to the Middle East region and unlock unprecedented speed and agility of deployment for enterprises across industries."Mr Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon stated, "From Healthcare to Human Resources, and from Logistics, InsureTech to Omnichannel CX, participants at World AI Show can expect to learn how Enterprise Bots are utilizing AI bot technology to solve issues of today and tomorrow." He further added, "We are excited to have Enterprise Bot at World AI Show & Awards, which will unlock the possibilities regarding conversational AI for our participants."About Enterprise BotEnterprise Bot is enabling enterprises across the globe, including the Middle East, to provide an omnichannel experience to their customers by building AI-powered virtual assistants across chat, email, and voice channels. Through Enterprise Bot's unique technology and out-of-the-box skill sets, the overall customer experience is enhanced, while operational costs are reduced by up to 40%. Customers can deploy a fully-functional AI-powered chatbot in 24hrs without developer effort, resulting in ROI from Day 1. It operates as the only plug-and-play, enterprise-ready solution with omnichannel support, multilingual support including Arabic and automated knowledge base maintenance. Enterprise Bot currently has diverse clients in logistics, insurance, healthcare, retail and more industries.Follow Enterprise Bot:Twitter: https://twitter.com/enterprisebotLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/enterprise-bot/Website: https://www.enterprisebot.aiAbout World AI ShowWorld AI Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations across the world. The show is a one-of-a-kind gathering of pre-qualified CIOs, CEOs, CTOs, Heads of AI, Chief Digital Officers, Heads of Innovation and International AI experts. Witness powerful keynotes, workshops, use-case presentations, product exhibitions, panel discussions and tech talks to find solutions for issues and trends within the AI and RPA space.About TresconTrescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provide a wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, governments and individuals. Trescon is specialized in producing highly focused B2B events that connect businesses with opportunities through conferences, roadshows, expos, demand generation, investor connect and consulting services.For further details about the announcement, please contact:Karthik A,Corporate Communications Manager,Tresconmedia@tresconglobal.comSource: tresconCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. JUBAIL, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, announced the Company forged a contract to supply its latest ultra-powerful string inverter SG350HX to a 45.75 MW PV project for Jubail 3A Independent Water Plant (IWP) in Saudi Arabia, meeting the buoyant electricity demand for the desalination plant and supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan. Saudi Arabia is one of the driest countries in the world and 70% of the residents' drinking water comes from desalinated seawater. It's also one of the hottest solar hubs due to ample sunshine, offering a more sustainable option for water desalination when powered by PV. The Jubail 3A IWP is expected to begin commercial operation in Q4 2022 and will generate 600,000 cubic meters of potable water per day. This operation will greatly contribute to the water demand of millions of households and Saudi Arabian efforts to ensure water security. As a carbon-free electrical facility, the 45.75 MW PV plant is very high profile. It is located near the Persian Gulf, which is subject to harsh conditions including high heat, high salt spray, and frequent sandstorms. Sungrow's flagship 1500V string inverter SG320HX to be installed features optimal durability given the IP66 protection capability and C5 anti-corrosion level. In addition, the 670Wp large-format modules (LFM) adopted in the project set more stringent requirements for inverters. The SG320HX is compatible with the LFM as its maximum input current up to 40A per MPPT; thus, allowing considerable yields by leveraging more sunlight resources onsite. "It's of great value for all stakeholders that the water desalination project uses the availability of the Saudi Arabia's solar resources in order to meet the challenges of water sustainability. As part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, the Jubail 3A IWP PV plant will achieve more zero-carbon contributions," said Alvin Shi, Managing Director of Sungrow MENA region. About Sungrow Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd ("Sungrow") is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 224 GW installed worldwide as of December 2021. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 25-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 150 countries. Learn more about Sungrow by visiting www.sungrowpower.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1344575/Logo.jpg Sabanci University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC) will attend JEC World 2022, the largest international gathering of the composites industry, which will take place on May 3-5 in Paris. Istanbul Turkey, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SU IMC will attend JEC World in Paris for new collaborations Sabanci University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC) will attend JEC World 2022, the largest international gathering of the composites industry, which will take place on May 3-5 in Paris. Sabanci University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC), a leading industrial-scale research and technology development center in Istanbul / Turkey, is attending the leading international composites show, JEC World, for new collaborations. SU IMC is an industrial-scale research, technology development, test and application center offering design, analysis, prototyping, manufacturing and process development services in relation to composite materials, additive manufacturing, and robotic manufacturing. All extent of composite and plastic material characterization, mechanical characterization and flammability tests and analysis are carried out in the center. SU IMC has certified with AS9100 aerospace certification and ISO 17025 laboratory test accreditation. SU IMC supports all industries in relation to composite materials, composite part production and additive manufacturing technologies. SU IMC provides an environment of basic and applied research, product development, graduate programs, and lifelong learning programs. It also serves as an open innovation center providing commercialization opportunities for integrated advanced manufacturing technologies as well as ISO 17025 accredited testing for composite and plastic materials. In collaboration with Kordsa, SU IMC inaugurated the Composite Technology Center of Excellence which is a pioneer and an important example in Turkey with its university-industry business model. The Center aims to serve stakeholders throughout different stages of the R&D cycle, based on the customer's requirements, starting with R&D, continuing with prototyping, and ending in mass production. SU IMC's CEO Devrim Ozaydin, Composite Product and Technical Development Manager Ali Cansun, and Business Development Leader Aytac Subasi will be present at JEC World, HALL 6, D32, to collaborate and to create new partnerships. For further information about SU IMC, please visit https://suimc.sabanciuniv.edu/tr Attachment BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (JKS) reported first quarter net income attributable to shareholders of RMB 28.9 million compared to RMB 221.1 million, last year. Earnings per ADS was RMB 0.60, for the quarter. Quarterly shipments were up 56.7% year over year. Total revenues were RMB 14.76 billion, an increase of 85.9% from RMB 7.94 billion, last year. The company said the year-over-year increase was mainly attributable to an increase in the shipment of solar modules due to the increasing demand of global market. Total operating expenses were RMB 2.19 billion, an increase of 80.8% from RMB 1.21 billion, prior year. The company said the year-over-year increases were mainly attributable to increases in shipping costs for solar modules and share based compensations expenses in the first quarter of 2022. Total shipments in the first quarter were 8,390 MW, including 8,031 MW for solar module shipments and 359 MW for cell and wafer shipments. For the second quarter of 2022, the company expects total shipments to be in the range of 8.5 GW to 9.5 GW. The company reiterated its full year 2022 shipment guidance. 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. CHANGSHA, China, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion"; 1157.HK), a leading high-end equipment manufacturing enterprise, is supporting Earth Day 2022 with concrete actions for the green development of the construction machinery industry. In response to calls for bold, innovative, and widespread actions for the planet, Zoomlion is taking the lead in creating eco-friendly, energy-efficient products and building sustainable factories to shape a greener future for all. The construction machinery industry is revolutionizing its industrial structure with advanced technologies to achieve green, intelligent and sustainable development. As sustainability pioneers, Zoomlion has developed and manufactured a comprehensive portfolio of new energy products including excavators, concrete machinery and aerial work platforms (AWP), while integrating new energy applications into the products. "Green transformation is a key trend in construction machinery as China pledges to achieve its 'dual carbon' goals. Zoomlion has initiated a green development strategy that utilizes all resources to value and promote development for all while lowering the impact to the environment, and we've designed and implemented green and sustainable measures across the industrial process, covering R&D, production, operations and management," said Fu Ling, chief engineer and vice president of Zoomlion. One highlight from Zoomlion's new energy product lineup is its AWP. With a product portfolio covering a range of four to sixty-eight meters, Zoomlion now boasts the most comprehensive AWP model lineup in China. Zoomlion has also developed a 40-meter electric AWP, the highest in the world. Zoomlion's new energy AWP have leading advantages in environmental conservation and carbon emissions reduction while guaranteeing operation capability and greater safety. In 2021, new energy models accounted for 60 percent of AWP sales and have been sold in 58 countries and regions, with an acclaimed presence in 18 high-end markets. Zoomlion has also established world-class intelligent new energy AWP factories for enhanced production efficiency and scalability. In addition, the company has launched four AC electric scissor lift work platforms (AC, AC-Li, HA and HA-Li), and the world's highest straight boom product, which is now sold in batch orders. "Looking ahead, Zoomlion will accelerate our localization strategy in international markets and persevere with technological innovation to drive green development. In doing so, we will help the world reach its carbon goals with products that excel in quality and performance, and build a truly sustainable future," added Fu Ling. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806957/image.jpg PHC Holdings Corporation (hereafter PHC Group) (TOKYO:6523) today announced the appointment of Shoji Miyazaki as the company's Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds John Marotta, who has stepped down as the company's CEO and Representative Director and also from the Board of Directors effective April 28, 2022. Shoji Miyazaki remains a Representative Director on the company's Board of Directors. Shoji Miyazaki was previously PHC Group's Chief Operating Officer and former President of PHC Corporation and brings more than 30 years of experience at PHC Group and Panasonic. He joined Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics Co., Ltd. a predecessor of PHC Corporation in 1990, upon graduation. In 2001 he moved to Panasonic's healthcare medical business unit, focusing on medical diagnostics, where he continued in numerous roles before being appointed Executive Vice President and COO of PHC Holdings Corporation in 2020. At the same time he also held Board positions at PHC Corporation and LSI Medience Corporation. "I look forward to focusing on efficiency and integration, building on the work our team has delivered integrating our teams and portfolio since the acquisitions of Epredia and LSI Medience in 2019. Delivering value for patients, clinicians, business partners and shareholders remains PHC Group's top priority," commented Shoji Miyazaki. In addition, effective July 1, 2022, Board Member Koichiro Sato will join PHC Group as Chief Operating Officer. On the same date, subject to approval of the proposal for election of directors at the General Meeting of Shareholders, he will become a Representative Director. His main responsibility will be overseeing company operations outside of Japan, where half PHC Group's business and employees are located, including Ascensia, Epredia, and PHCbi NA and EU. Sato joins PHC Group from his current role as Chief Executive Officer in the Hong Kong Branch of MBK Healthcare Management Pte. Ltd. and he brings nearly 25 years of experience to PHC Group from his international career within Mitsui Co. related companies. He entered the healthcare field in 2016 as a general manager in the Mitsui healthcare business division. "We are pleased to welcome Shoji Miyazaki as PHC Group's new CEO. He has a strong track record of leading global teams across diagnostics, life sciences, and diabetes, and is particularly well suited to driving the next leg of innovation from PHC Group. We continue to be committed to creating healthcare solutions that improve lives and strengthen our communities," said Kyoko Deguchi, External Director. "PHC Group looks forward to advancing our medium- and long-term plans to deliver global growth, innovation, efficiency, and performance, and to continue contributing to a healthier society. We thank John for his concentrated efforts on bringing the company to the IPO, streamlining and integrating the organization, and bringing consistency to PHC Group's management systems and structures. We wish him all the best," continued Ivan Tornos, External Director. About PHC Holdings Corporation (PHC Group) PHC Holdings Corporation (TOKYO:6523) is a global healthcare company with a mission of contributing to the health of society through healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people. Its subsidiaries include PHC Corporation, Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG, Epredia, and LSI Medience Corporation. Together, these companies develop, manufacture, sell and service solutions across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, life sciences and diagnostics. PHC Group's consolidated net sales in FY2020 were JPY 306 billion with global distribution of products and services in more than 125 countries. www.phchd.com/global www.phchd.com/global/news/2022/0428 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005524/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Julia Cottrill Hiroko Arai PHC Holdings Corporation Investor Relations Corporate Communications Department +81-3-6778-5311 E-mail: phc-pr@gg.phchd.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQB: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") today announced the mobilization of a second drill rig to Kodiak's 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in Southern British Columbia, where the Company is executing a fully funded drill program of up to 25,000 metres in 2022. Drilling this year to date has focused on the Gate Zone where Kodiak made a high-grade copper-gold discovery. The Gate Zone remains open in multiple directions and the Company has identified high-priority drill targets for potential extensions of mineralization (see news release February 3, 2022) which are now being systematically drilled. The second rig will start testing a one kilometre long "look-alike" anomaly 600 metres to the southeast of the Gate Zone which represents a new geophysical target of significant size. As the year progresses, Kodiak plans to drill further high-priority targets in the Prime, Man, Dillard and Axe areas which exhibit similar geophysical and geochemical signatures as the Gate Zone, as well as shallow mineralization from historic drilling, and have rarely been drilled at depth. Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "We believe there is significant potential to further extend the Gate Zone and this has been the focus of our drill program in the first months of this year. We are now looking forward to accelerating the program with a second drill rig to start testing additional targets, which have equally as much discovery potential as Gate. Kodiak is fully funded for the work planned in 2022 and well positioned to add a third drill rig as and when needed. Our shareholders can look forward to a news-rich year with a steady flow of drill results and the potential for new game-changing discoveries at MPD." MPD is a large, 147 km2 land package located near several operating mines in the southern Quesnel Terrane, British Columbia's primary copper-gold producing belt. It is situated between the towns of Merritt and Princeton, with year-round accessibility and excellent infrastructure nearby. Jeff Ward, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. On behalf of the Board of Directors Kodiak Copper Corp. Claudia Tornquist President & CEO For further information contact: Nancy Curry, VP Corporate Development ncurry@kodiakcoppercorp.com +1 (604) 646-8362 About Kodiak Copper Corp. Kodiak is focused on its 100% owned copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA. The Company's most advanced asset is the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Trough in south-central British Columbia, Canada. MPD has all the hallmarks of a large, multi-centered porphyry system. Kodiak has made the Gate Zone discovery of high-grade mineralization within a wide mineralized envelope, and MPD hosts several other targets with similar discovery potential. Kodiak also holds the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project in Arizona, USA, near the world-class Bagdad mine. Kodiak's porphyry projects have both been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada. 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. Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals. Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121940 Contract to Service $5 Billion Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Federal Stimulus Opportunity PLEMCO, Part of the SIRC Family of Companies, One of Sixteen Firms in the U.S. to Receive Federal Blanket Purchase Agreement HENDERSON, NV / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. (OTC PINK:SIRC), an integrated, single-source solar power, roofing systems installation and EV charging company, today announced that EV charging subsidiary Pacific Lighting Management ("PLEMCo") was awarded a 5 year Blanket Purchase Agreement ("BPA") from the U.S. General Services Administration ("GSA") as part of the $5 billion in federal funds allocated to electric vehicle charging installations in the Biden Administration's Infrastructure Bill. One of the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill's stated goals is to install EV Charging Stations every 50 miles along the interstate system. Although each state will establish its own priorities and allocate infrastructure funds, all spending at the Federal, State, Local, and Department level for government funded Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) will be bid and awarded through the GSA. Installation may be done by government entities, contracted out through a secondary bid process or by utilities. PLEMCo's award is a five year Design and Material only contract for Level 2 and Level 3 EV chargers. A second EVSE - BPA is currently being submitted that will include Design, Equipment, and Installation of EV Chargers, which is expected to be awarded this year. "We are privileged to be one of only 16 companies in the United States authorized to potentially supply over 500,000 EV charging stations across the country over the next decade," said David Massey, Chief Executive Officer of Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. "These stations are set to supercharge the increasingly widespread adoption of electric vehicles by consumers and fleets through providing charging stations across the interstate system and filling in current gaps of service. "We continue to see significant industry tailwinds, as California has announced they will discontinue the sale of internal combustion engine ("ICE") vehicles by 2035, potentially requiring 1.2 million EV Charging station installations to be completed to support the transition. Washington State has also announced an intention to eliminate ICE vehicles sales even earlier, by 2030. Taken together, the EV charging market is expected to surpass the $28.4 billion mark by 2028 and continue upwards - an exciting opportunity for us to empower through charging installations. "This contract further supports our strategic shift towards prioritizing our over $30 million electric vehicle (EV) charging project pipeline and over $20 million EV charging project backlog given the immense near-term opportunities. This will serve to further bolster our position as a clear national player in the space, helping to create sustainable value for our shareholders. We look forward to additional announcements regarding EV charging opportunities in the months ahead," concluded Massey. About Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. (OTC PINK:SIRC), is an integrated, single-source solar power, roofing systems installation and EV charging company specializing in commercial and residential properties throughout the United States. The Company serves communities by delivering the best experience through constant innovation & legacy-focused leadership. The Company's broad array of solutions include sales and installation of solar energy systems, battery backup and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to roofing, HVAC and related electrical contracting work. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.solarintegratedroofing.com or join us on Twitter, Facebook or Discord. Forward-Looking Statements Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the company as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The company disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation. Investor Relations Contact: Lucas A. Zimmerman Director MZ North America Main: 949-259-4987 SIRC@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us SOURCE: Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699225/Solar-Integrated-Roofing-Corp-Subsidiary-PLEMCo-Awarded-5-Year-EV-Charging-Contract-with-General-Services-Administration Guiyang, China--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - In April 2022, Moutai carried out a marketing campaign - "This is Moutai" - around the globe via social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. This marketing campaign was well received around the world. It has enjoyed over 21.16 million impressions, with over 500,000 fans' interactions (including nearly 260,000 views of relevant videos). At the beginning of the campaign, Moutai initiated the "China in Your Eyes" activity on the social media platforms based on the themes "Impression of China" and "Chinese Delicacies", encouraging Moutai fans to interact with the home pages of Moutai and share their impressions of China in the form of photos and texts. Illustration of the Chinese fashion trends To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/121862_fda8231df49f59e3_001full.jpg Later, in the "Drinking Culture" and the "Secret of Chinese Baijiu"-themed activities, Moutai introduced Chinese poetry and time-honoured drinking vessels in terms of "literature" and "vessel" Eastern painting style poster shows Chinese Culture To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/121862_fda8231df49f59e3_002full.jpg At the last stage of the campaign, Moutai showed the "roles" that Moutai liquor plays, namely as a beverage, a gift and a collected item in different scenes of life in the form of posters. Poster shows Moutai's role in the last stage of the campaign To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8722/121862_fda8231df49f59e3_003full.jpg Company Name: Guizhou Moutai Chiew I/E Co. Ltd. Contact Person: Winnie Hu Email: moutaigloble@gmail.com Country: Guiyang, Guizhou, China Website:https://www.facebook.com/moutaiglobal To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121862 CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (TSXV:FLY)(OTCQX:FLYLF) (the "Company" or "FLYHT") today announced that it will discuss its first quarter 2022 financial results at its Annual and Special Meeting to be held virtually via webinar at 2:00 pm MT (4:00 pm ET) on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. The webinar will include a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. Questions can be emailed in advance to investors@flyht.com. The meeting and earnings discussion will be held online, accessible at: https://incommconferencing.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QgGqW1gDQSWc-XrxkBzzFw The meeting will also be accessible by phone. The listen-only toll-free number is 1-800-319-4610 in Canada and the U.S. and 1-604-638-5340 outside of Canada and the U.S. An archive of the conference call will be posted on the Investor Relations section of FLYHT's website as soon as it is available from the conference call provider. About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. FLYHT provides airlines with Actionable Intelligence to transform operational insight into immediate, quantifiable action, delivering industry leading solutions to improve aviation safety, efficiency, and profitability. This unique capability is driven by FLYHT's patented aircraft certified hardware products including AFIRS, a satcom aircraft interface device which enables real-time streaming of flight information, cockpit voice and black box data streaming, AFIRS Edge, a state-of-the-art 5G WQAR and satellite data communications device, and TAMDAR and the FLYHT-WVSS-II, which deliver airborne weather and humidity data in real-time. FLYHT is headquartered in Calgary, Canada with an office in Littleton, Colorado, and is an AS9100 Quality registered company. For more info, view our latest presentation here, or visit www.flyht.com. Contact Information: FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. FNK IR LLC Alana Forbes Matt Chesler, CFA Chief Financial Officer Investor Relations 403.291.7437 646.809.2183 aforbes@flyht.com flyht@fnkir.com investors@flyht.com Join us on social media! www.twitter.com/flyhtcorp https://www.linkedin.com/company/flyht/ 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: FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699175/FLYHT-to-Present-Q1-2022-Results-at-2022-Annual-and-Special-Meeting-on-May-4-2022 Brampton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) (CSE: SNA.CN) ("Star" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the signing of a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Pinnacle Air Pvt. Ltd ("Pinnacle") of India to purchase five (5) units of the STAR-ISMS. (In-Flight Safety Monitoring System) for five (5) of its charter jets. Pinnacle was founded in 2004, is an Indian charter airline based in Delhi that operates passenger charters to destinations across the country, specializing in business class charter flights. Pinnacle Group Chairman, Air Marshal Danzil Keelor, stated "Pinnacle's priority is offering our private jet customers peace of mind by placing the utmost priority on safety. As such, we are delighted to partner with Star for the integration of its in flight safety monitoring system on our various types of aircraft to further enhance our flight safety and operations. As the first business aviation company to do so in India we continue to demonstrate our industry leadership, while also assisting Star with the launch of its program across India." Kevin Dhugga, Executive Vice President of Operations and Sales of Star stated "This LOI for the purchase of 5 units is a major milestone for the Company and its shareholders as it is the first of what we believe will be more to come in 2022. The anticipated successful completion of this LOI with Pinnacle will serve to showcase our aircraft safety and efficiency capabilities, which are now beginning to receive global industry recognition as a result of our sales and marketing efforts at leading air shows and events. Within India itself, our partnership with Pinnacle will both showcase our products and services in the business aviation sector, as well as, potentially having an impact on the Indian commercial aviation market by putting it at the forefront of safety monitoring and efficiency." The Star engineering team is scheduled to be in India for the first Gulfstream aircraft inspection in the second week of May 2022 for the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) design package. About Pinnacle Air - www.pinnacleair.org Pinnacle air specializes in business class charter flights sales, aviation consulting, aircraft sales and management. They are currently working on different departments such as Charter Sales, In-flight Services, Operations Control Center, Aircraft Sales and Management. About Star Navigation Systems Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. manufactures the In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. System. The STAR-A.D.S. System has real-time capability of tracking, performance trends and predicting incident-occurrences which enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator. Star's MMI Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that address or discuss activities, events or developments that Star expects or anticipates may occur in the future. When used in this news release, words such as "estimates", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "projects", "will", "believes", "intends" "should", "could", "may" and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations and beliefs of Star's management. Because forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, actual results, performance or achievements of Star or the industry may be materially different from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward-looking information that may be contained in this news release include statements regarding; growth and future prospects of our business; our perceptions of the industry and markets in which we operate and anticipated trends in such markets; expectations regarding the operation of our app; and our future revenues. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making an estimate set out in the forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, our ability to execute on our business plan, increase visibility amongst consumers and convert users to revenue producing subscribers and the success of the business of our partners. Forward-looking statements involve significant uncertainties, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. The risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the airline industry are real and substantial but cannot be defined or measured in any meaningful way at this time. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Accordingly, readers should exercise caution in relying upon forward-looking statements and Star undertakes no obligation to publicly revise them to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. NEITHER CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This News Release is also available on the Company's official Verified Discussion Forum On AGORACOM, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. Please visit www.star-navigation.com or contact Mr. Amir Bhatti, CEO at 1-416-252-2889 #230 / amir.bhatti@star-navigation.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122006 TORONTO, ON and NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Sekur Private Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF)(CSE:SKUR)(FRA:GDT) ("Sekur" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, is pleased announce that its Founder and CEO, Mr. Alain Ghiai, has been invited as a cybersecurity, data privacy and Swiss privacy laws guest expert on The Epoch Times' Facts Matter hosted by Roman Balmakov. The segment will air tonight on Thursday April 28th 2022 at 8:00 PM EST (5:00 PST). Roman Balmakov is an investigative journalist with over 767,000 followers. The best way to find and watch Facts Matter and the segment with Alain Ghiai is the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/FactsMatterwithRomanBalmakov/videos Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov As America moves into uncharted waters, it's incredibly important for people to have an honest source of news because right now, what this republic needs more than anything else, are informed citizens who are grounded in facts. Facts Matter investigates complex issues, and then presents the findings in a way that is easy to understand. Facts Matter is free from the influence of any government, corporation, or political party. Its goal is to bring you accurate information so that you can form your own opinion, stay informed, and stay free. Facts Matter has over 767K subscribers and has gained well over 27 million video views since the channel being established on YouTube Nov 2020. According to The Epoch Times , The Epoch Times has received numerous awards for it reporting and design, including from the New York Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Society for News Design. The Epoch Times national print readership is over 1 million, and theepochtimes.com website monthly pageviews is 110 million. The Epoch Times' media network currently covers 21 languages and 33 countries. Alain Ghiai, CEO of Sekur Private Data said: "I am honored and very pleased to have been invited as a guest expert to speak about cybersecurity and data privacy on the Facts Matter show hosted by Roman Balmakov. Roman is a tremendously talented investigative reporter and goes right to the heart of the matter of things. We have many shareholders who watch Roman regularly and are big fans. I look forward to the interview and the segment, and look forward to shed some light on some of the cybersecurity and data privacy questions that everyone has. As the CEO of Sekur Private Data, I take data privacy extremely seriously and as a company, with the Sekur Swiss hosted solutions we offer consumers and businesses, we strive to bring the best in secure and private communications for everyone, without any big tech hosting and without any data mining." Sekur, which includes SekurMessenger and SekurMail, is part of a bundle of email, messaging and file transfer into one application, includes the Company's latest SekurMail technology, which includes proprietary anti-phishing and privacy feature called SekurSend. SekurSend lets a user send an email to any other recipient, whether they have Sekur or not, in full privacy and security as the email never leaves Sekur 's encrypted email servers based in Switzerland. The recipient can then click on the notification and reply in the same manner using SekurReply, without the recipient having to register for a Sekur account. The sender can also decide to protect any email sent by adding a password to open it, a read-limit and a self-destruct timer as well. Sending an email with the SekurSend feature allows the senders and recipients to add limitless size attachments to the emails without crowding the recipients' email box. This also eliminates BEC attacks for businesses and email phishing attacks. Additionally, SekurMail includes full control of email delivery, automatic data export for large Enterprises and an automatic Data Loss Prevention technology ("DLP") with real time continuous archiving. Recent data breaches in messaging applications have created a certain urgency for businesses and data privacy advocates to protect their communications form cyber-attacks and identity theft via mobile and desktop devices. SekurMessenger eliminates many of the privacy and security risks by not only not requiring a phone number, which would divulge a user's phone device ID, but also by not social engineering a user's phone or computer contact list and infecting the contacts by default as well, eliminating a huge loophole in security and privacy. SekurMessenger issues each user a username and a Sekur number. The Sekur number is the contact ID a user would disclose in order for other Sekur users to be added. The service comes with a self-destruct timer and other features as well, including GlobeX's proprietary VirtualVaults and HeliX technologies with all data stored in Swiss hosted encrypted servers. Additionally, SekurMessenger now comes with a proprietary feature and technology called Chat by Invites. This feature allows a SekurMessenger user ("SM user") invite a non-SM user, or a group of non-SM users, to chat in a fully private and secure way, without the recipient ever having to register to SekurMessenger or download the app. At the end of the chat, the initiator of the conversation can remotely terminate the conversation and all traces of the conversation are deleted from all users, including the recipient. This unique feature is now fully deployed and functional on all iOS and Android devices and web platforms. The target sectors are numerous, including but not limited to real estate, legal, financial, government, energy, mining, manufacturing, trade and medical sectors. Sekur's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved. About Sekur Private Data Ltd. Sekur Private Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of encrypted e-mails, secure messengers, secure communication tools, and secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery and document management. Sekur Private Data Ltd. sells its products through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. Sekur Private Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. On behalf of Management SEKUR PRIVATE DATA LTD. Alain Ghiai President and Chief Executive Officer +1.416.644.8690 corporate@globexdatagroup.com For more information, please contact Sekur Private Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://www.sekurprivatedata.com For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com . Forward Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. Sekur 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 Sekur's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Sekur's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. 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, Sekur undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. SOURCE: Sekur Private Data Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699233/UPDATE--Sekur-Private-Data-CEO-Alain-Ghiai-to-be-Interviewed-About-Cybersecurity-Data-Privacy-and-Swiss-Privacy-Laws-on-The-Epoch-Times-Facts-Matter-with-Roman-Balmakov-Tonight-April-28-2022 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Labcorp (LH) said the company now expects fiscal 2022 adjusted earnings per share in a range of $18.25 to $21.00, revised from prior guidance range of $17.25 to $21.25. The company continues to projects free cash flow in a range of $1.7 to $1.9 billion. For the first quarter, The company's bottom line totaled $491.6 million, or $5.23 per share compared with $769.6 million, or $7.82 per share, prior year. Excluding items, adjusted earnings was $573.7 million or $6.11 per share for the period. Analysts on average had expected the company to earn $5.98 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company's revenue for the quarter fell 6.2% to $3.90 billion from $4.16 billion last year. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX LABORATORY CORP OF AMERICA-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - Russia has released former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, who had been detained for more than two years, as part of a prisoner swap. In exchange, the United States released Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian jailed on drug-smuggling charges. The exchange took place in Turkey on Wednesday after President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of Yaroshenko. The Russian pilot, who had been serving a 20-year sentence for smuggling cocaine into the U.S., is on his way back home. Reed is returning to his home in Texas. The news of Trevor's freedom was conveyed to his parents by the President himself. He expressed gratitude for 'the tireless and dedicated' work of Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan, and others across his administration to ensure Reed's safe return. 'The negotiations that allowed us to bring Trevor home required difficult decisions that I do not take lightly. His safe return is a testament to the priority my Administration places on bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad,' Biden said in a statement. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Reed's freedom is the result of 'months and months of hard, careful work across the U.S. government,' and that his health condition required urgent treatment. Trevor was arrested in Moscow in August 2019. He was visiting Russia to take Russian language classes for his bachelor's degree and spend time with his Russian girlfriend, a resident of Moscow. While attending an office party with his girlfriend, the police were called and they took a heavily drunken Reed to the police station. He was charged with endangering the 'life and health' of Russian police officers in an altercation. In 2020, a judge sentenced Reed to 9 years in a prison camp on assault charges. Trevor, 30, is an Eagle Scout and a former U.S. Marine. He served as a presidential guard during the Obama administration. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Sarama Resources Ltd. ("Sarama" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SWA; ASX:SRR) is pleased to advise that it has been formally admitted to the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") and its securities are scheduled to commence trading on the ASX on Monday May 2, 2022 at 10:30am AWST under the ticker code ASX:SRR. In connection with the Company's dual listing on the ASX, it completed a well over-subscribed equity raising of A$8,000,000, introducing a broad base of new shareholders, predominantly from Australia and Asia. Strong support was also received through participation from several existing major shareholders and management. The net proceeds of the equity raise will be used to support and expedite an extensive and predominantly shallow drilling campaign across the Company's 100%-owned(4) Sanutura Project (the "Project"). The planned drill programs aim to augment and upgrade the currently defined oxide and free-milling mineral resource and test high priority targets identified through previous grassroots exploration that have the potential to significantly impact project growth. The Project is an advanced-stage exploration project covering approximately 1,420km that hosts a significant, well-defined gold mineral resource base and a suite of exploration targets. As announced on November 16, 2021, the mining-shape constrained mineral resource estimate at the Project stands at 9.4Mt @ 1.9g/t Au for 0.6Mozgold (Indicated) plus 52.7Mt @ 1.4g/t Au for 2.3Moz gold (Inferred)(1). The combined oxide and transition component of the pit shell-constrained mineral resource totals 0.2Moz gold (Indicated) plus 0.8Moz gold (Inferred)(2). The large mineral resource base and suite of exploration targets provide significant optionality and leverage to the gold price and the Project remains key to the development of the southern Hounde Belt. Sarama's President and CEO, Andrew Dinning commented: "We are very pleased with the interest and strong demand from investors, with applications well in excess of the $8 million upper limit. We would like to welcome our new shareholders and to also thank existing shareholders for their ongoing support. Africa is a well trodden path for ASX listed exploration companies and ASX investors have benefited from and demonstrated a strong appreciation for exploration and development projects in Africa. We are committed to generating shareholder value from our assets and will continue to strive to get this reflected in the valuation of the company. The funds raised will be put to work immediately as we pursue an aggressive exploration program focused on shallow and highly accretive targets, seeking to grow the already significant oxide and near-surface gold resource. With over 50,000 metres of drilling planned, we look forward to updating the market with our progress." For further information, please contact: Andrew Dinning or Paul Schmiede e: info@saramaresources.com t: +61 (0) 8 9363 7600 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. ABOUT SARAMA RESOURCES LTD Sarama Resources Ltd (TSX-V: SWA) is a West African focused gold explorer and developer with substantial landholdings in south-west Burkina Faso. Sarama is focused on maximising the value of its strategic assets and advancing its key projects towards development. Sarama's 100%-owned(4) Sanutura Project is principally located within the prolific Hounde Greenstone Belt in south-west Burkina Faso and is the exploration and development focus of the Company. The project hosts the Tankoro and Bondi Deposits which have a combined mineral resource of 0.6Moz gold (Indicated) and 2.3Moz gold (Inferred)(1). Together, the deposits present a potential mine development opportunity featuring an initial, long-life CIL project which may be established and paid for by the significant oxide mineral resource base. Sarama has built further optionality into its portfolio including an approximate 470km exploration position in the highly prospective Banfora Belt in south-western Burkina Faso. The Koumandara Project hosts several regional-scale structural features and trends of gold-in-soil anomalism extending for over 40km along strike. Sarama also holds an approximate 18% participating interest in the Karankasso Project Joint Venture ("JV") which is situated adjacent to the Company's Sanutura Project in Burkina Faso and is a JV between Sarama and Endeavour Mining Corp ("Endeavour") in which Endeavour is the operator of the JV. In February 2020, an updated mineral resource estimate of 709koz gold(3) was declared for the Karankasso Project JV. The Company's Board and management team have a proven track record in Africa and a strong history in the discovery and development of large-scale gold deposits. Sarama is well positioned to build on its current success with a sound strategy to surface and maximise the value of its property portfolio. FOOTNOTES Mineral resource estimate for Sanutura Project - 9.4Mt @ 1.9g/t Au for 0.6Moz Au (Indicated) plus 52.7Mt @ 1.4g/t Au for 2.3Moz (Inferred), reported at cut-off grades ranging 0.2-1.6g/t Au, reflecting the mining methods and processing flowsheets assumed to assess the liklihood of the mineral resources to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The effective date of the Company's mineral resource estimate is November 16, 2021. For further information regarding the mineral resource estimate refer to the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Independent Technical Report Sanutura Project, South-West Burkina Faso", dated February 7, 2022 and prepared by Paul Schmiede, Rindra Le Grange and Fred Kock. Paul Schmiede is an employee of Sarama. Ms Le Grange and Mr Kock are employees of Cube Consulting Pty Ltd and Orway Mineral Consultants Pty Ltd respectivley and are considered to be independent of Sarama. The technical report is available under Sarama's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Oxide & transition component of the mineral resource for Sanutura Project - 3.2Mt @ 1.6g/t Au for 0.2Moz Au (Indicated) plus 23.4Mt @ 1.1g/t Au for 0.8Moz Au (Inferred), reported above cut-off grades of 0.2g/t Au and 0.3g/t Au for oxide and transition material respectively. Karankasso Project current mineral resource estimate - the current mineral resource estimate for the Karankasso Project of 12.74Mt @ 1.73g/t Au for 709koz Au (effective date of December 31, 2019) was disclosed on February 24, 2020 by Semafo Inc ("Semafo", since acquired by Endeavour Mining Corp. "Endeavour"). For further information regarding that mineral resource estimate, refer to the news release "Semafo: Bantou Project Inferred Resources Increase to 2.2Moz" dated February 24, 2020 and Semafo: Bantou Project NI43-101 Technical Report - Mineral Resource Estimate" dated April 3, 2020. The news release and technical report are available under Semafo's and Endeavour's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The mineral resource estimate was fully prepared by, or under the supervision of Semafo. Sarama has not independently verified Semafo's mineral resource estimate and takes no responsibility for its accuracy. Semafo, and now Endeavour, is the operator of the Karankasso Project JV and Sarama is relying on their Qualified Persons' assurance of the validity of the mineral resource estimate. Additional technical work has been undertaken on the Karankasso Project since the effective date but Sarama is not in a position to quantify the impact of this additional work on the mineral resource estimate referred to above. The Government of Burkina Faso has processed the requisite documents to facilitate the grant of the new, full-term Tankoro 2 and Djarkadougou 2 Exploration Permits (the "Permits") and subsequently issued the invitation to pay the permit issuance fees (the "Fees") and the Fees were paid within the requisite 10-day timeline. Following the payment of the Fee, the issuance of the Permit's arrete and related paperwork becomes an administrative process during which time the Company may undertake work on the Tankoro 2 and Djarkadougou 2 Properties. The Company expects the arretes and related paperwork to be issued in due course. The properties, hosting the Tankoro and Bondi Deposits respectively, were formerly known as Tankoro and Djarkadougou, but have been renamed as part of the process of re-issuing the respective Permits. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Information in this news release that is not a statement of historical fact constitutes forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans and timing to list on the ASX, statements regarding the Company's future exploration and development plans and the use of proceeds from the public offering, the potential for the Sanutura and Karankasso Projects to host economic mineralisation, the potential to expand the present oxide component of the existing estimated mineral resources at the Sanutura Project, the potential for the receipt of regulatory approvals and the timing and prospects for the issuance of the arretes for the Tankoro 2 and Djarkadougou 2 Exploration Permits by the Government of Burkina Faso. Actual results, performance or achievements of the Company may vary from the results suggested by such forward-looking statements due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such factors include, among others, that the business of exploration for gold and other precious minerals involves a high degree of risk and is highly speculative in nature; mineral resources are not mineral reserves, they do not have demonstrated economic viability, and there is no certainty that they can be upgraded to mineral reserves through continued exploration; few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; the actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. There can be no assurance that any mineralisation that is discovered will be proven to be economic, or that future required regulatory licensing or approvals will be obtained. However, the Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration activities, the sufficiency of funding, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold and other precious metals, that the Company will not be affected by adverse political events, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain further financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Sarama does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws. QUALIFIED PERSONS' STATEMENT Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to the preparation of the mineral resource estimate for the Sanutura Project is based on information compiled or approved by Paul Schmiede. Paul Schmiede is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a Fellow in good standing of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Paul Schmiede has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Paul Schmiede consents to the inclusion in this news release of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to exploration activities at the Sanutura Project is based on information compiled or approved by Guy Scherrer. Guy Scherrer is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a member in good standing of the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Guy Scherrer consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Scientific or technical information in this disclosure that relates to the quotation of the Karankasso Project's mineral resource estimate and exploration activities is based on information compiled by Paul Schmiede. Paul Schmiede is an employee of Sarama Resources Ltd and is a Fellow in good standing of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Paul Schmiede has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralisation under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Paul Schmiede consents to the inclusion in this disclosure of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Paul Schmiede and Sarama have not independently verified Semafo's (now Endeavour's) mineral resource estimate and take no responsibility for its accuracy. SOURCE: Sarama Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699255/Sarama-Resources-to-Commence-Trading-on-ASX-on-Monday-May-2-Following-Over-Subscribed-Public-Offering Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Ridgeline Minerals Corp. (TSXV: RDG) (OTCQB: RDGMF) (FSE: 0GC0) ("Ridgeline" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an exploration update for the Swift Project ("Swift" or "Project"), located in the Cortez mining district of the Battle Mountain - Eureka Trend, Nevada (Figure 1). The Project is operated by Nevada Gold Mines ("NGM") under an exploration earn-in agreement executed in September 2021 (see full press release HERE) with NGM holding an option to spend US$20 million in qualifying expenditures over five years to earn an initial 60% stake in the project. SW21-001 was the first hole drilled under the earn-in agreement and returned 9.1 meters ("m") grading 0.51 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold ("Au") starting at 8.5 m downhole (Figure 2). The hole also intersected Lower Plate host rocks at relatively shallow depths of 556 m but did not return significant gold intercepts throughout the Lower Plate section. The elevated gold and anomalous Carlin-Type pathfinder geochemistry observed in the upper portion of SW21-001 is encouraging and suggests mineralization is vectoring to the west. The next phase of drilling in Q2, 2022 will consist of a series of wide-spaced framework drill-holes (~1 kilometer spacing) to test this concept and help generate a comprehensive geologic model of the historically underexplored Swift project. Click HERE for a video of Chad Peters, President & CEO discussing the highlights of today's press release. Chad Peters, Ridgeline's President, CEO & Director commented, "We are thrilled to see more drilling planned at Swift in 2022 and encouraged by the initial assay results in SW21-001, which returned a near surface gold intersection in historically poor host rocks of the Upper Plate. These results further support the widespread gold and trace element footprint at Swift and highlight the potential strength of the Carlin-Type gold target at depth. The next phase of drilling will continue to shape the geologic model with this systematic exploration strategy having already led to multiple discoveries in the Cortez District. We look forward to providing regular updates for our shareholders as the next phase of drilling progresses." Figure 1: Regional map of the Cortez District showing the Swift project adjacent to the Nevada Gold Mines Cortez Complex. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7298/121969_5b6d3726040f7bf4_002full.jpg Figure 2: Map showing SW21-001 assay results over arsenic in soils contours and gold rock chips. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7298/121969_5b6d3726040f7bf4_003full.jpg Swift Project Swift is located on the Cortez District of the historic Battle Mountain - Eureka Trend approximately 30 km south of the town of Battle Mountain, in Lander County, Nevada. The 75 km property is on trend to the Pipeline, Cortez Hills, and Goldrush deposits (View our Swift VRIFY Presentation), which comprise the multi-million ounce Cortez Complex owned by Nevada Gold Mines (a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corp. and Newmont Corp.). Ridgeline entered into an exploration earn-in agreement with NGM on September 22, 2021, where NGM can incur a minimum US$20 million (US$4 million guaranteed) in qualifying work expenditures over an initial five-year term to earn an initial 60% interest in the Swift gold project. NGM will have further options to increase its interest to a total 75% interest, subject to additional expenditures and commitments. Technical information contained in this news release has been provided by Nevada Gold Mines and reviewed and approved by Michael T. Harp, CPG. the Company's Vice President, Exploration, who is Ridgeline's qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 and responsible for technical matters of this release. About Ridgeline Minerals Corp. Ridgeline is a discovery focused gold-silver explorer with a proven management team and a 163 km exploration portfolio across five projects in Nevada and Idaho, USA. More information about Ridgeline can be found at www.RidgelineMinerals.com. On behalf of the Board "Chad Peters" President & CEO Further Information: Chad Peters, P.Geo. President & CEO Ridgeline Minerals Corp. 1-866-RDG-NVAU (734-6828) - toll free info@ridgelineminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated benefits of the Earn-In Agreement and the transaction contemplated thereby. The words "potential", "anticipate", "meaningful", "discovery", "forecast", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "plan", "historical", "historic" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Ridgeline has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that TSX Venture Exchange approval will be granted in a timely manner subject only to standard conditions; the current objectives concerning the Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and that all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Ridgeline to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays; risks related to historical data that has not been verified by the Company; as well as those factors discussed in Ridgeline's public disclosure record. Although Ridgeline has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Ridgeline and may cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Ridgeline does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121969 BOSTON and LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Investment Management recently announced the release of its second annual stewardship report. The report details the firm's continued commitment to effective stewardship practices and provides enhanced disclosure regarding those activities, including its collaboration and application of stewardship across public and private markets. In addition, the report discusses three key aspects of the firm's approach to asset ownership and management to achieve more sustainable outcomes for clients and stakeholders. The three aspects of its stewardship practices that the firm sees as prerequisite to sustainable investment outcomes are as follows: Asset stewardship and the evolving role of global capital-There's a fundamental shift in expectations of both investors and corporations from being passive participants in the global economy to being active players expected to play a material role in change for the benefit of the wider society. With this shift comes responsibility for asset managers who are assessing and, at times, directly influencing the design and execution of corporate and sovereign plans for mitigating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and capturing potential opportunities. The power of international collective action-Identifying the financial impact of ESG issues is crucial to drawing a collective consensus toward action. Manulife Investment Management has seen firsthand through work with groups such as Climate Action 100+ that collective action is helping investors become more effective and sophisticated in what they require of investee companies. Regional differences matter for stewardship -Truly effective systemic risk mitigation requires a multipronged approach across asset classes, as well as sensitivity to regional political and cultural differences. One way Manulife Investment Management seeks to address systemic risks is by working with systemically important companies. For example, recognizing that more than half of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from Asia, the firm endeavors to engage with the region's energy and heavy industry companies. Even without holdings, if engaging with these influential companies can help move the dial on reducing systemic climate risks, then all of the firm's client portfolios may stand to benefit globally. "Active ownership is a central component of our investment and ESG integration processes. And through our stewardship activities, we practice sustainable asset management to preserve and unlock value within our portfolios," said Paul Lorentz, president and CEO, Manulife Investment Management. "As an active investment manager, we see facilitating the aggregate corporate shift from stating the material facts to performing the material actions of sustainability as one of the more critical tasks of stewardship in the present decade and imperative to the pursuit of sustainable investment value." Collaboration is essential Collaborative initiatives, in which the firm partners with others to magnify its ability to influence outcomes, is a valuable aspect of Manulife Investment Management's stewardship activities. Notable collaborative activities in 2021 included: Participation in the working group that became the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures Serving as a founding member of Climate Engagement Canada as a result of the success of Climate Action 100+, which Manulife Investment Management co-founded in 2017 Becoming a signatory to the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge, in alignment with the viewpoint that the degradation of biodiversity is a significant risk Continued collaboration through Phase II of the United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative, aimed at developing new climate risk assessment methodologies and researching sector-specific climate risks and opportunities Peter Mennie, global head of ESG research and integration, public markets, Manulife Investment Management, said, "As sustainable investors, we're at a unique nexus within the financial system, allowing us the opportunity to engage with corporations as well as regulators and society at large, to encourage and promote action to address the crucial issues that face us all." Stewardship application across asset classes Alongside its collaborative activity, Manulife Investment Management engaged with more than 1,300 parties in 2021, including over 800 issuers and 126 influencers, regulators, nongovernmental organizations, governments, and vendors. Importantly, Manulife Investment Management shifted focus from the number of conversations to an emphasis on measuring the impact of efforts to mitigate material sustainability risks. There was a strong focus on environmental factors in the firm's 2021 public markets engagements, with GHG emissions discussed in 20% of meetings and energy management on the agenda in 16% of meetings. In 2021, these engagement efforts resulted in progress toward, among other matters, more net-zero commitments from issuers; better diversity, equity, and inclusion reporting; and collaboration with industry peers on advancing gender diversity issues. Within private markets, Manulife Investment Management directly operates timberland, real estate, and agricultural assets where sustainability is woven into operational strategies and execution to raise the bar of sustainable investing. Within private equity, credit, and infrastructure, deep relationships enhance the firm's influence over key assets and portfolio companies. In 2021, notable actions across private markets included: The launch of the inaugural climate disclosure report on timberland and agriculture, detailing the approach to climate-related governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets An assessment across the global real estate portfolio that resulted in the implementation of a new building standard requirement to address climate risk and resilience Adoptions of sustainable investing frameworks to support the firm's approach to sustainable investing for both its infrastructure and private equity and credit businesses Brian J. Kernohan, chief sustainability officer, private markets, Manulife Investment Management, stated, "In our private markets portfolios, we invest in timberland, real estate, and agricultural assets that we simultaneously operate, which uniquely positions us to influence sustainable business practices. Within private equity, private credit, and infrastructure, deep relationships enhance our influence over key assets and portfolio companies enabling us to continuously engage with co-investors, investee companies, and business partners to encourage sustainable investing best practices while monitoring the ESG-related data available to help ensure the efficacy of this approach." "Looking ahead, our focus will continue to be on outcomes-based engagements and setting ambitious goals to ensure our approach to stewardship is built on the tangible progress we've made to date," Mr. Lorentz concluded. "We recognize we can often magnify our voice by partnering with others and bringing our global perspective to help maximize impact." About Manulife Investment Management Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com. Media Contacts: Asia, Carl Wong, Carl_KK_Wong@manulifeam.com; Canada, Cheryl Holmes, Cheryl_Holmes@manulife.com; United States and Europe, Elizabeth Bartlett, Elizabeth_Bartlett@manulife.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1802273/Manulife_Investment_Management_Manulife%C2%A0Investment_Management_re.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Canada Rare Earth Corp. (TSXV: LL) ("Canada Rare Earth" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Agreement in Principle on April 24, 2022 for the purchase of an existing rare earth refinery situated in South East Asia. "The refinery is based on technology and processes already deployed and in production at a dozen other rare earth processing plants and is capable of producing approximately 3,000 metric tons (3,000,000 kilograms) of the complete spectrum of rare earth oxides. The capability to produce high-profile neodymium ("Nd"), praseodymium ("Pr"), dysprosium ("Dy") and terbium ("Tb") oxides is of critical importance to the rapidly developing and growing electrification and EV market sectors. These valuable elements are trading at strong price levels and demand is not fully satisfied by current output levels of existing facilities. For example, Nd and Pr are currently selling for approximately US$135 per kilogram and Dy and Tb for US$397 and US$2,200 per kilogram respectively, according to Baiinfo," Peter Shearing, COO of Canada Rare Earth explained. Tracy A. Moore, CEO of Canada Rare Earth continued, "We are working closely with the owners. Our negotiations are going very smoothly and progressing rapidly towards a definitive agreement for the acquisition. Price will contemplate two permitting scenarios - operating permit received and pending. It is anticipated the definitive agreement will contain detailed commercial and proprietary terms customary for such documents. We have been involved with this refinery for a number of years and believe this is the best moment to move forward with the acquisition." The acquisition is subject to finalizing the definitive agreement and arranging financing. Peter Shearing added, "With Canada Rare Earth's steadily growing supply of rare earth concentrates, we are confident in our ability to supply the needed concentrate feedstock to the refinery for its current capacity and to support expansion plans in future years. We are also working towards expanding our sources, especially in-country, to supply the refinery and address the needs of our existing customer base." ABOUT CANADA RARE EARTH CORP. Canada Rare Earth Corp. is developing an international vertically integrated business within the global rare earth industry. Our key focus is to generate revenues and positive cash flow from a variety of profit centres in the rare earth production and sales chain by sourcing, adding value and selling rare earths in all stages and forms. We are in the process of establishing our own mining, concentrating and refinery capabilities in addition to working with affiliated and third party organizations. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CANADA RARE EARTH CORP: Tracy A. Moore, CEO Peter Shearing , COO "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 on the Company, interested parties should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Contact Information: Tracy A. Moore CEO tmoore@canadarareearth.com Peter Shearing COO pshearing@canadarareearth.com (604) 638-8886 Website: www.canadarareearth.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121947 The submission to the European Medicines Agency is based on results from the Phase 3 MAGNITUDE study evaluating niraparib in combination with abiraterone acetate plus prednisonefor the treatment of patients with mCRPC who are positive for HRR gene alterations.1 The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson today announced the submission of a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking approval of niraparib in combination with abiraterone acetate, in the form of a dual action tablet (DAT) plus prednisolone, for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer who have progressed to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and are positive for homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene alterations. When approved by the European Commission, niraparib in combination with AAP will be the first dual action tablet formulation in the European Union specifically targeting HRR gene alterations in mCRPC. The combination of niraparib, a PARP (poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase) inhibitor, and abiraterone acetate, a CYP17 inhibitor, targets two oncogenic drivers in patients with mCRPC, AR-axis and HRR gene alterations. The DAT formulation is also intended to be more convenient for patients, and thus aims to improve treatment compliance. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in Europe with approximately 473,000 patients diagnosed in 2020.2 Up to approximately 30% of patients with mCRPC have HRR gene alterations which are associated with a worse prognosis compared to patients without HRR gene alterations.1 "People with prostate cancer harbouring BRCA alterations face a more aggressive form of disease with worse outcomes and faster progression, sadly leading to a shorter life expectancy," commented Professor Gerhardt Attard, Primary Study Investigator and Clinician Scientist and Team Leader at University College London Cancer Institute. "This submission is an important step towards improving the outcomes for people with metastatic prostate cancer harbouring BRCA alterations using a targeted therapy that significantly delays the time to their cancer progressing." The EU MAA is supported by data from the MAGNITUDE study (NCT03748641), a Phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study evaluating the safety and efficacy of niraparib combined with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) in patients with mCRPC. The study showed that at the final analysis for radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), the treatment combination of niraparib and AAP demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in patients with HRR gene alterations as compared to placebo and AAP.1 First results from the study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU 2022) Annual Meeting (Abstract #12). The study continues to collect data on the secondary endpoints, which include time-to-initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy, time to symptomatic progression and overall survival.1 "The data supporting this submission demonstrate the benefit of niraparib in combination with AAP in patients with specific gene alterations and reinforce the importance of biomarker testing in helping to provide an individualised treatment for these patients," said Kiran Patel, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development, Solid Tumors, Janssen Research Development, LLC. "We are committed to advancing targeted therapeutic options for patients with prostate cancer as we build upon our deep understanding of the disease, with a focus on improving outcomes for patients." "The submission of niraparib in combination with AAP to the European Medicines Agency marks an important milestone in addressing specific genetic alterations in prostate cancer," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Pharmaceuticals, R&D, Johnson Johnson. "We are determined to transform this complex disease through innovation, science and ingenuity." About Niraparib Niraparib is an orally administered, selective poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, that is currently being studied by Janssen for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.1 Additional ongoing studies include the Phase 3 AMPLITUDE study evaluating the combination of niraparib and AAP in a biomarker-selected patient population with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC).3 In April 2016, Janssen Biotech, Inc. entered a worldwide (except Japan) collaboration and license agreement with TESARO, Inc. (acquired by GSK in 2018), for exclusive rights to niraparib in prostate cancer. In the European Union, niraparib is indicated for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy; for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy (Zejula SmPC 2021). Niraparib is currently marketed by GSK as ZEJULA.4 About abiraterone acetate Abiraterone acetate is an orally-administered androgen biosynthesis inhibitor. In the European Union, abiraterone acetate is indicated with prednisone or prednisolone for the treatment of newly diagnosed high risk mHSPC in adult men in combination with ADT; the treatment of mCRPC in adult men who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic after failure of ADT in whom chemotherapy is not yet clinically indicated; and the treatment of mCRPC in adult men whose disease has progressed on or after a docetaxel based chemotherapy regimen (ZYTIGA SmPC 2020).5 Abiraterone acetate is currently marketed by Janssen Janssen-Cilag International NV as ZYTIGA.5 About Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) characterises cancer that no longer responds to ADT and has spread to other parts of the body. The most common metastatic sites are bones, followed by lungs and liver.6 Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Europe.7 More than one million men around the world are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.8 Patients with mCRPC and HRR gene alterations have a worse prognosis than those without HRR alterations.9 About MAGNITUDE MAGNITUDE (NCT03748641) is a Phase 3 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the combination of niraparib and AAP for patients with mCRPC, with or without certain HRR gene alterations. The study includes two cohorts in which patients were randomised to receive either niraparib and AAP or placebo and AAP cohorts: one cohort of patients with predefined HRR gene alterations (including ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDK12, CHEK2, FANCA, HDAC2, PALB2 alterations) and one cohort of patients without HRR gene alterations. In a third, open-label cohort, all patients received the dual action tablet formulation of niraparib and AAP.1 The primary endpoint of the MAGNITUDE trial is rPFS. Secondary endpoints include time-to-initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy, time to symptomatic progression and overall survival.1 About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea/. Follow us at www.twitter.com/JanssenEMEA for our latest news. Janssen Research Development, LLC; Janssen-Cilag, S.A.; and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development and the potential benefits and treatment impact of niraparib. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research Development, LLC, Janssen Biotech, Inc., or any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2022, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. DAT is a single tablet combining niraparib andabiraterone acetate HRR gene alterations include Ataxia Telangiectasia (ATM), breast cancer gene 1 and 2 (BRCA1/BRCA2), BRCA1 interacting protein 1 (BRIP1), cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12), Checkpoint Kinase 2 (CHEK2), fanconi anaemia (FANCA), Histone Deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and partner and localiser of BRCA 2 (PALB2). Professor Attard has served as a consultant to Janssen; he has not been paid for any media work. References 1 Chi et al. Phase 3 MAGNITUDE study: First results of niraparib (NIRA) with abiraterone acetate and prednisone (AAP) as first-line therapy in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with and without homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene alterations. ASCO GU 2022. 2 International Agency for Research on Cancer. WHO. 2020. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/online-analysis-pie. Last Accessed April 2022 3 Clinical Trials.Gov. A Study of Niraparib in Combination With Abiraterone Acetate and Prednisone Versus Abiraterone Acetate and Prednisone for the Treatment of Participants With Deleterious Germline or Somatic Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) Gene-Mutated Metastatic Castration Sensitive Prostate Cancer (mCSPC) (AMPLITUDE). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04497844. Last accessed April 2022 4 European Medicines Agency. Zejula (Niraparib) Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/zejula-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed April 2022. 5 European Medicines Agency. Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/zytiga-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed April 2022. 6 Cancer.org. Understanding advanced cancer, metastatic cancer, and bone metastasis. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/advanced-cancer/what-is.html. Last accessed April 2022. 7 HEAL. Men Prostate cancer. Available at: https://www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/prostate_testical.pdf. Last accessed April 2022 8 World Health Organization. "Globocan 2012: Prostate Cancer: Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide, 2012." http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/pdf/fact-sheets/cancers/cancer-fact-sheets-19.pdf. Last accessed April 2022. 9 Castro E, Romero-Laorden N, Del Pozo A, et al. PROREPAIR-B: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Impact of Germline DNA Repair Mutations on the Outcomes of Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(6):490-503. doi:10.1200/JCO.18.00358 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005637/en/ Contacts: Media Inquiries: Laura Coughlan Mobile: +353 87 147 9356 Email: lcoughl5@its.jnj.com Investor Relations: Raychel Kruper Office: +1 732 524 6164 Roadshow Will Visit Cities Across Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom and Showcase How Additive Manufacturing Can Unlock Innovation in Space, Aviation, Oil Gas, Energy, and Other Important Industries Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: VLD), a leading metal additive manufacturing technology company for mission-critical parts, today announced its Seeing is Believing Additive Manufacturing Tour for Europe, which will visit seven cities in 2022 across Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The roadshow brings together innovators across key industries including space, aviation, oil gas, and energy to share how additive manufacturing and the Velo3D end-to-end solution are transforming these businesses by helping engineers manufacture the parts they need without compromise. "When we talk to prospective customers who have experience with additive manufacturing, the first thing they want is to see the parts for themselves to witness whether the geometries we offer can truly be achieved," said Renette Youssef, Velo3D CMO. "In our pilot of the Seeing is Believing roadshow we made amazing connections between engineers, technology influencers, and executives in the additive manufacturing industry to learn from and inspire one another. We look forward to achieving this same community building in Europe." Velo3D initially launched its roadshow in 2021 across five cities. The events brought together hundreds of innovators to learn how the Velo3D end-to-end solution delivers unprecedented part quality, complex geometries, repeatability in distributed manufacturing, and high-volume production through its scale-up Sapphire XC printer. "With 3D printing being a relatively new manufacturing technology, these community building events help innovators conceptualize how it can be used to transform their businesses, improve efficiency in key systems, and solve their biggest challenges," said Campbell MacPherson, Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield (SBO) EVP of Advanced Manufacturing. "As the first company to acquire a Velo3D Sapphire printer in Europe, we're thrilled to share how the technology has helped us better serve our customers." The roadshow events focus on educating engineers of all types on the many benefits and capabilities of advanced additive manufacturing. The presentations highlight the process from start to finish, including pre-print, during printing, quality assurance, the underlying manufacturing process, and post processing. The 2022 show will make seven stops at European cities, including: Bergamo, Italy May 25 Lyon, France June 10 Augsburg, Germany June 21 Toulouse, France September 15 Future dates will also be announced for Milano, Italy; Birmingham, England; and Munich, Germany. Engineers interested in attending one of the shows on the tour can visit Velo3D.com to request a ticket or email Info_emea@velo3d.com About Velo3D: Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology company. 3D printing-also known as additive manufacturing (AM)-has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable. Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The company's solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, power generation, energy and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The end-to-end solution includes the Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system-all of which are powered by Velo3D's Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process. The company delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Honeywell, Honda, Chromalloy, and Lam Research. Velo3D has been named to Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2021. For more information, please visit velo3d.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. The Company's actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect", "estimate", "project", "budget", "forecast", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "may", "will", "could", "should", "believes", "predicts", "potential", "continue", and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies for the future. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside the Company's control and are difficult to predict. The Company cautions not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, including projections, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. VELO, VELO3D, SAPPHIRE, and INTELLIGENT FUSION, are registered trademarks of Velo3D, Inc.; and WITHOUT COMPROMISE, FLOW and ASSURE are trademarks of Velo3D, Inc. All Rights Reserved Velo3D, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220419006146/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Velo3D Dan Sorensen dan.sorensen@velo3d.com Investor Relations: Bob Okunski, VP Investor Relations investors@velo3d.com April 28, 2022 South Carolina's largest health system adopts Philips software solutions for patient monitoring and enterprise imaging, helping to drive interoperability and data analytics, and deliver on Quadruple Aim Amsterdam, the Netherlands and South Carolina, USA - Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, and Prisma Health, South Carolina's largest non-profit healthcare system, today announced they have entered into a multi-year agreement to help the health system achieve enterprise interoperability, standardize patient monitoring, and drive innovation in enterprise imaging solutions to enhance patient care and improve clinical performance. As South Carolina's largest private, non-profit healthcare system, and second-largest private company, Prisma Health wants to deliver on the quadruple aim: improve patient and staff satisfaction, lower costs, and improve outcomes for all South Carolinians. Prisma Health was formed in 2017 when Greenville Health System and Palmetto Health, two of South Carolina's most highly regarded healthcare systems, came together as one organization. Today, Prisma Health has nearly 3,000 licensed beds and 18 acute care and specialty hospitals, as well as 270 physician practices servicing 21 counties. They treat over one million unique patients across their networks each year, including 368,000 virtual care visits, and just under half a million emergency department visits. "When our two regional healthcare organizations merged, an enterprise-wide technology strategy became critical to standardize best practices across the whole system, creating new bridges between hospital and home care and continuing to drive innovation," said Rich Rogers, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Prisma Health. "At Prisma Health, we wanted to engage a partner to help us address data integration and unlock the power of patient data so that we are able to provide our patients with the best care anywhere in our service areas. We want to put the right tools into the hands of our clinicians to allow them to better share information, collaborate and help transform care for the communities we serve." With the Philips HealthSuite secure cloud platform at its foundation, Philips is committed to enterprise interoperability. Philips' solutions portfolio includes real-time patient monitoring, therapeutic devices, telehealth, image management and informatics solutions including radiology and cardiology PACS, advanced visualization, vendor neutral archive, and interoperability solutions, including the industry-leading Philips Capsule Medical Device Information Platform. Prisma Health will not only have access to these technologies, they will also be the largest installation of the Philips Enterprise Performance Analytics - Performance Bridge - analytics platform in North America. Performance Bridge gives healthcare professionals access to near real-time data on departmental performance through an easy-to-use interactive dashboard. Vendor agnostic, Performance Bridge unifies information across different imaging modalities and informatics solutions to optimize organizational efficiency, drive adherence to standards of care and facilitates additional revenue streams. Prisma Health plans to use Performance Bridge to drive innovation and monitor their delivery of quality healthcare. "At Philips, we made a deliberate decision to create an end-to-end enterprise strategy that will help our customers overcome interoperability barriers and enable data sharing," said Vitor Rocha, Chief Market Leader for Philips North America. "Health systems shouldn't have to worry about integrating technology, which is why we have developed vendor-agnostic solutions based on standards and frameworks that bring together data from applications, systems, and devices. This allows our partners to focus on what is most important to them and their patients - continuously improving the patient journey and outcomes." Long-term strategic partnerships (LSPs) are a growing trend within hospitals and health systems to better manage the cost and complexity of their technology investments over a defined period of time, while expanding quality access to advanced medical care to improve patient outcomes. Philips is a leader in LSPs and continues to work with forward-thinking organizations like Prisma Health to develop standards, best practices, and predictive technologies that can redefine the future of healthcare. For further information, please contact: Mark Groves Philips Global Press Office Tel.: +31 631 639 916 E-mail: mark.groves@philips.com Silvie Casanova Philips North America Tel.: +1 781 879 0692 E-mail: silvie.casanova@philips.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips. About Prisma Health Prisma Health is a non-profit health company and the largest healthcare system in South Carolina. With nearly 30,000 team members, 18 acute and specialty hospitals, 2,947 beds and more than 300 outpatient sites with nearly 2,000 physicians, Prisma Health serves more than 1.5 million unique patients annually in its 21-county market area that covers 50% of South Carolina. Prisma Health's goal is to improve the health of all South Carolinians by enhancing clinical quality, the patient experience and access to affordable care, as well as conducting clinical research and training the next generation of medical professionals. Visit PrismaHealth.org for more information. Attachment 28 April 2022: The annual general meeting of Hexagon Composites ASA was held today, 28 April 2022 in Aalesund, Norway. All proposals on the agenda were adopted as proposed. Complete minutes of the annual general meeting are attached to this release and are also available on www.hexagongroup.com . For more information: Ingrid Aarsnes, VP Investor Relations and ESG, Hexagon Composites ASA Telephone: +47 950 38 364 | ingrid.aarsnes@hexagongroup.com About Hexagon Composites ASA Hexagon delivers safe and innovative solutions for a cleaner energy future. Our solutions enable storage, transportation and conversion to clean energy in a wide range of mobility, industrial and consumer applications. Learn more at www.hexagongroup.com and follow @HexagonASA on Twitter and LinkedIn. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Attachment Millicom | Tigo to launch new digital "Conectadas" platform for the digital skilling and inclusion of women and girls in Latin America Luxembourg, April 28, 2022 - Millicom , a leading provider of fixed, mobile and digital services in Latin America through its Tigo brand, is launching a region-wide web-based app for its Conectadas program, offering women and girls learning modules on digital literacy and entrepreneurship, creating a springboard for social and economic opportunities as well as inclusion. Millicom | Tigo first launched Conectadas in 2017 and since then, more than 560,000 women and girls have been trained through the program. The new platform, set to launch on April 28th, represents the evolution of the program, as its benefits will now reach women from the entire region. Women with work and/or familial responsibilities, or who live in remote or rural locations, often lack the time or means to attend the Conectadas workshops in the nine countries where Millicom operates and implements its ESG-based education programs aiming at improving lives through connectivity; the digital platform will make access to the Conectadas educational tools much easier for these women. The free modules, developed with Grameen Foundationand accessible through the Conectadas platform, educate women on topics such as basic internet usage, management of personal finances, and the effective use of digital tools and social media for business. Millicom's objective is for the platform to reach thousands of additional women in 2022 and beyond. Education stands at the core of Millicom | Tigo's commitment to its communities and their digital empowerment. Since its early stages, various allies and partners have helped drive the expansion of Conectadas in the nine countries where Tigo operates, including the Economic Competitiveness Project of the United States Agency for Development (USAID), the Business Foundation for Social Action (FUNDEMAS), Banco Agricola, Fedecredito, La Constancia, Belcorp, Vogue, UN Women, the Grameen Foundation, and various local media outlets. "We are incredibly excited for the launch of the newConectadas platform, as the well-known benefits of the program for women across Latin America will now be available to so many more online," said Karim Lesina, Millicom EVP Chief External Affairs Officer. "This new step forward of Conectadas speaks to the importance we place on empowering women and girls in the region, allowing for personal and professional growth through digital education and the opportunities it brings. The digital divide and the lack of digital literacy continue preventing as many as half of the people in Latin America from fully participating in society. We have responded with initiatives such as our partnership with Fundacion Real Madrid signed in 2021, and we continue to provide digital literacy training to teachers through ourMaestr@sConectad@s program. These and other efforts reinforce our support of the UN Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals. We want to do more than connecting our communities - we want to be a conduit of investment capital for developing economies in Latin America." "Millicom's Conectadas program is special, not just because it is a proven plan to benefit women and girls in Latin America, but also because it is built on facts," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union. "Conectadas is an excellent example of action based in the Commission's foundational goal of meaningful universal connectivity." The Conectadas program originally launched in Guatemala in 2017 before expanding to El Salvador and Colombia the same year. The program was then introduced to Bolivia in 2018, where it was very well received and now accounts for over 50% of all the women trained by Tigo since its launch. In 2019, Conectadas expanded to Panama, Paraguay, Honduras, and Costa Rica, and most recently to Nicaragua in 2020. As a result, between all the nine countries where Tigo offers the program, more than 560,000 women have been trained, with a growing average of more than 150,000 women trained per year. Courtesy pictures: Picture 1, Picture 2, Picture 3 -END- Press: Karim Lesina, EVP Chief External Affairs Officer press@millicom.com (mailto:press@millicom.com) Yocasta Valdez, Group Manager Digital Media & Communications press@millicom.com (mailto:press@millicom.com) Investors: Michel Morin, VP Investor Relations investors@millicom.com (mailto:investors@millicom.com) Sarah Inmon, Director Investor Relations investors@millicom.com (mailto:investors@millicom.com) About Millicom Millicom. Connect with Millicom on Twitter, Instagram, Facebookand LinkedIn. About Grameen Foundation Grameen Foundation is a global nonprofit whose mission is to enable the poor, especially women, to create a world without poverty and hunger. In collaboration with our partners, we harness the power of digital data to create tech-forward tools for self-sufficiency and deliver them through digital technology platforms and local Community Agent networks. In collaboration with our sister organization, FFH Alcance based in Mexico, Grameen Foundation designs paper-based and digital curriculum and learning methodologies to help women develop digital, financial, digital financial and business literacy skills to build resilient lives and livelihoods. For more on Grameen Foundation, visit grameenfoundation.org. Connect with Grameen Foundation on Twitter, Instagram, Facebookand LinkedIn. Attachments Data Security, Compliance Drive Urgent Adoption of Delphix DevOps Test Data Management Platform REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delphix, the industry leader in DevOps test data management (TDM), today announced closing fiscal year 2022 with a second consecutive year of accelerated revenue growth and profitability at a scale well over $100M in annual recurring revenue (ARR). With increasing activity from hostile nation states and ransomware gangs, companies around the world need a solution to automate and secure test data for enterprise applications. As a result, the company also reported 36% faster year-over-year growth of its large, enterprise customer base driven by increasing data risks. Delphix's growth comes as companies around the world continue to invest in innovative DevOps solutions to accelerate application delivery, modernize legacy infrastructure, and move applications across the multicloud. Delphix offers the only DevOps TDM platform that automates the delivery of secure, compliant data for test and development, enabling up to 10x faster innovation. "Enterprise applications all need test data for fast, quality releases," said Jedidiah Yueh, Delphix Founder and CEO. "But test data has traditionally been slow, complex, and filled with risk. Delphix helps companies like Banco Carrefour, The University of Manchester, and BNP Paribas release applications quickly while improving data security and compliance." Banco Carrefour in Brazil utilizes the Delphix DevOps Data Platform to accelerate application releases while ensuring data security and compliance with privacy regulations such as Brazil's General Data Protection Law (LGPD). Delphix empowers development teams with 320x faster data availability for financial reporting and analytics, enables faster application releases, and helps save 70% on storage. Delphix delivers an innovative API-first data platform that transforms application delivery with comprehensive data controls. By automating data delivery into test environments, Delphix helps software developers innovate faster while reducing compliance and security risk. Delphix also helps companies recover faster from ransomware attacks by continuously protecting data and making historical data immutable. "We selected Delphix, because we like the technology as a tool to move data efficiently from one place to another, to reconstruct, to travel to the past," said Yves Caseau, Group Chief Digital & Information Officer at Michelin. "If we look at what we've done, we used Delphix to move data from our Exadata server legacy to community Linux servers to get more scalability and lower cost." "We are also using Delphix as a way to accelerate innovation and set up new test and development environments faster. We can get all the appropriate data very fast with a few pointers and a few clicks and have a virtual transfer of the data as opposed to a physical one," Caseau added. Test data management is a critical component of application development but is often slow and manual. The Delphix DevOps Data Platform enables teams to create, manage, and automate hybrid cloud-based data environments to support CI/CD pipelines and train AI/ML algorithms. "Compliant test data is the lifeblood of DevOps and ensuring continuous access to it is key for enterprises to accelerate application delivery," said Jim Mercer, Research Director of DevOps and DevSecOps at IDC. "With digital transformation becoming increasingly essential for enterprises to compete across today's marketplaces, we continue to see the need for modern TDM solutions across multiple industries." Delphix Growth Highlights Accelerated growth and profitability over the last two years at a scale greater than $100M of annual recurring revenues. Expanded large enterprise customer base: Increased the number of new enterprise customers won year-over-year by 36%. Broadened global customer base with large brands such as Banco Carrefour, Choice Hotels, Michelin, and Molina Healthcare. Appointed new additions to the global leadership team, including: Robert Stevenson, VP of Japan Operations (https://www.delphix.com/news/delphix-appoints-robert-stevenson-as-vp-japan-operations), to expand Delphix in APAC. Josh Harbert, Chief Marketing Officer (https://www.delphix.com/press-release/delphix-appoints-josh-harbert-chief-marketing-officer), who brings decades of experience to scale Delphix's global marketing programs and amplify product and brand awareness. Pritesh Parekh, Chief Trust & Security Officer, VP of Engineering (https://www.delphix.com/press-release/delphix-appoints-chief-trust-security-officer), who adds proven DevOps and security expertise. Steve Barrett, Senior Vice President of International Operations (https://www.delphix.com/news/delphix-appoints-proven-industry-leader-svp-international-operations), who leads revenue operations for both EMEA and APJ. Tammi Warfield, Chief Customer Officer (https://www.delphix.com/press-release/delphix-appoints-tammi-warfield-svp-customer-success), a former Microsoft executive who drives customer success by helping customers realize business value. Delphix also introduced multiple innovations across the company's product offerings in last fiscal year, including: Continuous Vault (https://www.delphix.com/solutions/compliance/ransomware), a ransomware-specific capability that boosts the Delphix platform's data isolation capabilities and strengthens data protection for enterprises. (https://www.delphix.com/solutions/compliance/ransomware), a ransomware-specific capability that boosts the Delphix platform's data isolation capabilities and strengthens data protection for enterprises. Data Compliance Capabilities for Salesforce Customers (https://www.delphix.com/solutions/salesforce), which helps Salesforce customers protect data privacy and security, while unlocking the value in Salesforce data across clouds and on premises data centers. (https://www.delphix.com/solutions/salesforce), which helps Salesforce customers protect data privacy and security, while unlocking the value in Salesforce data across clouds and on premises data centers. Data Control Tower (https://www.delphix.com/sites/default/files/2021-07/ds-enterprise-scale-automation-with-DCT-000221.pdf), which provides a single point of control for API-driven test data automation across development pipelines at scale. (https://www.delphix.com/sites/default/files/2021-07/ds-enterprise-scale-automation-with-DCT-000221.pdf), which provides a single point of control for API-driven test data automation across development pipelines at scale. Masking Algorithms for Continuous Compliance (https://www.delphix.com/platform/continuous-compliance), which deliver new, industry-leading algorithms for masking sensitive data along with an SDK enabling the development and automation of custom algorithms. (https://www.delphix.com/platform/continuous-compliance), which deliver new, industry-leading algorithms for masking sensitive data along with an SDK enabling the development and automation of custom algorithms. SAP-certified integration with SAP NetWeaver and SAP S/4HANA (https://www.delphix.com/solutions/sap-erp), which allows businesses to use Delphix to mask and automatically deliver efficient, virtualized SAP data via APIs. About Delphix Delphix is the industry leader for DevOps test data management. Businesses need to transform application delivery but struggle to balance speed with data security and compliance. Our DevOps Data Platform automates data security, while rapidly deploying test data to accelerate application releases. With Delphix, customers modernize applications, adopt multi-cloud, achieve CI/CD, and recover from downtime events such as ransomware up to 2x faster. Leading companies, including Choice Hotels, Banco Carrefour, and Fannie Mae, use Delphix to accelerate digital transformation and enable zero trust data management. Visit us at www.delphix.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / IR Labs Inc. ("irlabs"), a dynamic and innovative investor relations firm, is thrilled to announce it will be hosting the inaugural "Capital Markets Comeback Tour" in four cities across Canada: Vancouver-May 11; Calgary-May 12; Montreal-June 1; and Toronto-June 2. This spring, irlabs is bringing together the investment community across the country to hear about the best small-cap investment opportunities and network in a fun atmosphere. The tour will include company presentations in an interview-style format hosted by: Barrington Miller, Director, Issuer Engagement at the Canadian Securities Exchange (" CSE ") ") Anna Serin, Director, Listings Development Western Canada and U.S. at the CSE Anil Mall, Director, Listed Company Services at the CSE Ari Scheer, Head of Issuer Services at Generation IACP Diana Forzley, Business Development, Issuer Services at Generation IACP "After two long years, we're bringing the investment community back together," said Caroline Sawamoto, Principal and Co-Founder at irlabs. "irlabs is thrilled to host the first-ever Capital Markets Comeback Tour, enabling the investment community to hear about companies we have curated that have excellent potential. We look forward to bringing investors, analysts, bankers, the media and industry influencers together to share ideas, reconnect and meet the faces behind the companies. We've received an overwhelmingly positive response from the investment community and can't wait to hit the road!" Tour dates and headlining companies are as follows: Wednesday, May 11, 2022 - Vancouver, BC Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO: CDMN) - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. Everyday People Financial Inc. (pre-public) - A fintech company founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to credit, serving the needs of everyday people. - A fintech company founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to credit, serving the needs of everyday people. HIRE Technologies Inc. (TSXV: HIRE) - The only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the HR industry for staffing, HR consulting and SaaS technology solutions. - The only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the HR industry for staffing, HR consulting and SaaS technology solutions. The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV: MYLK) - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Thursday, May 12, 2022 - Calgary, AB Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO: CDMN) - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. EnWave Corporation (TSXV: ENW) - EnWave is a global leader in the innovation and application of vacuum microwave dehydration for plant and food processing. - EnWave is a global leader in the innovation and application of vacuum microwave dehydration for plant and food processing. Nurosene Inc. (CSE: MEND) - A health-tech company focused on delivering innovative AI-based technology solutions for mental performance and wellness. - A health-tech company focused on delivering innovative AI-based technology solutions for mental performance and wellness. The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV: MYLK) - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - Montreal, QC Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO: CDMN) - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. HIRE Technologies Inc. (TSXV: HIRE) - The first and only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the technology, staffing and HR consulting industries. - The first and only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the technology, staffing and HR consulting industries. PesoRama Inc. (TSXV: PESO) - Mexico's only true dollar store retailer. - Mexico's only true dollar store retailer. The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV: MYLK) - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Thursday, June 2, 2022 - Toronto, ON Beyond Oil Ltd. (expected listing on the CSE in May 2022 under the symbol BOIL) - A disruptive solution for food-service companies striving to reduce their frying oil costs, decrease waste and save the planet. - A disruptive solution for food-service companies striving to reduce their frying oil costs, decrease waste and save the planet. Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO: CDMN) - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. The Fresh Factory B.C. Ltd. (CSE: FRSH) - A vertically integrated platform that helps accelerate the growth of disruptive food and beverage brands. - A vertically integrated platform that helps accelerate the growth of disruptive food and beverage brands. PesoRama Inc. (TSXV: PESO) - Mexico's only true dollar store retailer. - Mexico's only true dollar store retailer. The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV: MYLK) - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. The Capital Markets Comeback Tour is Co-Hosted by the CSE and Generation IACP. Sponsors include: Women in Capital Markets Fundamental Research Corp. Hunting Data BTV Bolt Radius Research Blossom Accesswire Stark Creative Media Inc. If you work in capital markets or the media and would like to attend an event, please register for a ticket here: tour.irlabs.ca. ABOUT IR LABS INC. irlabs is a dynamic investor relations firm that applies innovative strategies to create visibility, drive investor engagement and make an impact. We are industry and sector agnostic and support both private and public companies with their investor relations programs, corporate communications and corporate governance. For more information visit www.irlabs.ca. CONTACT: Alyssa Barry Principal and Co-Founder IR Labs Inc. alyssa@irlabs.ca 833-947-LABS (5227) SOURCE: IR Labs Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699138/irlabs-Hosts-Capital-Markets-Comeback-Tour-Across-Canada Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has been advised that RCF VI CAD LLC ("RCF") has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") to sell (the "Proposed Sale") the 2% NSR royalty on the Company's Vizcachitas Copper Project (the "Royalty") owned by RCF pursuant to that certain Royalty Purchase Agreement dated May 27, 2020 (the "Royalty Purchase Agreement"). If the Proposed Sale is consummated, then RCF will owe the Company a contingent purchase price payment of US$5,000,000 pursuant to the terms of the Royalty Purchase Agreement. R. Michael Jones, CEO of Los Andes, said: "We are very pleased to see the proposed sale by RCF to a company planning to complete a direct listing on the TSX-V in the near future. The Royalty Sale and future listing of a new base metal royalty company mark the growing recognition of our copper asset as a rare world class copper deposit at a time of growing interest in copper globally." Details Los Andes Copper Ltd is the 100% owner of the Vizcachitas large open pit Copper Project in Chile. If the Proposed Sale is consummated for the consideration set forth in the Definitive Agreement, then RCF will owe the Company US$5,000,000 following the closing. The Proposed Sale is subject to the successful fundraising by the purchaser of the Royalty and other closing conditions. At this time, the Company can provide no assurance that the transaction will close as planned. The Vizcachitas Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 120 kilometres north of Santiago, in an area of good infrastructure. The Company's Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "PEA"), delivered in June 2019, highlights that the Project has a post-tax NPV of $ 2.7 billion and an IRR of 26.7%, based on a $3.50 per pound copper price. It also has a Measured Resources of 254.4 million tonnes having a grade of 0.439% copper and Indicated Resource of approximately 1.03 billion tonnes having a grade of 0.385% copper. About Los Andes Copper Ltd. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to the technical report dated June 13, 2019, with an effective date of May 10, 2019 and titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Vizcachitas Project", prepared by Tetra Tech. The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Qualified Person ("QP") and Quality Control and Assurance Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Chief Geologist, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. The QP has validated the data by, supervising the sample collection process, through chain of custody records and inspecting the detailed technical data and quality control and assurance information. For more information please contact: R. Michael Jones, P.Eng., CEO rmj@losandescopper.com Tel: +44 203 4407982 BlytheRay, Financial PR Megan Ray Rachael Brooks Tel: +44 207 138 3203 E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information; including, without limitation, Spinnaker's ability to raise capital, target and attract institutional and retail investors and focus on developing and expanding the network of investors, analysts and financial intermediaries who are interested in Los Andes. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy, and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122009 US-based CubicPV will supply 1 GW of Direct Wafer silicon solar cells per year to Indian manufacturer Waaree Energies under a five-year contract. The cells will be supplied from its upcoming 2 GW factory in India.From pv magazine India "The company is in active discussions regarding the factory's location," Laureen Sanderson, chief communications officer for CubicPV, told pv magazine. "Effectively immediately, the five-year agreement - subject to certain terms and conditions and with options for renewal - establishes a commitment for an annual purchase volume of 1 GW of Direct Wafer cells from ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Appoints Matthew Moore President of Underwriting, Susanne Figueredo Cook Chief Operating Officer, Phil Hobbs President of Liberty Specialty Markets BOSTON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Mutual Insurance Global Risk Solutions (GRS) President Neeti Bhalla Johnson today announced two newly created global executive leadership positions and appointments: Matthew Moore as President of Underwriting and Susanne Figueredo Cook as Chief Operating Officer. Phil Hobbs was appointed President of Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), succeeding Moore. All positions will report to Bhalla Johnson and are effective May 2. This announcement, which comes less than a year after Bhalla Johnson'sappointment, builds on the organization's leadership team. "We're a leading global commercial and specialty carrier recognized for our values-driven brand, product and geographic breadth, and commitment to working with our clients to help solve their evolving risk needs," said Bhalla Johnson. "We've made progress in working collaboratively across our business yet acknowledge more work needs to be done to make it easier for our broker partners and clients to access the strength of our offerings. These new leadership roles, and the integrated operating model they represent, mark an inflection point in building a high-performance culture that brings global expertise to every client interaction and delivers consistent underwriting profitability." Moore, who will continue to be based in London, previously served as President of LSM -- GRS' global specialty operation -- and has over 25 years of experience in the industry, working for Liberty Mutual in roles of increasing responsibility for the past two decades. Throughout his career in the London and international (re)insurance markets, he has delivered underwriting profitability through clear strategy and strong employee engagement. In his new role, Moore will drive performance through a consistent global culture of underwriting discipline, portfolio management and product leadership. Figueredo Cook joins Liberty Mutual from Travelers Insurance, where she worked for more than 20 years in various leadership positions, including underwriting, claims and global operations. A proven leader, Figueredo Cook will optimize GRS' global operations and integrated processes, aimed to increase efficiency and value for clients and broker partners. Hobbs has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has served LSM for more than 15 years in a range of leadership roles. His previous position was Deputy Managing Director, where he was responsible for developing and implementing underwriting strategy, and prior to this he was Chief Actuary for over a decade. He is an experienced executive who has been on both internal and external market boards. Hobbs and Moore will continue to work together throughout the transition. About Liberty Mutual Insurance At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the sixth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2020 gross written premium.?We also rank 71st on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2020 revenue.?As of December 31, 2021, we had $48.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue. We employ over 45,000 people in 29 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property. For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com . Contact: mediarelations@libertymutual.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1807015/Headshots_Large_Tight_Full_Crop.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/348048/liberty_mutual_logo.jpg Beverly Hills, California--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - WinkSprout, an approved Shopify Partner, launches today as a platform that automatically matches brands to thousands of social media influencers that fit their specific product niche. During a successful beta testing phase with over 15,000 social media influencers and dozens of Shopify brands, the California-based startup found a consistent need for an automated platform like WinkSprout to reach new audiences and expand their user-generated content (UGC) efforts. "We're excited to launch WinkSprout and help brands connect with the right influencers to create UGC at scale," said WinkSprout Co-Founder Jonathan Rose. "Our platform takes the guesswork out of influencer marketing and makes it easy for brands to get their products in front of new audiences. We're proud to be an approved Shopify Partner and look forward to helping more brands grow their businesses." From product videos and images to tag descriptions, WinkSprout makes it easy for brands to directly import their content into the platform and share it with influencers. Brands can also search for influencers by location, interests, and followers to find the perfect match for their products and campaigns. "We created WinkSprout because we saw a need for a more automated and efficient way for brands to connect with influencers," said Rose. "Our platform is designed to help brands save time and money while still getting the results they need to grow their business." Influencer marketing on social media websites such as Instagram and TikTok has become one of the most effective ways for brands to reach new audiences in recent years. "The influencer marketing industry is growing rapidly, and we're excited to be at the forefront of this trend," said Rose. "We believe that WinkSprout has the potential to revolutionize the way brands connect with influencers and create UGC." To learn more about WinkSprout, visit WinkSprout's website or follow them on social media. About WinkSprout: WinkSprout is an automated platform, allowing for easy connection between Shopify merchants and content creators. Their system makes it a breeze for brands to get their products in front of new audiences via influencer marketing on social media websites, such as Instagram and TikTok - two platforms that have seen rapid growth in recent years. Shopify has featured WinkSprout as an approved partner to help brands save time and money while still getting the results they need to grow their business. Media Contact Jonathan Rose WinkSprout Co-Founder Email: Jonathan@winksprout.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/121989 Deepspatial joins the NielsenIQ Partner Network to gain access to NielsenIQ's leading consumer intelligence & data analytics resources and Fortune 500 clients to enrich its Geospatial AI solutions. NielsenIQ clients will now be able to benefit from the patented Deepspatial Geospatial AI Platform that will help businesses and organizations make better, data-driven decisions. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Deepspatial (CSE:DSAI)(OTCQB:DSAIF) ("Deepspatial" or the "Company"), an outcome-based artificial intelligence (AI) company, enabling organizations to enhance their decision-making capabilities by leveraging the power of data and AI, today announced it has joined the NielsenIQ Partner network, the industry's largest open ecosystem of technology-driven solution providers for retailers and manufacturers in the consumer packaged goods industry. NielsenIQ is the leader in providing the most complete, unbiased view of consumer behaviour, globally. Since launching in 2016, the NielsenIQ Partner Network has been instrumental in driving business value for more than 200 unique NielsenIQ clients by simplifying industry collaboration and providing more relevant and accurate results from partners that better align with the way clients measure their business. The partnership empowers its partners to gain access to Nielsen's network of Fortune 500 clients. NielsenIQ clients also benefit a great deal as they can work directly with any of the partners who specialize across a broad range of areas including demand planning, data harmonization, machine learning, AI-driven promotion, and many other features. The offering with NielsenIQ will be on a revenue share basis. "Partnering with NielsenIQ is a big step in the right direction as we can now provide our clients with even more rich and deep data insights. Furthermore, leveraging Nielsen's Fortune 500 clients and being positioned in front of them is a major opportunity for Deepspatial," said Dr. Rahul Kushwah, CEO of Deepspatial. "We believe our AI-driven solutions that help businesses and organizations make smart, data-driven decisions will be well-positioned by our relationship with NielsenIQ." "The NielsenIQ Partner Network was formed to enable innovation and we are happy to add Deepspatial to our growing list of advanced solution providers," said Hans Feenstra, Market Leader, Connect Partner Network, NielsenIQ. Through the unmatched breadth of our collaborative ecosystem of trustworthy and innovative partners, our clients are uniquely positioned to solve their biggest problems and stay ahead of a rapidly changing consumer landscape." Dr. Kushwah appeared on Proactive Media for an interview accompanying this press release: About Deepspatial Deepspatial (CSE:DSAI)(OTCQB:DSAIF) is an outcome based artificial intelligence company, enabling organizations to enhance their decision-making capabilities by leveraging the power of data and AI. From finding the most efficient supply chain routes to knowing where to develop next, Deepspatial's AI-driven platform enables its clients to visualize what's going on, predict what's coming, analyze data, and optimize processes to make smarter decisions for a better future. For more information, visit www.Deepspatial.ai and follow us on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. About NielsenIQ NielsenIQ is the industry leader in global measurement and data analytics, and the most trusted source for retail and consumer intelligence. The NielsenIQ Connected Partner Network helps consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail clients get the most value from data and allows clients to discover new. NielsenIQ, an Advent International portfolio company, has operations in nearly 100 markets, covering more than 90% of the world's population. For more information, visit www.nielseniq.com. Caution regarding Forward Looking Information: THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED NOR DOES IT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results of the Company. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or 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 Regulations under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable 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 the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein, such as, but not limited to dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; the ability to obtain intellectual property rights related to its technology; limited operating history; general business, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties, and in particular, uncertainties related to COVID-19;risks related to factors beyond the control of the company, including risks related to COVID-19; risks related to the Company's shares, including price volatility due to events that may or may not be within such party's control; reliance on management; and the emergency of additional competitors in the industry. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except required by law. For more information, please contact: Investor Relations Corey Matthews Investors@deepspatial.ai Chief Executive Officer Dr. Rahul Kushwah Rahul@deepspatial.ai SOURCE: Deepspatial View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699123/Deepspatial-Joins-the-NielsenIQ-Partner-Network-with-NielsenIQ-to-Empower-Businesses-with-AI-Driven-Insights Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Leveljump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) ("Leveljump" or the "Company"), a Canadian leader in B2B telehealth solutions, is pleased to announce today its reported financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021. All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars. Financial and Operational Highlights Revenues from Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc. ("CTS") operations hit record level with $6,719,272 in revenues for 2021. Year over Year revenue increase of $1,263,432 an increase of 23.2%. 2021 Financial Results Revenues of $1,798,993 in Q4 and $6,719,272 for the year 2021 with a net loss of $537,965 for Q4 and a net loss of $2,228,986 for the year 2021. CTS net profit of $148,673 in Q4. $508,703 for the year 2021. JUMP adjusted EBITDA of $(298,000) for Q4 and $(338,000) for the year 2021. Subsequent to the Year End Subsequent to the year end, the Company completed the following transactions in summary form; Completed private placements for gross proceeds of approximately $1.5 million. Acquired 3 IHF x-ray centers in Ontario for $4.3 million of which $3.2 million was financed by TD Canada Trust. The Company expects the centers to increase company revenues by up to $1.5 million in 2022 and add almost $400,000 to EBITDA in 2022. Increased its direct and indirect ownership in Real Time Medical Inc. to 36%. Increased its ownership in Shaw Vision Inc. and Shaw Lens Inc. to 34.6%. Management Comments "Our operating subsidiary CTS had a very strong year in 2021 with a solid net profit. We expect CTS to continue its organic growth pace in 2022 and beyond. The acquisition of the x-ray and ultrasound centers will add considerably to the bottom line at CTS." "Our negative EBITDA is primarily due to administrative costs for the parent company, stock based compensation, legal expenses and advertising and marketing, we expect that those costs will be reduced further in 2022 and with the revenue stream from our acquisitions completed as well as future acquisitions, along with the growth of CTS, profits from the operating businesses will eventually overshadow the costs of maintaining the public company," Rob Landau, CFO. "2021 was a year of record revenues from operations. The demand for telehealth solutions is increasing, said Mitch Geisler CEO. Our 2022 acquisitions of the IHF centers will ensure our 2022 revenues set another record for the Company. We plan to continue focusing on both organic growth and identifying additional acquisitions that are generating positive cash flow." Non-IFRS Financial Measures This news release contains financial terms (such as adjusted EBITDA) that are not considered in IFRS. Such financial measures, together with measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provide useful information to investors and shareholders, as management uses them to evaluate the operating performance of the Company. The Company's determination of these non-IFRS measures may differ from other reporting issuers, and therefore are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Further, these non-IFRS measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance or cash flows prepared in accordance with IFRS. These financial measures are included because management uses this information to analyze operating performance and liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA Management believes adjusted EBITDA is a useful supplemental measure to determine the Company's ability to generate cash available for working capital, capital expenditures, debt repayments, interest expense and income taxes. EBITDA refers to net income (loss) determined in accordance with IFRS, before depreciation and amortization, net interest expense (income) and income tax expense (recovery). The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA, plus stock-based compensation expense, restructuring, fair value adjustments, listing expense and transaction costs, impairment and finance income. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) is as follows: Three Months ended December 31 Year ended December 31 ($ in thousands) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) (538) (11,668) (2,228) (11,563) Add back: Depreciation and amortization 9 8 36 33 Net interest expense 42 153 69 202 Stock-based compensation 36 68 743 68 Misc and foreign exchange - 36 15 36 EBITDA (451) (11,404) (1,365) (11,224) Add back: One time transaction costs 153 546 677 546 Listing Expense - 8,750 - 8,750 Professional Fees related to Listing - 191 350 211 Royalty Buyout - 2,000 - 2,000 Adjusted EBITDA (298) 83 (338) 283 For further details on the results, please refer to Leveljump's Management, Discussion and Analysis and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, which are available on the Company's website (www.leveljumphealthcare.com) and under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). About LevelJump Healthcare Leveljump Healthcare Corp., (TSXV: JUMP) (OTCQB: JMPHF) (FSE: 75J) is building a national medical diagnostic imaging company and brand, primarily by providing teleradiology (remote radiology) services to its client hospitals and imaging centers. Additionally, JUMP plans to expand through the acquisition of independent healthcare facilities focused on diagnostic imaging as well as acquiring new disruptive imaging technologies. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LEVELJUMP HEALTHCARE CORP. Mitchell Geisler, Chief Executive Officer info@leveljumphealthcare.com (833) 840-2020 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). 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 release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122016 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Biden Administration on Wednesday sounded the alarm for the urgent need for Congress to provide funding for the nation's continued fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In March, the President laid out a comprehensive National Covid-19 Preparedness Plan to keep the country moving forward safely, by ensuring that lifesaving tools like vaccines and treatments remain free and widely available to Americans, by preparing for potential surges and new variants, and by getting more shots in arms around the world. With an uptick in cases in parts of the country, and virus has proven itself to be unpredictable, Congress must act urgently to help save more American lives and ensure the country remains prepared, the White House said in a statement. It laid out the severe consequences as follows, of Congressional inaction on approving additional Covid-19 response funding. The Administration cannot secure enough booster shots for every American, if they are needed in the fall, without funding. The Administration cannot restock the nation's supply of lifesaving treatments. The federal government will not be able to invest in next-generation treatments that have the potential to provide broader protection against future variants or to treat people who may not be able to take full advantage of current treatments. Congressional inaction will put immunocompromised individuals at greater risk. Due to lack of funding, the Government had to substantially scale back its plans to purchase additional courses of Evusheld, a preventive therapy for immunocompromised people. The Administration cannot sustain domestic testing manufacturing capacity and will be unprepared for another surge in testing demand. As Covid cases continues to rise in the United States, 89033 new cases of coronavirus infection and 800 deaths due to the disease were recorded in the country on Wednesday, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. In both the Covid metrics, these are the highest daily figures in recent months. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Istanbul, Turkey--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - BuradanBastir, which made a fast entry into the Turkish market last year as an online printing center, has expanded to the European continent under a different name. The Company, which got into this market with a more global name, defined its brand name as Fastprint24. In this new venture, they have added English alongside the Romanian and Italian language options. Thus, they have made this service more accessible for foreign students living in Italy and Romania and for all foreign occupational groups. "When we started this business in Turkey, we had a principle: 'To provide the fastest document delivery service with high-quality photocopies!' We started working to deliver documents within hours, just like an online food order. In Istanbul, where our head office is located, we can now deliver documents within 2 hours with the express cargo option. This exclusive service provided great value for our brand. Frankly speaking, we hadn't thought there would be so much demand. Apart from the students, people from many different sectors started to prefer BuradanBastir. Our brand started to grow as lawyers, architects and many other occupational groups became satisfied with our service. After these positive developments, we decided to take our brand to a more global level. By starting to offer this service in Romania and Italy, we have made our first entry into the European market." - From Founder of BuradanBastir & Fastprint24, Viktor Buchko BuradanBastir & Fastprint24 Founder To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/122012_c8d6eb4be4082849_001full.jpg BuradanBastir continues its success with Fastprint24 The headquarter of Fastprint24, a more global enterprise with a different name, is in Bucharest, Romania. The Company first created this enterprise to serve all cities of Romania. In Italy, the headquarters became the capital city of Rome. The Company, which has a wide distribution and service network, can provide this service to all mainland and islands. Procedures for Confidential Documents The Company prioritizes the confidentiality of the documents. The files uploaded for the order are automatically deleted from the system within 10 days. Or, the customer can delete these files manually from their profile immediately. As a result, important documents do not stay on the web and there is no risk of being exposed. Additional Feature of Fastprint24 Enterprise One of the important innovations brought by the Fastprint24 brand is the mobile applications created for both IOS and Android. The most important feature of these applications, which are only available in beta version in Romania for now, is that they make giving orders quite easy. Thus, it makes it possible to order simply from a mobile phone without the need for a computer. "Sometimes, people who leave the city without taking their documents with them can place an order using our mobile application. Thus, they can immediately receive their important documents no matter where they are." - From the Founder of BuradanBastir & Fastprint24, Viktor Buchko The Company, which gives importance to brand value and service quality, seems to continue with similar innovations that make life easier. Fastprint24 logo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/122012_c8d6eb4be4082849_002full.jpg Follow Fastprint24 on Facebook and Instagram Fastprint24 Application links for IOS and Android For more information please visit the website or contact us directly : Contact: Founder, Viktor Buchko BuradanBastir Website: https://buradanbastir.com/ Email: destek@buradanbastir.com Fastprint24 Website : https://fastprint24.com/ Email : info@fastprint24.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122012 CAIRO, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- World-renowned architect Adrian Smith along with his partners Gordon Gill and Robert Forest, representing their international design firm, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG Architecture), will design their first project in Egypt's New Administrative Capital (NAC) together with their partner, Magnom Properties, the newly established real estate arm of the Saudi Rawabi Holding. This was announced following a meeting of Adrian Smith with Dr Mostafa Madbouly the Prime Minister of Egypt and top Egyptian officials. He also toured various developments including the NAC, which is set to be the new administrative and financial capital of the country. AS+GG Architecture is exploring the possibility of working on additional projects in the country including the design of an upcoming project at NAC. Adrian Smith feted the scale of construction and achievements at NAC, adding that Egypt has captivated the world with its forward-thinking approach and extensive knowledge, which has left a strong impression on people across the world. He said, "We are looking forward to our partnership with Magnom Properties to develop yet another architectural marvel at NAC. The new mega projects at NAC will play a major role in shaping the future of the Capital to be more people-centric by adopting the highest standards of sustainability, underlining the need to achieve carbon neutrality as a strategic priority." As part of the tour, the team visited the site of the Iconic Tower, a skyscraper anchoring the Capital, set to be the tallest building in Africa when completed. Over the last few years, Egypt has designed and developed an urban Capital that serves the needs of the community. The development features residential neighbourhoods to educational and religious institutions and medical facilities, in addition to having the largest park in the world. The urban designs are unique in their modern outlook maintaining the rich cultural heritage of Egypt at the same time. The New Administrative Capital provides all the necessary services, hence offering a model for future cities. Today, architects such as AS+GG Architects, are more invested in the human-centric experience, and design concepts take into consideration the relationship between structures and people's needs. This will reflect in the new design by the company. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1807203/Magnom_Properties_1.jpg NOIDA, India, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Geospatial World is proud to announce the release of its annual GeoBuiz 22: Global Geospatial Industry Outlook Report. The GeoBuiz Report 2022 provides businesses and governments alike with demonstrable evidence of the broader value of unlocking geospatial capabilities and sets out key implications, suggestions, and ambitions to spearhead the shared vision of increasing the adaptability of geospatial information and technology. Some of the key highlights include: The global geospatial market is forecasted to be USD 681 billion in 2025, in 2025, The market is estimated to grow at a much faster rate post-2025, making it USD 1.44 trillion by 2030, on the backbone of strategic public policy reforms, industry acceleration strategies, and innovations in the digital twin and metaverse paradigm, by 2030, on the backbone of strategic public policy reforms, industry acceleration strategies, and innovations in the digital twin and metaverse paradigm, The current growth in the market is driven by technology innovation, integration of workflows, and augmentation of spatial analytics in business processes, Increasing government investments, strategic public policy reforms, and the evolving role of national geospatial agencies and governments is expected to drive the market growth post-2025, GNSS and Positioning is forecasted to be the largest and growing geospatial technology segment with approx. 45 percent of the total market share, followed by GIS and Spatial Analytics at approx. 25 percent and earth observation at approx. 17 percent, The economic impact of geospatial technologies on the global economy is currently estimated to be in the range of USD 2.2 trillion to 5.4 trillion, while it shall expand in the range of USD 5.4 trillion to USD 10.2 trillion in 2025. "The global geospatial industry is one of the fastest-growing industries today, and is transforming from being a product driven to a solutions driven industry, with embedment across mainstream IT and engineering technologies. By 2030, the revenues of this market is expected to be more than $1.4 trillion, owing to strategic public policy reforms, industry acceleration strategies, and innovations in the digital twin and metaverse paradigm. Geospatial World's GeoBuiz-22: Global Geospatial Industry Outlook Report extensively elaborates on futuristic technologies and business dynamics that are expected to impact the geospatial, and allied industries in the near future. The Innovation to Impact Matrix, is definitely something that would interest geospatial industry leaders as it entails information pertaining to the relative position of the major market competitors within the geospatial space", says Ms. Ananya Narain, Director - GW Consulting, Geospatial World. The GeoBuiz-22 report has been developed after a comprehensive exercise of interaction with 500 geospatial industry leaders and with quality survey respondents of over 1500+ stakeholders from the geospatial ecosystem. Download PDF Brochure of Table of Contents and Research Design The report will provide industry leaders with answers to the following questions - What is the current global market size and forecast for 2025 by technology, sub-type, application and region? What are the technology and business trends driving innovation and public policy reforms? How are business models evolving in the geospatial industry ecosystem and what is the future outlook of technology companies? How has the mergers & acquisition and partnership trends evolving in the geospatial industry? What is the current geospatial human resource map and what are the skills which are presently in demand by leading geospatial companies? What is the economic impact of geospatial technologies across industry verticals (application areas)? How are public policy reforms and industry acceleration strategies going to impact the geospatial market growth by 2030? Where do leading technology companies stand against each other in the Innovation to Impact matrix? Get the full report - GeoBuiz-22: Global Geospatial Industry Outlook Report About GeoBuiz Report The GeoBuiz-22 report brings forth the geospatial market size and forecast of geospatial technologies, and it's subsegments by technology sub-type, application, and region from 2022 to 2025 and analyses the various macroeconomic and microeconomic factors affecting the market growth. The report also brings forth a vivid picture of the human resource map and skill requirement of the geospatial industry and throws light on the potential economic impact of geospatial technologies on industry verticals in 2022 and 2025 and the probable impact of public policy reforms and accelerator strategy on the geospatial market in 2030. In addition, the report brings you the Innovation to Impact Matrix, which aims to provide technology businesses with a wide-angle view of the relative position of the major market competitor About GW Consulting GW Consulting, the market research and consulting division of Geospatial World, is a trusted market intelligence disseminator with over 10 years in research and consulting in the geospatial and allied technology domain. With advanced analysis of rich data and analysis that crosses industries and geographies, we provide impactful insights to leaders in the commercial, public and social sectors to develop and facilitate more profound knowledge and understanding of geospatial technologies and their contribution to the world economy and society. Interested in buying the GeoBuiz Report 2022? Book your copy now! Contact: Mr. Pulkit Chaudhary Product Manager GW Consulting, Geospatial World A-145, Sector 63, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201309, India Phone no: 0120 461 2500 Email: pulkit@geospatialworld.net GW Knowledge Hub: https://www.geospatialworld.net/consulting/industry-reports.html Company Website: https://www.geospatialworld.net/ CHICAGO, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Marketing Automation Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, by Component (Software, Services), Application (Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, Inbound Marketing), Deployment Type, Organization Size, Vertical and Region - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Marketing Automation Market size is expected to grow from USD 5.2 billion in 2022 to USD 9.5 billion by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.8% during the forecast period. The rising adoption of SMAC technologies, need for personalized marketing to maximize returns by reaching target audience are a few factors driving the growth of the marketing automation market. Browse in-depth TOC on "Marketing Automation Market" 247 - Tables 51 - Figures 248 - Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=155627928 Services help organizations in effective integration and implementation of marketing automation software with the existing in-house infrastructure The services segment of marketing automation is expected to have a promising future due to various integration of marketing applications. Services help organizations in building successful customer relationships by continuously supporting them through their business tenure. They also benefit the organizations by enhancing the marketing project execution and streamlining marketing operations. The growing need for integrating marketing automation with other enterprise business applications to drive the growth of marketing automation services. These services offered by vendors help users select the best marketing automation software, which is appropriate to their business needs The Cloud-based marketing automation solutions help reduce the overall costs and provide highly flexible and scalable access to solutions through the IT infrastructure hosted by the cloud service provider. The rising shift from On-premises to cloud infrastructure is propelling the demand for marketing automation solutions. This is due to various benefits of the cloud that include 24x7 data accessibility, rapid implementation, reduced setup, and operational cost, which is Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operating Expense (OPEX), less maintenance cost, scalability, and ease of use for an organization with limited IT staff and budget. The adoption of cloud deployment has risen to grow substantially over the five years, especially in SMEs, as this deployment type provides features, such as pay-per-use, scalability, and flexibility, and offers reduced installation and maintenance costs. These features are expected to increase the demand for cloud-based marketing automation for improving customers' journeys and brand initiatives. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=155627928 The growing demand for social media can increase brand awareness and rise website traffic The social media marketing application are expected to grow at higher CAGR during the forecast period. Social media automation is the process of using automated tools to improve their social media presence through content curation and scheduling social media posts in advance. Automation tools can help reduce the amount of time spent gathering posts and increase audience engagement The intensely competitive market scenario has encouraged SMEs to invest in automated solutions to achieve high business efficiency The SMEs segment is expected to experience a high adoption rate of marketing automation and its associated services. The marketing automation software makes cross-channeling content and strategies easier; saving small businesses even more time and overhead needs without compromising multi-channel reach. SMEs have been majorly dependent on manual processes to manage their resources, such as lead tracking, email marketing, and content creation, majorly due to the lack of awareness and budget constraints. The growing focus on improving customer experience is driving the demand for omnichannel retailing, which is driving the demand for marketing automation applications The retail and consumer goods vertical is expected to contribute and grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Companies are leveraging the industry-ready technology to enhance user experience and ensure customers do not switch to any of their competitors. The industry is expanding through online marketing and looking forward to having more visitors, achieving improved quality traffic, and increasing conversion rates. Thus, marketers are focusing on targeting customers using different online channels and sources to reach out and convert prospects to improve sales. Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=155627928 North America to dominate the marketing automation market in 2022 North America is one of the most technologically advanced regions in the world. The adoption of the marketing automation solution is expected to be the highest in North America compared to other regions. This is because of the rising expenditure of companies on digital solutions and advanced technologies for automating the marketing tasks, such as product selling, advertising, and product campaigns. The North American marketing automation software market is highly competitive and consists of several major players such as Oracle, Adobe, and IBM, these companies are leveraging strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and profitability Key Players: The major Players for Marketing Automation Market includes Adobe (US), IBM (US), Oracle (US), Salesforce (US), Microsoft (US), HubSpot (US), Keap (US), Thryv (US), Sendinblue (France), Teradata (US), Act-On Software (US), ActiveCampaign(US), SAS (US), GetResponse (Poland), SharpSpring (US), ClickDimensions (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Digital Process Automation Market by Component, Business Function (Sales Process Automation, Supply Chain Automation, Claims Automation, and Marketing Automation), Deployment Type, Organization Size, Industry Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023 Digital Marketing Software Market by Component, Software (CRM Software, Email Marketing Software, and Social Media Advertising), Service, Deployment Type, Organization Size, Industry Vertical, and Region - Forecast to 2022 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/marketing-automation-software-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/marketing-automation-software.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg The following resolutions have been adopted at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Panevezio statybos trestas AB held on 28 April 2022: 1. The conclusions of the audit regarding the Financial Statements and Annual Report of the Company for the year 2021 . Information heard. 1. The Annual Report of the Company for the year 2021 . Information heard. 1. Approval of the set of Financial Statements of the Company for the year 2021. To approve the set of the Consolidated and Company's Financial Statements of Panevezio statybos trestas AB for the year 2021, which has been prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union and submitted together with the independent auditor's opinion. 1. Appropriation of profit (loss) of the Company . The following appropriation of profit (loss) of Panevezio statybos trestas AB has been approved: Amount (Euros) Unappropriated profit (loss) of the previous financial year at the end 15,349,2 of the accounting financial year 68 Dividends paid - Net profit (loss) of the accounting financial year 303,350 Profit (loss) of the accounting financial year unrecognized in profit 132,273 (loss) statement Transfers from reserves - Contributions of shareholders to cover the loss of the Company (in - case of the shareholders' decision to cover all or a part of loss) Total profit (loss) available for appropriation 15,784,8 91 a part of profit to the legal reserve - a part of profit to the reserve for the acquisition of own shares - a part of profit to other reserve - a part of profit for dividend paying - a part of profit for bonuses (tantiemes) for the members of the Board - and Supervisory Board, premium pays for employees and other purposes Unappropriated profit (loss) at the end of the accounting financial 15,784,8 year transferred to the next financial year 91 1. Election of the members to the audit committee. The following members have been elected to the audit committee: -- Drasutis Liatukas (as an independent member); -- Irena Kriauciuniene (as an independent member); -- Lina Rageliene. Egidijus Urbonas Managing Director Panevezio statybos trestas AB Information Phone: (+370 45) 505 503 Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=1064119 BMO Commercial Property Trust Ltd - Notice of AGM BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited (a closed-ended investment companyincorporated in Guernsey with registration number 50402) LEI Number: 213800A2B1H4ULF3K397 (The "Company") 28 April 2022 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of BMO Global Assets Management, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London. EC2A 2NY on 27 May 2022 at 2pm. The Notice of AGM together with the Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2021 has been posted to shareholders. In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.3, the Notice of Annual General Meeting, proxy form and accounts have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism Enquiries: Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited The Company Secretary Trafalgar Court Les Banques St Peter Port Guernsey GY1 3QL Tel: 01481 745001 END 28 April 2022 Update on 2022 Exchange Facility Third Point Investors Limited ("TPIL" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the final results of its 2022 exchange facility (the "Exchange Facility"), whereby eligible investors had the opportunity to elect to convert ordinary shares of TPIL ("TPIL Shares") into shares of Third Point's flagship Cayman Fund ("Master Fund Shares") at a 2 per cent. discount to NAV per TPIL Share. Based on the final NAV per TPIL share of $28.06 as at 31 March 2022, approximately 44% of the TPIL Shares that were subject to valid exchange requests have been exchanged into Master Fund Shares. As such, the final number of TPIL Shares exchanged was 2,672,838. The Company's registrar had previously returned from escrow approximately 50% of TPIL Shares to validly electing shareholders, and will as soon as is practicable return the remaining 6%. - Ends - Press Enquiries Third Point Elissa Doyle, Chief Communications Officer and Head of ESG Engagement edoyle@thirdpoint.com Tel: +1 212-715-4907 Buchanan PR Charles Ryland charlesr@buchanan.uk.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5107 Henry Wilson henryw@buchanan.uk.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5111 Notes to Editors About Third Point Investors Limited www.thirdpointlimited.com Third Point Investors Limited (LSE: TPOU) was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2007 and is a feeder fund that invests in the Third Point Offshore Fund (the Master Fund), offering investors a unique opportunity to gain direct exposure to founder Daniel S. Loeb's investment strategy. The Master Fund employs an event-driven, opportunistic strategy to invest globally across the capital structure and in diversified asset classes to optimize risk-reward through a market cycle. TPIL's portfolio is 100% aligned with the Master Fund, which is Third Point's largest investment strategy. TPIL's assets under management are currently $900 million. About Third Point LLC Third Point LLC is an institutional investment manager that actively engages with companies across their lifecycle, using dynamic asset allocation and an ethos of continuous learning to drive long-term shareholder return. Led by Daniel S. Loeb since its inception in 1995, the Firm has a 36-person investment team, a robust quantitative data and analytics team, and a deep, tenured business team. As of 31 March 2022, Third Point manages approximately $16.0 billion in assets for sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, corporate & public pensions, high-net-worth individuals, and employees. First-quarter 2022 consolidated revenue Paris-La Defense, 28 April 2022,5.35 p.m. (CEST) - Assystem S.A. (ISIN: FR0000074148 - ASY), a major player in engineering, today released its revenue figures for the three months ended 31 March 2022 (first-quarter 2022). First-quarter 2022 consolidated revenue and year-on-year changes (unaudited) In millions Q1 2021 reported Q1 2021 restated(1) Q1 2022 Total year-on-year change Like-for-like year-on-year change(2) Group 127.9 118.3 129.1 +9.2% +2.3% Nuclear 81.8 81.8 87.7 +7.2% +6.3% ET&I(3) 46.1 36.5 41.4 +13.6% -6.6% (1)On 1 January 2022, Assystem sold its life sciences and general industry technical assistance activities to Expleo Group. Revenue figures forQ1 2021 have therefore been restated to enable meaningful year-on-year comparisons. (2)Based on a comparable scope of consolidation and constant exchange rates. (3)Including Staffing revenue of 9.7m in Q1 2021and 8.9m in Q1 2022. Assystem's consolidated revenue totalled 129.1 million in the first quarter of 2022, up 9.2% on the restated figure for the first three months of 2021. The year-on-year increase breaks down as 2.3% in like-for-like growth, a positive 6.1% impact from changes in the scope of consolidation (due to the consolidation of the India-based company STUP as from 1 July 2021 and the UK company Schofield Lothian as from 1 October 2021), and a 0.8% favourable currency effect. NUCLEAR (67.9% of consolidated revenue) Revenue from Nuclear activities totalled 87.7 million versus 81.8 million in the first quarter of 2021. This 7.2% year-on-year increase includes 6.3% like-for-like growth and a positive 0.9% currency effect. Growth continued to be led by operations in France and the United Kingdom. ENERGY TRANSITION & INFRASTRUCTURES (ET&I) ET&I revenue came to 41.4 million in the first quarter of 2022.Total year-on-year growth was 13.6%, breaking down as a 6.6% like-for-like decrease, a positive 19.8% impact from changes in the scope of consolidation (STUP and Schofield Lothian), and a 0.4% favourable currency effect. The like-for-like decrease was due to the timing of the ends of contracts (in 2021) and the ramp-up (in 2022) of a number of projects with high revenue streams for ET&I. Therefore, the like-for-like change in revenue for 2022 as a whole should not in any way be extrapolated from first-quarter data. DIVIDEND FOR 2021 At the Annual General Meeting to be held on 3 June 2022, Assystem will recommend the payment of a dividend of 1.00 per share. If the shareholders approve this dividend, it will be paid on 8 July 2022, with an ex-dividend date of 7 July. 2022 FINANCIAL CALENDAR 3 June: Annual General Meeting (9.30 a.m.) 8 July: 2021 dividend payment date (record date: 7 July) 28 July: First-half 2022 revenue release 14 September: First-half 2022 results release - Presentation meeting on 15 September at 8.30 a.m. (CEST) 27 October: Third-quarter 2022 revenue release ABOUT ASSYSTEM As one of the world's leading independent nuclear engineering companies, Assystem's main mission is to help accelerate energy transition. In the Group's 13 countries of operation, the skills of more than 6,000 Assystem experts are being put to the service of developing the production and use of carbon-free electricity (nuclear and renewables) as well as green hydrogen. With over 50 years' experience in highly regulated sectors subject to stringent safety and security constraints, the Group provides engineering and digital services and solutions to optimise the cost and performance of its clients' complex infrastructure assets throughout their life cycles. To find out more visit www.assystem.com / Follow Assystem on Twitter: @Assystem Philippe Chevallier CFO & Deputy CEO Tel.: +33 (0)1 41 25 28 07 Anne-Charlotte Dagorn Communications Director acdagorn@assystem.com (mailto:acdagorn@assystem.com) Tel.: +33 (0)6 83 03 70 29 Agnes Villeret Investor relations - Komodo agnes.villeret@agence-komodo.com Tel.: +33 (0)6 83 28 04 15 Attachment Regulatory News: Mercialys (Paris:MERY): During its meeting on April 28, 2022 following the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors was informed that the company La Forezienne de Participations, a non-independent director, represented by Mr David Lubek, was resigning from its position as a director. This resignation took effect following this Board meeting. This resignation and that of Mr Michel Savart, submitted on April 26, 2022, follow the Casino group's divestment of its remaining interest in Mercialys' capital, as announced on April 4, 2022. Mr Jacques Dumas, a non-independent director, will continue in his office. As Mr Dumas has retired from the Casino group, Mercialys' Board of Directors will be able to continue to benefit from his expertise, particularly regarding legal, financial and real estate aspects. The Board of Directors praised the work accomplished by the Casino group's representatives since Mercialys' initial public offering in 2005, as well as the quality of the dialogue established within its governance structures over the past 17 years, helping develop the Company's economic performance, in line with governance best practices. The Company's Board of Directors, through the work of the Appointments, Compensation and Governance Committee, will recruit directors making it possible to ensure its governance's continued alignment with the best standards, and will notably continue working towards gender parity. Lastly, as the General Meeting on April 28, 2022 voted to approve the renewal of Mr Eric Le Gentil's term of office as a director, he was reappointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors for three years. The terms of office of Mr Vincent Ravat as Chief Executive Officer and Ms Elizabeth Blaise as Deputy Chief Executive Officer were also renewed for the same period. This press release is available on www.mercialys.com. About Mercialys Mercialys is one of France's leading real estate companies. It is specialized in the holding, management and transformation of retail spaces, anticipating consumer trends, on its own behalf and for third parties. At December 31, 2021, Mercialys had a real estate portfolio valued at Euro 3.1 billion (including transfer taxes). Its portfolio of 2,134 leases represents an annualized rental base of Euro 168.8 million. Mercialys has been listed on the stock market since October 12, 2005 (ticker: MERY) and has "SIIC" real estate investment trust (REIT) tax status. Part of the SBF 120 and Euronext Paris Compartment B, it had 93,886,501 shares outstanding at December 31, 2021. IMPORTANT INFORMATION This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding future events, trends, projects or targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to identified and unidentified risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to Mercialys' Universal Registration Document available at www.mercialys.com for the year ended December 31, 2021 for more details regarding certain factors, risks and uncertainties that could affect Mercialys' business. Mercialys makes no undertaking in any form to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, nor to report new information, new future events or any other circumstances that might cause these statements to be revised. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005773/en/ Contacts: Analyst and investor contact Luce-Marie de Fontaines Tel: +33 (0)1 82 82 75 63 Email: ldefontaines@mercialys.com TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden will visit South Korea and Japan to further deepen the United States' ties with the governments, economies, and people of the two allied Asian countries. This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administration's rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to U.S. treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on the President's Travel plan. The Presidential visit, scheduled for May 20 to May 24, will build on more than a year of Washington's intensive diplomacy with the Indo-Pacific. Biden is hosting the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit on May 12-13 in Washington, D.C. In South Korea, President Biden will hold bilateral meeting with his newly elected counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol. While in Japan, Biden will meet Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. 'The leaders will discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties, and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results,' Psaki said. In Tokyo, President Biden will also meet with the leaders of the Quad grouping of Australia, Japan, India, and the United States. 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. Improved net result and US operations profitable Strengthened investments for innovation Cash runway over 24 months Back to growth in 1Q22 Regulatory News: SpineGuard (FR0011464452 ALSGD) (Paris:ALSGD), an innovative company that deploys its DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) sensing technology to secure and streamline the placement of bone implants, announced today its full-year 2021 financial results, as approved by the Board of Directors on April 28, 2022 and its first quarter 2022 sales. thousands IFRS audited 2021 2020 Revenue 4 405 4 852 Gross Margin 3 606 4 036 Gross margin (% of revenue) 81,9 % 83,2% Sales, distribution marketing 2 660 2 578 Administrative costs 1 394 1 740 Research Development 791 680 Operating profit (loss) -1 239 -961 Non-recurring operating costs -110 -875 Financial Result -299 -844 Income Tax -76 -37 Net profit (loss) -1 725 -2 716 EBITDA -1 063 -1 284 Pierre Jerome, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of SpineGuard, said: "In 2021, we considerably strengthened the company financially while significantly advancing our innovation pipeline and putting in place the necessary means to boost the commercial dynamic in the United States. We are now back to growth in this first quarter of 2022 despite the impact of the Omicron variant on elective surgery's activity in January and February. This first quarter is already proving particularly fruitful for SpineGuard with consecutively the signing of a very promising partnership with WishBone Medical in pediatric orthopedics, the 19th clinical publication on our DSG technology, our first patent in robotics and the clearance by the FDA for the commercial release of the Threaded PediGuard in anterior approach spine surgery. Three of these four great achievements directly concern the US market, the largest and most strategic for SpineGuard." Net operating result under control and increased investments for innovation The Company increased its investments for innovation and strengthened its commercial activity in the United States while maintaining strict discipline on expenses. The Net Loss was reduced to -1,725K vs. -2,716K in 2020. Gross margin decreased by 130 bps at 81.9% vs. 83.2% mainly due to the lower percentage of sales made in the United States where sales prices are higher than in the rest of the world. Sales prices remained stable in the United States while they increased in the rest of the world due to a significantly different country mix compared to 2020. Operating expenses decreased by 3.1% or 153K reflecting a rigorous control of operational expenses over the year in the still impacting context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Non-recurring operating costs are mainly related to the French "sauvegarde" and US Chapter 11 proceedings at 110K vs. 875K in 2020. Working capital requirements were -133K vs. -176K in 2020. Financial expenses were -299K mainly corresponding to the interest charges of the venture loan with Norgine Venture, Harbert European Growth Capital and Bpifrance. There are 44K of forex rate gains and 179K of non-cash financial expenses, which have no impact on the cash and are related to the compliance with IFRS accounting principles on financing instruments. Cash runway extended over 24 months At December 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents were 5.2M, plus the secured 5.0M of convertible warrants (BSAR) secured with Nice Green. As of March 31, 2022, cash and cash equivalents were 4.3M. With the balance of the equity line of 5.0M, SpineGuard's cash runway stands at over 24 months. In addition, should 100% of the Warrants be exercised, the free allocation of Redeemable Warrants set up in June 2021 may generate gross proceeds of 5,370K and would extend by 24 month the cash runway. Significant R&D advances Robotic application: In 2021, the collaborative work with the ISIR of Sorbonne University made solid progress with the implementation of a new platform of experimental equipment including a medical grade robotic arm, a programmable drilling set, as well as various equipment. This enabled specific 3rd generation programming for the automated detection of bone breaches and the performance of a large-scale in-vitro study which produced outstanding results: 100% success in 104 drillings with a submillimeter precision. In parallel, the Company took steps for its IP protection. The European collaboration project Faros (Functional Accurate RObotic Surgery) continued, with tangible results expected in 2022, which will reinforce the value proposition of the DSG technology and bring differentiation to orthopedic robots. Robotic DSG application to a smart drill: The company started in 2021 the development of a universal solution called "SUD" (Smart Universal Drill), aiming at enhancing orthopedic power drills currently used in hospitals. This device integrating the fruits of the robotic DSG program will allow for the detection of an impending bone breach to automatically stop the drilling thus preventing neurologic or vascular complications. It will be universal in the field of orthopedic surgery, in spine and beyond, because it will adapt to any drill in the market and to any surgical technique used by the surgeon: manual, navigated, or guided by a robotic arm. Connectivity and signal visualization: The new generation of PediGuard "DSG Connect" products includes a Bluetooth-like transmitter as well as data visualization and processing software on a dedicated tablet. This new platform aims to facilitate the interpretation of the DSG signal by surgeons and to allow them to record data for follow-up and research purposes for the measurement of bone quality. Over a hundred surgeries were performed as part of the pre-launch in Europe, the United States and Brazil despite the constraints of the pandemic. The extremely encouraging feedback from the first users should allow a full commercial launch during the NASS (North American Spine Society) and the Eurospine in October of this year. Bone Quality Measurement (BQM): In 2021, Sorbonne University finalized the collection of DSG data from the surgeries performed at the Trousseau Hospital of Paris to feed the algorithms of our robotics program and measure bone quality. Dental implantology worldwide license and collaboration with ConfiDent ABC, a subsidiary of Adin Group: The partnership with ConfiDent ABC (Adin Group) within the framework of the exclusive worldwide license agreement for DSG technology for dental implantology continues with the objective to launch a disruptive product in this field. Strengthening of intellectual property: In 2021, the Company consolidated and extended its international patent portfolio with the following highlights: Obtention of the "Real Time" patent in Japan and the United States after the 2020 granting in China. These patents extend the protection of DSG technology until 2035 in geographies representing major markets in the sector, Multiple applications were filed in the field of robotics and dental, A total of 80 patents and applications, in 17 families as of today. End of the French 'sauvegarde' and US Chapter 11 proceedings On March 24, 2021, the Commercial Court of Creteil ended the voluntary French 'sauvegarde' proceeding engaged by the Company. The U.S. court of Delaware did the same on August 24, 2021. The company is now executing the agreed plans. 2022 First quarter revenue Global revenue in the first quarter of 2022 was 1,131K vs. 1,049K in Q1 2021 a 7.9% increase as reported in a context significantly impacted by the Omicron variant peaks of infection in January and February which forced many hospitals to defer elective surgeries particularly in the US and in Europe due to staff shortages and in order to face the new influx of Covid-19 patients. SpineGuard sold 1,361 DSG units in the first quarter of 2022 vs. 1,360 units in Q1 2021 of which 569 units in the USA vs. 558 in 2021. US revenue increased by 6% as reported (-2% cc) at 739K vs. 700K. Outside the USA, the positive dynamics initiated in the second half of 2020 continued, and revenue grew by 13% at 392K vs. 348K in the first quarter of 2021. This is the sixth consecutive quarter with double digit growth OUS. 2022 Perspectives SpineGuard is focusing on the following priorities while investing selectively to remain close to breakeven: Boost commercial activities with the launch of the DSG-Connect visual interface and the partnership with WishBone Medical Deploy the DSG digital technology in the surgical robotic field Develop a Smart Universal Drill (SUD) embedding the DSG AI Support ConfiDent with the design and scale-up of the DSG dental applications Sign new strategic partnerships Next events: General Meeting on June 8, 2022 2022 half-year revenue on July 12, 2022 About SpineGuard Founded in 2009 in France and the USA by Pierre Jerome and Stephane Bette, SpineGuard is an innovative company deploying its proprietary radiation-free real time sensing technology DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) to secure and streamline the placement of implants in the skeleton. SpineGuard designs, develops and markets medical devices that have been used in over 85,000 surgical procedures worldwide. Nineteen studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated the multiple benefits DSG offers to patients, surgeons, surgical staff and hospitals. Building on these strong fundamentals and several strategic partnerships, SpineGuard has expanded the scope of its DSG technology in innovative applications such as the smart pedicle screw, the DSG Connect visualization and registration interface, dental implantology and surgical robotics. DSG was co-invented by Maurice Bourlion, Ph.D., Ciaran Bolger, M.D., Ph.D., and Alain Vanquaethem, Biomedical Engineer. SpineGuard has engaged in multiple ESG initiatives. For further information, visit www.spineguard.com Disclaimer: The SpineGuard securities may not be offered or sold in the United States as they have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any United States state securities laws, and SpineGuard does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. This is an announcement and not a prospectus, and the information contained herein does and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or exemption from registration. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005705/en/ Contacts: SpineGuard Pierre Jerome CEO Chairman Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 p.jerome@spineguard.com SpineGuard Manuel Lanfossi CFO Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 m.lanfossi@spineguard.com NewCap Investor Relations Financial Communication Mathilde Bohin Pierre Laurent Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94 spineguard@newcap.eu The Swedish Medical Products Agency (SMPA) has given its approval to treat a compassionate case of osteoarticular infection of a prosthetic joint with the Company's anti-S. aureus phages Regulatory News: Pherecydes Pharma (FR0011651694 ALPHE) (Paris:ALPHE), a biotechnology company specializing in precision phage therapy to treat resistant and/or complicated bacterial infections, today announces the first international approval of a compassionate treatment with its phages, in Sweden. The Swedish Medical Products Agency (SMPA) has given its approval to treat a case of osteoarticular infection of a prosthetic joint with Pherecydes Pharma's anti-S. aureus phages. The treatment should be administered to the patient at Uppsala hospital in the coming days. With the compassionate treatments continuing to be provided in France, Pherecydes Pharma is thus taking the number of patients treated to date to beyond 50. Guy-Charles Fanneau de La Horie, Chairman of the Executive Board of Pherecydes Pharma, stated: "This first international approval for compassionate use with our phages is a major step for Pherecydes Pharma's development. Firstly, it is further proof of the growing global awareness of the health emergency caused by resistant bacterial infections. Indeed, countries' health organizations are closely monitoring this global health issue and are particularly receptive to innovations that provide a therapeutic response. This approval from the SMPA is also recognition of our phages' pharmaceutical quality, one of the criteria scrupulously followed by all health agencies. This decision also confirms that Pherecydes Pharma enjoys a growing international reputation and underscores our strategic approach focusing on compassionate treatment as the first step in positioning our phages prior to their European marketing authorization About Pherecydes Pharma Founded in 2006, Pherecydes Pharma is a biotechnology company that develops treatments against resistant bacterial infections, responsible for many serious infections. The Company has developed an innovative approach, precision phage therapy, based on the use of phages, natural bacteria-killing viruses. Pherecydes Pharma is developing a portfolio of phages targeting 3 of the most resistant and dangerous bacteria, which alone account for more than two thirds of hospital-acquired resistant infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The concept of precision phage therapy has been successfully applied in several dozen patients in the context of compassionate use, under the supervision of the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). Headquartered in Nantes, Pherecydes Pharma has a team of around twenty experts from the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology sector and academic research. For more information, www.pherecydes-pharma.com Disclaimer This press release contains non-factual elements, including, but not limited to, certain statements regarding future results and other future events. These statements are based on the current vision and assumptions of the management of the Company. They incorporate known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could result in significant differences in results, profitability and expected events. In addition, Pherecydes Pharma, its shareholders and its affiliates, directors, officers, counsels and employees have not verified the accuracy of, and make no representations or warranties about, statistical information or forecast information contained within this news release and that originates or is derived from third party sources or industry publications; these statistical data and forecast information are only used in this press release for information purposes. Finally, this press release may be drafted in French and in English. In the event of differences between the two texts, the French version will prevail. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428005817/en/ Contacts: Pherecydes Pharma Guy-Charles Fanneau de La Horie Chairman of the Executive Board investors@pherecydes-pharma.com NewCap Dusan Oresansky Olivier Bricaud Investor Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 94 92 NewCap Arthur Rouille Media Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 00 15 PRESS RELEASE Amsterdam, 28 April 2022 JDE Peet's (EURONEXT: JDEP), the world's leading pure-play coffee and tea company by revenue, today announced that, following the decision of Mr. Gerhard Pleuhs to step down from JDE Peet's' Board of Directors (the Board) at the closing of the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 11 May 2022, the Board proposes the appointment of Mr. Jeroen Katgert as non-executive member of the Board. The appointment of Jeroen Katgert is subject to the approval by the general meeting which will be tabled on the agenda of the first general meeting following the 2022 AGM. Until then, Jeroen will temporarily fill-in the vacancy on the Board as a stand-in non-executive member of the Board from 11 May 2022 until the aforementioned anticipated approval. The Board wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to Gerhard Pleuhs for his valuable contribution to the company over the years that he has been actively involved in the continued growth and success of the company. Mr. Jeroen Katgert (1968), Dutch, has been the Senior Vice President Finance, Mondelez Europe since May 2018. Jeroen joined Mondelez Europe in 2008 and held various leadership positions at Mondelez, including Vice President Commercial and FP&A, Vice President Finance Coffee Europe and Vice President Finance "Project One Europe". Prior to joining Mondelez, he spent 16 years at Unilever in a variety of roles, including Vice President Finance Unilever, Supply Chain Europe and Finance Director M&A and Treasury. # # # Enquiries Robin Jansen +31 20 55 81212 IR@JDEPeets.com About JDE Peet's JDE Peet's is the world's leading pure-play coffee and tea company, serving approximately 4,500 cups of coffee or tea per second. JDE Peet's unleashes the possibilities of coffee and tea in more than 100 markets, with a portfolio of over 50 brands including L'OR, Peet's, Jacobs, Senseo, Tassimo, Douwe Egberts, OldTown, Super, Pickwick and Moccona. In 2021, JDE Peet's generated total sales of EUR 7 billion and employed a global workforce of more than 19,000 employees. Read more about our journey towards a coffee and tea for every cup at www.jdepeets.com. Attachment H1 2021/2022 RESULTS COMMERCIAL SUCCESS AND INVESTMENTS IN THE GROUP'S DEVELOPMENT Continued strong growth momentum: Hydrogen Stations revenue up 183%; EBITDA loss close to breakeven at 0.7m thanks to tight control of expenses and strong operating performance amid team structuring and strong growth; Net cash position at 41m (excluding IFRS 16); Current order backlog in stations of 70m, multipled by 4 from 17.3m last year; Commercial pipeline of 249m at the prospecting, selection or final negotiation stage; Confirmation of full-year target of doubling Hydrogen Stations revenue. Grenoble, April 28, 2022 - HRS , a European designer and manufacturer of hydrogen refueling stations, presents its interim results for the 2021/2022 financial year[1] (from July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021), approved by the Board of Directors on April 28, 2022. Hassen Rachedi, founding Chairman & CEO said: "These half-year results for 2021/2022 once again demonstrate our ability to combine strong growth and control of our operating performance. Our sales momentum accelerated significantly in the first half. We are addressing large-scale projects at the core of the green hydrogen revolution. We have signed contracts for the supply of 45 stations, including the first of the large-capacity stations for Hype. As a result, our order backlog has quadrupled since the same time last year to over 70 million. The needs in respect of hydrogen mobility are mounting significantly, which is why we have also established defining commercial partnerships that will enable us to benefit from growth drivers. One of them is our collaboration with Haffner Energy, where our stations are embedded in a joint offer combining green hydrogen infrastructure, production and distribution. We will step up the pace further over the coming years with large-capacity stations capable of delivering 1 or more tonnes of hydrogen a day. Manufactured in our future industrial site, these stations,which are the most advanced on the market, will enable us to further consolidate our position as sector leader in France and one of the largest manufacturers in Europe. Our achievements underpin our confidence in the continuation of our development plan over the short and medium term." 000 H1 2020/2021 H1 2021/2022 Change Revenue 2,790 4,591 +1,801 Operating expenses[2] -2,473 -5,268 -2,795 Purchases consumed -976 -2,476 -1,500 Personnel expenses -845 -1,877 -1,032 External expenses -625 -878 -253 EBITDA[3] 317 -677 -994 EBIT (before non-recurring items) 4 -1,027 -1,031 Financial income/(expense) 35 -17 -52 Taxes 5 242 +237 Net income/(loss) 45 -794 -839 CONTINUED COMMERCIAL SUCCESS, OPERATING PERFORMANCE UNDER CONTROL The first half of this financial year 2021/2022 saw a major upswing for HRS, as illustrated by the sharp ramp-up in business development. Over the period, HRS was selected to supply 45 new-generation hydrogen stations: 36 for Gaussin, a pioneer in clean and smart freight transport (see press release); 8 stations including 6 one-tonne stations for Hype, operator of the first hydrogen taxi fleet (see press release), with potential for up to 55 additional stations over the coming years; 1 station, after the interim closing date, for Hopium, France's leading manufacturer of high-end hydrogen-powered sedans, which has ordered a 200 kg/day dual-pressure transportable hydrogen refueling station for its testing and development facility (see press release). HRS has started building the first stations under these contracts, which contributed 2.7 million to first-half revenue. Together with the 1.1 million generated from the construction of stations ordered the previous financial year, first-half revenue from Hydrogen Stations totaled 3.8 million, representing stellar growth of 183%. Meanwhile, the legacy Industrial Piping business generated 0.7 million revenue. Total first half revenue amounted to 4.6 million, up 64%. This strong increase in business was accompanied by consummate control of operating expenses, despite extensive hiring to support the Group's expansion. As such, operating expenses amounted to 5.3 million, including 2.5 million in purchases, mainly comprising hydrogen station components, 1.9 million in personnel expenses (up 1.0 million), mainly due to the hiring of 42 new employees in less than a year, including 18 from recently acquired AEI, and external expenses of 1.0 million representing a limited increase of 0.4 million. As a result, the Group recorded an EBITDA loss of 0.7 million for the period, close to breakeven. After net depreciation, amortization and provisions of 0.3 million, the Group posted an EBIT loss of 1.0 million before non-recurring items. After tax income of 0.2 million and a small amount of net financial income, the Group posted a net loss of 0.8 million for the first half of 2021/2022 representing a limited decline of 0.8 million year on year. SOUND FINANCIAL STRUCTURE AND TARGETED STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS 000 6/30/2021 12/31/2021 6/30/2021 12/31/2021 Non-current assets 5,547 18,537 67,905 68,297 Shareholders' equity Current assets 71,226 58,291 2,771 2,936 Non-current liabilities Inventory 533 2,345 1,178 1,293 Loans and borrowings (> 1 year) Trade payables 9,331 10,877 6,096 5,595 Current liabilities Cash and cash equivalents 58,440 42,701 434 386 Loans and borrowings (< 1 year) TOTAL ASSETS 76,773 76,828 76,773 76,828 TOTAL EQUITY & LIABILITIES Operating cash flow for the six months ended December 31, 2021 amounted to a 3.9 million outflow, comprising a gross operating cash outflow of 0.5 million after net cost of debt and tax and a 3.2 million increase in working capital caused by first half business growth, the manufacture of hydrogen stations for delivery and the constitution of inventories of stations and key components in view of the expected increase in orders in the second half of 2021/2022. Meanwhile, cash flow from investing activities amounted to an 11.6 million outflow mainly arising from the 7,0 million subscription to a Gaussin capital increase on September 30, 2021, 0.4 million of R&D expenditure and the development of industrial facilities (3.9 million), of which 3.2 million for the new production and research facility. Cash flow from financing activities amounted to a 0.4 million outflow mainly comprising loan repayments over the period. Accordingly, the Gruoup was in a cash position with gross cash and cash equivalents of 42.7 million as of December 31, 2021, compared to 58 million as of June 30, 2021, and gross borrowings of 1.7 million excluding lease liabilities. Furthermore, HRS is currently awaiting a response for two grants, destined to support investment in the new facility. In addition, out of the 1,129,032 Gaussin shares subscribed in September 2021 at a unit price of 6.2, HRS sold, after the 31th Decembre 2021, 597,200 shares on the date of the press release for a total amount of 4,0 million, at an average price of 6.71, i.e. 0.52 per share more than the price at which they were subscribed. After the closing date, Bpifrance increased its support for HRS's bold development plans by granting three loans (green loan, R&D loan and innovation loan) for a total amount of 3.0 million. In January 2022, to give all employees a stake in the Group's development plan and to reward performance, the Board of Directors decided to implement a plan involving the grant of 23,400 bonus shares to employees. The shares will vest after one year and will then be subject to an additional one-year lock-in period. 2021-2025 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLAN WELL UNDERWAY The new partnerships signed with Hype and Gaussin are fully in line with HRS's bold development plan to build 100 stations over the 2021-2025 period. As a result, less than a year after its IPO, the Group has already signed contracts for stations to be deployed or already deployed covering nearly half of this target. The Group can also rely on growth drivers through strategic distribution partnerships. The agreement with Haffner Energy is an illustration. It is aimed at establishing a comprehensive green H 2 production/distribution product that will allow the partners to offer joint mobility solutions, including the production of Hynoca, Haffner Energy's green hydrogen, and HRS stations. Order intake since the beginning of the financial year amounts to 71.4 million, bringing the total order intake since the February 2021 HRS' IPO to 82.2 million. Thus, after deducting the revenue already recognized in 2020/2021 and H1 2021/2022, the order book stands at 70.1 million as of April 28, 2022; the corresponding revenue will be recognized between 2022 and 2026. The order book is expected to grow further over the coming weeks. The pipeline of identified projects has increased sharply since the start of the financial year (up 137%), reaching 249 million in potential orders compared to 124 million as of July 1, 2021. In detail, the pipeline comprises: several stations at the final negotiation or selection stage in calls for tenders representing potential revenue of 48 million (up 134% since the start of the financial year), with deliveries staggered over the 2022-2025?period. Some of these deals with key accounts have now reached the final stages and are expected to be closed soon; calls for projects answered by HRS for additional stations to be delivered between 2022 and 2027, representing potential revenue of over 202 million (up 110% since the start of the financial year). CONFIDENCE IN ACHIEVING FY 2021/2022 AND MEDIUM-TERM TARGETS Based on its strong order backlog and rapid accumulation of new projects, HRS is confirming its goal of doubling Hydrogen Stations revenue by June 30, 2022. This objective is based on progress with building stations currently at the assembly stage and the start of construction work on new stations before the end of the financial year, notably through new orders. Besides the order backlog, HRS can count on the strength of current partnerships, particularly Hype, new partners' sales networks, including those of Haffner Energy and Burckhardt Compression in Switzerland, and the finalization of the partnership with Engie covering around 15 projects. The Group is pursuing its business plan aimed at turning it into a European leader in the design and construction of hydrogen refueling stations, with a focus on heavy transport and captive fleets. Management is accordingly pursuing its industrial and commercial deployment plan, particularly in the following areas: development of large-capacity stations.. To that end, in March 2022 HRS signed a partnership with Burckhardt Compression for the joint development of compressors potentially intended for stations with a capacity of over one tonne per day (see press release ) ; the construction of its new production and research facility at Champagnier, near Grenoble. This unique facility, which will make it possible to respond to the significant step-up in demand by increasing production capacity to 180 stations a year, will boast a testing area unrivaled in Europe as well as a wide range of hydrogen equipment and devices. As announced, work began in late 2021, with delivery of the production center and laboratories scheduled for October 2022 followed by the offices in February 2023; HRS has accelerated the structuring of its teams since July 1, 2021 by hiring 24 additional employees, including operating chain managers, a Technical and R&D Director, a Chief Operating Officer, and several specialist engineers in thermodynamics and commissioning. Two new sales representatives, one for Italy and another for Spain and Portugal, have also been hired to expand HRS's area of influence. HRS has 79 employees at December 31, 2021; active participation in key organizations working towards the mass deployment of hydrogen mobility, such as France Hydrogene, European Clean Hydrogen Alliance and Hydrogen Europe. Among other positions, HRS holds the chair of the Hydrogen Europe working group on hydrogen mobility, which is driving the rollout of infrastructure on a European scale. At the same time, the integration of AEI, a company acquired in October last year (see press release), is proceeding according to plan. The new employees will join the historical HRS facility on May 2, 2022, faster than expected in the calendar. It is also planned to carry out the universal transfer of assets from AEI to HRS by May 31. HRS reaffirms its target of generating revenue of 85 million by June 30, 2025, aiming to deliver 100 new stations until then. The Group also confirms its target of achieving an EBIT margin before non-recurring items (EBIT/revenue) of around 20% by June 30, 2025 thanks to the leverage effect of growth on profitability. Next financial press release: 2021/2022 revenue, July 21, 2022 after close of trading ABOUT HRS Founded in 2004, Hydrogen-Refueling-Solutions (HRS), formerly TSM, is pioneer in hydrogen mobility. European designer and manufacturer of hydrogen refueling stations, for over ten years, the Company has been committed to reducing transport emissions. Thanks to its unique experience and know-how, HRS has developed a complete range of hydrogen refueling stations for all types of fuel cell vehicles that is perfectly suited to the needs of a fast-growing European market. At its Champ-sur-Drac site, HRS has mass production capacities that enable it to assemble up to 60 units per year in record time, in as little as 8 weeks. A new 14,300m2 production unit, planned for the fall of 2022, in the Grenoble metropolitan area in Champagnier (Isere), will increase HRS's production capacity to 180 stations per year. The Company posted 2020/2021 revenue of 10.5 million. As of December 31, 2021, the company had 79 employees. (ISIN code: FR0014001PM5 - ticker symbol: ALHRS). CONTACTS Investor Relations ACTUS finance & communication Gregoire SAINT-MARC hrs@actus.fr Tel. +33 1 53 67 36 94 Press Relations ACTUS finance & communication Anne Catherine BONJOUR acbonjour@actus.fr Tel. +33 1 53 67 36 93 [1] These consolidated accounts to IFRS standards include the accounts of HRS as well as the accounts of its subsidiary AEI under full consolidation following the acquisition of AEI by HRS. The group formed by the companies HRS and AEI is hereinafter referred to as the "Group". [2] Excluding depreciation, amortization and provisions [3] According to the definition used by the Group, EBITDA is obtained by eliminating the following items from net income: depreciation and amortization of assets recognized in respect of business combinations; depreciation and amortization of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment; share-based payment expense, including expensing of the fair value of bonus shares and stock options granted to personnel over the vesting period; other non-recurring operating income and expenses; net cost of debt and other financial income and expense; income tax expense for the year. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: x5xrkZeZl2+XmZ+aZJmbmJdnmm5pm5KbbpKdk2htaJ2YmW2RxZlkmceYZnBll2pp - 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-0-74253-2022_04_28-resultats-semestriels-2021-2022-uk.pdf Quantum Genomics publishes its results for fiscal 2021 and gives an update on its activity Quantum Genomics (Euronext Growth - FR0011648971 - ALQGC), a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development of a new class of medicinal products that act directly on the brain in order to address difficult-to-treat/resistant hypertension and heart failure, today reported its full year 2021 results. The annual financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 27 April 2022. Statutory auditor's report is available on the Company's website: www.quantum-genomics.com. The "Document d'Enregistrement Universel" including the financial report for fiscal year 2021 will be available on the company's website in the coming days. Jean-Philippe Milon, CEO of Quantum Genomics, said: "In an environment still impacted by the pandemic crisis, we continued our research programmes throughout the 2021 fiscal year and signed two new partnership contracts. Our stated ambition is to launch the marketing phase of firibastat for difficult-to-treat or resistant hypertension by the end of 2023. In order to carry out our current projects and to explore new therapeutic indications based on the BAPAIs platform, we have just completed a capital increase, the success of which is a testament to the support and confidence of our historical shareholders, our partner Julphar and new shareholders. We are therefore pursuing our development trajectory with confidence, serenity and determination, and are on track to achieve the first firibastat registration by the end of 2023. This is a fundamental step for Quantum Genomics and its shareholders, and one that has been eagerly awaited by the millions of patients around the world who suffer from resistant or difficult-to-treat hypertension." A strengthen financial situation after the latest capital raise For the full year 2021, Quantum Genomics continued to receive payments due under the partnership contracts announced in 2020. As such, Quantum Genomics invoiced and collected 2.3 million of royalties, corresponding to the upfront payments of the partnership contracts signed in South Korea, Greece and Canada. On top of this amount was the payment of $1 million invoiced in April 2022, corresponding to the first milestone payment following the inclusion of the first South Korean patient in the REFRESH study. At the end of December 2021, operating revenues amounted to 3.2 million compared to 2.3 million a year earlier. Operating income amounted to (19.2 million), compared with (13.9 million) at the end of December 2020. Personnel costs remain under control, with the progress of clinical trials logically meaning an increase of operating expenses. After accounting for the research tax credit of 2.7 million, net income at 31 December 2021 was (16.6 million). Free cash flow (amount of net disbursements related to operations) was (16.9 million) over the period. At the end of this fiscal year, the company's shareholders equity amounted to 11.4 million, to which was added 0.2 million of other equity (conditional advances from Bpifrance). At the start of the year, Orient EuroPharma Co. Ltd (OEP) acquired a stake in Quantum Genomics through a 0.9 million reserved capital increase, strengthening the cooperation between the two companies in Southeast Asia and Oceania. At the end of 2021, cash and cash equivalents amounted to 13.5 million compared to 27.2 million on 31 December 2020, while financial debts amounted to 3.0 million. The latter consist of a 1.5 million state-guaranteed loan granted by BNP and a 1.5 million R&D innovation loan obtained from BPIFrance. On 27 April 2022, Quantum Genomics successfully completed a capital increase for an amount of 17.5 million, including 1.9 million from partner Julphar. This transaction covers the company's needs until the second quarter 2023, while securing the research activities of Quantum Genomics in a difficult global context. The company now has a strengthened shareholder structure and the renewed confidence of its historical shareholders, including Otium Capital and Vatel Capital, its partner Julphar and new institutional investors. Summarized financial information as on 31 December 2021: Data in '000 (French standards) 31/12/2021 31/12/2020 Income 3,162.4 2,261.5 Personnel expenses (2,664.3) (2,328.6) Other operating costs (19,685.1) (13,790.5) Operating income (19,187.0) (13,857.7) Financial result 2.2 (5.0) Current result before tax (19,184.8) (13,862.7) Extraordinary result (32.7) 178.4 Research tax credit 2,661.8 2,147.5 Net result (16,555.7) (11,536.7) Update on the research programmes - Reminder As indicated in the press release from 26 April, the development programme for firibastat, currently in Phase III for difficult-to-treat and resistant hypertension, is on track. Quantum Genomics is confirming its goal of bringing firibastat, in a single daily dose, to registration by the end of 2023, with this formulation promoting better compliance. The company has prioritized its research activities on this first indication and has assembled a first-rate team to carry out this key stage of its development, as illustrated by the recent appointment of Stephane Cohen as Director of Global Operations. As such, despite the health restrictions and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the last patient of the FRESH study, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled efficacy study, should be enrolled in the next few days, for results to be published at the end of October 2022. The study is being conducted under the oversight of an independent data review committee (IDMC) and no serious adverse events have been reported that would require a modification of the protocol. The Phase III REFRESH study was launched in the first half of 2021 with the objective of demonstrating the efficacy at 3 months of once-daily firibastat, as well as the long-term safety (6 to 12 months). Based on the interim results of this study, expected in mid-2023, the marketing application for firibastat will be submitted in the third quarter of 2023, in line with the plan. In the heart failure indication, following the results of QUORUM announced in August 2021, the search for a partner to accompany upcoming development activities is continuing, in parallel with the finalizing of the development plan with the Regulatory Authorities. Quantum Genomics is therefore one step closer to its goal of validating a new class of medicinal products based on an innovative mechanism. In addition to its historical activities, Quantum Genomics intends to build on its development expertise to become a reference company in the development of innovative treatments for needs that are currently being unmet. To this end, the company is exploring new therapeutic areas based on the patented technology platform built around BAPAIs. About Quantum Genomics Quantum Genomics is a biopharmaceutical company specialising in the development of a new class of cardiovascular medicines based on the mechanism of Brain Aminopeptidase A Inhibition (BAPAI). The only company in the world pursuing this innovative approach that directly targets the brain, it is based on more than twenty years of research work by the University of Paris-Descartes and the INSERM/CNRS laboratory headed by Dr. Catherine Llorens-Cortes at the College de France. Quantum Genomics has as its objective to develop innovative treatments for complicated or even resistant hypertension (approximately 30% of patients are poorly controlled or fail to respond to treatment) and heart failure (one out of every two patients diagnosed dies within five years). With its headquarters in Paris, the company is listed on the Euronext Growth market in Paris (FR0011648971 - ALQGC) and listed on the U.S. OTCQX market? (symbol: QNNTF). More information on www.quantum-genomics.com, our Twitter and Linkedin accounts. Contacts Quantum Genomics contact@quantum-genomics.fr Edifice Communication (EUROPE) Financial and media communication quantum-genomics@edifice-communication.com LifeSci (USA) Mike Tattory Media communication +1 (646) 751-4362 - mtattory@lifescipublicrelations.com ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: x5ufYcack2iXmXCfZMhtapeUb2tklJKdmJXJxpSeZZeUbWllxmdjZ8idZnBll2Zq - 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-0-74214-28.04.2022-cp-resultats-financiers-2021-eng.pdf Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 28 April 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 41,500 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 825.00p per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 2,115,107; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 222,876,196. The figure of 222,876,196 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 THE Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has described as shocking some of the questions being asked by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) enumerators. The country is currently undertaking the 2022 population and housing census which will run up to tomorrow. Citizens have been complaining that they are being asked strange questions by census enumerators such as the type of floor polish they use, their fertility status and other questions which they believe are irrelevant. Speaking during a virtual discussion on enhancing womens capacities to take up political positions, a Zesn official Prisca Dube said: The enumerators are asking questions about relatives in the diaspora and what they are doing there their jobs. Civil society organisations never went to ZimStats to learn about the nature of questions that people will be asked in order to educate them. The census questions have many other variables besides being counted. People are saying questions about whether someone had a still-born baby are shocking. ZimStats public relations officer Roland Chiriga, however, defended the questions, saying they were necessary. Questions about the type of floor polish used show how advanced the country is as they pertain to the type of flooring used. All responses then show us whether we are a developed country (or not). Questions about ones fertility are not weird as we want to know about the growth rate of the population, and whether we have more births than deaths in the country. This helps the Registrar-Generals Office to know the number of birth and death certificates needed, Chiringa said. Newsday Cash position of 7.9 million as of December 31, 2021 Positive clinical results throughout the year Strategic partnership with IRIS Pharma to accelerate development in ophthalmology Regulatory News: ABIONYX Pharma (FR0012616852 ABNX PEA PME eligible) (Paris:ABNX), a new generation biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative therapies for patients, today presents its annual results 2021 and provides an update on activity to date. Audit procedures on the consolidated financial statements have been carried out. The certification report will be issued after completion of the procedures required for the filing of the universal registration document. Selected financial information (as of 31 December 2021/Consolidated financial statements under IFRS Millions 2021 2020 Revenue 0.7 0 Cost of goods and services sold (0.4) 0 R&D expenditures (3.8) (1.7) Administrative, sales and marketing expenses (2.3) (1.3) Other income and expenses (0.1) Operating income (5.9) (3.0) Financial income 0.3 1.2 Financial expense (0.2) (0.1) Net financial items 0.1 1.1 Net income (5.8) (1.9) Net cash flows related to operating activities (6.7) (0.6) Net cash flow from investing activities 1.3 (0.1) Net cash flows related to financing activities 4.0 1.5 Cash position variation (1.4) 0.8 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period 7.9 9.2 Fiscal year 2021 was marked by the acquisition, on December 3, 2021, of 100% of the shares of IRIS Pharma Holding, which itself holds 100% of the shares of IRIS Pharma, a company recognized as one of the world's experts in pharmacokinetics and preclinical research within the ophthalmology community. Details of the main changes in the consolidated financial statements ABIONYX Pharma's activities being dedicated to the discovery and development of innovative therapies to improve the lives of patients, generated a revenue of 27 K during the fiscal year 2021. Following the acquisition of Iris Pharma, the Group mainly provides two types of services: Pre-clinical activities, for a revenue of 143 K since the acquisition Clinical activities representing a revenue of 505 K since the acquisition. Costs of goods and services sold amounted to 416 K in 2021, corresponding to the costs associated with the pre-clinical and clinical studies carried out in December by Iris Pharma, which has been included in the scope of consolidation since the purchase of IRIS Pharma Holding shares. Research and development expenditures amounted to 3,838 K over the period, compared to 1,698 K in fiscal year 2020, and correspond to the ramp-up of clinical studies in renal indications and ophthalmology and the increase in personnel costs, in particular due to the recruitment of employees for ophthalmology-related activities. However, these costs remain limited in view of all the clinical trials conducted and in progress in LCAT, sepsis and COVID-19 in 2021. As a reminder, the Phase 2a study was entirely funded by the Italian CBVF consortium. Administrative, sales and marketing expenses amounted to 2,336 K in 2021 compared to 1,270 K the previous year. This increase is explained by the growth in activity linked to the integration of IRIS Pharma and by expenses linked to the free share grants on plans that have been definitively awarded and those that have been granted. After taking all these factors into account, operating income fell from a loss of 2,968 K at 31 December 2020 to a loss of 5,952 K at 31 December 2021. The financial income amounts to 130 K on December 31, 2021 against 1,082 K on December 31, 2020, which included the waiver of debt granted by Bpifrance for 900 K on the CER-209 program. The net income thus shows a loss of 5,822 K on December 31, 2021 compared to a loss of 1,886 K on December 31, 2020. Cash and cash equivalents amounted to 7,935 K on December 31, 2021 against 9,154 K on December 31, 2020. Key highlights in 2021 Despite the continuation of the pandemic and for a managed cash burn in view of the tangible results delivered, the year 2021 has been very rich in transforming strategic events and positive clinical results. Initiation of the randomized Phase 2a study named RACERS which concluded with positive interim clinical results The first highlight of the year was the start of the randomized Phase 2a study called RACERS, a RAndomized trial comparing short-term infusions of CER-001 at different doses to prevent induced Acute Kidney Injury in high-risk septic patients. This clinical study is being conducted in partnership with the University of Bari and the Consorzio per Valutazioni Biologiche e Farmacologiche (CBVF) consortium, which is funding the entire study. The first patient could only be enrolled in June 2021 due to the pandemic. In April 2022, the Company reported positive interim results for this Phase 2a clinical trial in the treatment of patients with sepsis that demonstrate rapid reversal of the cytokine cascade in sepsis patients, rapid improvement in biomarkers of inflammation, including leukocytosis, compared to standard therapy. No treatment-related side effects were observed during the study. Positive Clinical Results from CER-001 in an ultrarare kidney disease In March 2021, ABIONYX announced positive clinical results from CER-001 in an ultra-rare kidney disease published in exclusively in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. This publication revealed the efficacy of CER-001 in the renal and ophthalmic indication, which constitutes a breakthrough therapeutic innovation in renal diseases and ophthalmology, and the systemic mechanism of action of CER-001. As a reminder, the patient who was about to undergo dialysis due to the rapid decline in kidney function was able to avoid the need for dialysis during his treatment with CER-001. In addition, the patient who was suffering from lipid deposits in the corneas saw the visual blurring disappear. This clear improvement in visual function is still observed after 1 year of follow-up. Strategic partnership with GTP Biologics (Fareva Group) and V-Nano (VBI Therapeutics group) At the end of March 2021, ABIONYX announced the signature of a strategic partnership with GTP Biologics (Fareva Group) and V-Nano (VBI Therapeutics Group) for the bioproduction of the bio-HDL in France. This strategic partnership allows the bioengineering redevelopment of the production of bio-HDL and ensures the relocation of the bioproduction to France. A "raison d'etre" stated in its articles "To develop innovative therapies in indications without effective or existing treatment, even the rarest ones, for the benefit of patients " In June 2021, following these first scientific publications and the graceful availability of its bioproduct in rare diseases, ABIONYX Pharma communicated its "raison d'etre", which was stated in its articles: "To develop innovative therapies in indications with no effective or existing treatment, even the rarest ones, for the benefit of patients". This determination has allowed the remobilization of all ABIONYX Pharma's collaborators, suppliers and shareholders around the common objective of developing innovative therapies and fundamental responsibility towards patients waiting for solutions in the rarest diseases. Orphan Drug Designation from EMA for CER-001 in the kidney indication and ophthalmology In July 2021, ABIONYX Pharma received a positive opinion from EMA within the framework of the the Orphan Drug Designation process for CER-001 for the rare disease LCAT deficiency. This Orphan Drug Designation was one of the first achievements of the new strategy in a rare renal disease and was a key step in the repositioning in renal and ophthalmological diseases. This designation also allowed the securing of the bioproduction of CER-001. Strategic partnership with IRIS Pharma for the development of the first class of bioproducts in ophthalmology In October 2021, ABIONYX Pharma announced positive preclinical results in a model of uveitis that allowed the Company to consider the strategic development of the first class of bioproducts in ophthalmology based on its bio-HDL. These preclinical results led to the initiation of strategic exchanges with IRIS Pharma, one of the world leaders in preclinical and clinical research in ophthalmology, which concluded in November 2021 with the signature of an agreement for the contribution of 100% of IRIS Pharma Holding's capital and the launch of a 4.2 million cash capital increase by private placement. ABIONYX has thus become a specialist in bioproduct candidates for ophthalmology in addition to renal diseases, with a potential portfolio of 3 new bioproducts candidates that could enter the clinical phase and 14 indications in ophthalmology. IRIS Pharma has become a subsidiary of ABIONYX and remains independent in its service activities for the largest pharmaceutical and biotech groups in ophthalmology. New positive clinical results for CER-001 in ultra-rare kidney disease In November 2021, ABIONYX Pharma announced new positive clinical results for CER-001 in renal diseases associated with LCAT deficiency published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. This publication highlighted the efficacy in the renal indication, demonstrated the ability to normalize lipoproteins and further clarified the mechanism of action of CER-001. An equally tight and strategic beginning to 2022 The beginning of 2022 remains equally eventful as in January 2022, ABIONYX Pharma received a Compassionate Access Authorization from the ANSM for its bio-HDL (CER-001) in COVID-19, in which it was able to announce in March 2022 first clinical results published in the journal Biomedecines, demonstrating that CER-001 limits the effects of inflammation, improves reverse cholesterol transport and reduces inflammatory markers and cytokines. At the end of March 2022, ABIONYX Pharma announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to CER-001 for the treatment of LCAT deficiency, in renal dysfunction and/or ophthalmic disease. The orphan drug designation follows positive results in two compassionate use cases that demonstrated for the first time that bio-HDL treatment can reduce lipid deposition in the kidney, slow the decline in kidney function while eliminating the need for dialysis, beneficially remodel lipoproteins, and alleviate visual impairment due to corneal lipid deposits. The orphan drug designation opens a new strategy for the clinical development of bio-HDL in renal and ophthalmic diseases in the United States. All of the preclinical and clinical results for 2021 and the beginning of this year point to an acceleration of the development of CER-001 in severe renal diseases, which have not seen a breakthrough innovation for a long time, and in ophthalmology with the first class of bioproducts. The Company continues to await further preclinical and clinical results. About ABIONYX Pharma ABIONYX Pharma is a new generation biotech company that aims to contribute to health through innovative therapies in indications where there is no effective or existing treatment, even the rarest ones. Thanks to its partners in research, medicine, biopharmaceuticals and shareholding, the company innovates on a daily basis to propose drugs for the treatment of renal and ophthalmological diseases, or new HDL vectors used for targeted drug delivery. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428006031/en/ Contacts: NewCap Investor relations Louis-Victor Delouvrier abionyx@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 98 53 NewCap Media relations Arthur Rouille abionyx@newcap.eu +33 (0)1 44 71 00 15 DGAP Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Announcement on Publication of the IFRS version of Annual Report 2021 on Hong Kong Stock Exchange Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Release according to Article 50 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution 28.04.2022 / 18:19 Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG Announcement on Publication of the IFRS version of Annual Report 2021 on Hong Kong Stock Exchange Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt / Hongkong, 28 April 2022 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Haier Smart Home", D-share 690D.DE, A-share 600690.SH, H-share 06690.HK) today published the IFRS version of Annual Report 2021 on Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The IFRS version of Annual Report 2021 is fully available at: https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2022/0428/2022042803683.pdf IR Contact: Haier Smart Home Hong Kong T: +852 2169 0000 Email: ir@haier.hk Press Contact: CROSS ALLIANCE communication GmbH Sara Pinto Sven Pauly pi@crossalliance.de T: +49 (0) 89 1250903 35 About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.: Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as small household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience. 28.04.2022 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de LONDON, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sea Tech Week is back and making waves from 26th - 30th September 2022 at Brest Expo, France. Registration is now open for visitors and exhibitors with an early bird rate available until 31st May. Stakeholders across business, academia, and governmental institutions from all over the world 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. A trade fair B2B meetings Networking events Visits to companies & labs Rocking the boat for 2022 A first for 2022, Sea Tech Week will also play host to the 18th French congress of sedimentology (28-30 September) and the Concarneau meeting (29th September) dedicated to biomimetics. High-level panellists from esteemed organisations from across the world including research centres, academia, the private sector and public institutions will exchange ideas and challenge each other's views in 3 keynote panel discussions. The one-hour sessions will be spread over 3 days from Tuesday 27th - Thursday 29th September, each exploring a different topic: propulsion, data and careers. 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 the Euroswac project "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 will present its Cyber-SHIP Lab and Marine e-charging Living Lab "Wind Propulsion: blending regional initiatives, national developments, and international networks for sustainable shipping" is to be co-led by the International Wind Ship Association and Bretagne Developpement Innovation (BDI) Among the confirmed speaker line up: Gavin Allwright , Secretary at International Windship Association (IWSA) , 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) , Project Manager, Environmental Futures and Big Data Impact Lab & Plymouth's Marine e-charging Living Lab (MeLL) Shrey 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 at seatechweek.eu. A video teaser has also been released on what to expect at the 2022 edition. To register to attend: www.seatechweek.eu The early bird rate is available until 31st May. For more information, please contact: Catherine Ryall, conseillere presse et communication, Business France Royaume Uni & Irlande catherine.ryall@businessfrance.fr seatechweek.eu @SeaTechWeek / Sea Tech Week / SeaTech2022 About Sea Tech Week 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 part of: 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). Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806148/Sea_Tech_Partenaires.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1806146/Sea_Tech_Week_Logo.jpg EP Global Opportunities Trust plc (the "Company") Director update The Company announces that it has been informed that Dr Sandy Nairn, a Director of the Company, will step down from his portfolio management responsibilities within the Franklin Templeton group on 31 December 2022. Dr Nairn will continue until that date as the portfolio manager of the portion of the Company's assets managed by Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited ("FTIML") under the Company's self-management arrangements previously announced. This will not result in any change to the previously announced plans of the Company's planned self-management arrangements when implemented, including Dr Nairn's overall responsibility as a Director for the management of the Company's portfolio, which will continue beyond 31 December 2022. Details of any changes in the specific arrangements relating to the assets to be managed by FTIML will be announced by the Company in due course. Cahal Dowds, Chair said, "On becoming Chair I spoke to many shareholders and I believe this change gives additional comfort on the proportion of his time Dr Nairn is able to devote to the management of the assets of the Company." 28 April 2022 Legal Entity Identifier: 2138005T5CT5ITZ7ZX58 Enquiries: Kenneth Greig Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Limited Tel: 0131 270 3800 The Company's registered office address is: 27-31 Melville Street Edinburgh EH3 7JF Regulatory News: MotorK Plc (AMS: MTRK) ("MotorK" or the "Company") held its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") today. MotorK's shareholders duly passed all the resolutions proposed, including the adoption of the Company's 2021 financial statements and the reappointment of Mr. Marco Marlia as a director of the Company. Each of the resolutions put to the AGM was voted on by way of a poll. Resolutions 1 to 8 (inclusive) were passed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 9 to 12 (inclusive) were passed as special resolutions. The text of all the resolutions is contained in the Company's Notice of Annual General Meeting dated 5 April 2022, which is available for inspection on the Company's website at www.motork.io. The results of the polls (incorporating the proxy votes lodged in advance of the meeting) taken on the resolutions have today been uploaded to the Company's website at www.motork.io. Important information This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014). ABOUT MOTORK PLC MotorK (AMS: MTRK) is a leading software as a service ("SaaS") provider for the automotive retail industry in the EMEA region, with over 400 employees and ten offices in seven countries (Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, the UK and Israel). MotorK empowers car manufacturers and dealers to improve their customer experience through a broad suite of fully integrated digital products and services. MotorK provides its customers with an innovative combination of digital solutions, SaaS cloud products and the largest R&D department in the automotive digital sales and marketing industry in Europe. MotorK is a company registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Kemp House, 152 City Road, London EC1V 2NX3 Company Registration: 9259000. For more information: www.motork.io or www.investors.motork.io. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220428006073/en/ Contacts: MotorK Investor Relations Etienne Jacquet +33 6 22 18 39 09 MotorK Corporate Communications press@motork.io MONTREAL, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) will publish its financial results for the first quarter of 2022 on May 5, 2022. On the same day, Bombardier will hold its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders ("Meeting") in a virtual format. Quarterly Conference Call On May 5, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. EDT, Bombardier will hold a webcast/conference call intended for investors and financial analysts to review the company's financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. A live webcast of the call and relevant financial charts will be available at https://ir.bombardier.com Stakeholders wishing to listen to the presentation and subsequent question-and-answer period by telephone may dial one of the following conference call numbers: In English: Toll-free dial-in number Participant passcode: 2230833# In French Participant passcode: 4427560# Media Call May 5, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. EDT, members of the media are invited to dial in to a short Question and Answer session following our quarterly earnings call and before the virtual Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders. Eric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier, will be available to answer your questions related to the Q1 2022 financial results. Media who would like to attend the Q&A session are asked to RSVP by emailing heather.neale@aero.bombardier.com. Bilingual: Toll-free dial-in number Participant passcode: 2423914# Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders On May 5, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, Bombardier welcomes all registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders who wish to participate in the online Meeting to do so by joining the live webcast available at https://bombardier.com/en/agm2022. Only registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be allowed to vote and ask questions during the live Meeting. Non-registered shareholders, guests and media will be able to watch online via the live webcast available at the same link. Instructions on how to vote and participate in the online Meeting, including submitting questions to management and to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bombardier, will be available on the Corporation's website hereand on the online Meeting platform. Bombardier encourages shareholders to vote and submit their proxies prior to the Meeting. The live webcast and relevant documents for both the Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders and the conference call will be available at https://bombardier.com/en/agm2022. A recording of the Meeting and the call will be posted on Bombardier's website shortly after the end of the webcast. About Bombardier Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardier's Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The company's robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022. For corporate news and information, including Bombardier's Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com. Learn more about Bombardier's industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com. Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Bombardier is a registered trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. For Information Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTCQB: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (the "Company" or "Iconic") is pleased to announce that it has been approved and upgraded to the OTCQB Venture Market and will continue to trade under the symbol "BVTEF". Investors will be able to find current and Real-Time disclosure for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. The Company continues to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ICM". Iconic Mineral's CEO, Richard Kern stated, "We are pleased that upgrading to the OTCQB Venture Market will allow Iconic the ability to continue to improve greater awareness for our current, and potential shareholders, while we advance towards completing our pre-feasibility study on the Bonnie Claire lithium property." Bonnie Claire Property The Bonnie Claire Property is located within Sarcobatus Valley, which is approximately 30 km (19 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) wide. Quartz-rich volcanic tuffs containing anomalous amounts of lithium occur within and adjacent to the valley. Drill results from the salt flat have included lithium values as high as 2550 ppm Li and a 1560 foot (roughly 475 meter) vertical intercept that averaged 1153 ppm Li. The current 43-101 resource from the PEA report for borehole mineable portion of the resource is 3,407 million tonnes grading 1,013 ppm Li or 18,372 million kilograms of lithium carbonate equivalent. The gravity low within the valley is 20 km (12 miles) long, and the current estimates of depth to basement rocks range from 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000 to 4,000 feet). The current claim block covers an area of 74 km2 (28.6 mi2) with potential for brine systems and further sediment resources. On behalf of the Board of Directors SIGNED: "Richard Kern" Richard Kern, President and CEO Contact: Keturah Nathe, VP Corporate Development (604) 336-8614 For further information on Iconic, please visit our website at www.iconicminerals.com. The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Option, the Joint Venture, the amount of the Offering, the expected use of proceeds from the Offering and the future business plans and exploration activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "will", "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that investor interest will be sufficient to close the Offering, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals required for the Option Agreement and the future development of the Company's projects in a timely manner. 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 differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, including on the Smith Creek Property, requirements for additional capital, future prices of lithium and gold, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the business, financial condition and exploration and development activities of the Company, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, including of the TSX Venture Exchange in respect of the Option Agreement and the Offering, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management's Discussion and Analysis and filed with the Canadian Securities Authorities. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122045 Year-over-year revenue grows 12%, operating profit up 5%, non-GAAP operating profit up 5% Note: A webcast of ResMed's conference call will be available at 4:30 p.m. ET today at http://investor.resmed.com SAN DIEGO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ResMed Inc. (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) today announced results for its quarter ended March 31, 2022. Third Quarter 2022 Highlights All comparisons are to the prior year period Revenue increased by 12% to $864.5 million; up 14% on a constant currency basis Gross margin contracted 140 bps to 56.8%; non-GAAP gross margin contracted 150 bps to 58.1% Income from operations increased 5%; non-GAAP operating profit up 5% Diluted earnings per share of $1.22; non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.32 "Our third-quarter results reflect strong performance across our business, resulting in double-digit top-line revenue growth including extraordinary demand in our sleep and respiratory care business segment as well as solid high-single-digit growth in our software-as-a-service segment," said Mick Farrell, ResMed CEO. "I am proud of our global team's ability to pivot and drive continued growth while ongoing supply chain disruptions and a competitor's recall continue to limit our ability to meet the incredible demand for our products. We remain focused on delivering products, software, and services for patients, working closely with our supply chain partners as well as physicians, providers, and beyond, to prioritize care for patients who most need it. "While the current industry and macroeconomic environment remain uncertain, our long-term strategy allows us to keep our focus on helping 250 million lives in 2025. Our end-market demand from patients and providers remains strong, and our digital health technologies continue to deliver value. We are supporting patients with the world-leading portfolio of sleep apnea therapy, respiratory care therapy, and digital health solutions they need, as we deliver value for all of our customers." Financial Results and Operating Metrics Unaudited; $ in millions, except for per share amounts Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 % Change Constant Currency (A) Revenue $ 864.5 $ 768.8 12 % 14 % Gross margin (B) 56.8 % 58.2 % (2 ) Non-GAAP gross margin (B) 58.1 % 59.6 % (3 ) Selling, general, and administrative expenses 182.4 160.4 14 17 Research and development expenses 66.8 55.9 19 22 Income from operations 234.3 223.4 5 Non-GAAP income from operations (B) 253.0 241.8 5 Net income (loss) 179.0 (78.5 ) NM Non-GAAP net income (B) 193.3 190.4 2 Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 1.22 $ (0.54 ) NM Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (B) $ 1.32 $ 1.30 2 NM Not meaningful Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 % Change Constant Currency (A) Revenue $ 2,663.4 $ 2,320.7 15 % 15 % Gross margin (B) 56.4 % 58.1 % (3 ) Non-GAAP gross margin (B) 57.6 % 59.8 % (4 ) Selling, general, and administrative expenses 544.5 488.9 11 13 Research and development expenses 189.3 165.4 14 15 Income from operations 744.9 662.0 13 Non-GAAP income from operations (B) 801.3 733.4 9 Net income 584.4 279.4 109 Non-GAAP net income (B) 631.5 582.2 8 Diluted earnings per share $ 3.97 $ 1.91 108 Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (B) $ 4.30 $ 3.98 8 (A) In order to provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, we provide certain financial information on a "constant currency" basis, which is in addition to the actual financial information presented. In order to calculate our constant currency information, we translate the current period financial information using the foreign currency exchange rates that were in effect during the previous comparable period. However, constant currency measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to U.S. dollar measures that reflect current period exchange rates, or to other financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. (B) See the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures in the table at the end of the press release. Discussion of Third Quarter Results All comparisons are to the prior year period unless otherwise noted Revenue grew by 14 percent on a constant currency basis, driven by increased demand for our sleep and respiratory care devices and increased demand following a recent product recall by one of our competitors. Revenue in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, excluding software-as-a-service, grew by 18 percent, primarily due to the factors discussed above and recovery of core sleep patient flow that was previously impacted by COVID-19. Revenue in Europe, Asia, and other markets grew by 11 percent on a constant currency basis, primarily due to the factors discussed above. Software-as-a-service revenue increased by 8 percent, due to continued growth in our Durable Medical Equipment category and stabilizing patient flow in out-of-hospital care settings. Gross margin decreased by 140 basis points and non-GAAP gross margin decreased by 150 basis points, mainly due to higher freight and manufacturing costs, partially offset by favorable product mix changes and increase in average selling prices. Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased by 17 percent on a constant currency basis. SG&A expenses increased to 21.1 percent of revenue in the quarter, compared with 20.9 percent in the same period of the prior year. These changes in SG&A expenses were mainly due to increases in employee-related expenses. Income from operations increased by 5 percent and non-GAAP income from operations increased by 5 percent. Net income for the quarter was $179.0 million and diluted earnings per share was $1.22. Non-GAAP net income grew by 2 percent and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share grew by 2 percent, predominantly attributable to strong sales, partially offset by higher operating expenses. Operating cash flow for the quarter was $117.4 million, compared to net income in the current quarter of $179.0 million and non-GAAP net income of $193.3 million. During the quarter we paid $61.4 million in dividends. Other Business and Operational Highlights Announced appointment of Urvashi Tyagi as new Chief Technology Officer and Bobby Ghoshal transitions to be President of ResMed's software-as-a-service business segment full-time. Tyagi leads ResMed's digital health technology team, driving innovation and adoption of world-leading cloud-based digital health platforms and investments in emerging technologies. Published 2022 Global Sleep Surveys as part of National Sleep Awareness Week (March 13-19) and World Sleep Day (March 18). The surveys, conducted in the first quarter of the calendar year, asked nearly 25,000 respondents in 12 countries what's keeping them up at night; the results aim to build awareness of the critical role good sleep plays in physical and mental health. Dividend program The ResMed board of directors today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.42 per share. The dividend will have a record date of May 12, 2022, payable on June 16, 2022. The dividend will be paid in U.S. currency to holders of ResMed's common stock trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Holders of CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDIs") trading on the Australian Securities Exchange will receive an equivalent amount in Australian currency, based on the exchange rate on the record date, and reflecting the 10:1 ratio between CDIs and NYSE shares. The ex-dividend date will be May 11, 2022, for common stockholders and for CDI holders. ResMed has received a waiver from the ASX's settlement operating rules, which will allow ResMed to defer processing conversions between its common stock and CDI registers from May 11, 2022, through May 12, 2022, inclusive. Webcast details ResMed will discuss its third-quarter fiscal year 2022 results on its webcast at 1:30 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time today. The live webcast of the call can be accessed on ResMed's Investor Relations website at investor.resmed.com . Please go to this section of the website and click on the icon for the "Q3 2022 Earnings Webcast" to register and listen to the live webcast. A replay of the earnings webcast will be accessible on the website and available approximately two hours after the live webcast. In addition, a telephone replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the webcast by dialing +1 877-660-6853 (U.S.) or +1 201-612-7415 (outside U.S.) and entering the passcode 13727876. The telephone replay will be available until May 12, 2022. About ResMed At ResMed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) we pioneer innovative solutions that treat and keep people out of the hospital, empowering them to live healthier, higher-quality lives. Our digital health technologies and cloud-connected medical devices transform care for people with sleep apnea, COPD, and other chronic diseases. Our comprehensive out-of-hospital software platforms support the professionals and caregivers who help people stay healthy in the home or care setting of their choice. By enabling better care, we improve quality of life, reduce the impact of chronic disease, and lower costs for consumers and healthcare systems in more than 140 countries. To learn more, visit ResMed.com and follow @ResMed. Safe harbor statement Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking" statements as contemplated by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements - including statements regarding ResMed's projections of future revenue or earnings, expenses, new product development, new product launches, new markets for its products, the integration of acquisitions, litigation, and tax outlook - are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties are discussed in ResMed's periodic reports on file with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. ResMed does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited; $ in thousands, except for per share amounts) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 Net revenue $ 864,500 $ 768,767 $ 2,663,390 $ 2,320,722 Cost of sales 362,321 310,585 1,128,314 933,021 Amortization of acquired intangibles (1) 10,982 10,924 33,271 34,066 Restructuring-cost of sales (1) - - - 5,232 Total cost of sales $ 373,303 $ 321,509 $ 1,161,585 $ 972,319 Gross profit $ 491,197 $ 447,258 $ 1,501,805 $ 1,348,403 Selling, general, and administrative 182,401 160,446 544,483 488,904 Research and development 66,801 55,941 189,258 165,409 Amortization of acquired intangibles (1) 7,730 7,445 23,175 23,377 Restructuring-operating expenses (1) - - - 8,673 Total operating expenses $ 256,932 $ 223,832 $ 756,916 $ 686,363 Income from operations 234,265 223,426 744,889 662,040 Other income (expenses), net: Interest income (expense), net $ (5,462 ) $ (5,823 ) $ (16,770 ) $ (18,341 ) Loss attributable to equity method investments (2,627 ) (4,969 ) (5,927 ) (9,895 ) Gain (loss) on equity investments (1,735 ) 4,666 (527 ) 9,442 Other, net 1,878 705 729 1,205 Total other income (expenses), net (7,946 ) (5,421 ) (22,495 ) (17,589 ) Income before income taxes $ 226,319 $ 218,005 $ 722,394 $ 644,451 Income taxes 47,307 296,486 138,018 365,046 Net income (loss) $ 179,012 $ (78,481 ) $ 584,376 $ 279,405 Basic earnings per share $ 1.22 $ (0.54 ) $ 4.00 $ 1.92 Diluted earnings per share $ 1.22 $ (0.54 ) $ 3.97 $ 1.91 Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (1) $ 1.32 $ 1.30 $ 4.30 $ 3.98 Basic shares outstanding 146,240 145,513 145,969 145,217 Diluted shares outstanding 146,962 145,513 147,034 146,394 (1) See the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures in the table at the end of the press release. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited; $ in thousands) March 31, 2022 June 30, 2021 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 201,769 $ 295,278 Accounts receivable, net 508,580 614,292 Inventories 664,943 457,033 Prepayments and other current assets 329,008 208,154 Total current assets $ 1,704,300 $ 1,574,757 Non-current assets: Property, plant, and equipment, net $ 513,250 $ 463,490 Operating lease right-of-use assets 141,173 128,575 Goodwill and other intangibles, net 2,302,301 2,320,483 Deferred income taxes and other non-current assets 244,240 240,820 Total non-current assets $ 3,200,964 $ 3,153,368 Total assets $ 4,905,264 $ 4,728,125 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 149,797 $ 138,008 Accrued expenses 326,276 320,599 Operating lease liabilities, current 24,130 23,585 Deferred revenue 112,449 109,611 Income taxes payable 42,646 307,963 Short-term debt 11,967 12,000 Total current liabilities $ 667,265 $ 911,766 Non-current liabilities: Deferred revenue $ 94,094 $ 91,496 Deferred income taxes 10,711 11,319 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 127,254 114,779 Other long-term liabilities 5,103 6,802 Long-term debt 668,735 643,351 Long-term income taxes payable 53,298 62,933 Total non-current liabilities $ 959,195 $ 930,680 Total liabilities $ 1,626,460 $ 1,842,446 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: Common stock $ 585 $ 583 Additional paid-in capital 1,645,453 1,622,199 Retained earnings 3,480,163 3,079,640 Treasury stock (1,623,256 ) (1,623,256 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income (224,141 ) (193,487 ) Total stockholders' equity $ 3,278,804 $ 2,885,679 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 4,905,264 $ 4,728,125 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited; $ in thousands) Nine months ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 584,376 $ 279,405 Adjustment to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 122,198 120,034 Amortization of right-of-use assets 26,636 25,805 Stock-based compensation costs 49,265 47,032 Loss attributable to equity method investments 5,927 9,895 (Gain) loss on equity investment 527 (9,442 ) Restructuring expenses - 8,673 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 98,158 (39,899 ) Inventories, net (209,476 ) (48,393 ) Prepaid expenses, net deferred income taxes and other current assets (127,977 ) (41,036 ) Accounts payable, accrued expenses, income taxes payable and other (277,973 ) 158,119 Net cash (used in) / provided by operating activities $ 271,661 $ 510,193 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property, plant, and equipment (106,192 ) (74,805 ) Patent registration and acquisition costs (17,449 ) (11,149 ) Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired (35,915 ) (30,704 ) Purchases of investments (16,614 ) (20,038 ) Proceeds from sale of investment 6,802 - (Payments) / proceeds on maturity of foreign currency contracts (5,309 ) 26,306 Net cash used in investing activities $ (174,677 ) $ (110,390 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net 26,269 18,759 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (52,278 ) (49,938 ) Payments of business combination contingent consideration - (3,500 ) Proceeds from borrowings, net of borrowing costs 160,000 90,000 Repayment of borrowings (136,000 ) (536,000 ) Dividends paid (183,853 ) (169,917 ) Net cash (used in) / provided by financing activities $ (185,862 ) $ (650,596 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash $ (4,631 ) $ 18,272 Net increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (93,509 ) (232,521 ) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 295,278 463,156 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 201,769 $ 230,635 Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited; $ in thousands, except for per share amounts) The measures "non-GAAP gross profit" and "non-GAAP gross margin" exclude amortization expense from acquired intangibles related to cost of sales and are reconciled below: Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 Revenue $ 864,500 $ 768,767 $ 2,663,390 $ 2,320,722 GAAP Cost of sales $ 373,303 $ 321,509 $ 1,161,585 $ 972,319 Less: Amortization of acquired intangibles (A) (10,982 ) (10,924 ) (33,271 ) (34,066 ) Less: Restructuring-cost of sales (A) - - - (5,232 ) Non-GAAP cost of sales $ 362,321 $ 310,585 $ 1,128,314 $ 933,021 GAAP gross profit $ 491,197 $ 447,258 $ 1,501,805 $ 1,348,403 GAAP gross margin 56.8 % 58.2 % 56.4 % 58.1 % Non-GAAP gross profit $ 502,179 $ 458,182 $ 1,535,076 $ 1,387,701 Non-GAAP gross margin 58.1 % 59.6 % 57.6 % 59.8 % The measure "non-GAAP income from operations" is reconciled with GAAP income from operations below: Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 GAAP income from operations $ 234,265 $ 223,426 $ 744,889 $ 662,040 Amortization of acquired intangibles-cost of sales (A) 10,982 10,924 33,271 34,066 Amortization of acquired intangibles-operating expenses (A) 7,730 7,445 23,175 23,377 Restructuring-cost of sales (A) - - - 5,232 Restructuring-operating expenses (A) - - - 8,673 Non-GAAP income from operations $ 252,977 $ 241,795 $ 801,335 $ 733,388 Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited; $ in thousands, except for per share amounts) The measures "non-GAAP net income" and "non-GAAP diluted earnings per share" are reconciled with GAAP net income and GAAP diluted earnings per share in the table below: Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 March 31, 2021 GAAP net income (loss) $ 179,012 $ (78,481 ) $ 584,376 $ 279,405 Amortization of acquired intangibles-cost of sales, net of tax(A) 8,374 8,395 25,373 26,136 Amortization of acquired intangibles-operating expenses, net of tax(A) 5,894 5,721 17,673 17,936 Reserve for disputed tax position(A) - 254,776 4,111 254,776 Restructuring-cost of sales, net of tax(A) - - - 4,663 Restructuring-operating expenses, net of tax(A) - - - 7,730 (Gain) loss on equity investments(A) - - - (8,476 ) Non-GAAP net income(A) $ 193,280 $ 190,411 $ 631,533 $ 582,170 GAAP diluted shares outstanding 146,962 145,513 147,034 146,394 Anti-dilutive shares excluded from GAAP - 858 - - Non-GAAP diluted shares outstanding 146,962 146,371 147,034 146,394 GAAP diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 1.22 $ (0.54 ) $ 3.97 $ 1.91 Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share(A) $ 1.32 $ 1.30 $ 4.30 $ 3.98 (A) ResMed adjusts for the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles, reserve for disputed tax positions, restructuring expenses and the (gain) loss on equity investments from their evaluation of ongoing operations, and believes that investors benefit from adjusting these items to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of current operating performance. ResMed believes that non-GAAP diluted earnings per share is an additional measure of performance that investors can use to compare operating results between reporting periods. ResMed uses non-GAAP information internally in planning, forecasting, and evaluating the results of operations in the current period and in comparing it to past periods. ResMed believes this information provides investors better insight when evaluating ResMed's performance from core operations and provides consistent financial reporting. The use of non-GAAP measures is intended to supplement, and not to replace, the presentation of net income and other GAAP measures. Like all non-GAAP measures, non-GAAP earnings are subject to inherent limitations because they do not include all the expenses that must be included under GAAP. Revenue by Product and Region (Unaudited; $ in millions, except for per share amounts) Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 (A) March 31, 2021 (A) % Change Constant Currency (B) U.S., Canada, and Latin America Devices $ 250.8 $ 192.9 30 % Masks and other 224.7 210.0 7 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 475.4 $ 402.9 18 Software as a Service 101.1 93.8 8 Total $ 576.6 $ 496.7 16 Combined Europe, Asia, and other markets Devices $ 182.3 $ 172.8 5 % 10 % Masks and other 105.6 99.2 6 13 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 287.9 $ 272.1 6 11 Global revenue Devices $ 433.1 $ 365.7 18 % 21 % Masks and other 330.3 309.2 7 9 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 763.4 $ 674.9 13 15 Software as a Service 101.1 93.8 8 8 Total $ 864.5 $ 768.8 12 14 Nine Months Ended March 31, 2022 (A) March 31, 2021 (A) % Change Constant Currency (B) U.S., Canada, and Latin America Devices $ 771.5 $ 595.3 30 % Masks and other 681.8 637.5 7 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 1,453.3 $ 1,232.8 18 Software as a Service 297.7 277.8 7 Total $ 1,751.0 $ 1,510.6 16 Combined Europe, Asia, and other markets Devices $ 608.3 $ 536.9 13 % 15 % Masks and other 304.2 273.3 11 14 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 912.4 $ 810.1 13 15 Global revenue Devices $ 1,379.7 $ 1,132.1 22 % 23 % Masks and other 986.0 910.8 8 9 Total Sleep and Respiratory Care $ 2,365.7 $ 2,042.9 16 16 Software as a Service 297.7 277.8 7 7 Total $ 2,663.4 $ 2,320.7 15 15 (A) Totals and subtotals may not add due to rounding. (B) In order to provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, we provide certain financial information on a "constant currency basis," which is in addition to the actual financial information presented. In order to calculate our constant currency information, we translate the current period financial information using the foreign currency exchange rates that were in effect during the previous comparable period. However, constant currency measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to U.S. dollar measures that reflect current period exchange rates, or to other financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For investors For media Amy Wakeham Jayme Rubenstein +1 858-836-5000 +1 858-836-6798 investorrelations@resmed.com news@resmed.com RICHMOND, Va., April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Morris Taylor has been appointed Chief Information Officer for Markel's insurance operations. In his new role, Taylor will lead the IT function globally and continue to build on critical partnerships across Markel's insurance operations. "Morris is a recognized leader in information technology, who understands the critical role the function plays in the overall operational effectiveness and success of a global corporation," said Jeremy Noble, Chief Financial Officer. "He has been instrumental in defining our IT vision to provide exceptional services and support across our insurance operations to help Markel execute on its strategic priorities." Taylor joined Markel in 2018 and most recently served as Head of Global Technology. Prior to joining Markel, Taylor worked at Capital One for over two decades in a wide range of technology leadership roles. He began his career in operations. Taylor will report to Noble and is based in Markel's Glen Allen, Virginia office. About Markel 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. Markel is a registered trademark of the Markel Corporation. Visit Markel on the web at markel.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/73238/markel_event_insurance_markel_logo.jpg South Africa: Millions committed to help flood survivors In the midst of the disaster left by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, SASSA has provided Social Relief Distress (SRD) to more than 3 000 affected individuals, to the tune of almost R5 million. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has also purchased uniforms for learners to the value of R372 000, targeting flood victims in eThekwini and iLembe Districts. This was announced by the Social Protection, Community and Human Development Cluster at a briefing on Thursday, led by Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, accompanied by the Ministers of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga and Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu. The National Department of Social development (DSD) and its provincial offices have been engaging with corporates and stakeholders to provide support in the form of urgent humanitarian relief for affected areas. The department has two dedicated storage facilities in Pietermaritzburg and Dube Trade Port in Durban. Speaking at the briefing, Phaahla said many organisations, churches and community members have answered the call and provided support in a variety of forms, including cash, food, clothes, sanitary towels - to mention a few. Government also received donations and pledges from various countries through their embassies, which is welcomed with much appreciation, he said. Zulu has visited Ndwedwe (Ward 15 and 17) and Mandeni Local Municipalities in iLembe District to engage with communities, and provide SRD and support. Similarly, Social Development Deputy Minister, Henrietta Bogopane-Zulu, visited KwaNkosi Ngcobo and eMaqadini. In the Western Cape, SASSA continues to provide support to the more than 765 people affected by the fire in Langa, as well as the 30 people affected in Gugulethu. Phaahla said support, in the form of hot meals, blankets, mattresses and dignity packs, has been provided. R350 grant While the focus of the briefing was meant to be about governments response to the disaster, Phaahla said they thought it important to include some input on the much-anticipated COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant of R350. He said having reviewed some of the media comments over weekend, they felt it important to add it to this briefing to clarify and address some of the concerns that have been expressed. During his State of the Nation Address, the President announced that the R350 Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant will be extended for the period of a year, to March 2023. Phaahla said the Social Department anticipated the end to the National State of Disaster and embarked on developing the regulatory framework for the payment of the COVID-19 SRD, within the legal provisions of the Social Assistance legislative framework. In February this year, the department published the regulations for public comments. We know that we reduced this period for public comments a bit to accommodate the shortened time period we had. We wish to thank all the contributors and participants for their fruitful inputs and helpful comments, which went a long way to enhance the regulations, he said. Unfortunately, he said the process for developing regulations took longer than expected, but the department has now finally come to the end of this process and proclaimed the regulations on 22 April 2022. With the application portal on the SASSA website having opened on 23 April 2022, Phaahla said government encourages everyone who needs the grant to apply within the remaining few days of the month. We are a bit concerned that just under seven million applications have been received, as we were hoping to receive at least 12 million applications by the end of the month. Our systems have been coping very well with the applications thus far, as weve been receiving about one million applications per day, which is about double the volumes weve seen in the previous iterations, he said. Prospective applicants can apply using the SASSA website at https://srd.sassa.gov.za. This include people who were receiving the grant previously. Firstly, many people want to know whether or not they should reapply for the COVID SRD. Given that this form of COVID SRD will now be provided for within a new legislative framework, and that additional qualifying and assessment criteria have been added, those in need of assistance will need to apply for the grant, or reapply if they were already receiving the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress provided for under the disaster management framework, Phaahla said. Government will be retaining its digital platforms for the application process in order to enable millions of people to apply in a relatively short space of time. All applicants are reminded that they will be considered for the grant from the month in which the application is lodged, meaning that all applications lodged in April will be considered as from April. I am appealing to all South Africans in need of the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress to embrace this opportunity and apply. There are still three days left to the end of the month. Our application channels are available 24 hours a day and can handle very high volumes, the Minister said. SASSAs call centre will be opened to assist and process enquiries. It can be reached on 0800 60 10 11. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Bulgaria should be part of efforts for peace in Ukraine: president Xinhua) 15:10, April 28, 2022 SOFIA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said here on Wednesday that his country should be part of the efforts for peace in Ukraine, according to the presidential press office. "Bulgaria should be part of the efforts for peace and ending the conflict as soon as possible, because its prolongation will have disastrous consequences in many dimensions," Radev told reporters. Radev once again categorically said that he was against the provision of military aid to Ukraine from Bulgaria. This would mean a step towards Bulgaria's direct involvement in this conflict, Radev said. Answering a question about the upcoming visit of a Bulgarian delegation led by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to Ukraine, Radev said that he did not consider such a visit necessary. "The sovereign Bulgarian position is being worked out in Sofia, not in Kyiv," Radev said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Eleven people were arrested, and dozens of illegal decoders were seized during police raids over the past two weeks, as police broke a TV-decoder smuggling ring. The cross-border smuggling ring is involved in bringing Openview decoders from South Africa into Zimbabwe, in contravention of customs, trademark and copyright laws. Raids and seizures are set to continue across the SADC region as a regional clampdown on content piracy continues. The Openview decoders are used to access content from the SABC and eMedia in South Africa. The content is not licensed for viewing in any other countries in the region. We commend the Zimbabwe police on their detective work in breaking the smuggling ring and making the arrests, says Antonio Lee, COO of Openview parent company eMedia Group. We are working with law enforcement in several SADC countries to share information about illegal trade in our decoders. We look forward to more major busts and more arrests being made soon. Lee says Openview decoders can only be legally sold in South Africa, and that retailers who sell the set-top boxes in other countries are guilty of crimes of content piracy the unauthorised duplication and sale of copyrighted content. Anyone purchasing an Openview decoder in Zimbabwe is robbing the country of customs duties, he says. They can expect no after-sales service. Also, Zimbabwes TV professionals suffer when viewers watch foreign content instead of home-made Zimbabwean shows. Illegal decoders are a form of grey-market content piracy, which involves distributing and selling a product or a service outside the geographical area where it is licensed. The raids follow an intensive investigation across key Southern African markets, which has identified retail outlets selling the Openview decoders. In total, eleven outlets were raided and 81 decoders including 1094 records containing Openview serial numbers were seized. Follow-up investigations are likely to lead to further arrests and confiscations of devices. Openview supports these raids, and we take this issue extremely seriously, says Lee. Pirating content using our devices is illegal. Both retailers and viewers are guilty of crimes. Having an illegal decoder in your store or in your home means you can be arrested at any time and prosecuted. Lee says that training has been conducted with law enforcement, customs agencies, and border officials on what to look out for in fighting content piracy and decoder smuggling. He says that if smuggled decoders are identified, they can be blocked remotely, so that they become useless. Lee says he appeals to Zimbabwe consumers not to buy Openview decoders. Several national and international laws are being broken if you use pirate decoders. You will get no customer support, they can be switched off at any time, and you are engaging in illegal, criminal activity that makes you liable to arrest and prosecution. H Metro Artificial Intelligence-powered matchmaking platform fostered global B2B networking during virtual conference focused on business opportunities throughout Africa NEW YORK, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), an international trade organization connecting over 300 World Trade Center (WTC) locations in nearly 100 countries, gathered nearly 600 participants from more than 60 countries at its 2022 General Assembly (GA), which was held virtually from April 18-22. Attendees participated in two days of livestream sessions featuring prominent keynote speakers discussing business opportunities in Africa and a full week of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered B2B matchmaking opportunities across all time zones. Focused on the theme, "Exploring New Horizons," the GA demonstrated the strength of the WTCA network, and offered attendees the opportunity to learn from leading experts and to connect with each other virtually. "Even though our association's premier global annual event was held virtually again this year, our AI-powered B2B matchmaking platform continued to offer attendees the ability to maximize time spent establishing business connections - with valuable access 24/7 around the world," said John E. Drew, WTCA Chair, Board of Directors. "During this year's event, we explored the wide range of industries and sectors in Africa, and the qualities that makes the continent an investment destination. Africa is in a geo-strategic location to support both the Asian and European markets from a nearshoring perspective, and is a viable partner for our members and their global business networks." The 2022 GA offered a series of informative livestream events, including fireside chats, panel discussions and presentations on topics intended to showcase the African business community. The keynote address featured Atsuko Toda, acting Vice President for agriculture, human and social development of the African Development Bank, who discussed the acceleration of the African agriculture transformation. Other notable sessions included a fireside chat with Soji Awogbade, Partner and Lead of the International Trade, Energy and Natural Resources and Agriculture Practice Groups at ?LEX, talking about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); as well as a panel discussion on doing business in Africa with WTCA members from Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mauritius and Nigeria. "This year's GA uncovered that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the crux of the African economy and there is so much potential for global trade and investment," said Robin van Puyenbroeck, WTCA Executive Director-Business Development. "Our global network of World Trade Center businesses is critical to drive opportunities throughout the continent because each represents hundreds, sometimes thousands, of SMEs. It is through this connectivity and power of our network that our association can help facilitate business on a global scale across industries and sectors." Attendees were also briefed on many different updates across the WTCA, including the official announcement of the winners of the 2021-2022 WTCA 2021-2022 WTCA Champions Awards. "With a renewed focus on business in Africa, we hope this GA provided a glimpse into the opportunities available at next year's, which will be hosted in Accra, Ghana by World Trade Center Accra," Drew announced. The 2023 WTCA GA will be held from April 23-28. To view recordings of the livestream sessions from the 2022 WTCA GA, please click here. MEDIA CONTACT: World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) Chanelle Kasik Phone: +1 212 432 2644 Email: ckasik@wtca.org About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in 92 countries. As the owner of the "World Trade Center" and "WTC" trademarks, the WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for Members to use in conjunction with their independently-owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its Members, the goal of the WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe through Member engagement. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/704442/WTCA_Logo.jpg VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2022 / Scorpio Gold Corporation ("Scorpio Gold" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SGN) announces that it has obtained bridge loans (the "Loans") from Ian Dawson and Bruce Dawson (collectively, the "Lenders") in the aggregate principal amount of US$450,000, payable on demand, which accrue interest at a rate of 123/8% per annum, compounding monthly. The Company has delivered promissory notes to the Lenders as evidence of the Loans. The purpose of the Loans are to ensure sufficient cash is available to the Company to sustain its general working capital requirements. The Lenders are related parties of the Company by virtue of the fact that they are directors of the Company, and as a result, the Loans constitute a "related party transaction" for the purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). There has not been a material change in the percentage of the outstanding securities of the Company that are individually owned by the Lenders as a result of the Loans. The Company is relying upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under MI 61-101 in respect of the Loans, in reliance on Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as the fair market value of the Loans does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The board of directors of the Company approved the Loans pursuant to consent resolutions, with the Lenders declaring their interest and abstaining from voting on the consent resolutions. No special committee was established in connection with the Loans, and no materially contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director of the Company in relation thereto. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION Chris Zerga President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: (775) 753-4778 Email: czerga@scorpiogold.com Website: www.scorpiogold.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the Company. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results suggested by the forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements require management to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate, that the management's assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may include, but are not limited to, the use of funds for the Loans. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking statements that are contained or incorporated in this press release. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. SOURCE: Scorpio Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/699353/Scorpio-Gold-Loans-in-Principal-Amount-of-US450000 New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Burn Floki, a new Play2Earn NFT-based MetaVerse MEME racing game platform, has announced the introduction of its hyper-deflationary token. It is built on the Binance Smart Chain and will allow investors to send and receive the BFLOKI token automatically. Although the platform is in its development phase, there are plans for Burn Floki to have its own wallet after the launch of its BurnSwap. According to the project coordinator, "BurnFloki will have its own MEME Launchpad for projects that want to get launched on a MEME Launchpad," nick-named after a famous celebrity. Burn Floki Introduces a Play2Earn Platform To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8717/122053_edaba9b3b4aadbac_001full.jpg Unveiling its Burn Floki Swap The Burn Floki Swap will serve as the official decentralized exchange for the Burn Floki community. It intends to give token holders the ability to swap their tokens independently with other BEP-20 tokens. PancakeSwap will power the Burn Floki swap. Notably, PancakeSwap is one of the worlds trusted and safest decentralized exchanges. In addition, the PancakeSwap exchange will serve as the foundation for most of BFLOKI's ongoing community development plans, which will come with additional functionality and features exclusive to Burn Floki token holders. The potential is unlimited as it recently signed a big partnership with India's top NFT gaming company. How to buy the Burn Floki $BFLOKI token The token is a decentralized binance smart contract meme token available for everyone to purchase. You need to use the PancakeSwap platform to swap your token. When buying through PancakeSwap, you have to set the slippage to 10 to 12%. Overall, the total supply of $BFLOKI available is 1,000,000,000,000,000. The token comes with a 10% buy/Sell Tax. This 10% Buy/Sell Tax is allocated to Liquidity/Marketing & Development/FLOKI rewards. Holders will get $FLOKI rewards just by holding $BFLOKI in their wallets. A certain percentage is kept for the marketing and development of the project, along with adding the Liquidity, to ensure the BurnFlokii project stays stable. The Burn Floki project is already listed on prominent platforms such as CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, LiveCoinWatch & Nomics and many more. CoinMarketCap: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/burn-floki/ CoinGecko: https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/burnfloki Social Media Handles: Telegram: https://t.me/BurnFloki Twitter: https://twitter.com/burnfloki Manager Telegram: @BFLOKI Contact Info: Organization: BurnFloki Name: Shahbu Mistry Email: info@BurnFloki.com Location: US/NY Website: https://burnfloki.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/122053 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 28, 2022) - Cypherpunk Holdings Inc. (CSE: HODL) (OTC Pink: CYFRF) (" Cypherpunk " or the " Company "), a sector leader for blockchain, metaverse, privacy and cryptography focused investments, announces that it will host an investor webinar with the CEO and President, Jeff Gao on Friday, May 6, 2022, at 10:00 EDT to discuss the Company's business outlook and progress since the last webinar. 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 Forex industry is not the easiest to get around with. Numerous trends, major life events and other external factors are constantly changing the way traders approach FX. Just like in any other financial trading industry, brokerages play a significant role in Forex. The goal of a forex brokerage is to provide investors/traders with easy access to the forex trading market and generate profit along the way. Many of them will even help you learn a bit about how to trade by providing educational content, webinars and other informational resources. There are different types of brokerages out there, big and small ones, some specializing in one financial market e.g. Crypto, Forex, CFDs, etc., but at the end of the day, they all work in a similar manner. Finding the best FX brokers with ECS One of the most challenging parts is finding the right Forex brokerage that suits your needs and your trading preferences. Elite CurrenSea (ECS) is a financial institution with a combined trading experience of 30 years. With a solid background and expertise in Forex, ECS scouted the most trusted brokers in the market so you did not have to come across scamming companies and enjoy an effortless trading experience. The company suggests traders choose from the top 3 leading FX brokerages. Each of them has its own unique style and approaches to trading. Key to Markets The list begins with one of the famous British brokerages, Key to Markets(KTM). The brokerage is famous for its Algorithmic trading capabilities. Offering more than 65 currencies to trade with the company takes the lead with its trading instruments. The company, like many others, offers PAMM account services where investors of all experience levels can maximize their profitability. PAMM accounts are especially beneficial for who are earning money while learning important trading lessons. Individuals have the opportunity to join the PAMM account through a very easy process that is completed in a few hours. The overall procedure is largely customizable where investors have the choice of which PAMM to join and the account managers can set the flexible fee structures. AvaTrade The second on the list is AvaTrade. Founded in 2006, AvaTrade is regulated on all the continents making it the safest broker (low-risk) for trading CFDs and forex. The company is famous for its innovative approaches to trading. AvaTradeGO is a prime example of how the company prioritizes imaginative solutions. AvaTradeGO is an application that can be installed on both android and ios mobile devices, that enables traders to complete their orders from anywhere. AvaTrade takes pride in the transparency of its work. Do not expect to have any hidden fees when working with this brokerage. Having a minimum deposit of $100 AvaTrade is undoubtedly one of the best choices for both experienced and novice traders. XM Probably the most popular brokerage on our list, XM is one of the best Forex brokerages on the market. Since 2009, having more than 600 professionals working under the company, with all of the experience combined XM supports more than 30 languages which makes it the best choice for any level of traders all over the world. The international approach that the company took made it have the best customer support offering help 24/7 with a personalized approach to all of your problems or inquiries. The process of opening an account with XM is really easy, taking only 2 minutes. The company makes sure you have all the right information and resources to tackle this competitive and complicated industry. Jyoti Bansal, CEO and cofounder, Harness Harness, a San Francisco, CA-based software delivery platform provider, raised $230M in Series D funding at a USD3.7 billion valuation. The round, which includes $175m in equity and $55m in debt financing, was led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from J.P. Morgan, Capital One Ventures, Splunk Ventures, Adage Capital Partners, Balyasny Asset Management, Gaingels, Harmonic Growth Partners, ServiceNow, Menlo Ventures, IVP, Unusual Ventures, Citi Ventures, Battery Ventures, Alkeon Capital, GV, Sorenson Capital, Thomvest Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank. The company intends to use the funds to continue to grow its talent and further expand platform. Led by CEO Jyoti Bansal, Harness provides developers with a software delivery platform that uses machine learning to detect the quality of deployments and automatically roll back failed ones, saving time and reducing the need for custom scripting and manual oversight. The company currently employs approx. 700 people. FinSMEs 27/04/2022 Implicity, a Cambridge, MA-based provider of a remote patient monitoring and cardiac data management solutions, raised $23M in Series A funding. The round was led by Credit Mutuel Innovation and Bpifrance, with participation from BNP Paribas Development, Serena, XAnge and Karista. The company intends to use the funds to: Increase the companys market presence in the US and support expansion into new markets Develop additional medical device software to strengthen the technological leadership of the company Led by CEO Dr. Arnaud Rosier, Implicity is a software company that provides a universal cardiac remote monitoring and research platform to clinics and service companies. Its AI-based technology and cardiac data management solutions enable healthcare professionals around the world to have a more holistic approach to caring for cardiac patients. This new funding comes months after the company received FDA clearance for a novel AI algorithm that analyzes ECG episodes from Implantable Loop Recorders (ILRs). IMPLICITY covers more than 60,000 patients in 100 medical facilities across the United States and Europe. FinSMEs 27/04/2022 Sealed, a New York-based climate tech company, raised an additional $29.5m in Series B funding. The round, which now amounts at $45.5m, was led by Fifth Wall Climate Tech with participation from Robert Downey Jr.s FootPrint Coalition, CityRock Venture Partners, Cyrus Capital and Keyframe Capital. The company, which has raised $62.5m, intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by CEO Lauren Salz, and Andy Frank, President, Sealed designs, manages and finances home weatherization and electrification projects for homeowners that stop energy waste, enhance comfort and slash greenhouse gas emissions. After a remote home assessment, the company determines the right combination of home improvements to reduce energy waste, including insulation, air sealing, smart thermostats, lighting, and heat pump HVAC. Resulting efficiencies can cut energy use by as much as 50% while balancing out temperatures across the house and eliminating fossil fuel heating sources. FinSMEs 28/04/2022 JOURNALIST Hopewell Chinono yesterday accused Zanu PF of trying to grab his goat rearing project in Murewa. In a series of tweets yesterday Chinono said a Zanu PF youth league member Taurai Kandishaya was behind the plot to grab his project. There is a Zanu PF national youth league member who is planning to invade my village goat project. His name is Taurai Kandishaya. This is why we say there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe, Chinono said Publicly encouraging Zanu PF youths to loot my private property, said Chinono. The Zanu PF government has never given me a single goat for my project; this is further evidence of lawlessness that we are subjected to by Zanu PF. I will not be silenced through threats of violence and my property looted. Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa refused to comment on the allegations, saying Chinono should focus his energies on exposing opposition parties for poor service delivery in municipalities. He (Chinono) goes outside the country blasting the country, why should he not instead blast the opposition parties for neglecting the urban councils poor roads, infrastructure and that is the reason we have started to win in local councils as Zanu PF, Mutsvangwa said. Everyone knows that development starts from the local government, Mutsvangwa added. Newsday HUMAN rights group, Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) has petitioned National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda to intervene in the alleged ill-treatment of Vice-President Constantino Chiwengas ex-wife, Marry Mubaiwa. In a letter dated April 25 addressed to Mudenda, ROHR Zimbabwe United Kingdom chapter secretary Alvina Chibhamu said the manner in which Mubaiwa was being treated was unacceptable. We write to your august House with regards to the apparent continued persecution of Marry Mubaiwa, which, in our view, is a typical case of lawfare waged against a citizen by a State whose institutions are captured by an elite few, the ROHR letter read. We are concerned about Mubaiwa-Chiwengas health condition and how she is being denied the opportunity to travel and seek medical assistance outside Zimbabwe. Chibhamu added: Marry is gravely ill with lymphoedema among a slew of other ailments. Her condition is life-threatening. She is now hospitalised. Lymphoedema is a long-term (chronic) condition that causes swelling in the bodys tissues. A medical report by John Nyahunzvi dated March 29, 2022 indicated that amputation of her forearm is now necessary once she is deemed medically stable. Mubaiwa was arrested in 2019, and she has since been denied the opportunity to seek medical attention outside Zimbabwe while her condition continues to deteriorate. She has collapsed twice outside the courts, which have, however, not shown compassion towards her predicament. In contrast, Priscah Mupfumira a former government minister who was allegedly implicated in the looting of millions of State funds was given permission to not attend court because she said she was not mentally fit to attend court and was even granted permission to travel abroad on a business trip. The double standards are so glaring. This is such a glaring case of abuse of power against a mother and by extension, her innocent children, Chibhamu said. ROHR said the countrys health facilities were inadequate for Mubaiwas health needs, hence she should not be denied an opportunity to travel abroad to seek medical attention. This is despite the courts being advised by medical professionals in 2020 that failure to access specialist treatment would have dire consequences for Marry. The specialists advice was ignored. Chibhamu said the refusal to allow Marry to travel for treatment outside Zimbabwe was a violation of section 76 of the Constitution, which stipulates the right to healthcare. At some point, the law was rationally applied by the High Court and Marry was allowed to see her children, but her estranged husband Chiwenga appealed to the Supreme Court several times and irrationally won against all odds. ROHR pleaded with Parliament to look into the issue as Mubaiwa was being denied her rights as a mother. The situation is coming across as if VP Chiwenga and the government are using Marrys situation as a weapon against citizens, especially women. Last month, Mubaiwa was fined $60 000 after being convicted of lying that Chiwenga had consented to solemnise their marriage. She is back in court on a charge of assaulting her domestic worker. Newsday Leader of South Africas opposition political party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema has urged Zimbabweans domiciled in South Africa to go home and vote in the 2023 harmonised elections in order to remove Zanu PF from power. Malema, who has always been vocal against xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiments targeting Africans, said Zimbabweans had a civic duty to participate in their elections so that they deliver a progressive government to change their fortunes. Speaking at a Freedom Day celebrations event in Tshwane Wednesday, the EFF leader assured Zimbabweans the country would always provide a home to them but pleaded for them to go back to Zimbabwe and vote for change. Zanu PF has destroyed what was a promising land for Zimbabwe and the current leader of Zimbabwe (Emmerson Mnangagwa) is as clueless as the South African leader (Cyril Ramaphosa). They are the same like they are twins. So, to the people of Zimbabwe, we want to make a plea, please when you are here, dont worry, you are at home but when there are elections at home go there in your numbers and vote, he called out. Remove that nonsense that is happening in Zimbabwe and come back if you want to come back. You cannot just fold your hands. The people of Zimbabwe must rise here in South Africa and go to vote for a proper government in Zimbabwe. Malema emphasised that solving the Zimbabwe crisis required civic collective action. Lets help each other so that there is a proper government in Zimbabwe and will bring a proper government in South Africa, we become one big happy family, he said to applause. Lets not be comfortable and think no, all is well, as long as we are in South Africa. He urged Zimbabweans to remember that voting was their part in delivering a better Zimbabwe. Lets not forget that as Zimbabweans we have a duty at home to deliver a progressive government that will respect human rights, that will make sure the economy of Zimbabwe grows, make sure it defeats poverty and unemployment, Malema said. A progressive and developing Zimbabwe is a solution to the problems of South Africa so we want to help Africans who are helping themselves. The firebrand leader argued that once South Africans are done with xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, such as Nigerians and Zimbabweans, their anger will turn to small tribes within the country such as the Shangaan people. He said once foreign nationals are out of South Africa, depending on the province, locals would start blaming other tribes for the unemployment crisis. Malema used the example of telling Zulu people to go back to KwaZulu Natal and Xhosa people to return to the Eastern Cape, noting that poverty, hunger and inequality would remain, as forcing foreign nationals out of the country will not solve the countrys unemployment crisis. CITE Much of the cast has changed, and so has some of the crew. Even the directing staff has undergone a revision. But the story of Matilda, the little girl with the big powers, hasnt changed except that now it might be even more relevant, said directors Moth Kelley and Rebecca Douglas. After a two-year global pandemic delay, Roald Dahls Matilda: The Musical is once again ready for The Majestic Theatre. Opening night is Friday, April 29, and the show will run through May 22 at the Majestic, 115 SW Second St. in Corvallis. Performances are at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Details and tickets are available at the website, majestic.org. Matilda tells the story of a little girl with exceptional intelligence and extraordinary talents. Although neglected by her parents and terrorized by her headmistress, she finds a way to use her powers to stand up for her friends and build a happy future for herself and her favorite teacher. Audiences familiar with the 1996 Hollywood movie version of the story may be surprised to see and hear it set in its original location of Great Britain. They also may not know the songs, which the directors said help to deepen and define the story. The directors said theyre expecting crowds to be wowed by the sheer energy of the 33-member cast, more than half of whom are under 18. During rehearsal breaks, Douglas said, they often keep going, and they are the first to point out when the breaks end. They make sure that we know, because they want to get back to work. 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 production was originally to take the stage in May 2020, and Kelleys cast was ready to roll. When the governor first issued pandemic restrictions, the directors tried to set up Zoom rehearsals and looked into outdoor venues, but in the end had to set the show aside. When youre having to tell kids that its over, kids who worked hard in this process that was heartbreaking, Kelley said. Live theater productions in general went dark for the next year and a half. But then came coronavirus vaccines, reductions in caseloads and hospitalizations, and a gradual lifting of restrictions. The Majestic had paid Music Theatre International for rights to Matilda, and they allowed for a delay in the timing of the show, Douglas said. Theyve been very flexible and kind, especially with community theater. In late fall 2021, Kelley recalled, the phone rang. It was Jimbo Ivy, supervisor of The Majestic. We got a phone call from Jimbo: Matildas a go; do you still have a team? Kelley recalled. My reaction was, Oh. OH. Happy! Scared! Oh, my gosh, are people going to be around to do this? People were. Not all the people, but many of them. Douglas, originally the vocal director, said she was thrilled to step up to co-direct, as the original co-director, Laura Blackwell, had other obligations. Jason Seivers and Christa Antrim were still available to be Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, Matildas spiteful and disparaging parents. But Freya Harte and Eila Howe, who were cast as the lead in split roles for 2020s Matilda, had outgrown the part, Douglas explained, which meant Matilda herself had to be recast. Harte and Howe instead have rejoined the cast in other roles. It speaks to their character as young people that theyve been as gracious as they have, Douglas said. The 2022 double-cast list includes Piper Moss and Sabina Berglund as Matilda; Melissa Gutierrez and Sharon Chang as Miss Honey, Matildas sweet, helpful and nurturing teacher; and Brady Moss and Bentley Michaels as Miss Trunchbull, the sadistic headmistress who makes Matilda a special target. Double-casting the main roles is insurance, Kelley said, because anybody could get sick at any time. Theres two of us, even, he said, nodding at Douglas. We have contingency plan upon contingency plan upon contingency plan. Neither director believes in using understudies, arguing that if you work that long and hard on a part, you ought to be able to showcase it for an audience. Also, both say, they appreciate the different approaches each actor brings to the character. One new cast member who isnt sharing a role this time is Bill Brown, who took on the part of Sergei, the Russian mafia boss who comes to get his revenge on Matildas con-man father. He is among the people in the show who realizes the little girl is someone very special. Browns wife, LaVelle Grandy-Brown, was the costumer for the show in 2020, but lost her battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, before it was rescheduled. When the directors spoke to him about joining the show himself, he decided he would do so as a tribute to his wife. Plus, he joked, he gets to sing: 11 notes exactly. I thought, you know, this would be a great way of honoring LaVelle, to be in the show that would have been her show as the costumer, he said. Its a way of doing something that kind of honors her memory in something that she loved to do. The presence or lack of love is a theme in Matilda, as characters without it increasingly lose their humanity, and characters who have it find it gives them the strength to stand up for themselves and one another. In this current climate, I think it rings true now more than ever that you need to stand up to bullies, you need to stand up for yourself, Kelley said. I think Matilda says it best herself: Just because lifes not fair doesnt mean you have to grin and bear it. Love 4 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 An Albany painting and construction company was fined $17,200 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for what the agency characterized as hazardous waste violations, according to a news release from the DEQ. The owner of the company, however, says the allegations are bogus. The state agency sent a formal notice of civil penalty to Fitzpatrick Painting Inc. and owner Timothy Fitzpatrick on March 11. The document alleges the painting and construction company disposed of hazardous waste on its Albany property, which does not have a hazardous waste disposal permit. The DEQ also claims the company did not determine whether the waste generated at the facility was hazardous. Additionally, the agency cited Fitzpatrick Painting without penalty for offering hazardous waste for offsite treatment, storage or disposal, using an inaccurate hazardous waste manifest. But Fitzpatrick isnt simply going to pay up. Im definitely fighting it, he said. The fines and allegations are completely inaccurate. The allegations According to the DEQ notice of civil penalty, the agency inspected the Fitzpatrick Painting Albany property on June 29, 2020. During this inspection, there were reportedly around 80 containers of various sizes containing waste discarded on the ground. There were allegedly five 5-gallon containers of unknown liquid residues. As of the inspection date, the DEQ alleges Fitzpatrick Painting had not performed any hazardous waste determinations on these unknown residues. According to the document, the company conducted a hazardous waste determination after the inspection on the five containers and discovered that four of the five contained ignitable hazardous waste. The DEQ also alleges on Nov. 24, 2020, Fitzpatrick Painting offered up waste for shipment, and a manifest shows that the company was disposing of 400 pounds of waste paint material. However the notice claims that the actual amount of hazardous waste shipped and disposed was 1,376 pounds. On Dec. 9, 2020, the manifest was corrected to reflect the actual amount of waste, according to the notice. 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 hazardous waste shipped fell under two waste codes: methylene chloride and xylene, according to the DEQ. Furthermore, during the June 29, 2020, inspection, the agency claims there were 2 cubic yards of construction debris disposed on the property, including bricks, concrete, drywall and asphalt. There was also allegedly red and white staining on the ground near the main building on the property where some painting equipment had been cleaned, according to the DEQ. The rinse water containing water-based paint was reportedly disposed on the ground. Next steps Fitzpatrick isnt going down without a fight, he said. He maintains that the claims made by the DEQ are simply not true. Fitzpatrick said he has hired an attorney. According to DEQ Public Affairs Specialist Dylan Darling, Fitzpatrick Painting filed an appeal to the case on March 31 and requested a hearing. Darling said if the case proceeds, it will go before an administrative law judge, but a settlement may be reached before then. 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 4 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 3 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. I had been at work for about an hour when my editor came rushing in with a very important announcement: The scooters are here! Obviously I dropped everything I was doing to run out and see them for myself, as Mid-Valley Media has been following the Bird Inc. e-scooter saga for weeks, attending Albany City Council meetings to keep the public informed on the pending arrival of this eco-friendly transit option. Luckily our ever-talented crime reporter Maddie Pfeifer has some video skills in her back pocket, and she too answered the call to action by abandoning her duties to document an inaugural ride for our loyal readers. The city decided in March to engage in a 12-month pilot program with Bird, bringing a bunch of e-scooters to the historic downtown area and anywhere else area free-market forces dictate to provide locals with a healthier option of getting around amid soaring gas prices and crowded streets. The app is very user-friendly once you have it downloaded, you tap a blue icon to scan the QR code located on the handlebars of each bike. Youre charged by the minute, and my 25-minute ride cost me $6.85. Theres an electronic speedometer in the center of the handlebars so you can clock your speed, which can go up to 15 miles per hour on level ground. I cannot confirm this, as I think I got up to 10 miles per hour at my absolute craziest. Once you scan the QR code and unlock the bike, you will be greeted by cute little chirping sounds that most definitely will remind you that youre riding a Bird brand scooter. But be forewarned: These adorable tweets will turn into ominous screeches, however, if you attempt to lift the scooter or ride it once it locks up. Don't ask me how I know. So, unless you want to attract stares from people searching for an invisible flock of angry birds, dont do that. Once I got going, I pressed a lever on the handlebars that immediately accelerated my speed, causing my knees to shake until I slowed down. You may have guessed that I am hardly a daredevil, dear reader, as I choose to spend my time attending school board meetings and writing about murals. I glided around the courthouse for a while before heading in the direction of Two Rivers Market, where I was tempted to take a taco break at Taqueria Alonzo out of sheer exhaustion. But this sample ride was for work, not play, so I kept chugging along past the Albany Fire Department and Hasty Freez before heading back to the newsroom to pen this masterpiece. All in all, Id say it was a fun ride, albeit a little more strenuous than I expected. I didnt feel like I was going to fall, which is good because I was not wearing a helmet an encouraged step when reading the safety instructions in the app and Oregon law. Youre also not supposed to ride the scooters on the sidewalk, so do as I say, not as I do, and stay in the bike lanes on the street. City of Albany spokesperson Matt Harrington said the Birds arrived Wednesday morning. The city created a webpage, www.cityofalbany.net/bird, to help answer questions about the scooters as they come up. People of Albany: Go out and ride these e-scooters to your favorite downtown small businesses! Theyve arrived just in time for a sunshine-filled spring, which we are all hoping to experience ... any day now. And make sure you TWEET about your experience on the Bird! Well, maybe not while you're ON the Bird. Joanna Mann (she/her) covers education for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6076 or Joanna.Mann@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @joanna_mann_. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The new Knife River training facility in Albany promises to give workers from a variety of industries a place to hone their skills and learn from their peers in real-world scenarios. Its 80,000-square-foot dome is home to a dirt arena big enough to house a semi-truck to train licensed truck drivers and a concrete viewing platform. About 230 acres of the place is dedicated to outdoor training areas for maritime simulations, among other exercises. This fall, it will host "SimTown," a mock urban training ground featuring overhead and underground hazards. The Knife River training facility broke ground in July 2020. It began holding outdoor classes in February 2021 while it was being built, and indoors class activities have been held since January. Funded by the Knife River Corp., a construction materials company, the facility on 35973 Kennel Road Southeast boasts 16,000 square feet for classrooms and conference rooms with capacity for up to 350 people. The facility was intended for Knife River employees and other companies. Among those companies is Peterson Cat, a Caterpillar construction equipment dealer based in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington. 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 quite unique and really a big investment," said Rich Bolen, rental operations manager at Peterson Cat. "I think it's going to pay a lot of dividends in the future." Bolen said he was impressed with the facility's classrooms, where students can watch audio and video of their peers after an exercise to break down what went right and what went wrong. "We were able to have people train on every piece of equipment," Bolen said. "Then they could bring that audio and video of the trainer and the trainee inside, so that everybody could see what was going on." Bolen said Cat Peterson's new and existing employees intend to train at the facility at least a half-dozen times per year. According to Albany fire Lt. Tom Henke, there's no such thing as too much training. The Knife River facility wasn't specifically designed for search and rescue training, Henke said, but it turned out it was a perfect fit for his fellow firefighters. The most valuable opportunities the Knife River facility has provided for the department, he said, is a place for trench rescue. The Fire Department, Henke said, has worked with a host of contractors over the years to dig its firefighters trenches to train in, including Albany's Public Works, at Albany's Fire Station 12. Trenches rescues can be extremely dangerous, according to Henke. When a trench begins to collapse, the soil can move as quickly as 40 miles per hour and trap rescuers. "That trench, once it's collapsed, is highly unstable and can continue to collapse," Henke said. "That's why having a team capable of performing trench rescue, recognizing hazards and having people with training and the equipment to rescue somebody is really important." Henke said the Fire Department plans to train at one of the property's ponds for water rescue training in the near future. The Knife River training facility is having a grand opening at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 28, complete with an equipment demonstration. Speakers at the event include Knife River President and CEO Dave Barney, Commissioner of Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries Val Hoyle, Oregon Department of Transportation Director Kris Strickler and National Ready-Mix Concrete Association Executive Director Mike Phillips. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund warned of an increased risk of measles spread, with worldwide cases up nearly 80% so far in 2022 compared with 2021. "Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021," the organizations said in a news release on Wednesday, noting there were 21 "large and disruptive" outbreaks, many in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. "Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases," the organizations said, adding that as cities and countries relax Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, measles outbreaks become more likely. "It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles," Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in the release. Twenty-three million children missed out on childhood vaccinations in 2020, the organizations said. Childhood vaccination campaigns have been hindered recently by the Covid-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Afghanistan. As of April 1, "57 vaccine-preventable disease campaigns in 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the start of the pandemic are still postponed, impacting 203 million people, most of whom are children," the organizations said. "Of these, 19 are measles campaigns, which put 73 million children at risk of measles due to missed vaccinations." According to WHO and UNICEF, "coverage at or above 95 per cent with two doses of the safe and effective measles vaccine can protect against measles." In all five countries with the highest cases in the last year, first dose coverage was below 70% in 2020. In the US, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published data last week that showed measles vaccinations in kindergarten students dropped to 93.6% in the 2020-2021 school year. "We are concerned that missed routine vaccinations could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children," Dr. Shannon Stokley, deputy director of the CDC's Immunization Services Division said of the release of the vaccination data. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. A PASTOR with the Assemblies of God Church based in Simatelele, Binga, was on Tuesday murdered in cold blood in the Junamina area by people masquerading as vehicle dealers. Pastor Albert Mudenda was allegedly killed together with a local businessman, whose name was not supplied, but is said to be based in Siachilaba. Their bodies were dumped in a well. Sources told Southern Eye that Mudenda had hired the businessmans vehicle to travel to Junamina, where he was supposed to meet car dealers who had promised to sell him a car. However, on arrival at Junamina, the pastor and the businessman were robbed by the suspects. They were murdered and thrown into a deep well. The robbers then fled the scene using the businessmans vehicle. Their bodies were found the following day by villagers floating in the well. Brother to the now-deceased pastor, Ellias Munkuli, yesterday confirmed the incident to Southern Eye. I am yet to get full details of what exactly transpired as I am in Bulawayo, but the pastor is my brother. He intended to buy a car before he was murdered, he said. Matabeleland North province police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said he was at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and referred all questions to Assistant Inspector Namatirai Mashona, who said she was in Victoria Falls, hence had no information pertaining to the case. Village head Gregory Munsaka said the incident had shocked the Binga community. Life cant be lost this way. We hope the police will do their job and bring the culprits to book, Munsaka said. Newsday TORONTO, April 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the Company or PharmaTher) (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM), a leader in specialty ketamine pharmaceuticals, is pleased to announce that PharmaTher has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Gesval S.A., a public limited company incorporated by the University of Liege, Belgium, for the development and commercialization of a patented continuous-flow process technology for the preparation of ketamine and ketamine analogs (the Ketamine Technology). The Ketamine Technology strengthens the Companys patent portfolio of ketamine and it will complement the Companys expanding ketamine pharmaceutical pipeline for use in hospitals, clinics and homes. PharmaTher is developing and commercializing novel uses, delivery forms and formulations of ketamine and ketamine analogs. As part of its short-term product strategy, the Company is developing its own Ketamine Injection and Infusion product to support the Companys expected pivotal clinical studies for Parkinsons disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs disease), future FDA 505(b)(2) regulatory submissions in mental health, neurological and pain disorders, and its commercialization plans in the U.S. via an FDA Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for anesthesia and procedural sedation. The Company expects to file the ANDA in Q4-2022 for commercialization in the U.S. In addition, the Companys long-term product strategy is to develop novel ketamine formulations and drug delivery systems, including its patented microneedle patch and proposed wearable pump device for the intradermal and subcutaneous delivery of ketamine, respectively. Ketamine was approved by the FDA in 1970 and is clinically used for analgesia, sedation, and anesthetic induction. Ketamine is also emerging as a viable treatment option for various mental health, neurological and pain disorders. However, the methods generally used for the production of ketamine are time-consuming and typically based on stepwise macroscopic batch processes resulting in low productivity, reproducibility and flexibility due to poor mixing and heat transfer. The Ketamine Technology, developed at the Center for Integrated Technology and Organic Synthesis (CiTOS, ULiege) headed by Professor Jean-Christophe Monbaliu, relates to a scalable, safe and efficient continuous-flow process in micro/mesofluidic reactors for the production of ketamine and ketamine analogs, thereby addressing the shortcomings of the ketamine batch processes to improve yield production, reproducibility, purity profile, and requiring smaller footprint for production. In addition to improving the production process of racemic ketamine, the Ketamine Technology provides various methods for synthesizing ketamine analogs (i.e. arylcycloalkylamine derivatives) by using continuous-flow conditions with a drastically improved efficiency relative to batch procedures, which is of paramount importance for developing next-generation ketamines. We are excited to advance patented technology for the novel development and production process of ketamine and ketamine analogs from the University of Liege, said Fabio Chianelli, CEO of PharmaTher. We remain committed to our goal of becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of novel ketamine pharmaceuticals and this license not only strengthens our global patent portfolio for ketamine, but also complements our strategy in commercializing novel uses, delivery forms and formulations of ketamine and ketamine analogs to serve the unmet medical needs for mental health, neurological and pain disorders. In addition, the Company expects to form partnerships with research labs, ketamine clinics and pharmaceutical companies that are: seeking a secure supply of cGMP ketamine and ketamine products for current portfolios; exploring alternative dosage forms for multiple existing indications; developing novel ketamine analogs; and requiring support to develop and eventually commercialize specific ketamine products for new indications. Under the terms of the Agreement, PharmaTher gained exclusive worldwide development and commercial rights to an intellectual property portfolio consisting of a granted patent (Europe patent: 3700887B1) and patent applications (PCT/EP2018/097033) titled, Methods for the preparation of arylcycloalkylamine derivatives in the U.S., China and Canada. Consistent with industry standards, PharmaTher paid a one-time fee for entering into the Agreement, and all other future payments are based on clinical trial and revenue milestones reached by PharmaTher. About PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM) is focused on the development and commercialization of specialty ketamine pharmaceuticals for mental health, neurological, and pain disorders. Learn more at PharmaTher.com . For more information about PharmaTher, please contact: Fabio Chianelli Chief Executive Officer PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. Tel: 1-888-846-3171 Email: info@pharmather.com Website: www.pharmather.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider have reviewed or accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement This press release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "potential", "aim", may and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the "Company") current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Company's management's discussion and analysis for the period of November 30, 2021 ("MD&A"), dated January 27, 2022, which is available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state, province, territory or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state, province, territory or jurisdiction. 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 Tokyo, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The energy storage has become one of the market dynamics for the global hydrogen energy storage market. The hydrogen energy storage helps in the power and electricity generation on a large scale. One of the factors driving the growth of the global hydrogen energy storage market is growing emphasis on the clean and green energy. For this, the government of established and emerging nations is working with key market players for the development of the market. In addition, the growing initiatives for the research and development in the field of energy are also driving the growth of the global hydrogen energy storage market over the projected period. The expansion of automobile and transportation sectors are propelling the expansion of the worldwide hydrogen energy storage market. The hydrogen is widely used in the vehicles. This helps in the reduction of toxic gases. Thus, this is boosting the demand for hydrogen energy storage in the global market. Get the Sample Pages of Report@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/sample/1661 Furthermore, the strict government regulations against the greenhouse gas emissions and global warming are supporting the growth of the global hydrogen energy storage market. Moreover, the major market players are collaborating with the government agencies for the development of hydrogen energy storage market. Additionally, the government of developed and developing countries is providing subsidies and tax rebates for the production plant of hydrogen. This factor is also boosting the growth of the worldwide hydrogen energy storage market. Scope of the Report Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2021 USD 15.52 Billion CAGR 7.5% from 2022 to 2030 Largest Market Asia Pacific Fastest Growing Market North America Companies Covered Steelhead Composites Inc., Air Liquide, Air Products Inc., ITM Power, Iwatani Corporation, Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology BV, Cummins Inc., Engie, Nel ASA, Linde PLC Report Highlights: Based on the technology , the compression storage technologysegment dominated the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021 with largest market share. The compressed form of hydrogen is used as fuel for the automobiles and vehicles on a large scale. This factor is driving the growth of the segment. , the compression storage technologysegment dominated the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021 with largest market share. The compressed form of hydrogen is used as fuel for the automobiles and vehicles on a large scale. This factor is driving the growth of the segment. On the ba sis of physical state , the solidsegment holds the largest market share the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021. The large amount of hydrogen is stored as solid form as this can be used as liquid or gas form in later stages. , the solidsegment holds the largest market share the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021. The large amount of hydrogen is stored as solid form as this can be used as liquid or gas form in later stages. Based on the application , the industrial segment dominated the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021 with largest market share. There is surge in demand for electricity in industrial areas. This factor is driving the segment growth during the forecast period. , the industrial segment dominated the global hydrogen energy storage market in 2021 with largest market share. There is surge in demand for electricity in industrial areas. This factor is driving the segment growth during the forecast period. North America region is the fastest growing region in the hydrogen energy storage market. The government of developed countries such as the U.S. is constantly striving for the conservation of energy. Various activities are being carried out for creating awareness about conservation of energy among people. In addition, the existence of major market players in the region is propelling the growth of the hydrogen energy storage market in the region. is the fastest growing region in the hydrogen energy storage market. The government of developed countries such as the U.S. is constantly striving for the conservation of energy. Various activities are being carried out for creating awareness about conservation of energy among people. In addition, the existence of major market players in the region is propelling the growth of the hydrogen energy storage market in the region. Asia-Pacific is the largest segment for hydrogen energy storage market in terms of region. The growing demand for clean and green energy is contributing to the expansion of the growth of the Asia-Pacific hydrogen energy storage market. Moreover, the hydrogen is widely used for various industries. Ask here for more customization study@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/customization/1661 Future of Hydrogen Energy Storage Market According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for hydrogen has increased dramatically over the period of time. Many of the countries have started supplying hydrogen for industrial purposes. The hydrogen is used in various industries such as transport, construction and buildings, and power generation. The hydrogen is used to curb the greenhouse gases emissions and carbon emissions. Thus, due to all of these factors, the market for hydrogen energy storage is expected to expand in the near future. COVID-19 Impact Analysis: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth of the global hydrogen energy storage market was negative. This is due to the decline in the rate of production of electricity during the pandemic. Even energy industry saw decline in the growth. This is attributed to the shut down of manufacturing costs and supply chain disruption. Thus, the recovery of the global hydrogen energy storage market is expected as lockdown restrictions are being removed. Related Reports Key Developments in the Marketplace: South Korea had 15 hydrogen powered buses and ten hydrogen powered trucks in July 2020. Throughout 2021, the nation expects to introduce at least 80 new hydrogen powered trucks to the hydrogen energy storage market. Hydrogen de France and Ballard Power Systems signed a deal in December 2019 to develop and integrate a multi megawatt scale fuel system into HDF Energys Renewable power plant for stationary power usage. Its a multi megawatt baseload system that uses electrolysis to store significant amounts of intermittent renewable energy in the form of hydrogen. Market Segmentation By Technology Compression Liquefaction Material Based By Physical State Solid Liquid Gas By End User Residential Commercial Industrial By Application Stationary Power Transportation By Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa (MEA) Click Here to View Full Report Table of Contents Buy this Premium Research Report@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/checkout/1661 You can place an order or ask any questions, please feel free to contact at sales@precedenceresearch.com | +1 9197 992 333 About Us Precedence Research is a worldwide market research and consulting organization. We give unmatched nature of offering to our customers present all around the globe across industry verticals. Precedence Research has expertise in giving deep-dive market insight along with market intelligence to our customers spread crosswise over various undertakings. We are obliged to serve our different client base present over the enterprises of medicinal services, healthcare, innovation, next-gen technologies, semi-conductors, chemicals, automotive, and aerospace & defense, among different ventures present globally. For Latest Update Follow Us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/precedence-research/ https://www.facebook.com/precedenceresearch/ https://twitter.com/Precedence_R TORONTO, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM) (DPM or the Company) today confirmed that its Chelopech and Ada Tepe mines, located in Bulgaria, continue to have a secure supply of power, and the Company does not anticipate an impact to the operations as a result of the recent announcement that Russia is suspending natural gas deliveries to Bulgaria. It is business as usual for our operations in Bulgaria, and we continue to operate with a steady supply of energy from Bulgarias national power grid, said David Rae, President and Chief Executive Officer. Bulgaria is a net exporter of power and is not reliant on imported natural gas from Russia for its electric power needs. The main sources of Bulgarias electric energy are nuclear and coal facilities, which together comprise approximately 80% of Bulgarias total energy generation. Although Russia has recently announced that it is halting natural gas deliveries to Bulgaria, approximately 5% of Bulgarias total energy supply is generated from natural gas1 and DPM does not anticipate any disruption of power supply to its mines as a result. Furthermore, the Company does not source any supplies from Russia or Russian companies. As a result, the impact of the conflict in Ukraine on the Company has been limited to increased costs for energy, fuel and other direct materials. DPM continues to closely monitor and proactively manage the potential impacts stemming from this evolving situation. About Dundee Precious Metals Inc. Dundee Precious Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based international gold mining company with operations and projects located in Bulgaria, Namibia, Ecuador and Serbia. The Companys purpose is to unlock resources and generate value to thrive and growth together. This overall purpose is supported by a foundation of core values, which guides how the Company conducts its business and informs a set of complementary strategic pillars and objectives related to ESG, innovation, optimizing our existing portfolio, and growth. The Companys resources are allocated in-line with its strategy to ensure that DPM delivers value for all of its stakeholders. DPMs shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol: DPM). For further information please contact: David Rae President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: (416) 365-5092 drae@dundeeprecious.com Jennifer Cameron Director, Investor Relations Tel: (416) 219-6177 jcameron@dundeeprecious.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward looking statements or forward looking information (collectively, Forward Looking Statements) that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward Looking Statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, outlook, intends, anticipates, believes, or variations of such words and phrases or that state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms or similar expressions. The Forward Looking Statements in this news release relate to, among other things: the expected impact to the Companys operations as a result of the suspension of natural gas deliveries to Bulgaria by Russia, including disruption to the Companys power supply to its mines. Forward Looking Statements are based on certain key assumptions and the opinions and estimates of management and the QPs, as of the date such statements are made, and they 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 other future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward Looking Statements. In addition to factors already discussed in this news release, such factors include, among others, the impact of the conflict in Ukraine, including resulting changes to the Companys power supply to its operations, supply chain and costs of supplies; product shortages; delivery and shipping issues; closures and/or failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; employees and contractors being affected by the conflict; lost work hours; labour force shortages; fluctuations in metal and acid prices, toll rates and foreign exchange rates; limitation on insurance coverage; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; cyber attacks and other cybersecurity risks; as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Companys annual MD&A and AIF for the year ended December 31, 2021, and other documents filed from time to time with the securities regulatory authorities in all provinces and territories of Canada and available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The reader has been cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors which may have been used. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward Looking Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward Looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Companys Forward Looking Statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date hereof. Unless required by securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update Forward Looking Statements if circumstances or managements estimates or opinions should change. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on Forward Looking Statements. WILMINGTON, Del., April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Entrepreneurs are people who find solutions to the different problems and inconveniences one can face in their everyday life. Nihar Gala is one such figure who has found success in his ventures as a businessman and entrepreneur. He has recently taken even greater strides in his journey of helping others through his recently announced scholarship program, the Nihar Gala Scholarship for American Entrepreneurs. The scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to the lucky student which will go towards paying their education and tuition fees. Nihar regularly announces his annual scholarship as an attempt to help students who have similar interests as him in pursuing the same profession. The scholarship is open to all graduating high school students or currently enrolled college students with a desire to open a business after graduation. Having spent several years as a business owner and entrepreneur himself, Nihar sympathizes greatly with students who wish to pursue the same profession but dont have the financial security to establish themselves with the necessary foundation to become a knowledgeable and trained entrepreneur. Universities play a key role in finding success in ones life as it helps you develop key skills with the lessons and training, they provide. Scholarships like this help serve to bridge the financial gap and allow others the same opportunities as other students. Personal achievements serve as one of the biggest measures of success in ones life as major milestones like purchasing something expensive like a house or car or even simpler things like earning a respectable amount of money from work. Our careers serve as one of the major sources of achievements we might be able to accomplish and we often look to them as opportunities to prove something to people around us and ourselves. The kind of career path we decisively take determines just how challenging and satisfying our journeys will be towards fulfilling it, this makes deciding the kind of career we will be studying all the more crucial. Entrepreneurship is one of the more interesting things to study and pick up because of the opportunities you get to find and create. Everyone can become an entrepreneur if they have the determination and motivation for it. However, motivation and perseverance can only take you so far in your journey as you can end up facing a wall that you cant easily overcome. Education plays a significant role in taking down this wall and opportunities for them should never be wasted. If you would like to learn more about the Nihar Gala Scholarship, please visit the official website at https://nihargalascholarship.com to find out all the details about how to apply. Name: Nihar Gala Website: https://nihargalascholarship.com CALGARY, Alberta, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prospera Energy Inc (TSX.V: PEI, OTC: GXRFF, FRA: OF6B) (PEI) is pleased to provide its shareholders with the following corporate update summarizing the significant milestones achieved over the past 1.3 years. Prospera has now positioned itself to develop three large heavy oil fields (>42,000 acres) with significant OOIP (390 mmbbl) that have had no modern drilling or recovery methods applied. Historical production has accounted for only 30 mmbbl. PEI Restructure 2021 Commencing 2021, PEI was restructured to be compliant and profitable. PEI restructuring efforts were coordinated throughout 2021 and accomplished the following: Structured Equity and Convertible Debenture Private Placement financing that raised 7.6 million Cdn$. These proceeds were used to: Settle both the secured and unsecured creditors through a combination of monthly payments and share debt settlement arrangements Settle historical liabilities to surface landowners, local municipalities and trades of more than $7.1 million (58%), which is reflected in the December 31, 2020, financial statements Address all 400+ outstanding environmental and regulatory non-compliances Perform facility & pipeline maintenance to ensure safe operating conditions Deploy working capital to optimize production to the current 600 boepd resulting in over $2.0 million in peak monthly revenue Increased PEI ownership from an average of 40% - 80%+ in all core properties Restructured the Board of Directors with diverse business and technical backgrounds and formed an experienced management team focused on technical delineation and financial discipline to optimize oil recovery in a safe and cost-effective manner. The board is focused on development, expansion, and growth whilst being ESG friendly. Licensed and ready to spud re-entry horizontal drilling program in Summer 2022: The incremental production is expected to increase total gross production to 1,500+ bpd Secured a letter of intent (LOI) for an adjacent (strategic fit) heavy oil property similar to the current three Saskatchewan assets Executed a commitment letter to acquire a proximal light oil play with a development plan to increase production by 1,000+bpd Core Assets Background PEIs core assets are medium to heavy oil properties (12-17 API) located along the Alberta-Saskatchewan border: Cuthbert, Heart Hills, and Luseland. An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/708f28c0-468c-4841-8c03-94d77acbed3e These three assets were initiated by Wascana Energy in the late 1980s and developed by multinational Nexen (CanOxy) in the 2000s and attained peak rates of 10,000 bpd through vertical wells at reduced spacing. Nexen built all the infrastructure to transport emulsion to a central battery that was controlled and monitored by state-of-the-art automated systems. Nexen also initiated 3D seismic program over the entire pool of all three assets. In 2010, industry economics dictated the transfer of these three assets to an intermediate company, Cona Resources (Northern Blizzard Resources), whom applied further vertical drilling to increase heavy oil recoveries, however, were focused on other prioritized assets. Consequently, production from these three assets declined to less than 1,500 bpd due to the lack of reservoir management and pressure maintenance required to offset the primary depletion. The low production rates were unable to support the high fixed operating costs (surface lease and property tax) stemming from the numerous reduced spacing vertical locations. In 2018, these three assets were divested to a junior company, Prospera Energy (Georox Resources), and various joint venture partners. Towards the end of 2020, PEI found itself in a challenging position. It had become difficult to continue operations due to high and long-term liabilities. These circumstances were further amplified by the pandemic and drastic reduction in produced volumes (less than 200 bpd). In December 2020, Mr. Samuel David was appointed as President & CEO and to the Board of Directors of PEI. Mr. David recognized that there was considerable oil remaining in the ground. The properties were older and mature, but only an average of 8 percent (~30 mmbbl) had been recovered up to this point of the original oil place (390 mmbbl). Furthermore, the recovery was almost exclusively with vertical wells. Vertical wells have smaller drainage areas with as low as 20-30 meters of effective radius from the vertical well. This means that, with heavy oil that doesnt move efficiently, a lot of the remaining oil is left in the ground. Horizontal well technology was a tough option 20 years ago because geosteering was still evolving. Getting a horizontal well across a 3-meter net pay without dipping into the oil-water contact was a challenging task. With todays downhole guide systems and directional drill bits, the challenges are no longer a problem. PEI can easily draw out a 500-meter horizontal lateral from an existing wellbore and stay in the sweet spot. Instead of a vertical well exposed to a couple meters of net pay, you get a horizontal well accessing two hundred times that amount. Tapping more reservoir means more oil to the wellbore and more recovery from the reservoir. These assets attained peak rates of 10,000 bpd of heavy oil with just vertical wells. Working in PEIs favor is that, while the oil is heavy, the assets are very high permeability reservoirs. Permeability is a measure of how well the oil flows in the reservoir. The bigger the number, the better it moves. These formations are porous (~30%) and permeable (3 -5 Darcies). Current recoveries at these three properties are 6 - 10%. PEI believes that they can raise recoveries to at least 20%, and as high as 40%, using horizontal wells and well-designed polymer floods. Look Forward - 2022 PEI is entering the second phase of its corporate development plan: the re-entry horizontal from existing vertical wellbores. These new wells will access undrained reserves and capture the significant remaining reserves within these three large heavy oil fields. These re-entry wells are low-cost operations and already tied into the existing infrastructure. High permeability reservoirs also mean no need for fracks or costly completions. Along the path of the lateral section, PEI can eliminate depleted, low-rate, vertical wells, effectively reducing abandonment liabilities and the associated high (fixed) operating costs related to the vertical wells. PEI is licensed and poised to spud in Summer 2022. Supporting production, flattening the decline and further cost reduction can be obtained using a polymer flood application. The polymer flood is expected to provide improved reservoir support compared to a traditional water flood. The polymer is thicker, thereby sweeping the oil more efficiently, whilst building pressure more effectively. There are proximal analogue reservoirs where polymer flood has been applied that has resulted in substantial recovery and incremental production. Multiple adjacent properties operated by private companies have completed polymer flood applications resulting in improved recoveries and cost reductions. PEI is assessing the polymer technology to enhance the recovery from the three Saskatchewan fields. Expansion & Upside: PEI has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire an adjacent heavy oil property with similar reservoir qualities to the current three Saskatchewan assets. This acquisition will double the size of PEI in terms of reserves and production. PEI has also signed a commitment letter on a proven light oil play for a path to an additional 1,000+bpd. These assets are strategic to expand the core assets and to diversify the product mix to higher margin light oil. Full details will be unveiled after the asset transfers to PEI are confirmed. A few larger peers like Gear Energy (GXE TSX) have heavy oil exposure. Gear trades at an EV/Flowing Barrel of about $70,000. At $0.08/share, PEI has a fully diluted market cap of $30 million. By executing its development plan, PEI would expect to be about 1/5th the price of Gear. Additionally, PEI has the same tailwind that all the oil producers have today buoyant oil prices. While the industry has witnessed a big move up in valuation for producers, they continue to remain at an attractive price point. A further sector move could drive PEI market cap up further. ESG Plans: Whilst focusing on growing revenue and profitability and ultimately increasing shareholder value, PEIs management team is keen on sustainability and ESG initiatives. PEI has refurbished three central batteries, infrastructure and monitoring equipment to code and safe operating conditions to avoid spills and downtime. PEI is committed to eliminate all emissions through ESG technologies. Furthermore, PEI development entails reducing its environmental footprint by eliminating over 160 surface locations through re-entering existing vertical wellbores and placing laterals from them. This will not require any additional surface disturbance. PEI is actively pursuing oil upgrade technologies that will improve revenue pricing and operating netbacks. The company has been in active discussions that offer disruptive technologies that would potentially improve PEIs economics and allow for a more ESG-friendly output. PEI hopes to share further details regarding this in the near future. PEI is currently producing at a stable rate of 600 boepd and with the development plan expects to exit the year at 1,500 boepd. About Prospera Prospera is a public oil and gas exploration, exploitation and development company focusing on conventional oil and gas reservoirs in Western Canada. Prospera will use its experience to develop, acquire and drill assets with potential for primary and secondary recovery. For further information: Samuel David, President & CEO Calgary, Alberta FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Corporation and other statements that are not historical facts. 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, without limitation, statements regarding plans and objectives of the Corporation, 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. Although Prospera believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Prospera can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., 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 reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks), commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information 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 Prospera. As a result, Prospera cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and 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 Prospera does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by Canadian 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 release. SOURCE: Prospera Energy Inc. NEW YORK, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dante Labs , a global leader in genomics and precision medicine, is pleased to announce the company has been selected as the genetic testing provider for Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), the Abu Dhabi-based specialist healthcare center focused on cell therapy and regenerative medicine. In parallel, a joint R&D program has been launched focused on the development of a mRNA vaccine platform to identify individual cancer treatments. This collaboration with ADSCC is an important step forward in our strategy to provide the best clinical genetic services now to United Arab Emirates and in the Region. The goal is that partnerships like this will pave the way to a much wider adoption of genomics in additional clinical fields, said Andrea Riposati, CEO of Dante Labs. It is clear that the UAE has become a global leader in the field of genomics, and we are pleased to invest in this innovative country. Effective April 18, 2022, Dante has begun providing clinical genetic testing to ADSCC patients covering a wide spectrum of medical specializations and all testing will take place in Dantes new Dubai laboratory. We are very excited and are looking forward to our upcoming collaboration with Dante, said Dr. Yendry Ventura Carmenate, General Manager at ADSCC. The combined experience of the professionals at the helm of this collaboration gives us absolute assurance in the success of this very ambitious endeavor. Working together with Dante Labs provides us with an excellent opportunity to further boost the status of United Arab Emirates as the worldwide leader in both genomics and innovative healthcare practices, aimed at the eradication of deadly diseases throughout the world for the greater good of humanity. In addition to genomic testing services, Dante and the ADSCC will partner on the launch of an R&D program with a focus on personalized treatments for oncology patients, and eventually the development of cancer vaccines. "The hope with testing programs like ours with ADSCC is that it will pave the way for wider adoption of genomes in other areas such as R&D and training programs, said Professor Mattia Capulli, Chief Scientific Officer of Dante Laboratories. The mRNA technology is extremely promising for infectious diseases. We are convinced that the joint R&D program will deliver solid results in oncology treatments very soon and will lead to new types of vaccines in oncology and other clinical areas. About Dante Labs Dante Labs is a global genomic information company building and commercializing a new class of transformative health and longevity applications based on whole genome sequencing and AI. The Company uses its platform to deliver better patient outcomes from diagnostics to therapeutics with assets including one of the largest private genome databases with research consent, proprietary software designed to unleash the power of genomic data at scale and proprietary processes which enable an industrial approach to genomic sequencing. About Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC) Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC) is an Abu Dhabi-based specialist healthcare center focused on cell therapy and regenerative medicine techniques, as well as delivering cutting-edge research on stem cells in the region. The Center was founded in March 2019 to meet growing domestic and regional demand for highly specialized medical services and treatments. Equipped with the latest technologies, medical devices which are unique to the region, and a team of internationally recognized doctors working hand in hand with researchers, ADSCC is the first of its kind in the UAE. The Center focuses primarily on harvesting, processing, characterizing and storing cell products for clinical application in both regenerative medicine and hematopoietic transplantation. It aims to streamline and develop new processes related to stem cell therapy and research, in order to both serve our team of doctors clinical needs and become a referral center for the region. Contacts: Laura DAngelo VP of Investor Relations ir@dantelabs.com Im +39 0862 191 0671 www.dantelabs.com info@adscc.ae Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76811dae-c095-4504-a5b6-34da0ca44892 OAKLAND, Calif., April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Democratic Candidate Dr. Eugene Allen hits the campaign trail in Oakland starting Thursday, April 28, 2022, to meet with local officials. The Los Angeles doctor is making waves throughout the Democratic Party, as the top third candidate to challenge incumbent Ricardo Lara and Assemblyman Marc Levine. Dr. Allen announced his run for candidacy in October of 2021. During this visit, Dr. Allen plans to meet with Oakland NAACP and Alameda County Pastors, with a local stop at Scott's Seafood Jack London Square on Thursday, April 28th, to meet with locals and the general public. The African American candidate has begun to receive increasing support as the campaign moves towards the June primary. Dr. Allen has received a windfall of endorsements and donations, while becoming more visible to California residents over the last two months. Team Allen reports a 150% boost in website visits, receiving 71k new visits this month, at times knocking down the servers. Candidate Allen states: "I look forward to meeting with the community of Oakland, the residents deserve to have their voices heard. My goal is to find a common solution and offer assistance with the growing need for insurance reform in California." Dr. Allen is known for his community leadership in Los Angeles. Candidate Allen has plans to return to Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and the wine country in the upcoming weeks. Dr. Allen is the founder of Dusk to Dawn Urgent Care facilities, located throughout Southern California. For 20 years, Dr. Eugene Allen and his wife, Dr. Connie Yu, have centered their commitment to improving the communities of Los Angeles. Campaign Headquarters Dr. Allen for California Insurance Commissioner 701 East 28th Street Suite 401 Long Beach, Ca 90806 Phone: (310) 386-6404 Election Website: www.electdrallen2022.com Media Inquiries: Derrick Dzurko Email: derrick@e1mgmedia.com Phone: (888) 231-6942 Related Images Image 1: Dr. Eugene Allen Candidate DR. Eugene Allen for Insurance Commissioner 2022 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia and IRVINE, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PowerTap Hydrogen Capital Corp (NEO: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6B) (OTC: MOTNF) (PowerTap or the Company or MOVE) is pleased to provide an update on its zoning application activities for its initial stations in Northern California, development, final engineering of its Gen3 modular blue hydrogen production and dispensing unit (MHPDU), and on the supply of renewable natural gas for our newly developed Gen3 units. With some delays due to pandemic constraints, zoning approval is moving forward for the first Andretti station incorporating a PowerTap Gen3 MHPDU, located in Fortuna, in Humboldt County, California. The initial public hearing is scheduled for May 2022 and the PowerTap team is gearing up for full participation in the hearing. With zoning approval of the Fortuna station, the company anticipates construction and installation permits processing to yield approvals in Q3/Q4 2022, with construction to follow. In reference to final engineering, PowerTap has engaged with T2M Global (T2M) to complete the final prototype engineering for manufacturing using the breadth of T2Ms technology development, commercialization, strategic advisory and business/supply chain development services. The T2M team has best in-class engineers with depth and significant expertise in hydrogen, specifically, the critical technical arenas of heat transfer, compression, and storage, as well as station deployment. T2M will work with our contract manufacturer, Capstone Green Energy, to develop and deploy a world class PowerTap manufacturing process in Capstones facilities. Regarding PowerTaps supply of renewable natural gas (RNG) or biomethane for production of hydrogen through the Gen3 MHPDU, the Company has established a non-binding letter of intent with an RNG vendor to provide supply of RNG through 2027 at very competitive pricing as it pursues its plan to deploy blue hydrogen MHPDUs across California and beyond. The RNG vendor has agreed, through its project partners, to provide RNG that would provide a total carbon intensity (CI) of zero or less in a blend of 41% RNG to 59% fossil fuel natural gas required to produce hydrogen through the Gen3. It is this blend of RNG that enables PowerTap to maximize the carbon credits it expects to earn via the State of California Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. PowerTap CEO Raghu Kilambi commented, We continue to make progress in our goal to build the PowerTap hydrogen highway. ABOUT POWERTAP HYDROGEN CAPITAL CORP. PowerTap Hydrogen Capital Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary, PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp. (PowerTap), is focused on installing hydrogen production and dispensing fueling infrastructure in the United States. PowerTaps patented solution has been developed over 20 years. PowerTap is now commercializing its third-generation blue hydrogen product that will focus on the refueling needs of the automotive and long-haul trucking markets that lack hydrogen fueling infrastructure. There are currently under 100 operational publicly available hydrogen stations in the United States with most of the existing stations purchasing industrial hydrogen from industrial manufacturers and shipping hydrogen to individual stations via tanker trucks. www.PowerTapcapital.com www.PowerTapfuels.com PowerTap Hydrogen common shares are listed on the NEO Exchange. Please visit the company's profile on the NEO Exchange website at https://www.neo.inc/en/live/security-activity/MOVE#!/market- depth. Investor Contact: Tyler Troup, Circadian Group IR MOVE@circadian-group.com PowerTap Contact: Raghu Kilambi raghu@hydrogenfueling.co +1 (604) 687-2038 NEITHER THE NEO EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of PowerTap. Some assumptions include, without limitation, the timing of and likelihood of the success of the zoning application; the timing for the completion of the MHPDU prototype; the availability of the supply of RNG; the global addressable market for hydrogen; the renewable energies sector and the Companys future plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. This press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to, among other things, the timing and ability of the Company to complete any potential investments or acquisitions, if at all, and the timing thereof. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of risks, which could cause actual results to vary and, in some instances, to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Although the Company believes that the material factors, expectations, and assumptions expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to it on the date such statements were made, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking information contained in this release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements and is made as of the date of this release. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. ANAHEIM, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CURE Media Group, the industry-leading multimedia platform devoted to cancer updates and research that reaches more than 1 million patients, survivors and caregivers, today announced Margaret Campbell, B.S.N., RN, as the winner of the 2022 Extraordinary Healer award for oncology nursing. Campbell was recognized for her dedication and expertise in caring for patients during an awards ceremony tonight in conjunction with the 47th Annual ONS Congress in Anaheim, California. Patrick Dempsey, award-winning actor, producer, cancer advocate and founder of the Dempsey Center, served as the event's keynote speaker. We are honored once again to celebrate the remarkable oncology nurses so steadfastly dedicated to going above and beyond every day, particularly over the last few years of working through a global pandemic, said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, parent company of CURE Media Group. As we mark our 20th anniversary, CURE Media Group is thrilled to host this event in person and to express heartfelt gratitude to the nurses who, like Margaret, are the healing heroes that patients and loved ones need in their time of greatest worry. Campbell is a research nurse in the breast oncology program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where she cares for patients in clinical trials. When she first joined the Institute in 2003, she had never heard the term research nurse. But after working in the inpatient sphere, including surgery, the emergency department and the intensive-care unit, and as a visiting nurse for years, she began searching for something different. With a love for patient contact, Campbell wanted to remain in the clinical setting. When a colleague explained research nursing, she was intrigued and decided to pursue it, earning a certificate as a clinical research associate at Boston College. Referring to her as a quiet hero, her colleagues cite her incredible dedication to her patients and ability to balance patient obligations with the demands of the clinical trials. Her contributions to health care not only benefit her patients, but also countless others in the United States and around the world who gain access to better cancer treatments. Oncology nurses continue to deliver care to patients under extraordinary and challenging circumstances, and the finalists for the 2022 CURE Extraordinary Healer award have been recognized for their exceptional leadership, resilience and empathy, said Pearl Pugh, vice president, sales & marketing, hematology at Janssen Oncology. Janssen Oncology is proud to sponsor this award for the fourth year in a row, championing the important work that oncology nurses do every day to support patients along their treatment journey. Bristol Myers Squibb is honored to help recognize the significant role oncology nurses play during a cancer patients treatment by supporting the Extraordinary Healer award for our sixth year, said Lee James, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, US medical oncology at Bristol Myers Squibb. Congratulations to all of the finalists for their tremendous dedication in caring for oncology patients, and especially to Margaret for taking home the top honor at tonights awards ceremony. Founded in 2007, the annual Extraordinary Healer award for oncology nursing has received hundreds of nominations and it continues to grow each year. The men and women honored by the award during the past 16 years have been nominated by colleagues, patients, friends and family of outstanding oncology nurses from around the world. The other 2022 finalists were Tammy Allred, RN, OCN, of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Livia Szeto, B.S.N., RN, OCN, of University of Chicago Medicine. This event is supported by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and Bristol Myers Squibb. About CURE Media Group CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, CURE has become the most widely distributed and read consumer publication in the United States for patients with cancer, survivors and their caregivers. The platform includes its industry-leading website curetoday.com; innovative video programs; a series of educational and inspirational events; and CURE magazine, which reaches more than 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels. About Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter , YouTube , Facebook and Instagram . CURE Media Group Contact Lisa Trapani, 410-245-0094 ltrapani@rosecomm.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fded2551-7f53-4f6b-a1bf-b05c31410a05 English German TORONTO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Franchise Global Health Inc. ("Franchise Global" or the "Company") (TSXV: FGH) is pleased to announce the Company's wholly owned Danish subsidiary, Rangers Pharmaceutical A/S ("Rangers"), has successfully established Europe's first legal and registered seedbank in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2021 it received a third-party audited value of C$9.5 million. The seedbank, which is arguably the largest globally, and the 286 strains held within, including several world-class genetics and winners of 19 Cannabis Cups, is a key component to Franchise Global's IP strategy and exemplifies Franchise Global's long-standing heritage to premium quality. The seedbank is licensed to store, sell and export cannabis seeds globally under legal international trade frameworks and import/export permits. Franchise Global has decided to offer a number of strains to the market and has subsequently signed numerous seed purchase orders and strategic agreements with many emerging cannabis cultivators and wholesalers to further expand global commercialization opportunities. These orders will be fulfilled in the coming quarters, creating a new source of revenue for the Company and solidifying new global strategic alliances. Franchise Global will retain its most distinguished strains for its own internal flower production for global markets. Franchise Global Executive Chairman and CEO, Clifford Starke, said: "Our goal is to become Europe's most trusted source of high-quality EU-GMP cannabis. This will be achieved in part by establishing our seedbank as a source for high-quality, Cannabis-Cup winning genetics. Essentially this is 30 years worth of IP from land races all around the world with strong genetic heritage including from Thailand, Colombia and other highly sought after sources of origin." About Franchise Global Franchise Global, through its subsidiaries, is a multi-national operator in the medical cannabis and pharmaceutical industries, with principal operations in Germany and with operations, assets, strategic partnerships and investments internationally. Franchise Global's business objective is to develop a fully-integrated, leading European medical cannabis business, with the goal of providing high-quality pharmaceutical grade medical cannabis to distribution partners and, ultimately, to patients, at competitive prices. For further information, please contact: Franchise Global Health Clifford Starke, Executive Chairman and CEO Via Buchanan www.franchiseglobalhealth.com Media Enquiries Buchanan Jamie Hooper / Ariadna Peretz Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000 FGH@buchanan.uk.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 PRESS RELEASE. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction, including in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including without limitation statements regarding the business of Franchise Global and its prospects. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations, estimates, beliefs and/or opinions and is based on information currently available to them (including information obtained from third party industry analysts and other third-party sources) and on assumptions they believe not to be unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to general economic conditions, counterparty risk, regulatory factors, the financial markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Accordingly, readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Please refer to the filing statement of the Company available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com for more details on the risks and uncertainties faced by Franchise Global. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update any forward-looking information contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable law. 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. NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial in glaucoma at over 98 % recruitment D evelopment pathway for NCX 4251 i n dry eye disease confirmed following meeting with the U.S. FDA First quarter 2022 U.S. prescriptions for VYZULTA increased by 43% over first quarter 2021 Cash position of 42.0 million as of December 31, 2021 and 35.1 million as of March 31, 2022, confirming the Company is financed to Q4 2023 April 28, 2022 release at 7:30 am CET Sophia Antipolis, France Nicox SA (Euronext Paris: FR0013018124, COX), an international ophthalmology company, today announced the financial and operating results for Nicox and its subsidiaries (the Nicox Group) for the year ended December 31, 2021, as approved by the Board of Directors on April 27, 2022, along with a business update and financial highlights for the first quarter 2022, and provided an update on key upcoming milestones. We are very pleased by the rapid progress of the NCX 470 Mont Blanc phase 3 trial and are eagerly expecting its completion which will mark a major inflexion point for our Company and a turning point in the development of drugs for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. said Michele Garufi, Chief Executive Officer of Nicox. Key Upcoming Milestone Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial on NCX 470 in glaucoma: recruitment advances more quickly than anticipated and thus topline results fully on track. First Quarter 2022 and Recent Events and Pipeline Updates Product candidates NCX 470 NCX 470 is a novel nitric oxide (NO)-donating prostaglandin analog currently in a Phase 3 clinical program for the lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. is a novel nitric oxide (NO)-donating prostaglandin analog currently in a Phase 3 clinical program for the lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Owing to a better than expected enrollment rate in recent months, over 98% of the patients required to complete the NCX 470 Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial have been enrolled. Mont Blanc Phase 3 clinical trial have been enrolled. Patient enrollment is continuing in both the United States (U.S.) and China in the ongoing Denali Phase 3 clinical trial on NCX 470 in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Denali, which also includes a long-term safety extension, has been recruiting patients in the U.S. since November 2020. Approximately 670 patients are expected to be randomized at approximately 60 clinical sites in the U.S. and China, with approximately 80% of the patients to be recruited in the U.S. and the remaining 20% of the patients to be recruited in China. The topline results will not be available by the end of 2023 as previously communicated due to several hurdles (including the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the U.S. and China). The Company will announce a new date for availability of the results when we have more visibility on the overall timelines of the trial. in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Denali, which also includes a long-term safety extension, has been recruiting patients in the U.S. since November 2020. Approximately 670 patients are expected to be randomized at approximately 60 clinical sites in the U.S. and China, with approximately 80% of the patients to be recruited in the U.S. and the remaining 20% of the patients to be recruited in China. The topline results will not be available by the end of 2023 as previously communicated due to several hurdles (including the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the U.S. and China). The Company will announce a new date for availability of the results when we have more visibility on the overall timelines of the trial. The Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration has granted Nicox a formulation patent for NCX 470 in China to 2039. With the equivalent U.S. and European patents already granted, the formulation is now covered in most major global territories. NCX 470 is also covered by granted composition of matter patents. NCX 4251 NCX 4251 is a novel, patented, ophthalmic suspension of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals in clinical development stage for dry eye disease. Following the encouraging post hoc results from the Mississippi Phase 2b clinical trial and a subsequent meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the future development of NCX 4251 will be focused on dry eye disease. The Mississippi post hoc results, reported on November 30, 2021, suggest that once-daily dosed NCX 4251, fluticasone propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.1%, is effective in reducing dry eye symptoms in patients who score more highly for a key sign of dry eye disease. The Company is currently exploring how to best advance the development of NCX 4251 in dry eye disease and will communicate its strategy at a future date. is a novel, patented, ophthalmic suspension of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals in clinical development stage for dry eye disease. The Japanese Patent Office has granted a new patent expiring in 2040 for NCX 4251. Patent JP.7021301 covers ophthalmic suspensions comprising a specific form of fluticasone propionate nanocrystals and the method for manufacturing the ophthalmic suspensions. It complements the recent granting of a patent from the same family in Europe. Corresponding patent applications are under examination in the U.S., China and other territories. Commercial Out-licensed Products VYZULTA (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024% U.S. prescriptions 1 increased by 43% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to first quarter 2021, however revenue remained unchanged due to an increased level of rebates. As of December 31, 2021, VYZULTA, exclusively licensed worldwide to Bausch + Lomb, was commercialized in 7 territories: United States (2017), Canada (2019), Argentina (2020), Mexico (2020), Hong Kong (2020), Taiwan (2021) and Ukraine (2021). VYZULTA is also approved in 9 other countries, namely Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. VYZULTA is indicated for the reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution), 0.024% U.S. prescriptions increased by 43% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to first quarter 2021, however revenue remained unchanged due to an increased level of rebates. As of December 31, 2021, VYZULTA, exclusively licensed worldwide to Bausch + Lomb, was commercialized in 7 territories: United States (2017), Canada (2019), Argentina (2020), Mexico (2020), Hong Kong (2020), Taiwan (2021) and Ukraine (2021). VYZULTA is also approved in 9 other countries, namely Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. VYZULTA is indicated for the reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Our partnership with Samil Pharmaceutical concerning ZERVIATE in South Korea has been expanded to include Vietnam. in South Korea has been expanded to include Vietnam. Our Chinese partner Ocumension Therapeutics successfully completed a Phase 3 clinical trial of ZERVIATE (cetirizine ophthalmic solution), 0.24% in Chinese patients with allergic conjunctivitis in which ZERVIATE was compared to emedastine difumarate ophthalmic solution, 0.05%, an antihistamine marketed under the brand name EMADINE. ZERVIATE was found to be non-inferior to emedastine difumarate in the primary efficacy endpoint of change from baseline in the itching score in the 24 hours prior to the Day 14 visit. ZERVIATE was safe and well-tolerated with no difference in the proportion of patients with adverse events compared to emedastine difumarate. This Phase 3 clinical trial was required for Ocumension to be able to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) for approval to commercialize ZERVIATE in China. Other partnerships The U.S. FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation for naproxcinod for the treatment of sickle cell disease, which affects an estimated 100,000 Americans. Naproxcinod is a nitric oxide (NO)-donating naproxen combining the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory activity of naproxen with that of nitric oxide developed by Nicox and exclusively licensed to Fera in the U.S. Nicox has tested naproxcinod in over 2,700 patients in osteoarthritis, generating a significant package of clinical safety data which is available to support Feras development of naproxcinod, and ultimately an NDA submission for sickle cell disease. Management and Advisors In December 2021, we announced the appointment of Doug Hubatsch as Chief Scientific Officer to lead all of the Companys non-clinical and clinical development activities. Based in Nicoxs U.S. subsidiary Nicox Ophthalmics Inc., he is responsible for setting the research and development strategy of the Group and is a member of the Nicox Executive Committee. In July 2021, we announced that two internationally recognized experts in glaucoma, Robert N. Weinreb, M.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair, Ophthalmology and Director, Shiley Eye Institute, University of California San Diego, and Sanjay G. Asrani, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology, Duke University, joined the Nicox Glaucoma Clinical Advisory Board. 2021 Financial Summary Net revenue2 for the full year 2021 was 7.2 million (2.4 million in net royalties, 4.8 million in license payments), compared to 12.9 million (2.4 million in net royalties, 10.5 million in license payments) for the full year 2020. The principal difference in revenue is due to an IFRS treatment of a licensing payment received from our partner Ocumension Therapeutics in 2020. Operating expenses for the year 2021 increased to 25.1 million from 19.5 million for the previous year among which 5.2 million comes from non-clinical and development expenses due to the advancement and progress of the Phase 3 trials on NCX 470. Net loss of the Nicox Group for the full year 2021 was 43.8 million against 18.1 million for the full year 2020. However, the 2021 net loss includes 27.8 million of non-recurring, non-cash items due to a reduction in the estimated fair value of ZERVIATE (of 12.7 million) and of NCX 4251 (of 15.1 million) reflecting, respectively, the changes in the allergic conjunctivitis market in the U.S. and the changes in the development plan and timeline for NCX 4251. As of December 31, 2021, the Nicox Group had cash and cash equivalents of 42.0 million, as compared with 47.2 million at December 31, 2020, and as previously announced, the Company is financed until Q4 2023, assuming the development of NCX 470 alone. As of December 31, 2021, the Nicox Group had financial debt of 20.5 million, consisting of 18.5 million in the form of a bond financing agreement with Kreos Capital signed in January 2019 and a 2 million credit agreement guaranteed by the French State, and granted in August 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights As of March 31, 2022, the Nicox Group had cash and cash equivalents of 35.1 million as compared with 42.0 million at December 31, 2021. Net revenue2 for the first quarter of 2022 was 0.7 million (entirely composed of net royalty payments). Net revenue2 for the first quarter of 2021 was 1.7 million (including 0.7 million of net royalty payments). As of March 31, 2022, the Nicox Group had financial debt of 20.5 million consisting of 18.5 million in the form of a bond financing agreement with Kreos Capital signed in January 2019 and a 2 million credit agreement guaranteed by the French State, and granted in August 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the figures related to the cash position, revenue and debt of the Nicox Group as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 are audited; all other figures of this press release are non-audited. English Lithuanian On 8 April 2022, Invalda INVL (company code 121304349, registered office address Gyneju str 14, Vilnius, Lithuania) announced the draft resolutions prepared by the Board of Invalda INVL for the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 30 April 2022. The above-mentioned announcement can be found https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b3d3092d609445ef655c1cc769bbdb16a&lang=en On 27 April 2022, the Board of Invalda INVL AB decided to submit a new draft resolution on item No. 4 of the agenda of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 30 April and to submit an editorial revision of the draft resolution on item No. 10. On the 4th agenda item, the Board of Invalda INVL AB, having assessed the need for future investments as well as receivable dividends and other cash flows, submits a new proposal on profit (loss) distribution, proposing a dividend of EUR 0.65 per share of Invalda INVL. There was an error in 10th item of the agenda, so the year when the share options, granted in 2022, are exercised is being corrected (it was indicated in 2024, it is changed to 2025). The draft resolutions of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Invalda INVL AB to be held on 30 April 2022: 1. Presentation of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL consolidated annual report for 2021. Shareholders of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL are presented with the Consolidated Annual Report of the Company for 2021 (attached). There is no voting on this issue of agenda. 2. Presentation of the independent auditors report on the financial statements and consolidated annual report of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. Shareholders of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL are presented with the independent auditors report on the financial statements and consolidated annual report of the Company (attached). There is no voting on this issue of agenda. 3. Approval of the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2021 of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. To approve the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2021 (attached) of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. 4. Resolution regarding profit distribution of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. To approve the profit distribution of the joint-stock company Invalda INVL in accordance with the draft profit distribution proposed by the Board and presented in the Annex No. 3. (both proposals of the Board of the company adopted on 8 April 2022 and on 27 April 2022 regarding the distribution of profit are attached; the shareholders vote for or against on only one of these proposals). 5. Decision on approval of the Remuneration Report of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. To approve the Remuneration Report of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL for 2021 (presented as Annex 4 to the Consolidated Annual Report). 6. Regarding the election of the members of the Board of Invalda INVL for a new term of office. At the end of the term of office of the members of the Board of Invalda INVL, to elect the candidates with the highest number of votes to the Board of Invalda INVL from the nominees for 4 (four) years term of office. The nominees are: - Tomas Bubinas (nominated as an independent member of the Board), - Alvydas Banys - Indre Miseikyte. The newly elected members of the Board shall take up their duties upon adoption of this decision. 7. Regarding the determination of remuneration for work in the Board of the company. 7.1. To enter into Agreements with the elected members of the Board on the activities of the member of the Board and to set the following remuneration for the work in the Board of Invalda INVL (all taxes and fees applicable to the member of the Board, except for VAT (when the member of the Board becomes liable to pay VAT), inclusive): 7.1.1. to set a salary of EUR 200 per hour for an independent member of the Board, which shall be paid at least once per quarter for the hours actually spent by a member of the Board in attending and preparing for meetings, according to the report of the member. 7.1.2. to set a fixed monthly remuneration of EUR 1,500 for the other members of the Board, and a monthly fixed remuneration of EUR 2,000 when the member of the Board serves as the Chairman of the Board. The monthly remuneration may be reduced proportionately or not paid at all if a member of the Board does not attend the meetings of the Board of the company or does not perform other functions assigned to him. 7.2. To instruct the Board of the Company to determine other terms of the Agreements by a jointly adopted decision. 8. Approval of the salary change in accordance with the provisions of the Remuneration Policy. Pursuant to the provisions of the Remuneration Policy approved by the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company on 30 April 2020, amendments to the existing remuneration levels of the members of the Board of the Company must be approved by the General Meeting of Shareholders. If the remuneration of the existing members of the Board is changed without the approval of the General Meeting of Shareholders, such changes in remuneration shall be submitted to the next General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company for approval. In accordance with the provisions of the Remuneration Policy of the Company, to approve the monthly salary of the member of the Board, acting as the advisor in the company, in the amount of EUR 4,625 as of 1 May 2022. 9. Resolution regarding purchase of own shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL. Until the day of the General Shareholders meeting the reserve for the purchase of own shares which is equal to EUR 9,888 thousand is not used. To use the reserve (a part of it) for the purchase of own shares and to purchase shares in Invalda INVL under these conditions: 1) The goal for the purchase of own shares is to ensure shareholders a possibility to sell companys shares. 2) The maximum number of shares to be acquired - the nominal value of own shares may not exceed 1/10 of the share capital. 3) The period during which the company may purchase its own shares - 18 months from the day of this resolution. 4) The maximum and minimal one share acquisition price: the maximum one share acquisition price - value of consolidated equity per one share calculated according to the last publicly announced data of the consolidated equity of Invalda INVL before the decision of the Board is taken; minimum one share acquisition price - EUR 1. 5) The conditions of the selling of the purchased shares and minimal purchase price: Purchased own shares (including the shares acquired before the adoption of this decision) may be cancelled by the decision of the General Shareholders Meeting or by the decision of the Board granted the right to acquire the shares for the employees upon conditions of the Rules for Granting Equity Incentives, or sold by the decision of the Board upon the condition that minimum sale price for one share isnt lower than value of consolidated equity per one share calculated according to the publicly announced data of the consolidated equity of Invalda INVL before the decision of the Board is taken, and the sale procedure will ensure equal possibilities for all shareholders to purchase these shares. The Board of Invalda INVL is delegated, on the basis of this resolution and the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, to adopt decisions regarding purchase and sale of own shares, to organise purchase and selling procedure of own shares and to determine an order and timing for purchase and sale of own shares as well as the amount of shares and shares price, and to complete all other actions related with purchase and sale procedure of own shares. From the date of this resolution the resolution of the General Shareholders Meeting on 30 April 2021 on the acquisition of own shares expires. 10. Resolution regarding the specific number of ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL for which employees shall be offered stock options contracts during the year 2022 and regarding the price of the shares. Both proposals of the Board of the company adopted on 8 April 2022 and on 27 April 2022 are presented; the shareholders vote for or against on only one of these proposals. Draft resolution proposed by the Board on 8 April 2022: It is offered for the employees of Invalda INVL and of the companies, in which Invalda INVL owns 50%or more of shares, during the year 2022 to sign stock options contracts, on the basis of which, according to the procedures and terms established in stock options contracts, in year 2024 employees will be able to exercise the right to acquire up to 50,000 ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL of EUR 0.29 nominal value, by paying for every acquired share EUR 1 (one). If a decision requiring payments to shareholders is made prior to the signing of the share purchase agreement, the transfer price of 1 (one) euro per share would be recalculated by reducing it by the amount paid per share. The acquisition price of the shares is fixed and does not change depending on the performance of the company and / or other group companies or the price of ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL on the regulated market. Editorial revision of the text of the draft resolution proposed by the Board on 27 April 2022: It is offered for the employees of Invalda INVL and of the companies, in which Invalda INVL owns 50%or more of shares, during the year 2022 to sign stock options contracts, on the basis of which, according to the procedures and terms established in stock options contracts, in year 2025 employees will be able to exercise the right to acquire up to 50,000 ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL of EUR 0.29 nominal value, by paying for every acquired share EUR 1 (one). If a decision requiring payments to shareholders is made prior to the signing of the share purchase agreement, the transfer price of 1 (one) euro per share would be recalculated by reducing it by the amount paid per share. The acquisition price of the shares is fixed and does not change depending on the performance of the company and / or other group companies or the price of ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL on the regulated market. 11. Resolution regarding the exercise of stock options granted to Invalda INVL Group employees in 2019. Pursuant to the decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 30 April 2019, on the basis of which stock option agreements on the acquisition of shares of Invalda INVL in 2022 were concluded with the employees of Invalda INVL AB and companies in which more than 50% of the shares are owned by Invalda INVL, to establish that the right of the employees to acquire the said shares is exercised by submitting to the employees for subscription no more than 69,479 newly issued shares of the company. 12. Resolution regarding increase of authorised capital of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL. Increase the authorised capital of the joint stock company Invalda INVL by additional monetary contributions from EUR EUR 3,473,786.17 to EUR 3,493,935.08. 13. Class, number, nominal value and minimum issue price and payment of the issued shares. The authorised capital of Invalda INVL is increased by issuing 69.479 ordinary registered shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.29. (i) On 30 April 2019, the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company passed a resolution, based on which in 2019 stock option agreements were entered into with the employees. In accordance with the procedure and terms established in the valid stock option agreements, in 2022 the employees will acquire the right to acquire up to 69.479 ordinary registered shares of Invalda INVL, paying a price of 1 (one) euro for each share to be acquired. The acquisition price of the shares is fixed, it does not change depending on the performance of the company and / or other group companies or the price of ordinary registered shares of the joint-stock company Invalda INVL on the regulated market, (ii) on 30 April 2020, the general meeting of shareholders of the Company passed a resolution on the payment of dividends of EUR 0.80 per share, (iii) The Rules for Granting Equity Incentives, approved by the resolution of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 30 April 2018, which should be applied to the option agreements concluded in 2019, stipulate that if before the conclusion of the share purchase agreement the General Meeting of Shareholders of the company makes decisions on the payment of dividends, the issue of changing the number of shares and (or) the price of shares permitted to be acquired by employees must be considered in such a way as to maintain the economic logic of the share purchase agreement and the balance of interests between the parties, to establish that when exercising the 2019 share options, the share purchase sale price shall be 0.20 euros, and the minimum issue price per share shall be EUR 0.29 (minimum total issue value - EUR 20,148.91). Newly issued shares are granted against partial payment. The issue price of the newly issued shares is paid in cash as follows: (i) part of the issue price, equal to 0.20 euros per share, is paid by the person subscribing to the shares, (ii) the remaining part of the issue price is paid by the company from the reserve set up by the company to grant shares. The subscription agreements for the issued shares are concluded until 8 June 2022. If not all shares are subscribed for during the subscription period, the authorised capital will be increased by the sum of the nominal values of the subscribed shares. On the basis of this decision, the Board of the Company must amend the Articles of Association and the number of shares accordingly in the Articles of Association and submit the amended Articles of Association to the Registrar of Legal Entities. 14. Cancellation of the pre-emptive right of shareholders of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL to acquire shares issued by the Company. Pursuant to the provisions of Article 57 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, to cancel the pre-emptive right of the shareholders of Invalda INVL to acquire 69,479 ordinary registered shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.29 each. Priority will be revoked according to the decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders held on 30 April 2019, on the basis of which employees of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL and employees of the companies where more than 50 per cent of the shares are owned by the Company, signed stock option contracts to acquire ordinary registered shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL. Accordingly, the pre-emptive right to acquire the newly issued 69,479 ordinary registered shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL is granted to the employees of the joint stock company Invalda INVL and employees of the companies with more than 50 per cent of the shares owned by Invalda INVL, who have concluded the aforementioned option contracts and for whom the right to acquire the newly issued shares has not been revoked on the grounds established in the Rules for Granting Equity Incentives (the list of persons who are entitled to acquire the newly issued 69,479 ordinary registered shares of the public joint-stock company Invalda INVL is stored in the premises of Invalda INVL, in order to ensure the protection of the personal data the list is not published). 15. Amendment of the Articles of Association of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL and approval of the new wording of the Articles of Association. Taking into account: (i) the decisions of the agendas items 11 - 14; (ii) the provisions of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania that if a supervisory board is not formed in a public limited company whose shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market, the Articles of Association of the company must provide that a board is formed in the company, and the board performs the supervisory functions established in Paragraph 11 of Article 34 of the Law on Companies; and in accordance with the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, to approve the new wording of the Articles of Association of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL (the draft Articles of Association is attached), changing the entire text of the Articles of Association (without separately approving the amendment of each clause of the Articles of Association). To authorise Darius Sulnis, the President of the public joint stock company Invalda INVL, to sign the new wording of the Company's Articles of Association. 16. Regarding the adjustment of the terms of payment for audit services for the audit services of 2021 annual financial statements To set an additional remuneration not exceeding EUR 3,500 per year (value added tax is calculated and paid additionally in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts) to the Company's audit company KPMG Baltics, UAB, registered address Lvivo str 101, Vilnius, company code 111494971, for the audit services of the annual accounts for 2021 in order to meet the requirements of the Articles 3 and 4 of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/815 of 17 December 2018 supplementing Directive 2004/109/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards on the specification of a single electronic reporting format. The person authorized to provide additional information is: Darius Sulnis, President of Invalda INVL E-mail Darius.Sulnis@invl.com Attachments English Estonian The Q1 2022 results of AS Tallink Grupp will be introduced at an Investor Webinar held today at 15:00 (EEST). To participate, please join via the following link; we kindly ask participants to provide their questions latest by 12:00 by email to: investor@tallink.ee. Further details available in a previously published announcement. In the first quarter (1 January 31 March) of the year, Tallink Grupp AS and its subsidiaries (the Group) carried 720 261 passengers, which is 169.5% more than in the first quarter last year. The number of cargo units transported increased by 19.7% in the same comparison. The Groups unaudited consolidated revenue increased by 97.5% or EUR 52.4 million to a total of EUR 106.1 million. Unaudited EBITDA was EUR -11.0 million (EUR -6.3 million in Q1 2021) and unaudited net loss was EUR 40.0 million (net loss of EUR 34.4 million in Q1 2021). In the beginning of the quarter, the Groups operations and operating results were continuously influenced by the COVID-19 Omicron variant in all home markets. The demand for travelling increased after the travel restrictions were lifted in February in Finland and Sweden, and in Estonia from mid-March. However, the demand was negatively affected by the geopolitical and military conflict that emerged by the end of February. The operational factors impacting results were following: during the quarter 2 shuttle vessels, 3 cargo vessels, 3 cruise ferries and 3 hotels were operating; 3 cruise ferries and 3 hotels were operating; 3 cruise ferries were operated in limited capacity, of which 2 started operations in the end of the quarter; long-term charter of cruise ferry Romantika from late March; planned dockings of 8 vessels, totalling 98 days; significant and rapid increase in the global fuel prices; lifting of travel restrictions in Sweden, Finland and Estonia; cost savings from previously implemented measures. Operations during the quarter Given the uncertainty regarding the duration of the crisis and the course of the post-crisis recovery with progress of vaccinations, as well as developments with the geopolitical and military conflict in Europe, the business environment has remained challenging. In the current situation, the focus has remained on costs and cash flow management to ensure the sustainability of the Groups core business. During the quarter, operations of the cruise ferry Baltic Queen on the Tallinn-Stockholm route were suspended for about a month. Cruise ferry Baltic Queen operated 5 return trips on the Tallinn-Helsinki route replacing the shuttle vessel Megastar. Operations of the cruise ferry Silja Europa were suspended during the quarter, except for 4 return trips on Tallinn-Helsinki route replacing the shuttle vessel Star. Cruise ferry Romantika was chartered out on a long-term charter agreement from March. Operations of the cruise ferry Silja Serenade were restarted from the end of March after being suspended throughout most of the quarter. Operations of the Riga-Stockholm route as well as the cruise ferry Victoria I were suspended during the quarter. Tallink City Hotel, Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel and Tallink Express Hotel were all operating during the first quarter. Tallink Hotel Riga has remained closed since October 2020. Estonia-Finland routes shuttle vessels Megastar and Star, cargo vessel Sea Wind, Paldiski-Kapellskar route cargo vessels Regal Star and Sailor, and the three Finland-Sweden routes cruise ferries continued their operations throughout the quarter. Sales and segments In the first quarter of 2022, the Groups total revenue increased by EUR 52.4 million to EUR 106.1 million. Total revenue in the first quarter of 2021 and 2020 was EUR 53.7 million and EUR 154.9 million, respectively. Revenue from route operations (core business) increased by EUR 46.8 million to EUR 91.4 million. The passenger operations and segment results on all routes were still significantly affected by the COVID-19 situation. The number of passengers carried on the Estonia-Finland routes increased by 112.4% compared to last year. The number of transported cargo units increased by 21.5%. Estonia-Finland routes revenue increased by EUR 16.6 million to EUR 41.3 million. The segment result improved by EUR 3.6 million to EUR -1.4 million. The segment effectively reflects operations of two shuttle vessels and one cargo vessel, as well as expenses of the suspended cruise ferry Silja Europa. The number of passengers carried on the Finland-Sweden routes increased by 310.0%. The number of transported cargo units increased by 11.2%. The routes revenue increased by EUR 22.8 million to EUR 37.6 million and the segment result decreased by EUR 0.5 million to EUR -13.8 million. The segment reflects the operations of Turku-Stockholm and Helsinki-Stockholm routes. On Estonia-Sweden routes the number of passengers carried increased by 544.8% compared to last year. The number of transported cargo units increased by 23.4%. Estonia-Sweden routes revenue increased by EUR 7.4 million to EUR 12.3 million and the segment result decreased by EUR 3.6 million to EUR -6.8 million. Estonia-Sweden route reflects operation of two cargo vessels and one cruise ferry, as well as expenses of the suspended cruise ferry Victoria I. The Latvia-Sweden route operations were suspended. The EUR -5.0 million segment result reflects the expenses of the suspended cruise ferries Isabelle as well as Romantika before the start of her charter period. Revenue from the segment other increased by a total of EUR 6.0 million and amounted to EUR 15.2 million. The increase was mainly driven by accommodation sales, various retail activities and to a lesser extent by chartering out vessels. Earnings In the first quarter of 2022, the Groups gross profit improved by EUR 75 thousand compared to the same period last year, amounting to EUR -19.9 million. EBITDA decreased by EUR 4.6 million and amounted to EUR -11.0 million. In the first quarter, the net amount of government assistance from Groups home markets was limited at EUR 3.5 million (EUR 5.0 million in first quarter of 2021). In addition, the reduction in fairway dues in Estonia amounted to EUR 0.5 million (EUR 1.1 million in first quarter of 2021). Amortisation and depreciation expense in the first quarter amounted to EUR 23.7 million (EUR 23.7 million in 2021). As a result of increased interest-bearing liabilities, net finance costs increased by EUR 1.0 million compared to the first quarter of last year. The Groups unaudited net loss for the first quarter of 2022 was EUR 40.0 million or EUR 0.054 per share compared to a net loss of EUR 34.4 million or EUR 0.051 per share in 2021 and net loss of EUR 30.2 million or EUR 0.045 per share in 2020. Investments The Groups investments in the first quarter of 2022 amounted to EUR 8.9 million. In the first quarter there were planned dockings of eight vessels: Megastar, Baltic Queen, Victoria I, Regal Star, Isabelle, Star, Silja Europa and Romantika. The planned service breaks of eight vessels totalled 98 days in the first quarter of 2022. Due to the changed economic environment and suspension of vessel operations, ship-related investments were kept to minimum and only critical maintenance and repair works were performed. Investments were also made in the development of the online booking and sales systems as well as other administrative systems and in relation to the opening of Burger King restaurants. Dividends Due to a complicated operating environment and considering the Companys long-term interests, the Management Board has decided to prepare a proposal to the shareholders annual general meeting not to pay a dividend for 2021. Financial position At the end of the second quarter of 2021, the Group agreed with financial institutions on the amendment and the prolongation of the waivers of financial covenants and the postponement of principal payments under existing loan agreements. From the second quarter of 2021 until the end of first quarter of 2022 repayments in the total amount of EUR 82.1 million were deferred and added to the last payment of each respective loan facility. The deferrals for the 2021 financial year amounted to EUR 67.4 million. At the end of the first quarter of 2022, the Groups net debt had sby EUR 25.0 million to EUR 688.5 million compared to the end of the first quarter 2021. As at 31 March 2022, the Groups cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 101.0 million (EUR 14.8 million at 31 March 2021) and the Group had EUR 123.4 million in unused credit lines (EUR 81.7 million at 31 March 2021). The total liquidity buffer (cash, cash equivalents and unused credit facilities) amounted to EUR 224.4 million (EUR 96.4 million at 31 March 2021). The current trade and other payables amounted to EUR 84.6 million (EUR 61.9 million at 31 March 2021). Personnel As at 31 March 2022, the Group had 4 740 employees (3 953 at 31 March 2021). The number of employees includes 181 employees on maternity leave. In the first quarter of 2022, staff costs amounted to EUR 32.9 million (EUR 23.4 million in 2021), which is an 40.6% increase compared to the same period last year*. The effective change compared to the first quarter of last year is 16.2%. In the first quarter of 2022 the Group did not receive any salary support from governments. *The staff costs in the first quarter of 2021 were impacted by salary support in total amount of EUR 2.0 million from the government of Estonia, paid directly to employees in March. In addition, the workload and remuneration of a part of Estonian and Latvian personnel was reduced to 70%, majority of Finnish personnel were on unpaid leave, workload was reduced to 20% for a large part of Swedish personnel and up to 80% was remunerated by the Swedish Government. Salary support was also paid by the government of Sweden in total amount EUR 2.9 million that was recognised as other operating income. Economic Environment The Group has the most exposure to the economic and travel restriction developments in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. In the first quarter of 2022, the Groups economic environment was still affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter, the cargo business remained solid supported by the continuously robust business confidence on all home markets. The market conditions regarding the price competition remained challenging. Despite some easing of travel restrictions in Groups home markets during the quarter, the confidence of consumers on all home markets declined throughout the quarter. The confidence was also negatively affected by the rise of the geopolitical and military conflict in Europe. The latter contributed significantly to the rapid increase in global fuel prices. Measured in euros and weighted with the Groups consumption volumes, the global fuel prices increased, on average, by 129% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year. Increase in the fuel prices was the main cause of the Groups overall fuel cost increase by 153%, or by EUR 17.1 million compared to the same period last year. High levels of vaccination together with signs of decrease in new infection rates in Finland and Sweden resulted in governments decision to lift travel restrictions from February 2022. From March 2022, the restrictions were also lifted in Estonia. This contributed to demand for travel, which was evident in the increase in the number of bookings made for the upcoming periods. For the foreseeable future, the key risks are related to developments with the COVID-19 situation, the ongoing geopolitical and military conflict, and their impacts on the economic environment. Events in the first quarter Opening of Burger King restaurants In January 2022, one new Burger King restaurant was opened in Latvia. The Group continues preparations for opening additional Burger King restaurants in 2022. Easing of travel restrictions in Groups home markets Starting from February 2022, travel restrictions were lifted in Groups home markets in Finland and Sweden, from March 2022 in Estonia, which contributed to the increase in the number of bookings. Compromise for termination of dispute with AS Tallinna Sadam On 11 February 2022, AS Tallink Grupp and AS Tallinna Sadam concluded a settlement upon approval of which by the court, the court dispute between the parties concerning the fees of port services provided to passenger vessels at Old City Harbour is terminated, AS Tallink Grupp waives all the claims filed in the matter and AS Tallinna Sadam will amend the port fees applied to passenger vessels visiting the Old City Harbour. Geopolitical and military conflict in Europe The geopolitical and military conflict in Europe that started at the end of February is expected to have a negative impact on the demand of certain customer groups, mainly customers from the countries directly participating in the conflict and from Asian countries, together with the risk of an increase in some input prices, mainly fuel and raw materials. The exact magnitude and duration of the potential effects from the conflict remain difficult to assess. Long-term charter of Romantika In late March, the cruise ferry Romantika was chartered out for three years with extension options (3+1+1) to international routes between Norway and the Netherlands. Events after the reporting period and outlook Short-term chartering of cruise ferry Isabelle In the beginning of April, the Group signed short-term charter agreement for cruise ferry Isabelle to provide temporary accommodation for refugees arriving in Estonia. The cruise ferry was chartered out to the Estonian authorities from 7 April 2022 for four months with extension options (4+2+2). Due to the chartering out of cruise ferries Romantika and Isabelle, the Group does not intend to operate the Riga-Stockholm route in 2022. Disposal of the cargo vessel Sea Wind In April 2022, the Group disposed of the cargo vessel Sea Wind operating on the Muuga-Vuosaari route, the route will be further operated by the cargo vessel Regal Star. Completion of the new dual fuel shuttle vessel MyStar The new dual fuel (LNG, MGO) shuttle vessel, built in Rauma Shipyard, is expected to be delivered and start operating on the Tallinn-Helsinki route in the third quarter of 2022. Earning s The Groups earnings are not generated evenly throughout the year. The summer period is the high season in the Groups operations. In managements opinion and based on prior experience most of the Groups earnings are generated during the summer (June-August). Despite the uncertainties in the outlook of the economic environment the management expects a quicker recovery in the passenger traffic from the second quarter of 2022. Research and development projects The Group does not have any substantial ongoing research and development projects. The Group is continuously seeking opportunities for expanding its operations in order to improve its results. The Group is continuously looking for innovative ways to upgrade the ships and passenger area technology to improve its overall performance through modern solutions. The most recent technical projects are focusing on the solutions for reduction of the ships CO2 footprint. Risks The Groups business, financial position and operating results could be materially affected by various risks. These risks are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently believe are immaterial or unlikely, could also impair our business. The order of presentation of the risk factors below is not intended to be an indication of the probability of their occurrence or of their potential effect on our business. Protracted geopolitical and military conflict in Europe COVID-19 situation and developments Governmental restrictions on business activities Accidents, disasters Macroeconomic and labour market developments Changes in laws and regulations Relations with trade unions Increase in the fuel prices and interest rates Market and customer behaviour Key figures For the period Q1 2022 Q1 2021 Change % Revenue (million euros) 106.1 53.7 97.5% Gross profit/loss (million euros) -19.9 -20.0 0.4% EBITDA (million euros) -11.0 -6.3 -73.6% EBIT (million euros) -34.6 -30.0 -15.5% Net loss for the period (million euros) -40.0 -34.4 -16.1% Depreciation and amortisation (million euros) 23.7 23.7 0.0% Capital expenditures (million euros) 8.9 4.2 111.8% Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding 743,569,064 669,882,040 11.0% Earnings/loss per share -0.054 -0.051 -4.6% Number of passengers 720,261 267,224 169.5% Number of cargo units 101,938 85,156 19.7% Average number of employees 4,634 3,986 16.3% As at 31.03.2022 31.12.2021 Change % Total assets (million euros) 1,560.2 1,585.9 -1.6% Total liabilities (million euros) 907.6 893.4 1.6% Interest-bearing liabilities (million euros) 789.5 779.9 1.2% Net debt (million euros) 688.5 652.4 5.5% Net debt to EBITDA 12.8 11.2 14.7% Total equity (million euros) 652.5 692.5 -5.8% Equity ratio (%) 42% 44% Number of ordinary shares outstanding 743,569,064 743,569,064 0.0% Equity per share 0.88 0.93 -5.8% Ratios Q1 2022 Q1 2021 Gross margin (%) -18.7% -37.2% EBITDA margin (%) -10.3% -11.7% EBIT margin (%) -32.6% -55.8% Net profit/loss margin (%) -37.7% -64.1% ROA (%) -2.7% -6.4% ROE (%) -9.2% -15.2% ROCE (%) -3.3% -7.6% 1 Alternative performance measures based on ESMA guidelines are disclosed in the Alternative Performance Measures section of this Interim Report. 2 Does not include additions to right-of-use assets. EBITDA: result from operating activities before net financial items, share of profit of equity-accounted investees, taxes, depreciation and amortization EBIT: result from operating activities Earnings per share: net profit or loss/ weighted average number of shares outstanding Equity ratio: total equity / total assets Shareholders equity per share: shareholders equity / number of shares outstanding Gross margin: gross profit / net sales EBITDA margin: EBITDA / net sales EBIT margin: EBIT / net sales Net profit margin: net profit or loss / net sales Capital expenditure: additions to property, plant and equipment additions to right-of-use assets + additions to intangible assets ROA: earnings before net financial items, taxes 12-months trailing / average total assets ROE: net profit 12-months trailing / average shareholders equity ROCE: earnings before net financial items, taxes 12-months trailing / (total assets current liabilities (average for the period)) Net debt: interest-bearing liabilities less cash and cash equivalents Net debt to EBITDA: net debt / EBITDA 12-months trailing Consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income Unaudited, in thousands of EUR Q1 2022 Q1 2021 Revenue (Note 3) 106,143 53,746 Cost of sales -126,043 -73,721 Gross profit/loss -19,900 -19,975 Sales and marketing expenses -7,329 -5,073 Administrative expenses -11,128 -9,956 Other operating income 3,734 5,038 Other operating expenses -5 -13 Result from operating activities -34,628 -29,979 Finance income (Note 4) 39 5 Finance costs (Note 4) -5,698 -4,677 Profit/loss before income tax -40,287 -34,651 Income tax 298 220 Net profit/loss for the period -39,989 -34,431 Net profit/loss for the period attributable to equity holders of the Parent -39,989 -34,431 Other comprehensive income Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss Exchange differences on translating foreign operations -1 174 Other comprehensive income for the period -1 174 Total comprehensive profit/loss for the period -39,990 -34,257 Total comprehensive profit/loss for the period attributable to equity holders of the Parent -39,990 -34,257 Profit/loss per share (in EUR, Note 5) -0.054 -0.051 Consolidated statement of financial position Unaudited, in thousands of EUR 31.03.2022 31.03.2021 31.12.2021 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 100,977 14,762 127,556 Trade and other receivables 30,622 25,680 29,298 Prepayments 15,441 12,491 11,924 Prepaid income tax 0 25 0 Inventories 41,048 29,561 34,631 Current assets 188,088 82,519 203,409 Investments in equity-accounted investees 165 245 165 Other financial assets and prepayments 2,817 508 555 Deferred income tax assets 21,840 20,270 21,840 Investment property 300 300 300 Property, plant and equipment (Note 6) 1,311,910 1,349,398 1,323,353 Intangible assets (Note 7) 35,047 39,267 36,293 Non-current assets 1,372,079 1,409,988 1,382,506 TOTAL ASSETS 1,560,167 1,492,507 1,585,915 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Interest-bearing loans and borrowings (Note 8) 272,159 149,511 244,436 Trade and other payables 84,625 61,886 91,687 Payables to owners 6 6 6 Income tax liability 47 10 47 Deferred income 33,508 22,238 21,734 Current liabilities 390,345 233,651 357,910 Interest-bearing loans and borrowings (Note 8) 517,296 578,777 535,489 Non-current liabilities 517,296 578,777 535,489 Total liabilities 907,641 812,428 893,399 Share capital (Note 9) 349,477 314,844 349,477 Share premium 663 663 663 Reserves 67,417 69,516 67,930 Retained earnings 234,969 295,056 274,446 Equity attributable to equity holders of the Parent 652,526 680,079 692,516 Total equity 652,526 680,079 692,516 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 1,560,167 1,492,507 1,585,915 Consolidated statement of cash flows Unaudited, in thousands of EUR Q1 2022 Q1 2021 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net profit/loss for the period -39,989 -34,431 Adjustments 29,037 28,223 Changes in: Receivables and prepayments related to operating activities -6,462 -3,307 Inventories -6,417 -854 Liabilities related to operating activities 5,561 -11,814 Changes in assets and liabilities -7,318 -15,975 Cash generated from operating activities -18,270 -22,183 Income tax repaid/paid -41 -39 NET CASH FROM/USED OPERATING ACTIVITIES -18,311 -22,222 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Purchase of property, plant, equipment and intangible assets (Notes 6, 7) -8,891 -4,201 Proceeds from disposals of property, plant, equipment 41 7 Interest received 1 0 NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES -8,849 -4,194 CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Repayment of loans received (Note 8) 0 -14,667 Change in overdraft (Note 8) 11,431 37,581 Payment of lease liabilities (Note 8) -4,215 -4,225 Interest paid -6,332 -5,144 Payment of transaction costs related to loans -303 -201 NET CASH FROM/USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES 581 13,344 TOTAL NET CASH FLOW -26,579 -13,072 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of period 127,556 27,834 Change in cash and cash equivalents -26,579 -13,072 Cash and cash equivalents at the end of period 100,977 14,762 Joonas Joost Financial director AS Tallink Grupp Sadama 5 10111 Tallinn, Estonia E-mail joonas.joost@tallink.ee For the period Attachments Barcelona and Athens, 26 April 2022 - Adevinta Ventures, the investment arm of Adevinta, today announced its investment in Spotawheel, a leading exchange to exchange (E2E) automotive digital platform. The new funding round closes at 110M in equity and asset-backed debt, led by VentureFriends joined by Adevinta Ventures, Uniqa Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, Velocity Partners, FJ Labs, Collective Spark and other notable investors, coupled by a floor plan facility mix from leading European credit and banking institutions. The additional funding will primarily fuel Spotawheels team growth adding +700 people in the next 12 months (currently scaling up Germany local operations while establishing teams throughout Western Europe), introducing in parallel new online consumer offerings in the course of the coming quarters. Founded in 2016 by Charis Arvantis, Christos Zis and Kiriakos Agadakos, Spotawheel uses innovation to improve the process of selling and buying used cars. Since creation, the company has expanded rapidly, evolving into one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe and establishing itself in the market through its proprietary sourcing engine, blending advanced technologies like Big Data with human innovation. This provides a competitive advantage, enabling the business to efficiently predict demand and supply, as well as market trends valuation with remarkable precision and scale. Spotawheels new digital business model, with more than 60% of its customers using the online touchless shopping feature, provides a strong differentiation point for the business, further supported through provision of additional features such as Written Technical Inspection of 200+ points, a 5 Year Warranty, 14 Day Money Return Policy and country-wide vehicle delivery. Building on its strong market position, this funding round will support Spotawheels continued expansion plans, with the business expecting to soon add Romania to its Central & Eastern Europe retail market portfolio of 100B used cars market, after its successful growth in Poland and Greece. The business is also expected to exceed its projected 200M revenue run rate milestone within 2022. In addition, Spotawheel is looking to increase its vehicle offering across its platforms, while also expanding in-house preparation capacity to 50.000 cars per annum to help drive further growth. Jordi Iserte, Investment Director at Adevinta Ventures, said: "Fully transactional and frictionless experiences are the new norm and the motors industry has also started to move into that direction. With its focus on transparency and strong data capabilities, we see Spotawheel as the player to unlock the European cross-country arbitrage (Western-Eastern) and we are thrilled to support Charis and his talented team along this journey. Charis Arvanitis, Spotawheel founder and CEO, commented: Its amazing to be accelerating our journey of digitally transforming the CEE used car landscape, backed by our customers, our people and our funding partners. We want our customers to enjoy the largest assortment of great quality cars while offering them the best options to own or just drive any of them. Fintech products in our pipeline such as our fresh used car subscription offering follows that exact logic, allowing more flexibility for any person to drive truly great and safe cars. -end- Notes to editors Media contacts Adevinta Melodie Laroche Corporate Communications T: +33 (0) 6 84 30 52 76 melodie.laroche@adevinta.com Spotawheel Katerina Paschou katerina.paschou@spotawheel.gr T: + 30 210 256 1466 Outstand Communications Alexia Sakellariou a.sakellariou@outstand.gr T: + 30 210 331 1000 About Adevinta Ventures Adevinta Ventures is the early stage investment arm of Adevinta, a global online classifieds specialist, operating leading digital marketplaces in 15 countries. Adevinta Ventures invests in fast-growing European startups that can shape the future of marketplaces. Leveraging the top positions of Adevinta's brands (e.g. leboncoin, Mobile.de, Fotocasa, Coches.net, Subito, Marktplaats) Adevinta Ventures adds strong value and is a long-term partner to portfolio companies. Current portfolio and key investment areas include proptech (Kodit, Flatfair), future of work (Medwing), mobility (Spotawheel, 2trde, PaulCamper, Bipi-exited) and fintech (Lovys). Find out more at adevinta.com/ventures About Spotawheel Starting as a group of car mechanics under the name Spotmechanic that dreamt of a sincere market of used cars, Spotawheel is continuing this effort, re-defining the term trust in the car industry. The company is among the fastest-growing platforms of buying and selling used cars in Europe based on the transparency it offers: Written Technical Inspection of 200+ points, Free Test Drive, up to 5 Years Warranty, Delivery throughout Greece and Poland, 7 and 14 Days Money Return Policy while it is the only company in the industry that offers touchless purchases. Spotawheel is supported and funded by prominent Greek and foreign investors, while it has entered into valuable partnerships with the largest companies in the field. The Spotawheel team currently counts more than 350 employees and operates in Greece, Poland, Germany and soon in Romania, with the sole purpose of providing the ultimate experience to its customers, owners and buyers. Discover more at www.spotawheel.gr Dublin, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Indonesia Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector - Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Indonesian construction industry's output grew by an estimated rate of 3.1% in 2021, as the government eased social restrictions towards the end of the year. The industry's output in coming quarters may be affected by a possible decline in economy activity, with the emergence of the Omicron variant and a rise in Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases potentially requiring the reimposition of containment measures. The construction industry registered year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth of 2.4% in the first three quarters of 2021, according to the BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik), although this growth mostly reflects the low base in 2020, when construction output fell by 2.4% in the first three quarters of 2020. The industry's performance will be supported by the government's emphasis on the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects under the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN). Under which the government plans to develop 5,000km of new toll roads, 3,000km of new national roads, 38,726m of bridges and 31,053m of flyovers and underpasses by 2024. The industry's output over the forecast period (2023-2026) will also be supported by the Electricity Procurement Plan (RUPTL) 2021-2030, under which the government plans to add 40.6GW of additional capacity by 2030, of which 4.7GW will be solar, and 51.6% will be from renewable sources. Over the remainder of the forecast period, the construction industry is expected to register an annual average growth of 5.8%, supported by the government's focus on the development of infrastructure, as well as energy and utilities construction projects. Improvements in consumer and investor confidence and positive developments in regional economic conditions will also provide momentum. The industry's output will also be supported by the government's plan to invest IDR6.2 quadrillion ($430 billion) on infrastructure projects by 2024, to support long-term social and economic development, which was unveiled by the government in 2020. Scope Historical (2017-2021) and forecast (2022-2026) valuations of the construction industry in Indonesia, 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 Outlook Latest News and Developments Construction Projects Momentum Index 4.2 Commercial Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 4.3 Industrial Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 4.4 Infrastructure Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 4.5 Energy and Utilities Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 4.6 Institutional Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 4.7 Residential Construction Outlook Project Analytics Latest News and Developments 5 Key Industry Participants 5.1 Contractors 5.2 Consultants 6 Construction Market Data 7 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lxledc Istanbul Turkey, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SU IMC will attend JEC World in Paris for new collaborations Sabanc University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC) will attend JEC World 2022, the largest international gathering of the composites industry, which will take place on May 3-5 in Paris. Sabanc University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SU IMC), a leading industrial-scale research and technology development center in Istanbul / Turkey, is attending the leading international composites show, JEC World, for new collaborations. SU IMC is an industrial-scale research, technology development, test and application center offering design, analysis, prototyping, manufacturing and process development services in relation to composite materials, additive manufacturing, and robotic manufacturing. All extent of composite and plastic material characterization, mechanical characterization and flammability tests and analysis are carried out in the center. SU IMC has certified with AS9100 aerospace certification and ISO 17025 laboratory test accreditation. SU IMC supports all industries in relation to composite materials, composite part production and additive manufacturing technologies. SU IMC provides an environment of basic and applied research, product development, graduate programs, and lifelong learning programs. It also serves as an open innovation center providing commercialization opportunities for integrated advanced manufacturing technologies as well as ISO 17025 accredited testing for composite and plastic materials. In collaboration with Kordsa, SU IMC inaugurated the Composite Technology Center of Excellence which is a pioneer and an important example in Turkey with its university-industry business model. The Center aims to serve stakeholders throughout different stages of the R&D cycle, based on the customers requirements, starting with R&D, continuing with prototyping, and ending in mass production. SU IMCs CEO Devrim Ozaydn, Composite Product and Technical Development Manager Ali Cansun, and Business Development Leader Aytac Subas will be present at JEC World, HALL 6, D32, to collaborate and to create new partnerships. For further information about SU IMC, please visit https://suimc.sabanciuniv.edu/tr Attachment GUANGZHOU, China, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide, a global leading L4 autonomous driving company announces the launch of Robosweeper, the first mass-produced and purpose-built self-driving sweeper vehicle in China. The launch also represents the roll-off of Robosweeper and the next step towards a large-scale road test in May this year, with a fleet of more than 50 vehicles, to be conducted in Nansha District, Guangzhou. Robosweeper is designed and produced for city-level environmental services under a strategic collaboration between WeRide and Yutong Group. First of its kind in the sweeper industry, the Robosweeper features an unprecedented cockpit-free design without a steering wheel, accelerator or brake pedals. It is WeRides second product for mass production and purpose-built self-driving vehicles, after the launch of Mini Robobus. The Robosweeper demonstrates WeRides philosophy of tech for good to prompt a greener environment. This EV has a fully redundant chassis and is powered by WeRide's leading L4 autonomous driving solution, enabling safe, fully driverless and all-day available operations. Under the self-driving mode, the fleet is able to perform comprehensive environmental services, such as sweeping, sprinkling and disinfection spraying. WeRide has also developed a custom-built cloud-based platform to manage the Robosweeper fleet. The platform acts the brain and command center for the smart citys environmental services. The system provides real-time information of routes, operations and autonomous driving status. It facilitates intelligent scheduling, automated activation, remote dispatching and route management, ensuring daily operations, such as charging, water filling, waste discharge, vehicle activation and parking without human intervention. The large-scale road test of Robosweeper fleet will be launched in May, with over 50 vehicles in the first batch, covering the entire Nanshan district of Guangzhou. The fleet will be tested on technological and operational metrics through a road test plan designed to address real-life scenarios of the Nansha District. Road tests will also be conducted past midnight to acquire an in-depth understanding on the frontline. In light of the COVID-19 situation, the Robosweeper is equipped with a spraying system to disinfect with zero-contact. Accommodating the needs from different regions, timeslots, and services, WeRide has combined flexibility with extensive multi-scenario operation experiences. WeRide and the Nanshan government have joined hands in co-creating the leading pilot application of autonomous driving in China. Wei Min, Standing Committee Member of CPC Guangzhou Nansha District Committee, Executive Head of People's Government of Nansha District, Guangzhou addressed, Nansha District is the pioneer to support autonomous driving road tests and operations. WeRide Robosweepers road test in Nansha will be one of the largest in history. WeRide, being the leader in autonomous driving in China, is well equipped with industry-leading expertise in technology development, product innovation and commercial operations. We will work together to promote, explore and practice a high quality digital economy in Nansha. Under the accelerated urbanization process, we observed a surge of needs on environmental services. Meanwhile, with the emerging pandemic like COVID-19, the request on zero-contact environmental services has been raised due to public health concerns, says Tony Han, the founder and CEO of WeRide. By developing the self-driving Robosweeper, WeRide offers a package of environmental services without human intervention, and it will be available for city in a safer, greener and more efficient manner. In case of a public health emergency, the fleet will be the first and the most trusted resource to serve the public with the safe and reliable autonomous driving technology. WeRide has developed a series of innovative products, namely Robotaxi, Mini Robobus, Robovan and the most recent Robosweeper, with the aim to bring smart mobility, smart freight and smart environmental services to commercial applications, realizing the fullest potential of autonomous driving technology. Check out the fleet video at: https://www.youtube.com/embed/i70VVqE5Qi0 About WeRide WeRide is a leading, commercial-stage global company that develops Level 4 autonomous driving technologies. WeRide aims to develop safe and reliable driverless solutions to make mobility and transportation safer, more affordable and accessible. It is the first technology company in the world that holds driverless test permits in both China and the U.S. WeRide has been a pioneer in accelerating the commercialization of autonomous technologies and services around the world. Through strategic alliances with leading OEMs, mobility and logistics service platforms, WeRide offers an all-rounded product mix of Robotaxi, Mini Robobus, Robovan and Robosweeper to provide services including smart mobility, smart freight and smart environmental services. Established in 2017, WeRide is headquartered in Guangzhou, China, and has expanded its R&D and operation centers to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Anqing, as well as San Francisco in the US. WeRide has formed partnerships with top-tier global OEMs including Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Yutong Group and GAC Group, etc. For more information, please visit: Website: www.weride.ai; Medium: https://werideai.medium.com/; twitter/LinkedIn/YouTube: WeRide.ai. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea1653f2-34c4-42eb-97e7-4d5c8e1f963c VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riley Gold Corp. (TSX.V: RLYG) (OTCQB: RLYGF) (Riley Gold or the Company) is pleased to announce that an updated review of multiple sets of geophysical and soil geochemical data have revealed new, highly prospective drill target areas (Figures 3,4,5) capable of hosting a large Carlin-type gold deposit at its Pipeline West/Clipper Gold Project (PWC) located in Lander County, Nevada. Riley Golds land package consists of approximately 24.7 square kms of unpatented mining claims and patented (fee) lands in the heart of the Cortez section of the Battle Mountain Eureka Trend (Figure 1). PWC is almost entirely surrounded by Nevada Gold Mines LLC (NGM) which is a joint venture between Barrick Gold Corp. and Newmont Corporation. On the east, PWCs boundary lies within 1,000 metres (m) from NGMs Pipeline/Gap Mine as well as only 600 m from NGMs Gold Acres open pit, where a window into carbonates of the lower plate of the Roberts Mountains Thrust outcrops (Figure 2). On the north and west, PWC adjoins Ridgeline Minerals (Ridgeline) Swift project which is subject to a earn-in transaction between Ridgeline and NGM whereby NGM can earn up to a 70% interest by spending US$30M (up to 75% by arranging debt funding for Ridgelines portion of development costs). Figure 1: Location of PWC, within the Cortez Structural Zone (Leonardson, 2010) https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f398507a-80aa-4d12-b556-36b9e4a11eef Figure 2: PWC is on strike with NGMs Pipeline, Gap, and Gold Acres mines. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c4c65fdc-4d3a-4c66-bbc4-978baf038abd PWC hosts very prospective Carlin-type gold targets along a 3-kilometer trend. These targets are supported by: Past drilling (revealing Devonian Wenban host rocks are within 300 500 m of surface) Open gold-in-soil anomalies Geophysics: Ground and Air Magnetic Surveys Gravity CSAMT Combined, PWC is a compelling prospect for possible future discovery. Relatively shallow target depths combined with overlapping geophysical and geochemical anomalies provide exciting targets for our first round of drilling at PWC. said Charles Sulfrian, Exploration Manager of Riley Gold Corp. and former Barrick Sr. Geologist. The target model is similar to discoveries at the Nevada Gold Mines Joint Venture, Cortez Complex, operated by Barrick Gold Corp. Soil Sampling Figure 3 shows that the soil and lithic sampling by previous operators left open-ended gold in soil anomalies within the target area depicted by the red ellipse. Additional soil sampling is needed to fill in the areas not covered by prior sampling. Thallium, mercury, antimony, and locally arsenic are all locally anomalous pathfinder elements as well. Prior deep drilling was narrowly focused, primarily offsetting known mineralization from even older drilling. There is no drilling in the target area identified by Riley Gold. Figure 3: Gold in soil and lithic sampling* (ppb). Three principal grids are shown Illustrating the gaps in sampling and open-ended gold anomalies. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/de95c2f9-dbab-41ae-86be-d5831094857a Geophysical modeling: Geophysical data review and modeling were conducted with Riley Gold staff by Mr. Chet Lide, VP & Managing Geophysicist of Zonge International in Reno, Nevada. New and detailed analyses of ground and aero-magnetic data, gravity, and Controlled Source Audio-Frequency Magneto-Telluric (CSAMT) surveys from past operators revealed multiple overlapping anomalies that point to structurally-controlled, high value drill targets within the Lower Plate of the Roberts Mountain Thrust system. Research into prior drilling at PWC proved that units of the Devonian Wenban are present within PWC. Additionally, that older drilling intersected gold mineralization in the Lower Plate stratigraphy, with results up to 2.594 grams per tonne gold. However, large areas of PWC remain undrilled and open for potential discovery. A significant portion of these areas also offer drill targets at or above 500 m depth. Figure 4: Gravity Horizontal Gradient Derivative. Emphasizes high-angle density contrasts (faults or contacts). Note the strong northwesterly trend within the red ellipse. Overlapping, northwest-trending geochemical and geophysical anomalies provide a strong indication of very prospective drill targets along this 3-kilometre northwesterly trend. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4364f7ea-8288-4421-ba72-61174e7c2a02 Figure 5: This aero magnetic map shows the Reduced to Pole (RTP) horizontal gradient which highlights the rate of change from non-magnetic facies to higher magnetic areas. This information helps constrain structures and suggests areas for further investigation. The high rate of change area indicated could represent an area of increasing magnetic sulfides, such as pyrrhotite within hornfels and skarn surrounding the Gold Acres stock. https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6bf0574-0025-4402-9f55-377c10650f95 Note that such a gradient is highlighted within the red ellipse. Gold Acres pit is also aligned on the edge of a steep gradient. Inferred structural intersections coincident with soil geochemical and geophysical anomalies make compelling drill targets. About Riley Gold Corp. Riley Gold is an exploration and development company focused in Nevada, USA. The Companys primary focus is on its two cornerstone assets: the Tokop Gold Project located within the Walker Lane Trend and the Pipeline West/Clipper Project located in the Battle Mountain Eureka Trend. Riley Golds founders and leadership team have a proven track record of maximizing shareholder value during each phase of the mining life cycle: exploration, development, and production. Qualified Person This news release has been reviewed and approved by Charles Sulfrian, CPG., Exploration Manager, of Riley Gold and a qualified person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on PWC, particularly in regard to the historical drill sample results. However, the Qualified Person believes that drilling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of PWC but may not be representative of expected results. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Todd Hilditch Chief Executive Officer Tel: (604) 443-3831 Or Mars Investor Relations Tel: (778) 999-4653 RLYG@marsinvestorrelations.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. Cautionary statement regarding forwardlooking information Certain disclosures in this release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (such statements being referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by words such as the following: expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, assumes, potential and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at PWC, including results of historical drilling, sampling, geophysics, interpretations and future exploration plans at PWC. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, 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 planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Dublin, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "CBD Gummies Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Category and Distribution Channel" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The CBD gummies market was valued at US$ 2,133.48 million in 2021 and is projected to reach US$ 12,182.21 million by 2028. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.3% from 2021 to 2028. CBD or cannabidiol is an active component in cannabis (marijuana). It is gaining huge traction due to its medicinal and healing effects. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CBD demonstrates no effects suggestive of any misuse or dependency potential in people. Based on distribution channel, the CBD gummies market is segmented into specialty stores, online retail, and others. The specialty stores segment accounted for the largest market share in 2020. The online retail segment is projected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. E-commerce platforms have registered significant growth as they provide lucrative services, such as home delivery, discounts, offers, cashback, to the customers. Moreover, customers can choose among a wide range of products by comparing different alternatives available. A variety of CBD gummies brands are available on e-commerce platforms like Amazon.com. Thus, the high availability of CBD gummies brands at affordable prices is one of the key factors driving the online retail segment. Based on region, the CBD gummies market is segmented into North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World. In 2020, North America held the largest share of the global CBD gummies market, whereas Europe is projected to register the fastest growth over the forecast period. Europe has a significant concentration of cannabis consumers. Recently, the European Union has legalized CBD; hence, manufacturers of CBD gummies have a strong growth potential across European nations such as France, Germany, the UK, and Poland. CBD gummies consumption is proliferating rapidly across markets in Europe as manufacturers are focusing on lowering the THC content and using clean-label and organic ingredients. Moreover, CBD regulations are getting softer as authorities in EU Member States now regard CBD as a novel product for food, beverages, and food supplements. These factors are projected to support the growth of the CBD gummies market across Europe over the coming years. The leading players in the CBD gummies market include Aurora Cannabis, Inc.; Canopy Growth USA, LLC; CBD American Shaman; CV Sciences, Inc.; Diamond CBD; CBDfx; Sunday Scaries; Medix CBD; Reliva CBD; and Fab CBD. Reasons to Buy Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies. The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the global CBD gummies market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long-term strategies. Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets. Scrutinize in-depth the market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it. Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation, and industry verticals. Key Market Dynamics Market Drivers Growing Awareness Regarding Health Benefits of CBD Rising Adoption Among Athletes and Sportspersons Market Restraints Stringent Regulations Regarding Production and Consumption of CBD Market Opportunities Product Innovations Future Trends Surging Influence of Social Media and Celebrities Company Profiles Dixie Brands Aurora Cannabis Inc. Canopy Growth Corporation Sunday Scaries Diamond CBD CBD American Shaman CV Sciences, Inc Medix CBD CBDFx Elixinol For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5xbpy Attachment Pune, India, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global robotaxi market size estimated to grow from USD 0.50 billion in 2020 to USD 11.10 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 61.2% during the 2020-2027 period. Robotaxi market size was USD 0.40 billion in 2019. The increasing demand for autonomy in the automotive sector is propelling the demand for advanced robotaxis worldwide. These autonomous taxis are equipped with technologically advanced LiDAR, RADAR, and other types of sensors to ensure smooth and driverless experience. This information is published by Fortune Business Insights in its latest report, titled, Robotaxi Market Forecast 2020-2027. Moreover, the growing focus on developing electric charging infrastructures is expected to boost the demand for the market in the forthcoming years. For instance, in November 2020, Tesla announced that it will be setting up about 20,000 charging stations across the U.S. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/robo-taxi-market-103661 Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020-2027 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 61.2% 2027 Value Projection USD 11.10 billion Base Year 2019 Market Size in 2020 USD 0.05 billion No. of Pages 200 Segments covered Application, Component, Propulsion, and Region Growth Drivers Increasing Incidence of Road Fatalities to Augment Growth According to the World Health Organization, around 1.35 million people die in road accidents every year globally. Robotaxi Market Growth Factors: Increasing Incidence of Road Fatalities to Augment Growth According to the World Health Organization, around 1.35 million people die in road accidents every year globally. The increasing cases of road accidents is driving the demand for advanced technologies that can help to reduce road congestions and save several lives across the globe. This is expected to boost the adoption of robotaxis that do not require any human intervention and can efficiently ply on roads with the help of advanced sensors. Therefore, the growing demand for advanced driverless cars to reduce the road fatalities is expected to contribute to the global robotaxi market growth in the forthcoming years. The effect of the global pandemic, COVID-19, has been felt across several economies that are facing unprecedented loss. Owing to the lockdown announced by the government agencies, several industries have been on a standstill with limited operational activities. However, a collective effort from the government as well as the industries is likely to bring the economy back on track and aid in resumption of industrial activities. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on this Market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/robo-taxi-market-103661 Robotaxi Market Regional Insights: Asia-Pacific The region is expected to hold the largest global robotaxi market share in terms of revenue in the forthcoming years. This is ascribable to the factors such as the increasing incidence of road accidents and the growing demand for advanced autonomous technologies that will propel the adoption of robotaxis in the region. Asia-Pacific stood at USD 0.14 billion in 2019. North America The region is expected to hold the second-largest position in the market backed by the presence of established players in countries such as the U.S. that are focusing on developing advanced automotive systems to promote the adoption of driverless-vehicles between 2020 and 2027. Market Segmentation: We have categorized the market on the basis of application type, component type, propulsion type, and region. Based on application type, the market is divided into goods, passenger, infotainment, and driver assistance. Additionally, based on application type, the passenger segment held a market share of about 65.0% in 2019 and is expected to experience exponential growth during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing adoption of passenger vehicles due to their safety and reliability. On the basis of component, the market is bifurcated into LiDAR, RADAR, camera, and sensor. Moreover, based on propulsion type, the market is segregated into electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cells. Lastly, on the basis of region, the market is segmented into Asia-Pacific, Rest of the World, Europe, and North America. What does the Report Include? The global market for robotaxi report includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of several factors such as the key drivers and restraints that will impact growth. Additionally, the report provides insights into the regional analysis that covers different regions, which are contributing to the growth of the market. It includes the competitive landscape that involves the leading companies and the adoption of strategies by them to announce partnerships, introduce new products, and collaboration that will further contribute to the growth of the market between 2020 and 2027. Moreover, the research analyst has adopted several research methodologies such as SWOT and PESTEL analysis to extract information about the current trends and industry developments that will drive the market growth during the forecast period. Quick Buy - Robotaxi Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/103661 Industry Development: June 2020 - DiDi Chuxing announced the launch of self-driving service in Shanghai. The company further plans to deploy more than 1 million robotaxis through its platform. Robotaxi Companies Profiled in the Report: Tesla Inc., (California, United States) Waymo LLC (California, United States) Aptiv (Dublin, Ireland) Uber Technologies (California, United States) Daimler AG (Stuttgart, Germany) Lyft Inc., (California, United States) Baidu (Beijing, China) Didi Chuxing (Beijing, China) Amazon (Washington, United States) Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/robo-taxi-market-103661 Global Robotaxi Market Segmentation: By Application Type: Goods Passenger By Component Type: LiDAR RADAR Camera Sensor By Propulsion Type: Electric Vehicles Hybrid Vehicles Fuel Cell By Geography: North America (USA, Canada) Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and Rest of Europe) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, GCC, and Rest of Middle East & Africa) Table of Content: 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Scope 1.2. Market Segmentation 1.3. Research Methodology 1.4. Definitions and Assumptions 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Dynamics 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 4. Key Insights 4.1. Key Industry Developments - Merger, Acquisitions, and Partnerships 4.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3. SWOT Analysis 4.4. Technological Developments 4.5. Value Chain Analysis Continued Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/robo-taxi-market-103661 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Attachment MONACO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE: STNG) ("Scorpio Tankers" or the "Company") today reported its results for the three months ended March 31, 2022. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share on the Companys common stock. Results for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company had a net loss of $84.4 million, or $1.52 basic and diluted loss per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company had an adjusted net loss (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $14.9 million, or $0.27 basic and diluted loss per share, which excludes from the net loss (i) a $67.7 million, or $1.22 per basic and diluted share, aggregate write-down of vessels held for sale and loss on the sale of vessels, and (ii) $1.9 million, or $0.03 per basic and diluted share, write-off or acceleration of the amortization of deferred financing fees on the debt or lease financing obligations relating to these vessel sales and related debt extinguishment costs. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company had a net loss of $62.4 million, or $1.15 basic and diluted loss per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company had an adjusted net loss (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) of $57.3 million, or $1.05 basic and diluted loss per share, which excludes from the net loss $3.9 million, or $0.07 per basic and diluted share, of losses recorded on the transaction to exchange $62.1 million in aggregate principal amount of its existing Convertible Notes due 2022 for $62.1 million in aggregate principal amount of new Convertible Notes due 2025, and $1.3 million, or $0.02 per basic and diluted share, of write-offs of deferred financing fees related to the refinancing of certain credit facilities. Declaration of Dividend On April 27, 2022, the Company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per common share, payable on or about June 15, 2022 to all shareholders of record as of May 20, 2022 (the record date). As of April 27, 2022, there were 59,401,013 common shares of the Company outstanding. Summary of First Quarter 2022 and Other Recent Significant Events During the first quarter of 2022, the Company entered into agreements to sell 17 vessels, consisting of two LR2s, 12 LR1s, and three MRs. Seven of these sales closed within the first quarter of 2022 (six LR1s and one MR), raising $91.6 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and selling costs, three of these sales have closed within April 2022 (two LR1s and one MR), raising $39.8 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and selling costs, and the remaining seven vessels are expected to close before the end of the third quarter 2022. These remaining vessels are expected to raise $112.7 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and estimated selling costs. In April 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to sell an LR2 tanker, STI Nautilus, for $42.7 million. This sale is expected to raise approximately $22.0 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and estimated selling costs, and it is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022. Below is a summary of the average daily Time Charter Equivalent ("TCE") revenue (see Non-IFRS Measures section below) and duration of contracted voyages and time charters for the Company's vessels (both in the pools and directly in the spot market) thus far in the second quarter of 2022 as of the date hereof (See footnotes to "Other operating data" table below for the definition of daily TCE revenue): Total Vessel class Average daily TCE revenue % of Days LR2 $ 24,300 44 % MR $ 30,000 42 % Handymax $ 30,000 33 % Below is a summary of the average daily TCE revenue earned by the Company's vessels (both in the pools and directly in the spot market) during the first quarter of 2022: Vessel class Average daily TCE revenue LR2 $ 14,475 LR1 $ 12,320 MR $ 16,305 Handymax $ 15,949 The Company has $38.3 million of additional liquidity available from previously announced financings or refinancings that have been committed. These drawdowns are expected to occur at varying points in the future as certain of these financings are tied to scrubber installations on the Companys vessels. Sales of Vessels During the first quarter of 2022, the Company entered into agreements to sell 17 vessels, consisting of two LR2s, 12 LR1s, and three MRs. The sales prices of the two LR2s (STI Savile Row and STI Carnaby) are $43.0 million per vessel, the 12 LR1s (STI Excelsior, STI Executive, STI Excellence, STI Pride, STI Providence, STI Prestige, STI Experience, STI Express, STI Exceed, STI Excel, STI Expedite, and STI Precision) are $413.8 million in aggregate, and each of the three MRs (STI Fontvieille, STI Benicia, and STI Majestic) are $23.5 million, $26.5 million, and $34.9 million, respectively. Seven of these sales closed within the first quarter of 2022 (six LR1s and one MR), raising $91.6 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and selling costs, three of these sales have closed within April 2022 (two LR1s and one MR), raising $39.8 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and selling costs, and the remaining seven vessels are expected to close before the end of the third quarter 2022. These remaining vessels are expected to raise approximately $112.7 million in aggregate new liquidity after the repayment of debt and selling costs. During the first quarter, the Company recorded an aggregate loss on the sale of vessels or write-down of vessels held for sale of $67.7 million for the 17 vessels that were agreed to be sold. Additionally, the Company wrote-off, or accelerated the amortization of deferred financing fees of $1.9 million with respect to the debt or lease financings relating to these vessels during the first quarter of 2022. Additionally, in April 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to sell an LR2 tanker, STI Nautilus, for $42.7 million. This sale is expected to raise approximately $22.0 million in aggregate new liquidity, after the repayment of debt and estimated selling costs. This sale is expected to result in a gain of approximately $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2022, and it is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022. Diluted Weighted Number of Shares The computation of earnings or loss per share is determined by taking into consideration the potentially dilutive shares arising from (i) the Companys equity incentive plan, and (ii) the Companys Convertible Notes due 2022 and Convertible Notes due 2025. These potentially dilutive shares are excluded from the computation of earnings or loss per share to the extent they are anti-dilutive. The impact of the Convertible Notes due 2022 and Convertible Notes due 2025 on earnings or loss per share is computed using the if-converted method. Under this method, the Company first includes the potentially dilutive impact of restricted shares issued under the Companys equity incentive plan, and then assumes that its Convertible Notes due 2022 and Convertible Notes due 2025, which were issued in March and June 2021 were converted into common shares at the beginning of each period. The if-converted method also assumes that the interest and non-cash amortization expense associated with these notes of $6.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2022 were not incurred. Conversion is not assumed if the results of this calculation are anti-dilutive. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Companys basic weighted average number of shares outstanding were 55,409,131. There were 57,130,119 weighted average shares outstanding including the potentially dilutive impact of restricted shares issued under the Company's equity incentive plan for the three months ended March 31, 2022. There were 64,467,902 weighted average shares outstanding for the three months ended March 31, 2022 under the if-converted method. Since the Company was in a net loss position in both periods, the potentially dilutive shares arising from both restricted shares issued under the Company's equity incentive plan and under the if-converted method were anti-dilutive for purposes of calculating the loss per share. Accordingly, basic weighted average shares outstanding were used to calculate both basic and diluted loss per share for this period. Conference Call The Company has scheduled a conference call on April 28, 2022 at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time and 5:00 PM Central European Summer Time. The dial-in information is as follows: US Dial-In Number: 1 (855) 861-2416 International Dial-In Number: 1 (703) 736-7422 Conference ID: 3295797 Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time. The information provided on the teleconference is only accurate at the time of the conference call, and the Company will take no responsibility for providing updated information. There will also be a simultaneous live webcast over the internet, through the Scorpio Tankers Inc. website www.scorpiotankers.com . Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast. Webcast URL: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/u6omf566 Current Liquidity As of April 27, 2022, the Company had $280.5 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents. In the next few days, the Company is expected to receive $33.8 million from the sale of one LR1 tanker (after estimated selling costs). The debt for this vessel was repaid prior to April 27, 2022. Our pro-forma cash balance, including the net proceeds from the sale of this vessel, was $314.3 million as of April 27, 2022. Drydock, Scrubber and Ballast Water Treatment Update Set forth below is a table summarizing the drydock, scrubber, and ballast water treatment system activity that occurred during the first quarter of 2022 and that is in progress as of April 1, 2022. Number of Vessels Drydock Ballast Water Treatment Systems Scrubbers Aggregate Costs (in millions of U.S. Dollars) (1) Aggregate Off-hire Days in Q1 2022 Completed in the first quarter of 2022 LR2 3 3 $4.4 93 LR1 2 2 7.3 65 MR Handymax 5 3 2 $11.7 158 In progress as of April 1, 2022 LR2 1 1 $2.5 11 LR1 3 3 11.0 104 MR 2 2 2.0 24 Handymax 6 2 4 $15.5 139 (1) Aggregate costs for vessels completed in the quarter represent the total costs incurred, some of which may have been incurred in prior periods. Set forth below are the estimated expected payments to be made for the Company's drydocks, ballast water treatment system installations, and scrubber installations through 2023 (which also include actual payments made during the second quarter of 2022 and through April 27, 2022): In millions of U.S. dollars As of March 31, 2022 (1) (2) Q2 2022 - payments made through April 27, 2022 $ 3.4 Q2 2022 - remaining payments 14.1 Q3 2022 10.5 Q4 2022 7.5 FY 2023 16.8 (1) Includes estimated cash payments for drydocks, ballast water treatment system installations and scrubber installations. These amounts include installment payments that are due in advance of the scheduled service and may be scheduled to occur in quarters prior to the actual installation. In addition to these installment payments, these amounts also include estimates of the installation costs of such systems. The timing of the payments set forth are estimates only and may vary as the timing of the related drydocks and installations finalize. (2) Based upon the commitments received to date, which include the remaining availability under certain financing transactions that have been previously announced, the Company expects to raise approximately $11.3 million of aggregate additional liquidity to finance the purchase and installations of scrubbers once all of the agreements are closed and drawn. These drawdowns are expected to occur at varying points in the future as these financings are tied to scrubber installations on the Companys vessels. Set forth below are the estimated expected number of vessels and estimated expected off-hire days for the Company's drydocks, ballast water treatment system installations, and scrubber installations (1): Q2 2022 Vessels Scheduled for (2): Off-hire Drydock Ballast Water Treatment Systems Scrubbers Days (3) LR2 2 70 LR1 81 MR 1 46 Handymax Total Q2 2022 2 1 197 Q3 2022 Vessels Scheduled for(2): Off-hire Drydock Ballast Water Treatment Systems Scrubbers Days(3) LR2 LR1 MR 6 4 1 140 Handymax Total Q3 2022 6 4 1 140 Q4 2022 Vessels Scheduled for(2): Off-hire Drydock Ballast Water Treatment Systems Scrubbers Days(3) LR2 LR1 MR 3 1 2 100 Handymax Total Q4 2022 3 1 2 100 FY 2023 Vessels Scheduled for(2): Off-hire Drydock Ballast Water Treatment Systems Scrubbers Days(3) LR2 LR1 MR 6 6 240 Handymax Total FY 2023 6 6 240 (1) The number of vessels in these tables may reflect a certain amount of overlap where certain vessels are expected to be drydocked and have ballast water treatment systems and/or scrubbers installed simultaneously. Additionally, the timing set forth in these tables may vary as drydock, ballast water treatment system installation and scrubber installation times are finalized. (2) Represents the number of vessels scheduled to commence drydock, ballast water treatment system, and/or scrubber installations during the period. It does not include vessels that commenced work in prior periods but will be completed in the subsequent period. (3) Represents total estimated off-hire days during the period, including vessels that commenced work in a previous period. Debt Set forth below is a summary of the principal balances of the Companys outstanding indebtedness as of the dates presented. In thousands of U.S. Dollars Outstanding Principal as of December 31, 2021 Outstanding Principal as of March 31, 2022 Outstanding Principal as of April 27, 2022 1 Credit Agricole Credit Facility (1) $ 73,591 $ 53,578 $ 17,535 2 Citibank / K-Sure Credit Facility (2) 78,401 37,881 18,736 3 Hamburg Commercial Credit Facility 37,024 36,201 36,201 4 Prudential Credit Facility 44,832 43,445 42,983 5 2019 DNB / GIEK Credit Facility 45,450 43,672 43,672 6 BNPP Sinosure Credit Facility 86,314 89,761 84,402 7 2020 $225 Million Credit Facility (3) 145,636 103,818 103,818 8 2021 $21.0 Million Credit Facility 19,245 18,660 18,660 9 2021 $43.6 Million Credit Facility (4) 43,550 21,222 21,222 10 Ocean Yield Lease Financing 127,263 124,460 123,525 11 BCFL Lease Financing (LR2s) 79,321 76,560 75,630 12 CSSC Lease Financing 135,843 132,202 130,988 13 BCFL Lease Financing (MRs) 68,888 65,115 63,793 14 2018 CMBFL Lease Financing 111,986 108,734 108,734 15 $116.0 Million Lease Financing 95,789 93,246 92,345 16 AVIC Lease Financing (5) 106,405 86,316 86,316 17 China Huarong Lease Financing 103,416 99,208 99,208 18 $157.5 Million Lease Financing 109,657 106,121 106,121 19 COSCO Lease Financing 61,050 59,125 59,125 20 2020 CMBFL Lease Financing 41,332 40,521 40,521 21 2020 TSFL Lease Financing 43,928 43,098 43,098 22 2020 SPDBFL Lease Financing 90,006 88,382 88,382 23 2021 AVIC Lease Financing 91,886 90,073 90,073 24 2021 CMBFL Lease Financing 74,565 72,935 72,530 25 2021 TSFL Lease Financing 54,377 53,282 53,282 26 2021 CSSC Lease Financing 53,893 52,577 52,139 27 2021 $146.3 Million Lease Financing 146,250 143,583 140,288 28 2021 Ocean Yield Lease Financing 69,783 68,341 67,860 29 IFRS 16 - Leases - 3 MR 29,268 27,314 26,630 30 $670.0 Million Lease Financing (6) 546,730 535,061 505,743 31 Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2025 70,209 70,571 70,571 32 Convertible Notes Due 2022 69,695 69,695 69,695 33 Convertible Notes Due 2025 (7) 208,133 210,897 211,702 Gross debt outstanding 3,163,716 2,965,655 2,865,528 Cash and cash equivalents 230,415 242,684 280,527 Net debt $ 2,933,301 $ 2,722,971 $ 2,585,001 (1) In March 2022, the Company closed on the sale of STI Excelsior and repaid $18.4 million on the Credit Agricole Credit Facility as a result of this sale. In April 2022, the Company repaid $36.0 million on the Credit Agricole Credit Facility related to STI Exceed and STI Expedite. The sales of both vessels have closed as of April 27, 2022. (2) In March 2022, the Company closed on the sales of STI Executive and STI Excellence and repaid $39.5 million on the Citibank / K-Sure Credit Facility as a result of these sales. In April 2022, the Company repaid $19.1 million on the Citibank / K-Sure Credit Facility related to STI Express, the sale of which is expected to close in the next few days. (3) In March 2022, the Company closed on the sales of STI Pride and STI Providence and repaid $38.7 million on the 2020 $225.0 Million Credit Facility as a result of these sales. (4) In March 2022, the Company closed on the sale of STI Prestige and repaid $21.2 million on the 2021 $43.6 Million Credit Facility as a result of this sale. (5) In February 2022, the Company exercised the option to repurchase STI Fontvieille and repaid $17.2 million on the AVIC Lease Financing in advance of the sale of the vessel, which closed shortly thereafter. (6) In April 2022, the Company exercised the option to repurchase STI Majestic and repaid $25.6 million on the $670.0 Million Lease Financing in advance of the sale of the vessel. The sale of this vessel has closed as of April 27, 2022. (7) The outstanding principal balance reflects the par value of the Convertible Notes Due 2025 of $200.0 million plus the accreted principal balance as of each date presented. The Convertible Notes Due 2025 are scheduled to accrete at an annualized rate of approximately 5.52% per annum, with the total balance due at maturity equal to 125.3% of par. The Convertible Notes Due 2025 also bear interest at a cash coupon rate of 3.0% per annum, which is calculated based upon the par value of the instrument. Set forth below are the estimated expected future principal repayments on the Company's outstanding indebtedness as of March 31, 2022, which includes principal amounts due under the Company's secured credit facilities, Convertible Notes due 2022, Convertible Notes due 2025, lease financing arrangements, Senior Notes due 2025, and lease liabilities under IFRS 16 (which also include actual scheduled payments made during the second quarter of 2022 through April 27, 2022): As of March 31, 2022 (1) In millions of U.S. dollars Total Less: scheduled repayments on vessels to be sold (2) Pro forma total - excluding scheduled repayments vessels to be sold Maturities of unsecured debt Vessel financings - 2022 and 2023 maturities, excluding vessels to be sold Vessel financings - scheduled repayments, in addition to maturities in 2024 and thereafter, excluding vessels to be sold Q2 2022 - principal payments made through April 27, 2022 $ 100.9 $ 80.8 $ 20.1 $ $ $ 20.1 Q2 2022 (3) 233.0 113.9 119.1 69.7 49.4 Q3 2022 84.3 20.0 64.3 64.3 Q4 2022 (4) 86.7 86.7 17.5 69.2 Q1 2023 63.8 63.8 63.8 Q2 2023 69.6 69.6 69.6 Q3 2023 63.8 63.8 63.8 Q4 2023 68.7 68.7 68.7 2024 and thereafter 2,194.9 2,194.9 281.5 1,913.4 $ 2,965.7 $ 214.7 $ 2,751.0 $ 351.2 $ 17.5 $ 2,382.3 (1) Amounts represent the principal payments due on the Companys outstanding indebtedness as of March 31, 2022 and do not incorporate the impact of any of the Companys new financing initiatives which have not closed as of that date. (2) The repayments of debt set forth in this column represent the previously scheduled repayments due on vessels that have recently been agreed to be sold whose sales had not yet closed as of March 31, 2022. These credit facilities and lease financing arrangements are expected to be repaid in full prior to the closing of each vessel sale, which have occurred, or are expected to occur during the second and third quarters of 2022. The repayments include two LR1s under the Citibank / K-Sure Credit Facility, three LR1s under the Credit Agricole Credit Facility, one LR1 under the 2021 $43.6 Million Credit Facility, one MR under the $157.5 Million Lease Financing, one MR under the $670.0 Million Lease Financing and three LR2s under the 2020 $225.0 Million Credit Facility. (3) Repayments include the scheduled maturity of the outstanding face value of the Convertible Notes due 2022 of $69.7 million. (4) Repayments include the scheduled maturity of the outstanding debt related to one vessel under the 2021 $21.0 Million Credit Facility for $17.5 million. Explanation of Variances on the First Quarter of 2022 Financial Results Compared to the First Quarter of 2021 For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recorded a net loss of $84.4 million compared to a net loss of $62.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The following were the significant changes between the two periods: TCE revenue, a Non-IFRS measure, is vessel revenues less voyage expenses (including bunkers and port charges). TCE revenue is included herein because it is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare period-to-period changes in a shipping company's performance irrespective of changes in the mix of charter types (i.e., spot voyages, time charters, and pool charters), and it provides useful information to investors and management. The following table sets forth TCE revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021: For the three months ended March 31, In thousands of U.S. dollars 2022 2021 Vessel revenue $ 174,047 $ 134,165 Voyage expenses (2,023 ) (1,385 ) TCE revenue $ 172,024 $ 132,780 TCE revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $39.2 million to $172.0 million, from $132.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Overall average TCE revenue per day increased to $15,415 per day during the three months ended March 31, 2022, from $11,166 per day during the three months ended March 31, 2021. TCE revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2022 reflected an improving spot market for product tankers, particularly at the end of quarter, which was triggered by myriad factors including (i) the easing of COVID-19 restrictions around the globe which triggered increased personal mobility and the demand for refined petroleum products; (ii) strengthening refining margins which, combined with low global refined petroleum product inventories, increased demand for the seaborne transportation of refined petroleum products, and; (iii) the volatility brought on by the conflict in Ukraine, which has disrupted supply chains for crude oil and refined petroleum products, changing volumes and trade routes, and thus increased ton-mile demand for refined petroleum products. TCE revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2021 reflected the adverse market conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for crude and refined petroleum products remained low during this period as inventories that built up during 2020 continued to be drawn, and most countries throughout the world continued to implement restrictive policies in an effort to control the spread of the virus. Vessel operating costs for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $1.5 million to $84.8 million, from $83.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Vessel operating costs per day increased to $7,290 per day for the three months ended March 31, 2022 from $6,891 per day for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Vessel operating costs per day increased across most vessel classes, driven by increased repairs and maintenance, and spares and stores expenses. Depreciation expense owned or sale leaseback vessels for the three months ended March 31, 2022 decreased by $4.7 million to $44.1 million, from $48.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. This decrease is attributable to 17 of the Company's vessels being designated as held for sale during the three months ended March 31, 2022. These vessels were written down to their net realizable value upon being designated as held for sale, and depreciation expense ceased being recorded upon that designation. Therefore, depreciation expense for these vessels only reflected a partial period during the three months ended March 31, 2022, and the Company expects depreciation expense to decrease slightly in subsequent quarters to reflect the full impact of these vessel sales. Depreciation expense - right of use assets for the three months ended March 31, 2022 decreased by $2.1 million to $9.7 million from $11.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Depreciation expense - right of use assets reflects the straight-line depreciation expense recorded under IFRS 16 - Leases. Right of use asset depreciation expense was impacted by the expiration of the bareboat charter-in agreements on four Handymax vessels at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The Company had four LR2s and 18 MRs that were accounted for under IFRS 16 - Leases during the three months ended March 31, 2022. General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022, decreased by $1.1 million to $12.5 million, from $13.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. This decrease was primarily due to a reduction in restricted stock amortization. Financial expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 increased by $3.9 million to $38.0 million, from $34.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. This increase was primarily attributable to the increase in the accretion of convertible notes, which increased to $4.1 million from $1.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. This increase was due to the issuance of the Convertible Notes due 2025 in March and June 2021. Scorpio Tankers Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income or Loss (unaudited) For the three months ended March 31, In thousands of U.S. dollars except per share and share data 2022 2021 Revenue Vessel revenue $ 174,047 $ 134,165 Operating expenses Vessel operating costs (84,832 ) (83,302 ) Voyage expenses (2,023 ) (1,385 ) Depreciation - owned or sale leaseback vessels (44,108 ) (48,784 ) Depreciation - right of use assets (9,720 ) (11,841 ) General and administrative expenses (12,454 ) (13,560 ) Loss on sale of vessels (67,738 ) Total operating expenses (220,875 ) (158,872 ) Operating loss (46,828 ) (24,707 ) Other (expense) and income, net Financial expenses (38,001 ) (34,067 ) Loss on Convertible Notes exchange (3,856 ) Financial income 188 225 Other income and (expense), net 193 11 Total other expense, net (37,620 ) (37,687 ) Net loss $ (84,448 ) $ (62,394 ) Loss per share Basic $ (1.52 ) $ (1.15 ) Diluted $ (1.52 ) $ (1.15 ) Basic weighted average shares outstanding 55,409,131 54,318,792 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding(1) 55,409,131 54,318,792 (1) The computation of diluted loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 excludes the effect of potentially dilutive unvested shares of restricted stock and the Convertible Notes due 2022 and Convertible Notes due 2025 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive. Scorpio Tankers Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) As of In thousands of U.S. dollars March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 242,684 $ 230,415 Accounts receivable 70,274 38,069 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 11,110 7,954 Inventories 15,373 8,781 Restricted cash 2,006 4,008 Assets held for sale 342,760 Total current assets 684,207 289,227 Non-current assets Vessels and drydock 3,217,112 3,842,071 Right of use assets for vessels 718,933 764,025 Other assets 93,190 108,963 Goodwill 8,900 8,900 Restricted cash 783 783 Total non-current assets 4,038,918 4,724,742 Total assets $ 4,723,125 $ 5,013,969 Current liabilities Current portion of long-term debt $ 274,636 $ 235,278 Lease liability - sale and leaseback vessels 189,293 178,062 Lease liability - IFRS 16 78,067 54,515 Accounts payable 16,689 35,080 Accrued expenses 31,079 24,906 Total current liabilities 589,764 527,841 Non-current liabilities Long-term debt 508,507 666,409 Lease liability - sale and leaseback vessels 1,390,073 1,461,929 Lease liability - IFRS 16 483,644 520,862 Total non-current liabilities 2,382,224 2,649,200 Total liabilities 2,971,988 3,177,041 Shareholders' equity Issued, authorized and fully paid-in share capital: Share capital 659 659 Additional paid-in capital 2,854,455 2,855,798 Treasury shares (480,172 ) (480,172 ) Accumulated deficit (623,805 ) (539,357 ) Total shareholders' equity 1,751,137 1,836,928 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,723,125 $ 5,013,969 Scorpio Tankers Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) For the three months ended March 31, In thousands of U.S. dollars 2022 2021 Operating activities Net loss $ (84,448 ) $ (62,394 ) Depreciation - owned or finance leased vessels 44,108 48,784 Depreciation - right of use assets 9,720 11,841 Amortization of restricted stock 4,494 6,192 Amortization of deferred financing fees 1,806 1,825 Write-off of deferred financing fees and unamortized discounts on sale and leaseback facilities 1,586 1,275 Accretion of convertible notes 4,128 1,922 Loss on sales of vessels 67,738 Accretion of fair value measurement on debt assumed in business combinations 889 847 Loss on Convertible Notes transactions 3,856 Share of income from dual fuel tanker joint venture (174 ) 49,847 14,148 Changes in assets and liabilities: (Increase) / decrease in inventories (2,589 ) 1,157 Increase in accounts receivable (27,137 ) (12,069 ) Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets (3,156 ) (600 ) Increase in other assets (27 ) (147 ) (Decrease) / increase in accounts payable (17,162 ) 2,428 Increase / (decrease) in accrued expenses 5,758 (6,745 ) (44,313 ) (15,976 ) Net cash inflow / (outflow) from operating activities 5,534 (1,828 ) Investing activities Net proceeds from sales of vessels 225,815 Distributions from dual fuel tanker joint venture 240 Drydock, scrubber, ballast water treatment system and other vessel related payments (owned, leased financed and bareboat-in vessels) (14,279 ) (16,601 ) Net cash inflow / (outflow) from investing activities 211,776 (16,601 ) Financing activities Debt repayments (191,163 ) (224,757 ) Issuance of debt 3,806 273,421 Debt issuance costs (184 ) (3,643 ) Principal repayments on lease liability - IFRS 16 (13,666 ) (14,856 ) Issuance of convertible notes 76,100 Decrease in restricted cash 2,003 Dividends paid (5,837 ) (5,809 ) Net cash (outflow) / inflow from financing activities (205,041 ) 100,456 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 12,269 82,027 Cash and cash equivalents at January 1, 230,415 187,511 Cash and cash equivalents at March 31, $ 242,684 $ 269,538 Scorpio Tankers Inc. and Subsidiaries Other operating data for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 (unaudited) For the three months ended March 31, 2022 2021 Adjusted EBITDA(1) (in thousands of U.S. dollars except Fleet Data) $ 79,425 $ 42,121 Average Daily Results TCE per revenue day(2) $ 15,415 $ 11,166 Vessel operating costs per day (3) $ 7,290 $ 6,891 LR2 TCE per revenue day (2) $ 14,475 $ 11,947 Vessel operating costs per day (3) $ 7,228 $ 6,675 Average number of vessels 42.0 42.0 LR1 TCE per revenue day (2) $ 12,320 $ 11,228 Vessel operating costs per day (3) $ 7,170 $ 6,646 Average number of vessels 10.7 12.0 MR TCE per revenue day (2) $ 16,305 $ 11,281 Vessel operating costs per day (3) $ 7,364 $ 6,974 Average number of vessels 62.6 63.0 Handymax TCE per revenue day (2) $ 15,949 $ 8,844 Vessel operating costs per day (3) $ 7,231 $ 7,280 Average number of vessels 14.0 17.3 Fleet data Average number of vessels 129.3 134.3 Drydock Drydock, scrubber, ballast water treatment system and other vessel related payments for owned, sale leaseback and bareboat chartered-in vessels (in thousands of U.S. dollars) $ 14,279 $ 16,601 (1) See Non-IFRS Measures section below. (2) Freight rates are commonly measured in the shipping industry in terms of time charter equivalent per day (or TCE per day), which is calculated by subtracting voyage expenses, including bunkers and port charges, from vessel revenue and dividing the net amount (time charter equivalent revenues) by the number of revenue days in the period. Revenue days are the number of days the vessel is owned, sale leasebacked, or chartered-in less the number of days the vessel is off-hire for drydock and repairs. (3) Vessel operating costs per day represent vessel operating costs divided by the number of operating days during the period. Operating days are the total number of available days in a period with respect to the owned, sale leasebacked or bareboat chartered-in vessels, before deducting available days due to off-hire days and days in drydock. Operating days is a measurement that is only applicable to owned, sale leasebacked, or bareboat chartered-in vessels, not time chartered-in vessels. Fleet list as of April 27, 2022 Vessel Name Year Built DWT Ice class Employment Vessel type Scrubber Owned, sale leaseback and bareboat chartered-in vessels 1 STI Brixton 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 2 STI Comandante 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 3 STI Pimlico 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 4 STI Hackney 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 5 STI Acton 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 6 STI Fulham 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 7 STI Camden 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 8 STI Battersea 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 9 STI Wembley 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 10 STI Finchley 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 11 STI Clapham 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 12 STI Poplar 2014 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 13 STI Hammersmith 2015 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 14 STI Rotherhithe 2015 38,734 1A SHTP (1) Handymax N/A 15 STI Amber 2012 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 16 STI Topaz 2012 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 17 STI Ruby 2012 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 18 STI Garnet 2012 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 19 STI Onyx 2012 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 20 STI Ville 2013 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 21 STI Duchessa 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 22 STI Opera 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 23 STI Texas City 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 24 STI Meraux 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 25 STI San Antonio 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 26 STI Venere 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 27 STI Virtus 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 28 STI Aqua 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 29 STI Dama 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 30 STI Benicia 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes (5) 31 STI Regina 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 32 STI St. Charles 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 33 STI Mayfair 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 34 STI Yorkville 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 35 STI Milwaukee 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 36 STI Battery 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 37 STI Soho 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 38 STI Memphis 2014 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 39 STI Tribeca 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 40 STI Gramercy 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 41 STI Bronx 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 42 STI Pontiac 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 43 STI Manhattan 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 44 STI Queens 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 45 STI Osceola 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 46 STI Notting Hill 2015 49,687 1B SMRP (2) MR Yes 47 STI Seneca 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 48 STI Westminster 2015 49,687 1B SMRP (2) MR Yes 49 STI Brooklyn 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 50 STI Black Hawk 2015 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 51 STI Galata 2017 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 52 STI Bosphorus 2017 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 53 STI Leblon 2017 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 54 STI La Boca 2017 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Yes 55 STI San Telmo 2017 49,990 1B SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 56 STI Donald C Trauscht 2017 49,990 1B SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 57 STI Esles II 2018 49,990 1B SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 58 STI Jardins 2018 49,990 1B SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 59 STI Magic 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 60 STI Mystery 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 61 STI Marvel 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 62 STI Magnetic 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 63 STI Millennia 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 64 STI Magister 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 65 STI Mythic 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 66 STI Marshall 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 67 STI Modest 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 68 STI Maverick 2019 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 69 STI Miracle 2020 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 70 STI Maestro 2020 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 71 STI Mighty 2020 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 72 STI Maximus 2020 50,000 SMRP (2) MR Yes 73 STI Excel 2015 74,000 SLR1P (3) LR1 Yes (5) 74 STI Experience 2016 74,000 SLR1P (3) LR1 Not Yet Installed (5) 75 STI Express 2016 74,000 SLR1P (3) LR1 Yes (5) 76 STI Precision 2016 74,000 SLR1P (3) LR1 Yes (5) 77 STI Elysees 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 78 STI Madison 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 79 STI Park 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 80 STI Orchard 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 81 STI Sloane 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 82 STI Broadway 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 83 STI Condotti 2014 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 84 STI Rose 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 85 STI Veneto 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 86 STI Alexis 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 87 STI Winnie 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 88 STI Oxford 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 89 STI Lauren 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 90 STI Connaught 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 91 STI Spiga 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 92 STI Savile Row 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes (5) 93 STI Kingsway 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 94 STI Carnaby 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes (5) 95 STI Solidarity 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 96 STI Lombard 2015 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 97 STI Grace 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 98 STI Jermyn 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 99 STI Sanctity 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 100 STI Solace 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 101 STI Stability 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 102 STI Steadfast 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 103 STI Supreme 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Not Yet Installed 104 STI Symphony 2016 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 105 STI Gallantry 2016 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 106 STI Goal 2016 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 107 STI Nautilus 2016 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes (5) 108 STI Guard 2016 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 109 STI Guide 2016 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 110 STI Selatar 2017 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 111 STI Rambla 2017 109,999 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 112 STI Gauntlet 2017 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 113 STI Gladiator 2017 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 114 STI Gratitude 2017 113,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 115 STI Lobelia 2019 110,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 116 STI Lotus 2019 110,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 117 STI Lily 2019 110,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 118 STI Lavender 2019 110,000 SLR2P (4) LR2 Yes 119 STI Beryl 2013 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 120 STI Le Rocher 2013 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed 121 STI Larvotto 2013 49,990 SMRP (2) MR Not Yet Installed Total owned, sale leaseback and bareboat chartered-in fleet DWT 9,223,160 (1) This vessel operates in, or is expected to operate in, the Scorpio Handymax Tanker Pool, or SHTP. SHTP is a Scorpio Pool and is operated by Scorpio Commercial Management S.A.M. (SCM). SHTP and SCM are related parties to the Company. (2) This vessel operates in, or is expected to operate in, the Scorpio MR Pool, or SMRP. SMRP is a Scorpio Pool and is operated by SCM. SMRP and SCM are related parties to the Company. (3) This vessel operates in the Scorpio LR1 Pool, or SLR1P. SLR1P is a Scorpio Pool and is operated by SCM. SLR1P and SCM are related parties to the Company. (4) This vessel operates in, or is expected to operate in, the Scorpio LR2 Pool, or SLR2P. SLR2P is a Scorpio Pool and is operated by SCM. SLR2P and SCM are related parties to the Company. (5) The Company has entered into an agreement to sell this vessel, which is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022. Dividend Policy The declaration and payment of dividends is subject at all times to the discretion of the Company's Board of Directors. The timing and the amount of dividends, if any, depends on the Company's earnings, financial condition, cash requirements and availability, fleet renewal and expansion, restrictions in loan agreements, the provisions of Marshall Islands law affecting the payment of dividends and other factors. The Company's dividends paid during 2021 and 2022 were as follows: Date paid Dividends per common share March 2021 $ 0.10 June 2021 $ 0.10 September 2021 $ 0.10 December 2021 $ 0.10 March 2022 $ 0.10 On April 27, 2022, the Company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per common share, payable on or about June 15, 2022 to all shareholders of record as of May 20, 2022 (the record date). As of April 27, 2022, there were 59,401,013 common shares of the Company outstanding. $250 Million Securities Repurchase Program In September 2020, the Company's Board of Directors authorized a new Securities Repurchase Program to purchase up to an aggregate of $250 million of the Company's securities which, in addition to its common shares, currently consist of its Senior Notes due 2025 (NYSE: SBBA), which were originally issued in May 2020, Convertible Notes due 2022, which were issued in May and July 2018, and Convertible Notes due 2025, which were issued in March and June 2021. No securities have been repurchased under the new program since its inception through the date of this press release. COVID-19 Since the beginning of calendar year 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in a significant reduction in global economic activity and extreme volatility in the global financial markets, the effects of which continued throughout 2021. While the easing of restrictive measures that were put in place to combat the spread of the virus, and the successful roll-out of vaccines in certain countries served as a catalyst for an economic recovery in many countries throughout the world, the Company expects that the COVID-19 virus will continue to cause volatility in the commodities markets. In particular, the spread of more contagious and vaccine resistant variants, along with the continued implementation of restrictive measures by governments in certain parts of the world, have hampered a full re-opening of the global economy, thus preventing demand for refined petroleum products from reaching pre-pandemic levels. The scale and duration of these circumstances is unknowable but could continue to have a material impact on the Company's earnings, cash flow and financial condition. An estimate of the impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition, and future performance cannot be made at this time. Conflict in Ukraine The recent military conflict in Ukraine has had a significant direct and indirect impact on the trade of refined petroleum products. This conflict has resulted in the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union, among other countries, implementing sanctions and executive orders against citizens, entities, and activities connected to Russia. Some of these sanctions and executive orders target the Russian oil sector, including a prohibition on the import of oil from Russia to the United States or the United Kingdom. The Company cannot foresee what other sanctions or executive orders may arise that affect the trade of petroleum products. Furthermore, the conflict and ensuing international response has disrupted the supply of Russian oil to the global market, and as a result, the price of oil and petroleum products has experienced significant volatility. The Company cannot predict what effect the higher price of oil and petroleum products will have on demand, and it is possible that the current conflict in Ukraine could adversely affect the Company's financial condition, results of operations, and future performance. About Scorpio Tankers Inc. Scorpio Tankers Inc. is a provider of marine transportation of petroleum products worldwide. Scorpio Tankers Inc. currently owns, lease finances or bareboat charters-in 121 product tankers (42 LR2 tankers, four LR1 tankers, 61 MR tankers and 14 Handymax tankers) with an average age of 6.3 years. The Company has recently agreed to sell four LR1 tankers, three LR2 tankers and one MR tanker. These sales are expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022. Additional information about the Company is available at the Company's website www.scorpiotankers.com , which is not a part of this press release. Non-IFRS Measures Reconciliation of IFRS Financial Information to Non-IFRS Financial Information This press release describes time charter equivalent revenue, or TCE revenue, adjusted net income or loss, and adjusted EBITDA, which are not measures prepared in accordance with IFRS ("Non-IFRS" measures). The Non-IFRS measures are presented in this press release as we believe that they provide investors and other users of our financial statements, such as our lenders, with a means of evaluating and understanding how the Company's management evaluates the Company's operating performance. These Non-IFRS measures should not be considered in isolation from, as substitutes for, or superior to financial measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Company believes that the presentation of TCE revenue, adjusted net income or loss with adjusted earnings or loss per share, basic and diluted, and adjusted EBITDA are useful to investors or other users of our financial statements, such as our lenders, because they facilitate the comparability and the evaluation of companies in the Companys industry. In addition, the Company believes that TCE revenue, adjusted net income or loss with adjusted earnings or loss per share, basic and diluted, and adjusted EBITDA are useful in evaluating its operating performance compared to that of other companies in the Companys industry. The Companys definitions of TCE revenue, adjusted net income or loss with adjusted earnings or loss per share, basic and diluted, and adjusted EBITDA may not be the same as reported by other companies in the shipping industry or other industries. TCE revenue, on a historical basis, is reconciled above in the section entitled "Explanation of Variances on the First Quarter of 2022 Financial Results Compared to the First Quarter of 2021". The Company has not provided a reconciliation of forward-looking TCE revenue because the most directly comparable IFRS measure on a forward-looking basis is not available to the Company without unreasonable effort. Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted Net Loss For the three months ended March 31, 2022 Per share Per share In thousands of U.S. dollars except per share data Amount basic diluted Net loss $ (84,448 ) $ (1.52 ) $ (1.52 ) Adjustments: Loss on sales of vessels 67,738 $ 1.22 $ 1.22 Write-offs of deferred financing fees and debt extinguishment costs 1,855 0.03 0.03 Adjusted net loss $ (14,855 ) $ (0.27 ) $ (0.27 ) For the three months ended March 31, 2021 Per share Per share In thousands of U.S. dollars except per share data Amount basic diluted Net loss $ (62,394 ) $ (1.15 ) $ (1.15 ) Adjustment: Loss on Convertible Notes exchange 3,856 0.07 0.07 Write-off of deferred financing fees 1,275 0.02 0.02 Adjusted net loss $ (57,263 ) $ (1.05 ) (1 ) $ (1.05 ) (1 ) (1) Summation difference due to rounding. Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA For the three months ended March 31, In thousands of U.S. dollars 2022 2021 Net Loss $ (84,448 ) $ (62,394 ) Financial expenses 38,001 34,067 Financial income (188 ) (225 ) Depreciation - owned or finance leased vessels 44,108 48,784 Depreciation - right of use assets 9,720 11,841 Amortization of restricted stock 4,494 6,192 Loss on Convertible Notes exchange 3,856 Loss on sales of vessels 67,738 Adjusted EBITDA $ 79,425 $ 42,121 Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forwardlooking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forwardlooking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forwardlooking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "target," "project," "likely," "may," "will," "would," "could" and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements. The forwardlooking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although management believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The Company undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, except as required by law, to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forwardlooking statements include unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, length and severity of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including its effect on demand for petroleum products and the transportation thereof, expansion and growth of the Companys operations, risks relating to the integration of assets or operations of entities that it has or may in the future acquire and the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits of such acquisitions may not be realized within expected timeframes or at all, the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with the Company, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of offhires, and other factors. Please see the Company's filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of certain of these and other risks and uncertainties. Scorpio Tankers Inc. 212-542-1616 Dublin, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Personal Care Ingredients Market by Ingredient Type (Emollients, Surfactants, Rheology Modifiers, Emulsifiers, Conditioning Polymers), Application (Skin Care, Hair Care, Oral Care, Make-up) and Region - Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The personal care ingredients market is estimated to grow from USD 11.8 billion in 2021 to USD 14.9 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 4.0%. The personal care ingredients market is driven mainly by changing lifestyle and the increasing purchasing power of consumers in developing countries. However, government regulations against cosmetics products are expected to restrain market growth. The personal care industry is growing rapidly due to the rising population, along with an increase in spending on better personal care products. The retail sector is getting organized in emerging economies such as China, India, and Brazil, which is also helping the personal care industry to flourish. The industry is continuously evolving to comply with changing consumer preferences. Rheology modifiers expected to be the fastest-growing ingredient type of the personal care ingredients market, in terms of value, between 2022 and 2027 The rheology modifiers segment is estimated to witness the highest growth rates in the personal care ingredients market in terms of value in 2021. This is due to its usage in almost all the personal care products to increase the viscosity of the formulation without significantly changing the performance of personal care products. The hair care application segment is estimated to witness the highest CAGR of the overall personal care ingredients market, in terms of value, between 2022 and 2027 The personal care ingredients market based on the application is segmented as skincare, hair care, make-up, oral care, and others. The hair care segment is estimated to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This is due to the development taking place in the hair care segment in order to combat problems associated with hair such as dandruff, itchy scalp, greying of hair, hair fall, and hair thinning, among others, which are on the rise. This drives the demand for various types of ingredients in hair care products. Middle East & Africa is estimated to witness the highest CAGR, during the forecast period The Middle East & Africa is projected to register the highest CAGR of 6.1% in the personal care ingredients market between 2022 and 2027, in terms of value. The growth is mainly attributed to the growing demand for halal-certified products, which is boosting the demand for a variety of personal care products. This, in turn, is increasing the demand for personal care ingredients in the region Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Significant Opportunities in Personal Care Ingredients Market 4.2 Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Region (2022-2027) 4.3 Asia-Pacific: Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Application and Country, 2021 4.4 Personal Care Ingredients Market Size, by Ingredient Type Vs. Region 4.5 Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Key Countries 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics of Personal Care Ingredients 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Changing Lifestyle and Increasing Purchasing Power of Consumers in Developing Countries 5.2.1.2 Rapid Growth in Multifunctional Personal Care Ingredients 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Governmental Regulations Against Cosmetic Products 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 High Market Potential in Emerging Economies 5.2.3.2 Global Demand Shifting Toward Sustainable and Bio-Based Products 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Toxicity of Some Personal Care Ingredients 5.2.4.2 Volatility in Raw Material Prices 5.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3.1 Threat of Substitutes 5.3.2 Threat of New Entrants 5.3.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.3.4 Bargaining Power of Buyers 5.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 5.4 Key Stakeholders & Buying Criteria 5.4.1 Key Stakeholders in Buying Process 5.4.2 Buying Criteria 5.5 Supply Chain Analysis 5.6 Personal Care Ingredients Market: Realistic, Pessimistic, Optimistic, and Non-COVID-19 Scenarios 5.7 Technology Analysis 5.8 Future Market Trends for Personal Care Ingredients 5.9 Ecosystem of Personal Care Ingredients 5.10 Case Study 5.10.1 Institute for in Vitro Sciences and Basf on Its Non-Animal Testing Approaches for the Safety Assessment of Cosmetics and Ingredients 5.10.2 Plant-Based Alternative to Silicone from Solvay 5.11 Trade Data Statistics 5.12 Key Conferences & Events in 2022-2023 5.13 Global Regulatory Framework and Its Impact on Personal Care Ingredients Market 5.14 Average Selling Price 5.15 Macroeconomic Indicators 5.16 Impact of COVID-19 5.17 Patent Analysis 6 Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Ingredient Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Emollients 6.2.1 Emollients Used in Almost All Personal Care Products 6.3 Surfactants 6.3.1 Middle East & Africa is Fastest-Growing Market for Surfactants 6.4 Conditioning Polymers 6.4.1 Conditioning Polymers Used to Improve Skin Feel and Hair Manageability 6.5 Rheology Modifiers 6.5.1 Rheology Modifiers Used in Skin Care Products to Increase Viscosity of Formulations 6.6 Emulsifiers 6.6.1 Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific are Fast-Growing Markets for Emulsifiers 6.7 Others 7 Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Application 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Skin Care 7.2.1 Growing Production of Skin Care Products to Cater to Various Skin-Related Problems to Drive Demand 7.3 Hair Care 7.3.1 Growing Problems Related to Hair to Drive Market in Hair Care Application 7.4 Make-Up 7.4.1 Growing Demand for Lipstick, Mascara, Foundation, and Blushers to Drive Market 7.5 Oral Care 7.5.1 Increasing Awareness Regarding Maintenance of Oral Hygiene to Drive Market 7.6 Others 8 Personal Care Ingredients Market, by Region 9 Competitive Landscape 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Key Players' Strategies 9.2.1 Overview of Strategies Adopted by Key Personal Care Ingredients Manufacturers 9.3 Market Share Analysis 9.3.1 Ranking of Key Market Players, 2021 9.3.2 Market Share of Key Players 9.3.2.1 Basf Se 9.3.2.2 The Dow Chemical Company 9.3.2.3 Solvay Sa 9.3.2.4 Clariant Ag 9.3.2.5 Ashland Global Specialty Chemicals Inc. 9.3.3 Revenue Analysis of Top Five Players 9.4 Company Product Footprint Analysis 9.5 Company Evaluation Quadrant (Tier 1) 9.5.1 Terminology/Nomenclature 9.5.1.1 Stars 9.5.1.2 Emerging Leaders 9.6 Startup/Sme Evaluation Quadrant 9.6.1 Progressive Companies 9.6.2 Responsive Companies 9.6.3 Dynamic Companies 9.6.4 Starting Blocks 9.7 Competitive Situations and Trends 9.7.1 Product Launches 9.7.2 Deals 9.7.3 Other Developments 10 Company Profiles 10.1 Major Players 10.1.1 Basf Se 10.1.2 The Dow Chemical Company 10.1.3 Solvay 10.1.4 Evonik Industries Ag 10.1.5 Clariant Ag 10.1.6 Ashland Global Holdings Inc. 10.1.7 Nouryon 10.1.8 Croda International plc 10.1.9 Lubrizol Corporation 10.1.10 Adeka Corporation 10.2 Other Key Players 10.2.1 Air Liquide 10.2.2 Corbion N.V. 10.2.3 Eastman Chemical Company 10.2.4 Elementis plc 10.2.5 Dupont 10.2.6 Innospec Inc. 10.2.7 Koninklijke Dsm N.V. 10.2.8 Merck KGaA 10.2.9 Momentive Performance Materials Inc. 10.2.10 Kao Corporation 10.2.11 Galaxy Surfactants Ltd. 10.2.12 Givaudan S.A. 10.2.13 Oxiteno 10.2.14 Symrise Ag 10.2.15 Stepan Company 10.2.16 Wacker Chemie Ag 11 Adjacent & Related Markets 12 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/onamuh Attachment New York, New York, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NANO Nuclear), a company emerging from the shared micro Small Modular Reactor (SMR) ambitions of a world-class nuclear technical team working alongside business and industry professionals, possessing strong relationships with both government as well as the private and public nuclear industries, is pleased to announce that Winston Chow has been appointed to the role of Chief Policy Officer (CPO) and as part of the Board of Directors of NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. The Path to Zero starts here. NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. strives to disrupt the SMR space, principally in underdeveloped nuclear areas, and advance micro SMRs towards development and deployment in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. NANO Nuclear Energy is committed to building smaller, cheaper, and safer nuclear energy while incorporating the latest technology into its own proprietary mobile and on-demand capable nano nuclear reactors, novel reactor designs, intellectual properties, and research methods. Mr. Winston Chow has served as Senior Advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy on East Asia, where he implemented two US-China Agreements on clean energy between Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao. Hes also worked across Asia and Africa as a diplomat for intergovernmental U.N. observer organization, Global Green Growth Institute, to decarbonize Chinas global Belt and Road Initiative. The U.S. Department of Energy has bestowed two meritorious service awards for his work. Mr. Chow has led the international adoption of sustainable energy and infrastructure for almost two decades, helping finance and deploy over $2 billion in projects. Mr. Chows career in the renewable energy space involved building the worlds largest solar power plant and providing access to clean energy to more than 37 million people. It is a great pleasure to welcome Winston to the NANO Nuclear team, said Jay Jiang Yu, Founder, Chairman and President of NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Winston has a wealth of knowledge and knowhow that will be extremely important in ensuring that NANO Nuclear stays at the front of the pack and continues to bring about innovative changes to this growing market. His accolades at the government level, in particular with the DOE, will be essential to navigating regulatory hurdles and challenges. His meticulous and detail-oriented nature makes Winston the perfect fit for the role, and I am convinced that his work ethic and international presence will help take this company to the next level. The importance of government involvement in accelerating innovation in the nuclear space has come to the fore in recent years, as numerous countries have laid the groundwork to help develop the marketplace. In 2020, the NRC issued the first of its kind final safety evaluation report for an SMR in the United States. In 2021, TerraPower, a start-up co-founded by Bill Gates, chose Kemmerer, Wyoming, as the preferred location for its first demonstration reactor. On the other side of the Atlantic, the U.K. government backed Rolls-Royce SMR project with a 210 million investment. This year, a strategic plan on the use of SMRs was released on March 29th by the governments of New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Shortly thereafter, on April 7th, the Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland outlined Canadas commitment to including nuclear technologies in efforts to shift towards a net-zero economy and meet ambitious climate plans, with specific funding for SMRs. Furthermore, the U.K.s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, accelerated a timeline set by his own government in regards to SMRs in the United Kingdom on March 30th and South Korea's SK Group was said to be mulling investments in small-sized nuclear reactors on April 11th. Additionally, on April 19th, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced plans to seek applications and sealed bid submissions under the $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit Program (CNC) to support the continued operation of U.S. nuclear reactors. Ive never seen such momentum as we are currently witnessing in this market landscape, especially in terms of government support and assistance for the nuclear industry. All in all, I believe this is a critical moment, not only for this market, but for the future of humanity and our planet, Mr. Winston Chow, Chief Policy Officer and Board Member of NANO Nuclear Energy Inc., stated. Micro SMRs are the next logical step to ensuring that we achieve sustainable and clean energy and foster independence from foreign nations oil, gas, and coal by supplementing existing renewable energy grids with rapidly deployable and highly scalable modular reactors. Mr. Chow will oversee Nano Nuclear Energys government funding opportunities, both domestically and abroad, while co-leading the companys international expansion strategy. About NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. The Path to Zero starts here. NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. is a company emerging from the shared micro Small Modular Reactor (SMR) ambitions of a world-class nuclear technical team, working alongside business and industry professionals, possessing strong relationships with both government, and the private and public nuclear industries. Our Company is looking to disrupt the SMR space, principally in underdeveloped nuclear areas, and advance micro SMRs towards development and deployment in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. NANO Nuclear Energy is committed to building smaller, cheaper and safer nuclear energy, while incorporating the latest technology into its own proprietary mobile and on-demand capable nano nuclear reactors, novel reactor designs, intellectual properties, and research methods. For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/ For further information, please contact: Email: Info@NanoNuclearEnergy.com Business Tel: (212) 634-9206 PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE: NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE NANO Nuclear Energy TWITTER NANO Nuclear Energy INSTAGRAM Attachment Ottawa, ON, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Building trades leaders from across Canada will gather at Canadas Building Trades Workers Monument located in Majors Hill Park in Ottawa on Thursday morning for the National Day of Mourning Ceremony. The National Day of Mourning Ceremony serves to remember those who have been hurt or killed in the workplace and reaffirm our commitment to continue to fight for better health and safety measures and enforcement. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Minister of Labour Seamus ORegan will be among those in attendance. What: National Day of Mourning Ceremony When: 11:00am-12:00pm, Thursday April 28th Who: Labour, government, industry and business leaders Where: Majors Hill Park, Mackenzie Avenue, Ottawa -30- Media Contact: Kate Walsh 613-298-0652 kwalsh@buildingtrades.ca About CBTU Canadas Building Trades Unions are an alliance of 14 international unions in the construction, maintenance and fabrication industries that collectively represent 600,000 skilled trades workers in Canada. Each year, our unions and our signatory contractor partners invest over $300 million in private sector money to fund and operate over 195 apprenticeship training and education facilities across Canada that produce the safest, most highly trained and productive skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Canadas Building Trades Unions represent members who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations, and generate six per cent of Canadas GDP. For more information, go to www.buildingtrades.ca Raipur, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratview Research, a leading market research firm , has launched a report on the Military Airborne Electro-Optics Market which provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, current and emerging trends, industry forecast, and competitive landscape. Click Here to Download a free sample pdf: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/2475/military-airborne-electro-optics-market.html#form What is Military Airborne Electro-Optics? The use of military electro-optics is very abundant in military applications such as airborne, land-based, and naval platforms. Electro-opticals, also mentioned as EO systems, cover a wide range of distinct technologies based on their missions. These sensors include both visible spectrum and infrared sensors, due to which these systems provide total situational awareness during both day and night, even in low light conditions. Due to the rapid surge in conflicts, terrorism, border confrontations, and other threats, modern airborne electro-optics have become indispensable. How is the Report Helpful? 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? According to the report, the Military Airborne Electro-Optics Market is driven by a host of factors, some of which are noted below: Increased focus on the development and deployment of stealth aircraft by countries such as China, India, Germany, and France, in the forthcoming years to strengthen their aerial defense capabilities. The rapid increase in military aircraft programs along with the increasing need for surveillance and early warning solutions. The report also includes growth rate estimates based upon the intensity of drivers and constraints and provides the users with several graphical illustrations of the key insights. Run through the TOCs of the report, here . 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. Aircraft Type - Military Helicopters, Military Aircraft, and Military UAV. Military Helicopters, Military Aircraft, and Military UAV. Product Type - Hyperspectral and Multispectral. - Hyperspectral and Multispectral. Region - North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Military Airborne Electro-Optics Market Insights by Aircraft Type The military aircraft segment held the major market share, followed by military helicopters, and military UAVs. On the other hand, the military UAV segment is expected to witness the fastest market growth during the forecast period due to a large focus of several countries on the production of UAVs. by Product Type Multispectral electro-optics is expected to remain the dominant as well as the faster-growing market segment during the forecast period. This is because the multispectral systems are of a lower cost and provide effective results for all types of military aircraft. Which region offers the best opportunity and growth? North America is expected to remain the largest market for military airborne electro-optics during the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is likely to be the fastest-growing region in the market during the forecast period, due to the rising military expenditure in countries such as China, Japan, India, and South Korea. COVID-19 Impact on the Military Airborne Electro-Optics Market COVID-19 has put an immediate halt to many industries across the globe. Lockdown norms in several countries have swiftly affected the global economy by affecting the supply chain, production, and demand in the market. Both direct, as well as indirect impacts of the pandemic, have been incorporated in this report. To know more about the covid-19 impact, get a free sample report, here: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/2475/military-airborne-electro-optics-market.html#form Who are the Top Market Players? Electro-optical systems for airborne is considered to be a specialized product with the presence of limited players. Most of the major players are extremely diversified with the presence in other business segments. The following are the key players in the military airborne electro-optics market: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. Raytheon Technologies Corporation Lockheed Martin Corporation Leonardo S.p.A. Elbit Systems Ltd. Thales Group Northrop Grumman Corporation IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) Teledyne FLIR LL HENSOLDT What deliverables will you get in this report? - In-depth analysis of the Military Airborne Electro-Optics 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. - Geographical presence of the key players. Related reports which might be useful: Military Platform Electro-Optics Market Size, Trends, and Forecast. Drone Defense System Market Size, Forecast, and Trends. 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. Dublin, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market, by Modality, by Technology, by End User, and by Region - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2021 - 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Oxygen concentrators are widely used to treat patients with deficient supply of oxygen or who lack adequate amount of oxygen in blood. This device can be operated by being plugged into an energy source or using batteries. Oxygen concentrators are better alternative to oxygen cylinders that are heavy to carry everywhere. Oxygen concentrators can either be fixed devices or portable. Therefore, these devices can also be used at home. However, a prescription from a registered physician is required to purchase oxygen concentrators. Patients with severe respiratory disorders (asthma, nocturnal hypoxemia, terminal malignancy, and hypoxia) and cardiovascular diseases are prescribed oxygen concentrators. Moreover, oxygen concentrators are widely used in military or in case of disasters where carrying/using oxygen tanks could be risky due to its highly combustible nature. Market Dynamics The increasing number of surgeries is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for players in the global medical oxygen concentrators market. Generally oxygen is provided to patients at the time of surgery to prevent or treat acute hypoxaemia. For instance, according to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's Hospitals at a glance 2017-18 report updated in August 2019, admissions for emergency surgery increased between 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 by 2.9% in public hospitals and by 5.1% in private hospitals in Australia. Key features of the study: This report provides in-depth analysis of the global medical oxygen concentrators market , and provides market size (US$ Mn) and compound annual growth rate (CAGR%) for the forecast period (2021-2028), considering 2020 as the base year It elucidates potential revenue opportunities across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrices for this market This study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approval, market trends, regional outlook, and competitive strategies adopted by key players It profiles key players in the global medical oxygen concentrators market based on the following parameters - company highlights, products portfolio, key highlights, financial performance, and strategies Key companies covered as a part of this study include Inogen Inc., Invacare Corporation, OxygenToGo, LLC, Koninklijke Philips N.V., ResMed Inc., Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare LLC, Precision Medical, Inc., Besco Medical Co. Ltd., O2 Concepts, LLC, and GCE Group Insights from this report would allow marketers and the management authorities of the companies to make informed decisions regarding their future product launches, type up-gradation, market expansion, and marketing tactics The global medical oxygen concentrators market report caters to various stakeholders in this industry including investors, suppliers, product manufacturers, distributors, new entrants, and financial analysts Stakeholders would have ease in decision-making through various strategy matrices used in analyzing the global medical oxygen concentrators market Key Topics Covered: 1. Research Objectives and Assumptions 2. Market Purview Report Description Market Definition and Scope Executive Summary Market Snapshot, By Modality Market Snapshot, By Technology Market Snapshot, By End User Market Snapshot, By Region Coherent Opportunity Map (COM) 3. Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Trends Analysis Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints Market Opportunities Impact Analysis Key Developments Regulatory Scenario PEST Analysis COVID-19 Impact Analysis 4. Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market- Covid-19 Impact Analysis COVID-19 Epidemiology Supply side and Demand Side Analysis Economic Impart 5. Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market, By Modality, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Million) Overview Market Share Analysis, 2021 and 2028 (%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2018 - 2028 Segment Trends Portable Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Million) Stationary Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Million) 6. Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market, By Technology, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Mn) Overview Market Share Analysis, 2021 and 2028 (%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2018 - 2028 Segment Trends Pulse Flow Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017-2028, (US$ Million) Continuous Flow Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017-2028, (US$ Million) 7. Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market, By End User, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Mn) Overview Market Share Analysis, 2021 and 2028 (%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2018 - 2028 Segment Trends Hospital Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017-2028, (US$ Million) Home care Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017-2028, (US$ Million) Ambulatory Surgical Centers Overview Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2017-2028, (US$ Million) 8. Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market, By Region, 2017 - 2028, (US$ Mn) 9. Competitive Landscape Inogen Inc. Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies Invacare Corporation Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies OxygenToGo, LLC Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies Koninklijke Philips N.V. Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies ResMed Inc. Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare LLC Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies Precision Medical, Inc. Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies Besco Medical Co. Ltd Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies O2 Concepts, LLC Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies GCE Group Company Highlights Product Portfolio Key Highlights Financial Performance Market Strategies 10. Section For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nvpc6f Attachment Program Highlights: Thermador builds upon its Diversity in Design Pipeline initiative with the Interior Design Society, opening applications for the second year for its scholarship and mentoring program promoting diversity in the design sector. House Beautiful Director of Editorial Special Projects Carisha Swanson and HGTV Design Star Alum Justin Q. Williams return to the Diversity in Design Pipeline Selection Committee, joining International Designer Tyler Wisler, Design Principal David Charette, and Award-Winning Brazilian Interior Designer Juliana Oliveira. Five recipients receive a scholarship package including $10,000, a yearlong mentorship program with acclaimed interior design professionals, IDS membership, and access to exclusive trade events, training and career resources. IRVINE, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thermador, the iconic American luxury home appliance brand, is opening the application period for the second year of its Diversity in Design Pipeline initiative, which in partnership with the Interior Design Society (IDS) aims to empower a new generation of design talent from underrepresented communities. Along with a comprehensive prize package that includes a financial scholarship of $10,000 toward tuition, five students entering their senior year at an accredited interior design program will receive a tailored yearlong mentorship from revered design experts to further their burgeoning careers within the industry. Invitations to key industry events, exclusive training, and a one-year student membership to IDS round out the package. As a brand that remains at the forefront of design and innovation, it is equally important to us that we focus on diversity in an industry which represents a critical segment of our brand, says Beatriz Sandoval, Director of Brand Marketing for Thermador. Thermador has identified a need to promote inclusivity in the space, and we consider it an honor to be able to foster an environment for deserving students and to have the opportunity to further uncover the depths of their talents, interests and creativity in their desired career field. We want to help make sure that when they are ready to enter the workforce, they feel the support and encouragement from our brand and our partners in this initiative. Experienced industry leaders will also participate in the Diversity in Design Pipeline by serving on the student Selection Committee. The panel, chosen by Thermador and IDS, will select five incoming college seniors to receive this opportunity to jumpstart their careers with necessary tools upon graduation. The esteemed panel of judges includes: House Beautiful Director of Editorial Special Projects Carisha Swanson, HGTV Design Star Alum Justin Q. Williams, International Designer Tyler Wisler, David Charette, Founding Principal of Britto Charette, and Award-Winning Brazilian Interior Designer Juliana Oliveira. "I'm absolutely pleased to be a part of the Diversity in Design Scholarship Program, said Justin Williams, panel judge and HGTV Design Star Alum. This program is key to initiating diversity and representation for those who may often be overlooked. I am looking forward to the candidates and reviewing their submissions." To further provide the recipients with the necessary knowledge they will need to successfully embark on their up-and-coming careers within the industry, Thermador and IDS invite professional designers to participate in the program by lending their expertise as a guiding resource to student winners. Five trade mentors will be hand-selected by the same panel of judges and will act as subject matter experts throughout the yearlong program as outlined by Thermador, and will be invited to attend industry events hosted by the brand and IDS. Coming off our inaugural year for this initiative, IDS is thrilled to once again lend our voice to help pave a pathway for the next generation of up-and-coming talent, said Jenny Cano, Executive Director for Interior Design Society. To be a part of this journey alongside Thermador, and the judges whose own remarkable work is inspiring the future leaders of interior design, is not only rewarding but also a truly invaluable experience. Providing this design foundation as well as impactful networking opportunities to deserving students is why we at IDS do what we do. Interior design students from underrepresented communities interested in the Diversity in Design Pipeline, along with certified designers interested in becoming program mentors, can both apply via the Interior Design Society (IDS) online application portal now through May 30, 2022. Applicants will be reviewed by the IDS Selection Committee, before the winners and selected mentors are announced in July 2022. For more information about the Diversity in Design Pipeline initiative, please visit the Thermador website. About the Judges Carisha Swanson House Beautiful Director of Editorial Special Projects Carisha Swanson is a Georgia native, now living in Charlotte, North Carolina. After completing her BA with Honors in American Studies, she moved back to Atlanta, GA to work for the publisher W.W. Norton & Co. She subsequently left for Connecticut to continue her work in book publishing with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It was during this time, that her passion for design led her into the world of retail management and magazine publishing. She began to work concurrently as a manager for retailer Crate & Barrel and freelance as Market Editor for Moffly Media, a publisher of six luxury regional and shelter magazines in Fairfield County, CT. Over the next five years, she would become a full-time editor at Moffly Media, help launch two new titles, and act as the lead on several custom projects, including their annual Luxury Gift Portfolio and Beauty Book. In 2013, Carisha joined Hearst as Market Editor for the Hearst Design Group, which included House Beautiful, Veranda and ELLE Decor, with a focus on kitchen, bath, building and technology. She was later promoted to Senior Market Editor, and in 2018, she became Market Director for House Beautifuls print and digital properties. In 2022, her title changed to Director of Editorial Special Projects, focusing on brand partnerships, consumer facing programming and 360 editorial content creation. She continues to be a brand ambassador leading design conversations globally. Tyler Wisler International Designer Tyler Wisler is an international, influential and sought-after designer. Hes been featured on hit shows including HGTVs Design Star, ABCs Good Morning America, NBCs George To The Rescue, and Lifetimes The Way Home. Most recently, Tyler has starred as a judge and mentor on Asias biggest design competition show, "The Apartment" where he is known for tough love and sound, practical advice. His work has been seen in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Elle Decor and Better Homes and Gardens. Tyler is currently the Chief Designer & Creative Lead at Point 21, which is Malaysia's premier source for luxury furniture, lighting, accessories and lifestyle goods. Justin Q. Williams HGTV Design Star Cast & Founder of Trademark Design Company Justin Q. Williams is an Atlanta-based Interior Designer whose love for decor and design developed into starting his business at age 21, Trademark Design Company. Along with being featured in magazines such as HGTV Magazine, House Beautiful, Atlanta Magazine, AM HOME, Modern Luxury Interiors, and many others, he is also featured in Picture Perfect Parties, a Rizzoli International cookbook filled with stylish solutions for entertaining. Born in the small city of Opelika, Alabama Justin is now a highly sought-after Interior Designer with a vast amount of exposure to all elements of design, which includes photo styling. As a photo-stylist, Justin has worked styling interiors that have graced the pages of many publications. Justins hope is to make fashionable yet functional spaces for people who seek him. His lifes work has been helping others live better and he will continue to do that by elevating spaces, one home at a time. David Charette Award-Winning Designer and Founding Principal of Britto Charette David Charette is an award-winning licensed interior designer with vast international experience, having completed compelling design projects around the globe. Davids progressive design initiatives include corporate campuses, GSA, higher education, commercial, retail, and multimillion-dollar residential. David earned a BA and MA in architecture from the University of Detroit and has more than 20 years of experience in urban planning, master planning, zoning, streetscapes, and interior design. As Principal of his own firm, Britto Charette, he specializes in ultra-luxury interiors. Charette's cutting-edge designs have garnered international press and many accolades, including Interior Design magazine's Best of Year award, while his integrity and work ethic have earned him the respect of his clients, team, and peers in the design industry. Juliana Oliveira Awarding-Winning Brazilian Interior Designer Juliana Oliveira is a Brazilian interior designer and owner of Beyond Interior Design, a full-service interior design firm based in Dallas, TX. With over a decade of experience, her work is rooted in modern luxury with international influence for residential and commercial properties. With a background in wellness design, the award-winning interior designer co-founded Athlete Centric Design, a design concept and experience that transforms pro athletes homes to recharging stations grounded in health and wellness elements. With community betterment at the forefront of her work and as a former IDS Diversity & Inclusion Committee Member, Oliveira aims to advocate for the importance of diversity and inclusion within the industry for the current and next generation of interior designers and creatives to thrive. Oliveira has been recognized as the 2020 Texas Designer for Business of Homes 50 States Project and the 2022 DHomes Best Designers List. Her work and expertise lives in Forbes, AD PRO, Rue Magazine, House Beautiful, Apartment Therapy, The Dallas Morning News, D Home, Modern Luxury and more. About Thermador Since 1916, Thermador has introduced innovative breakthroughs from the worlds first wall ovens and gas cooktops with the patented Star Burner, to the Freedom Induction Cooktop, the first full-surface induction appliance, as well as the Freedom Collection, the first modular built-in fresh food, freezer and wine preservation columns. Thermador products span two completely redesigned collections: Masterpiece and Professional. These collections establish a true connection with consumers through Home Connect, which provides access to personalized content, unique partnerships and customized product guidance. Thermador is part of BSH Home Appliances Corporation, a fully owned subsidiary of BSH Hausgerate GmbH, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and one of the leading companies in the industry worldwide. For more information, visit www.thermador.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at: www.facebook.com/thermador, @Thermador and @ThermadorHome, respectively. About the Interior Design Society (IDS) The Interior Design Society (IDS) is one of the country's largest design organizations dedicated to serving the residential interior design industry. Its a group of like-minded professionals interested in broadening their network, professional development, and continued education. IDS offers its members a place to belong within a supportive and welcoming design community through local chapters nationwide, and the new Virtual Chapter! IDS was initially founded in 1973 by the National Home Furnishings Association (NHFA) with a goal of supporting interior designers working in furniture stores. IDS has long since elevated and expanded its focus to provide support to professional interior design entrepreneurs nationwide. The national headquarters is located in High Point, North Carolina, the home furnishings capital of the world. For more information, visit interiordesignsociety.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/IDSNational/, @IDSnational respectively. Media Contact: Allison Field Allison.Field@FinnPartners.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31041c0b-56ba-445d-9f19-9a1406312c16 MCLEAN, Va., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today reported its first quarter 2022 financial results and filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The companys Form 10-Q and earnings press release are available now on its website, www.FreddieMac.com/investors, along with the first quarter 2022 financial results supplement. The company will hold a call at 9 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) today, April 28, 2022, to share its results with the media. The call will be concurrently webcast, and the replay will be available on the companys website for approximately 30 days. Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, weve made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders, and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Macs blog FreddieMac.com/blog. MEDIA CONTACT: Frederick Solomon 703-903-3861 Frederick_Solomon@FreddieMac.com INVESTOR CONTACT: Laurie Garthune 571-382-4732 Dublin, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Net-Zero Energy Buildings Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global net-zero energy buildings market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020. Looking forward, the market is set to grow at a CAGR of around 27% during 2021-2026. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Net-zero energy (NZE) buildings refer to the constructions that are optimized to use on-site renewable resources to meet energy requirements. They use passive solar heat gain through photovoltaics (PV) and geothermal energy systems to stabilize temperature variations in the complex throughout the day. The buildings also include highly efficient heating and cooling equipment, appliances, walls & roofs, windows and doors. They aid in maintaining the desired insulation, natural ventilation and air sealing, thereby minimizing the overall energy consumption and wastage over time. As a result, these buildings are widely used as residential complexes, office spaces, educational facilities and public buildings. The increasing utilization of renewable resources for power generation across the globe represents one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, the implementation of favorable government policies and initiatives to minimize carbon emissions and promote sustainable development is also driving the market growth. For instance, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) implemented a long-term efficiency strategy plan to promote the construction of new NZE buildings. Additionally, various product innovations, such as the development of innovative gas water heaters and other heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, are acting as other growth-inducing factors. These systems aid in maintaining the indoor air quality and safety and ensuring a non-hazardous environment in low-rise buildings. Other factors, including extensive research and development (R&D) activities, along with rapid infrastructural development, especially in developing countries, are anticipated to drive the market further. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global net-zero energy buildings market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global net-zero energy buildings market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the offering? What is the breakup of the market based on the building type? 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 net-zero energy buildings market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Competitive Landscape: The report has also analysed the competitive landscape of the market with some of the key players being Altura Associates LLC Daikin Industries Ltd. General Electric Company Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd. Johnson Controls International plc Kingspan Group Plc Sage Electrochromics Inc. (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A) Schneider Electric Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Solatube International Inc. Sunpower Corporation (Total SE) Key Market Segmentation: Breakup by Offering: Equipment Lighting Walls and Roofs HVAC Systems Others Solutions and Services Software Solutions Designing Services Consulting Services Breakup by Building Type: Commercial Residential Breakup by Region: North America United States Canada Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Indonesia Europe Germany France United Kingdom Italy Spain Russia Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/p026rd Hugoton Farm-out Venture Begins Multi-Year Drilling and Exploration Program for up to Fifty Vertical or Horizontal Wells Inside the Hugoton Gas Field in Haskell and Finney Counties, Kansas Lenexa, KS, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Noble Gas, Inc. (OTC-QB: IFNY) (AMGAS or the Company). An independent oil, gas and noble gas exploration and development company announced that the drilling rig has moved on location today and is in process of spudding the initial well and setting surface casing. This marks the commencement of exploratory drilling operations regarding AMGASs participation in its previously announced farm-out agreement (the Hugoton Farm-out Venture) to develop its natural gas, helium and brine mineral interests in the Hugoton Field in Haskell and Finney Counties Kansas. The Hugoton Farm-out Venture has been granted a permit by the State of Kansas for its initial well in which AMGAS has acquired a 40% participation together with three other venture partners and has commenced exploration drilling operations with surface casing to be cemented within thirty-six (36) hours and the target pay-zone formations expected to be reached with testing beginning on or about May 3rd 2022. The initial exploratory well will evaluate multiple members of the targeted formation applying normal and unconventional evaluation methods. Such methods will include appropriate gas detection, electric and radioactive logging in order for the Hugoton Farm-out Venture to determine the commercial viability of the natural gas and helium reserves in place. While utilizing unconventional methods, our exploratory well may reveal important data on previously untapped gas in-place reserves of natural gas and helium gas which may indicate the discovery of substantial new reserves within the Hugoton Gas Field. AMGAS and its Venture partners will perform all testing of the target zones it considers necessary to determine the existence of natural gas and helium reserves in-place including the commercial viability of producing both natural gas and helium in the exploratory well. The exploratory well will be completed for production activities pending results of the relevant testing procedures and processes. The Company will apprise shareholders of its progress including the release of appropriate test data and initial production data assuming the exploratory well is completed for production. Management commentary: Stanton E. Ross, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AMGAS remarked that the Hugoton Farm-out Venture of which we are a 40% participant, will be applying unconventional methodologies and technologies to discover and reinvigorate previously unexplored target zones contained within the Hugoton Gas Field. The Hugoton Gas Field has previously been considered a depleted conventional gas field. The Hugoton Farm-Out Venture sees the logic of its unconventional theories and the potential impact it may have, in particular the helium reserves that the field may still contain, commented Stan Ross, Chairman and CEO. He further stated, "I am at a point in my career that I want to pioneer a project that can have an impact on the entire noble gas industry, not just AMGAS and the Hugoton Farm-Out Venture. Rest assured, AMGAS and its Hugoton Farm-Out Venture will enjoy the benefits of its discovery, in the event we make one, very soon. The Hugoton Farm-Out Venture has the contractual rights to explore and develop natural gas, helium and other noble gases as well as brine minerals contained in the Hugoton Gas. The Hugoton Gas Field is currently recognized as containing the largest reserves of helium in the United States even though it is currently considered as depleted. We believe that commercial-level reserves of helium may remain present in the acreage, included in our Hugoton Farm-out Agreement. The Companys newly appointed advisory board and our service agreement with US Noble Gas, pairs us with specialists who can provide invaluable help to the Hugoton Gas Field Venture for developing its reserves of helium and brine minerals. Helium is a rare noble gas with considerable value relative to natural gas (methane). It is used in many high-value applications such as MRI coolants, space exploration and microchip manufacturing. The world is currently facing a well-publicized shortage of helium and the world needs helium, added Mr. Ross, The Hugoton Gas Field Venture is spudding its first exploratory well in the coming days and will test gas that is produced from its test well and report such analysis in updates to follow, further we remain keenly interested in the brine mineral potential." concluded Mr. Ross. About the Hugoton Gas Field: The Hugoton Gas Field is a prolific natural gas and helium gas field located in the States of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Its name is derived from the town of Hugoton Kansas near which the Hugoton Field was first discovered. Natural gas in the Hugoton gas field was first discovered in 1919 near Liberal, Kansas at a depth of 2,919 feet below surface but was shut-in for three years because it did not find oil. In 1922 the well was completed as a gas well, but there was little demand for natural gas in the area and it was years before another gas well was drilled in the field. In 1927, gas was discovered at about 2,600 feet below the surface southwest of Hugoton, Kansas which is now considered the center of the Hugoton Field. By the end of 1928, five wells had been drilled in the field and the first pipeline was transporting gas to local markets. In 2007, the Hugoton gas area produced 358 billion cubic feet of gas, making it the 5th largest source of natural gas in the United States. The Hugoton currently (2022) ranks second in cumulative natural gas production and eighth in estimated total reserves globally. The natural gas in the Hugoton field of Kansas and Oklahoma, plus the Panhandle Field of Texas, contains unusually high concentrations of helium, from 0.3% to 1.9%. Because of the large-size of these fields, it is recognized to contain the largest reserves of helium in the United States. Helium is separated out as a byproduct from natural gas, from the Hugoton field, the Panhandle field in Texas, the Greenwood field in Kansas, and the Keyes field in Oklahoma. About American Noble Gas, Inc.: AMGAS has recently acquired current oil & gas production and the mineral rights to approximately 11,000 acres in the Otis/Albert Field located on the Kansas Central Uplift. Prior to the recent acquisition, AMGAS had been involved in oil and gas exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil in Texas and the Rocky Mountain region of the United States as well as an oil field service company located in Eastern Kansas, Northern Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming prior to December 2012. AMGAS was founded in 1987, is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas and its common stock is listed on the OTC-QB under the symbol "IFNY". The Company's financial statements and additional information are available on the Internet at www.otcmarkets.com. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe", "estimate", "project", "expect" or similar expressions. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include the following: whether the Company will be successful in exploring for noble gases including developing commercially efficient production of its noble gas reserves, developing the oil & gas reserves of the Oil & Gas Properties; whether the TORP Agreement will provide the desired beneficial engineering and development data to increase production of oil & gas from the Oil & Gas Properties, whether the Company will be successful in workover/stimulation activities of existing producing oil & gas wells that result in increased production of the Properties; whether the Company will be able to execute its exploration and development plans for the Properties, including obtaining the required financing; whether the required financing for the exploration & development of the Properties can be obtained on terms favorable to the Company and its shareholders; the quantity of hydrocarbons beneath the Properties and whether they can be economically extracted; the accuracy of the consultants' preliminary analysis and estimate of the recoverable oil & gas reserves (including noble gas reserves) on the Properties and their underlying assumptions; whether or to what extent the relevant geological zone contains hydrocarbons and/or noble gas; the inability to predict, in advance of drilling and testing, whether any particular prospect will yield oil in sufficient quantities to recover drilling and/or completion costs or to be economically viable; the fact that the process of estimating the quantity of oil in a prospect is complex, requiring the interpretation of available technical data and many assumptions; the potential for significant inaccuracies in such interpretations and assumptions that could materially affect the Company's estimates or those of its consultants; the necessity for estimates to be based upon available geological, geophysical and engineering data that can vary in quality and reliability; the inherent lack of precision in estimates involving the quantity of oil and noble gases in the development project in Kansas as a result of the foregoing; whether the Company will be successful in exploring for the existence of mineral reserves other than oil & gas in commercial quantities including the development of the underlying reserves of such reserves and its ability to find a qualified partner, if necessary, with whom to pursue its exploration and development program on terms and conditions acceptable to the Company; the Company's ability to extract oil and gas from the Properties and the costs and technical and other challenges of extracting oil from the Properties; variations in the prices of oil and gas, unexpected negative geological variances, governmental uncertainties in Kansas; operating risks, delays and problems, the availability of services on acceptable terms, the results of drilling and completions; changes United States regulation respecting oil and gas; and actions by creditors with respect to debt or other financial obligations of the Company; and its ability to resolve its liquidity and capital requirements. Additional information respecting factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For Additional Information, Please Contact: Stanton E. Ross, CEO, at 816-955-0532 MINNEAPOLIS, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trex Commercial, a national leader in engineering and manufacturing architectural railing systems for commercial building applications, is taking outdoor design projects to new heights with the introduction of Ocula, its newest glass windscreen system. Inspired by the success of the companys award-winning Ascent post-supported glass windscreen, Ocula offers optimal versatility with its innovative post-free, clamp-supported design. Our new Ocula system not only provides protection from the elements, but also enhances views and sophistication with its sleek, unobstructed styling, said Laura Rygielski Preston, president of Trex Commercial. The innovative clamp support system delivers a virtually invisible barrier and is highly customizable to accommodate any outdoor setting. Ideal for pool surroundings, balcony dividers and elevated overlooks, or to mitigate wind tunneling in courtyards and other open areas, Ocula is an ultra-streamlined windscreen system designed to divert wind while elevating architectural aesthetics. At guardrail height (43), the system can withstand winds loads up to 86psf 8x the amount of a standard windscreen. As height is increased, it can withstand wind loads up to 54psf, still far exceeding industry standards. Ocula features stainless steel clamps suitable for interior or exterior applications and can be paired with view-optimizing clear glass for a barely-there look, or frosted or fritted glass for enhanced privacy. The system is offered in three standard heights for guardrail (43), pool surround (48) or balcony divider (60). Custom heights are also available, along with multiple top cap and handrail options. A glass windscreen offers the perfect marriage of form, function and freedom, noted Rygielski Preston. Architects no longer have to rely on visually obstructive and confining walls to protect patrons and property from unpleasant dust and gusty winds. With systems like Ascent and Ocula, they can create open, airy environments that celebrate surrounding views while keeping patrons comfortable and sheltered from wind and debris. For more information about windscreen options from Trex Commercial, visit TrexCommercial.com. About Trex Commercial Trex Commercial is a national leader in architectural railings for commercial applications. Since 1990, the company has been committed to elevating the abilities of all people to safely access and enjoy amazing life experiences, while building an industry-leading reputation for quality and customer service. Based in Minneapolis, Trex Commercial, Inc. is a subsidiary of Trex Company, Inc. To learn more, visit www.trexcommercial.com. About Trex Company, Inc. Trex Company, Inc. [NYSE: TREX] is the worlds largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with nearly 30 years of product experience. The #1 brand in outdoor living is proud to have been named to Forbes 2021 List of Americas Best Mid-Size Companies and to Fortune magazines 2020 list of the worlds 100 Fastest-Growing Companies. Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly environmentally responsible choice. For more information, visit trex.com. You can also follow Trex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/trex-company/), Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) or Houzz (trexcompany-inc), like Trex on Facebook (@TrexCompany) or view product and demonstration videos on the brands YouTube channel (TheTrexCo). A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea09b40a-4c70-45bb-b5a5-d0902907d4ec Sterling, Va., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BarTrack, a hospitality technology company revolutionizing the way that bars, breweries, restaurants and stadiums, manage their beverage alcohol inventory, closed its second round of equity growth capital in March, raising $10.5 million. BarTracks draft monitoring system, featuring the first beverage sensor with no moving parts and no obstructions to draft lines, solves the quality, accuracy, and maintenance challenges associated with traditional industry monitoring. Removing turbine flow meters and manual processes from the draft monitoring process, BarTrack improves beverage quality and reduces waste through its sensor technology and real-time metrics. We were excited by the challenge of bringing new technology to an industry that has been starved for innovation over the past 20 years, says Brett Danielson, BarTrack CEO. Our mission is to improve the quality and delivery of beer, cocktails, wine, soda, and nitro coffee to create a consistent, first-rate drinking experience while maximizing profits for our customers. As a fully integrated solution, BarTracks draft monitoring system uses plug-and-play sensors that install easily into any draft system and measures a dozen beverage-specific variables to produce detailed reports on: flow and keg levels, line temperature, pressure, cooler health, line cleanliness, and more. BarTracks real-time reporting helps streamline day-to-day operations and draft management. Through POS Integration, BarTrack reporting displays actionable KPIs based on pours and sales, allowing management to pinpoint where, when, why and how waste occurs. BarTracks consultants help turn the data into action, guiding the implementation of processes that drive real value to an establishments bottom line by eliminating waste due to draft-system related issues and human error. BarTracks technology is leading the next generation of BevTech. Our proprietary turnkey solution delivers powerful, timely metrics to hospitality businesses, with customers reporting as much as a 30% boost in profitability, says Eric Major, the executive chairman of BarTracks Board of Directors. BarTrack has raised $15 million to date from both venture capital and angel investors, including veteran hospitality industry leaders such as G.J. Hart, the former CEO of Texas Roadhouse, California Pizza Kitchen and Torchys Tacos. BarTrack is the future of smart inventory, better quality and increased visibility both behind the bar and beyond, says Hart. With this latest financing injection, BarTrack plans to expand production capacity to keep up with demand, support sales and customer support team expansion and fuel R&D initiatives to grow the companys expanding solutions portfolio. BarTrack provides my restaurants with actionable, real-time insight on draft waste identification, temperature and carbonationall while reducing inventory inefficiencies by eliminating the need for manual inventory counts. Simply put, I believe BarTrack is the future of the hospitality industry, says restauranteur Scott Parker. BarTrack is now working closely with leading brands, producers, suppliers and draft system installation companies across the supply chain, domestically and internationally. About BarTrack Founded in 2018, BarTrack is a hospitality company that has revolutionized the way bars, breweries, restaurants, and stadiums manage their inventory and eliminate costly waste. BarTracks flagship offering is a first of its kind non-intrusive beverage sensor technology platform with no moving parts. The companys sensors and web-enabled software empower better inventory management and improved draft system diagnostics through the monitoring of a dozen beverage specific variables. This, in combination with point-of-sale integration, delivers a comprehensive view of the causes and impact of waste on the bottom line. Learn more at bartrack.beer. Attachment ATLANTA, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Managr announced today that it has been named a Top 10 Innovative Technology Company by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). TAG is the states leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the states technology industry. The Top 10 were selected from the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies for showing innovation; the market need their innovation addresses; and how the innovation benefits the Georgia technology economy. The Top 10 was announced at the Georgia Technology Summit, which took place at the Georgia World Congress Center on April 26 and 27th. We are excited to be selected as a Top 10 Innovative Technology Company at this years event, said Michael Gorodisher, Founder and CEO of Managr. Weve built our company with Georgia talent along with prominent Georgia-based investors and look forward to continuing to expand our footprint in the state. Gorodisher was inspired to build Managr after being a longtime salesperson and experiencing the outdated, painful process of CRM data entry that often took valuable time away from selling. I knew there had to be a better way, said Gorodisher. Managr makes data entry a frictionless experience for salespeople. It lets them work 20x faster, log more data back to their CRM and is accessible from where they live via a browser, Slack or mobile device. Using smart workflow automations, Managr turns even the most time-consuming processes into simple tasks. Last May, Gorodisher along with engineers Zachary Bradley and Edward Roberson launched Managr, and within nine months grew the team to eight people. The company has been quietly gaining momentum and now has more than 200 paying users across 12 countries. Managr plans to grow the team to 15 by the end of this year and double in size by the end of 2023. To learn more about Managr, visit www.managr.ai. For more information about the 2022 Georgia Technology Summit visit https://GeorgiaTechnologySummit.com. Follow the conversation on Twitter through #GTS2022. About the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) TAGs mission is to Connect, Promote, Influence and Educate Georgias technology ecosystem to advance the innovation economy. Through those four foundational strategies TAG serves the technology community, helping to support, grow and ignite tech leaders, companies and the overall Georgia economy. TAG serves more than 30,000 members statewide through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia, and Savannah. TAG hosts more than 150 events each year and serves as an umbrella organization for 26 professional societies. TAG provides networking and educational programs; celebrates Georgias technology leaders and companies, and advocates for legislative action that enhances the states economic climate for technology. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org. To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit www.tagedonline.org. About Managr Managr is a workspace designed to make sales teams more efficient by leveraging the latest in automation technology. Managr strives to modernize the pipeline management process by providing salespeople an experience that is conducive to how they work. Founded in 2021, Managr is a privately owned company based in Atlanta, GA. To learn more, visit www.managr.ai. For updates, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Attachments New York, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cancer Biomarkers Market Research Report by Biomolecule Type, Cancer Type, Technology, Application, End User, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06260417/?utm_source=GNW The Global Cancer Biomarkers Market size was estimated at USD 16.97 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 18.98 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 12.04% to reach USD 33.58 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Cancer Biomarkers to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Biomolecule Type, the market was studied across Epigenetic, Genetic, Metabolic, and Proteomic. Based on Cancer Type, the market was studied across Blood Cancer, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Lung Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer, and Stomach Cancer. Based on Technology, the market was studied across Bioinformatics, Cytogenetics, Imaging Technology, Immunoassays, and OMICS Technology. Based on Application, the market was studied across Diagnostics, Drug Discovery and Development, Prognostics, and Risk Assessment. Based on End User, the market was studied across Academic and Cancer Research Centers, Hospitals, and Speciality Centers. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia. This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Cancer Biomarkers market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Cancer Biomarkers Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market, including Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Agilent Technologies, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Biomerieux, Danaher Corporation, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, GE Healthcare, Hologic, Illumina, Inc., Merck & Co., Myriad Genetics, Qiagen N.V., Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics, Sysmex Corporation, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Cancer Biomarkers Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06260417/?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. __________________________ Fairfield, NJ, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StayinFront , a leading global provider of mobile, cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for life sciences organizations, announced today a partnership with Strata Skin Sciences, a medical technology company dedicated to developing, commercializing, and marketing innovative products for the treatment of various autoimmune skin diseases. StayinFront will provide its advanced mobile solution, StayinFront TouchRx , for Stratas field representatives to access critical CRM information. Our cost-effective solution offers a broad range of features that will allow Strata representatives to effectively prioritize target accounts in their territories, manage interactions, and track use of the XTRAC laser within healthcare facilities. StayinFront TouchRx also provides Stratas management the ability to utilize StayinFronts suite of PowerBI reports to track coverage and performance across territories. StayinFronts solution is backed by a highly experienced team that has worked with Life Science companies for more than 20 years. We are looking to provide tools to our field representatives that improve their ability to manage and grow our business commented Robert Moccia, Stratas Chief Executive Officer. StayinFronts platform enables us to more effectively guide our field teams efforts and track their effectiveness with built-in analytics, dashboards, and KPIs. Life sciences companies are looking for cost-effective ways to maximize the productivity of field teams. They are looking to leverage partners with experience and a proven record of delivering effective tools along with best-in-class support. StayinFront TouchRx delivers results with an intuitive interface that empowers field teams and managers, said Ken Arbadji, Vice President Sales, North America at StayinFront. About Strata Skin Sciences STRATA Skin Sciences is a medical technology company in dermatology dedicated to developing, commercializing, and marketing innovative products for the in-office treatment of dermatologic conditions. Its products include the XTRAC, XTRAC Momentum 1.0, and Pharos excimer lasers, VTRAC lamp systems, and TheraClear acne treatment system utilized in the treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, and various other skin conditions. The Companys proprietary XTRAC, XTRAC Momentum 1.0, and recently acquired Pharos excimer lasers deliver a highly targeted therapeutic beam of UVB light to treat psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema, atopic dermatitis and leukoderma, diseases that impact over 31 million patients in the United States alone. The technology is covered by multiple patents. Additionally, Stratas recently acquired assets related to Theravant Corporations TheraClear system allows the company to expand into the U.S. acne care market. Stratas unique business model in the U.S. leverages targeted Direct to Consumer (DTC) advertising to generate awareness and utilizes its in-house call center and insurance advocacy teams to increase volume for the companys partner dermatology clinics. About StayinFront StayinFront is the selling technology partner for Life Science companies of all sizes. Pharma and Biotech companies rely on StayinFront to optimize field team performance and streamline sales operations by reducing the complexity, time, and costs of CRM. StayinFronts products provide companies with timely, accurate field data, streamline compliance with Federal and State regulations, and deliver actionable insights, empowering managers and field reps to Know More, Do More, and Sell More. Headquartered in New Jersey, StayinFront has offices in Chicago, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland, Poland, India, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand, with customers in fifty countries using our platform. Visit https://www.stayinfront.com/life-sciences-pharma-crm to find out more. StayinFront Contact Ken Arbadji Vice President of Sales, North America karbadji@stayinfront.com +1 (973) 461-4800 x3247 Fort Worth, Texas, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- insightLPR a technology company providing proprietary license plate recognition (LPR) software, hardware and data products to help companies and communities increase their value and safety announces its plan to expand its services to support recovery agents serving the automotive industry. In conjunction with this move, the company has made impactful additions to its management team. insightLPR has built its reputation deploying LPR fixed and mobile camera solutions for a myriad of private and public entities, including law enforcement, parking enforcement, international airports, and residential communities. The company is introducing a unique business model and LPR strategy to the auto repossession industry that ensures recovery agents have more control over the LPR data they collect, enabling them to complete quicker repossessions, increase recovery rates, and add value to their businesses. Leading the team is President John Nethery, who brings more than 25 years of experience to the company building partnerships and delivering growth. Prior to insightLPR, Nethery served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Digital Recognition Network, Inc. (DRN), where he was instrumental in growing the company from the startup stage to a successful acquisition by Motorola Solutions, Inc. "There are tremendous opportunities ahead and I'm looking forward to leading insightLPR in its next stage of growth, said Nethery. We have an outstanding team and a talented organization of professionals, and I am confident that we will set the standards for excellence and drive innovation in the industry for our partners." Joining insightLPR as chief product officer is Oscar Nunez. Nunez is an accomplished product, strategy, and operations leader that brings expertise in data analytics, auto finance, lease programs, repossession operations, and commercial use of LPR technology. Prior to insightLPR, Nunez served as VP of product and new markets for DRN and held senior roles with UBER and Capital One. With a track record of building successful teams and customer facing products, Nunez will lead product strategy and development as well as strategic partnerships. Stephen Nethery joins insightLPR as the companys chief revenue officer. Nethery has built his career cultivating relationships and leading sales for large organizations. Prior to insightLPR, Nethery served as SVP of business development for DRN and held business development roles with Lockheed Martin and various other companies. Nethery has a track record of communicating with customers to understand their needs and equip them with the right products and services. In his new role, Nethery will assist with insightLPRs entrance into the auto repossession industry and lead its expansion within the commercial and residential real estate business verticals. Serving the team as chief data officer is Eric Balsa. Balsa is an accomplished software engineer and technologist with expertise in repossession case management, LPR, and software as a service delivery. Prior to insightLPR, Balsa served as VP of engineering for DRN, where he managed day-to-day technology operations for the entire DRN technology stack. Before DRN, Balsa was an original owner and the technology architect of RDN, leading up to the OPENLANE acquisition in 2010. In both instances, Balsa helped usher in the transactions by leading technical due diligence, eventual integration, and technology vision post-acquisition. Balsa also served as senior software engineer at Yahoo! and has held various IT and technology roles over the course of his career. Jon Armstrong closes out insightLPRs management additions as the companys VP of vendor management. Armstrong has over 18 years of leadership experience in customer service, business process improvement, strategic planning, and operations management. Prior to joining insightLPR, Armstrong served as the director of operations for Indiana Recovery Services and played an instrumental role on the senior leadership team at PAR North America, where he served as the senior recovery services manager for seven years. Armstrongs expertise, leadership, and knowledge of the repossession industry position him to lead the development of insightLPRs recovery agent network. We are in active discussions with multiple participants in the repossession industry and the feedback we have received in response to our model has been overwhelmingly positive, said Nethery. The insightLPR team will be attending the North American Repossessors Summit June 21 22 in Denver, Colorado, and we look forward to officially releasing our solution to the auto repossession industry. For more information on insightLPRs model and strategy for the auto repossession industry, please visit insightlpr.com. About insightLPR insightLPR is devoted to providing law enforcement agencies, commercial real estate owners, homeowners, and automotive finance companies with the promise of security and value through cutting-edge technology solutions. With real-time alerts and searchable LPR data, along with a longer read range and higher vehicle speed capture than the leading competitors, customers can have confidence that they are receiving the best service with the best security and value. For more information, visit insightlpr.com. SAN DIEGO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shareholder Rights Law Firm Johnson Fistel, LLP, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Teladoc Health, Inc. (NYSE: TDOC). Specifically, Johnson Fistel's investigation seeks to determine whether the Company issued false or misleading statements or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. What is Johnson Fistel investigating? On April 27, 2022 Teladoc reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022. Additionally, Teladoc lowered revenue guidance for the balance of the year. The Company had previously had told the market at their analyst day that in November 2021 that its revenues would grow by 28% year over year in 2022. Then, in February 2022, Teladoc again revised guidance upwards. Following this news, shares of Teladoc plunged over 45% in early morning trading on April 28, 2022. What actions may I take at this time? If you purchased Teledoc securities and suffered significant losses on your investment, contact Johnson Fistel, LLP to submit your losses: Contact Lead Securities Analyst Jim Baker at jimb@johnsonfistel.com or (619) 814-4471 or (619) 814-4471 Click or paste the following web address into your browser to join the investigation: https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/tdoc-alert-did-you-lose-money-on-your-teladoc-investment For more information, visit our website at https://www.johnsonfistel.com/faq There is no cost or obligation to you. What if I have information relevant to the investigation? Individuals with nonpublic information regarding Teledoc should consider whether to assist our investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the SEC program, whistleblowers who provide original information may, under certain circumstances, receive rewards totaling up to thirty percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, contact Jim Baker at (619) 814-4471 or jimb@johnsonfistel.com . About Johnson Fistel, LLP: Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. Johnson Fistel seeks to recover losses incurred due to violations of federal securities laws. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Contact: Johnson Fistel, LLP Jim Baker, 619-814-4471 jimb@johnsonfistel.com Denver, Colo., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thanks to a generous gift of $27,500 from Travois to the American Indian College Fund, 10 American Indian college students received scholarships to attend mainstream and tribal colleges and universities for the academic year 2021-22. Travois, a Certified B Corporation focused exclusively on promoting housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, created the Travois Tribal Scholarship Program to provide financial support for eight students pursuing careers in affordable housing and economic development and two students pursuing arts degrees. Currently only 15 percent of American Indians have a bachelors degree, which is less than half the national average. That compounded with the fact that a high percentage of American Indians are currently under the age of 24 makes providing access to a higher education to Native students crucial for the sustainability of Native communities as well as students and their families. Jon-Anthony Henry (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation), a business administration student at Salish Kootenai College (SKC), is a four-year tribal college in Pablo, Montana who wants to use his degree to give back to his community. He plans to work for his tribe to helping tribal business owners the skills and assistance they need to succeed. Giving back to my community has always been a passion for me because I see how many Native Americans are struggling on my reservation, Henry said. I also want to be an inspiration to the youth and show them that anything is possible if they put their mind to it. I want to encourage the youth to continue education because college is very important in todays world. I strive to be a positive role model for youth and to help make a positive change in my community. Henry knows firsthand why role models are important. He lost his beloved uncle who was his own role model when he was a high school student. Encouraged by his mother, he began focusing on academics and said he felt happiness again. His mother shared how college helped her through her own life and he said, I decided to follow in her footsteps and continue my education. It has been the best decision Ive ever made. Tiffani Zamudio (Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation) attempted to return to school several times, but motherhood and illness in the family thwarted her attempts. After assuming the role as a housing case manager for her tribes housing authority for nearly six years, she developed a passion for helping people in her tribe. She enrolled at Northwest Indian College, a tribal college in Bellingham, Washington, where she plans to use what she learned in her career as she works toward a new one after completing a bachelors and masters degree in social work. I want to work with our tribal and extended communities to battle homelessness and provide support services to an underserved population. This scholarship will allow me to further my education and continue to grow in my position. All that I am learning, I have been able to apply to my everyday life as it pertains to my personal and professional life. Were thrilled to support American Indian college students working toward a brighter future for themselves and their families, said Elizabeth Glynn, CEO of Travois. In our work helping tribal governments finance affordable housing and create jobs in American Indian communities across the country, we see firsthand the incredible creativity and leadership of this next generation. Were excited to see what the future holds for this talented group of students. Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, Our students passion to give back to their communities with thoughtfulness and intention is evident in their stories. On behalf of the College Fund, I want to share our appreciation for Travois, a partner that role models what it means to empower our students to make a difference through their own vision and hard work. About the American Indian College Fund The American Indian College Fund has been the nations largest charity supporting Native higher education for 32 years. The College Fund believes Education is the answer" and provided $15.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2020-21. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $259 million in scholarships, programmatic and community support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nations 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nations top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureaus Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org. LUZERN, Switzerland, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- getAbstract revealed a new brand focus and visual identity that highlights the company's organizational evolution and redefined strategy encapsulated in the new slogan, "Know Better. Do Better." getAbstract's refreshed logo, color palette and typography take a minimalist and laid-back approach to keep focus on the company's core mission: to deliver relevant, unbiased, compressed and actionable knowledge. More than ever, getAbstract is dedicated to helping people and organizations acquire knowledge and apply it in a way that supports their goals. The rebranding project overhauled getAbstract's messaging to make sure that it speaks to the needs and challenges of its customers and end-users by focusing on clarity and ease of use. "We made many incremental changes over the years, but it was time to take a leap. We needed a trigger for innovation," says Thomas Bergen, CEO of getAbstract. He continues: "We needed to give getAbstract a clearer voice, as well as a new look and feel. The rebranding is just the beginning of our new journey. We're also bringing new tools to our customers to better serve our mission. It's the most exciting time in our history." Elements of getAbstract's new visual identity include: New Logo: The signature curly bracket is here to stay, but geometrical shapes and a grid system were used to reconstruct it. This approach makes the logo unique and connected to the logotype. New Brand Colors: New colors have been added to getAbstract's cerulean palette. A digital-first approach focuses on increased contrast and screen presence over the limited and habitual print tints. New Typography: Akkurat, a Swiss neo-Grotesk typeface, is aesthetically pleasing and easy to read: a must when content comes first. New Visuals: getAbstract renewed its commitment to authentically represent employees and audiences through diverse images and illustrations. Stylized color effects add consistency and echo the primary color palette. For the full story behind getAbstract's extensive rebranding project, visit getab.li/rebrand. ABOUT GETABSTRACT The right insight at the right time can make all the difference. By providing easy access to summarized expert knowledge, getAbstract helps professionals worldwide find solutions to real-life challenges and use knowledge efficiently. Our library of 25,000 summaries in seven languages covers a broad range of business-relevant topics and helps learners put knowledge into action in 15 minutes or less. we work with clients around the world, including more than one-third of the Fortune 500, to help professionals put knowledge into action. Know Better. Do Better. about getAbstract | getAbstract Journal MEDIA CONTACT Catherine Bell catherine.bell@getabstract.com (305) 936-2635 Related Images Image 1: Know better. Do better. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Oakland, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Deem, a leading mobile-first corporate travel management software provider, was named the winner of two Bronze Stevie Awards in the Best User Experience, Mobile Corporate Travel App and Achievement in Product Innovation categories in The 20th Annual American Business Awards for its travel management software, Etta. Organizations from a variety of industries and of all sizes submitted more than 3700 nominations. Deems win for Best User Experience highlights Ettas focus on its human-centered design and accessibility. Etta is currently the only corporate travel management software that meets the AA-level guidelines for accessibility as defined by the Worldwide Web Consortium. Deems Achievement in Product Innovation win highlights the platforms modern architecture, fresh brand re-design and innovative features including Travel SafetyCheck, which provides dynamic travel and destination safety information, and accessibility functionality that are built for todays business traveler. Our objective at Deem is to create a modern business travel app for travelersall travelersfirst, said Deem President David Grace. Today, that means a mobile-first app thats designed around providing the information travelers need and the way they use technology. To win two more of these prestigious awards this year is a meaningful validation for our entire team and inspires us to keep evolving for the benefit of travelers and their companies. The judges responses to Deems entries illustrate the impact Etta is making, including these: Solid applicant! A human-centered design approach with modern microservices architecture enabled Etta to cater to business travelers with a consumer-grade experience, and this product is imagined, designed, and made for people in the future of work. Its rare to see companies putting a huge effort on accessibility. This app, aside from looking great and easy to use for general users, seems to have amazing accessibility features. It has a great flow and [is] very straightforward, making it simple for users to use the app to achieve the result theyre looking for. The American Business Awards are the U.S.A.s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominationspublic and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Corporate travel software Etta, powered by Deem, makes it easy for business travelers to shop, book, and manage all segments of their trips including flights, hotel, and car transportation. Etta has won numerous awards for its Travel SafetyCheck feature, accessibility features, and design, and is highly rated by users on G2 and mobile app stores. Deem recently announced a new collaboration with Ubers enterprise arm, Uber for Business. The new integration will enable business travelers to request on-demand and scheduled rides with Uber for Business directly within the Etta desktop and mobile corporate travel booking platform. Learn more about how Ettas traveler-centric approach helps stop leakage and save companies time and money at Deem.com. About Deem Deem is on a mission to transform travel. Starring Etta, its award-winning, mobile-first, corporate travel booking and management software, Deem offers employees everything they need to easily make the right travel decisions for themselves and their company. Deems travel technology plugs into major travel agencies and expense solution providers, empowering more corporate customers and the worlds largest travel management companies. Deem is a wholly owned and independently run subsidiary of Enterprise Holdings. The company is headquartered in Oakland, California, with offices in Dublin, Ireland and Bangalore, India. Learn more at Deem.com. Attachments HERNDON, VA, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, engineering, and management services, announced today that the Company has been awarded a new prime contract, Naval Sea Systems Command Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) Product Support Facility (PSF), with the PMS 485 PEO Undersea Warfare Systems, Maritime Surveillance Systems Program Office. The contract has a total estimated value of $39.8 million, if all options are exercised. It includes a one-year base period plus four option years. Serco will provide life cycle logistics support and product support facility operations for all IUSS ship and shore systems worldwide. Work under the contract will be performed primarily at the IUSS Operations Support Center in Virginia Beach, VA. The Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) mission is to provide global maritime acoustic surveillance and timely, accurate antisubmarine warfare (ASW) reporting using persistent, long-range, fixed, and mobile systems. This mission is accomplished through detection, classification, tracking, reporting and dissemination of data on surface ships, submarines, and high interest aircraft. Additional mission areas include gathering long-term oceanographic and geophysical information, support of environmental assessment projects, marine mammal research and counter-narcotics efforts. The Serco team is proud to have been selected to support IUSS and their mission, said Dave Dacquino, Serco Inc.'s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Serco has a 15-year history of working with the U.S. Navys integrated undersea surveillance systems. We understand how critical the IUSS component is to the Navys anti-submarine and undersea warfare capabilities. WICHITA, Kan., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE American: UAVS) (AgEagle or the Company), an industry-leading provider of full-stack drone, sensor and software solutions for commercial and government/defense use, today announced that the Company was named the third place winner in the Hardware and Systems Design category of the XCELLENCE Awards by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) for its eBee TAC Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). AgEagle was selected from a pool of accomplished applicants for their work in uncrewed systems technology. Winners were publicly congratulated during the Technology Innovation XCELLENCE awards ceremony during AUVSI XPONENTIAL on Wednesday, April 27 in Orlando, Florida. Barrett Mooney, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AgEagle, stated, We are very proud that our eBee TAC continues to earn such high industry praise and recognition for its technological innovation and powerful capabilities. It is a direct reflection of the hard work and engineering skill of our team which remains obsessed with delivering advanced autonomous robotics solutions that set the bar for excellence and high performance. Following a decade of development by senseFly, an AgEagle company, eBee-branded drones have been the best-selling commercial fixed wing UAS in the U.S. over the past three consecutive years, according to data supplied by the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). Recently Blue UAS approved for procurement by the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies, the NDAA compliant eBee TAC operates in disconnected environments, providing a higher accuracy mobile solution to map and locally share aerial imagery data on rapidly changing field conditions to analyze and provide near real-time situational awareness to ground forces. Weighing only 3.5 pounds and featuring a digital camouflage skin for increased stealth and up to 90 minutes flight time and silent mission mode, the eBee TAC can be rapidly deployed, from assembly to hand-launch, in three minutes by a single user to generate 3D modeling, terrain and thermal maps. During AUVSIs 50th anniversary year, we are celebrating the accomplishments of the uncrewed systems industry within the last half-century, reflecting on lessons learned, and looking ahead to our vision for the future, said Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI. The 2022 XCELLENCE award winners represent some of the leading innovations and organizations that will help us reach our shared vision of assured autonomy. The AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards honor innovators with a demonstrated commitment to advancing autonomy, leading, and promoting safe adoption of uncrewed systems and developing programs that use these technologies to save lives and improve the human condition. For more information about AUVSI visit AUVSI.org. For more information about the AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards and XPONENTIAL 2022, visit xponential.org. About AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. AgEagle is a global UAV industry pioneer engaged in delivering a unified line of high-performance drones, sensors and software that have earned the longstanding trust and fidelity of customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Founded in 2010, AgEagle was originally formed to pioneer proprietary, professional-grade, fixed-winged drones and aerial imagery-based data collection and analytics solutions for the agriculture industry. Today, AgEagle is a leading provider of full stack drone solutions for customers worldwide in a broad range of commercial verticals, as well as for U.S. government agencies, all branches of the U.S. military and allied nations. For additional information, please visit our websites at www.ageagle.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition, and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from managements current expectations include those risks and uncertainties relating to our competitive position, the industry environment, potential growth opportunities, and the effects of regulation and events outside of our control, such as natural disasters, wars, or health epidemics. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. AgEagle Aerial Systems Contacts: Investor Relations: Media Inquiries: Gateway Group, Inc. media@ageagle.com Matt Glover or Cody Cree Phone: 949-574-3860 Email: UAVS@gatewayIR.com OAKLAND, Calif., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sage Institute for Psychedelic Therapy , a 501c3 non-profit which provides high-quality training and accessible psychedelic therapy to underserved communities, today announced the arrival of its new executive director, Dr. Deidra Somerville. Dr. Somerville has a background in social work and many years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, community development, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) facilitation. She believes in a human-first model of working within organizations, prioritizing community and relationship building. Originally from San Francisco, Somerville will be returning to the Bay Area from Illinois where she currently resides. "On behalf of the Sage Institute board of directors, we welcome Dr. Deidra Somerville as our incoming executive director, said Kat Conour, Sage Institute for Psychedelic Therapy board chair. Given Dr. Somervilles expertise and clear dedication to fostering health and well-being for diverse and underserved communities, we trust that our mission and all those we serve will be in the right hands. We are confident she is the ideal person to grow Sage Institute into what we always envisioned it could be, and more. Somerville Offers Great Change and Opportunity for the Entire Sage Institute Community Sage Institute is the only organization that offers low-fee sliding-scale ketamine-assisted therapy alongside paid training for intern therapists gaining hours towards licensure as social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists. Committed to training the next generation of diverse clinicians and leaders in the field, Sage Institute also offers a scholarship program to assist clinicians from diverse backgrounds to overcome financial and structural barriers to their participation. Somervilles top priorities for the next three months are to: Further strengthen Sage Institutes capacity to serve an ever-growing client base Diversify the organizations revenue streams with thriving partnerships Develop a pipeline to licensure for graduates of the training program I'm honored and excited to join Sage Institute, said Somerville. This is a time of great change and opportunity for our beloved community of practitioners, partners, volunteers, donors and the individuals, families, and communities we serve. I believe Sage Institute to be well positioned to effectively lead and serve during this time of momentous growth. We are training practitioners, providing much needed access to psychedelic therapy to underserved communities, and building pathways to contribute to the body of research on the risks and benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy with diverse client populations. I am eager to bring my experiences as an advocate, organizer, fundraiser, researcher, administrator and healer to lead and serve the Sage Institute community. About Dr. Deidra Somerville, PhD, MSW An experienced executive, educator and administrator with a demonstrated history of advocacy for social justice, Dr. Deidra Somervilles career has been devoted to the nonprofit and higher education industries. She was most recently responsible for sponsored programs, research services and human research protections at Roosevelt University and an adjunct member of the Psychology department at DePaul University. In addition, she maintained a consulting practice providing support for grant administration, organizational development and diversity, equity and inclusion training. Somerville received her PhD in community psychology from National Louis University, her Master of Social Work from Boston University and her undergraduate degrees from University of California, Santa Cruz. About Sage Institute for Psychedelic Therapy, Inc Sage Institute provides high-quality training and accessible psychedelic therapy, fostering effective and culturally-responsive mental health treatment for underserved communities. The organizations management and staff imagine a world where people from all backgrounds have access to cutting-edge, affordable, and holistic health care that supports healing of the body, mind, spirit, community, and environment. Sage Institute is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization. Learn more at SageInst.org . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/38e8df01-a94c-412e-b41e-eb5b8f81613b NEW YORK, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Twitter, Inc. (Twitter or the Company) (NYSE: TWTR). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Twitter and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On April 4, 2022, Elon Musk (Musk) disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that he owned 9.2% of Twitter stock. On this news, Twitters stock price rose $10.66 per share, or 27.12%, to close at $49.97 per share on April 4, 2022. Then, on April 5, 2022, in another SEC filing, Musk disclosed that he had purchased more than 5% of Twitter stock on March 14, 2022, which, per applicable SEC rules, should have been disclosed by March 24, 2022. The same April 5, 2022 filing also indicated that Musk had acquired approximately 13.1 million Twitter shares at an average price of $39.06 per share after March 24, 2022, and before Twitters stock price rose to $49.97 per share on April 4, 2022, thereby potentially saving him millions of dollars at the expense of other investors that could have sold their Twitter stock at a higher price, had they been similarly and timely informed of Musks large stake in the Company. Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com . TORONTO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The potential for another major animal to human zoonotic disease outbreak is very real according to the findings of a recent study, warns the Animal Protection Party of Canada (APPC). The study investigated samples of the superbug Clostridioides difficile in intensively confined pigs, which showed multiple antibiotic-resistant genes are shared between pigs and people. This discovery provides evidence that animal to human zoonotic transmission is possible. Over 20 million pigs are raised and slaughtered domestically in Canada each year. C. difficile is a bacterium normally found in the human gut in regular balance with other bacteria. But when a C. difficile infection does occur, it is difficult to treat as it is resistant to all but three current antibiotics. Because of the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture and in treating human illness, dangerous antibiotic resistant strains have emerged that can cause severe illness and death. Canada is also currently experiencing the spread of Avian Influenza in poultry flocks, which is causing significant loss of animal life. Avian flu is also a zoonotic disease that poses a threat to human health. Approximately three-quarters of a billion chickens are slaughtered in Canada each year for food. The APPC is raising the alarm for the government to take immediate steps to address the ongoing spread of zoonotic diseases by transitioning the animal agriculture sector to plant-based alternatives. Jordan Reichert, APPC deputy leader, stated that the government must start by acknowledging the problem, which it has yet to do. It is time for us to address the ticking time bomb of animal agricultures role in disease transmission and phase out this industry. Zoonotic diseases are a real threat, whether it is COVID, avian flu, or C. difficile, and status quo politics wont stop them. More than a decade before the COVID pandemic, the United Nations was warning world governments about the potential for large-scale zoonotic disease transmission. With the extreme social and economic consequences of the ongoing pandemic, the Canadian government has continued with business as usual and taken little action to address the potential for zoonotic disease transmission through the animal agriculture sector. Liz White, leader of the APPC, said the government has an obligation to protect the health of the population by educating people about the dangers of animal agriculture. Our politicians have a responsibility to protect the health of the population against further zoonotic pathogens and the most urgent action they can take is to phase out the farming and slaughter of millions of animals in Canada for food each year. The Animal Protection Party of Canada is the only federal party to call for a transition to a plant-based agricultural system with biocyclic vegan agricultural practices that eschew animal fertilizers and encourage ecological integrity in agriculture. Liz White Jordan Reichert Leader Deputy Leader 416-809-4371 250-216-0562 liz@animalprotectionparty.ca jordan@animalprotectionparty.ca English French MONTREAL, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) will publish its financial results for the first quarter of 2022 on May 5, 2022. On the same day, Bombardier will hold its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders (Meeting) in a virtual format. Quarterly Conference Call On May 5, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. EDT, Bombardier will hold a webcast/conference call intended for investors and financial analysts to review the companys financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. A live webcast of the call and relevant financial charts will be available at https://ir.bombardier.com Stakeholders wishing to listen to the presentation and subsequent question-and-answer period by telephone may dial one of the following conference call numbers: In English: Toll-free dial-in number (Canada/U.S.): 1-800-898-3989 Local dial-in number: 514-861-3304 International dial-in numbers Participant passcode: 2230833# In French (with translation): Toll-free dial-in number (Canada/U.S.): 1-877-395-0279 Local dial-in number: 514-392-1587 International dial-in numbers Participant passcode: 4427560# Media Call May 5, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. EDT, members of the media are invited to dial in to a short Question and Answer session following our quarterly earnings call and before the virtual Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders. Eric Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier, will be available to answer your questions related to the Q1 2022 financial results. Media who would like to attend the Q&A session are asked to RSVP by emailing heather.neale@aero.bombardier.com. Bilingual: Toll-free dial-in number (Canada/U.S.): 1-800-952-5114 Local dial-in number: 416-406-0743 International dial-in numbers Participant passcode: 2423914# Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders On May 5, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. EDT, Bombardier welcomes all registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders who wish to participate in the online Meeting to do so by joining the live webcast available at https://bombardier.com/en/agm2022. Only registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be allowed to vote and ask questions during the live Meeting. Non-registered shareholders, guests and media will be able to watch online via the live webcast available at the same link. Instructions on how to vote and participate in the online Meeting, including submitting questions to management and to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bombardier, will be available on the Corporations website here and on the online Meeting platform. Bombardier encourages shareholders to vote and submit their proxies prior to the Meeting. The live webcast and relevant documents for both the Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders and the conference call will be available at https://bombardier.com/en/agm2022. A recording of the Meeting and the call will be posted on Bombardiers website shortly after the end of the webcast. About Bombardier Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing the world's most exceptional business jets. Bombardiers Challenger and Global aircraft families are renowned for their cutting-edge innovation, cabin design, performance and reliability. Bombardier has a worldwide fleet of approximately 5,000 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. Bombardier aircraft are also trusted around the world in special-mission roles. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Bombardier operates aerostructure, assembly and completion facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The companys robust customer support network includes facilities in strategic locations in the United States and Canada, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the UAE, Singapore, China and an Australian facility opening in 2022. For corporate news and information, including Bombardiers Environmental, Social and Governance report, visit bombardier.com. Learn more about Bombardiers industry-leading products and customer service network at businessaircraft.bombardier.com. Follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Bombardier is a registered trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. For Information NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE:HII) announced today that Virginia-class submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) was recently launched into the James River at the companys Newport News Shipbuilding division. The 7,800-ton submarine, which had been in a floating dry dock since being transferred from a construction facility in March, was submerged and moved by tugboats to the shipyards submarine pier for final outfitting, testing and crew certification. Achieving this construction milestone is a very rewarding event to our shipbuilding team, said Jason Ward, Newport News vice president of Virginia-class submarine construction. Our shipbuilders and suppliers have dedicated years of hard work to this critical capability that will maintain our customers undersea superiority. We now look forward to executing our waterborne test program, and working toward sea trials so we can deliver to the Navy. Video and photos accompanying this news release are available at: https://newsroom.hii.com/releases/new-jersey-ssn-796-launch. Through the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat, approximately 10,000 shipbuilders, as well as suppliers from 50 states, have participated in New Jerseys construction since the work began in 2016. New Jersey is approximately 92% complete. Virginia-class submarines, a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines, are built for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions to replace the Navys Los Angeles-class submarines as they are retired. Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations that increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth to significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities. These submarines are capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time. HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as Americas largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable an all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs skilled workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information please visit: HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/ HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii Contact: Danny Hernandez Danny.J.Hernandez@hii-co.com (202) 580-9086 Hauppauge NY, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Long Island officials, school districts, and law enforcement officers came together today to commemorate Operation Safe Stop, a public awareness event hosted by the New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT), BusPatrol, the New York State School Bus Contractors Association (NYSBCA), and the Suffolk County School Bus Safety Committee. The annual one-day Operation Safe Stop initiative prioritizes school bus traffic enforcement. For the last two decades, New York State law enforcement agencies have doubled down on student safety by following and riding onboard school buses to watch for stop-arm violations. This year, for the first time, police officers leveraged new AI-powered tools and data to help curb dangerous driver behavior, targeting high-risk areas identified through the Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program. With the recent adoption of automated school bus enforcement technology in communities across New York State, stop-arm programs enable law enforcement officers to monitor and enforce dangerous driving behavior around school buses every day of the year. Speaking at the event, Joe Lesnick, Vice President at Suffolk NYAPT, said: "For almost two decades, we have been working to bring awareness to the dangers of stop-arm violations. In New York State, motorists unlawfully pass stopped school buses up to 50,000 times a day. Now, municipalities and school districts across the state are equipping their school buses with automated enforcement technology to help local law enforcement capture and enforce stop-arm violations. NYAPT is proud to be working with BusPatrol on this initiative to make roads safer across the state." This year's event also marks one year since the launch of the Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program. Through the program, school officials from over 70 participating school districts, local law enforcement, and BusPatrol, collaborate to educate motorists through targeted-awareness campaigns and automated enforcement efforts. Jean Souliere, CEO and Founder at BusPatrol was also in attendance. He said: "Student safety is not just the responsibility of bus drivers, or the schools, or the police department. It is all of our responsibility. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that our kids can get to school and back home safely. School bus safety programs like Suffolk County enable local law enforcement to capture every violation. With this technology, every school day is like Operation Safe Stop as we ensure that motorists respect stopped school buses and help keep children safe." BusPatrol school bus safety programs are live in Suffolk County, Dutchess County, and the City of Niagara Falls. School districts in Albany County and the Town of Hempstead are set to launch stop-arm safety programs with BusPatrol in the new school year. Communities that are interested in learning more about making roads safer with BusPatrol are encouraged to visit https://buspatrol.com/join/ Attachments More than half of Americans have been infected with COVID-19: CDC Xinhua) 15:14, April 28, 2022 A medical worker collects a swab sample from a woman at a COVID-19 testing site in New York, the United States, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) *Some 58% of the overall U.S. population and more than 75% of younger children have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, a study by the U.S. CDC has reported. *These findings illustrate a high infection rate for the Omicron variant, especially among children, said the CDC. NEW YORK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- More than half of Americans show signs of a previous COVID-19 infection, including three in four children, a new report released on Tuesday showed. The estimated proportion of people in the United States with detectable, infection-induced antibodies jumped from 33.5 percent in December 2021 to 57.7 percent by February 2022, according to the report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During the December to February period, 75.2 percent of children aged 11 and younger had infection-related antibodies in their blood, up from 44.2 percent in the prior three-month period. Among those aged 12-17, 74.2 percent carried antibodies, up from 45.6 percent from September to December. As of February 2022, approximately 75 percents of children and adolescents had serologic evidence of previous infection with COVID-19, with approximately one third becoming newly seropositive since December 2021. These findings illustrate a high infection rate for the Omicron variant, especially among children, said the CDC. "Seropositivity for anti-N antibodies should not be interpreted as protection from future infection. Vaccination remains the safest strategy for preventing complications from COVID-19 infection, including hospitalization among children and adults," said the report. A student gets a hug from a teacher as she arrives at Rogers Fine Art Elementary School in Chicago, the United States, on March 14, 2022. (Photo by Joel Lerner/Xinhua) CDC's Kristie Clarke, co-author of the report, told a media briefing Tuesday that the finding means many people have at least some immunity to the virus. But CDC officials recommend all eligible persons stay up to date with vaccination, including those with previous COVID-19 infection, because vaccination provides the strongest, broadest protection against getting seriously ill. COVID-19 cases continue to rise, going up 23 percent last week to 44,416 a day. Deaths continue a months-long decline to 314 a day, or 13 percent less than the week before. Hospitalizations rose for the second week in a row, up 6.6 percent over the previous week, largely driven by subvariants of Omicron, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said during the briefing. According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States has exceeded 81 million, with 991,940 related deaths so far. Walensky said the BA.1 variant, which caused the Omicron wave, now only accounts for 3 percent of U.S. transmission and that a subvariant of BA.2.121, first discovered in upstate New York, makes up nearly 30 percent of cases in the country. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) SAN DIEGO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knockaround and Capstone Races are pleased to announce that Knockaround, the original, affordable sunglasses and lifestyle brand out of San Diego, will be the Official Eyewear sponsor of the 2022 Bay to Breakers 12K. Held in San Francisco, the iconic Bay to Breakers race is a glorious celebration of the human spirit. This year, the 111th annual event, will be held Sunday, May 15, 2022. As part of Knockaround's sponsorship, the brand will infuse its own personality into the energy of Bay to Breakers. A dedicated Knockaround aid station will feature volunteers dressed as Magnum PI, sharing their tropical, smooth, lifestyle vibes with participants on-course. At the finish line festival, there will also be an opportunity to capture a groovy team photo with a retro VW bus and potentially win Knockaround sunglasses for a year by taking a swing at the Pinata Farm (taking on mini pinatas with pool noodles). "We are excited to be a part of this pillar event in San Francisco culture. Every year thousands of runners, walkers, and spectators fill the streets to celebrate - some racing to compete and others dressing up in costumes to party. It is the perfect blend of the Knockaround sport and culture brought to life in an event," said Adam Moyer, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Knockaround. "Bay to Breakers is a marquee event in the San Francisco community, embodying the competitive and fun part of running and walking, which is why Knockaround is the perfect partner," said Charlie Mercer, CEO of Capstone Events which produces Bay to Breakers. "Their fun-loving vibe and eclectic choice of products and colorways is a perfect fit for our diverse set of participants." Knockaround has evolved into a lifestyle brand with a broad assortment of non-prescription eyewear that includes polarized sunglasses, blue-light-blocking glasses, sport sunglasses, ski and snowboard goggles, and a custom design eyewear program. Knockaround's focus on creativity and authenticity along with building a culture around the brand has established a loyal fan base, positioning the company to achieve accelerated growth and realize its vision of becoming the leading sunglasses brand for consumers and athletes everywhere. Bay to Breakers is a 100-plus-year-old event, built by the people. Since 1912, over 2 million costumed runners, walkers, and centipedes have completed the iconic 12K journey from the San Francisco Bay to the breakers on Ocean Beach. Runners come from across the globe to experience the quintessential San Francisco experience, featuring thousands of spectators lining the route, live music, and more. About Knockaround Knockaround is the original, affordable sunglasses company from San Diego, founded by Adam "Ace" Moyer in 2005. Centered around durable shades that are both practical and stylish, Knockaround provides high-quality sunglasses that won't break the bank. Knockaround has grown to offer numerous different frame styles in a wide range of colors as well as ongoing Limited Edition special releases, collaborations, and an interactive "design your own" custom sunglasses shop. Knockaround Sunglasses have been featured in GQ, US Weekly, and The Today Show, and have been worn by countless celebrities including Matthew McConaughey, John Mayer, Natalie Portman, Snoop Dogg, and John Legend. For more information, visit Knockaround.com or follow (@knockaround) on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Media Contact: Tony Martinez, Director of Marketing E: tony@knockaround.com T: 619-997-3717 Related Images Image 1: Knockaround & Bay to Breakers Logo Knockaround "K" Logo alongside the Bay to Breakers logo This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment INDIANAPOLIS, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis ("FHLBank Indianapolis" or "Bank") declared its first quarter 2022 dividends on Class B-2 activity-based capital stock and Class B-1 non-activity-based stock at annualized rates of 3.50% and 1.00%, respectively. The higher dividend rate on activity-based stock reflects the Board's discretion under our capital plan to reward members that use FHLBank Indianapolis in support of their liquidity needs. The dividends will be paid in cash on April 29, 2022. Earnings Highlights Net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $28.6 million, a decrease of $1.3 million compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year. The decrease was primarily due to lower net hedging gains on qualifying fair-value hedging relationships1, substantially offset by lower amortization of mortgage purchase premiums resulting from lower prepayments. Hedging gains (losses) on qualifying fair-value hedging relationships are reported in net interest income2. As a result, net interest income for the first quarter of 2022 and 2021 included net hedging gains of $2.0 million and $18.6 million, respectively. In general, the Bank holds the derivatives and associated hedged items to the maturity, call, or put date. As a result, we expect that nearly all of the gains and losses on these financial instruments will reverse over the remaining contractual terms of the hedged items. 1 The Bank uses interest-rate swaps to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of certain of its advances, available-for-sale securities and consolidated obligations. These derivatives are designated as fair-value hedges. Changes in the estimated fair value of the derivative and, to the extent these relationships qualify for hedge accounting, changes in the fair value of the hedged item that are attributable to the hedged risk are recorded in earnings. 2 FHLBank Indianapolis earns interest income on advances to and mortgage loans purchased from its Michigan and Indiana member financial institutions, as well as on long- and short-term investments. Net interest income is primarily determined by the spread between the interest earned on those assets and the interest cost of funding with consolidated obligations. Because of the Bank's inherent relatively low interest-rate spread, it has historically derived a substantial portion of its net interest income from deploying its interest-free capital in floating-rate assets. Affordable Housing Program Allocation 3 For the three months ended March 31, 2022, FHLBank Indianapolis allocated $3.2 million to its Affordable Housing Program ("AHP"), which provides grant funding to support housing for low- and moderate-income families in communities served by our Michigan and Indiana members. Full-year 2022 AHP allocations will be available to the Bank's members in 2023 to help address their communities' affordable housing needs, including construction, rehabilitation, accessibility improvements and homebuyer down-payment assistance. Condensed Statements of Income The following table presents unaudited condensed statements of income ($ amounts in millions): Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 2021 Interest income (a) $ 120.3 $ 133.6 Interest expense (a) 55.7 59.1 Provision for (reversal of) credit losses 0.1 Net interest income after provision for credit losses 64.6 74.4 Other income (loss) (b) (7.4 ) (13.0 ) Other expenses 25.4 28.1 AHP assessments 3.2 3.4 Net income $ 28.6 $ 29.9 (a) Includes hedging gains (losses) and net interest settlements on fair-value hedges. (b) Includes impact of purchase discount (premium) recorded through mark-to-market gains (losses) on trading securities and net interest settlements on derivatives hedging trading securities, while generally offsetting interest income on trading securities is included in interest income. Adjusted Net Income, a Non-GAAP Financial Measure The Bank reports its results of operations in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"). Management believes that a non-GAAP financial measure may also be useful to shareholders and other stakeholders as a key measure of its operating performance. Such measure can also provide additional insights into period-to-period comparisons of the Bank's operating results beyond its GAAP results, which are impacted by temporary changes in fair value and other factors driven by market volatility that hinder consistent performance measurement. As a result, the Bank is reporting adjusted net income as a non-GAAP financial measure. 3 Each year Federal Home Loan Banks allocate to the AHP 10% of earnings, defined as income before assessments, plus interest expense on mandatorily redeemable capital stock. Adjusted net income represents GAAP net income adjusted to exclude: (i) the mark-to-market adjustments and other transitory effects from derivatives and trading/hedging activities, (ii) interest expense on mandatorily redeemable capital stock ("MRCS"), (iii) realized gains and losses on sales of investment securities, and (iv) at the discretion of management, other eligible non-routine transactions. These adjustments reflect (i) the temporary nature of fair-value and certain other hedging gains (losses) due to the Bank's practice of holding its financial instruments to maturity, (ii) the reclassification of interest on MRCS as dividends, (iii) the sale of investment securities, primarily for liquidity purposes or to reduce exposure to LIBOR-indexed instruments, the gains (losses) on which arise from accelerating the recognition of future income (expense), and (iv) any other eligible non-routine transactions that management determines can provide additional insights into period-to-period comparisons of the Banks operating results beyond its GAAP results. Non-GAAP financial measures are not audited. In addition, non-GAAP financial measures have no standardized measurement prescribed by GAAP and may not be comparable to similar non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. While management believes that adjusted net income is helpful in understanding the Bank's performance, this measure has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analyses of earnings reported in accordance with GAAP. The following table presents unaudited reconciliations of the Bank's GAAP net income to adjusted net income ($ amounts in millions): Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of Net Income 2022 2021 GAAP net income $ 28.6 $ 29.9 Adjustments to exclude: Fair-value hedging (gains) losses (a) (2.0 ) (18.6 ) Amortization/accretion of (gains) losses on active and discontinued fair-value hedging relationships (b) 16.8 5.4 Trading (gains) losses, net of economic hedging gains (losses) (c) 0.1 9.0 Net unrealized losses on other economic hedges 1.8 0.4 Interest expense on MRCS 0.2 1.1 Total adjustments 16.9 (2.7 ) AHP assessments (credits) on adjustments (1.6 ) 0.4 Adjusted net income (non-GAAP measure) $ 43.9 $ 27.6 (a) Changes in fair value on hedged items (attributable to the risk being hedged) and associated derivatives in qualifying hedging relationships. (b) Gains (losses) resulting from cumulative basis adjustments on hedged items. (c) Includes both (i) unrealized (gains) losses on trading securities and (ii) realized (gains) losses on maturities of trading securities. Adjusted net income for the first quarter of 2022 was $43.9 million, an increase of $16.3 million compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to lower accelerated amortization of mortgage purchase premiums, resulting from lower prepayments, and higher interest spreads, partially offset by lower earnings (excluding net gains) on trading securities. Balance Sheet Highlights Total assets at March 31, 2022 were $63.0 billion, a net increase of $3.0 billion, or 5%, from December 31, 2021, driven primarily by a net increase in cash and short-term investments. Advances 4 Advances outstanding at March 31, 2022, at carrying value, totaled $26.6 billion, a net decrease of $910 million, or 3%, from December 31, 2021. The par value of advances outstanding decreased by 2%, which included a net increase in short-term advances of 3% and a net decrease in long-term advances of 4%. The par value of advances to depository institutions - comprising commercial banks, savings institutions and credit unions - and insurance companies decreased by 12% and increased by 10%, respectively. Advances to depository institutions, as a percent of total advances outstanding at par value, were 48% at March 31, 2022, while advances to insurance companies were 52%. Mortgage Loans Held for Portfolio 5 Purchases of mortgage loans from the Bank's members for the three months ended March 31, 2022 totaled $460 million. Mortgage loans held for portfolio at March 31, 2022 totaled $7.7 billion, a net increase of $86 million, or 1%, from December 31, 2021, as the Bank's purchases exceeded principal repayments by borrowers. Liquidity 6 The liquidity portfolio, which consists of cash and short-term investments as well as U. S. Treasury securities, at March 31, 2022 totaled $14.3 billion, a net increase of $3.3 billion, or 30%, from December 31, 2021. Cash and short-term investments increased by $2.5 billion, or 36%, to $9.6 billion. U.S. Treasury securities, classified as trading securities, increased by $806 million, or 20%, to $4.7 billion. As a result, cash and short-term investments represented 67% of the liquidity portfolio at March 31, 2022, while U.S. Treasury securities represented 33%. Consolidated Obligations 7 FHLBank Indianapolis' consolidated obligations outstanding at March 31, 2022 totaled $57.8 billion, a net increase of $3.3 billion, or 6%, from December 31, 2021, which reflected increased funding needs associated with the net increase in the Bank's total assets. 4 Advances are secured loans that the Bank provides to its member institutions. 5 The Bank purchases mortgage loans from its members to support its housing mission, provide an additional source of liquidity to its members, and diversify its investments. 6 The Bank's liquidity portfolio consists of cash, interest-bearing deposits, securities purchased under agreements to resell, federal funds sold and U.S. Treasury securities. Such portfolio enables the Bank to be a reliable liquidity provider to its members. 7 The primary source of funds for FHLBank Indianapolis, and for the other FHLBanks, is the sale of FHLBanks' consolidated obligations in the capital markets. FHLBank Indianapolis is the primary obligor for the payment of the principal and interest on the consolidated obligations issued on its behalf; additionally, it is jointly and severally liable with each of the other FHLBanks for all of the FHLBanks' consolidated obligations outstanding. Capital 8 Total capital at March 31, 2022 was $3.4 billion, a net decrease of $183 million, or 5%, from December 31, 2021, primarily due to repurchases of capital stock. The Bank's regulatory capital-to-assets ratio9 at March 31, 2022 was 5.33%, which exceeds all applicable regulatory capital requirements. Condensed Statements of Condition The following table presents unaudited condensed statements of condition ($ amounts in millions): March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Advances $ 26,588 $ 27,498 Mortgage loans held for portfolio, net 7,702 7,616 Cash and short-term investments 9,566 7,048 Investment securities and other assets (a) 19,159 17,843 Total assets $ 63,015 $ 60,005 Consolidated obligations $ 57,805 $ 54,478 MRCS 46 50 Other liabilities 1,791 1,921 Total liabilities 59,642 56,449 Capital stock (b) 2,122 2,246 Retained earnings (c) 1,192 1,177 Accumulated other comprehensive income 59 133 Total capital 3,373 3,556 Total liabilities and capital $ 63,015 $ 60,005 Total regulatory capital (d) $ 3,360 $ 3,473 Regulatory capital-to-assets ratio 5.33 % 5.79 % (a) Includes trading, held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities. (b) Putable by members at par value. (c) Includes restricted retained earnings at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 of $292 million and $287 million, respectively. (d) Consists of total capital less accumulated other comprehensive income plus mandatorily redeemable capital stock. 8 FHLBank Indianapolis is a cooperative whose member financial institutions and former members own all of its capital stock as a condition of membership and to support outstanding credit products. 9 Total regulatory capital, which consists of capital stock, mandatorily redeemable capital stock and retained earnings, as a percentage of total assets. All amounts referenced above are unaudited. More detailed information about FHLBank Indianapolis' financial condition as of March 31, 2022, and results for the three months then ended will be included in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Bank's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Safe Harbor Statement This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events and performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "will," "believes," "may," "temporary," "estimates," and "expects" or the negative of these words or comparable terminology. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release reflects FHLBank Indianapolis' current beliefs and expectations. Actual results or performance may differ materially from what is expressed in any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. FHLBank Indianapolis undertakes 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. Readers are referred to the documents filed by the Bank with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which include factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements. These reports are available at www.sec.gov . Building Partnerships. Serving Communities. FHLBank Indianapolis is a regional bank included in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with particular attention paid to providing solutions that support the housing and small business needs of members' customers. FHLBanks are privately capitalized and funded, and receive no Congressional appropriations. FHLBank Indianapolis is owned by its Indiana and Michigan financial institution members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. For more information about FHLBank Indianapolis, visit www.fhlbi.com. MONTGOMERY, Ala., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GovDeals, the leading online auction platform for government agencies and educational institutions to sell their surplus assets, has recently hosted several successful miniature train auctions for multiple sellers across the United States. Over the last two years, GovDeals has experienced an influx of these smaller-sized locomotives for sale as agencies look to accumulate additional streams of revenue from retired, or no longer needed, equipment. Miniature trains are ground level railways that typically haul passengers using locomotives that are smaller models of full-sized railway locomotives powered by diesel or petrol engines. Miniature trains are most often used in amusement parks, zoos and other kid-friendly establishments to move many guests from one place to another. Enhanced health and safety measures across the US have halted many close contact attractions, including miniature trains. As a result, agencies have been left with viable rail equipment that they can no longer use or earn revenue from but may be costing them maintenance and storage fees. After nearly two years of no use, the Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government decided the nearly $1 million that was needed to get their two 2012 miniature passenger trains back into operation was not a feasible option for their county. As a result, they turned to GovDeals to recoup some of their already spent funds. One of the trains, a yellow 2012 Severn Lam Miniature Passenger Train, was sold locally to a distillery in nearby Frankfort, KY. The locomotive sold for $228,000 after receiving 45 bids during its five-week auction. Kristie Wooldridge, the distillerys public relations associate manager, told the State Journal, It is exciting news to be able to bring a train engine to the site for visitors to enjoy. Buffalo Trace Distillery has a long-standing historical connection to the railroad, and it was of critical importance to prosperity of the distillery back in the day. The other train, a 2012 Severn Lam Miniature Passenger Train, sold for $250,000 after receiving 57 bids during the five-week auction. In addition to the trains sold in Kentucky, several other sellers have found success in their recent sales of miniature trains. Some of the recently sold trains include: The Wheeling Park Commission in West Virginia listed two 1977 Chance C.P. Huntington Trains for sale. The first received 90 bids during the two-week sale and sold for $130,250. The second 1977 Chance C.P. Huntington Train sold by Wheeling Park Commission received 39 bids and sold for $66,900 after a two-week sale. A 1953 MTC Miniature Train sold by the City of Goldsboro, NC. During the three-week sale, this train received 18 bids and sold for $28,900. These 2004 and 2015 CP Huntington 102 Amusement Park Trains sold by Oklahoma City Zoological Trust received 24 bids during the three-week auction and sold for $179,001. The many recent sales indicate there is a market for miniature trains. If your government agency or educational institution has a train to sell, miniature or otherwise, or is interested in offering any of your surplus items to more than 4.7 million qualified buyers around the world, please visit GovDeals.com/AboutUs to learn more. Auctions on GovDeals are open to the public. To bid on any auction on GovDeals, all buyers must register a bidder account with GovDeals. New bidder registration can be completed at GovDeals.com/Register. About GovDeals GovDeals is the worlds leading marketplace for surplus government and educational assets, ranging from heavy equipment and transportation assets to industrial machinery and real estate properties. GovDeals specializes in surplus disposition technology, partnering with government agencies and related entities to sell "as is, where is" surplus equipment and materials in a transparent fashion. Sellers can directly launch and manage their listings in just days with more control and lower fees than traditional auction solutions. GovDeals is powered by one of the most experienced and trusted companies in the surplus industry: Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT), which has supported millions of customers across the globe. GovDeals buyers have direct access to all the surplus assets across Liquidity Services network of marketplaces in one centralized location. ORANJESTAD, ARUBA, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After two long years, the 4th Annual Long Table Aruba hosted by Wind Creek Aruba returns to the island for a one-night, white-hot dinner thats billed as The only meal worth $40,000 for Aruba. This years event is slated for Sunday, August 28 and will feature the beloved 1,000-foot-long table setting for 1,000 guests located outside Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort in downtown Oranjestad, overlooking the marina. Tickets are $40 and go on sale June 15th. Since its inception in 2017, Long Table Aruba has raised more than $75,000 for Aruba-based charities and is the marquee giving event for Wind Creek operations in Aruba. This years event also marks the fifth anniversary of the Wind Creek Hospitality acquisition of Renaissance Aruba. To celebrate the milestone, Wind Creek Hospitality will award one local charity $40,000 - a sum greater than all previous Long Table Aruba event donations. Our properties across the globe are committed to weaving ourselves into the fabric of the communities where we live and operate, said Wind Creek Aruba General Manager Paul Gielen. Events like Long Table Aruba offer hospitality in the best sense - a chance for community members to engage and embrace each other, all while encouraging the supportive spirit of what makes this island more than home to many of us. This years event will feature a community-driven process for deciding which organization will benefit from the event's proceeds, to be announced at a later date. Community impact and disaster relief is a tenet of Wind Creek Aruba property operations. Since arriving to the island, Wind Creek Aruba has raised funds through their on-site hallmark events, Long Table Aruba and Winter Wonderland, in addition to providing in-kind hospitality and food donations year-round to organizations in need of disaster relief. Gielen continued, The last two years have brought hardships, and hope, to this island. We want to hear from organizations directly about what they need, how we can help make an impact and how we can use community-based insights to evolve our giving program. Were looking forward to sharing those details soon, and to seeing the Long Table return for a memorable night. ### ABOUT WIND CREEK ARUBA Located in the capital city of Oranjestad, Wind Creek Aruba is the islands premier destination. Featuring a partnership with Renaissance Aruba, the resort provides two distinct experiences: the adult exclusive Renaissance Marina Hotel and the secluded Renaissance Ocean Suites. The resort is the only property in Aruba offering its own private island exclusive to resort guests and accessible only by water taxi. Other resort amenities include over a dozen dining options including Jimmy Buffetts 5 OClock Somewhere Bar & Grill and Starbucks, a marina, upscale retail boutiques, local merchants, two casinos, the 3,500 square-foot Okeanos Spa, a six-theatre cinema, and a convention center housing Aruba's largest meeting facility. For more information or reservations, visit WindCreek.com/Aruba ABOUT WIND CREEK HOSPITALITY Wind Creek Hospitality is an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the state of Alabama. Wind Creek Hospitality manages the Tribe's gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Aruba, Wind Creek Bethlehem, Wind Creek Chicago Southland (opening 2023), Wind Creek Curacao, Wind Creek Montgomery, Wind Creek Wetumpka, Wa She Shu Casino in Nevada, WindCreekCasino.com as well as racetracks in Alabama and Florida. Visit www.windcreek.com for more information. Attachment WESTPORT, Conn., April 28, 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 HMG Live! Digital Transformation Executive Leadership Summit on May 10. HMG Strategys highly interactive events bring together the worlds most distinguished and innovative business technology and security 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 HMG Live! Digital Transformation Executive Leadership Summit will bring together the industrys top technology and AI leaders to explore the most compelling business and operational use cases for AI, machine learning and automation along with recommendation from practitioners on the top attributes of AI-powered products and services. Our 2022 Technology Research Agenda which is based on peer insights from the 400,000+ technology executives in the HMG community reveals that corporate technology leaders are extremely interested in identifying effective use cases for AI, machine learning and automation that can deliver quantifiable business and operational value to the enterprise, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO at HMG Strategy. World-class technology executives and industry experts speaking at the 2022 HMG Live! Digital Transformation Executive Leadership Summit will include: Judith Apshago , Vice President of Information Technology, Amtrak , Vice President of Information Technology, Amtrak Bob Bruns , CIO & CISO, Avanade , CIO & CISO, Avanade Michael Frankel , Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Capital Partners , Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Capital Partners Dax Grant , CIO, Global Operations, HSBC , CIO, Global Operations, HSBC Frank Kelly , VP of Enterprise Transformation, Automation Anywhere , VP of Enterprise Transformation, Automation Anywhere Haresh Keswani , Director - Commercialization IT Business Partner (Oncology, Immunology and Cardiovascular), Bristol-Myers Squibb , Director - Commercialization IT Business Partner (Oncology, Immunology and Cardiovascular), Bristol-Myers Squibb Quintin McGrath , Former Global Senior Managing Director, Technology Management & Enablement, Global Shared Technology Services, Business Solutions, Deloitte (Retired) , Former Global Senior Managing Director, Technology Management & Enablement, Global Shared Technology Services, Business Solutions, Deloitte (Retired) Manav Misra , Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Regions Financial Corporation , Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Regions Financial Corporation Michol Porter , Senior Manager of Digital Vehicle Solutions, Daimler Trucks North America , Senior Manager of Digital Vehicle Solutions, Daimler Trucks North America Dr. Kenneth Russell , Chief Innovation Officer, Curran Biotech , Chief Innovation Officer, Curran Biotech Raju Sankuratri , VP & CIO, Facilities Services, Aramark , VP & CIO, Facilities Services, Aramark Asha Saxena , Founder and CEO, Women Leaders in Data & AI , Founder and CEO, Women Leaders in Data & AI Jeff Wald, Co-Founder and Chairman, Sonero Valued Partners for the 2022 HMG Live! Digital Transformation Executive Leadership Summit include Aisera, Akamai, Automation Anywhere, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Fortinet, Globant, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, SIM Portland, SIM Seattle, Skybox Security, Strata, Tonkean, Upwork, Zoom, and Zscaler. To learn more about the 2022 HMG Live! Digital Transformation Executive Leadership Summit and to register for the event, click here. To learn more about the 2022 Phoenix CIO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for the event, click here. 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. 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 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 Todd Stewart , VP of IT Data Centers and Network Engineering, Honeywell , VP of IT Data Centers and Network Engineering, Honeywell 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, SIM Arizona, 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. 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 one 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. To learn more about the 7 Pillars of Trust for HMG Strategy's unique business model, click here . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b40d89d2-225f-4c8a-bb6e-05bc269b2202 Toronto, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Police Association of Ontario is very excited to learn of Ontarios planned $45 million investment in supporting the mental health of first responders, announced today in the provincial budget. The PAO has advocated for the need to ensure that police personnel and other first responders have access to quality, specialized care in relation to mental health struggles that too often stem from on-the-job traumas. Member mental health and wellness has been a top priority of the PAO and of mine for a number of years. When we brought this initiative to Solicitor General Jones, she made it clear that the wellness of our membership was a priority for her and for her government, said PAO President Mark Baxter. Im really encouraged to see that this government recognizes the need to provide 24/7 wellness support for police personnel and their families. As part of the provincial budget, the Solicitor General will administer a program to distribute $45 million over three years to support organizations and programs that provide public safety personnel (PSP) with access to specialized mental health services. The focus is on mental health promotion and resiliency, as well as early intervention and treatment. Funding will support police, corrections, emergency health services and fire. The funding will also include programs to support employee and family assistance programs. The Solicitor General is also going to invest $0.5M to create an online province-wide inventory of regionally available mental health programs restricted to wellness coordinators across fire, police, corrections and emergency health services. These programs will focus on mental health promotion, resiliency, early intervention and treatment for PSP including municipal police and fire and emergency health services, as well as provincial correctional employees, the Ontario Provincial Police and their families. The PAO is looking forward to working with the Solicitor General to get these programs implemented across the province for our members and for all first responders across Ontario, said Baxter. Ontarios police personnel need 24/7 crisis support and the resources to help themselves in order to effectively help others. They need to feel safe and they need dedicated care. This program needs to make a real impact in reducing the stigma attached to mental health in policing and hopefully also help to reduce the rise in PTSD cases that were seeing in first responders. We know that one in five first responders develop PTSD in their lifetime. We also know that between three and five police suicides happen every year and 30% have had suicidal thoughts. Having dedicated resources for police personnel is vital for helping to reduce these numbers. This $45 million in mental health funding for first responders comes just a few months after the announcement that the province is building a dedicated mental health facility for first responders, with the provincial and federal governments each providing $1 million for the capital planning stage of the facility. The Runnymede First Responders PTSI Rehabilitation Centre is due to be completed in late 2024. -30- About the Police Association of Ontario (PAO): Founded in 1933, the Police Association of Ontario (PAO) is the official provincial representative body for over 28,000 sworn and civilian police personnel from 45 police associations across Ontario. A unifying voice for advocacy in policing, the PAO provides its member associations with representation, resource, and support. SAN FRANCISCO, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) congratulates director Scott Syphax on being named to the 2022 NACD Directorship 100 list, an annual recognition of influential peer-nominated directors and governance professionals by the National Association of Corporate Directors. Syphax joined the Board of Directors of FHLBank San Francisco in 2002 and was vice chair of the board from 2010 to 2012. He is the organizations longest-serving director. In addition to the FHLBank San Francisco board, he serves on the boards of the Sacramento Regional Community Foundation, ProAssurance Corp. and NORCAL Mutual Insurance Co. Syphax is CEO of Syphax Strategic Solutions Inc., a management consulting and business development firm in Elk Grove, California, that focuses on the real estate development, health care and community finance sectors. He previously served as CEO and chairman of Nehemiah Corporation of America, a community development corporation in Sacramento, and as manager of public affairs for Eli Lilly & Company. We are proud that Scott has been recognized by NACD for his leadership in the boardroom, said Simone Lagomarsino, chair of the FHLBank San Francisco Board of Directors. He is an indisputable asset to our board and our organization, and we truly value his wisdom, perspectives, sage advice and thoughtful approach. We congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition. Scott has consistently demonstrated excellence in the boardroom, and we are delighted to see his innovation, courage and integrity honored, said FHLBank San Francisco president and CEO Teresa Bryce Bazemore. His impact extends well beyond FHLBank San Francisco, as he has led a decades-long effort to open doors for diverse director candidates and help organizations enhance their governance and performance by harnessing the power of diversity and inclusion. Directorship 100 honorees will be recognized at the 2022 NACD Directorship 100 Awards Gala on June 22 in New York City and will be highlighted in the NACD Directorship magazines annual list of the Most Influential People in Boardrooms and Corporate Governance. In 2021, FHLBank San Franciscos board was among three winners of the NACD DE&I Award, which highlights forward-thinking boards that leverage the power of diversity, equity and inclusion to enhance their governance and create long-term value for their organizations and stakeholders. About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada strengthen communities, create opportunity and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions promote homeownership, expand access to quality housing and boost economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient. About NACD For more than 40 years, NACD has been on the leading edge of corporate governance, setting standards of excellence that have elevated board performance. NACD arms todays directors with insights and education that drive their mission forward, while preparing a new generation of boardroom leaders to meet tomorrows biggest challenges. NACD is a community of more than 23,000 directors driven by a common purpose: to be trusted catalysts of economic opportunity and positive change in businesses and in the communities they serve. To learn more about NACD, visit www.nacdonline.org. Vaughan, Ont., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) welcomes the Ontario Governments continued focussed investment in critical infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing province. The $25.1 billion in todays Ontario Budget for highway expansion rehabilitation, roads and bridges, including the Bradford Bypass and Highway 413, is crucial to keeping people and goods on the move across Ontario and the provinces long-term prosperity. These critical infrastructure investments reflect an understanding that we must start to build the infrastructure of tomorrow, today. said Nadia Todorova, Executive Director of RCCAO. By building the Bradford Bypass, Highway 413, and transit across the province, the government is acting with welcomed foresight in laying the foundation for Ontarios long-term continued economic development and prosperity." The prioritization of critical infrastructure from the Ontario Government will meaningfully address the infrastructure deficit caused by years of under-investment. Additionally, it lays the foundation to meet the demands of a growing province, while modernizing Ontarios transportation grid that includes both roads and public transit. The budgets allocation of $61.1 billion for transit will help grow transit-oriented communities in the provinces fastest growing regions. As the population of the province grows, demand will increase on all infrastructure, from transit, highways, roads, bridges, water and wastewater to housing. Inaction would have real consequences. Congestion already costs the Greater Toronto Area $11 billion per year in lost productivity. Todays budget ensures that the mistakes of the past are not repeated and infrastructure assets across Ontario will be built and maintained for everyones long-term prosperity. RCCAO is also pleased to see the province continue to support municipalities with the impacts of the pandemic on their operating budgets. The $316.2 million financial assistance matching the Federal Governments contribution for municipalities is crucial to ensure cities state-of-good-repair projects proceed without interruptions or cuts, said Nadia Todorova. RCCAO welcomes the governments continued focus on increasing housing supply in the province with the creation of Housing Supply Action Plans annually for the next four years. The housing crisis has a real cost for the people of Ontario. RCCAO will be a collaborative participant to see more homes built each and every year across the province. RCCAO members are ready to work to build critical infrastructure and housing to realize the prosperous future for the people of Ontario. ------------------------ RCCAO Executive Director Nadia Todorova is available for interviews. Background on RCCAO: The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) is a labour-management construction alliance. Since its formation in 2005, RCCAO has been a leading industry advocate for infrastructure investment. It has commissioned 60 independent, solutions-based research reports to help inform decision makers. www.rccao.com Attachment Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or for dissemination in the United States Toronto, Ontario, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avante Logixx Inc. (TSXV: XX) (OTC: ALXXF) (Avante or the Company) announces the grant of stock options to certain officers and directors of the Company for the purchase of up to 1,100,000 common shares of Avante, effective as of today. Emmanuel Mounouchos, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, has been granted options to acquire up to 800,000 common shares of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Companys 10% rolling stock option plan. Twenty-five percent of Mr. Mounouchos options will vest on the first anniversary of the date of the grant, at an exercise price of $0.88 per share. The remaining options vest as follows: (i) an additional 25% upon the second anniversary of the date of the grant, at an exercise price of $0.97 per share, (ii) an additional 25% upon the third anniversary of the date of the grant, at an exercise price of $1.07 per share, and (iii) an additional 25% upon the fourth anniversary of the date of the grant, at an exercise price of $1.18 per share. All of Mr. Mounouchos options have a term of five years from the date of grant. In addition, Leland Verner, Robert Klopot and Wesley Hall, each of whom are directors of the Company, have been granted options to acquire 100,000 common shares of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Companys 10% rolling stock option plan. The options granted to each of Mr. Verner, Mr. Klopot and Mr. Hall will have an exercise price of $0.88 per share, and will be fully vested immediately upon grant. All of the options granted to each of Mr. Verner, Mr. Klopot and Mr. Hall have a term of five years from the date of grant. About Avante Logixx Inc. Avante Logixx Inc. (TSXV: XX) is a Toronto based provider of high-end security services operating with two subsidiaries. Logixx Security supports enterprise customers across Canada, while Avante Security serves residential customers located in Toronto and Muskoka regions of Ontario, Canada. With experienced teams, a focus on customer service and development of innovative solutions, we remain committed to providing our shareholders with exceptional returns. Please visit our website at www.avantelogixx.com. Avante Logixx Inc. Emmanuel Mounouchos CEO 416 923 6984 manny@avantesecurity.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. GUADALAJARA, Mexico, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: PAC; BMV: GAP) (the Company or GAP) announces that in accordance with the resolution approved in the Annual General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting held on April 22, 2022, regarding the dividend payment of Ps.14.40 (FOURTEEN PESOS 40/100 M.N.) per each outstanding share, the Company decided to execute it in different installments. The first installment of the dividend payment will be equivalent to Ps. 7.20 (SEVEN PESOS 20/100 M.N.) per each outstanding share and will be paid on May 16, 2022. Company Description Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP) operates 12 airports throughout Mexicos Pacific region, including the major cities of Guadalajara and Tijuana, the four tourist destinations of Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, La Paz and Manzanillo, and six other mid-sized cities: Hermosillo, Guanajuato, Morelia, Aguascalientes, Mexicali and Los Mochis. In February 2006, GAPs shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PAC and on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GAP. In April 2015, GAP acquired 100% of Desarrollo de Concessioner Aeroportuarias, S.L., which owns a majority stake in MBJ Airports Limited, a company operating Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica. In October 2018, GAP entered into a concession agreement for the operation of the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica and took control of the operation in October 2019. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts and are based on managements current view and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance and financial results. The words anticipates, believes, estimates, expects, plans and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends or results will actually occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. In accordance with Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and article 42 of the Ley del Mercado de Valores, GAP has implemented a whistleblower program, which allows complainants to anonymously and confidentially report suspected activities that June involve criminal conduct or violations. The telephone number in Mexico, facilitated by a third party that is in charge of collecting these complaints, is 01 800 563 00 47. The web site is www.lineadedenuncia.com/gap . GAPs Audit Committee will be notified of all complaints for immediate investigation. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silver Bull Resources, Inc. (TSX: SVB, OTCQB: SVBL) (Silver Bull or the Company) is pleased to announce the detailed voting results of the proposals considered at its annual meeting of shareholders held on April 19, 2022 (the Meeting). A total of 15,598,424 or 44.49% of the Companys issued and outstanding shares were represented at the Meeting. The following nominees, as listed in Silver Bulls proxy statement, were re-elected as directors of the Company: Director Votes For % Withheld Votes % Brian Edgar 10,829,832 96.61% 379,569 3.39% Timothy Barry 10,827,432 96.59% 381,969 3.41% Daniel Kunz 10,830,821 96.62% 378,580 3.38% David Underwood 10,833,956 96.65% 375,445 3.35% Silver Bull is also pleased to announce that the Companys shareholders have ratified and approved the appointment of Smythe LLP, as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm, for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2022 (15,392,503 or 98.68% voted For, 20,101 or 0.13% voted Against and 185,812 or 1.19% abstained from voting). The Companys shareholders also voted to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of the Companys named executive officers (10,531,387 or 93.95% voted For, 568,766 or 5.07% voted Against, and 109,248 or 0.97% abstained from voting). Finally, a majority of the Company's disinterested shareholders voted to approve and adopt the Company's amendment to the 2019 stock option and stock bonus plan (10,442,723 or 93.16% voted "For", 677,334 or 6.04% voted "Against", and 89,344 or 0.80% abstained from voting) and all unallocated entitlements issuable thereunder (10,472,908 or 93.43% voted "For", 637,445 or 5.69% voted "Against", and 99,048 or 0.88% abstained from voting). Full details of the proposals are fully described in the Companys definitive proxy statement filed on February 25, 2022 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. About Silver Bull Silver Bulls primary asset is the Sierra Mojada deposit located in Coahuila, Mexico. Sierra Mojada is an open pittable oxide deposit with a NI 43-101 compliant Measured and Indicated global Mineral Resource of 70.4 million tonnes grading 3.4% zinc and 38.6 g/t silver for 5.35 billion pounds of contained zinc and 87.4 million ounces of contained silver. Included within the global Mineral Resource is a Measured and Indicated high grade zinc zone of 13.5 million tonnes with an average grade of 11.2% zinc at a 6% cutoff, for 3.336 billion pounds of contained zinc, and a Measured and Indicated high grade silver zone of 15.2 million tonnes with an average grade of 114.9 g/t silver at a 50 g/t cutoff for 56.3 million contained ounces of silver. Mineralization remains open in the east, west, and northerly directions. The constraining pit was optimised and calculated using a NSR cut-off based on a silver price of US$15/oz, and a zinc price of US$1.20/lb and assumed a recovery for silver of 75% and a recovery for zinc of 41%. Approximately 60% of the current 3.2 kilometer mineralized body is at or near surface before dipping at around 6 degrees to the east. CATEGORY TONNES (MT) AG (G/T) CU (%) PB (%) ZN (%) AG (MOZS) CU (MLBS) PB (MLBS) ZN (MLBS) MEASURED 52.0 39.2 0.04% 0.3% 4.0% 65.5 45.9 379.1 4,589.3 INDICATED 18.4 37.0 0.03% 0.2% 1.9% 21.9 10.8 87.0 764.6 TOTAL M&I 70.4 38.6 0.04% 0.3% 3.4% 87.4 56.8 466.1 5,353.9 INFERRED 0.1 8.8 0.02% 0.2% 6.4% 0.02 0.04 0.4 10.7 For a full summary of the Sierra Mojada resource, please refer to Silver Bulls press release dated October 31, 2018 and filed on its profile at www.SEDAR.com , or by visiting the following link: https://www.silverbullresources.com/news/silver-bull-resources-announces-5.35-billion-pounds-zinc-87.4-million-ounces-silver-in-updated-sierra-mojada-measured-and/ The technical information of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Barry, a Chartered Professional Geologist (CPAusIMM), and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors Tim Barry Tim Barry, CPAusIMM Chief Executive Officer, President and Director INVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 info@silverbullresources.com Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms measured resources, indicated resources, and inferred resources which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. We advise U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Disclosure of contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101. Cautionary note regarding forward looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Silver Bulls and Arrass future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the Mineral Resource estimates for the Sierra Mojada projects and the development of the project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Silver Bulls and Arrass exploration projects, the industry in which Silver Bull operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Silver Bulls management. Words such as expects, anticipates, targets, goals, projects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, continues, may, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, including such factors as whether managements focus will be as described in this news release, the results of exploration activities and whether the results continue to support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption Risk Factors in Silver Bulls Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the interim period ended January 31, 2022, and our other periodic and current reports filed with the SEC and available on www.sec.gov and with the Canadian securities commissions available on www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Costa Mesa, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costa Mesa, California - Costa Mesa, CA The Hulu drama series Dopesick is a harrowing look at the beginnings of the opioid crisis in America. It traces the situation to a pharmaceutical companys high-pressure marketing campaigns that hooked countless pain patients and brought many of them to tragic endings. The series takes the usual liberties that most docu-dramas do, such as creating fictional characters from facts that apply to various real people, but its most important elements are, unfortunately, all too true. Resurgence Behavioral Health, a California addiction treatment center fighting the opioid epidemic on the front lines, welcomes Hulus contribution to raising awareness of the current crisis. The hit series has also been praised by families who have lost loved ones, many of whom were only seeking relief from intense physical pain but fell victim to addiction. Released in 2021, the limited series is based on the book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy. It argues that pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, made billions of dollars by deliberately promoting the false claim that their OxyContin painkiller was harmless that only 1 percent of users would get addicted to it. Over the course of the series, the Sacklers and the employees are shown ratcheting up the OxyContin campaign as more and more users have their lives ruined by addiction. At the same time, it dramatizes the U.S. Department of Justices long and often frustrating criminal investigation of Purdue Pharma. The Sacklers have consistently denied any personal responsibility for the opioid addiction crisis, claiming they acted lawfully and ethically. They have continued to insist on their lack of responsibility even as they agreed to a settlement reached in March 2022. The agreement calls for them to pay as much as $6 billion to states and individual claimants for the damage their product inflicted. Real people portrayed in the series include members of the Sackler family and the federal investigators. Other characters are fictional but represent real situations. They include pain patients who began taking OxyContin for severe physical pain but quickly become crushed by addiction. One is a young mine worker, one of many residents of the Appalachia region who the series presents as particular targets of the OxyContin campaign. Another is her doctor, played by Michael Keaton, who unwittingly contributed to his patients addictions by prescribing the drug for their intense pain. The doctor eventually begins taking it himself for an injury in a car accident and becomes addicted. Producers of the series have said they were determined to portray Appalachia and its people accurately and fairly, aware of the many inaccurate stereotypes often presented about the region. They say they did extensive research for all portrayals, speaking in detail with people from small towns who were struggling with opioid use disorder. They also consulted a doctor who had been addicted to OxyContin, whose experience helped inform Keatons character, Dr. Samuel Finnix. The series includes segments following Dr. Finnix into drug rehab after he loses his medical license due to his addiction. These episodes accurately depict the desperation that brings many addicts to finally seek help and offer a realistic view of the rehab experience. Resurgence Behavioral Health offers comprehensive treatment for substance-use disorders involving alcohol, drugs, and prescription painkillers and for associated mental health issues. Anyone searching for addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one may begin the process of recovery by visiting Resurgence Behavioral Health online or calling 855-458-0050. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzrLrUG2QVk ### For more information about Resurgence Alcohol & Drug Rehab Costa Mesa, contact the company here: Resurgence Alcohol & Drug Rehab Costa Mesa +19498996003 Fort Lauderdale, April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Fort Lauderdale, FL Addiction can be a dark and lonely place, and its easy to lose hope. But even when a person feels theyve lost the battle, everything can change, and hope returns. That was the experience of a Fort Lauderdale woman who found sobriety after 10 years of struggling. She was so grateful she wrote a heartfelt 5-star review of the treatment center where she found success. Amy achieved her long-sought recovery at Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, an addiction treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I cant say enough phenomenal things about this place, Amy wrote about Serenity Oaks. Going through their program gave me my life back. I had lived in a fog for over a decade and felt like I had no hope. From the time I walked through the door, I was treated with respect and compassion by every staff member. Serenity Oaks Wellness treats many different addictions involving both drugs and alcohol. The goal is to help clients clarify the source of their addiction, look at the habits and influences that led to their using drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms, and find new healthier patterns. Treatment is customized according to the nature of the misused substance, whether thats alcohol, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, or prescription drugs. Therapy is also offered for dual diagnosis, in which substance abuse is accompanied by an underlying mental or emotional disorder. Many clients also are admitted for poly-drug use, combining multiple substances at once. The program takes a comprehensive approach to addiction treatment. Like many others, it integrates medical and behavioral modalities but adds life skills and recreational therapy to cover all of the clients needs: physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Its treatment specialists know that dependence affects all aspects of the clients life and must be addressed holistically. For Amy, the most valuable element of Serenity Oaks was the treatment team she worked with there. It is truly a team effort there, she wrote. From the therapists to all the behavioral techs, nurses, and everyone I encountered there, they all contributed to my recovery. Bella was my assigned therapist, but I had many others that always had their door open for me. Bella was wonderful and will always have a special place in my heart. Honestly, there are so many staff members there that I will never forget. Team truly describes the philosophy at Serenity Oaks Wellness. Here, clients and staff work together as one community. They walk each clients journey together, creating a peaceful, fulfilling life free of chemical or alcoholic stimulation. In this judgment-free zone, clients can focus on their recovery and know that they have partners who are there to help them succeed. Serenity Oaks physical facilities are a crucial part of the recovery process. They are located on 7.5 acres of naturally landscaped grounds, which creates an atmosphere of tranquility essential to recovery. Deluxe accommodations with comfortable amenities are not just pampering luxuries; they enable clients to focus on their recovery, feel positive about themselves, and see that a sober life can be a happy one. For Amy, everything about Serenity Oaks Wellness was a positive experience. Dont waste time trying to beat addiction on your own, she urged. Take advantage of this place. Take it from someone who was terrified and didnt want to admit that I needed help, and trust them. You wont regret it! For more information on drug or alcohol addiction treatment, including related emotional or psychological disorders, visit Serenity Oaks Wellness Center or call (833) 720-0708. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tf1x2wT_RA ### For more information about Serenity Oaks Wellness Center, contact the company here: Serenity Oaks Wellness Center (954) 289-9980 4200 SW 54th Ct, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 Following a three-month feasibility study, Aviation H2an Australian-owned company seeking to achieve net-zero emissions in the aerospace sector through green hydrogenhas selected the use of liquid ammonia to turbofan combustion as the best route to carbon-free flight and will soon start modifying turbofan engines to test and prove the concept. The company, which is launching a $500,000 capital raise via the online platform VCEX to fund the construction of its first modification prototype, says the results from their studies were very positive. Their research shows that converting a Falcon 50 to Liquid Ammonia Turbofan Combustion is the most efficient and commercially viable avenue to building a hydrogen-powered plane. The companys team of engineers say they now have a clear pathway to having Australias first hydrogen-fuelled aircraft in the skies by the middle of 2023. By implementing this power path, Aviation H2 can fly aircraft with hydrogen fuel using significantly less weight than alternative power paths while generating the same amount of power. There are multiple reasons why liquid ammonia was selected. Chiefly its advantages include high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen density that makes it lighter and easier to transport while providing a greater energy conversion rate. In fact, the stored weight of liquid ammonia energy is substantially lighter than gaseous hydrogen and can be kept at a much lower tank pressure. Aviation H2 Director, Dr Helmut Mayer Dr Mayer says this is supported by anhydrous ammonia reaching liquification point quicker, which makes it a lot simpler to store when compared to liquid or gasified hydrogen. Additionally, worldwide transportation and handling of liquid ammonia has been around for many years, making ammonia as a carbon-free fuel even more appealing. The company has selected the Dassault Falcon 50 business jeta long-ranged international business charter jet aircraftfor the flight test. The jet has three engines, of which only two are required for flight, allowing the third engine to be used to test a smaller engine modified to use liquid ammonia before moving on to modify the main engines. Aviation H2 Directors Dr Helmut Mayer & Christof Mayer inspecting a Falcon 50 engine. Falcon 50s also have a larger weight capacity, reducing the risk posed by weight challenges. The costs for the test program are no larger than when using a smaller and newer type of jet. They are also relatively common in Australia, meaning there is a time-saving in getting the aircraft ready for testing. Falcon 50 in flight. The company believes making use of current technologies and infrastructure will be important to future customers because it allows them to modify the aircraft they have already invested in, rather than buy a whole new fleet. Once the test flight is successful in the middle of 2023, Aviation H2 will have a patentable method for modifying aircraft so they operate on carbon-free fuel. They will quickly seek to certify and commercialise this product via a planned public listing on a major exchange in Q4 of 2023. The contract between the city and City Administrator Reed Clevenger is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, according to documents reviewed by the Green River Star. Clevenger has been Green Rivers city administrator for seven years, having been originally hired in 2015 after working as executive director of the Sweetwater One Foundation in Rock Springs. The current contract was approved in 2018. Councilman Gary Killpack said he and Mayor Pete Rust have talked about Clevengers contract. He said the process allows the mayor to renew the contract without immediate approv... Green River Police Department reports for April 17 At 11:40 a.m., officers responded to a report of trespassing at Club 86 Lounge and Liquor. Officers met with staff who requested to have two individuals trespassed from the property. Officers attempted to locate the individuals, later met with one of the individuals who had returned to the establishment, escorted them from the property, issued the trespass warning, and completed a report of the incident. April 18 At 3:11 a.m., officers observed an individual believed to have an active warrant at Maverick. Officers confirmed the warrant an... A number of incumbents have announced their intent to seek re-election to county offices. Long-serving Sweetwater County Coroner Dale Majhanovich announced he would seek another term last week. Majhanovich, a Democrat, has served as the county coroner since 1993 and was first appointed Deputy Sweetwater County Coroner in 1982. Majhanovich is a Rock Springs native, having graduated from Rock Springs High School and attended Western Wyoming Community College and San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. He received his Wyoming State Embalmers License in 1979. He is a member of the Wyoming Co... Bonnie Macy, 72 passed away Friday, April 22, 2022 at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Mrs. Macy was a life-long resident of Rock Springs. She was born July 13, 1949 in Rock Springs, Wyoming; the daughter of Albert Branch and Viola Muniz. Mrs. Macy attended schools in Rock Springs, Wyoming and was a 1968 graduate of Rock Springs High School. She married Tim Macy on May 2, 1969 in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Mrs. Macy worked for the Sweetwater County School District #1 for many years until her retirement in 1994 as a Teacher's Aide. She was a member of the Holy Sp... Barbara Smith, a retired English instructor and poet, reads from her recently-published book "Putting a Name on It" during a reading Friday at Western Wyoming Community College. "People stop along the highway to outline names in rock against the alkali sand and salt. A rock might anchor a name in this wind and shifting light." Barbara Smith read these lines from her poem "Putting a Name on It" to a room full of people at Western Wyoming Community College last Friday night. The poem is also the namesake of Smith's newly released book - her first full-length poetry collection. Smith taught at Western for 38 years, was chair of the Humanities Division, and directed the Wesswick Lecture Series in the Arts and Education, bringing almost 100 visiting writers to campus,... Rosy Rivera, Yamid Castaneda and Patricia Parra swirl their skirts during a traditional Mexican dance as part of International Night. Manami Kinjo was busy last Wednesday night - performing the Japanese love song "Cherry" along with Nana Ito, wearing a traditional Japanese kimono as part of a fashion show, and generally supervising and helping ensure the annual International Night event ran smoothly. Kinjo is the current president of Western Wyoming Community College's International Club, which hosts International Night at the Rock Springs campus every spring. She decided to become president because of the impact the club had on her when she left Japan to study at Western. "When I came here, the International Club helped... Eleven streets of Green River's Rancho Subdivision, south of the Green River and east of Uinta Drive, were named for servicemen who died during the course of their military service in World War II or the Korean War. The streets originally bore names that included those of explorers and pioneers such as Ashley, Powell, and Bridger, but in 1952 the Green River Town Council passed an ordinance that changed them to those of servicemen who died while serving in the armed forces from 1942 to 1945, plus one soldier who was killed in Korea in 1951. The men, in alphabetical order, were: Paul Andre... A Norwalk resident and mixologist appeared on Paramount's "Bar Rescue" on Sunday night. Chantel Anderson, 31, has been specializing in creating signature cocktails and mocktails for six years. She travels and trains bartenders, bar staff and does consultant work for bars and restaurants to create their drink menu for her own company, Bar Juicy. She learned her craft by joining the "Diageo Learning Skills For Life Programme," where she learned how to bartend and was able to start a new career. "This program was for people who were currently in hardship. I was living in Norwalk housing at the time and to me this was more than just a new skill to learn. I wanted to find something where I can show off my personality," she said. Contributed / Chantel Anderson Bar Rescue is a series in which host Jon Taffer visits struggling bars around the country and revamps them for success. Last year, Anderson reached out to Taffer on all social media platforms and kept him in the loop on everything she was working on. She has been a fan of the show and was fascinated and inspired by his knowledge on transforming the food and drink industry. "He left me on seen for about four months," she said. "One day, I sent him a project I did for Diageo 'The Future of Mixology' and he sent me his email address." Three weeks later, Anderson received a call from the show's production team for an interview to be the mixology expert for an upcoming episode. "It took about six weeks but I got a call saying they had a bar in Atlanta that needs rescuing and they thought I'd be a good fit due to my resume and the fact I was in Atlanta for two months during COVID also," she said. On Sunday's episode, Fredericka Jones, owner of "Sandtown Pub," decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a bar and opened it in her hometown of Atlanta. She believed she could use her knowledge and experience in the fast-food industry to be successful in the bar industry. She sunk her life savings into opening the bar but then learned the bar business is nothing like the fast-food industry. "They were known to be a chicken spot, so culinary expert Jason Santos and myself worked together to see what our theme would be. I wanted to give the cocktails a southern comfort feel that would work with the food menu and theme of the restaurant," Anderson said. The main drink the show highlighted was "The Rosa," which contains vodka, lemonade, blue curacao, agave and is garnished with cotton candy. Anderson said she was inspired by a mural "Sandtown Pub" had honoring African American women that was kept during the remodel. The mural shows Rosa Parks, Breonna Taylor and others. Anderson said being on the show was an amazing experience and she "can't wait to see what's next for her and Bar Juicy." The forced experiment of allowing local boards and commissions to meet virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic has been deemed a success worth continuing by the Connecticut General Assembly. The Senate gave final passage Wednesday to a bill giving local boards and commissions the option to continue meeting remotely, as is currently allowed by an emergency pandemic law that expires on May 1. Im particularly happy weve had this experiment forced on us, said Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Windham, the bills lead sponsor as the co-chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee. Flexer, a working mother, said the ability to participate remotely as a member of the public or as a public official allows local government to embrace the same flexibility adopted by many businesses as a new normal. Her happiness was not universally shared. Opponents, most of whom say they welcome remote participation as an element of public meetings, objected to the notion that local meetings could move out of town hall entirely and exist only on the web. The debate is whether or not we are going to allow local government to stop having in-person meetings, said Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, the ranking Republican on the GAE committee. That is the issue. The Senate voted 25-11 for passage for House Bill 5269, with two Republicans, Sens. Paul Formica of East Lyme and Kevin Witkos of Canton, joining all 23 Democrats in support. The House voted 101-40 for passage on April 13, with eight Republicans in support. Sampson said the ability to participate remotely in meetings has expanded public participation, but it should continue as an adjunct to in-person meetings and not a replacement. Flexer replied that it would be a local decision made by every board and commission. The bill is simply permissive, she said. It allows public entities to meet and operate remotely if they so choose. NEWTOWN Parents of two slain Sandy Hook boys and a Norwalk native who won defamation suits against Alex Jones in Texas have joined Newtown families who won a suit in Connecticut to urge a federal judge to dismiss Jones bankruptcy filings. In court papers filed one day after attorneys for the Sandy Hook families in Connecticut asked a federal judge to dismiss Jones bad faith bankruptcies, attorneys for four Sandy Hook parents and man falsely accused by of being the shooter in a Florida high school massacre filed their own motions to dismiss Jones bankruptcies, arguing, the purpose of the bankruptcy code is to afford the honest but unfortunate debtor a fresh start, not to shield those who abuse the bankruptcy process in order to avoid paying their debts. There are no honest debtors here, and there are certainly parties that are attempting to abuse the bankruptcy process, wrote attorneys for defamation victims in Texas, where the first of three trials to award damages was set to begin Monday before Jones sought bankruptcy for three entities he controls. The bankruptcy is nothing more than a transparent attempt to evade the impending jury trials and resulting judgments in both Texas and Connecticut, and avoid the need for transparency relating to Jones and Free Speech Systems ability to pay what they rightfully owe to their victims. Federal Judge Christopher Lopez has called all sides to a conference on Friday in Southern Texas Bankruptcy Court. It was not clear on Thursday how soon Lopez would rule on the Sandy Hook families motions or how soon the judge would rule on Jones three bankruptcy cases, which the judge refused to sanction at the first bankruptcy hearing last week. For Jones part, the emergency motions to dismiss his cases by Sandy Hook families dont give him adequate time to respond, his lead attorney wrote to the judge this week. Here, the Connecticut (families) filed their emergency motion less than 72 hours before the time that they seek a hearing, wrote Jones attorney Kyung Lee. A hearing on the requested time frame does not comport with due process. Lee argued last week that bankruptcy is a fitting and proper venue for Jones, who has suffered financially since he called the 2012 shooting of 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors. To date, Jones has spent $10 million in legal fees and has lost $20 million in product sales because of the defamation cases in Texas and Connecticut, Jones representatives said in court. Jones himself did not file for bankruptcy for fear it would damage his reputation in the conspiracy theory community and further hurt his ability to sell products to his listeners, his representatives added. Jones has proposed using the bankruptcy system to set up a trust to fund defamation damages. Since two of his entities seeking Chapter 11 protection have no cash and the third entity has an income of only $38,000 per month, Jones has proposed to fund the settlement trust himself, staring with $10 million. Attorneys for the Sandy Hook parents in Texas argued that plan amounts to nothing more than an impermissible litigation tactic establishing the debtors bad faith. Had these (Jones-controlled entities) truly been interested in assuring payment in full of all claims, they could have allowed the state court proceedings to advance to trial, determine the total pool of damages suffered by all of the victims, and then filed bankruptcy petitions if the judgment debtors assets were insufficient to satisfy the judgments, the parents attorneys wrote. Instead, Jones has orchestrated a bankruptcy proceeding designed to evade facing any jury, minimize damages, and limit any transparency into his finances and wherewithal to pay judgments against him and his companies. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 Susan Walsh/AP WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will travel next month to South Korea and Japan, his first trip to Asia since taking office last year, to consult with allies on growing threats from China and North Korea. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the May 20-24 trip Wednesday. Both allies host significant U.S. military contingents, and the trip comes as North Korea has escalated its nuclear missile testing and China has grown more assertive in the region. House lawmakers on Wednesday approved their own package of childrens mental health care initiatives to supplement a $25 million expansion of pediatric, school-based and other mental health services passed by the Senate this week. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, House Speaker Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, said the House bill included even more money as much as $35 million to fund a bi-partisan list of health care priorities, spanning more than 90 pages. The legislation passed the House by a unanimous vote of 149-0, sending it to the Senate. Among the dozens of provision included in the bill are authorization to use federal COVID-19 relief funding to deliver mental health services at schools and colleges, new screening tools for school districts to determine when mental health is contributing to chronic absenteeism, support for peer-to-peer support programs and new funding for the suicide prevention hotline. The bill would also establish a pilot program in Waterbury to open a federally qualified health clinic where youths can receive intensive outpatient treatment for mental health services. It would also require the state Department of Public Health to develop a plan for establishing a license reciprocity program to attract behavioral health care providers who are licensed in other states to practice in Connecticut. I can honestly say that I firmly believe that there has never been such transformative legislation that attempts to get to all those things at once, said state Rep. Liz Linehan, D-Cheshire, the co-chair of the legislatures Childrens Committee. When combined with Senate legislation and a third bill to expand physical and mental health services in schools, lawmakers say their investments in childhood mental health care this session could reach $100 million. The issue has been cited as a priority for members of both parties, who point to the surge in pediatric patients seeking treatment for mental and behavioral issues at Connecticut hospitals during the pandemic. In March 2021, for example, Yale New Haven Health reported that 42 percent of its pediatric patients had screened at high risk for suicide, up from 16 to 20 percent of patients the previous year, according to the CT Mirror. While there were mental health issues prior to the pandemic, the issues have been exacerbated and the gaps have been highlighted as a result, said state Rep, Tammy Exum, D-West Hartford. During several hours of debate over the legislation on Wednesday, Republicans sought to lay some of the blame for rising mental health needs among children with the COVID-19 mitigation strategies, such as requiring facemasks and shifting to remote learning early in the pandemic. Our kids, in my opinion, have been done a tremendous disservice in the last 18 months, said state Rep. Greg Howard, R-Stonington. "I guess its water under the bridge now, but the problem is our kids are where they are and I think that we owe it to them as a state for what we have done to them. State Rep. Kimberly Fiorello, R-Greenwich, also voted for the bill, but only after she expressed strong reservations about its scope and last-minute changes that were adopted as the House began its debate Wednesday. I dont have any faith that all of these things in this bill will actually be accounted for and that we will sunset programs that dont work, Fiorello said. Rather, Im concerned that theyll just keep going and all the new people hired will keep going on, and we have just put in motion this machine of government on the topic of childrens mental health. Exum, a mother of three who serves as deputy majority leader, ended the lengthy debate on Wednesday with a personal story of her experience taking a young family member for treatment for an eating disorder at Connecticut Childrens Hospital during the pandemic only to find overcrowded with children seeking care for other mental health issues. They dont have places to put them because theyre not stable, I saw it, Exum said. And when it was time for me to get my loved one out, we were supposed to have someone meet us at our home and put together a plan. No one showed up. The reason for the delay, she said, was because of a lack of the kind of intensive outpatient treatment services in Connecticut similar to those that would be offered under the Waterbury pilot program. That program, which would begin in October, would serve as an alternative to inpatient treatment for children with severe mental health issues, allowing them to go to school and participate in other daily activities. Linehan said Waterbury was chosen due to its central location in the state. If successful, lawmakers said it could serve as the basis for the expansion of similar programs in other areas of the state. Staff writer Ken Dixon contributed to this story. GREENWICH Elementary physical education teachers at Greenwich Public Schools once again are leading Orienteering Adventure Days, an interdisciplinary project that blends fitness, map reading, and team building skills. PE teachers, staff from Camp Seton Scout Reservation, and all fifth graders from the 11 elementary schools of GPS will participate in a day of adventure this week. The event is designed to give students the opportunity to meet and interact with those students who will be in their sixth grade class in middle school next year. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexicos government on Thursday proposed a dramatic overhaul of the nation's electoral system and the agency that oversees it one of the countrys most trusted institutions. It would reduce the size of Congress and state legislatures while having the federal elections board chosen by voters, potentially adding a higher degree of politics to what has been an independent body. The proposal also would reduce federal funding of political parties and spending on elections in general a repeated target of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has often feuded with the National Electoral Institute. The proposals presented by Lopez Obrador and several members of his Cabinet would create a new federal elections authority to replace the institute, as well as eliminating similar state-level bodies. There is no intention of imposing a single party, Lopez Obrador said. What we want is that there is a true democracy in the country and that electoral frauds end ... to leave a true democratic state established. But the path for what will surely be a controversial reform package would be difficult. Lopez Obradors party and its allies do not have the two-thirds majority in Congress required to make constitutional changes. The main opposition parties have already said they oppose such changes. Another major constitutional reform proposed by the president, to shake up the energy sector, fell well short of the votes needed last week. Lopez Obrador appeared to acknowledge that the proposed reforms are unlikely to pass. He called on the Congress to study each element of the proposal, make the public aware and then decide. He said it was his responsibility to present it even if it's not approved. Even if Lopez Obrador is unable to pass his constitutional reform, he could again cut funding to the electoral institute in his next budget, which could put the 2024 presidential elections at risk. Lopez Obrador has spent decades battling electoral authorities. He considers himself a victim of electoral fraud on multiple occasions, though it was the National Electoral Institute that confirmed his landslide presidential victory in 2018. The proposals would reduce the number of legislators in the lower chamber of Congress from 500 to 300 and senators from 128 to 96 by eliminating at-large lawmakers. Those are not directly elected by voters, but appear on party lists and get seats based on their partys proportion of the vote. Political parties would only receive public funding during campaigns rather than yearly, as they do now. Rules against officials and agencies promoting their programs during campaign seasons would be eased. Currently, even many government websites are inactivated during campaigns. Lopez Obradors administration argues that the changes would save Mexico $1.2 billion and allow citizens to select honest people to run elections. Georgina de la Fuente, a member of the Latin American Political Reform Observatory, termed the proposals very unfortunate and said they represented important setbacks in some areas. There are things that could be perfected, she said, but there are a lot of good practices that work and work well. Lorenzo Cordova, the president of the National Electoral Institute, said as much in an interview with Nexos magazine that he shared Thursday via Twitter. He said there are things that can be improved like reducing the money given to political parties and implementing electronic voting, but stressed there must be consensus among the parties or there will be mistrust. De la Fuente said moving toward a centralized election system not only goes against international trends, but contradicts the executives objective to make elections cheaper, because eliminating state level electoral bodies will only transfer the costs, not eliminate them. The idea of a popular vote for election officials has been panned before by academics. They contend the people in those positions must be experts and having them voted in could lead to political bias in the way elections are run. To think that an electorate so varied and so uninformed would have the ability to select electoral council members and magistrates is pure demagogy and pretense, said Clara Jusidman, founder of the nongovernmental organization Citizen Initiative and Social Development. She said those in power would steer their supporters to vote for who they wanted. Several of the proposals would undo or loosen reforms that helped Mexico break free of the single-party domination that lasted from 1929 to 2000. The at-large legislators were created to give smaller parties representation in Congress initially largely symbolic -- at a time when the Institutional Revolutionary Party had an iron grip on elections and rarely recognized any opposition victories. The independent electoral agency was created by a series of reforms in the 1990s following public outcry over alleged fraud in the 1988 presidential election, which like earlier votes had been run by the federal Interior Department. That helped lead to an opposition party victory in the 2000 presidential election. Nothing today announced that it is releasing its Nothing Launcher for other Android devices on the Google Play Store. The Nothing Launcher, currently in beta, is very similar to a no-nonsense stock Android launcher. It features a set of standard circular app icons and a single custom wallpaper. For those who like to use widgets, the launcher comes with two, a clock and a weather widget. Both feature the same dot matrix typography as Nothing's branding and both can be had with a clear or black background. The launcher also includes an interesting feature called Max Icons and Max Folders. You can press and hold on any icon or app folder on the homescreen and click a button to supersize it. This makes the icon or folder go from a 1x1 size to 3x3. Nothing says the launcher will be available on Samsung Galaxy S21 and S22 series, Google Pixel 5, and Google Pixel 6 series, with OnePlus support coming later. However, we were able to install and run the launcher on a OnePlus 10 Pro just fine. You can download the launcher from the link below. Additional wallpapers and ringtones by Teenage Engineering can be downloaded here. Download The Samsung Galaxy M51 was long overdue to get Google's latest OS, but, on the other hand, this is almost a two-year-old mid-range handset, so kudos to Samsung for pushing a second major update. Anyway, the handset is reportedly getting Android 12 in Russia with build number M515FXXU4DVD1 and it will likely hit other markets pretty soon. That's how the company usually distributes updates. It's worth noting that this is pretty much the end of the road for the Galaxy M51 in terms of major firmware updates. The device won't be getting Android 13, although it will continue to receive essential monthly security patches from Google for another year. Source A man allegedly tried to kidnap a woman who was carrying a child. Phillip Andre Barcinas Torre, 31, was charged in the Superior Court of Guam in connection to a kidnapping attempt on April 21, according to court documents. The woman, known to Torre, is accusing him of pushing her into his car while she was dropping off a child at her home. When she tried to resist, Torre pulled her hair and pushed her into the car again, charging documents state. Torre was able to get the woman in the car and ran to the drivers side of the vehicle. The woman was able to get out of the car before Torre ran back to stop her, documents state. Another woman who came out to see what was happening, was met by Torre who said, Anyone who wants to get involved, lets do it, according to court documents. The kidnapped woman was then able to get out of the car and ran into her home before Torre approached her and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend, documents state. The woman told police it was not the first time Torre was violent toward her. A review of surveillance footage showed there was an argument between Torre and the woman, and that Torre put his arm around the womans shoulder and neck and started pushing her into the car. He continued to do so even as the woman resisted. According to the court documents, the woman was seen carrying a child throughout the entire incident. Torre was charged with attempted kidnapping as a first-degree felony, two counts of terrorizing as third-degree felonies and family violence as a misdemeanor. The U.S. Supreme Court needs to decide if the Insular Cases should be overruled, according to a petition filed Thursday with the court, asking it to hear a territorial rights case related to citizenship in American Samoa. The high court, which typically rejects about 97% of petitions, is expected to decide later this year whether to hear the appeal in Fitisemanu v. United States. The Insular Cases are a series of race-based U.S. Supreme Court rulings from the early 1900s that have been used to deny access to federal programs, voting rights and equal rights to people living in U.S. territories. The cases describe the territories as home to alien races and savage people. Justice Neil Gorsuch, in a Supreme Court opinion issued last week, said he hopes the day comes soon when the Supreme Court overrules the Insular Cases. The Fitisemanu case, which involves the question of whether people born in American Samoa are U.S. citizens, is an appropriate vehicle for the Supreme Court to overrule the Insular Cases, Fitisemanus petition states, because a federal appeals court used the Insular Cases to make its decision in the case. Utah resident John Fitisemanu, who was born in American Samoa, sued in March 2018 to be recognized as a U.S. citizen, citing the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. Unlike residents of other U.S. territories, those born in American Samoa are considered U.S. nationals instead of U.S. citizens because Congress never authorized birthright citizenship for American Samoa. The American Samoa government opposes birthright U.S. citizenship, citing concerns related to cultural preservation and self-determination. Fitisemanu won his case in the Utah district court, but lost in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which in June 2021 ruled that it is up to Congress to decide whether to grant birthright citizenship to American Samoa. This ongoing denial of citizenship imposes significant harms which fall disproportionately on those who relocate from American Samoa to other parts of the United States, Fitisemanus petition states. They are considered second-class citizens who are unable to vote, even if they live in the states, the petition states. It asks the Supreme Court to consider the question: Whether persons born in the United States territories are entitled to birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendments Citizenship Clause, including whether the Insular Cases should be overruled. Fitisemanus legal team includes civil rights attorney Neil Weare, a former Guam resident. Weare is president and founder of Equally American, which advocates for equal rights for residents of the U.S. territories. The Insular Cases are a stain on the Supreme Court, and it is gratifying to see Supreme Court justices begin to acknowledge that directly, Weare said Thursday. Lawmakers on Thursday discussed Bill 197, a measure that would provide $5 million to the University of Guam for two new construction projects. UOG already has secured a $21.7 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay for a new School of Engineering building and a new student services center. But according to Sen. Joe San Agustin, sponsor of the bill, the university will be shouldering the increase in construction due to the increase in price and materials, manpower and other construction costs. UOG also is racing against a five-year timeline to use the loans, which were issued in 2020, but building projects cant proceed until local funding is guaranteed, San Agustin said. The University of Guam has been trying to get the student services center and other School of Engineering buildings constructed for about a decade, he said. The current student center is outdated, and services cant be provided because of a lack of space, while engineering students have complained that they dont have proper instructional resources, he added. UOGs Board of Regents approved a full School of Engineering in 2016, and a full Bachelor of Science in civil engineering program three years later, but the new school is still without a building. We did graduate the first 12 engineers in December, and we have more coming this next month, and weve got a couple hundred students in the program. So were moving ahead, UOG President Thomas Krise told lawmakers. Currently, the school is looking to be accredited with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and the facility is really important to getting that done, Krise said. The student services center has a contractor locked in and the engineering building has a final bid due on May 20. This is the last step, so once we begin we can lock in the project and then we can proceed, said Krise. Bill 197 would take $5 million from the General Fund, which is on track to collect an excess of $68 million in revenue this fiscal year. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero observes as war survivor Jesus Reyes Garrido, 83, pays respects to the memory of his father, Ramon Garrido Garrido, at the Tinta massacre site in Malesso on July 15, 2019. Haiti - FLASH : At least 20 civilians killed in gang fighting zones Since Sunday, April 24, 2022, the "400 mawozo" Gang which controls Croix-des-Bouquets has been facing the rival "Chen Mechan" Gang which controls the areas of Croix-des-Missions and Butte Boyer. The men of "400 mawozo" are trying to regain control of territory lost in 2018 to the benefit of "Chen Mechan", in particular Butte Boyer. According to the latest reports from the Directorate of Civil Protection at least 20 civilians were killed between 24 and 26 April, including a family of 8, three young women and three children. As of April 26, "Medecins Sans Frontieres France" had already received 22 injured people in its hospital in Tabarre. No less than a dozen houses were burned down, particularly in the Marecage and Butte Boyer neighborhoods. The information collected from the affected people indicates that the majority of the population of the neighborhoods of Tabarre 16, Tabarre 14, Impasse Bellevue and Aquafine have fled their homes. Civil Protection specifies that all this information has not yet been verified due to the complexity of access to combat zones... Several hundred people from Butte Boyer, Croix-des-Missions, Marecage and Mapou were forced to leave their homes between 24 and 27 April following violent armed clashes between the "400 Mawozo" and "Chen Mechan" gangs in Cross of the Bouquets Residents including from Butte Boyer and Santo 17 took refuge in a public square in Clercine and the Town Hall of Tabarre. Sleeping in makeshift shelters the displaced, exposed to the risk of gender-based violence for women, girls and children... Businesses, stores and schools in the areas of confrontation have all closed. The conflict zone is highly strategic for the Gangs because it allows control of road access to the northern half of the country as well as between the Haitian capital and the Dominican Republic. In this context, access to the North departments of North, North-West, North-East and Artibonite and the Dominican Republic by RN#1 and RN#3 is currently compromised, which risks further isolate the capital since the national road 2 linking the southern departments is already under the control of armed gangs. Note that the confrontation zone is located a few hundred meters north of Toussaint Louverture International Airport and that earlier this week a stray bullet hit the helicopter of the United Nation Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) which was on the tarmac of Guy Malary domestic airport, adjacent to the international airport. The Haitian authorities and the National Police of Haiti (PNH) have made no statement on this gang war that paralyzes all activity in the North of Port-au-Prince nor provided any assessment... The Citizen Protection Office (OPC) "denounces the silence of the authorities" in the face of the violence of armed gangs in the area of the plain of the cul-de-sac and "condemns the inaction of the current leaders which translates, in many ways, a form of cynicism or contempt for human rights, particularly the right to life and security." The OPC believes that the conflict is likely to intensify in the coming days, which will lead to new victims and new population migrations... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36512-haiti-flash-gang-war-the-plaine-du-cul-de-sac-transformed-into-a-battlefield.html SL/ PI/ HL HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Is the CIA involved in the assassination of President Moise ? The United States Department of Justice has asked the federal judge in the State of Florida, handling the case against former Colombian soldier Mario Antonio Palacios who was voluntarily extradited to the United States last January https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35640-haiti-flash-palacio-extradited-to-the-usa-first-official-indictment-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html ) accused of having participated in the assassination plot of President Jovenel Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html , to take steps to protect (under the CIPA Classified Information Procedures Act) certain classified information shared with the defense, which could become evidence in this case, from being made public to the court. The request, which was granted, reinforces the suspicions of a still unknown link between the assassination of President Moise and the alleged role of agents or informants of the American Government. While such a request is not unusual, an evidence protection order is "revealing of a source with intelligence ties or an accused with ties to intelligence information that could be exculpatory or incriminating," said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor. Richard Gregorie, another former federal prosecutor who has led several cases involving US government informants, agrees and confirms that this decision "means that there is evidence that includes classified information." According to Jake Johnston, a Haitian-born observer from the Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR) in Washington, "This request [by the US Government] once again raises questions about what, precisely, the United States has done in Haiti and what information they might have regarding the plot to assassinate the President." Additionally, according to court documents, due to the "unusual and complex" nature of the ongoing investigation, the government prosecutor also requested a postponement of Palacios' trial due to "the need for the parties to participate in certain processes related to classified information." To be continued See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36347-haiti-flash-former-colombian-soldier-mario-antonio-palacios-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35886-haiti-assassination-moise-hearing-postponed-to-march-4-palacios-will-plead-not-guilty-in-the-usa.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35867-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35696-haiti-flash-palacios-confessed-that-the-final-plan-was-to-assassinate-the-president-of-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35640-haiti-flash-palacio-extradited-to-the-usa-first-official-indictment-in-the-assassination-of-president-moise.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... A DGI executive shot dead Boyer Leger, an executive of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) was shot dead in Delmas 83 while trying to escape a kidnapping attempt according to witnesses. Dom. Republic : Maternal mortality, 56% are Haitian women In the Dominican Republic, maternal mortality mainly affects Haitian women. According to Doctors Mario Lama and Martin Ortiz, respectively directors of the National Health Service (SNS) and the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Service, 33% of births in public hospitals in the country this year correspond to Haitian mothers but 56 % of all maternal deaths in the country concern Haitian mothers because they arrive at hospitals in very precarious health conditions, without follow-up or prenatal examinations, with high levels of anemia, problems with hypertension and d various infections, which also leads to premature births. Sunrise Airways : Mail Service Available "Our Mail Service is available to all our domestic destinations: Port au Prince, Cap Haitien, Jeremie and Les Cayes. Call us at (509) 4895 4529" informs Sunrise Airways Reactions to the Death of Dieudonne Lherisson Tuesday April 26, 2022 Dieudonne Lherisson, leader of the Platfom Nasyonal sekte Popile Ayisyen (PLANSPA) died at the Canape-Vert hospital. Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry : "The news of the death of Dieudonne Lherisson, politician and educator, affects me deeply. The country has just lost a citizen devoted to the cause of democracy and change. I extend my condolences to his family and to his PLANSPA comrades." Senator Joseph Lambert : "I learned with emotion of the departure for the afterlife of Prof. Dieudonne Lherisson, leader of the PLANSPA party. Hoe of dialogue and compromise, he has always defended his convictions with force. Sympathy to his wife, Y. Mezile, his family and the members of PLANSPA plunged into desolation." Michel and Sophia Martelly : "I learned with great sadness of the death of Dieudonne Lherisson, head of the National Platform of the Haitian Popular Sector (PLANSPA), a reliable ally of the PHTK. Sophia and I offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife Yanick Mezil, former President of PHTK." Knight in the Order of Montreal, awarded to two Haitians The title of Knight in the Order of Montreal was awarded to Frantz Voltaire author, researcher, historian and professor in Haiti, Mexico, Chile and Montreal. In 1983, he founded the only francophone research center on black communities in Canada. This title of Chevalier was also awarded to Samuel Pierre, Full Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering and Software Engineering at Polytechnique de Montreal and Founding President of GRAHN-Monde, which aims to "build a more egalitarian society, based on , sharing, solidarity, education, respect for the environment and worship of the common good." HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2022/04/27 Even though "Business Proposal" and "Twenty Five Twenty One" finished their runs earlier this month, both romantic dramas have shown surprising resilience on the official Netflix leaderboard. According to recently released figures from the international streaming service, "Business Proposal" was fourth place 20,380,000 viewed hours and "Twenty Five Twenty One" was seventh place with 11,340,000 viewed hours. These rankings reflect the week of April 18th to April 24th only for non-English shows. Advertisement Both dramas have now reached an unusual benchmark- they have been in the Netflix Top 10 for more weeks than they were actually premiering new episodes. "Business Proposal" was only actively premiering new episodes for six weeks, yet has now been in the Netflix Top 10 for seven weeks. Likewise, "Twenty Five Twenty One" was only actively premiering new episodes for eight weeks, yet has now been in the Netflix Top 10 for eight weeks. These aren't the only dramas to show unusual persistence on Netflix either. "Forecasting Love and Weather" did not appear in the Netflix Top 10 this week, but had eight straight weeks there up until last week. But the even bigger surprise is the zombie-themed "Happiness - Drama" which finished airing new episodes last December. "Happiness - Drama" was recently licensed by Netflix for a large number of international markets, and had 10,820,000 viewed hours for eighth place this week. The strength of "Happiness - Drama" is especially surprising given that it is not licensed for the United States, which is generally considered to be Netflix's largest individual market. Worldwide Netflix has become increasingly prominent as a distribution mechanism for South Korean cultural contents for a wide variety of genres. A new South Korean project becoming a Netflix hit now seems inevitable given the staying power even of older dramas. Written by William Schwartz Published on 2022/04/27 | Source Actress Lee Sun-bin (28) has been on the rise. After the success of the popular TVING original drama "Work Later, Drink Now", she has been well received for the movie "Air Murder" and continues to be popular. Advertisement In "Work Later, Drink Now", which aired late last year, Lee Sun-bin properly represented the hearts of women in their 20s and 30s and showed off her presence as an actress of six years after debut. She even took off the label of 'Lee Kwang-soo's girlfriend', which was mentioned before the title of 'actress' after announcing their public relationship in 2018. "Work Later, Drink Now" entered Cannes as it was invited to the 2022 Cannes International Series Festival. She was on the pink carpets with Jung Eun-ji, who worked with her in the drama, and she said, "I was very happy to be invited to Cannes with an OTT (online video service) drama". After returning from Cannes, she is leading the favorable reviews with her main film "Air Murder", which was released on the 22nd. In the movie based on the humidifier disinfectant disaster, she plays the role of a prosecutor struggling to tell the world the truth after learning that the cause of the lung disease that killed her sister and nephew was humidifier disinfectant. She meets the audience with a character that is completely different from "Work Later, Drink Now" by adding desperate andemotional acting while keeping her unique true charm intact. "I lost weight throughout the filming because I felt responsible for expressing the pain of the victims well", she said, who even studied vast amounts of incident materials for the character. After finishing the last shoot, I even had a nosebleed", she said, expressing her sincerity in her work. Recently, she has challenged a new field by confirming her appearance in the audio film "Reverse - Audio", which fills the story only with voice without video. She plays the role of a woman who lost her memory in an explosion and works with Lee Joon-hyuk, who plays her fiance. After recording "Reverse - Audio", she will continue filming "Work Later, Drink Now - Season 2". A GIRL who escaped the war in Ukraine started school in Henley this week. Ariana Ihnatko, seven, has been given a place at Rupert House, an independent school in Bell Street. She last attended primary school in Kyiv, where she lived with stepfather Oleg Belash and mother Liubava Ihnatko until nine weeks ago. The family, including her grandmother Nataliia Pakholiuk, fled the country amid reports that the Russian forces were committing atrocities against civilians. They were put in touch with Tim Brassey and his wife Dr Lisa Silver, of St Andrews Road, who sponsored them to come to the UK, and have been living with the couple since April 7. Arianas last day in the classroom was the day before the Russian invasion so she was excited to return to lessons and be with other children again on Wednesday. Mr Belash, 53, said the family were very fortunate to be offered a place for her at Rupert House. He said: Getting Ariana into school was the main event, I would say, for our family. All that we are doing is around Ariana. We know the UK has one of the best education systems in the world and thats why we are happy. It is through our sponsor familys efforts that Rupert House has taken Ariana but Lisa and Tim told us that all the schools in the Henley area are very good. They proposed that we try Rupert House as they know the school because their kids went there. All the people we have met have said good things about it. It is important to have Ariana in school as, just like any other Ukrainian child, her education has been disrupted by the war. A lot of children have left Ukraine and are in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Germany and Denmark and are doing lessons online. Mr Belash said he hoped going to Rupert House would give Ariana more confidence to speak English, which she has been learning since pre-school. He said: Ariana has been excited for the last two weeks and has been counting the days. She misses other children and its in her nature to be social and she makes new friends easily. It is important, of course, that she will get English lessons but she has picked up English very well. In Ukraine, at pre-school you are taught 50/50 in Ukrainian and English and she loved learning the two languages. Ariana knows a lot of words, its just the confidence to use them she needs to work on. She is very talented and is good at maths and has been able to read quicker than most other pupils and she likes to make up her own stories. Mrs Ihnatko said: Ariana is a creative person and loves music and art. It is very important to me as her mother that Ariana is going to an English school because the system here is spoken of very highly regarding the opportunities it gives children. The uniform colours of Rupert House are yellow and blue, the colours of Ukraine, and so it must be fate. Ariana said: I am very excited to be starting at a new school, to make new friends and seeing my new teacher. I have missed school. I want to go to classes but I also want to play with my friends. Since arriving here, the family have done lots of walking and spent time by the river. On Easter Sunday they had a barbecue at the home of Mr Brassey and Dr Silvers daughter in Watlington and Ariana was given chocolate eggs. Ukraine celebrated Orthodox Easter Day on Sunday, a public holiday, which was also Ms Pakholiuks 53rd birthday. But Mr Belash said: We have not been celebrating because this is not the proper time for a celebration. In Ukraine we would go to church and some people would stay there all night and there would be a large table with lots of meals and you would invite your family, friends and friends of friends. Ms Pakholiuk, a primary school teacher, has continued to give lessons online to her pupils five mornings a week. She said: There are sometimes difficulties with the internet as not all the children can be connected all the time but all my children want to be in school. Of course, it is better to be in school than online but there is no other way. Mr Belash worked in real estate in Ukraine and is looking for similar work here or in business or project management. Mrs Ihnatko has secured a trial working at the Daisy Love coffee shop in Station Road. Mr Belash said: Now we have arranged things regarding Arianas school, we need to focus on our work. As a husband, father and a man, I need to provide for my family so I need to spend some time looking for a job. In the meantime, we have been following the news and while some expect the war to stop soon, Liubava doesnt think there has been enough progress to stop it and, to her, Russia is getting worse and worse. Rupert House headteacher Nick Armitage said: We can all see the efforts of the Henley community in supporting the people of Ukraine and we wanted to do our bit, too. When we found out Arianas age, I wrote to the year 2 parents to say what we would like to do and they all supported it. We wanted to make it possible because we have an ideal setting here as we have lots of children who have joined us from around the world and the learning support team is confident that we will be able to support Ariana. She has come from a very different educational experience and we will give her all the support she needs to access the curriculum here. The idea is not to throw her too much in at the deep end as it will be a big change for her and our first job will be to help her settle and feel part of the community here. We want to help her grow by the experience she has here, not just by learning a language and a culture, and we are keen to learn from her and will adapt accordingly. It is such a privilege for us to be able to support Ariana and her family and we are so pleased that Tim approached us and maybe we will support other families in the future as we have had some enquiries. JOHN HOWELL has been sanctioned by Russia after publicly condemning its invasion of Ukraine. The Henley MP has regarded the move, which means he is unable to enter the country, as a badge of honour. Mr Howell has not officially been told why he has been sanctioned but believes it is down to his work in getting Russia removed from the Council of Europe. He said: You are talking to a sanctioned member of Parliament, and I am absolutely delighted. It is the biggest badge of honour I have ever had. The Russians have clearly found an old parliamentary list, probably from 2017, as they have decided to sanction a whole bunch of people, some of whom arent currently members of Parliament, people like Dominic Grieve. This just gives me more confidence in that Russia is not doing well in their war with Ukraine if they cant get a correct list of parliamentarians right. While I am banned from entering Russia, I have no intention of ever going back there. Mr Howell is currently in Strasbourg with the Council of Europe which is discussing how to make sure Russia can be held to account for the genocide in Ukraine. China launches learning app for middle, primary school students Xinhua) 15:30, April 28, 2022 BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a mobile app to provide middle and primary school students with more convenient ways to study online amid COVID-19 resurgence, according to the Ministry of Education. The app is based on a website learning platform, utilizing the same resources as the website such as course teaching, after-school services, and family education, said the ministry. It also includes more interactive elements, as students who encounter problems in learning can communicate with teachers through the app, the ministry added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Last year, when Heritage requested nominations for a Human Service Award recipient, Marvin Friedman of Oviedo told the editor, Christine DeSouza, he wanted to nominate Rabbi Sholom Dubov. DeSouza thanked him for wanting to nominate Dubov, however, she explained a Human Service Award recipient must be someone who is not financially compensated for his/her work in the community. Friedman understood this, and still wrote his letter of recommendation of Dubov, saying, "To be clear, I understand that the award does not go to individuals performing activities for which they are paid. Rabbi Dubov... (JTA) That's one way to "never forget." A peculiar item of clothing went viral this week after a comedian tweeted about a pair of leggings emblazoned with artwork inspired by "Schindler's List," Steven Spielberg's 1993 Holocaust drama. The pants show an artist-made poster with characters from the film. The symbolic "girl in the red dress" is featured most prominently, standing on train tracks overlooking the Auschwitz death camp. Beside her float the heads of Liam Neeson, as German factory owner Oskar Schindler; Ben Kingsley, as his Jewish employee Itzhak Stern; and Ralph Fiennes, as... An onion roll from Edith's in Brooklyn, whose all-day dining menu features twists on Jewish staples. (New York Jewish Week) - House-smoked fish platters. Plates of malawach, the Yemeni flatbread. A labneh parfait. And for Passover, "milk and honey" slushies and matzah brie with bitter herb salad. Since opening up as a pop-up shop during 2020, Edith's Eatery and Grocery in Williamsburg has embraced Jewish food from all over the Diaspora. The brainchild of Chicago-born Elyssa Heller, the store and restaurant is a celebration of Jewish cuisine outside of the narrow lanes of traditional Ashkenazi or familiar Israeli menus. "People seem really open to the idea of a more inclusive perspective... A surprising answer to why so many Jews become comedians. When Robin Williams, arguably one of the greatest comedians died, some people gave him an interesting title: honorary Jew. Why the Jew label? Couldnt he have been left as a brilliantly comedic non-Jew? Well if you look back at most of the great comedians from the previous generation, they were predominantly Jewish. This is a group it seems some people badly wanted him to be part of. Here is a short list of some Jewish comedians, with their real names: Jack Benny (Benjamin Kubelsky), Mel Brooks (Melvyn Kaminsky), Milton Berle... (JNS) About 14,000 Birthright Israel participants from nearly 900 universities and colleges in North America are expected to land in Israel in the coming months as part of Birthrights summer season. The flights, which begin on May 1, mark Birthright Israels long-awaited return after a series of suspensions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The trips are an opportunity for North American students to have a life-changing experience in Israel with their college friends and meet new people from their campus. They are usually timed to coincide with the schools summer and... (JTA) - French prosecutors indicted two men for assaulting a Jewish man, Jeremie Cohen, seconds before he ran under the wheels of a tram and was fatally wounded. One of the two suspects, aged 27, is accused of "intentional violence in public." The other one, aged 23, is being charged with "intentional violence which led to involuntary manslaughter," according to a statement Friday by the prosecutor's office of Bobigny, the Paris suburb where the incident occurred on Feb. 16. The indictment does not mention any antisemitic motive, according to the CNews television channel. The family of Co... Sam Friedman spent four years as Hillel director at Stetson University and was ready for a change. He was inspired by the new vision of Shalom Orlando, a guide to all things Jewish in Greater Orlando, and with his own youthful perspective, applied for and was chosen as the chief development officer at Shalom Orlando. My last day at Stetson is May 18, and my first day at Shalom Orlando is June 1. Its been an incredible, impactful, four years at Stetson and Im definitely going to miss my students and colleagues, Friedman told Heritage via email. Friedman will be leading... Hadassah Orlando presents internationally recognized author and theatrical producer Yvonne David at its May 3 monthly in-person meeting at 11:30 a.m. at Congregation Ohev Shalom, 613 Concourse Parkway South, Maitland. Yvonne David was born in Nairobi, Kenya, raised there and in London, England. Passion for language and literature has long been at the center of David's life. Her qualifications from the Language Tuition Centre in London, England, include interpreter/translator in French and English. She earned a degree in English and Organizational Communications, graduating summa cum... (JTA) Just days before Jews around the world gathered with their families and friends to read the Haggadah as part the Passover holiday, one family of reunited Holocaust survivors filed a lawsuit to reclaim a 700-year-old haggadah that they say was lost to them during the rise of Nazi Germany. Since 1946, the Birds Head Haggadah has been in the possession of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem where it has been examined by countless scholars and displayed prominently for millions of visitors who have passed it by. The medieval manuscript features illustrated figures with human bodies and... Heritage Florida Jewish News is accepting nominations for the 2021 Heritage Human Service Award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando this summer. For more than 30 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, time, energy and effort to the Central Florida community have been honored with the selection and presentation of this award, said Jeff Gaeser, editor and publisher of the Heritage. Last years recipient was Hank Katzen. Former recipients have included Sarah Stern (2017), Howard Lefkowitz (... At the Orlando Senior Help Desk of the Jewish Pavilion, we are frequently asked to recommend a home care company. There are a few things to consider such as years of experience. Ideally, the caregiver you hire has worked with other individuals with similar medical condones. You want a home companion who has had good training and continuing education. There are many personal attributes that are imperative such as warmth and compassion, attentiveness, patience, good communication skills etc. Agencies should be checking the references and criminal records of all of their employees. Here is a... In an interview with CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour about Israel's policies to control violent rioting on the Temple Mount and "settlements" - i.e. Jewish communities - in Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett didn't hold back. Pushing the narrative that stalled peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians are the reason for terror and that both sides are caught in a cycle of violence, Amanpour asked Bennett about his efforts on that front. "I object to the notion of 'both sides.' No," the prime minister replied. "When they don't attack us, we have no issues with them. But when... (JNS) The Jewish Federations of North America announced on Monday that it has surpassed its fundraising goal of $50 million for aid to Ukraine. According to a news release, the funds have been allocated to 35 NGOs operating on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Some of these groups include the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and World ORT, which the release called its core partner groups. The funds are being used to provide housing, clothing, cash assistance, medical attention, mental-health services, life-saving rescue operations... Rendering of the new Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in downtown Orlando. (JTA) - Situated beside the building that houses the Jewish community center, the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Academy of Orlando lies a tiny, hidden gem of a Holocaust museum. Despite its small size - a mere 7,000 square feet - the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida has been a fixture in Central Florida for the last three decades. For Orlandoans who went to middle or high school during that time, there's a high chance they interacted with the museum or its programs at some point. Established by Holocaust survivor and Orlando resident Tess Wise in the 1980s, the... Hundreds of protestors gathered at the Israel Mission in Manhattan on Wednesday to support Palestine. (New York Jewish Week) - Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Consulate General of Israel in Manhattan on Wednesday in what was billed as an emergency rally to support Palestinian resistance and liberation "by any means necessary." As dozens of police officers lined up around the area, the protesters began calling to "globalize the intifada." Tensions are high in Israel, where Palestinian rioters have clashed with police on Jerusalem's Temple Mount and Israeli security forces have conducted raids in the West Bank. Multiple activist groups organized the rally, including Within O... Dan Cohen and his family at a bat mitzvah in Tel Aviv. (J. The Jewish News of Northern California via JTA) - Koby Geduld clocks into work at 7 p.m. most nights. He's a project coordinator for Tile, the San Mateobased maker of Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices. He boots up his laptop from his home, responding to messages and having meetings until 3 a.m. No, Geduld isn't nocturnal (at least not naturally). He's working overnight hours because he no longer lives in the Bay Area. Instead, he's 10 hours ahead, in Jerusalem - where he and his wife moved last summer. And the 24-year-old isn't alone. Guy Rosen, an Israeli and a vice president at... (JTA) The Temple Mount is closed to Jewish visitors until further notice, the organization that coordinates visits by Jews said on April 23, after a fresh round of clashes between Israeli police and Muslim worshippers at the Jerusalem holy sites Al-Aqsa Mosque. The move was expected to last through Ramadan, but the Temple Mount Administrations language suggests the ban could last longer, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Administration separate from the Waqf, the Muslim authority that controls the site is a joint steering committee of Jewish Temple Mount activists... Ukrainian refugees to join March of Living at Auschwitz for first post-COVID commemoration By Cnaan Liphshiz (JTA) Refugees from Ukraine are scheduled to join the March of the Living commemoration event at Auschwitz. The refugees are among 2,500 people from 25 countries who have signed up for the mission to the former death camp, the first since March of the Living suspended such activities due to COVID-19, the educational group said in a statement. The March brings young people from around the world to Poland and Israel to study the history of the Holocaust. The event on April 28 wi... A photo posted to Twitter by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff showed wine from the Psagot winery on the table at the White House seder, Apr. 16, 2022. (JTA) - Wine from a West Bank settlement was on the menu at this year's White House Passover seder on Friday hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Dough Emhoff. But a spokesperson for Harris said the choice should not be construed as a political statement about Israeli settlement in the West Bank. "The wine served at the seder was in no way intended to be an expression of policy," Herbie Ziskind, an adviser to Harris, said in a tweet. The response from the Harris spokesman came after reporters spotted a bottle of wine from the Psagot winery in a photo of the seder that... (JNS) According to the February annual Gallup poll of country favorability, 71 percent of Americans accord Israel a very favorable and mostly favorable rating. This matches Israels average favorability since 2013, compared to 58 percent in 2002, 71 percent in 2012, 69 percent in 2019 and 75 percent in February 2021. Israels all-time high favorability was in February 1991 (79 percent) in the aftermath of the January-February Iraqi Scud missiles striking Tel Aviv. Israel is ranked seventh among countries rated by Gallup, trailing Canada, Britain, France, Japan, Germa... If there was ever proof that Israel is not an apartheid state actively discriminating against its Arab minority, all one needs to do is look at the recent statement of Israeli Arab Knesset member Ayman Odeh. Not only does this reflect the reality that Israeli Arabs are equal parts of Israels democracy, that he can make statements that go against the interest and security of the state shows what a hyper-democracy Israel in fact is. As all this has unfolded, the thought I cannot shake is how much Israels Arabs deserve better. Odeh used the occasion of a recent Ramadan greeting from Jer... (JNS) One Tuesday night in February, a small group of Jewish students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where I serve as a shaliach (Israeli emissary) for the Jewish Agency for Israel, logged into the weekly Zoom meeting of the Student Union Assembly to support the adoption of a working definition of antisemitism. The resolution referenced the definition written by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which has been endorsed by countless governments and organizations. The IHRA definition maintains that, among other things, a fair critique of Israel is acceptab... (JNS) In February, the Anti-Defamation League announced that it had developed what it called an online hate index to monitor antisemitism on social-media platforms. The effort was conceived as a way to adequately measure the amount of hate speech being posted on sites like Twitter and Reddit, which the group thinks are not vigilant enough about detecting and removing such offensive material. ADL CEO and national director Jonathan Greenblatt conceded that Twitter had made substantial strides towards shutting down those posting vile content; still, he believed they had a lot... The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) partnered with the African American Behavioral Health-Center of Excellence (AABH-COE) at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia to host a roundtable event on the mental health of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The event was held on April 21, 2022, at the Morehouse School of Medicine, which is part of the Atlanta University Center, the oldest and largest consortium of Black higher education in the world. Students and administrators from 25 HBCUs across the country participated in the discussion. You can watch the full roundtable event here on YouTube. The roundtable was attended by Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with welcoming remarks provided by Dr. Valarie Montgomery-Rice, President of Morehouse School of Medicine. It was moderated by HHS Regional Director Antrell Tyson, Esq. (Region 4: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia), Regional Director Sima Ladjevardian, J.D. (remotely) (Region 6: Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana), and Dr. Dawn Tyus, Principal Investigator of the African American Behavioral Health-Center of Excellence (AABH-COE), which is located at the Morehouse School of Medicine and funded by SAMHSA. The roundtable also featured administrators and counselors from both HHS regions, including Paul Quinn College (Dallas. TX), Dillard University (New Orleans, LA), Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, GA), as well as Clark Atlanta University and the Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA). This roundtable event was part of an HHS-wide initiative to tackle the nations mental health crisis and is part of HHSs National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health. Following President Joe Bidens State of the Union Address on March 1, 2022, Secretary Xavier Becerra and HHS leaders kicked off the National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health to hear directly from Americans across the country about the behavioral health challenges they are facing and engage with local leaders on innovative ways to strengthen the mental health and crisis care system in our communities. More information on the National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health is available at HHS.gov/HHSTour. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) data, almost 95% of Black people in the U.S. received no treatment for a substance use challenge and 63% received no treatment for their mental illness, and access was almost non-existent for those with co-occurring challenges. Assistant Secretary Dr. Delphin-Rittmon stressed the Biden-Harris Administrations commitment to strengthening the emotional wellness of our country. This past year, the Administration invested an historic $7 billion into our countrys mental health and substance use systems, in the form of block grants to states and territories to provide more comprehensive mental health and addiction services. Some of the mental health stressors emphasized during the roundtable conversation included an increase in suicide and the lasting impacts of childhood trauma. Other behavioral health staff noted that many students battle with loneliness and isolation and more. Assistant Secretary Dr. Delphin-Rittmon encouraged continued dialogue of the challenges faced by students and administrators as a significant first step towards recognizing mental health vulnerabilities. The roundtable discussion, hosted by HHS, SAMHSA, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, had diverse participation in-person and virtually from students, administrators, and behavioral health specialists at HBCUs and non-HBCU institutions, including: HBCUs Morehouse School of Medicine (host) Albany State University Alcorn State University Allen University Bennett College Charles R. Drew University Clark Atlanta University Dillard University Fayetteville State University Fort Valley State University Howard University Jackson State University Langston University Morehouse College/Candler School of Theology Norfolk State University North Carolina A&T State University Paul Quinn College Savannah State University Southwestern Christian College Texas Southern University University of Texas Xavier University Non-HBCUs Our Lady of the Lake University Regent University University of Houston University of Maryland University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law Below are Assistant Secretary Dr. Delphin-Rittmons opening remarks, as prepared for delivery: Thank you so much. And, good morning, everyone. I bring greetings from Secretary Becerra, who is unable to be here today. Since 2002, we have celebrated National Minority Health Month every April, and asked organizations to build awareness about the burden of premature death and illness experienced by people from minority groups and take action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications. Im honored to be here today to celebrate National Minority Health Month with you. Todays discussion on the mental health crisis and how it disproportionally impacts communities of color is crucial, and I applaud our stellar panelists for coming together on this important topic. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen people with mental illness experiencing worsening mental health problems and associated symptoms, such as thoughts of suicide. Others developed new mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder. In addition to COVID 19, civil unrest, cost of living increases, social media and other factors have contributed to our nations mental health crisis. We know the past few years have been difficult for many people in our country, particularly for communities of color. I often rely on data to underscore that mental health challenges are real and especially impacting African American communities. According to the CDC, we know that Blacks experienced feelings of sadness at rates over 1.5 times greater than white populations. We also know that both Black male and female high schoolers had higher rates of suicidal ideation than white high schoolers. And from SAMHSA data, we know that almost 95% of African American received no treatment for their substance use challenge and 63% received no treatment for their mental illness, and access was almost non-existent for those with co-occurring disorders. This Administration has shown a strong commitment to the emotional wellness of our country. This past year, the Biden-Harris Administration invested over an historic $7 billion into our countrys mental health and substance use systems, in the form of block grants to states and territories to provide more comprehensive mental health and addiction services. And at last months State of the Union address, President Biden announced his Strategy to Address Our National Mental Health Crisis. This Unity Agenda is framed around three elements: strengthen system capacity; connect more Americans to care; and create a continuum of support, with the goal of transforming our health and social services infrastructure to address mental health holistically and equitably. Two weeks after President Biden outlined the Unity Agenda for the nation, SAMHSA made dramatic increases in funding to expand the availability of certified community behavioral health clinics, or CCBHCs, across the nation. CCBHCs are evidence-based mental health and substance use programs that provide essential behavioral health services such as 24/7 crisis services, screening, and case management. These clinics are a crucial access point to mental health and substance use disorders, and are an important pathway to care for vulnerable communities that otherwise lack access to such services. We are working to transition the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline from 1-800-273-TALK to an easy-to-remember, three-digit number: 988. By contacting 988, users will be connected to care and support for anyone experiencing distress whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. We expect the formal launch of 988 this July. SAMHSA has a number of long-term partnership with HBCUs. For example, Albany State University is part of our Center for Mental Health Services Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant program. The purpose of the program is to develop a comprehensive, collaborative, well-coordinated, and evidence-based approach to reduce the adverse consequences of serious mental illness and substance use challenges, including suicidal behavior, substance-related injuries, and school failure. And, our HBCU Center for Excellence in Behavioral Health was awarded to Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. The purpose of this Center is to recruit students to careers in the behavioral health field to address mental and substance use disorders, provide training that can lead to careers in the behavioral health field, and/or prepare students for obtaining advanced degrees in the behavioral health field. When we speak about recruiting and training a more diverse workforce, I would be remiss in not mentioning the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). The MFP program, of which Im a proud alum, aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the number of racial and ethnic minorities in the nations behavioral health workforce. The program also seeks to train and better prepare behavioral health practitioners to more effectively treat and serve people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. I hope you can see how committed SAMHSA is to tackling health disparities and keeping equity at the core of everything we do, which includes making sure every person in this country has equitable opportunities to access needed mental health and substance use services. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. I look forward to todays panel and thank our panelists again for being here today to share their stories. Thank you! Dalata Hotel Group Plc ("Dalata" or "the Group"), the largest hotel operator in Ireland, today officially opens The Samuel Hotel in Dublin, adding 83 jobslocally. The opening of the hotel comes as the Group reports strong recovery across all markets since the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in early February. Overlooking the River Liffey, the 39 million four-star Samuel Hotel is a stunning new addition to the city's docklands area, ideally located close to large event centres such as the Convention Centre Dublin, Croke Park, The 3 Arena and The Bord Gais Energy Theatre. The hotel boasts 204 air-conditioned bedrooms, excellent meeting and event facilities with innovative technology, a Red Bean Roastery coffee shop and The Samuel Bar & Grill. The Samuel Hotel is a new brand concept from Dalata, offering guests a new bespoke high-quality Ground Floor experience, with the Group's four-star bedroom experience. A five-minute walk from Dublin's iconic Samuel Beckett Bridge and located in Spencer Place, The Samuel pays homage to the city's Nobel Laureate with subtle references to his works throughout the hotel. The hotel has been designed and constructed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification and has an A3 Building Energy Rating (BER). At least 20% of materials used in the build were sustainably sourced, helping to reduce the buildings ecological footprint. Hotel website Scandic Hotels has signed a long-term lease agreement with property owner Totaleiendom AS for a new hotel with 305 rooms on 12 floors in the new Vervet area in Troms, Norway. Scandic already operates two hotels in the city with a total of 390 hotel rooms. The new hotel, which is expected to open in 2025, will be an important addition to meet the demand from the growing leisure segment. The hotel will be located in the new Vervet district that is currently being built on the waterfront in downtown Troms. It will feature 305 hotel rooms, a restaurant, a sky bar, a rooftop terrace and meeting facilities that can also be used for private events. The property will be built with sustainability in focus, with the aim to attain a BREEAM environmental certification rating of Excellent. Scandic's guests will have access to an underground garage with 250 parking spaces equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles. Troms is an attractive hotel market for international leisure travelers, a segment that is expected to increase over time. The city is also an attractive destination for cruises as well as Northern Lights and mountain tourism, and Scandic already operates two hotels in Troms with a total of 390 hotel rooms. Construction of the new hotel will begin at the turn of the year 2022/2023. The hotel is expected to have a total area of 16,500 m2, making it the largest hotel in Northern Norway. Hotel website An accomplished employee relations and operations expert with more than 30 years of experience, Mia previously oversaw MMGY Global's human resources, talent acquisition and employee engagement. She now broadens her oversight to include MMGY Global's DEI and cultural enrichment initiatives for over 400 international staff. She will continue to be responsible for all people strategies, ensuring the international workforce has both the team and organizational capabilities to enable significant company growth over the next decade. As a member of the company's Global Leadership Team, Mia also informs overall company strategy and investment, reporting to MMGY Global CEO Clayton Reid. Since joining the company in 2020, Mia has led MMGY Global through increased globalization, a strategic benefits review and consolidation, and the implementation of COVID-19 protocols and practices that enabled the safe reopening of all global offices. Mia has held a wide range of management positions throughout her career, including operations, human capital management and employee relations with companies such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Upfield. She holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis. Google is quickly becoming the complete funnel for many of the searches and transactions we make online. When we first published this article in 2018, Google already made significant strides within the hotel and travel space and was in the process of adding even more features and functionalities. According to a recent study by Similarweb (2022), as of October 2021, nearly 20% of keyword searches resulted in a search engine results page (SERP) feature on the results page. In January 2020, that percentage was lower than 5%. Hoteliers are no stranger to Googles SERP features like hotel listings, map packs, pricing tools, and ad-supported spaces. Ultimately, its Googles way of keeping its nearly 90% search market share within its search and buying ecosystem. In this article, we are going to look at the updates Google has made over the past several years to its hotel and travel SERP results and features, and their effects on hotels and OTAs. Table of Contents Google Improves the Hotel Listing Experience Back in October 2018, Google made a significant announcement that they would be rolling out a suite of design and functionality improvements to the hotel shopping experience. The gist of the announcement is that the information you can find within Googles own environment would rival that of TripAdvisor and other OTAs. In doing so, Google put the finishing pieces on what has arguably become the most complete hotel shopping and booking system available. Within Googles hotel shopping ecosystem, youll find price comparisons, hotel details and overviews, Google reviews, reviews sourced from around the web, and hotel photos. Source: TravelBoom As a hotel, its on you to ensure the information on your hotel listing is accurate. Just in case you havent read our Google Business Profile for Hotels guide, Google Business Profile is going to be the place to start for any hotelier. By ensuring you have an optimized hotel listing, compelling photos, and are responding to guest reviews, you will put yourself in a position for success. Improved Hotel Searching and Filtering In 2018, Google rolled out a new search and filtering system to the search engine results page for hotel searches. In 2022, similar features still exist in addition to new hotel highlight icons and hotel listing callouts. Source: TravelBoom Data has already proven that a vast majority of hotel decisions begin with a search and, based on the ever-evolving hotel SERP tools, customers will continue to stay on Googles system for much longer as they slice and dice to find their perfect hotel. Googles push to gather more and more reviews makes searches even more valuable. Back in 2018, Google was revealed as the number one online review site, outperforming Tripadvisor and other OTAs. Today, Google continues to be a leading source for hotel reviews. Now, searchers can get enough information from Google to validate a booking decision without having to visit Tripadvisor or an OTA. Read the full article at TravelBoom PITTSBURGH - For more than 20 years, PCH Hotels & Resorts, a Mobile, Ala.-based hotel management and development company, relied on Aptech for back-office accounting. When the company learned that its existing software was being phased out and replaced by Aptechs next generation enterprise accounting solution, PVNG, the corporate finance team had some big decisions to make. Do they remain with Aptech, a company that PCH President Tony Davis has been familiar with and successfully using for more than 35 years across his hospitality career, or do they move on and try something new? We performed due diligence and took a close look at the many accounting solutions on the market, said Kristen Chastang, Corporate Director of Finance for PCH Hotels & Resorts. We decided to stay with Aptech because their companys values and culture aligns very closely with ours at PCH. They feel like family to us, and we know we can rely on them. Not all companies that provide accounting software understand the hospitality business the way that Aptech does. Because they develop solutions that are hotel specific, they get our lingo, and their support team can answer questions immediately where others outside of hospitality would never understand. They are reliable and honest people to work with. "PVNG is a game-changer in the world of hotel accounting. It features the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger, Statistics, Financials, and Bank Reconciliation that todays hotel operators are seeking with much-needed browser navigation. Its OCR invoice processing, myriad of payment options, drill-down capabilities in financial statements and reports, ability to handle single or multi-property accounting, and the fact that it can be deployed as a hosted service, explains why this accounting solution is in such high demand. All these features played an important role in PCHs decision to remain an Aptech customer," Chastang said. Because PVNG is cloud based, we no longer have to be connected to the company network to do our jobs, Chastang said. Multiple users can be in the system and post at the same time. That was a big reason we were eager to stay with Aptech. Also, the price point of the solution, the great relationship we already have with Aptech, and the look and ease of navigation of the system ultimately tipped the scales towards PVNG. Another major win with this new software is that we no longer must consolidate results at the end of the month. We have two owners for all 15 of our entities, so we do a lot of consolidating. With PVNG, we can have real-time consolidated results at any given moment." Additionally, when making changes to a financial statement, it can be done and pushed out to all companies at one time instead of having to make the change in each company code, she said. Setting up and assigning user roles was very straightforward and is helpful for audit purposes to determine what access each user has. Overall, transitioning to PVNG was seamless we received weekly updates on the project, and the knowledge, communication, quick responses, and friendliness of the team at Aptech has been incredible. Staying loyal to Aptech was an easy decision. One of the biggest feature enhancements, Chastang said, is within Accounts Payable. PCH can now import invoices, W9s, etc. and then drill down into those invoices while running financial statements and trial balances. Soon, the company will further automate AP by leveraging Aptechs OCR-based invoice processing. The AP automation will enable the PCH finance team to receive critical invoice information accurately and efficiently while eliminating paper, removing manual data entry errors, and capturing cost savings. This will enable PCH to improve efficiencies and save significant time and money. Time and again, when our customers are faced with migrating to our next generation solutions or switching to another vendor, they tend to remain loyal to Aptech, said Jill Wilder, Aptech Vice President. In the case of PCH Hotels & Resorts, they did their homework, and we are so glad they did because the result speaks volumes to our core competency and dedication to hospitality. Aptech has not just been providing financial management solutions to hotels for more than 50 years, but we have been cultivating relationships that cannot be broken. We are thrilled that PCH Hotels & Resorts chose to remain a satisfied Aptech customer, and we look forward to working with them side by side for the next 20 years and beyond. About Aptech Computer Systems Inc. Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only provider of a fully integrated enterprise accounting, business intelligence and planning ecosystem to the hospitality industry. All clients are companies like yours, which own or manage hotels. Its solutions help customers at both the corporate and property levels understand their financial and operational data for faster goal achievement. The company is renowned for introducing business intelligence into the hotel industry and offers a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner and Premier Solution Provider, as well as a Prophix Premier Business Partner. Incorporated in 1970, Aptechs state-of-the-art back office, true business intelligence and enterprise planning solutions are 100% hotel specific. Solutions include PVNG, Execuvue and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 3,500 properties including large chains, multiple-property management companies and single-site hotels. Execuvue is registered to Aptech Computer Systems Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information, please visit www.aptech-inc.com. About PCH Hotels & Resorts PCH Hotels & Resorts manages a diverse portfolio of upscale business and resort hotels under the Marriott, Renaissance, Autograph and Staybridge Suites brands, including the historic Grand Hotel on beautiful Mobile Bay. Through our commitment to owners, associates, and guests, we create a warm and welcoming environment that showcases the best of authentic hospitality. We leverage our decades of experience and our relationships within our communities to achieve maximum value for our ownership and unforgettable experiences for our guests. Today, the ultimate travel experience is emotional: its that which surpasses our guests expectations - with a beautifully unique stay or moment that cannot be found just anywhere. With their level of personalized services and the warming comfort of a home away from home, Accors luxury brands are ideally positioned to meet this consumer need for richer, different experiences, with greater meaning. In its transformation into a leading global hospitality player, the Group has significantly grown its brand ecosystem over the last decade, going from 16 to 40+ brands, which include 8 distinct world-recognized luxury brands, with more than 280 hotels between them. With globally-respected names like Raffles, Fairmont Sofitel, and Rixos offering exceptional personalized services, the Groups luxury brands are ideally positioned to meet evolving guest expectations. Luxury and premium offerings represent close to 40% of future openings, driving up the value of the portfolio and making luxury a key driver of Accors future growth. JEAN-JACQUES MORINdeputy CEO and CFO: Everyone wants to get something different from a hotel. That's what people have been calling the mega trend of experiential hospitality. Accor is home to two of the worlds most revered and prestigious brands, Orient Express and Raffles. Jean-Jacques Morin, Deputy CEO & CFO, and Stephen Alden, CEO Raffles & Orient Express, discuss our ambition for those two brands and the strategic importance of luxury moving forward. Renewing the legacy of luxury STEPHEN ALDENCEO Raffles & Orient Express: Raffles is about fusing illustrious heritage with a modern form of hotel craft without losing the specialness of the original intent, that of personal service, that of beautiful spaces to enjoy. Today Accor is relaunching the mythical Orient Express, born in 1883, as both a luxury rail service and, in a world first, as a collection of hotels. Rooted in history, when the first Orient Express La Dolce Vita rolls out of Rome and throughout Italy in 2023, it will be exactly 140 years since the legendary train's maiden voyage from Paris to Istanbul in 1883. Marking the return of high-end rail travel in Europe, the fleet of six deluxe trains, a partnership between Accor and Italian luxury hospitality company, Arsenale, aims to provide the ultimate luxury experience, while also encouraging more environmental train journeys. With five-star service and Italian art of living decor, to board the Orient Express La Dolce Vita is to go back in time, while travelling onwards. And just as the Orient Express formed a bridge between Orient and Occident, Accor is to open the worlds first Orient Express hotel, bridging the journey and the destination, in Minerva, the historic district of Rome, in 2024. In the same bridging of East and West, Orient Express has developed retail collections with several maisons and artisans, including but not limited to Atelier Philippe Allemand, Casarialto, Eric Bompard, Smythson, Trudon, and more, which provide the savoir-faire and elegance of luxury travel for customers to take anywhere they go. Orient Express La Dolce Vita Photo by Accor Orient Express La Dolce Vita Photo by Accor Orient Express La Dolce Vita Photo by Accor Creating legendary hospitality experiences since 1887, Raffles, will nearly double its hotels over the next five years. Each Raffles is designated in a unique location, a historic landmark or its own island, to continue the Raffles legacy of curating experiences like nowhere else. From a private oasis on water at Raffles Udaipur, India, a Royal Escape gives guests the chance to soak up the views of the Udai Sagar Lake over high tea or a tour with the in-house naturalist or morning yoga with the resident master. Or, in the capital of England at Raffles London at The OWO opening this winter, Londoners and visitors alike can enjoy category-defying contemporary cuisine at the chefs table of Michelin-starred Mauro Colagreco, within the Grade II* listed Old War Office building, the mythical headquarters for many a Bond film, where Ian Fleming was inspired to create the original Bond, and where Winston Churchill commandeered his forces during WWII. STEPHEN ALDENCEO Raffles & Orient Express: Raffles is about fusing illustrious heritage with a modern form of hotel craft without losing the specialness of the original intent, that of personal service, that of beautiful spaces to enjoy. Beyond meeting todays travel expectations, our most prestigious luxury brands, with their unique locations and stories, are well positioned to create the most unexpected, emotional experiences of tomorrow. Raffles Udaipur Photo by Accor Raffles Udaipur Photo by Accor Raffles London at The OWO Photo by Accor View source Beware the ides of March. But for the global hotel industry, the month was anything but a tragedy. First-quarter hotel performance ended strong with March profit surging across most global regions, a sign of stronger revenues, better conversion rates and new worries over a COVID upsurge not discouraging would-be travelers. European GOPPAR hit 35.97, the highest the number has reached since it peaked in October 2021, though still around 12 lower than March 2019. After GOPPAR dropped into negative territory in January, its now up 229% YTD compared to the same time in 2021. Feeding into the increase in GOPPAR was a concurrent lift in both RevPAR and TRevPAR, with both metrics up high triple-digit percentages in March versus the same month last year. Though occupancies crept up, it was average daily rate that boosted hotelier fortunes. ADR across Europe was at its highest level since September 2019, with March ADR 25 euros higher than at the same time in 2019. On the other side of the ledger, expenses saw a bit of a reduction in March, but overall costs are proving recalcitrant. Total labor on a per-available-room basis was still below 2019 levels but up significantly YTD since last year143%. At the same, other departmental costs are not abating, including utilities, which, at 7.50 on a PAR basis, were up 107% in Q1 versus the same time last year. They are also significantly higher than at any time pre-pandemic. Star-Spangled Performance The U.S. saw a similar uptick in its operating fortunes. GOPPAR in March 2022 was up some $70 over January 2022 and at $90 was closing in on March 2019s level. It was the highest profit month in the U.S. since February 2020, the last normalized month of performance before COVID-19 reframed the world. Much of the trends in the U.S. followed Europe, with ADR growth leading the way in the recovery. March ADR on a nominal basis was at its highest level since October 2018. Operators managed to convert much of the revenue bounce into profit, evidenced by a flow-through rate (defined as the percentage of incremental profit that flows to the bottom line from each incremental dollar of top-line revenue) of more than 50% in the month. Although labor costs are moving upward month to month, they arent moving at a rate higher than the increases in total revenue. Though corporate business continues to stay muted, association and convention volume increased in March and was at its highest rate since March 2020. Middle East March Up Expo 2020 concluded in March and proved to continue to underpin operating performance in the Middle East region. In fact, March GOPPAR of $114.33 marked the highest-performing month for the metric in the Middle East since before 2018 and 41% higher than in 2021an astonishing feat. TRevPAR was at its highest point since April 2018, bolstered by a boost in F&B revenue, which hit $71.87 on a PAR basis. F&B revenue could continue its upward momentum, especially since places like Dubai have relaxed their food and beverage rules during the month of Ramadan, April 1-May 1. Ramadan curtains were made optional by Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which stated: For Ramadan, restaurants in the emirate [Dubai] can choose whether or not to place curtains to cover their facades for serving food during fasting hours in line with last years guidelines. DET also announced that venues can serve food and drinks within authorized working hours without the need for pre-authorization or permits. In previous years, F&B outlets were closed until the fast was broken at sunset. China Drop China did not have a similar fortune enjoyed by many other regions, as COVID lockdowns reemerged, dragging hospitality down with it. Shanghai has been in lockdown for about a month now while a COVID spike in Beijing is prompting city officials to act to contain it. March was a grim month for Chinas hotels, with GOPPAR moving into negative territory for the first time since February 2020, around when the pandemic began. As GOPPAR dwindled to -$3.83, payroll costs dove with it, signalling a cut back in the workforce. Total payroll on a PAR basis fell to $28, the lowest its been since July 2020. About HotStats HotStats provides monthly P&L benchmarking and market insight for the global hotel industry, collecting monthly detailed financial data from more than 8,500 hotels worldwide and over 100 different brands and independent hotels. HotStats provides more than 550 different KPIs covering all operating revenues, payroll, expenses, cost of sales and departmental and total hotel profitability. HotStats Limited +44 (0) 20 7892 2241 HotStats Limited There is a lot of confusion about parity performance affecting conversion ratefor hoteliers. But we wanted to simplify things and help you understand the nitty-gritty elements surrounding rate parity and how parity performance can impact the conversion rate of the hotel businesses. You need to understand multiple things before we jump onto the core part. So, without further ado, lets understand the basics. What Is Rate Parity? The agreement between the online travel agencies (OTAs) and hotels restricts the hotels from tweaking the prices on different booking mediums and showcasing different prices. You need to use the same terms and rates for a specific room, irrespective of your selected distribution channel. Hoteliers have the freedom to update their prices, but the change must be consistent across multiple networks, and you cant tweak the prices directly or indirectly on specific booking channels. It helps OTAs prevent business owners from taking away their business by pricing high prices on their platform and charging less on their direct booking websites. It also ensures that the hoteliers dont favor one OTA platform and hinder the market opportunity for the others. Depending upon the country and the parties involved, the rate parity agreement differs and is broadly categorized into two. Wide rate parity A wide parity restricts the hotels to not undercut the room prices set on one OTA channel. The agreement applies to other distribution channels, including the hotels direct booking website. Narrow rate parity In Europe, the rate parity agreement has received a lot of backlash and has been banned across different countries. So the narrow rate parity clause allows hoteliers to lower their rates compared to the OTAs but not on the public platforms. Hotel businesses can offer indirect discounts and offers using different offline channels, including telephone booking, emails, or loyalty programs. It enables hoteliers to minimize the dependency on the OTAs and create a strong, loyal customer base of their own. It can help them save multiple-fold commission money that they pay to the OTA platforms. Countries like Germany and Sweden have banned the rate parity clauses for some OTAs, and different big OTA players have agreed to adapt to narrow parity clauses in different countries. Countries like France, Austria, Italy, and Belgium also have made strict changes to encounter the drawbacks of rate parity clauses and give hoteliers the freedom to decide their room prices according to their choice. But how are rate parity clauses and news surrounding it related to the conversion rate of your hotel business? The price of your hotel on major OTAs and your direct conversion booking channels affect the conversion rate. A recent study conducted by Pegasus collected relevant data from different small and large properties, branded and independent spaces, casinos, and resorts, among others, and found that: Two situations were analyzed during the research. One is when the hotel's direct price is higher than the OTAs and the other when the hotel's direct price is the same or lower than the OTAs. Over 67000 availability searches around multiple hotel sizes and segments were conducted to dig deep into how is parity performance affecting conversion rate of the booking engine of a hotel brand. As you can see in the details, when the hotel's direct price was higher than the OTAs, the conversion rate was around 2.98%. But when the hotel's direct price was the same or lower than the OTAs, the conversion rate shot up to 4.66%. Here are the concluding results. A surge in conversion rate by 56% When the hotel prices on their website were similar to or lower than the OTAs, they witnessed a whopping rise in the conversion rate by 56%. If the hotel prices their rooms higher than the OTAs, people prefer to choose the OTAs as their transaction medium. Increasing the prices on the direct booking portals can cause businesses to pay higher commissions to the OTAs and decline their direct conversion rate. Statistical significance greater than 99% It was found out that the statistical significance of the data was greater than 99%, and the P-value was 0.0000. Out of 16,260 visitors, only 485 converted when the hotel's direct booking price was greater than the pricing on OTAs. And out of 51,318, the converted customers were measured at around 2,393 when the price of the direct booking website is in parity to or lower than the room prices on OTAs. The digitization in the hotel booking process and the rise of multiple OTAs globally have enabled customers to choose from multiple options for hotel booking. Your guest will check on multi-channels and investigate different prices to decide. So if you want to increase your business conversion rate, minimize the dependency on OTAs and lower the high commissions; you need to maintain a similar or lower number of your room prices across all the distribution channels. If you take action on how is parity performance affecting conversion rate and improve it, numerous business opportunities are available that can deliver you significant results in terms of business numbers and conversion rates. Its time you step towards improving your parity performance. A Dedicated Channel Manager Can Assist You A powerful channel manager can help your business create a flawless ecosystem to manage your online distribution channels and update the dynamic prices on different OTAs and your website. Based on the availability of the room, local market trend, and different factors, you can automate updating the prices on multiple online booking platforms to escape the hassle of manual processing. You can shift your focus from maintaining the price to improving the productivity of your workforce and enhancing the guests on-site experience. But finding the right channel manager out of hundreds available in the market is a hectic task at hand. Dont worry. We got you covered. AxisRooms Is Your Ideal Solution Being one of the advanced and professional complete platforms for small, large, and independent staying spaces, AxisRooms has a dedicated channel manager that can simplify your business operations. Using the channel manager, you get a birds eye view of different pricing on all your online distribution channels, and within a few clicks, you can simultaneously update them. The simplified and easy-to-use UX/UI enables you to explore multiple powerful functionalities of the platform like a dedicated booking engine, vacation rental software, property management system, revenue management system, and rate shopper. AxisRooms can deliver tailored solutions to your major and minor hotel distribution, operations, pricing, and other problems to help you scale your business revenue and profits. Explore the power of AxisRooms by accessing the free demo version of the tool and improve your performance parity to witness a rise in your business numbers. We offer 24*7 dedicated customer support to help you bypass different unfortunate hiccups and problems you may encounter while using the platform. We have helped multiple leading hotel brands and OTAs to scale their hospitality sector business, and now it's your time to turn the tables around. AxisRooms Editorial Desk AxisRooms, a software suite provider for the hospitality industry, is committed to aiding your business growth, not just with our state-of-the-art products and services, but also with the latest updates from the travel and hospitality industry. Got something to say? Write to us at: [email protected] I recently received an email from Iryna Sidletska, president of the Ukrainian Hotel & Resort Association, and Mariana Oleskiv, chairperson of the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine. In it, they make a case that all global hotel brands should join other Western companies in pulling out of Russia completely, in protest of its attack on Ukraine. Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced in mid-March that they were closing their corporate offices in Moscow and would put new openings, future development activity and investment in Russia on hold. Similarly, Hilton closed its corporate office and is also suspending new development activity. Still, hotels in Russia continue to operate under all three companies' flags. On April 15, Hyatt, which has only five hotels in Russia and had earlier said it would suspend development and new investments there, announced it will end service provisions at a property in Sochi (meaning guests can't access World of Hyatt benefits) and that it was ceasing "association, contracts and relationships" with the Hyatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky Park. Best Western has gone the furthest, suspending all participation in Russia, where it has five franchisees. Many of these same companies have announced war-related humanitarian assistance: Marriott earmarked $1 million to support employees impacted by the war; Hyatt has been providing accommodations for refugees across Europe; IHG has donated room nights, as well, and has also contributed money to the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Hilton, in partnership with American Express, has donated 1 million room nights for refugees and those supporting humanitarian efforts. Hilton said it will also donate any profits from business operations in Russia to humanitarian relief efforts. Although Accor suspended openings and stopped services and distribution to its hotels in Russia, CEO Sebastien Bazin, speaking at the Skift Forum Europe on March 24, defended his company's choice to nonetheless allow its hotels to remain open in Russia. He noted the company's 50-year tradition of neutrality; the importance of maintaining accommodations for Western media, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and diplomats as they carry out duties in Russia; and the need to distinguish Russian citizens employed by Accor from the actions of the Russian state and the imperative to provide them with continued employment. The Ukrainian professional travel associations, however, want nothing less than complete withdrawal and have openly criticized anyone stopping short of that. Sidletska and Oleskiv rejected each of Bazin's points in detail. Their arguments can be summed up thusly: A precedence of neutrality is a weak argument for addressing an event that parallels Nazism, which predated Accor's founding. Would France-based Accor have remained neutral, they ask, as World War II broke out? Would they host the Nazi elite in their Black Forest spas after Germany invaded France? Just one hotel in Moscow would be sufficient to host the dwindling number of media and NGOs who haven't left or been forced out under increasingly restrictive rules. The majority of hotel staff are not Accor employees but work for the hotel's owner and can be retained regardless of which flag the hotel flies. The Ukrainian travel associations are not calling for a boycott of these companies but are seeking to pressure them with a call to conscience to participate completely in sanctions against Russia. They assert that whatever business difficulties the hospitality companies encounter while pulling out pale compared to the difficulties and horror that Ukrainians are experiencing. They suggest that corporations, like individuals, make choices that either contribute to or work against responsible outcomes. Although travel boycotts as a means of protest are not necessarily effective, as was discussed in our March 7 cover story ("The boycott dilemma"), the coordinated global economic sanctions being imposed on Russia do appear to put pressure on the Russian economy, a critical pillar in the Western coalition's efforts to end the war. Given the unique relationships between hotel management companies and hotel ownership, there's no doubt that extricating a hotel brand from Russia would be thornier than would, say, a global retail brand. Neither Best Western nor Hyatt, which appear to have taken the most concrete steps to quit Russia, have large footprints there. Those brands each have about a fifth of Hilton's 25, Marriott's 26 and IHG's 28 locations, and only about a tenth of Accor's 53 properties. But nevertheless, Best Western and Hyatt have shown it can be done. That Hyatt has only withdrawn fully from one property and partially from another may indicate that each individual ownership contract presents a different degree of difficulty. Marriott and IHG have said they are reviewing contracts. Given these complexities, perhaps additional withdrawal announcements, citing disengagement with individual properties, will be forthcoming, rolling out incrementally, as lawyers work through the issues. I hope to hear about more withdrawals. The West's economic sanctions rely on the cooperation of Western-based global companies, and among these companies, I'm not convinced that hospitality should be exempt. Source: travelweekly.com View source As it became apparent on Monday that the richest man in the world was going to become the sole owner of Twitter, I was camped out in a potential alternative to that social network, watching newcomers flow in like refugees fleeing a war. News that Elon Musk had reached an agreement with Twitters board to pay about $44 billion for the company hit hard many of its users, who were concerned based on his past declarations that he would gut protections again harassment, hate speech and trolling. There was a panic on Monday as upset users sought safe havens elsewhere. But heres the problem. Yes, there are other social networking platforms, but theres really nothing else that matches Twitter in terms of speed of news, size of the audience, ease of use and influence in the real world. Ive spent the past few days exploring other services, and theres no robust and viable alternative that checks all those boxes. That said, different people rely on Twitter for different things, and if youre looking for options, theyre out there. Ill explore the most interesting one shortly, but first, lets talk about Twitter itself. The company launched in 2006 as a way to share short, blog-like dispatches with friends via text messages at first, it didnt even have a web page. Less than a year later, it found utility at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, where it became a hit by letting attendees communicate quickly with each other, with messages (they werent yet called tweets) posted on public screens. The service caught on with sectors of society that raised its profile. Artists and celebrities found it was an easy, low-cost way to communicate directly with millions of fans. Politicians discovered it could bypass gatekeeping media. And journalists found it was a great tool for both reporting news and distributing their work. In its early days, Twitter was considered a free-speech haven. I remember the service that I first joined in 2007 as being a place where you could speak your mind, have rational discussions and folks were willing to help each other. It reflected the unbridled optimism of what tech could do to improve humankinds lot. On HoustonChronicle.com: Hey, Netflix moochers! The days of sharing logins are almost over But as Twitter grew, that changed. Every online community at some point experiences an influx of, to put it politely, jerks people who are rude, disparaging, abusive, scamming and offensive, and who consider that behavior to be cool. Eventually, the bullies, harassers and trolls shout louder than anyone else, driving away those seeking rational discourse and connection. And I can speak from professional experience here. For much of the existence of first Chron.com and then HoustonChronicle.com, the free and subscriber websites, I was in charge of comment moderation. I initially wanted a light touch, believing that the cure for bad speech is more speech. But I quickly learned thats just naive. Firm, swift and consistent moderation based on clear terms of use is the key to making sure everyone feels comfortable participating. (And yes, if you ever had a comment deleted or you were banned from our sites during my tenure, its very possible I was involved. Sorry, not sorry.) In recent years, Twitter has made great strides in moderation and building tools that let users protect themselves. Many of those lessons were learned after the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the flood of health misinformation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people will tell you Twitter remains a cesspool particularly for women, the LGBTQ community and people of color. And indeed, the company still has a way to go. But the gains it has made are threatened if Musks proclamations are to be believed. As he began pursuing his bid for the company, Musk who already oversees four businesses, including SpaceX and Tesla declared (on Twitter) that the platform is the planets de facto public town square and said that it was failing to adhere to free speech principles. In an interview at a TED conference earlier this month, Musk made it clear there would be fewer content removals and outright bans under his ownership. If in doubt, let the speech, let it exist. If it's a gray area, I would say let the tweet exist, he said. But obviously in a case where there's perhaps a lot of controversy, that you would not want to necessarily promote that tweet. But I do think that we want to be just very reluctant to delete things, just be very cautious with permanent bans. Its important to note that the deal selling Twitter to Musk likely wont close for another six months; a lot could happen in that time. Musk is notoriously mercurial and impulsive. The agreement to purchase includes language preventing him from disparaging Twitter or its employees, but on Tuesday he amplified tweets that attacked one of the companys top lawyers. And when confronted with the reality of managing the behavior of Twitters 217 million daily active users of which only 38 million are U.S. citizens he may shift his position closer to the pragmatic. His statements caused even longtime Twitter users to rethink their presence there this week, and why I wound up creating an account on CounterSocial, a Twitter alternative that first launched in late 2017. Behave or be banned Located at counter.social, it is built on Mastodon, a software platform created as a decentralized clone of Twitter and run by an anonymous, grey-hat hacker. Calling himself The Jester, he made news in the past by attacking anti-American, jihadist and homophobic sites. Its rules for behavior are stricter than those of Twitter, and bad behavior is not tolerated. In fact, some entire countries are banned from CounterSocial, including Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and Syria. The site looks a lot like Tweetdeck, Twitters own client for power users. It allows for multiple columns for mentions, people you follow, lists and the Community firehose, which is everything flowing through the service at the moment. On Monday, the firehose was rockin, but as the panic calmed so did the stream on Tuesday. There are no ads and no algorithm choosing which posts to show you. On HoustonChronicle.com: Can HPE make Houstons tech sector a contender? CounterSocial has promise, but may be challenging for some Twitter users. Its not quite as intuitive, and theres no way to check your contact list for anyone you know, making it hard to find friends. And earlier this week, the site was so overwhelmed that it frequently crashed. Some features are not free and require a Pro account. Pay up and you can build your own virtual reality environment, get warned if a site youre about to click on deals in fake news or even watch streaming cable news. It may take a while for CounterSocial or any Twitter alternative to gain critical mass and become a true contender. For now, its the most interesting one Ive found, and you can follow me there as @dsilverman. dsilverman@outlook.com twitter.com/dsilverman The Texas Public Utility Commissions February 2021 emergency rules allowing an increase in wholesale electricity prices of $9,000 per megawatt hour to address massive power shortages and widespread outages were invalid and ineffective, system, lawyers representing several large energy companies told a Texas appeals court Wednesday. Lawyers for Dallas-based Luminant Energy asked a three-judge panel of the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin to declare that the PUC illegally adopted two pricing rules during last years winter storm that allowed the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to increase the emergency price of electricity 650 percent for five days. The PUCs action wreaked havoc of the power system. In response, the PUC argued that the energy companies suing the agency are simply upset at losing money during the frigid weather that knocked about half the states power generation offline, and are asking the judges to second-guess decisions made by the PUC and ERCOT under extreme weather conditions. Legal experts say the PUC decision to set rates at $9,000 for the five days during the storm forced some retail electric providers to pay billions of dollars to provide power to their residential and commercial customers, while other electric companies profited by selling power at those high rates. The decision by the Court of Appeals in Austin will dramatically affect the efforts by more than a dozen electric providers challenging their ERCOT invoices. The epic winter storm hit Texas Feb. 14, 2021, bringing with it snow, freezing rain and sub-zero temperatures. A cascade of power plant failures, knocking out power often for days for more than 4 million customers, including more than 1 million in the Houston area. The PUC, at a six-minute meeting Feb. 15, decided to address the gap between supply and demand by issuing an emergency rule that reset the maximum price at $9,000 per megawatt hour - up from $1,200 at which power was trading in wholesale markets at the time. It made the $9,000 price retroactive to Feb. 14. The next day, Feb. 16, the PUC met again and rescinded the retroactive part of its order. On HoustonChronicle.com: Ex-ERCOT chief says Abbott directed freeze blackouts to stop before decision to run up billions in bills The high-stakes litigation pits the energy companies against each other. For example, Houston-based Pattern Energy, Exelon Generation and Constellation NewEnergy are supporting Luminant in the litigation. All are fighting multibillion-dollar charges as a result of the $9,000 price. Houston-based Calpine Corporation, Talen Energy and TexGen Power support the PUC position. Spring, Texas-based DGP2 and Distributed Solutions argue that the first PUC rule is valid, but the second-day rule rescinding retroactivity was illegal. Allyson Ho, a lawyer for Luminant and partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, told the Austin appellate judges that both emergency pricing rules were invalid for multiple reasons, including the PUCs failure to file the rule change with the Secretary of State. This is a case where the agency disregarded legal procedures. It did not follow the law, Ho argued Wednesday. It is not too much to ask the PUC to follow the rules, follow the law. Texas Assistant Solicitor General Lisa Bennett, who represents the PUC, told the judges that the PUC didnt violate Texas law because the agencys actions were merely a direction to ERCOT, not rulemaking. She argued that the law provides wide discretion for the PUC to make such decisions. The PUCs actions were taken during an extreme emergency and because there was a flaw in the system, she said. Supply was seemingly meeting demand only because the severe shortages had cut off one-third of the states electricity customer from the grid. We were at negative reserves, but the price was not going up, Bennett told the judges. Baker Botts appellate partner Macey Reasoner Stokes, who represents Calpine and Talen, contended that companies like Luminant are using the litigation to improperly shift resulting market losses to other parties. When the emergency passed, however, market participants assessed the financial outcomes of the complex actions they and others had taken in the market during the storm, and some suffered staggering losses, Reasoner Stokes argued in written briefs filed with the appellate court. In hindsight, some market participants now blame the PUC for their losses and argue that the orders were illegal all along.xxx For a longer version of this article, go to texaslawbook.net A huge Kendall County property just outside of the city of Boerne or about five minutes from a George Strait-owned Hill Country resort may soon change hands. The Less Ranch, a 2,269-acre tract of land just off Texas 46 complete with creeks, springs and a dramatic cave, has hit the market this week for $54 million, according to a listing by Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales. On HoustonChronicle.com: George Hill socially distanced at his Hill Country ranch with kangaroos and zebras The Less Ranch has been owned by Greli and John Less for nearly 70 years. Among the ranchs neighbors is the Strait-owned Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort. The propertys southwest boundary borders the Kronkosky State Natural Area. Its so rare to find something this large with its proximity to San Antonio, Dullnig told the Express-News. The ranch is about 20 minutes from the Alamo City. Its refreshing too to see one that is so untouched, Dullnig added. As impressive as it sits now, its unique to find a semi-blank canvas, where it could be turned into something more polished. Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales The propertys main 3,200-square-foot limestone home is believed to have been built in 1935, according to the listing. The living and dining rooms each have rock fireplaces and are complete with knotty pine boards and vaulted beamed ceilings. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Show More Show Less Theres also a 400-square-foot covered porch and a concrete-floored basement beneath the fully equipped kitchen. The adjoining garage and workshop are about 924-square-feet. The 1,280-square-foot guest house is made of native rock veneer with a concrete beam foundation and concrete piers. It features four bedrooms and two baths. On HoustonChronicle.com: Why millionaires are flocking to Wimberley in Hays County, Texas The large living room and kitchen are positioned in the center, accented with a rock fireplace, and a loft above each set of bedrooms. There is a 336-square-foot porch offering views and access to the swimming pool. There is also a 1,109-square-foot caretakers house. This building has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a foot porch. Theres also a barn and a shed on the property. Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales The property has both low perimeter fencing and high perimeter fencing. There is also a scenic paved road from the entrance to the house. Several dams are located on the creek. Creek tributaries and lakes are found throughout the property. Over a mile of the Frederick Creek traverses the northeast side of the property. It provides two lakes and runs through the ranch for 4 miles, and includes 2 miles of other springs, seeps and drainages. Several stock ponds are also found on the property. Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales The ranch is also highlighted by a dramatic cave with an artesian-type water feature, discharging an estimated 19,000 gallons of water a day and captured for decades in a 40,000-gallon cistern. The water feature flows continuously into an old spring box from the top of the cave. The water is captured and provides water to the home and lakes, which is supplemented by an electric well. The property also boasts of light hunting opportunities for whitetail deer, Axis deer, turkeys, dove and hogs. The water features also provide plenty of opportunities for fishing and duck hunting, according to the listing. Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales Courtesy of Robert Dullnig of Dullnig Ranch Sales timothy.fanning@express-news.net Sonoma in the Heights, the wine bar at 801 Studewood, will close on June 26 after 10 years of operation in the Heights neighborhood. Owner Farrah Cauley, who built three Sonoma Wine Bar concepts in Houston and Katy, said she was unable to continue her lease at the Heights location. Sonomas other locations at 2720 Richmond and 9920 Gaston Road in Katy are unaffected by this decision and will remain open. This was not the outcome I had hoped for after several months of negotiations with the landlord, but I had to make this extremely tough and sad decision based on what my business can afford, she said of Sonoma in the Heights. UCHIKO HOUSTON: Uchi's sister concept from James Beard Award-winning chef opening May 23 Sonoma in the Heights The Heights location remains open through June 26. On that day she plans a grand try before you buy wine tasting with 50 different wines from 2 to 6 p.m. Cauleys decision to close Sonoma in the Heights doesnt spell the end of her presence in the area. She said she currently is seeking a lease for a new location in the Heights area. Ive been dealing with this since October, she said of lease negotiations for Sonoma in the Heights. As soon as I realized what I was in for I started looking to have a backup plan. Yelp Cauley opened Sonoma in the Heights on White Linen Night in 2012. She helped design the store, a former frame shop, as a casual wine bar that has come to serve a variety of dishes including pizza, pasta, salads, and tapas-like appetizers. The original Sonoma Wine Bar opened in Upper Kirby in 2007; the Katy location opened in July 2021. When she finds a new location for Sonoma in the Heights, it will operate like the Katy location, which is a wine shop with a more retail focus serving a small selection of cheese and charcuterie. I want to thank all the employees (past and present) that have contributed to make Sonoma in the Heights what it has become, Cauley said. I want to thank all of our guests, for which showed an enormous amount of love and support over the years, especially throughout the pandemic. Sonoma in the Heights is going out on a positive note: we have two months to pour as much wine and serve as many tasty dishes as we can, Cauley said. Wed love to see you all. Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. Nothing beats an adventure in nature to restore your serenity. I just returned from a vacation in Utahs scenic Zion National Park with a group of friends. This wasnt my first trip, but I was eager to hike The Narrows again; I love pushing though the water in the slot canyon the trail is actually in the ice-cold Virgin River. On this visit, I also did a solo hike one afternoon up to Angels Landing. Its only about 3 miles, but its straight up with a series of 21 steep switchbacks. The last half-mile is a narrow path of stones and boulders with sharp drop-offs on either side. Hikers grip the chains lining the path and try not to look down. I arrived at the summit, 5,790 feet up, at sunset and practically had the view to myself before it was time to scramble back down in order make the last shuttle back to Zion Lodge. Melissa Aguilar / Elizabeth Conley / Staff The theme of this issue is explore. Our team ventured to some favorite spots in Texas: Writer Nora Mishanec and photographer Elizabeth Conley take us on a tour of the famous Painted Churches. Food editor Greg Morago visits Austin to see whats on the menu at the capital citys new restaurants. And writer Paul Stephen samples German food in New Braunfels. Veterans in one downtown Houston housing complex have formed an unlikely bond with nearly 40 feral cats that have taken up residence in the complex. The housing complex offers transitional housing for homeless veterans and their families. The unadoptable cats living at the complex were diseased, mangy and overpopulated due to uncontrolled litters, but thanks to the efforts of a Katy charity, the cats have been trapped, given medical care and returned to the veterans free of charge. Citizens for Animal Protection is a 501(c)(3) no-kill animal shelter in Katy. In addition to facilitating pet adoptions, the charity also offers humane education, wellness clinic services and a feral cat trap-neuter-release program. Through the feral cat program, volunteers humanely trap cats that are wild and unadoptable. The cats are sedated and spayed or neutered and given vaccinations. The cats ears are then clipped at the end, signifying that the cat has been altered and treated. After treatment, the cats are released back into the wild. The feral cat colony at the veteran's complex was growing out of control, so Shari Wilson, a veteran living at the complex, reached out to CAP. "There were just so many animals," Wilson said. "Everywhere you looked, there were cats, and some of them were very sick. One kitten had mange so bad he couldn't even open his little eyes. It was heartbreaking, really." Compounding the issue- many of the veterans have service dogs, Wilson said, and sarcoptic mange can be spread from cats to dogs. "We have to protect our service animals as well," Wilson said. "If our service dogs get sick, it's a major, major problem. A lot of us can't live without our service dogs." Wilson contacted CAP but was adamant that the animals not be harmed or permanently removed. Shari said, We have all these cats, and theyre sick or mangy, and theyre having too many litters, said Bianca Burrascano, media relations for CAP. They wanted medical treatment for the cats, but they didnt want the cats removed because the veterans were so attached to the cats. More Katy news: Katy Police Department substation to bolster security at Katy Mills Mall The cats and veterans give each other comfort, said Daiva Paskauskaite, head of the feral cat program at CAP. The veterans in the shelter are homeless, and the cats are unadoptable, so they formed a strong bond. The veterans cant afford to buy cat food, Paskauskaite said, so they share their meals with the cats. The veterans sometimes have PTSD and are homeless, and they do understand those animals, because those animals are homeless too, she said. So they share their meals, which are mostly donated by Meals on Wheels, with those cats. The cats are unadoptable due to their feral nature, Burrascano explained, but most of them are friendly, allowing the veterans to pet and hold them. Some of the veterans have been caring for the cats since they were kittens, so while they're technically feral, they're accustomed to being held and cuddled by the veterans. "Some of the cats even have names and collars," Wilson explained. "So they may be wild, but they're very much like pets to some of us." When the veterans first learned that the cats would be trapped and treated, they resisted the volunteers, Burrascano said. "We actually had to put locks on the cages because the veterans were going in behind us trying to let them out," Wilson recalled. "They didn't understand at first that we were trying to help." The CAP volunteers held a meeting with the veterans to explain the process, emphasizing that the cats wouldn't be harmed or taken away. We had to explain the procedure to them because they didnt understand the program, and they thought we were going to euthanize the cats, Burrascano said. You could tell that these cats really were so important to them. On HoustonChronicle.com: Former KPRC anchor Dominique Sachse talks about leaving TV, divorce and her new book Life Makeover Once the veterans understood that CAP would be treating the cats and then returning them to the complex, they welcomed the volunteers. These cats are really loved by these veterans, and once they understood we werent going to harm the cats, they were completely on board, Paskauskaite said. There was so much gratitude. On April 21, volunteers with CAP trapped 39 cats. The animals were treated over the next two days and released back into the housing complex on April 23. The volunteers also trapped numerous kittens who were still young enough to be suitable for adoption. Those kittens were given medical attention and are now in foster homes. CAP also gave the veterans bags of food for the animals so the veterans would no longer have to share their meals with the cats. It just broke my heart to know that these veterans were having to share what little they had to keep the cats fed, Paskauskaite said. These cats clearly are loved and cared for, and we at CAP knew we had to step in to keep the cats and veterans together. The veterans are grateful to CAP for their endeavor, Wilson said. "I've never seen anything like these volunteers- the way they came in and got to work and made such a huge difference for us," she said. "Now we have healthy cats, and we don't have to worry about litters getting out of control. These people are absolutely amazing." The incoming new chief for Pearland Fire Department vows to continue the operations record of excellence, which includes recently earning a top rating that could pay off in the citys economic development efforts and in competitive fire insurance rates for property owners. Hired after a nationwide search, Jack J Taylor III will assume his role as fire chief on May 16, replacing Vance Riley, who retires April 29 after 11 years at the helm. Curtis Birt, the departments assistant chief, will serve as chief in the interim. Taylor, who boasts nearly three decades of fire experience, comes from Trophy Club, a city outside of Dallas where he served as fire chief from 2020-2022. We will strive to be the fire department that others in Texas look to as a template for success, Taylor said. Being progressive and creative as an organization will allow us to raise the bar of exceptional services PFD already provides to the community. The fire departments Insurance Services Office rating of Class 1 the highest public protection classification certifies it as among the best in the country. The ratings originate with the ISO, an advisory organization registered with the Texas Department of Insurance. The Texas State Fire Marshals Office, which is part of the state department, approves or disapproves each rating before its recorded by ISO and relayed to the community, TDI representative Gardner Selby said. For more information, visit www.tdi.texas.gov//fire/fmppc.html. Among the more than 45,000 ISO-ranked U.S. fire departments, Pearlands is one of 459 to be labeled Class 1, an improvement from its 2015 ranking as ISO Class 2. During the April 25 City Council meeting, Pearland Mayor Kevin Cole called the new certification an honor. Basically, 1 percent of cities (that have an ISO rating) achieve what were achieving here tonight, he said. Cole congratulated Riley for his work not only within the fire department, but his collaboration with other city departments such as the police force and public works to earn the top ranking. The ISO ranking examines five elements of city services that impact firefighting capabilities: community infrastructure, fire mitigation geographics, the fire department itself, water supply and community risk reduction. The ranking takes into account many factors, including the distance from properties to fire stations and hydrants, emergency communications and fire stations equipment, training and personnel. Other factors taken into account are the citys available water supply measured against its needs to combat fires, as well as fire investigation capabilities and public fire prevention education efforts. Riley thanked Police Chief Johnny Spires, the Pearland Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) and Robert Upton, the city director of engineering, for working with his team to make the distinction possible. The fire department was graded on a scale of 1-100, earning 92.97 points to be labeled Class 1. Riley said 39.67 of a possible 40 points came from the citys water system, which he called very strong. The ranking system looked at Pearland's water supply and tested hydrants size, type and installation among other inspection points. Riley also lauded the successful collaboration between emergency dispatchers and the fire department to quickly alert firefighters to where they are needed. We have to be able to dispatch the fire department to get those right resources, he said. Those dispatchers team up with our fire contractor and they do a fantastic job, and they almost got a perfect score. Riley said the EDC helped the fire department fund a study to determine that it was eligible for the ISO rating. Riley said he hopes the city keeps striving to keep the ranking. Youve got to keep going forward, he said. As the city builds new areas, youve got to add more personnel and stations to maintain this. Taylors hiring was confirmed by the City Council on April 11. The vast majority of Taylors career was spent in Irving, where he worked from 1995 until 2020 and earned the rank of assistant chief. He worked his way through that department, also serving as its public information officer and administrative chief. Taylor has a master of science degree in organizational leadership from Columbia Southern University, a bachelor of science in biology from Southwest Oklahoma State University and associate degrees in kinesiology and emergency medical service professions. WASHINGTON (AP) The Energy Department on Wednesday authorized additional exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from planned terminals in Texas and Louisiana. The orders allow Golden Pass LNG Terminal near Port Arthur, Texas, and Magnolia LNG Terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to export additional natural gas as LNG to any country not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. The $10 billion Golden Pass LNG export project is expected be operational in 2024, with Magnolia coming online by 2026. The two terminals are expected to produce more than 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. The approvals come as the United States seeks to boost LNG exports to Europe amid Russia's war with Ukraine. The Energy Department approved expanded permits for two other LNG terminals in Texas and Louisiana last month. Cheniere Energy Inc. said its Sabine Pass facility in Louisiana and its Corpus Christi plant in Texas have been improved and are making more gas than covered by previous export permits. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said last month that the U.S. is exporting every molecule of liquefied natural gas that we can to help European buyers of Russian fuel. U.S. LNG exports have reached new highs of about 12 billion cubic feet per day and are expected to grow to more than 13 billion cubic feet by the end of the year, with most going to Europe, the Energy Department said. The U.S. and its allies also have released oil from their strategic reserves to counter Russia's aggression. The U.S. has banned imports of Russian oil. The U.S. and other countries will act quickly to hedge against energy disruptions,'' Granholm said at the International Energy Agencys ministerial meeting in Paris. We will not allow Vladimir Putin to wedge our nations apart. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, hailed the new permits Wednesday as a tremendous victory for Texans, American jobs, trade and our European allies who will now have greater access to our clean natural gas exports.'' A source familiar with his thinking said Cruz planned to release a Senate hold on Brad Crabtree, President Joe Biden's nominee to be assistant Energy secretary for fossil energy and carbon management. Golden Pass is jointly owned by ExxonMobil Corporation and Qatar Petroleum International Limited, while Magnolia is owned by the Glenfarne Group LLC. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) The European Union wants to start formal membership talks with North Macedonia by early this summer and renew efforts to address objections from Bulgaria that have held up the process, a top EU official said Wednesday. Oliver Varhelyi, the EU s enlargement commissioner, said during a visit to North Macedonia that the bloc is eager to break the two-year deadlock. Hastening the process of admitting new members has taken on more urgency for the EU following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. North Macedonia is part of Europe! No time to waste to speed up the procedures! Varhelyi tweeted after a meeting with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, argues that North Macedonia has failed to honor parts of a 2017 friendship deal between the neighboring countries. KYIV, Ukraine Russia pounded targets from practically one end of Ukraine to the other Thursday, including Kyiv, bombarding the city while the head of the United Nations was visiting in the boldest attack on the capital since Moscows forces retreated weeks ago. Ukrainian emergency services said 10 people were wounded when a Russian missile hit a 25-story apartment building in Kyiv on Thursday evening and set off a fire, which partially destroyed the first and second floors. The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Ukraine has become an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain. A spokesperson said Guterres and his team were safe. Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Ukraine says Russian offensive in east picks up momentum NATO chief says Finland, Sweden could join quite quickly Biden seeks new powers to use oligarchs assets for Ukraine A chilling Russian cyber aim in Ukraine: Digital dossiers After a rocket: One second and you are left with nothing Follow all AP stories on Russias war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had very substantive and warm talks on energy and defense cooperation with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov during his visit to Kyiv on Thursday. Zelenskyy said they agreed that damaged Ukrainian military equipment could be repaired at Bulgarian plants and then sent back to Ukraine. Another issue we agreed on was the supply of Ukrainian electricity to Bulgaria and the joint use of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline to diversify energy supplies in the region, Zelenskyy said late Thursday in his nightly video address to the nation. Russia this week cut off natural gas supplies to Bulgaria and also to Poland, two NATO members which have been among the strongest European supporters of Ukraine in the war. Although Bulgaria gets over 90% of its gas from Russia, the cutoff does not immediately put the country in dire trouble because of other potential suppliers. The Trans-Balkan gas pipeline runs from Greece through Bulgaria and Romania to Ukraine. __ ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine An 11-year-old Ukrainian boy was one of at least three people wounded in what emergency officials are calling the first Russian strike in a residential area of the southern city of Zaporizhzhia since Russias invasion began. The city has been a crucial waypoint for tens of thousands of people fleeing the besieged southern port of Mariupol. The rocket strike came Thursday as parts of southern Ukraine prepared for a further onslaught by Russian forces who seek to strip the country of its coastline. Residents said at least eight homes in the modest neighborhood were damaged or destroyed. Glass shards cut the boys right leg to the bone. The injured boys father, Vadym Vodostoyev, said it just takes one second and youre left with nothing. __ KYIV, Ukraine Russia struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv shortly after a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday evening. At least one person was killed and several were injured, including some who were trapped beneath the rubble, according to rescue officials. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Shevchenkivskyi district in the northwestern part of the city was hit twice, causing fires in at least two high-rise buildings. The explosions, which sent plumes of black smoke into the air, came just shortly after the two leaders held a press conference in which Guterres condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia retreated. Authorities said the U.N. chief and his team were safe. Appearing to be one of boldest attacks on Kyiv since Russian forces retreated from around the capital weeks ago, the explosions came as residents have been increasingly returning to the city. Cafes and other businesses have reopened, and a growing number of people have been out and enjoying the spring weather. __ KYIV, Ukraine Ukraines prosecutor on Thursday identified 10 Russian soldiers she accused of atrocities in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, one of the wars major flashpoints that helped galvanize Western support of Ukraine. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said on Facebook that the 10 soldiers in Russias 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Ground Forces Brigade who occupied Bucha were involved in the torture of peaceful people. She did not specifically say that her office had filed criminal charges, and appealed to the public to help develop evidence. The Russian government denies it targets civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently honored the brigades work, and Venediktova said he bears responsibility for the soldiers actions as their commander-in-chief. During the occupation of Bucha, they took unarmed civilians hostage, killed them with hunger and thirst, kept them on their knees with hands tied and eyes taped, mocked and beat them, Venediktova said, adding that the Russian soldiers threatened to shoot the hostages and looted houses. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, visiting Bucha on Thursday, called for a thorough investigation of alleged war crimes. Ukrainian authorities have said they are investigating thousands of possible war crimes, including killing of civilians, bombing of civilian infrastructure, torture, sexual crimes and use of prohibited weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address to his nation, renewed a pledge to hold Russian soldiers accountable for crimes. He added about the 10 suspects identified Thursday: Some of them may not, after all, live until a trial and fair punishment. But only for one reason: This Russian brigade has been transferred to the Kharkiv region. There, theyll receive retribution from our military. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is rejecting the idea that Russias war in Ukraine could grow into a larger proxy conflict between Moscow and the United States and NATO allies that may even bring the world closer to nuclear confrontation. At an event at the White House where Biden asked Congress for an additional $33 billion to aid Ukraine, the president said Thursday that the idea of a larger proxy war was concerning but not true. He blamed Russian authorities for exaggerating such speculation, saying it shows the desperation that Russia is feeling about their abject failure with the invasion of Ukraine. Instead of saying that the Ukrainians, equipped with some capability to resist Russian forces, are doing this, theyve got to tell their people that the United States and all of NATO is engaged, Biden said. He added that no one should be making idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons and called doing so irresponsible. ___ LONDON The British government says a U.K. national has been killed in Ukraine, and another is missing. The Foreign Office confirmed Thursday that it is supporting the family of a British national killed in Ukraine. It also said it was urgently seeking further information on another Briton who is missing. The government did not provide further details. Sky News reported that the Britons were believed to have been fighting with Ukrainians against the Russian invasion. Volunteers from Britain and many other countries have traveled to Ukraine to fight, despite being discouraged from doing so by their governments. ___ ISTANBUL Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says both U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin have told him that their talks in Moscow earlier this week were positive. Erdogan told reporters before leaving for a trip to Saudi Arabia, that he held separate telephone calls with Guterres and Putin. Mr. Guterres ... informed me that the talks (with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov) were positive. In our discussion with Mr. Putin yesterday, Putin expressed the same views. Erdogan added that the Russian president had conveyed the opinion that a U.N. intervention is positive for the future. He did not elaborate. ___ KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian troops defending a steel plant that is the last Ukrainian bulwark in the key port of Mariupol say an intensive Russian bombing has inflicted more casualties. The Azov Regiment holed up at the giant Azovstal steel plant on Thursday posted a video showing people combing through the rubble to remove the dead bodies and help the wounded after the Russian bombing overnight. The Azov said the Russians hit an improvised underground hospital and its surgery room, killing an unspecified number of people and wounding others there. The video couldnt be independently verified. The Russian troops have pummeled the mammoth seaside plant with relentless airstrikes and artillery barrage, trying to uproot its defenders holed up in a 24-kilometer (15-mile) maze of underground tunnels, passages and bunkers. Ukrainian officials say that up to 1,000 civilians also were sheltering in Azovstal. They are demanding that Russia provides a safe exit for them under the United Nations aegis. ___ WARSAW, Poland Polands border guard agency says that it has recorded 3 million crossings into Poland from neighboring Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, while there have been 904,000 crossings into Ukraine. Border guard spokeswoman Anna Michalska said Thursday that the number includes people who cross a number of times because, for example, they regularly do shopping in Poland and then go back. Polish authorities say some 1.6 million refugees have applied for and received special ID numbers that will allow them to work and receive free health care and education in Poland. ___ VIENNA The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says radiation levels in excavations found in the exclusion zone around the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant were well below the maximum authorized levels for plant workers. Ukraines state power company said after Russian troops withdrew at the end of March that they received significant doses of radiation from digging trenches in the area. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said Thursday that, during a visit this week, experts from his agency took measurements from excavations probably made by occupying soldiers. He said that the levels were three times or more lower than the authorized levels for workers in areas exposed to radiation. As for whether anyone was actually exposed to those radiation levels, he said: We have asked about possible exposures or situations; we havent received any answer. Although that suggested the health risk wasnt as great as feared, Grossi stressed that its not a place to have a picnic or excavate. ___ BRUSSELS Senior European Union officials say countries or companies bowing fully to the terms of a Russian presidential decree insisting that they pay their gas bills in rubles will be in breach of the blocs sanctions. The Kremlin says importers should establish an account in dollars or euros at Russias Gazprombank, then a second account in rubles. They would pay the gas bill in euros or dollars and direct the bank to exchange the money for rubles. The officials warn that Russias central bank could hold on to the money before converting it and in essence use the funds as a temporary loan for the national economy or to prop up the ruble. The EUs sanctions prohibit any transaction with the Russian Central Bank. One official said Thursday that if the member states and the European companies apply strictly the decree it will constitute a breach of the sanctions. His job description does not allow him to be named publicly. The violation essentially comes with the use of the second bank account. The EUs executive branch, the European Commission, has said that companies could remain in compliance by paying in euros or dollars, as per their contract, and then notifying Gazprombank that their payment obligations are over. Ultimately, its up to the 27 EU countries to judge whether the rules are being broken. Some of those countries are heavily reliant on Russia for gas. By Lorne Cook. ___ TOKYO German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is defending his countrys ongoing purchase of gas and other fossil fuels from Russia. Speaking during a visit to Japan on Thursday, Scholz said that it is a challenge that many European countries, including Germany, are dependent on imports of fossil resources from Russia. Scholz said his government aims to end imports of Russian coal and oil this year. He said that the same will happen for gas, but that is a process that will require more time. Asked whether he was concerned Russia might stop shipping gas to Germany, like it did this week for Poland and Bulgaria, Scholz acknowledged that any interruption would have consequences for the economic situation. He said this was also the reason why there no sanctions have so far been imposed on energy supplies from Russia, adding this had been decided in close cooperation with our partners who themselves are energy exporters and therefore in a different starting position, such as the United States. Scholz said: Whether and what decisions the Russian government takes in this regard one can only speculate, but it makes little sense to do so. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed the war in Ukraine in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders also discussed a prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia that took place in Turkey on Wednesday. Erdogans office said he told Putin on Thursday that Turkeys mediation in the exchange was an indication of the importance Ankara attaches to peace, dialogue and cooperation. He reiterated Turkeys readiness to mediate between Russia and Ukraine and its wish to establish peace in the region by increasing the momentum generated in face-to-face talks that were held between the two countries delegations in Istanbul late last month. It was the second telephone call between the two presidents this week. On Tuesday, Erdogan urged Putin to agree to direct talks with his Ukrainian counterpart. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is asking Congress or new powers to seize and repurpose the assets of Russian oligarchs as part of a new funding request to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion. In remarks at the White House on Thursday morning, Biden will formally ask for billions of dollars in additional U.S. spending earmarked for supplying Ukraines military, bolstering its economy and supporting the millions of refugees who fled Russias invasion two months ago. The White House said he will also seek new authorities from Congress to strengthen U.S. sanctions against the Russian government and those who profit from it, the White House said. Biden is asking lawmakers to make it a criminal offense for a person to knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government, double the statute of limitations for foreign money laundering offenses to 10 years, and expand the definition of racketeering under U.S. law to include efforts to evade sanctions. ___ MOSCOW Russia says that Turkey gave it advance notice before moving to bar Russian planes from flying to Syria over its territory. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that Turkey had asked Russia more than a month ago not to send Syria-bound planes over its territory. She added that the reasons for that were clear to us and the Russian side isnt using that route. Zakharova made the comment when asked about Turkeys weekend announcement that it had halted Russian flights to Turkey over its territory from the start of this month. It wasnt clear whether the move was related to Russias military operation in Ukraine. Turkey has close relations with both countries and has positioned itself as a mediator. Russia and Turkey have backed opposite sides in the Syrian civil war. ___ SOFIA, Bulgaria Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has said during a visit to the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka that he hopes Bulgarian lawmakers will agree next week to send military assistance to Ukraine. Petkov was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv later Thursday. He said after viewing damage caused to Borodyanka during the initial Russian advance that we cannot be indifferent. We cannot say that this is a Ukrainian problem, we cannot say some people are dying but we are not interested in that. He criticized the argument of some politicians in Bulgaria that denying military aid to Ukraine would bring about a faster peace. Petkov said: If this is the price of peace, if the Russian state continues to fire and no one can defend himself is this the peace we want? ___ KYIV, Ukraine Mariupol authorities are sounding the alarm about unsanitary conditions in the ravaged port city that they say pose a deadly danger to its remaining residents. Mariupol City Council said on the messaging app Telegram Thursday that deadly epidemics may break out in the city due to the lack of centralized water supply and sewerage, the decomposition of thousands of corpses under the rubble, a catastrophic shortage of drinking water and food. It said that the lives of 100,000 people who still remain in Mariupol, out of 450,000 pre-war residents, may be in danger pointing to diseases like cholera and dysentery. The Telegram post cited Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko as saying that the invaders are not able to provide the remaining population with food, water and medicines or are simply not interested in that. He said that living conditions in the ruined Mariupol are now medieval and that an immediate and complete evacuation is needed. ___ WASHINGTON A majority of U.S. adults say misinformation around Russias invasion of Ukraine is a major problem, and they largely fault the Russian government for spreading those falsehoods. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 61% of people in the United States say the spread of misinformation about the war is a major problem, with only 7% saying its not a problem. Older adults were more likely to identify the wartime misinformation as an issue, with 44% of those under 30 calling it a problem, compared with 65% of those 30 or older. Misleading social media posts, fake pictures or videos and propagandized headlines have proliferated on websites, from TikTok to Facebook, since Russias assault on Ukraine began in February. In recent weeks, Russian state media and social media accounts have operated in lockstep to push tweets, TV reports and posts that claim photos of bombed buildings and bodies across Ukraine have been staged or faked. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A group opposing Donald Trumps endorsement of JD Vance in Ohios contentious Republican Senate primary is making the former president the target of a new ad campaign. The ad from the conservative Club for Growth, which supports former Ohio treasurer Josh Mandel in the race, questions Trump's decision to endorse Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author who has had to backtrack from previous criticism of the former president. The TV spot from the group's super PAC features audio of Vance bashing Trump back in 2016. Has Trump seen this? asks a man in a flannel shirt. A woman labels Vance a fraud for once denouncing but now embracing Trump. The ad, which first aired Wednesday, also notes Trumps past endorsement of a man who is now one of his biggest rivals: Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. Hes getting it wrong with JD Vance, too, the ad says. The Vance campaign slammed the new ad, saying, Josh Mandel and his allies have declared war on President Trump and the entire MAGA movement." The ad campaign only escalates the fight that has erupted in Ohios Republican Senate race over Trumps highly coveted endorsement, which came just three weeks before the states May 3 primary. The candidates competed with one another for months to earn the support of the former president, who remains widely popular among the GOP base. The night before Trumps announcement, Vance opponents across the state, including supporters of fellow Republican Senate candidates Jane Timken and Mike Gibbons, mounted a failed last-ditch effort to stop the endorsement from happening. The $1.7 million ad campaign heightens tensions between Trump and the Club for Growth, a major force in Republican politics that has spent millions to back its chosen candidates in this year's elections. While the group opposed Trump when he ran for the White House in 2016, it realigned itself after he became president. In the years since, the club's president, David McIntosh, has become a close confidant and trusted adviser of Trump. Donald Trump Jr., the former president's son and a top Vance supporter, has taken particular umbrage to the club's efforts to defeat Vance. The people that are funding Josh Mandel, they spent $10 million in 2016 to fight Donald Trump, he said at a recent campaign event. In an interview, McIntosh said the organization continues to support Mandel as Ohio's best choice for the open Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Rob Portman. The ad speaks for itself," he said. "We think Josh is the best Make America Great candidate and were going to continue to support him. Just weeks ago, Trump and McIntosh appeared together at a rally in North Carolina for U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, who has the support of both Trump and the Club for Growth in North Carolina's Republican Senate primary. Trump invited McIntosh to join him on stage and called him a very powerful man and very good friend of mine. We are undefeated when we work together, Trump said. Hes a winner, thats who it is. Before Trump's endorsement, the group's super PAC, Club for Growth Action, had spent $4.5 million in Ohio on Mandel's behalf, mostly to pillory his rivals. The former president's endorsement of Vance disappointed many of the state's Trump loyalists. Some tea party Republicans protested at Trump's Ohio rally last Saturday, and one conservative group, Ohio Value Voters, urged its members to either boycott the event or boo Vance when he came on stage. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report from New York. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston police officer on Wednesday fatally shot an armed man who had been wanted on three felony warrants in the Pleasantville area, where friends say the man grew up. The 29-year-old man was pronounced dead at Ben Taub Hospital. He did not appear to fire his gun, officials said, and no police officers were injured. The Chronicle learned the mans identity but is withholding his name pending notification of family members. During a news briefing at the northeast Houston shooting scene, HPD Executive Chief Matt Slinkard said a tactical team with the Houston Police Department had been searching for the man since 10 a.m., looking to apprehend him on warrants for three felony charges: aggravated assault, evading arrest in a vehicle and felon in a possession of a weapon. Those charges stemmed from a police report filed on March 19, when the mans girlfriend of three weeks told police that he beat her and pointed a gun at her, according to court records. Police on that day pursued the man while he fled the scene of the alleged assault in a Mitsubishi Outlander, records show. The man eventually abandoned the vehicle and got away on foot, records show. Police said they recovered a handgun in the vehicle. On Wednesday, the tactical team spotted the man getting into the passenger seat of an SUV. Officers tried to pull the vehicle over, Slinkard said, but the driver did not stop. A brief pursuit continued to the 8700 block of Josie Street, where officers used an "intervention technique" to stop the vehicle, Slinkard said. When the SUV came to a stop on Josie Street, body camera footage showed the man exiting the passenger side with a "bag in his hand," Slinkard said. One approaching officer fired their weapon, striking the man. Police later found that the bag was concealing a handgun, Slinkard said. The driver of the SUV is in custody on a charge of evading arrest and will be questioned further. Many people who knew the slain man gathered around the busy scene Wednesday evening, as a throng of police moved in and out of the neighborhood. One man, Wendel Thomas, said they grew up together in the area. He considered him family. Im not going to lie, Im hurt, he said. Thomas said the man had a young daughter and operated a dog breeding business. Two longtime neighbors, Michael Parks and Linda Knox, said the man had recently rented a home a few houses down from where the shooting happened. Knox said he took care of her dog on occasion. Parks, who had known the mans family for many years, was surprised to hear he was involved. He wasnt a bad guy at all, Parks said, later adding, Very polite young man. The Harris County District Attorneys Office and the Houston Police Departments Special Investigations Unit will investigate the shooting. Body camera footage will be released within 30 days, per department policy, Slinkard said. julian.gill@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Dr. Lucy Graubard recently welcomed two students from the University of Houston to her home with a surprise. She made us bourekas, which was pretty amazing! said one of the students, Miranda Ruzinsky, about the baked pastry that is very popular in the Sephardic Jewish gastronomy. She added that Graubard's food offering couldnt have been more effective to break the ice for the specific purpose that brought them to her house. LATINO LEADERS: Extraordinarios! 10 Houston Latinos who are making a difference Ruzinsky and her classmate Carla Peterson Mora were part of a group of 16 University of Houston students participating in the Sephardic Latinx Oral History Project documenting histories of Latinos with that Jewish background in collaboration with the Holocaust Museum Houston, which on Monday launched a public display of the project. The project, directed by Mark Goldberg, a history professor at the university and director of the UH Jewish Studies Program, aimed to shed light on often overlooked communities in the intersection of being Latinos and Jewish, two heritages that many people dont associate, he said. This is a typical American story in that this is a migration story, Goldberg said. It's about preserving culture after migration and its complex dynamics, and I think this would speak to all people, not just Latinos, or Jews, or Jewish Latinos. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Bill Orlin listens during a Yom HaShoah ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, April 24, 2022, at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston. Goldberg said that these cultural interconnections have rarely been studied in the U.S. and doing so in Houston was of particular importance. Being in Houston, which is a global, diverse (city), I thought it was important to show the different ways of being Latino, and also, the different ways of being Jewish, said Goldberg. The professor said that the number of Latino Sephardic Jews in Houston is unknown as there is a scarcity of studies looking at Hispanic Jews. But he added that a survey from the American Jewish Committee published in 2015 identified between 130,000 and 227,000 Latino Jews in the U.S., although it didnt identify if they were Sephardic, Ashkenazy, or other Jewish diversities. NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. The project focused on the Sephardic Jews who typically descended from 13th-century Jewish populations that resided in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion by Spanish and Portuguese royalty. Likewise, many Latinos in Houston and the U.S. share ancestry roots in that region. During the project, the students learned the history and customs of Jewish communities and how they settled in Latin America before migrating to the U.S. They tracked 16 Sephardic Jewish in Houston who immigrated from Latin America for the project and documented their stories in oral history videos. More from Olivia P. Tallet: UH communication school's telenovelas project takes students to little Hollywood Ruzinsky and Peterson Mora documented the story of Graubard, who is a pediatrician practicing in northwest Houston. She is a Sephardi Jew but also has Ashkenazy heritage from one of her parents. Ruzinsky said she realized during the interview that the bourekas and both Jewish and Hispanic heritage food were important for Graubard to preserve her traditions. I think it was something that meant so much to her; the way that her face lit up when she talked about it, the student said. I think that (food) was the way of her family for expressing their Jewishness and Latin heritage; an expression of love and community in their social interactions. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer For the Holocaust Museum, this project is part of its Latino Initiative Program created six years ago, which has presented exhibits such as Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program in 2017 and Withstand: Latinx Art in Times of Conflict last year, among other programs. This project is particularly important to the museum because Latinx history and Jewish history are interconnected, said Laurie Garcia, senior associate director of education at the Holocaust Museum. Were thrilled to be able to host this () to show how these histories and interwoven together. Garcia said that after launching the project Monday at the museum, the institution will use its growing Latino archive to host bilingual school programs, student and teacher workshops, and other initiatives. She said the museum hopes teachers would identify this oral history project as a potential educational resource to incorporate into their classrooms. The project, including its numerouns oral history videos, is hosted at hmh.org/SephardicLatinx. For the University of Houston students in Goldberg's history class, the project provided a unique experience. CAMPUS LEGEND: UH community mourns the loss of professor emeritus Michael Olivas Sitting down with a person, asking questions, and listening to their stories is critical for historians, said Goldberg. I thought this would be an outstanding experience for our students. Student Ruzinsky said the Latino-Jewish intersection wasnt something new to her. I am Jewish!... and I am Latina too. I grew up going to religious school, I had my Bar Mitzvah (and) I'm part of the Jewish Houston Young Professionals group. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Ruzinsky said she was born in Houston to a Catholic Hispanic mother who converted to Judaism when she married her Ashkenazy father. I learned a lot about the history of Judaism beyond the Ashkenazi traditions. However, something was new to Ruzinsky. I learned a lot about the procedure of doing oral history from a mindful, compassionate way, and the open-mindedness that one needs to have when dealing with human subjects, Ruzinsky said. We learned that a lot of the times people are socially conditioned to believe that their stories are not special enough or that they are not really part of history. But having people recount their lives or their families' brings certain realizations of uniqueness and specialness that I feel was important. On HoustonChronicle.com: Dozens of Latino law students to get scholarships in Houston Ruzinsky said she valued that the project focused on those heritage intersections and found exceptional the opportunity to participate in an educational initiative hosted by the museum. I thought this experience was pretty revolutionary, she said. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Eric Black was not a church-goer. But after learning that a little girl, Jazmine Barnes, was killed in the shooting he purportedly participated in he testified that he desperately looked for a Houston house of worship hours after the incident and stepped inside. The co-defendant in the capital murder case took to the witness stand Wednesday as part of a deal to lessen his charge to murder in connection to the December 2018 drive-by shooting that left the 7-year-old child dead and her mother wounded. Police have accused Black of driving the vehicle used in the attack. BARNES CASE: Harris County deputy recounts finding lifeless body of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes after shooting Black, 23, testified that he texted family members about which church to go to and where. No one questioned why he wanted to go so badly. By 11 a.m. about four hours after the childs death, with details of the investigation already surfacing in news reports he told his mother that he was in church. Prosecutors outlined Blacks text messages and phone calls in the second day of the capital murder trial of 27-year-old Larry Woodruffe the accused gunman. Within an hour of the shooting, Black texted a friend asking for videos from a strip club that he planned to post to his social media as an alibi attempt, he said in court. He was unable to reach Woodruffe as the day dragged on and he became increasingly nervous. At 7:55 p.m., Woodruffe finally responded. We good, he said. When a sketch of a man who looked nothing like Black or Woodruffe came out, he felt more calm. I was going to get away with it, Black told the court. RELATED: Shes part of us: Killing of child strikes hard in Jazmine Barnes neighborhood A traffic stop days later changed that. Homicide investigators ferried him to a Harris County Sheriffs Office interrogation room, where he spent the next 12 hours. Woodruffes defense attorney, Paul Morgan, attempted to question Blacks character by dwelling on his odd behavior in the interrogation room. He frequently vomited in a garbage can. Jurors were shown images from within the room of Black taking his shirt off and crawling on the floor. Morgan said investigators became increasingly annoyed by Blacks behavior and incomprehensible tangents. When asked, Black testified why he had acted that way. During this whole interrogation, you were high, Morgan said. Correct, Black responded. He had taken Xanax earlier and was still under its effect, Black said. Prosecutors have offered to reduce Black's charge to murder following "truthful testimony" as a state witness in Woodruffe's trial. As part of a plea bargain, the state would cap the punishment range at 35 years. The sentencing would take place at a later hearing and a judge would decide the punishment. As for what prompted the shooting, Blacks explanation is that Woodruffe opened fire on the Dodge Avenger believing that it was the same one that a dangerous drug competitor drove and who they earlier clashed with. Black would not identify that competitor. You made him up, Morgan said, an allegation that Black denied. Black's defense attorney, Alvin Nunnery, would not allow his client to comment on his testimony while leaving the courtroom. Black made bond in June 2019 and has been free since. Maybe after the trial but not now, Nunnery said. BACKGROUND: Were missing a piece to our puzzle: Jazmine Barnes mother urges killer to turn himself in Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, testified on Wednesday morning, along with her two daughters. She cried while recalling details of the shooting and a photo of the gunshot wound to her shoulder was shown to the jury. The bullet is still in my arm until this day, Washington said. Her daughters testified to seeing a white man with blue eyes in a red truck and that description is what turned into a widely-distributed police sketch. One of the girls, Ebony Gilbert, now 17, said she saw the man at an intersection. When the light turned green they went faster than that vehicle. She then heard popping and breaking glass over the sound of their loud rap music in the car. Gilbert testified that she did not see who fired the gunshots or from where and she never saw the man in the red truck brandish a firearm. The man misidentified from the police sketch, Robert Cantrell, took his own life in July 2019 in a Montgomery County Jail cell. The two men charged in Jazmines death are Black. The trial started Tuesday with testimony from Sgt. Trevor Windsor, who was among the first law enforcement officials to reach the crime scene. Dash-cam footage from his patrol vehicle showed the siblings standing outside their familys bullet-riddled vehicle. He checked on Jazmine but she was lifeless, the sergeant testified. The trial, with Judge Vanessa Velasquez overseeing the case, could reach a verdict as early as Friday. The case is among four murder and capital murder trials going on at the criminal courthouse. A second, high-profile case, also involving a child victim, is continuing in another courtroom. In that case, defendant Andre Jackson is charged with murder in the 2016 death of 11-year-old Josue Flores. nicole.hensley@chron.com The languid meanders of the Rio Grande are deceiving. Sections where migrants usually cross from Mexico into the U.S. are mostly shallow and no wider than the length of about four cars. But in places, deeper currents can rip fast and cruel. On Monday, Spc. Bishop Evans of the Texas Army National Guard, 22, deployed to the border for Gov. Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star initiative, was pronounced the latest victim of the river after a four-day search turned up his body. His name joins a list of at least 23 people who have drowned just this past month. The others were migrants just like the two people Evans gave his life to save. That river looks like its not dangerous but its very dangerous, Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber, a former U.S. Border Patrol officer, said when Evans was reported missing. Thats why they call it the Rio Bravo in Spanish. Bravo means like a bull, like an angry bull. Youd think, knowing how treacherous those waters can be, particularly in the area near Eagle Pass where Evans was stationed, the Texas Military Department would have outfitted the guardsman with a flotation device. A rope. Anything. Instead, seeing a woman struggling in the water, the young soldier threw off his jacket and armor, dropped his radio and jumped in without a second thought. He wouldnt ask you who you were before he tried to help you. He just wouldnt, Evans grandmother Jo Ann Johnson, who raised him, told the press on Monday. It doesnt matter your nationality, how you look, your color hair. Thats who my baby was. What Evans did was heroic. It also shouldnt have been necessary. Abbott and his Republican supporters would likely agree. They argue that President Bidens open border is to blame. While the border isn't open if it were, migrants wouldnt put their lives on the line by crossing the river the responsibility for managing it lies with the federal government, as we have noted time and again. Congress and the president must do more to address the root of unauthorized migration. A good start would be improving processing at ports of entry so that migrants can be efficiently assessed to determine whether or not they are admissible to the United States or whether there's evidence for removal proceedings. Yet, Biden isnt the one in charge of Operation Lone Star, which has mandated the deployment of 10,000 troops with little training or support and is costing Texas taxpayers more than $2.5 million a week. And Abbott has nothing to show for it. Though he touts fentanyl seizures as the goal of targeting migrants on state trespassing charges, Abbott has been unable to point to clear data attributing any seizures to his operation; instead hes filled local jails with migrants who are there on questionable legal grounds and shifted resources away from the counties experiencing the greatest influx of immigrants and drugs. Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Featherston, a Texas Army National Guard veteran who helped oversee the soldiers deployment, said he recalls commanders saying things such as, Were going back to the border, the governor is trying to get reelected. Evans, a native of Arlington, joined the Texas Army National Guard in 2019 and served as a field artilleryman in Kuwait and Iraq. He is at least the fifth guard member who has died since Operation Lone Star began in March 2021; four were reported incidents of suicide. Poor working and living conditions for troops as well as ongoing pay problems only further illustrate the priorities of an operation more focused on politicking than meaningfully working to find solutions to the crisis at the border. Investing in some measly life jackets might not facilitate the dramatic photo ops that patrol boats and surveillance aircraft do, but one life jacket could have saved Evans life. The Texas Military Department only ordered water rescue equipment 11 months after the start of Operation Lone Star, and it didnt reach Evans in time. This latest loss should be a bipartisan wake-up call. It is a reminder that the liquid delineation between Mexico and the U.S. does not discriminate. Within the roiling waters of the Rio Grande two tragedies converged: desperate migrants willing to risk their lives for a slippery dream of better conditions and a young man willing to risk his own life for that of a stranger in need. As U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) put it in a tweet on Wednesday: Republicans and Democrats should be talking about one thing today Specialist Bishop Evans. And how we can prevent the next death along our Southern Border. We agree. Evans was just a kid, a year above the legal drinking age, who loved to dance. He was a fan of anime and family game nights. (He) was a human being, Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, adjutant general for Texas, said. He saw a human being drowning and he jumped in the water to save them. Evans isnt the only one who would put his life on the line for anyone regardless of creed, race or nationality. A great majority of the troops would. They all deserve so much more than to be treated as political pawns. Regarding Opinion: I lost my daughter to gun violence. We need an equitable stop-and-frisk policy., (April 24): If law enforcement personnel would take the lead in fighting for common-sense gun reform, we might have a chance of actually changing something. They have good reason to do this since many officers have lost their lives or been seriously wounded from gun violence. The plethora of guns makes their jobs riskier, and their fear affects their tendency to shoot first lest they be shot. The police are often the targets of criminals. When other groups try to lead on gun reform, they are opposed by the NRA and right-wing groups. Those groups tend to give the police their full support; therefore, if the police were to take the lead, there would be no knee-jerk accusation that it is just another liberal attempt to revoke the Second Amendment and take away all guns. Whenever a police officer is killed, there is often a huge show of support, with officers lining the street and organizations raising money for the family. How about doing something to save their lives rather than just showing support after the person is dead? Police officials have supported getting rid of automatic weapons in the past in addition to supporting universal background checks and closing gun show loopholes. It is in the interest of law enforcement and everyone else for them to do this. Given the divisiveness in society, they may be the only ones who can. Sarah Frates, Houston Regarding Rugby star Pedrie Wannenburg killed after pursuit ends with multi-vehicle crash in Harris County, (April 22): There were two incidents reported in last Sundays Chronicle which I believe could have been avoided if our police officers had better training. The first incident resulted in the death of Pedrie Wannenburg. Police officers should not have chased a suspect at nearly 100 mph because he ran a red light. The second incident involved an off-duty San Antonio police officer who fired at a driver who had pointed a gun at him. The officer could have slowed down or pulled over and let the other car drive away. Nancy Berry, Lake Jackson Regarding At least 7 deaths this year tied to Houston-area police pursuits, (April 24): So far this year 8 deaths have been caused by high-speed pursuits in Houston and Harris County. If we keep up at this rate we'll have chalked up 24 deaths by 2023. Has anyone stopped to ask themselves what would happen if police didn't engage in pursuits, but kept track of the drivers and the direction they were going and tried to apprehend them in a safer place? The agencies that participate in these high-speed chases seem to be totally data-resistant. While being stared in the face with these startlingly high numbers, they continue to allow adrenaline, rather than reason, rule their policies. What logic is there in killing a bystander just to give a kid a traffic ticket? Susan Miller Jackson, Houston Firearm regulation Regarding Opinion: Ted Cruz is right. Bidens ghost gun ban is a distraction from his crime problem., (April 20): One has to stare in amazement and alarm at our governing officials proposing that all firearms have serial numbers when practical experience shows that such a regulation is so easy to evade. Years ago I reported for duty in San Antonio and asked the post Military Police if there were any requirements for registering personal weapons, as one is supposed to do. A few days later I got a call from them that my pistols serial number, a reproduction cap-and-ball black powder revolver built from a kit, had been reported stolen, along with around forty other similar kits, all with the same serial number. Fortunately I still had the receipt. Any identification is easily removed after a few seconds with a cheap Dremel tool. I dont give politicians much credit for practical knowledge, except for getting elected, but arent their staff supposed to advise them to avoid stupidity? Chris Elhardt, Houston Biden's approach to protecting our lives by outlawing privately made guns is not an attack on our rights. It is highly unlikely that the good people who own guns for sport are going to want to make a gun. The argument that Cruz makes is a fallacy of composition and almost laughable. Good people aren't unhappy about not being able to print a gun. We don't feel deprived. I want a future where we don't feel the need to have 10 guns for every American citizen but instead at least one meal a day. It may be that not allowing us to print a gun, along with a receipt from our internet order, is the beginning that we can all live with. Waiting until children are killed by the gun that comes off the printer just doesn't seem to be the answer. Patricia Garris, Spring In response to the letters from Aidan Johnston of Gun Owners of America and Mark Overstreet, formerly of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action in the Chronicle: Mr. Johnston noted that "Privately made firearms are rarely used in murders." Putting aside the callousness of that statement, don't murder victims, gunshot wound victims and police officers have a right to know who killed, wounded or shot at them regardless of how the gun was manufactured? Wouldn't "good people" with guns want that for gunshot victims or police officers? He does know that the number of ghost guns being used and recovered has increased tenfold from 2016, right? Mr. Overstreet's sign off noted that he is a retired senior research coordinator for the NRA Institute for Legislative Action. Just a reminder that the NRA is a morally bankrupt organization that is allegedly dedicated to grifting money from its members to personally enrich Wayne LaPierre. With greater access to guns through looser gun laws and increased gun sales, people are using guns in increasing numbers to settle arguments, get revenge for perceived slights, intimidate others and shoot indiscriminately as if the gun knows exactly who they are aiming for. None of this makes society safer. Julie Marinucci, Houston You probably breathed a deep sigh of relief when you heard that Emmanuel Macron trounced Marine Le Pen by a 17-point margin in Sundays French presidential election. A Le Pen victory would have been a boon to Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban and Steve Bannon and a disaster for NATO, Europe and France. The center held, thank God because Macron governed from the center. He was hated by the far left and the far right and never entirely pleased those closer to the center. But he also became the first president to be reelected in France in 20 years. Theres a lesson in that for the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress, especially when it comes to immigration. It has become an article of progressive faith in recent years that efforts to control immigration are presumptively racist. A border wall is a monument to white supremacy, according to a piece published in Bloomberg. The remain in Mexico policy is racist, cruel and inhumane, according to the Justice Action Center. An essay published by the Brookings Institution calls U.S. immigration policy a classic, unappreciated example of structural racism. It wasnt long ago that Bernie Sanders was an avowed restrictionist on the view that immigration depresses working-class wages. Did that position make him a racist? The Wall Street Journals editorial board, where I once worked, used to make the case for open borders with Mexico. Were we left-wing progressives? People of goodwill should be able to take different and nuanced views on immigration and change their minds about it without being tagged as morally deficient. But thats no longer how it works in progressive circles. The results are policy choices that are bad for the country and worse for Democrats and are an unbidden gift to the far right. The issue is now acute with the Biden administration simultaneously seeking to end the Trump administrations Remain in Mexico policy in a case before the Supreme Court while accepting a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to let the use of Title 42, which allowed border authorities to expel illegal immigrants as a public health measure, expire May 23. Theres not much doubt as to what will happen if the administration gets its way: An already straining southern border will burst. In fiscal year 2020 there were 646,822 enforcement actions at the border. In 2021 the number was a little shy of 2 million. Without the authority of Title 42, under which 62 percent of expulsions took place in 2021, the number of migrants seeking entry in the United States will increase drastically. You dont have to be opposed to immigration as a general matter to have serious doubts about the administrations course. Is there a practical and available legal alternative to regulating immigration through Title 42 enforcement? Where is the logic of ending Title 42 even as the administration seeks to extend mask mandates because the pandemic is far from over? Given housing shortages, how much capacity is there to absorb the next wave of migrants? Even if an overwhelming majority of migrants are merely seeking a better life, what system is there to find those with less honorable intentions? More to the point: What does the administrations utter failure at effective control of the border say about its commitment to enforcing the rule of law? To raise such questions should be an invitation to propose balanced and practical immigration legislation and try to win over moderate Republicans. Instead it tends to invite cheap accusations of racism, along with policy paralysis in the White House. As Politico reported last week, some think the administrations secret policy is to call for an end to Title 42 to satisfy progressives while crossing fingers that the courts continue it which a federal judge did on Monday, at least temporarily. Leading from behind Trump-appointed judges is probably not what Americans elected Joe Biden to do. Which brings us back to the example of France. When Jean-Marie Le Pen made his first presidential bid on an anti-immigration platform in 1974, he took 0.75 percent of the ballot in the first round fewer than 200,000 votes. When his daughter Marine ran on a similar platform this year, she took 41.5 percent in the second round, or more than 13 million. The Le Pens are thoroughgoing bigots. But decades of pretending that only bigots had worries about immigration only made their brand of politics stronger. As president, Macron tacked right on immigration not to weaken Frances historic position as an open society, friendly to newcomers, but rather to save it. He has cracked down on some asylum-seekers, demanded that immigrants learn French and get jobs and taken a hard line against Islamic separatism. But hes also tried to make France a more welcoming place for legal immigration. The left thinks of him as Le Pen lite, the right as a feckless impostor. Maybe hes both. Then again, he also saved France for the free world. Democrats could stand to brush up on their French. Bret Stephens is a columnist for the New York Times. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate What a blessing to be a father. I tell terrible dad jokes. I indulge my daughters ice cream sandwich addiction. She makes me smile every day, even when times are tough. Still, every parent will confess: They worry. The world is a dangerous place filled with threats to kids safety and well-being. For Black, Latino and Native American parents, one of those threats is white supremacy. Case in point: the killing of Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed Congolese refugee. A white police officer shot him on April 4 during a routine traffic stop in Grand Rapids, Mich. Seems Patrick feared the white police officer. In a video of the encounter, he appears confused, he runs and, in fear, resists the police officer who pins him down. The officer did not show the kind of restraint the Jan. 6 white insurrectionists enjoyed from police when they stormed the Capitol. The publicly posted videos captured by a bystander and home surveillance system end with the officers handgun discharged at point-blank range to the back of Patricks head while he tussled on the ground, with the officer atop his back. Another name added to a regrettably long list of forgotten Black men and women. His parents wont forget, though. During a news conference last week and via translator, Patricks dad, Peter Lyoya said, My life was Patrick, my son. His mom, Dorcas Lyoya said, I was thinking it was my son who would bury me, but I am the one burying my son. Their words hit me like bricks. I still think about Breonna Taylor. My step-sister looks like her. When I see my nephew, I see Elijah McClain. My brother-in-law resembles Walter Scott. I had nightmares months after seeing Alton Sterling murdered. Same with Philando Castile. I cannot forget. I cannot pretend. I cannot move on. I cannot be the only one who feels this way. If George Floyds murder is not on your mind still, then youre lucky. If videos showing killings of unarmed citizens who are typically Black men do not haunt you, then youre privileged. If you thought the racial reckoning in summer 2020 would fix everything, then youre foolish. In a few weeks, once the news coverage of Patricks death fades, Peter and Dorcas will be left scarred. Wanting. Empty. We cannot forget those who must carry on, living without a child, husband, brother, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, etc. Their suffering endures and no number of clever hashtags and well-attended protests and touching murals will heal them. As COVID-19 becomes endemic and Black people, Latinos and Native Americans continue to die at disproportionate rates, and as the protests from 2020 fade, many people want to get back to normal. I hear it all the time where I work at Rice University, broadcast by powerful people unfamiliar with trauma, oblivious to how racially hostile white spaces can be for many of us. What they dont seem to realize is that their normal is our traumatic. For many Black people, racism-produced trauma is inescapable. Shouting Black lives matter ignores the reality: Three-fifths is the highest value a Black life has ever had relative to a white one. In this messy society where racism is foundational, how can I raise a happy and healthy and well-adjusted kid? Better yet, how can I keep her safe from the quotidian and dramatic ways white supremacy reduces her value? First, my kid gets extra hugs tonight. Because Patricks two daughters will never know that comfort again. Never. Second, we should say their names and their parents names too. Chattel slavery and Jim Crow racism account for more than 80 percent of U.S. history. Across time, Black parents tried as best they could to protect their kids, despite everything. What a Herculean task. Third, if white supremacy is durable, if critical race theory is the new boogeyman, if voters could again elect Donald Trump (or a facsimile) in fall 2024, and so on, then fight smaller yet equally important battles. Buy banned books and distribute them to kids who deserve to know the truth about racism. Buy from minority-owned businesses. Put your savings in minority-owned banks. Do the little things. Find triumph despite tragedy. Fourth, pull out your cell- phones and push record. Anytime you think someone might be unfairly treated for any reason, document it. For far too long, white people have been allowed to ignore the data. The facts. The truth. Their ignorance must die. Finally, just live. A line from an Audre Lorde poem seems germane: We were never meant to survive. White supremacy means surviving is an act of political and radical resistance. My condolences to the Lyoya family. Tony N. Brown is a professor of sociology at Rice University. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed his eleventh immigration-related suit against the Biden administration on Thursday, this time directed at a proposed policy that would allow asylum officers, not just immigration judges, to rule on the validity of asylum claims made by immigrants seeking to stay in the U.S. The suit alleges that the Department of Homeland Securitys new rule for processing asylum-seekers upends the entire adjudicatory system to the benefit of aliens. I protested the proposed version of these rules back in October 2021, and, unsurprisingly, Biden found a way to make it worse, so Im suing, Paxton said in a statement. The last thing Texas needs is for this administration to make it easier for illegal aliens to enter the U.S. and obtain asylum through false claims and less oversight. The new rule is set to take effect May 31 and will allow asylum officers with legal training to consider the claims of immigrants who assert a fear of persecution or torture if they return to their home countries and pass the required credible fear screening, allowing them to avoid immigration courts. If the officer does not grant asylum, the person can appeal to an immigration judge. This rule is a core piece of Biden's plan to handle the surge in migrants attempting to cross the border. Last month, Border Patrol encountered more than 200,000 people crossing, the highest monthly total on record since 2000. Federal officials expect the number of crossings to grow this summer, as the Biden administration rolls back a pandemic health order put in place by former President Donald Trump thats been used to immediately expel nearly 2 million immigrants at the border. Its yet to be seen whether the courts will allow the rollback; a federal judge earlier this week temporarily blocked the administration from moving forward on its plans to end the policy, known as Title 42. Administration officials have said the policy change is meant to address court backlogs that have caused the asylum review process to take six to eight years on average, and they expect it will reduce that time to about two months. ALSO READ: Bidens border plan calls for 23,000 officers, slashing asylum processing time Through this rule, we are building a more functional and sensible asylum system to ensure that individuals who are eligible will receive protection more swiftly, while those who are not eligible will be rapidly removed, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement last month announcing the change. We will process claims for asylum or other humanitarian protection in a timely and efficient manner while ensuring due process. The asylum backlog has ballooned from about 105,000 cases at the end of fiscal year 2012 to more than 660,000 in fiscal year 2021, making up just under half of all cases in the overall immigration backlog, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. The Department of Justice, which represents federal agencies in court, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Paxtons lawsuit argues that the rule violates the U.S. Constitutions Appointments Clause because asylum officers are civil service, nonappointed members, unlike judges. He also argues it violates several federal laws by allowing the officers to exceed their authority and by changing policy in an unreasoned way that he suggests will encourage immigrants to file meritless asylum applications. We know whats going to happen when the rule goes into effect in May 2022: wave upon wave of illegal aliens claiming asylum, Paxton said in his statement. Its true that our immigration system is extremely backlogged. But the answer is to secure the border, not overwhelm it even more by enacting cheap, easy incentives for illegal aliens to get into the United States. ICYMI: Supreme Court hears arguments in Texas-led remain in Mexico case Paxton also criticized estimates that the new policy would reduce the number of cases referred to immigration judges by about 11,250 to 45,000 on top of its existing backlog of about 1.3 million cases. Thats not enough of an impact to justify the strain on Texas resources and ability to provide essential services, such as emergency medical care, education, drivers licenses, and other public safety services, he said. The administration failed to consider alternatives, such as the Trump-era remain in Mexico policy, which requires immigrants to await their hearings in Mexico rather than the U.S., the suit says. Paxton has also sued over the administrations termination of that program. Lower courts ordered Biden to reinstate the program in December, and on Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case. Washington staff writer Ben Wermund contributed to this report. Three private defense attorneys, representing 15 migrant men arrested under Gov. Greg Abbott's border operation, have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to end the governors policy of arresting migrants on criminal trespass charges, which the suit argues is racially discriminatory and infringes on the federal government's immigration authority. The lawsuit is the first to challenge Abbott's Operation Lone Star in federal court, though defense attorneys have raised similar arguments in ongoing state litigation. The federal suit, filed Wednesday in the Austin-based U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, asks the court to scrap the governors border initiative altogether and order the release of migrants arrested under what it calls a separate criminal prosecution and detention system. The criminal process is rife with civil rights violations that have led to extreme, outrageous delays in cases that often end in dismissal or non-prosecution, the lawsuit states, alleging state authorities filed fraudulent probable cause affidavits, failed to appoint attorneys for some defendants, and waited too long to file charges for numerous migrants. Under orders from Abbott, state troopers and National Guard troops have arrested more than 3,000 migrant men since last July for allegedly trespassing on private property along the border. The operation has allowed Texas officials to jail migrants without running afoul of legal precedent that largely prevents states from enforcing federal immigration law. The federal suit argues, however, that the entire program including the trespass arrests is intended to rival or supplant federal immigration policy and interferes with federal enforcement priorities. It argues that while the Biden administration has ordered immigration authorities to prioritize the most serious offenders, such as those with violent criminal history, Operation Lone Star targets any and all suspected aliens without regard to dangerousness. Defense attorneys have used a similar argument in a pending state lawsuit that seeks to dismiss the cases of more than 400 migrants arrested under Texas border initiative. That lawsuit is modeled after an earlier case in which a Travis County judge tossed the trespass charge against Jesus Alberto Guzman Curipoma, an engineer from Ecuador who was arrested in September. RELATED: Attorneys launch sweeping challenge to over 400 of Gov. Abbotts migrant border arrests Curipoma and his attorneys, Angelica Cogliano and Addy Miro, are also part of the federal lawsuit filed Wednesday. An Abbott spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The governor has touted his border operation as a necessary mechanism for confronting a spike in illegal border crossings under the Biden administration. Additionally, the defense attorneys say several hundred migrant men have been detained for longer than 30 days without being formally charged with a crime, which they say violates state laws intended to ensure due process and, by extension, various constitutional protections. Some of those arrested, including those listed as plaintiffs, were also jailed after they had posted bond, entered a plea or had their charges dismissed, the lawsuit states. Many defendants also have faced dramatic delays in, and in some cases outright refusal of, appointed counsel, which the suit says is a violation of Sixth Amendment rights guaranteeing a speedy trial. Last September, about two months after the trespass arrests began, a state district judge ordered the release of more than 200 migrants on cashless personal bonds, after finding the men had been detained for weeks without charging documents being filed in court. The federal lawsuit further alleges that migrants are routinely arrested under Operation Lone Star without probable cause, in violation of the Fourth Amendment, and based on their perceived ethnicity and immigration status, resulting in systemic discrimination. The attorneys cited arrest affidavits filed by Department of Public Safety troopers that refer to detainees as Spanish or Hispanic and undocumented, or reference their country of origin. Such statements suggested that the individuals perceived ethnicity was relevant to the DPS troopers understanding that that person was not welcome on the property, the lawsuit reads. The suit seeks monetary damages of $18,000 for each day that migrants were unlawfully incarcerated or unlawfully re-incarcerated, amounting to $5.4 million. Much of the language from the lawsuit mirrors that of a complaint filed by civil rights groups with the U.S. Department of Justice last December, in which the groups urged the Biden administration to investigate Operation Lone Star. The Justice Department has yet to step in against Abbotts initiative. jasper.scherer@chron.com Development should continue to be priority on UN peacebuilding agenda: Chinese envoy Xinhua) 15:30, April 28, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Development should continue to be a priority on the peacebuilding agenda of the United Nations, China's deputy permanent representative to the world body said Wednesday. Sustainable development is the basis of lasting peace, and this is an underlying notion inherent to the UN peacebuilding architecture, Dai Bing told a General Assembly high-level meeting on peacebuilding financing. Supporting the comprehensive development of the countries concerned is central to the peacebuilding process, around which peacebuilding activities should be planned, strategic objectives specified, and the resources of UN agencies mobilized, so as to create strong synergy, he said. Noting the existing peacebuilding fund-supported projects do not pay enough attention to sustainable development, Dai called for efforts to channel more resources into areas where such urgent needs as poverty eradication, infrastructure, education, health, and vocational skills training exist for developing countries, he said. Traditional donors should continue to shoulder the primary responsibility for peacebuilding financing, said Dai, stressing that developed countries have a moral obligation to help developing countries develop faster. China has been actively supporting the nation-building and development efforts of developing countries through bilateral and multilateral channels, and has made multiple tranches of contributions to the UN peacebuilding fund, he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 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. Update: On Thursday, Estrella's family his sister, Elina Estrella, and his mother, Marisol Estrell released a statement that they would not be commenting on the Pittsfield Police report but that they "are eagerly awaiting the independent review being conducted by the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to it." "We also remain eager to hear details that have not been released that are part of that investigation, including the 911 calls, witness interviews and police reports. Given that the investigation continues, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further," they wrote. They asked the community and media to respect their privacy. "Our family and loved ones continue to grieve over the tragic loss of our beloved Miguel, who was a kind, caring and compassionate man who loved his family, friends and community. We appreciate all of the many well-wishes and support we continue to receive in this troubling time." PITTSFIELD, Mass. A preliminary investigation by the Pittsfield Police Department has found the officers involved in the death of Miguel Estrella to have been in compliance with established guidelines for use of force. The Force Investigation Team's report detailed the actions of Officers Christopher Coffey and Nicholas Sondrini on the evening of March 25 and their interactions with Estrella, who was shot and killed by Sondrini after repeated attempts to de-escalate the situation, including the use of TASERs. The report describes Estrella as intoxicated, threatening a woman with a knife, and refusing to follow the orders of the responding offices. "Based on a review of the evidence and information available to the Department during the initial call for service to 279 Onota Street, Mr. Estrella did not meet the criteria of a 'person in crisis,'" according to the FIT report. The preliminary FIT report was released on Wednesday afternoon by Police Chief Michael Wynn. A separate independent criminal investigation of the shooting is being conducted by the Berkshire District Attorney's Office. The results from an autopsy by the Chief Medical Examiner's Office has not been released yet. Estrella's death has triggered a significant community response with many demanding better mental health resources for people in crisis. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, members of the community said Estrella's apparent mental health crisis was a "death sentence." Community members have also called for body cameras on the Pittsfield Police Department. The preliminary report states that the 22-year-old Estrella was not engaged in any self-harming behavior and made no threats and/or statements of self-harm during the initial call for service. It states that all parties reported that his visible existing injury had occurred earlier in the day. A statement released shortly after the incident said Estrella had an apparent self-inflicted laceration to his face. According to the report, Coffey arrived back at the scene to find Estrella in a "physical altercation" with a third party, was armed with a knife, and was within arm's length of a woman. "Officer Coffey further observed that, at one point, Mr. Estrella moved towards the female with the knife raised in a threatening manner," the report reads. "Officer Coffey assessed the risk to both this female and himself (based on his proximity to Mr. Estrella) as a deadly threat." Coffey reportedly tried to create some distance and calm Estrella but he did not drop the knife, so Coffey discharged a taser that had a minimal effect and did not incapacitate him. The officer was described as "continuing to verbally engage, create distance, and deploy his taser." Sondrini then arrived on the scene and both officers used their tasers, which were ineffective. "Following Officer Sondrini's TASER [sic] deployment, Mr. Estrella took a fighting stance, raising his fists with a knife in one hand and advanced toward the Officers. Recognizing that Mr. Estrella's continued assaultive behavior, refusal to comply with any verbal commands and failure to respond to de-escalation techniques presented an imminent deadly threat to himself, Officer Coffey, and the female party, Officer Sondrini then transitioned from his TASER to his firearm," the report reads about the moment Estrella was shot. "Both Officers continued to create distance and engage Mr. Estrella verbally, physically restraining the female party from approaching Mr. Estrella, and requesting additional less-lethal options to the scene. Mr. Estrella continued advancing on the Officers until they had reached the middle of Onota Street, and traffic traveled dangerously close to their position. At this point, Mr. Estrella turned and focused his attention on Officer Sondrini. He bladed his body, clenched his fists while still holding the knife, raised them upward, and moved toward Officer Sondrini at a fast pace. Recognizing this eminent deadly threat within a few feet of his position, Officer Sondrini fired 2 rounds from his firearm, striking Mr. Estrella with both rounds. The Officers immediately disarmed Mr. Estrella and rendered medical treatment." According to the preliminary FIT report, Coffey's taser deployment was within use of force guidelines, and Sondrini's taser deployment and subsequent use of his firearm were also in compliance. Initial estimates of the distance officers had retreated between the taser deployments and the shots fired is 120 feet. Wynn convened the FIT on March 26, the day after the shooting, to conduct an administrative inquiry and determine if the uses of force complied with relevant policies and training guidelines. FIT submitted its preliminary report on April 8 and Wynn sent it back on April 14 for additional evaluation requirements contained in the Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2020 and the state's Use of Force Regulations. On April 21, the FIT re-submitted its revised preliminary report. Both Coffey and Sondrini had been on administrative leave since March 25; on Wednesday, their status was modified to limited duty. Coffey has been on the force for four years and Sondrini for nine. Both have received previous commendations for their work. "This outcome is tragic," the report reads. "The Pittsfield Police Department extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Estrella. The Department also recognizes the impact on the Pittsfield community, and extends great effort in: Following established protocols, Navigating unexpected factors, and Complying with new/changing state/national requirements." A slide shown on a Williamstown Fire District telecast shows the conditions at the current station, left, compared to how firefighters' turnout gear should be stored. Williamstown Fire District Presses Case for New Station A slide shown on a Williamstown Fire District telecast lists some of the carcinogens that potentially seep into firefighters' equipment during a structure fire. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Firefighters face the risk of death every time they battle a blaze. They should not be endangered at the firehouse. That is the message the Williamstown Fire District is trying to spread as it moves toward a potential vote this year to bond a new fire station. On Monday, two officials from the district's Building Committee and Fire Chief Craig Pedercini addressed the Select Board to talk about efforts to replace the aging, cramped facility on Water Street with a new station on a Main Street parcel the district acquired in 2017. "The fire station does not meet OSHA requirements," Building Committee Chair Elaine Neeley said. "The working conditions there are dangerous to their health and well-being, and all you have to do is look at the way the engines are parked and figure out how the heck they're going to get their gear on, which is hung on the wall in the engine room and get on an engine and get to a fire in a reasonable time. "It's a liability that we're not in compliance. If someone gets hurt, we're negligent. That's obvious, but wasn't obvious is the cancer risk and the lack of effective decontamination space and equipment." The specter of liabilities due to an inadequate facility is familiar in public safety building discussions in town. It was one of the major arguments in favor of relocating the Williamstown Police Department from its former quarters at Town Hall to the new station on Simonds Road. The police station was a town project conceived by the then town manager under the supervision of the select board. The fire district is a separate governmental entity apart from town government governed by its five-person Prudential Committee and answerable to residents who are eligible to participate in the district's annual meeting, generally held one week after the May annual town meeting. Recognizing the need to generate broad political support ahead of a bond exclusion vote, the fire district used the platform afforded by Monday's Select Board meeting to reach constituents who may not be aware of the deficiencies in the current station. As Neely noted, the most obvious is space. The Water Street facility was built in 1950, when it was adequately sized for the fire trucks of the day. Those trucks have only gotten larger. "The fire engine now is a mini fire station on wheels," said Robert Mitchell, a designer hired by the Williamstown Fire District. He made the analogy during the telecast, "The Modern Fire Station: What's Included," a 45-minute production on Willinet, the town's community access television station. Select Board Chair Andy Hogeland on Monday recommended that viewers of the meeting also look at "The Modern Fire Station" to understand the difficulties posed by the current fire station and how they could be addressed in a new building. As Neely mentioned, a big failing of the current facility is no adequate equipment to clean the turnout and clothing that firefighters wear while extinguishing structure fires. In the telecast, Mitchell, a nationally-recognized designer based in Voorheesville, N.Y., explains that building materials and furnishings have changed dramatically since the middle of the 20th century, when the current station was built. "The materials now are not predominantly wood and wool and cotton," Mitchell said. "They're whatever was brought on a cargo container and sold by Ikea." The resulting threat to firefighters comes when the carcinogenic materials in a modern home burn and the smoke seeps into the firefighter's clothing and, eventually, into his or her skin. In the 1950s, firefighters would bring their turnout gear home and be responsible for laundering their own clothing. Given the harmful chemicals that leach into that material, it needs to be safely cleaned at the station in equipment that the WFD neither owns nor has room to install. "Most all existing stations do not have a proper place to clean breathing apparatus," Mitchell says in the Willinet production. "In Williamstown, it's cleaned in a kitchen sink." Other deficiencies in the current station include the lack of space for training or sleeping areas for firefighters. "In some regards, [training] is the most important thing that is done," Mitchell said. "Your neighbors who go out and fight fires on your behalf, luckily, don't have as many fires to respond to as they do in Philadelphia. So they need to train to make sure they're safe and effective. It benefits them to be safe, benefits the community to be safe and benefits the person they're trying to help." As for bunk spaces, they may not be needed with the current setup of the Williamstown Fire District as a call-volunteer department. But a national decline in volunteerism is leading more and more communities to need full-time firefighters on staff, Mitchell argued. Someday, the Williamstown department may give in to that trend and need a place where firefighters can sleep while in the station. At the same time, he argues in "The Modern Fire Station" that by building a station that both allows for adequate training and creates esprit de corps, the Williamstown Fire District could attract and retain volunteers, putting off the day when it will need those full-time firefighters. "If you lose the ability to have volunteers, you'll be looking at significant costs," Mitchell says in the Willinet production. "It's $90,000 to $100,000 in salaries and benefits, typically [for a full-time firefighter]. That payment will pay for a little less than $2 million of the mortgage to support a new building." The district does not know how much money it will need to borrow to build a new station. On Monday, Mitchell said a recently retained estimator will begin running the numbers "shortly," in advance of the planned autumn vote. But in addition to potentially helping to save on long-term costs by retaining volunteers, forward motion on the building project sooner rather than later will have another financial benefit, according to Mitchell. "The cost of this construction escalates faster than other kinds," he said. "From 2015 to 2021, [the increase] averaged 4.1 percent per annum. And in the last year, it's been higher. "The sooner you do it, the better. I know this project was looked at in 2008. The cost to do it was half of what it is now." Pittsfield School Committee OKs $72M Fiscal 2023 Budget PITTSFIELD, Mass. The School Committee on Wednesday adopted a $72 million operating budget for fiscal 2023. It will go to the City Council in early June for final approval. The budget of $72,398,262 is a 7.56 percent, or $5,086,562, increase from this year. Most of the increase is in contractual obligations, which increased by about $4.7 million. Superintendent Joseph Curtis said this includes resources to ultimately settle with the American Federation of Teachers. Members of Local 1315 AFT, which includes bus drivers and attendants, cafeteria workers, custodians, paraprofessionals, and educational secretaries, have called for better compensation from the district. "In other words, we're bargaining in good faith here," Chair William Cameron said at the committee's meeting on Wednesday. Within the budget is $1,895,347 for administration, $55,822,847 for instructional, $4,526,341 for other school services, $6,372,746 for operations and maintenance, $472,358 for fixed costs, $68,074 for adult learning, $234,047 for acquisition of fixed assets, and $3,626,502 for tuition payments. With $570,000 in school choice revenues and $50,000 in Richmond tuition revenues, the total budget amounts to $73,018,262. Mayor Linda Tyer expressed concern for the district and the citys agreement with non-resident student tuition. The Cruckfather Wins Lever's 2022 Mohawk Trail Entrepreneur Challenge NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Cruckfather, LLC of Shelburne was selected by a panel of judges on Wednesday during the 2022 Mohawk Trail Entrepreneur Challenge (MTEC) pitch event at Foolhardy Hill in Charlemont, winning a $25,000 Lever Innovation Grant for their innovative timber frame construction business model. The Cruckfather and three other wood-based businesses from the Mohawk Trail region pitched their ideas at the MTEC, the culmination of Lever's startup acceleration program that helped each refine their business plans and work with mentors. Hall Tavern Farm of Charlemont was declared the runner-up. This is Lever's second MTEC event; Foolhardy Hill's owners, Katie and Patrick Banks, won the first competition in 2021, and have gone on to operate a highly sought-after private campground space in Charlemont. Designed with a focus on sustainability and job creation in the Mohawk Trail region, the MTEC is supported by a $60,000 grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA). The MTEC aims to maximize regional economic impact through businesses that can attract revenue from areas outside the Mohawk Trail region, create new jobs, and attract financing from multiple sources. "I can't imagine a better place to hold this Challenge than Foolhardy Hill, who took what they learned during the first MTEC and used it to build an incredible business that is drawing people to the Mohawk Trail region and creating long-lasting affinity for the area," said Jeffrey Thomas, Lever's Executive Director. "I have no doubt that every finalist in today's Challenge will do the same. This is why we do the work we do: To help business owners create new opportunities in the region and contribute to a cycle of economic development that only gets stronger as new people take part." Lever worked with the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership (MTWP) on both Challenge programs and reviewed applicants from the MTWP's member towns. MTWP is a multi-community consortium focused on conserving forests and supporting sustainable management as a way to advance economic development in rural communities along the Vermont and New York borders. The program provides funding to assist towns in the Commonwealth's most rural and forested region to plan for the care of forests in the face of climate change, prepare forest offset projects, and improve nature-based tourism by improving trail networks, infrastructure, and educational exhibits. About the MTEC Finalists The Cruckfather, LLC, Shelburne The Cruckfatheruses the old New England construction tradition to create timber-framed structures of all shapes and sizes. The Cruckfather's owner, Alan Spooner, aims to branch out into small-scale manufacturing, creating small-scale timber frames and structures on-site in Charlemont in addition to its on-location construction services. Larkitecture, North Adams Larkitecture is planning to address a major issue many people have with camping: uncomfortable sleep. The company plans to build and sell a "teardrop"-style camping trailer (a pod design with a retro feel) that is comfortable for overnight stays, no matter where it's parked. Their design will feature locally harvested wood products. Hall Tavern Farm, Charlemont Hall Tavern Farm is the oldest privately owned tree farm in Massachusetts. Its 350 acres, used as a farm since the 1920s, have been conserved through a state Agricultural Preservation Restriction, and it also offers custom sawing and milling services. Hall Tavern's team is planning to develop an on-site wood processing and forest education center that would serve as an incubator and equipment share for other wood-based businesses. Coopers Wood Products, North Adams Coopers Wood Products creates custom wood signs, mantles, beer taps, cabinets and more, frequently using reclaimed barn wood for its products. Coopers also produces large-volume wood items for other artists. Coopers' goal is to increase the amount of reclaimed wood used in its projects. SVMC Celebrates National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 30 BENNINGTON, Vt. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), is proud to participate with local organizations to share National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 30. The observation provides a reminder for community members to look through their medicine cabinets and safely dispose of medications that could cause harm to others. SVMC hosts a MedSafe collection box, which is available 24 hours every day for the anonymous disposal of unneeded medications. During a major renovation of the Emergency Department and Main Entrance, the box, which had been in the lobby, is located in the Emergency Department registration and waiting area. Those interested in disposing of medications should enter through the Canopy Entrance, take a left inside the door, and continue straight into the Emergency Department registration and waiting area. Disposing of unused and expired medications at a drug take-back location prevents them from being abused or sold. In the past, people often flushed medications down a toilet or drain, which can cause pharmaceutical contamination of the water supply. In the more than 4 years since the MedSafe box installation at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, it has facilitated retrieval of more than 2,000 pounds of unwanted medications from homes and the street. The box looks like a mailbox, featuring a one-way medicine drop. It can be used to dispose of unused or expired controlled substances, non-controlled substances, and even over-the-counter medications. The program is made possible through The Collaborative; Regional Prevention Partnership, a grant from the Vermont Department of Health; and cooperation from the Bennington Police Department, notably Chief of Police Paul J. Doucette and Lieutenant Camillo Grande. Several community members also generously provide funding for MedSafe's ongoing expenses. Lenox Library To Hold Historical Novel Discussion With Author LENOX, Mass. The Lenox Library will host Carolyn Kay Brancato, author of "The Night Belongs to the Maquis:" A World War II Novel in conversation with Bill Everhart, former Editorial Page Editor of The Berkshire Eagle on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. This program will be held in person as well as on Zoom. Webinar details may be found on the Library's website at https://lenoxlib.org . The event is free and open to the public. Books also will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of The Bookstore. According to a press release, "In The Night Belongs to the Maquis," Brancato weaves a tapestry of courage by ordinary people who rise to face the evil of Nazi occupation. Set in the small village of Foix, in the vivid Pyrenees of Southern France, the novel follows the dramatic, suspenseful journey of the Maquis, a band of resistance fighters shepherding Allied pilots to safety across the mountains. While a work of fiction, Brancato based many events in the novel on personal interviews she conducted some years ago with three members of the French Resistance (the Maquis). One was the leader of the circuit that escorted 500 Allied pilots over the Pyrenees and into Spain. He was captured by the Gestapo, tortured by Klaus Barbie, and personally gave Brancato his deposition in the Barbie trial in Lyon, asking her to please tell the story of his compatriots in the resistance. Carolyn Kay Brancato writes historical fiction. She has worked in theatre as a director and playwright and her plays have been mounted at such venues as Steppenwolf in Chicago and the John Houseman Theatre in New York City. She earned her B.A. from Barnard College and a Ph.D. from NYU. Carolyn lives in the Berkshires with her husband; together they were among the founders of The Guild of Berkshire Artists. Many IFJ affiliates are taking action to mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. Here is a non exhaustive list of their initiatives. Brazil: The National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ) and the Journalistic Ethics Observatory (objETHOS) will launch next Tuesday, May 3, the dossier "Attacks on Journalism and its Right to Information", a publication that deepens the debate on violence against journalism in Brazil and its impact on the rights of society, such as the right to information. To commemorate World Press Freedom Day and to present the dossier, a live broadcast on YouTube brings together the president of the federation, Maria Jose Braga, and the coordinator of the research group, Rogerio Christofoletti. The live begins at 19:30 with simultaneous broadcasting by journalists' union channels across Brazil on Facebook. Cambodja: CamboJA, in collaboration with UNESCO and other CSO partners of the World Press Freedom Day working group, will organise a face-to-face debate during World Press Freedom Day to discuss and better understand the potential impact of restrictive legislation on fundamental freedoms, including the sub-decree on the establishment of the National Internet Gateway (NIG), the sub-decree on the management, use and security protection of personal identity data (PID) and the draft law on cybercrime. This year's main theme will be in line with the overarching theme "Journalism under digital siege". Canada: Unifors Media Sector in Canada is planning to launch some results from an union survey on harassment of journalists. The results/media release will also highlight a new section on our website that offers information for journalists both union, non-union and freelance on how to respond to harassment and get help. The website launch and survey results wont be ready until AFTER World Press Freedom Day. They are also partnering with the Council of Canadians to publish an opinion piece in a major Canadian newspaper, highlighting the problem of harassment and how it impacts journalists and democracy, and is ultimately a press freedom issue. On World Press Freedom Day, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance is calling on all political parties to act on a range of reforms that are needed to ensure journalists can continue to perform their essential work finding facts, seeking the truth and holding power to account. Croatia: On World Press Freedom Day, the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists and the Croatian Journalists' Association paid tribute to journalists killed in Ukraine and all the journalists whose freedom of speech is threatened. In a statement sent to all newsrooms, the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists' Union reiterated the need for better protection of journalism as an indispensable factor in any true democracy. Increasingly insecure and temporary work in the media, especially on numerous portals and other online media, reduces the ability of journalists to protect themselves and their profession and thus defend the credibility of the media in which they work and collaborate. Estonia: The Estonian Association of Journalists marks the WPFD2022 with the hybrid discussion In Crisis with Ethics on media ethics, media freedom and journalists role in the time of crisis. The presenters come from Estonia, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia. Finland: The Finnish Journalists' Union is celebrating World Press Freedom Day in a special event in Helsinki, that will host a panel discussion about what is missing in Finnish media and journalism. France: The National Union of Journalists (SNJ-France) is organising on 3 May at 12:30 pm, Place Ghislaine-Dupont-Claude-Verlon-Camille-Lepage in Paris (2nd arrondissement), a special ceremony for journalists "who died for information" in the presence of Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary and Dominique Pradalie, IFJ Executive Committee member. The SNJ and IFJ are also organising a screening of the film "Hacking Justice" and a debate "Freedom, Rehabilitation and Compensation for Julian Assange" on 3 May from 6pm to 10pm at the auditorium of the Paris City Hall. In the presence of Cedric Villani, MP; a member of Julian Assange's family; Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary; William Bourdon, lawyer; and David Dufresne, journalist and director. The International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC) organises a conference on human rights and unions' rights in Afghanistan on 2 May in Paris. Speakers include ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger and General Secretaries of French unions CGT, CFDT et FO as well as an ILO representative. Gambia: In the context of the press freedom situation in The Gambia, journalists still operate under the threat of digital surveillance and digital intrusion due to the existence of an authoritarian legal and technological framework, put in place by the former administration, that still allows unchecked government surveillance of Information Communication Technologies. GPU urges the Gambian government to speed up reforms to the media law and to respect its commitment to press freedom. Indonesia: This year's WPFD celebration is parallel to Eid Al-Fitr, a holy day for most Indonesian muslims. Therefore, the Indonesian Independent Journalists Association celebration will take place after 3 May. The union will hold various events in 20 cities, such as debates, radio and TV talk shows, photo exhibitions and training of journalists on holistic violence. The highlight of the event will be held on 6 June with the launch of the report on press freedom in Indonesia. Italy: On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2022, the Italian National Press Federation (FNSI) will be in Conselice, little town in Emilia-Romagna that hosts the Monument dedicated to press freedom: an old printing press similar to the one used by clandestine printers who during the Liberation struggle worked to inform about what was happening on the front of the National Liberation Committee. The initiative is promoted in collaboration with the Press Association of Emilia-Romagna, Emilia-Romagna Region, Province of Ravenna, the Union of Municipalities of Lower Romagna, the Municipality of Conselice. Together with the FNSI general secretary, Raffaele Lorusso, and local authorities, will be present some threatened reporters, such as Paolo Berizzi, president of the Observatory on press freedom born in Conselice last year. Since 2019 Berizzi is forced to live under guard due to threats received from neo-Nazi and neo-fascist groups. Myanmar: The Myanmar Journalists Association will celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 3 May at the MPC office in Yangon with a round table discussion on "Real News" to reach out more to the people and fight against fake news. Pakistan: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has planned a number of programs at the federation level and regional union levels. The following events are being scheduled in the coming days in connection with World Freedom Day: Seminar at Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad; Candle Vigil in memory of martyred journalists; Rallies at regional Union level and Memorandum to be send to the government authorities. Somalia: Shining a light on Journalism Under Digital Siege in Somalia is the focus of this years World Press Freedom Day. While the journalism industry in Somalia has become deft and vigilant about physical attacks against journalists, the same sense of importance is needed to address a rise in online attacks, NUSOJ says. The digital environment has brought new and targeted threats to both male and female journalists as it offers relatively easy opportunities to follow and harass members of the media community. Spain: The UGT Grouping of Journalists (AGP-UGT) calls for the protection of journalists, firstly to safeguard their own lives - whether in their country of origin or as war correspondents - and secondly to be able to freely exercise the profession of journalism, in celebration of World Press Freedom Day, which was established by the United Nations at its General Assembly in 1993. The Journalists' Group and the Media Sector of Comisiones Obreras join the call of the International Federation of Journalists, of which they are members, for governments to heed the call of the trade unions to negotiate and draw up protective regulations to prevent any kind of spying on the work of the press, and for professional communications to be inviolable. Sri Lanka:The Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions (FMETU) will hold a seminar on "Press freedom and journalists' responsibility" near the International Media Centre, Gogotagama, Galle face. The Free Media Movement and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association have jointly organised a panel discussion on the theme "Democracy, Social Responsibility and Responsible Journalism", especially in the light of recent developments in Sri Lanka. Journalists who wish to attend this discussion are invited with that link. Switzerland: Press freedom is under pressure all over the world. In Switzerland, too. The Media Syndicate presents three current examples: super-provisional decisions, which amount to muzzling media professionals, must be simplified. The Banking Law prevents investigative reporting. And the police are increasingly obstructing media professionals in their work. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the union opposes any form of restriction in Switzerland and other countries. United Kingdom: National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is holding a month-long series of online events with speakers exploring global threats to journalism. Sessions will cover the union's work campaigning for the safety of journalists, consider the use of spyware, the abuse of harmful legal challenges through SLAPPs and much more. Registration details will be live on the NUJ website soon. Members can attend all sessions for free. The Slapps Event is on May 10. Uruguay: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), together with the Uruguayan Press Association (APU) and the International Federation of Journalists of Latin America and the Caribbean (FEPALC), will hold a panel discussion at the UNESCO Global Conference on World Press Freedom Day, which takes place on 3 May. The panel will focus on the situation of press workers in the region in the face of digital surveillance and the need for collective organising tools to address it. Thursday 28 April 2022, 18:20 - Last update: 29 April, 15:01 Now the butchers of Bucha , at least some of them, have a name and a face. To reveal their identity, the attorney general of Kiev, Iryna Venediktova, who on Facebook posted personal details and photographs of ten officers and non-commissioned officers of the infamous 64th Russian motorized rifle brigade from Siberia. The list is opened by Sergeant Vyacheslav Lavrentyev, a little further down by Corporal Andriy Bizyaev, and in the group also a general, Albert Radnaev. Almost all of them, like their ferocious leader, Lieutenant Colonel Omurbekov Azatbek Asanbekovich, show the typical features of the Buryats, a population between Russia , Mongolia and China that represents the largest Siberian ethnic minority. The Ukrainian authorities have issued the first charges of war crimes against them, asking anyone who recognizes them to provide evidence of their involvement in the massacre of civilians in the Kiev region. Demydiv, the inhabitants flood the Ukrainian village to slow down the Russians: "We saved Kiev" The tortures Here is Bucha, where after the retreat of the troops from Moscow at least 400 bodies were found on the street, in houses, in mass graves. Some with their hands tied behind their backs and a blow to the back of the head, victims of real executions. Executing them were the same men to whom Vladimir Putin conferred one of the highest honors in Russia a few days ago, praising them for their heroism. "It is proof that it was the Kremlin who orchestrated the massacres," explains the Ukrainian prosecutor, who in the post describes the violence committed by the ten identified torturers. Some of them appear very young, some portrayed in camouflage and in combat gear, some in civilian clothes. According to what was established by the investigations, writes Venediktova, "during the occupation of Bucha they took unarmed civilians hostage, made them die of hunger and thirst, robbed them, kept them on their knees with their hands tied and blindfolded, mocked and beaten . Fists and butts were used. The people - continues the prosecutor - were beaten up for information and some were tortured for no reason . The Russian military also allegedly "threatened to kill the victims and even staged the execution of their prisoners." Moscow rejects all accusations and continues to talk about fake news. But the Kyiv prosecutor's office, in the hours when the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was visiting the places of the horror of the war in Ukraine, made it known that it had identified over 8,000 Russian war crimes since the beginning of the conflict . The civilian death toll, in the Kiev region alone, on the other hand, rises to over 1,150 In business, stagnation is death. The story of MySpace teaches us that. Embracing change is critical, but not only for your company. It's also important at times to be able to reinvent yourself on an individual level as a leader. Immigrants like my father have done it since the beginning of time. His second act in America came after he'd grown up in Nigeria during the Biafran War. The trick is evolving in a way that allows you to accomplish your goals while remaining true to yourself. When my best friend in high school was killed in a drive-by, I promised myself that I would do everything I could to get away and access a better life. Two hard years and 19 college applications later, I ultimately landed 900 miles away at Northwestern University. My baggy clothes, fitted hats, and thick East Coast accent gave me away instantly as an outsider. After freshman year I had an internship at Pratt & Whitney, a leading aerospace company, and I noticed that all the top executives dressed, walked, talked, and acted similarly -- not at all like I did. From my perspective, these guys had made it and I wanted so badly to be where they were. So what did I do? I focused on my goal, and I reinvented myself. My pants rose from my knees to my waist and I replaced the chain around my neck with a tie. I gathered hours of audio from speakers I admired ranging from professors to actors to then Newark mayor Cory Booker, and I practiced talking like them in the mirror. Fair or not, after my "remake," I ended up with a broader set of friends, better grades, and an internship the following year at GE--several steps closer to my goal. Not every change since has been so radical, but I've continued to transform throughout my career. My reinventions allowed me to pursue international development in Liberia at a time when I'd never been overseas, and just last year, to transition from an executive role at a nearly 200,000-person corporation to be a partner at a fast-growing consulting firm that only recently broke 200. Mastering the art of personal reinvention can unlock countless doors in your life. There are many ways to go about it, but I've found that there are seven steps that always remain consistent: Know your why. Transforming for the sake of transforming is dangerous, but transforming when you know what you're trying to achieve is growth. Know your values. Draw bright lines around the beliefs and qualities you are not willing to compromise and protect those at all costs. When entering a new space, understand the qualities of those who have found success there. Figure out which you want to mirror, which you want to adapt, and which you want to avoid. If success in the space seems to require attributes that would compromise your values, you may want to reconsider whether this is the right move for you. Create a persona and practice playing the part. For Beyonce in 2008, that persona was Sasha Fierce. The more time you spend acting like the leader you want to be, the more natural it will become over time. Think about your reinvention holistically. Details matter. If you want to be seen as edgy and creative, you may need to lose the suits in favor of something trendier. Also, it's not just about how you show up in big meetings or in front of the group, but also who you are at the water cooler and in email responses. Be comfortable with discomfort. The transition will be hard. Everyday. It's supposed to be. Resist the urge to revert back to your comfort zone when the going gets tough. Keep adapting. You don't need to be the perfect product right out of the gate. Much like a new iPhone at launch, your goal is to be functional, fresh, and compelling on day one. Keep watching others, learning what's working and what isn't, and adding new skills to your repertoire, and before long, the bugs will be worked out. Keep in mind, rarely is one transformation the end all and be all. As you've probably heard, what got you here won't get you there. Be prepared for the possibility that you may benefit from undergoing this process multiple times over the course of your career and try to keep an open mind. With the rate of new Covid cases declining, and mask restrictions relaxing, many have wondered: When will the pandemic be declared over? Well, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S.'s chief medical adviser and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, it officially is. "We are certainly, right now, in this country, out of the pandemic phase," Fauci said on PBS NewsHour Tuesday. "Namely, we don't have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at a low level right now." Cases in the U.S. have tumbled dramatically over the past couple of months. As of April 25, the U.S. seven-day moving average is roughly 47,000 cases a day, down from almost 900,000 cases a day during the Omicron peak in January, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For businesses, this means we've entered a choose-your-own-adventure stage of the pandemic. "More and more, the relaxation of public health requirements, mandates, has placed responsibility on the individual and the employer," Saskia Popescu, an infectious-disease epidemiologist and an assistant professor at George Mason University, told Wired. Companies are free to welcome employees back to the office mask-free, or take a wait-and-see approach and with a hybrid or fully remote model. They can choose to mandate masks at the office, or not, social distance, or not, as long as they comply with local laws and regulations, which have mostly lifted. Though it's crucial to note that when Fauci says the pandemic is over, he doesn't mean Covid-19 is gone. SARS-CoV-2 is essentially an endemic virus, meaning ongoing transmission will keep it present in our population for a while, but, as Fauci notes, its impact will remain fairly manageable and integrated into society as long as people are intermittently vaccinated. It's also likely that the virus will pop up in hot spots with local transmission rates fluctuating over time. Substantial transmission is defined as 50 to 100 cases per 100,000, or a positivity rate between 8 and 10 percent. High transmission is defined as 100 or more cases per 100,000 people or a positivity rate of 10 percent or higher. Indias largest B2B marketplace, IndiaMART, and payment platform, Tazapay, have entered into a partnership to facilitate cross-border transactions for exporters in India. The partnership will help exporters have a customized seamless payment solution for B2B trades. Currently, merchants not only have to navigate complex negotiations with payment service providers, but they also have limited options when it comes to making and accepting payments on the global stage. The partnership between IndiaMART and Tazapay will help the B2B exporters get coverage in key economic markets like South-East Asia, the USA, the UK, the EU, and many more. On top of offering local payment methods such as local bank transfers, credit cards, and QR code payments - similar to UPI - for buyers and sellers alike, merchants will be able to deal with international clients like a local while enjoying competitive platform fees, and the best FX rates. The partnership will ensure that all transactions meet international trade compliance requirements, including issuance of Foreign Inwards Remittance Advice (FIRA) where required. The association between IndiaMART and Tazapay bodes well for exporters of goods based in India and exporters of service. The partnership with Tazapay also further strengthens the value proposition offered by the IndiaMART Verified Export Services (IVE). IndiaMART launched the IVE service in 2020 enabling its merchants to expand their business across the globe by tapping into the pool of more than 10 million foreign buyers every month coming from more than 100 countries. Being the end-to-end businesses solution provider, we are constantly working to provide ease of doing business to our patrons. We have around 50,000 sellers on our platform who are export-oriented. So, we looked for a partner with a customer-friendly track record that can handle cross-border payments seamlessly. Now, these exporters registered on our marketplace will also be able to make and track payment for their export business, said Dinesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, IndiaMART. Having a seamless payments experience is increasingly crucial for B2B traders as more businesses digitize and look towards international expansion as a viable means to grow. However, cross-border B2B transactions remain as complex as ever, said Rahul Shinghal, CEO of Tazapay. Through this integration with IndiaMART, we hope that our solution can ease the burden of building trust and paying business partners promptly overseas and bring Indian exporters to a more competitive level on the global market. IndiaMART is an end-to-end solution for businesses to connect with buyers and sellers online, with 75 million monthly visitors to the website and carrying more than 97000 product verticals. Tazapay is a payment platform that provides escrow as a service, specialising in providing security for high value transactions, processing millions in transactional volume per month and covering more than 173 countries worldwide. Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors. KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary. No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. https://ift.tt/fOBwRV6 BML Munjal University (BMU), a Hero Group initiative, through the Atal Community Innovation Center (ACIC) and Propel incubator at BMU organized Propel Pitchfest22, announced the results of grand finale of Propel Pitchfest22 on April 21st, 2022. The University's objective through this fest was to be able to provide a platform for budding entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and innovative ventures, and network with successful entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders of the start-up ecosystem. The winning ideas were presented by BlisCare, First Helpers and Hivericks Technologies under the Product-based, Service-based and Women founded startup categories respectively. Each winning team received a cash award of INR 50,000, a seed funding of 2 Lakhs INR from Incubation at ACIC-BMU | Propel in addition to the other benefits. Along with the winners, three other runners-up namely We-Moove, Smart PAPA and AgriVijay trailed closely at the contest. Each runners-up team received a cash prize of INR 30,000 and a seed funding of INR 1 Lakh from Incubation at ACIC-BMU | Propel along with the other benefits. The winners, runners up and the finalists won awards worth INR +15 lacs (+1.5 Mn) and an opportunity to pitch to various angel investor networks - namely Lead Angels, ah! Ventures, IAN and numerous benefits through the Passport by TheOneValley, membership to TiE Delhi etc. This year's Pitchfest saw a great response from 541 registrations received from 343 teams from across the country and had tracks on startups with women founders as well. The first day of Propel Pitchfest22 had the keynote address by Dr. Chintan Vaishav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog and Mr. Vineet Rai, Founder & Chairman Aavishkaar Group. The organizing committee also held Masterclass sessions by Mr. Sriram Sundarajan, CEO and Co-founder, Hyperstack, USA and Mr. Durjay Puri, Founder Member Delhi Chapter & Advisor - Lead Angels on topics - 'Entry and Growth for SaaS Startups in North America' and 'Making Start-ups Fundable' respectively. The first day of PitchFest also witnessed a Panel discussion on Building Successful Start-Ups with Purpose with Nupur Sarda (Co-founder of Vahdam Tea), Ariba Khan (Founder-Jumping Minds), Meghana Narayan (Founder of Slurrp Farm), Utkarsh Singh (Founder of BATX Energies). The session was moderated by Dr. Dhruv Nath, Author and Angel Investor, Director - Lead Angels. The first day of Pitchfest22 had a fireside conversation with Rahul Garg, CEO & Founder Moglix, who spoke about how there is no age bar to explore entrepreneurship instead the question should always be what is the problem that you are solving. He further mentioned now being the right time for India as we are having an opportunity to play far bigger roles in the global supply chain and building technology and manufacturing solutions for consumers. The budding startups were also provided with the opportunity of individual networking sessions with investors and legal experts. The eminent jury for Propel in the Panel 1 for Product and Service based start-up tracks consisted of Manish Johari (Senior Vice President Lead Angels), Sandro Stephen (Vice President Indian Angel Network), LV Sastry (Board Advisor & CXO Mentor Internet Start-Ups), Shantanu Chaturvedi (iCreate Head CoE-Ev). The Jury for Panel 2 for the Women Founder based start-up track consisted of Kruti Raiyani from Lead Angels, Upasana from TiE Delhi NCR and Manglesh Yadav from AIM. Every startup idea that was presented was judged based on innovation, creativity, originality and challenge it set-out to solve. Congratulating the winners Prof. Manoj K Arora, Vice Chancellor, BML Munjal University said, "It gives us immense pleasure on successfully hosting the Propel Pitchfest22 at BMU. The faculty and students have come together for this year's pitchfest and the response was incredible that we have received from the start-up ecosystem. I congratulate all the winners for their stupendous performance. We shall continue to provide a platform for students so that more such new ideas emerge and get an opportunity to become a reality in the days to come." About Propel Incubator @ BML Munjal University Propel Incubator @ BML Munjal University has been established to encourage and support the aspiring entrepreneurs in their pursuit of innovative solutions and develop entrepreneurship among the students through its programs and activities. Propel provides regular interaction, mentoring and training with successful entrepreneurs, angel investors and industry experts. There would be regular competitions (ideathons, pitching etc.). The student teams would be nurtured to form ventures and would be provided with the support to grow and gain funding. About BML Munjal University Named after the late Founder Chairman of the Hero Group, BML Munjal University (BMU) is a state-private university founded by the promoters of the Hero Group. BMU is mentored by Imperial College London and is engaged in creating, preserving, and imparting internationally benchmarked knowledge and skills. The university seeks to transform higher education in India by creating a world-class innovative teaching, learning, and research environment across Schools spanning the disciplines of law, management, economics, commerce, and engineering. The School of Management at BML Munjal University has been ranked 41st among all management institutions All India in the NIRF Rankings 2021. The university offers undergraduate to doctoral programmes comprising B.Tech, BA (Hons) in Economics, BBA, BCom (Hons), BA LLB (Hons), BSc Computer Science, LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons), BBA, Integrated BBA-MBA at the undergraduate level and MBA, and PhD at the post-graduate level. For more information log in to www.bmu.edu.in. Ajay Devgn and Kichcha Sudeep engaged in a healthy war of words on Twitter. However, a lot was lost in translation after the debate started. The to and fro of comments began after Bollywood actor Devgn asked if Hindi is not the national language of India, why are movies made in different languages and eventually dubbed. Ajay's comments on Wednesday were in response to a statement by south star Kichcha Sudeep. Instagram/AjayDevgn Hindi is no more our national language, Sudeep said at a film launch event last week when he was asked how he viewed the record-breaking pan-India success of the Kannada film KGF: Chapter 2. Addressing the media in Kannada, Sudeep had said, Kannada Actor @KicchaSudeep said ,"correct it,Hindi is no more the National Language, its no more a National language"! In a film launch & a huge applause from the crowd & the media. Hope the efforts of Kannada activists are reaching the intended places.#stophindilmposition pic.twitter.com/qpj06HJseG -Ravi (@AaladaMara) April 23, 2022 Hindi (filmmakers) should say they are making pan India movies. They have been dubbing those (Bollywood) movies into Tamil and Telugu, etc., and they are struggling. They are not able to. Today, we just make films that reach everywhere. Sudeep's comments had sparked a debate on social media over the apparent imposition of Hindi, with many fans of the actor defending his stand. The Hindi version of which alone has minted Rs 336 crore since its April 14 release. The film has reportedly earned Rs 850 crore worldwide. Devgn, who recently starred in filmmaker SS Rajamoulis pan-India blockbuster RRR, tagged the Karnataka-based actor on Twitter and wrote, .@KicchaSudeep , ? , Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 27, 2022 Hindi was, is and always will be our national language. The actor-filmmaker, who is looking forward to the release of his film Runway 34 on Friday, wrote: My brother, according to you if Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your mother tongue movies by dubbing them in Hindi? Devgn wrote in Devanagari, the Hindi script. Devgns tweet prompted Sudeep to post a reply explaining that his statement was perhaps taken out of context. Indiatimes Sudeep, who has also featured in Hindi films like Dabangg 3, Phoonk and Rann, said he didnt want to hurt, provoke or to start any debate. Hello @ajaydevgn sir The context to why I said that line is entirely different to the way I guess it has reached you. Probably will emphasise on why the statement was made when I see you in person. It wasnt to hurt, provoke or to start any debate. Why would I sir." I love and respect every language of our country sir. I would want this topic to rest,,, as I said the line in a totally different context. Mch luv and wshs to you always. Hoping to seeing you soon. Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022 I love and respect every language of our country sir. I would want this topic to rest as I said the line in a totally different context. Much love and wishes to you always. Hoping to seeing you soon, he wrote in English. In a follow-up tweet, Sudeep said he understood what Devgn wrote in Hindi but wondered what his fellow actor would do if his response was in Kannada. And sir @ajaydevgn, I did understand the text you sent in Hindi. Thats only because we all have respected, loved and learnt Hindi. No offense sir, but was wondering whatd the situation be if my response was typed in Kannada! (sic) he wrote. Dont we too belong to India sir, Sudeep asked Devgn. Devgn then thanked Sudeep for clearing up the misunderstanding and said he simply wanted to ensure that people respect all languages. Hi @KicchaSudeep, You are a friend. thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding. Ive always thought of the film industry as one. We respect all languages and we expect everyone to respect our language as well. Perhaps, something was lost in translation Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 27, 2022 Hi @KicchaSudeep, You are a friend. thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding. Ive always thought of the film industry as one. We respect all languages and we expect everyone to respect our language as well. Perhaps, something was lost in translation (sic) he added. Translation and interpretations are perspectives, Sudeep said in his response to Devgn. afp Thats the reason not reacting without knowing the complete matter matters. I dont blame you, @ajaydevgn, sir. Perhaps it would have been a happy moment if I had received a tweet from you for a creative reason. Love and regards (sic), Sudeep concluded. Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages. Financial Express/Representational image Presiding over the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee in Delhi, Shah had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that the medium of running the government is in the official language, and this would increase the importance of Hindi. Eminent composer A R Rahman, whose mother tongue is Tamil, had also weighed in on Shahs remarks, saying, Tamil is the link language. Representational Image India doesnt have a national language, and Hindi and Kannada are among the 22 languages listed in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. Sudeeps upcoming actioner Vikrant Rona is also billed as a pan-India film, expected to be released in Hindi apart from Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. (With inputs from PTI) (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) 1. 'Hindi Was Never Our National Language', Ex-Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah On Ajay Devgn's Tweet Indiatimes His tweet read, "Hindi was never & will never be our National Language. It is the duty of every Indian to respect linguistic diversity of our Country. Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of. I am proud to be a Kannadiga!!" The debate had sparked when Kichcha Sudeep's answer on KGF 2 being referred to as a pan-India film had made headlines. The South star had said that Hindi isn't a national language anymore and Bollywood should say that they are 'pan-India films'. 2. Amitabh Bachchan Reveals The Dance Moves In Khaike Paan Banaraswala Were 'Copied' From Abhishek Indiatimes Sharing a video of the song on Instagram, Big B wrote, "Some of the moves were a copy of Abhishek when he was a kid , he used to dance like that .. he moved sideways always." The edited video shows a segment from the song from Don with Abhishek Bachchan's song Macha Macha Re from Dasvi playing in the background. 3. Andrew Garfield Wants To Take A Break From Acting, Craves To Feel 'A Bit Ordinary' For A While Twitter In an interview with Variety, Andrew Garfield said that he 'is going to rest for a little bit'. The actor then added, "I need to recalibrate and reconsider what I want to do next and who I want to be and just be a bit of a person for awhile. Because as you know, that is a washing machine, that awards season. 4. James Cameron Confirms Official Title 'Avatar: The Way Of Water', Footage Teased At CinemaCon Twitter According to a report in Variety, it was revealed that the title of the Avatar sequel will be Avatar: The Way Of Water. The film is slated for a December 16 release this year. The same report also reveals that footage from the film was screened at the event for the attendees, who got a glimpse of the film wearing 3D glasses. The video was one minute long and had no dialogues. It focused on the film's setting, in the crystal blue waterbodies of Pandora. The footage also showed the people of the planet, the Na'vis, in their element, interacting with varied creatures. 5. After Being Charged With Rape, Vijay Babu Gets Brutally Slammed For Naming The Survivor Twitter "A rape case was registered against him first. As he disclosed the victim's identity, another case was also filed. It seems that he is out of the station and absconding now," a senior police officer told PTI. After Babu's live session on Facebook, people slammed him for revealing the survivor's identity. Calling him an example of 'toxic masculinity (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) As Johny Depp and Amber Heard's defamation case is proceeding, there are new twists and turns every day. Amid the bitter battle between Depp and his Ex-wife Amber, it looks like fans have started to side with Depp. A petition on change.org demanding Amber Heard's removal from Aquaman 2 is gaining traction. Agencies According to the petition, heard should be dropped from the upcoming Aquaman 2 movie. The petition filed on Change.org has already crossed the two million signature mark. Screengrab For the uninitiated, Depp, who portrayed the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, was fired by Disney in the fifth installment after allegations that he had abused his ex-wife. Agencies Heard plays the role of Princess Mera in Aquaman. Jason Momoa plays the lead role of the superhero in the film. According to the petition: Screengrab She has been exposed as a domestic abuser by Johnny Depp, Her appearance in Aquaman 2 should be canceled to prevent the alleged abuse from being glamorized. Also, Amber Heard was arrested in 2009 for abusing a former domestic partner, Tasya Van Ree, demonstrating a repeated pattern of abuse by Amber Heard, the petition further says. According to Variety, Depp has launched a legal battle against Heard after she penned a Washington Post op-ed in 2018 stating that she is a survivor of domestic abuse. Screengrab Although Heard did not mention Depp (58) by name in the column, she accused him of domestic violence after filing for divorce in 2016. Depp is pursuing a USD 50 million defamation lawsuit against Heard. Her plea to dismiss the suit after Depp lost his libel case in the UK was denied. Depp has since argued that Hollywood is "boycotting" him, pointing to the long-delayed release of his biopic "Minamata." (With agency inputs) (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) With the massive success of films like Pushpa: The Rise, RRR, and the recently-released KGF: Chapter 2, there is no doubt that audience in the North love the South Indian content. The Hindi-dubbed versions of these films have been an immense success and the popularity of South Indian Films in the north keeps growing day by day. RRR broke all records and collected more than a whopping Rs 100 crore on its opening day. On the other hand, KGF: Chapter 2 minted over Rs 50 crore on day 1. file Commenting on the success of South Indian films, Manoj Bajpayee says that it has 'sent a shiver down the spine of all mainstream filmmakers from Mumbai'. While speaking to TOI, the actor said, " Itni blockbuster ho rahi hai (from the south)... forget about Manoj Bajpayee and the likes of me for a minute, it has sent a shiver down the spine of all the mainstream filmmakers from the Mumbai film industry. They really dont know where to look." The actor also applauded South industry for their filmmaking and explained what sets them apart from the rest. He said, "They are unapologetic, they are passionate, and every shot they take as if they are taking the best shot in the world. And so much thought and passion goes into it. Not even once do they talk about the audience in a demeaning way. They dont say that the audience will understand. Yeh massy hai, yeh chal jayega they never talk in this language. They shoot a film as they have envisioned it, they dont dumb it down for the audience because they hold their audience in the highest regard and their passion is supreme." Speaking about Pushpa, RRR and KGF, the actor said that the making of these films is 'immaculate.' file He added, "Each and every frame is actually shot in a manner as if it were a life and death situation. This is what we lack. We started thinking about mainstream films only in terms of money and box office. Hum criticise nahi kar sakte na apne aap ko. So hum unko different keh kar alag kar denge. But its a lesson. This is a lesson for Mumbai industry mainstream filmmakers on how to make mainstream cinema." Coming to Manoj Bajpayee, the actor was last seen in OTT films like Silence...Can You Hear It? and Dial 100. He will next be seen in Gulmohar. The film went on floors last month and is being directed by Rahul V Chittella. (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) (Trigger Warning: The story contains details and photographs of violence and rape, which could be triggering for some readers.) The life of a 14-year-old teenager from Ukraine has toppled upside down. At an age where she should be living a life free of worries, she is burdened by a heavy choice: Where to keep her unborn baby or not. Reuters According to reports, a 14-year-old girl is pregnant after being raped by five Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Agencies A report in Mirror.co.uk claims that the girl has decided to keep the child and go ahead with the pregnancy after doctors warned her against the abortion. She has been told that if she aborts this child, she might not be able to conceive again. The story has been corroborated by psychologist Oleksandra Kvitko, who works on the ombudswoman's hotline for psychological assistance, with the consent of the victim's parents. Reuters The psychologist is now working with the teenager and helping her learn how to accept her child. The report further states that Kvitko is working with five girls between the ages of 14-and 18 who have allegedly conceived after being raped by Russian troops. A Belarusian photographer Pavel Krichko created a portrait of Putin from 1,500 photographs taken during the 57 days of the war in Ukraine. Horror, pain, suffering, death, mutilated destinies, crimes, inhumanity, evil - everything is in this image. #RussianWarCrimes pic.twitter.com/aXP9vXbika Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 23, 2022 The youngest victim in Kvitko's group is only ten years old. Agencies In an interview with Radio Svoboda, she said, "Girls aged 14, 15, 16 are often raped. After the war, there will be many pregnant teenagers in Ukraine". The ombudswoman's hotline has reportedly received reports of 101 cases of sexual crimes in the Ukrainian territories, which were recently freed from Russian troops. These figures were compiled on April 25. In a conversation with Radio Svoboda, Ombudswoman Lyudmila Denisova confirmed that 12 cases of forced pregnancy had been reported, but the number of unreported cases could be way more. On 13th April, Oleksandra Matviychuk, the Civil Liberties Center chairwoman, took to Twitter to share: A silent rally was held in Vienna against the sexual violence of Russian soldiers who raped Ukrainian women#RussianWarCrimes The author of photo is unknown pic.twitter.com/qODIjsO23h Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 15, 2022 "Ukrainian women who were raped by Russians and left to Poland cannot have abortions there. Under Polish law, abortion is allowed in case of rape, but there is no criminal case, yet Psychologists in Poland are convincing her that a new life is wonderful. They destroy the lives of both." Ukrainian women who were raped by Russians and left to Poland cannot have abortions there. Under Polish law, abortion is allowed in case of rape, but there is no criminal case yet Psychologists in Poland are convincing her that a new life is wonderful. They destroys lives of both Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 13, 2022 She added: "We talked to our colleagues in Poland. Elena Racheva: One of the people killed in Ukrainian Odesa by a direct hit of a Russian rocket, was 28 y.o Valeria Glodan, her 3 months old daughter Kira and her mother. Valeria's husband went grossery shopping and survived. Can't stop scrolling Instagram accounts of dead people pic.twitter.com/ye5ihwGVaG Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 25, 2022 "They will conduct an information campaign so that victims of sexual violence know to whom they can apply and how they can leave Poland if necessary. "Because rape is the most hidden crime, we don't know everyone who needs help." For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Signalling a longer wait for crypto enthusiasts to gain clarity on India's cloudy crypto future, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, "India will not rush into any decision on cryptocurrencies and will take a well-considered view." She was recently interacting with students and faculty at Stanford University in California, U.S. "It has to take its time for all of us to be sure that at least, with the given available information, we are making a discerned decision. It can't be rushed," Sitharaman further said, as per a report in ET. The free-wheeling conversation at Stanford covered a variety of topics, including crypto. Earlier in the day, the Finance Minister held an engaging and lively interaction with a group of students studying at @Stanford. The free-wheeling conversation covered a variety of topics. https://t.co/UW0G68Ec7u pic.twitter.com/4UdVDEkzXk Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) April 26, 2022 India's Finance Minister also said "There is impatience outside saying what are you doing about crypto.. I understand the impatience but I'm sorry, that's how it is going to be." The finance minister also clarified that the government is open to promoting innovation and well-grounded progress made in the distributed ledger technologies, which are coming in the blockchain. She stated, "Our intention is in no way to hurt this (innovation around crypto)...but (we need to) define for ourselves." FM Sitharaman further said, Despite the positive aspects of the technology, there are concerns over its possible misuse for money laundering and terror financing. Cryptocurrencies with all their positive contributions can also be manipulated toward not so desirable ends. "These are some of the concerns," she added. Quick To Tax It These latest statements come after a string of harsh announcements surrounding crypto in India since the Budget 2022 speech. While the 30% tax on crypto is already effective since April 1 2022, the 1% TDS will come into effect from July 1st 2022. As per ET, the government has maintained that imposition of the tax did not mean giving these assets recognition and that they would be dealt with separately after intensive consultations. On the other hand, Indias central bank RBI has for long been vocal about concerns surrounding crypto, and even stated that it favours a ban on it. Also Read: Crypto-assets Can Increase Financial Inclusion, Says Infosys' Nandan Nilekani For the latest financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. For nearly two decades, April is celebrated as the national financial literacy month in the US. It's an effort to highlight the importance of financial literacy and teach citizens how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. And in Prince George's County, which is located in the U.S. state of Maryland, students are learning all things finance. The school system, one of the most diverse in Maryland, now requires students to complete financial literacy classes, as per a report by News4's Prince George's County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins. A financial literacy class in Crossland High School goes beyond balancing a chequebook, as it challenges students to divide and conquer the complications of money. A ninth-grade student named Shiloh McCray said she's learning about investing, income and loans! It's true that managing money begins with understanding it. shutterstock Also Read: Ditch The Traditional Piggy Bank And Try These Simple Ways To Teach Money Management To Kids Nikki Guy-Dixon, a financial literacy teacher at the Crossland school, said she taught students about redlining, the housing crash and predatory lending. Whereas another ninth-grader, Kenneth Pinkney, said "It's important to spend your money wisely and make sure you manage it well." In the school, they also discuss why some communities have more than others. Financial Literacy teacher Susan Bistransin had taught financial education as an elective for years and has pushed to make it a system-wide requirement this year. This program is a big deal for Prince George's County because they are the 8th school district to require financial literacy for graduation in the state of Maryland. Certainly, it would be great if more schools across states and nations start including financial literacy lessons for students. This would provide them with a solid foundation and understanding of how to manage finances, which is a lifelong task, isn't it? Financial Literacy Lessons In Prince George's County "Financial literacy is incredibly important. You are going to use every single lesson you learn in this class for the rest of your life because money is our common denominator," said Bistransin, financial education and empowerment coordinator for Prince George's County Public Schools, as per NBC Washington. Another ninth-grader named Dhamari Bonner said that as a kid overwhelmed by social media marketing and influencing, he's learning to be a smart money manager and consumer. "You have to do what you have to, and not try to gloat for anybody on social media because you don't know what happens behind closed doors for them, and you don't want to try to think you have this big lifestyle when you don't," he said. The financial literacy class lasts for one semester. What more? The class of 2024 will be the first to be required to have the class in order to graduate. Also Read: Simple Life Lessons Young Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Shark Tank India For the latest and interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. April 28, 2022 This page has been automatically translated by Original news Fincantieri delivers second corvette for Qatar It was built in the Muggiano shipyard Today at the shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia) of the Fincantieri group, the delivery of Damsah , second unit of the "Al Zubarah class" of four corvettes commissioned by the Ministry of Defense of Qatar. The units, designed in accordance with the RINAMIL settlement, will be highly flexible with the ability to carry out multiple tasks, ranging from patrolling with rescue capabilities at sea to the role of a fighter ship. Around 107 meters long, 14.70 metres wide, will be equipped with a combined diesel and diesel propulsion system (CODAD), they will be able to reach a maximum speed of 28 knots by hosting 112 people on board. The corvettes will also be able to employ RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat)-type means, and will be able to ship them through a side crane and a ramp located at the extreme stern. The flight deck and the hangar will be equipped to accommodate a NH90 helicopter. Booking.com Index Home Page News - Via Raffaele Paolucci 17r/19r - 16129 Genoa - ITALY phone: +39.010.2462122, fax: +39.010.2516768, e-mail A Massachusetts man said in a lawsuit filed Monday that he was wrongfully charged with murder based on his race and what his attorneys called fabricated evidence. Dana Gaul, 43, said in the federal suit against the city of Worcester and five city police officers that he was charged in the November 2020 stabbing death of Jehlon Rose, 19, based on coerced statements and because he is Black. Witnesses at the scene described the perpetrator as a thin, light-skinned or white man, about 5 feet, 7 inches (1.7 meters) tall, while Gaul is Black, weighs 200 pounds (91 kilograms) pounds and is 5 feet, 10 inches (1.8 meters) tall, his lawyers said. Plaintiff is a Black man, and but for his race, defendants would not have targeted him for unlawful arrest, imprisonment, and/or malicious prosecution based on the flimsy evidence it had, the lawsuit said. In fact, the witnesses to the murder described the assailant as white, a description that does not match plaintiff. Investigators coerced some people none of whom were actually at the scene of the stabbing into saying that grainy surveillance video of the suspect looked like Gaul, according to the suit filed by Debra Loevy and Mark Reyes. In addition, DNA found on the victims body and clothes was compared to Gauls DNA, but did not match, according to his lawyers. Gaul did not know Rose and was nowhere near the scene of the stabbing, his lawyers said. The city will conduct its own investigation, according to a spokesperson for the city managers office. The complaint will be forwarded to the Worcester Police Departments Bureau of Professional Standards who will conduct an investigation, Robert Burgess said in an email. Worcester police Lt. Sean Murtha said in an email that the department does not comment on pending litigation and the case remains open. Gaul, a father of four from Leicester, was arrested last June and spent five months in prison before he was released. The Worcester district attorneys office dismissed charges against him in February and investigators have focused on a different suspect. Plaintiff was entirely innocent and there was never any legitimate evidence connecting him to the murder, the lawsuit said. Gaul is happy to be free but lives his life in fear, Reyes said. Defendants misconduct continues to cause plaintiff pain and suffering, humiliation, constant fear, anxiety, and other physical and psychological effects, the suit said. The suit seeks a jury trial, unspecified damages, and attorneys fees. Topics Lawsuits Massachusetts Indias Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) is struggling to find a vessel to ship 700,000 barrels of crude from Russias Far East, in a growing sign that complex trades involving one of Moscows biggest partners are being interrupted by Western sanctions, sources say. Several Indian companies including ONGC have stakes in Russian oil and gas assets, and India has been buying more Russian crude since Moscow invaded Ukraine, snapping up the popular Urals crude grade, while other buyers have shunned Russian exports. Exxon Mobil Declares Force Majeure on Its Russian Sakhalin-1 Operations ONGC has a 20% stake in the Sakhalin 1 project that produces a Russian grade known as Sokol, which ONGC exports through tenders. Sokol is mostly bought by North Asian buyers and loaded from South Korea. However, Moscows ability to ship that grade, which requires vessels that can break through ice, is becoming harder due to concerns from shippers over reputational risk and the increasing difficulty for Russian assets to find insurance coverage. Normally, cargoes of Sokol oil are first shipped from the De-Kastri terminal in Russias Far East using ice class vessels to South Korea, where they are then reloaded onto a conventional tanker. Indian refiners rarely buy the Sokol grade, as difficult logistics make the crude costly. There are a limited number of ice class vessels in the global merchant fleet that can be deployed at any time. ONGC relies on ice-class vessels provided by Russias state-owned Sovcomflot (SCF) for the transportation of crude to Yoesu port in South Korea, and from there the Indian company exports to buyers, mostly in North Asia. However, sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States, Britain, the European Union and Canada after Moscows invasion of Ukraine, in addition to specific restrictions on SCF, are making it harder for Russian ships including SCFs fleet to maintain insurance and reinsurance cover for voyages, shipping sources said. Shipping companies are also less willing to move Russian oil in Asia, fearing the potential reputational risks involved with charters, the shipping sources added. Last month, ONGC did not receive any bids in its tender for export of Sokol as buyers backed out due to Western sanctions. That led to ONGC selling one cargo each to Indian state refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. (BPCL). BPCLs cargo was scheduled for lifting early next month from Yeosu port in South Korea, while HPCL was awarded the cargo for lifting in end-May, according to shipping sources. BPCL had floated an enquiry to charter a vessel from the South Korean port and sought to book the vessel Atlantis for early May shipments, shipping reports show. The fixture failed, however, as ONGC could not arrange a vessel to Yeosu port partly due to issues with securing insurance for the voyage, sources said. ONGC, HPCL and BPCL did not respond to Reuters emails seeking comment. This year, India has bought more than twice as much crude from Russia in the two months since its invasion of Ukraine as it did in all of 2021. Russias maritime sector is grappling with the winding down of services including ship certification by leading foreign providers such as Britains LR and Norways DNV. Marine fuel sellers have stopped serving vessels flying the Russian flag at major European hubs including Spain and Malta in another blow to Moscows exports, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The EU in March listed SCF among Russian state-owned companies with which it was prohibited to directly or indirectly engage in any transaction after a wind down period ends on May 15. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma and Jonathan Saul; additonal reporting by Florence Tan in Singapore; editing by Mark Potter) Photograph: Suezmax crude oil tanker SCF Surgut, operated by Sovcomflot. Related: Topics Russia Energy Oil Gas India Philippe Donnet, who has been CEO at Europes third-largest insurer since 2016, is running for reappointment with the backing of Generalis outgoing board and its leading shareholder Mediobanca. Donnets candidacy is opposed by Italian tycoon Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, Generalis second-largest investor, who has proposed former Generali executive Luciano Cirina instead. Following is a summary of the main stakeholders and their stances: IN FAVOR OF DONNET Mediobanca Milanese bank holds 12.8% of Generali, which accounts for a third of its profit. To counter challenger investors at AGM it has secured a temporary 17.2% voting stake. De Agostini Italian publisher has praised Donnet and is expected to back his reappointment before completing planned disposal of its 1.44% Generali stake. Norges Bank, CPP, Calpers, SBA Florida, Union Investment, Deka Generali shareholders Union Investment and Deka Investment have both told Reuters they back Donnet. Read full storyRead full story Proxy voting records show that Norways sovereign wealth fund Norges Bank, U.S. investors CalPERS and SBA Florida, Canadas CPP are also in favor. Swiss foundation Ethos, comprising more than 220 pension funds, has recommended a pro-Donnet vote. *** AGAINST DONNET Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone Seventy-nine-year-old construction and newspaper magnate has a 9.95% Generali stake, which he has gradually increased in recent years. Before stepping down in January, Caltagirone had been a Generali board director since 2007, also taking on the role of vice chair in 2010. He will likely have a seat on the board again even if his bid to oust Donnet fails. Leonardo Del Vecchio Billionaire founder of Italian eyewear giant Luxottica is third-largest shareholder in Generali with a stake of around 8%. Del Vecchio, who is also the biggest investor in Mediobanca with a near 20% stake, has sided with Caltagirone. Fondazione CRT Banking foundation with a 1.7% stake supports Caltagirones plan for Generali. Benetton Family With 4% Generali stake and close ties to both camps, Benettons are set to back rival slate and want to promote dialog and cooperation after AGM. Cassa Forense Italian lawyers pension institute is reported to back the rebel billionaires with its 1% stake. *** YET TO DECIDE Institutional Investors Hold in aggregate 35% of the insurer. Their AGM attendance in recent years has been at around 20% but this year overall attendance is set to be markedly higher. Their vote is usually oriented by the recommendations of leading governance advisers Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis which have both backed Donnet. Fund shareholders include BlackRock, Fidelity Investments, Vanguard, Thornburg Investment Management. A group of 11 institutional investors holding 0.64% of Generali has filed a separate slate, which does not include a CEO candidate. Retail Shareholders Small savers made up mostly of wealthy families in Italys northeast hold around 22% of Generali. For retail shareholders the focus is the dividend policy, which Donnet in December pledged to boost. (Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro and Valentina Za; editing by Kirsten Donovan, Alexander Smith and Keith Weir) Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. Amazon.com Inc. should better prepare workers for extreme weather events, according to federal regulators who investigated a deadly tornado strike on a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois. The storm ripped through the facility in December, killing six workers and injuring several others, prompting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to launch a probe. At the time, Amazon said the facility complied with all construction regulations and that proper safety procedures were followed when the tornado struck. But several workers told Bloomberg that training for such events was minimal and mostly entailed pointing out emergency exits and assembly points. An OSHA report released on Tuesday echoed those concerns. The agency said a bullhorn that was supposed to be used to tell workers to take cover was locked up in a cage and inaccessible. In interviews with investigators, some employees couldnt recall ever participating in emergency drills and said they mistakenly took shelter in a bathroom on the south side of the building rather than in designated restrooms on the north side. OSHA didnt levy any fines since emergency safety plans are recommended not required. But the agency urged Amazon to review and improve its emergency procedures. These tragic deaths have sparked discussions nationwide on the vital need for comprehensive workplace emergency plans, said William Donovan, OSHAs regional administrator in Chicago. Employers should re-evaluate their emergency plans for the safest shelter-in-place locations and prepare before an emergency to ensure workers know where to go and how to keep themselves safe in the event of a disaster. The warehouse in Edwardsville, near St. Louis, was damaged when a string of tornadoes ripped through six states, leaving a trail of destruction that stretched more than 200 miles (322 km). The twister struck during Amazons busy holiday shopping season, prompting outcries from workers who have long accused the company of putting the timely shipping of products before their safety and well-being. Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said warehouse managers did their best given the sudden, severe storm. Employees receive emergency response training, and that training is reinforced throughout the year, she said. OSHAs investigation did not find any violations or causes for citations, but were constantly looking to innovate and improve our safety measures and have already begun conducting additional safety and emergency preparedness drills at our sites and will carefully consider any OSHA recommendation that we have not already. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Amazon United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that Donisha Lee,age 32, of Harvey, Louisiana, was sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, by United States District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance, arising out of a staged automobile collision with a tractor-trailer occurring in New Orleans. According to documents filed in federal court, Donisha Lee,along with her co-defendants, Dewayne Coleman (Coleman), Erica Lee Thompson (Erica Lee), Aisha Thompson (Thompson), Passenger A, and another individual, conspired to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged collision with their former co-defendant, occurring on September 6, 2017. Thus far, the total number of defendants convicted in Operation Sideswipe is thirty-seven (37). Donisha Lee admitted that on September 6, 2017, on the I-10 near the Almonaster exit, she was a passenger in Erica Lees 2015 RAV4 being driven by their former co-defendant, when he intentionally crashedinto a tractor-trailer owned by Averitt Express. After the staged accident, the driver exited the RAV4 and told Erica Lee to get behind the wheel of the RAV4 to make it appear that Erica Lee was driving the vehicle at the time of the staged accident. The defendants contacted the NOPD and falsely claimed that Erica Lee was the driver at the time of the collision. Passenger A falsely claimed to the NOPD that she was Thompson. Approximately one or two days after the staged accident, Coleman, Donisha Lee, Erica Lee, Thompson, and another individual went to an attorneys office for the purpose of collecting money from the insurance and trucking company. Coleman, Donisha Lee, Erica Lee, Thompson, and another individual sought medical treatment from doctors and healthcare providers. Thompson was treated despite not being in the RAV4 at the time of the staged accident. Donisha Lee retained counsel and made a claim for damages. The total settlement for the Averitt accident was $30,000. On March 26, 2019, Donisha Lee, and two of her co-defendants, provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the Thompson Lawsuit. On April 9, 2019, Thompson provided false testimony in a deposition taken in conjunction with the Thompson Lawsuit. In these depositions, Donisha Lee, and her co-defendants, lied about the September 6, 2017 accident including, but not limited to, who was driving the RAV4 and the extent of their injuries. United States District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced Donisha Lee to 10 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, 100 hours community service, restitution in the amount of $121,076.75, and a $100.00 special assessment fee. Source: Department of Justice Topics Louisiana That plan to strip the Disney Corp. of its special municipality status in Florida? Its more complicated than many Florida officials may have realized. A week after the Florida Legislature acted with lightning speed to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a 25,000-acre parcel near Orlando controlled by Disney, with its own firefighting and other municipal services, indications are that the move will ultimately amount to few real changes. I dont think this would have an impact either way and I dont think it will ultimately happen, said Geoff Bichler, an Orlando attorney who has represented employees in workers compensation claims against the district. The Legislature, at the request of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, voted to end Disneys 55-year-old self-governing status in retribution for Disneys criticism of Floridas Dont Say Gay law that restricts what can be taught in public schools. The effective date of the dissolution is June 2023, when its expected that the municipal services and workers would be absorbed by Orange County and Osceola County governments. The law immediately raised questions about what would happen to Reedy Creek employees benefits, including workers compensation payments for injured workers, and other insurance contracts the district may be a party to. The president of the Reedy Creek Firefighters Association, Jon Shirey, told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper that dissolving the district will end first responders lifelong health insurance paid by the district, along with complimentary lifetime Disney passes. Workers also have access to other perks, including a discount on Met Life auto insurance. For our retirees who plan their lives and their finances around a benefit that they were promised for life, this is incredibly concerning, Shirey said. Others, though, have said that at least some benefits will be left untouched if the Disney city goes away. Reedy Creek employees, like other municipal workers in the state, will likely remain part of the state employees retirement system. And the self-insured district is required to keep enough reserves to pay lifetime and long-term workers comp benefits well into the future, even if the district ceases to exist, attorneys said. If an agency/district dissolves, there is a process or procedure in place for existing claim and future claims, explained Tonya Oliver, an Orlando lawyer who has handled many Reedy Creek firefighter workers comp claims. Another question may be harder to answer: Would the county governments that absorb the district be any more accepting of comp claims than the Disney district was? During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, fire workers criticized Reedy Creek administration for fighting comp claims and time off for sick and exposed first responders. Eight firefighter/paramedics fell ill from the virus in summer, 2020, but the district denied the claims, forcing the men to burn through their personal sick time and vacation time, workers said. A spokesman for the district said at the time that firefighters in the Magic Kingdom already had plenty of time off, including unusually large amounts of union-negotiated leave time. A check of Florida workers compensation court records shows that 61 comp claims filed by Reedy Creek workers in the last 20 years have been contested. In the end, concerns about dissolving Reedy Creek may all be for naught. The district posted a notice to investors last week that the Legislatures actions violated a 1967 agreement with the district, in which the state pledged to pay off all of the districts bond debt if it altered the rights of the district, the Miami Herald reported. That bond debt could be as much as $1 billion, according to news reports. Disney said it will continue operating as it has. In light of the State of Floridas pledge to the Districts bondholders, Reedy Creek expects to explore its options while continuing its present operations, including levying and collecting its ad valorem taxes and collecting its utility revenues, paying debt service on its ad valorem tax bonds and utility revenue bonds, complying with its bond covenants and operating and maintaining its properties, the statement from Reedy Creek reads. The punitive action against Disney is also getting pushback from the county that would have to absorb part of the district. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings told reporters last week that if Reedy Creek were to be entirely dissolved, it would be catastrophic for his countys budget, according to news reports. The district currently reimburses the sheriffs office when its services are needed, including those for two smaller municipalities controlled by Disney that were created at the same time as Reedy Creek. Law professors also have said that Disney will have a valid constitutional argument and will likely prevail in litigation over the dissolution. Lawmakers appeared to act to punish the Disney Corp. because of what it said publicly about the Parental Rights, or Dont Say Gay, law. That retribution could be seen by the courts as a violation of the corporations and its officers right to free speech. Ironically, the Reedy Creek model was once touted as a potential solution to some of Floridas property insurance woes. In 2010, the Competitive Enterprise Institute argued that Disney had been able to survive several hurricanes without significant damage, partly because the district was able to set building codes at a level that made structures more wind resistant. Development in the district also was done in a holistic manner that minimized flooding, and the relatively affluent district did not have a diverse constituency to consider and was able to set taxes high enough to enforce building codes and ordinances to help minimize storm damage. The self-governing approach could work in other parts of Florida, the Institutes Arin Greenwood proposed. Other questions remain on the logistics of it all, including what would happen to excess liability and other insurance contracts the district it may hold. Officials with the district could not be reached this week, but the head of the Florida Association of Special Districts said that Orange and Osceola counties would probably be able to assume most of the districts self-insured assets and liabilities without disruption. It would be more like a merger than a dissolution, said David Ramba, executive director of the FASD. Statutes also have provided for a relatively seamless way to reconstitute the district, if necessary, he said. Most observers reached by the Insurance Journal predicted that the dissolution wont happen, once cooler heads prevail in the Legislature, perhaps after the November election. But some perks now enjoyed by the district could be scaled back next year. One of those perks that could be done away with is Reedy Creeks ability to build its own nuclear plant if it so desired. Ramba said its highly unlikely Disney officials would ever want that. But as the law now reads at least until June 2023 a nuclear cooling tower next to the Cinderella Castle is perfectly legal. Photo: Associated Press Topics Legislation Florida Federal prosecutors say a former Mississippi pharmacist has been sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison for a $180 million health insurance fraud scheme involving unnecessary prescriptions for expensive pain creams and other medications. Mitchell Chad Barrett, 55, now of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was sentenced Tuesday in Mississippis Southern District, a news release said. He is among more than a dozen people who have pleaded guilty or been convicted in connection with the scheme. Prosecutors say he paid kickbacks for referrals of medically unnecessary prescriptions. He was involved in more than $180 million in fraudulent billings, including more than $50 million paid by federal health care programs, the statement said. Barrett pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. Prosecutors said in 2018 that pharmacy fraud in Mississippi totaled more than $400 million. Pharmacists figured out how to hand-make medications typically skin creams with ingredients for which insurers would pay big money. They also hired marketers to seek and sometimes pay off physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists and others who could prescribe the drugs, prosecutors alleged. A marketer, Thomas Wilburn Shoemaker of Rayville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty last August. Pharmacist Thomas E. Spell Jr. of Ridgeland pleaded guilty in 2018 to helping run a fraud that collected $244 million from a federal military health insurer, and was sentenced to 10 years. A statement acknowledged that he personally received more than $29 million between December 2014 and January 2016. In 2019, pharmacy owner and manager Glenn Doyle Beach of Sumrall pleaded guilty in a plot that collected more than $200 million from a federal military health insurer and others. His sentence is 14 years. Pharmacist and pharmacy co-owner David Jason Rutland, of Bolton, pleaded guilty in 2021 to federal charges of conspiracy to solicit and pay kickbacks and bribes. He got a 5-year sentence. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Mississippi COVID-19 was the leading cause of work-related fatalities in Washington for the second straight year, accounting for one-fourth of the 106 workers who died, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. L&Is claim records show 26 people died in 2021 after contracting COVID-19 while working in hospitals, prisons, manufacturing jobs, or other workplaces. Another 15 workers died following long battles with other occupational illnesses. Even as we believe that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, we find ourselves looking back on another year where COVID was the leading cause of job-related deaths, Joel Sacks, L&Is director, said in a statement. We will not forget those who lost their lives to COVID or other causes. We all need to do everything in our power to ensure every worker goes home safe at the end of the day. In 2021, the number of COVID-19 deaths increased, while the overall number of workplace fatalities declined by 13 from the previous year, when there were 119 workplace deaths, according to the figures. Construction was the most dangerous industry, claiming 22 lives. Transportation/warehousing and public safety workers accounted for 16 and 14 deaths, respectively, according to the data. The number of fatalities in agriculture fell by nearly half, with 11 worker deaths compared to 21 in 2020, however the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes tripled, from seven to 21. Worker deaths from falls remained about the same at 10, according to L&I. Topics COVID-19 Washington The New Mexico sheriff investigating the fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin described complacency, disorganization and neglected safety measures in the making of the low-budget movie Rust. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that he is waiting on a forensic analysis of the weapon, projectile, fingerprints and more from the FBI and state medical examiners before turning the 6-month-old case over to prosecutors to decide whether criminal charges will be filed. There is a degree of neglect. Whether that reaches the criminal level, that will be up to the district attorney to determine, the sheriff told Good Morning America. On Monday, he released virtually the entire case file of the investigation after a live round of ammunition killed Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza during rehearsal on Oct. 21, 2021. Filming for the Western took place at a ranch on the outskirts of the city of Santa Fe. The vast trove of newly released law enforcement files includes lapel camera video of the mortally wounded Hutchins slipping in and out of consciousness as an evacuation helicopter arrives. Witness interrogations, email threads, text conversations, inventories of ammunition and hundreds of photographs round out the collection of evidence. In one newly released video, a sheriffs deputy arrives as medics attempt to attend to Hutchins inside a small wooden church where she was shot during a rehearsal in preparation for filming. Halyna, deep breath. There you go, good girl, says a medic, urging Hutchins to take in air through an oxygen mask. Outside, a medical evacuation helicopter lands in the desert. A law enforcement officer keeps watch over Baldwin, still in 19th century costume, as the actor smokes cigarettes from other members of the film cast. The evidence was made public in response to media requests for records and as an effort toward transparency in the investigation. Mendoza, a Democrat, is running for reelection this year, with a competitive June primary. Newly published documents show authorities have scraped cellphone accounts for text messages, images and audio files created by the cast, crew and munitions suppliers for Rust. Text messages recount two firearms misfires on the set prior to the deadly shooting, though none involved live ammunition. Other videos show investigators as they debrief Baldwin within hours of the fatal shooting, talking with him inside a compact office and rehearsal clips that show Baldwin in costume as he practices a quick-draw maneuver with a gun. An attorney for Baldwin says the newly released files corroborate that the actor and Rust co-producer was careful with guns on the set. Mr. Baldwin welcomes this investigation, said attorney Luke Nikas in a statement. The information that has been revealed by the authorities demonstrates, once again, that Mr. Baldwin acted responsibly. Under questioning by two investigators, Baldwin says that as the gun went off, he was unaware initially that Hutchins would die and shocked to learn that he had been holding a gun loaded with live ammunition. Baldwin said in a December interview with ABC News that he was on set pointing the gun at Hutchins at her instruction when it went off without his pulling the trigger. Baldwin told the investigators that the gun should have been empty for a rehearsal with no filming. There should have been nothing. It should have been a cold gun with no rounds inside or dummy rounds, Baldwin says. I take the gun out slowly. I turn, I cock the pistol. Bang, it goes off. She (Hutchins) hits the ground. Baldwin repeatedly says there were no prior problems of any kind with firearms on the set of Rust. Those statements conflict with more recent findings by state occupational safety regulators, who last week issued the maximum possible fine of nearly $137,000 against the Rust film production company. New Mexicos Occupational Health and Safety Bureau delivered a scathing narrative of safety failures in violation of standard industry protocols, including testimony that production managers took limited or no action to address the two other misfires. 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. Rust Movie Productions has indicated it will dispute the findings and sanction. At least five lawsuits have been filed over the shooting, including a wrongful death lawsuit 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. Photo: This photo shows the Bonanza Creek Ranch one day after an incident left one crew member dead and another injured, Friday, Oct. 22, 2021 in Santa Fe, N.M. A prop firearm discharged by veteran actor Alec Baldwin, who is producing and starring in a Western movie, killed his director of photography and injured the director Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at the movie set outside Santa Fe, authorities said. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mexico New Mexico Austin, TX., April 28, 2022. The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research today announced the release of the Certified Environmental Strategist (CeS) self-paced course. Created by Chris Bunbury, Environmental Strategist and President of Environmental Strategist, Inc. (ESI), the course educates insurance professionals on how to advise clients as they manage and transfer their environmental exposures. The four-hour self-paced course developed with The National Alliance for insurance Education & Research is for professionals looking to expand their book of business into the environmental insurance marketplace. Due to factors that include regulatory enforcement, environmental claims are expected to increase by 15-20% annually. Businesses who remain unprepared for such exposures risk financial ruin and may leave management liable for the consequences. The CeS course helps insurance professionals navigate that with clients. Paul Martin, Director of Academic Content and Curriculum Development, shared this about the new course: This one-of-a-kind program builds new skills in identifying the environmental risks that every business faces. What youll learn will only deepen your ability to protect your clients. Participants of the CeS course can expect a robust learning experience that ensures successful execution of environmental strategy at an introductory level. The course includes an environmental insurance submission checklist, a training manual, a step-by-step plan for how to develop and execute an environmental management strategy, and a comprehensive environmental efficiency evaluation survey. About Chris Bunbury, eS Chris Bunbury is an Environmental Strategist and President of Environmental Strategist, Inc. (ESI), located in LeLand, Michigan. He graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources. In 1988, he worked in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry as a retail commercial insurance producer. As the environmental insurance industry evolved, it was a natural transition for Chris to move into this evolving field. About The National Alliance: The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research, a registered 501(c)(3), is an insurance education provider, recognized throughout the industry as a preeminent resource for technical training, designations, and continuing education in risk management and insurance. Boasting over 150,000 program participants, the National Alliance has set the standard for industry education since its inception in 1969. Media Contact: Paul Martin, Director of Academic Content Pmartin@scic.com Topics Pollution Answers Global sodium myristate market trend 2025-2026 Is Sodium Myristate Natural? by Newsintegra927 According to statistics from China Chemical and Physical Power Supply Industry Association China's export volume and export value of lithium-ion batteries have continued to increase. In 2021, China's exports of lithium-ion batteries were 3.428 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 54.34%. The export of lithium-ion batteries was 28.428 billion DOLLARS, up 78.34% year on year. From the battery export destination, so far. China's lithium-ion batteries are mainly exported to the Asia Pacific and the United States and other places. In terms of price, the price of sodium myristate, led by lithium-ion batteries, is expected to expand globally. Overview of Sodium Myristate Sodium myristate is a chemical listed under CAS 822-12-8. The chemical formula is C13H27COONA, which is easily soluble in water and some organic solvents. Myristic acid is found in the seeds of the tropical tree Nutmeg. Sodium myristate is a saturated fatty acid in the long-chain fatty acid subgroup. It is present in most animal and vegetable fats and oils in the form of glycerides. Sodium myristate is mainly found in milk fat. Compared to oleic acid, myristic acid, a form of hypercholesterolemia, increases LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in healthy people. Myristic acid delays gastric emptying. Sodium myristate may trigger the release of one or more hormones that delay gastric emptying. Sodium myristate is used as an ingredient in soaps, cosmetics and shaving creams, usually in the form of isopropyl myristate. In current usage and concentration practices, sodium myristate is safe as a cosmetic ingredient. Is Sodium Myristate Natural? Sodium myristate, commonly known as the sodium salt of stearic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid. Sodium Myristate - A fatty acid that belongs to a more complex group of natural lipids. How is sodium myristate produced? Sodium Myristate - an emulsifier, hardener and surfactant; the sodium salt of myristic acid, produced when lye reacts with myristic acid. Coconut oil and palm oil are two great sources of myristic acid. Is Sodium Myristate Natural? It is commonly referred to as the sodium salt of stearic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid. Sodium myristate - a fatty acid that belongs to a more complex group of natural lipids. Application of Sodium Myristate Sodium myristate is a white or light yellow paste. Sodium myristate is often saponified and used together with sodium laurate. Sodium myristate is the main ingredient in soap. Sodium myristate is also used in the preparation of textile auxiliaries. The main roles of sodium myristate in cosmetics and skin care products are surfactants, detergents and emulsifiers. The risk factor is 2, which is relatively safe and can be used with confidence. Generally, it has no effect on pregnant women, and sodium nutmeg does not cause acne. Sodium myristate price The price of sodium myristate will change randomly with factors such as production cost, transportation cost, international situation, exchange rate, and market supply and demand of sodium myristate. Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. aims to help industries and chemical wholesalers find high-quality, low-cost nanomaterials and chemicals by providing a full range of customized services. If you are looking for Sodium Myristate, please feel free to send an inquiry to get the latest price of Sodium Myristate. Sodium Myristate Suppliers As a global supplier of water-based sodium myristate, Tanki New Materials Co., Ltd. has extensive experience in the performance, application and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced engineering materials. The company has successfully developed a series of powder materials (including oxides, carbides, nitrides, single metals, etc.), high-purity targets, functional ceramics and structural devices, and provides OEM services. Sodium Myristate Powder Properties Other Names SODIUM MYRISTATE 822-12-8 Sodium tetradecanoate, Tetradecanoic acid, sodium salt, Myristic acid sodium salt CAS No. 822-12-8 Compound Formula CH3(CH2)12COONa Molecular Weight N/A Appearance white fine powder Melting Point N/A Solubility in water N/A Density N/A Purity >98% Particle Size 200 mesh Boling point N/A Specific Heat N/A Thermal Conductivity N/A Thermal Expansion N/A Young's Modulus N/A Exact Mass 478.387252 Monoisotopic Mass 478.387252 Sodium Myristate Powder Health & Safety Information Safety Warning N/A Hazard Statements N/A Flashing point N/A Hazard Codes N/A Risk Codes N/A Safety Statements N/A RTECS Number N/A Transport Information N/A WGK Germany N/A Europe's immediate goal of reducing its dependence on Russian gas in response to the conflict with Ukraine presents a rare opportunity for the United States, the world's largest gas producer. America's LNG exporters have made a fortune this time. Investors are bullish on the future of natural gas, as evidenced by the recent record high share price of Energy company Chenier. But the outlook for more than a dozen new LNG projects is highly uncertain as construction costs rise, US gas prices soar and climate policymakers seek to move away from a long-term reliance on fossil fuels. Even the most advanced projects can take years to become operational. Currently, the total U.S. LNG sodium myristate are expected to continue to rise in the future. Inquery us Products Global graphene market trend 2023-2026 What exactly is graphene? by Newsintegra927 Europe's largest economy, Germany, recently activated an emergency plan to manage gas supplies that the natural gas could be rationed if supplies are disrupted or disrupted by a stand-off over Russian demands to pay for fuel in rubles. German Vice-Chancellor, minister of economy and climate protection, said Germany's gas supplies were secure for now, but he urged consumers and businesses to reduce consumption, saying "every kilowatt of electricity counts." Germany's gas network regulator can ration gas if supplies run short. Plants would be the first to be affected. Special treatment will be provided to private families, hospitals, and other important institutions. Half of Germany's 41.5 million households use natural gas for heating, and industry consumption accounts for a third of the country's 100 billion cubic meters of gas demand in 2021. The price of many energy and commodities like the graphene could be affected. Graphene was the first material ever discovered to consist of a single layer of atoms. The carbon atoms are connected in a hexagonal grid. The graphite used in pencil is equivalent to the stacking of countless graphene layers, and the carbon nanotube is the graphene rolled into a tube. The relationship between graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and spherule. Due to the properties of the chemical bonds between carbon atoms, graphene is very tough: it can be bent to large angles without breaking and withstand high pressures. And because there is only one layer of atoms, the movement of electrons is confined to a plane, giving it entirely new electrical properties. Graphene is transparent in visible light but not breathable. These characteristics make it ideal as a raw material for protective layers and transparent electronics. But what is suitable is suitable, and it is not that fast. One of the problems: is the preparation method. Many studies have shown us graphene's unique features, but there's a catch. These beautiful properties place very high demands on sample quality. To obtain graphene samples with the best electrical and mechanical properties, the most time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive method is required: the mechanical peeling method - tape is attached to the graphite, and the graphene is peeled off by hand. Don't laugh; this is how Novoselov and the others prepared graphene in 2004. Graphite, graphene, and tape were donated by Novoselov's team to Stockholm. The signature "Andre Geim" on the tape is the Nobel Prize winner with Novoselov. Although the required equipment and technical content seem to be very low, the problem is that the success rate is lower. Is it okay to get some samples for research and industrial production? Joke. In terms of industrialization, this method is useless. Even if you master the graphite mines in the world, you can peel off a few pieces a day... Of course, now we have many other ways to increase productivity and reduce costs - the trouble is that the quality of these products has dropped again. We have liquid phase exfoliation: put graphite or similar carbonaceous material in a liquid with super high surface tension, and blast the graphene snowflakes off with ultrasonic bombardment. We have chemical vapor deposition: a carbon-containing gas is allowed to condense on the copper surface, and the resulting thin layer of graphene is peeled off. We also have a direct growth method, where we try to grow a layer of graphene directly between two layers of silicon. There are also chemical redox methods, which separate graphite sheets by inserting oxygen atoms. There are many methods, and each has its scope of application, but so far, there is no technology that is suitable for industrialized large-scale production. Why can't these methods make high-quality graphene? For example. While the central part of the graphene sheet is a perfect six-membered ring, the edge parts tend to be disrupted into five- or seven-membered rings. This may not seem like a big deal, but a "slice" of graphene produced by chemical vapor deposition is not really a complete one grown from one point. It is actually a "polycrystalline" produced by the simultaneous growth of multiple points, and there is no way to ensure that the small pieces grown from these multiple points can be completely aligned. As a result, these deformed rings are not only distributed on edge but also exist inside each "piece" of graphene, which becomes a structural weakness and is easy to break. To make matters worse, this breaking point in graphene is not self-healing like polycrystalline metals and is likely to go all the way. The result is that the strength of the entire graphene is halved. Materials are a tricky area, and it's not impossible to have both, but it's certainly not that fast. The second problem: is electrical performance. A promising direction for graphene is in display devices - touchscreens, e-paper, etc. But at present, the contact point resistance of graphene and metal electrodes is difficult to deal with. Novoselov estimates the problem can be solved within a decade. But why can't we just ditch the metal and use graphene? This is its deadliest problem in the field of electronics. Modern electronics are all built on semiconductor transistors, which have a key property called a "bandgap": the interval between an electron's conducting and non-conducting energy bands. It is precise because of this interval that the flow of current can be asymmetric, and the circuit can have two states: on and off. However, the electrical conductivity of graphene is so good that it does not have this bandgap and can only be turned on and off. . Only wires without logic circuits are useless. So to create future electronics with graphene, replacing silicon-based transistors, we have to artificially implant a bandgapbut simply implanting graphene loses its unique properties. There is indeed a lot of research in this field: multilayer composites, adding other elements, changing the structure, etc.; but Novoselov and others believe that it will take at least ten years to solve this problem. The third issue is environmental risks. The graphene industry also has unexpected trouble: pollution. One of the most mature products in the graphene industry may be the so-called "graphene oxide nanoparticles," which are very cheap. Although they cannot be used in high-end fields such as batteries and bendable touch screens, they are pretty good for electronic paper and other uses; But this thing is likely to be toxic to humans. It doesn't matter if it is poisonous; as long as it stays in electronic products, there is no problem; but not long ago, researchers found that it is very stable and easy to spread in surface water. While it's too early to make any assertion about its environmental impact, it's a potential problem. High-quality graphene supplier Luoyang Moon & Star New Energy Technology Co., LTD, founded on October 17, 2008, is a high-tech enterprise committed to developing, producing, processing, selling, and technical services of lithium-ion battery anode materials. After more than 10 years of development, the company has gradually developed into a diversified product structure with natural graphite, artificial graphite, composite graphite, intermediate phase, and other negative materials (silicon-carbon materials, etc.). The products are widely used in high-end lithium-ion digital power and energy storage batteries. If you are looking for Lithium battery anode material, click on the needed products and send us an inquirysales@graphite-corp.com. New Delhi: India is seeking to increase its purchases of crude oil from Brazil, the country's oil minister said recently after meeting his Brazilian counterpart. India is the world's third-largest importer and consumer of crude oil. Brazil currently supplies only a fraction of India's crude oil imports. India's state-owned companies Bharat Petroleum Corp and Oil and Natural Gas Corp have invested in oil and gas exploration in Brazil. India, which imports about 84% of its crude oil needs, is reducing its import bill by increasing biofuel use, among other things. India's state-owned fuel retailers are increasing ethanol storage capacity by 51 percent and the country plans to double the biofuel blend in petrol to 20 percent by 2025. India and Brazil are currently cooperating on biofuels and ethanol. The prices of many commodities like the graphene are expected to increase in the future. Inquery us Housing refugees in hotels will hit tourism but any negatives will be balanced out by positives, public representatives in one of Irelands top tourist destinations have said. Their comments come as the Government says it has allocated 11,500 beds as of this week in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs to the 16,400 Ukrainian refugees looking for accommodation. Earlier this month, Failte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly told the Oireachtas that relying on hotel accommodation to house refugees would impact on the industry. He warned the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media debate on April 6: "If core tourism accommodation stock, such as hotel bedrooms, is taken out of the system, there will be significant knock-on impacts elsewhere. "For every euro a visitor spends on accommodation, he or she will spend 2.50 in other parts of the economy, whether going to restaurants, pubs or visitor attractions, using transport and so on. "If a significant volume of tourism accommodation stock comes out of the market over the summer, that will limit our ability to recover and make things difficult for pubs, restaurants, activity providers and visitor attractions that rely on those visitors. If potential visitors cannot get a bed, they will not come." Tralee-based auctioneer and county councillor Jim Finucane said he did not think it will impact tourism negatively. "I think that there will be positives because a lot of Ukrainian refugees will apply for seasonal positions in the tourism and hospitality sector. So technically, the influx of refugees into Tralee is more of a plus than anything else. Niall Kelleher, Killarney-based county councillor and president at Killarney Chamber, says there are going to be issues. However, he believes they are more likely to affect other parts of the country than Killarney, which has more than 2,500 hotel beds in 39 hotels. It takes a lot to fill Killarney, and not all of the events that used to be on in the town are on this summer. Yes, rooms are going to be taken up, and there are going to be issues. But I believe it's going to be a good tourism season. In many places around the country, I think there might be a difficulty, but in Killarney, I'm not too sure," he said. Galway councillor John Connolly said he doesnt believe tourism in the county will be impacted as most of the citys hotels are already heavily booked. "I wouldnt be overly concerned about the impact refugees have on the tourism season, to be honest. There are very greater needs at stake here. The welcome in Irish schools for Ukrainian children has been nothing short of extraordinary", Education Minister Norma Foley told Catholic school principals at their annual conference in Killarney on Thursday. Just short of 4,000 schoolgoing children and teenagers have arrived in Ireland, and are at a variety of institutions, including both co-educational and single-sex schools. However, some have not felt able to join the school system yet. We have made significant resources available and additional hours, said Ms Foley. The minister was given a warm welcome by the more than 300 at the Joint Managerial Body/Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools Deis seminar, in the five-star Hotel Europe. Tutors of English through the Department of Higher Education are to be deployed to help not just children but also their parents, Ms Foley said. She said it was her experience, having met many Ukrainians, that older children had good levels of English. However, many of the adults did not, and tutoring would be made available in schools and from a family and community approach to include everyone. Education Minister Norma Foley with AMCSS/JMB president Deirdre Matthews at the AMCSS/JMB annual conference. Picture: Don MacMonagle Some of the schoolgoers were in line to finish their schoolwork in Ukraine and to sit exams, and while many of the children here were attending school, some are not, the minister said. She said that this was because every child takes time to make the transition. It has been nothing short of extraordinary how welcoming schools have been, she said. Asked if the flag-waving was excessive in the school environment some schools held Ukrainian flag days and many prominently displayed the Ukrainian flags and if it was upsetting for Russian children already in Irish schools, the minister said the Ukrainian colours had simply been a gesture. All our children are welcome in school as a place of safety and welcome, said Ms Foley. Speaking of the different experiences between the Ukrainian school system and the Irish, Adrian Gibbs, the principal of North Presentation Farranree in Cork, said it had come to his attention that wearing a school uniform was one of the strangest experiences for the refugees. A number of other teachers at the conference said it was their experience that the maths skills of students from Ukraine were very good, and generally exceeded those of Irish students. Co-education, mixed-gender schools seemed to be the norm in Ukraine, and some of the children found the single-sex school system here strange, some also said. A woman who is believed to have been one of the youngest postmistresses ever appointed in Ireland is set to retire on Friday after a remarkable half a century of service to her community. Ann Cagney, who began working with her parents in Croom post office as a teenager in 1971, and who was appointed postmistress at the age of 22, will pull the shutters down for the final time on Friday afternoon to enjoy her retirement with her husband, Martin. Its been part of my life now for 50-odd years. I dont know where the time has gone, Ann said. I loved the job itself. Its a very demanding job, five-and-a-half days a week, but I loved it, and I loved meeting the people. I was blessed with good health, I was never sick and always had great energy." Anns parents, Dan and Rita Hogan, sold the family pub, Hogans, on Crooms High St, and took over the running of Croom post office in 1971 from the Ryan sisters, who had run the business in separate premises for decades. The Hogans moved into a former hardware and drapery shop on High St, a property known locally as The Arcade, which was owned by a recently deceased grandaunt, Julia Walsh, and the ground floor was converted into the post office, which opened on September 1, 1971. After Ann completed her Inter Cert exams, she started working behind the counter with her parents at the age of 15. Sadly, Rita died in 1980, and Ann was made postmistress, before tragically, her father, Dan, died the following year. Ann married Martin Cagney, a psychiatric nurse, in August 1985 Martin gave up nursing to work in the post office and the couple has two children, Emma, a pharmacist who works at University Hospital Limerick, and Jennifer, a primary school teacher in Croom. They live just outside Croom. Ann said computerisation transformed the post office network, vastly reducing paperwork and making balancing the books a little easier. Ann said she enjoyed meeting the public, helping people fill out forms, and giving advice on social welfare issues when she could. She said she is looking forward to being able to swim more regularly and travel with Martin if they can get someone to mind their dogs. The second of five children and the only girl in the family, her older brother, James, and younger brothers, Donal and the twins, Sean and Liam, paid tribute to her. Sean said she was an incredible support to him and his twin brother who were studying engineering in college in Limerick at the time their parents died. We were able to continue through college almost as if nothing had happened. She kept everything going. She was a great supporter of her brothers, always, he said. Pat Dunlea, An Posts business development manager for the region, also paid tribute to her. An Post would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Ann for her outstanding service to the people of Croom over many years. "She has been an integral part of the daily life and business of Croom for many years. We wish her well in her well-earned retirement, he said. Padraig Broderick, who runs the local Spar nearby, has been awarded the franchise for Croom post office, with the business due to transfer from next Tuesday. The biggest problem with the Fermoy bypass is not the bypass. It is, say people in the town, the tolls that go with it. They are seeing levels of congestion returning to the point at which they are, once again, having a negative impact on the town. The bypass may have helped lead to a revival in the town, but now there are calls for better access to the M8 or the construction of a relief road at the east end of the town. One of the biggest problems in the town is not the bypass, because the bypass was a great idea for the town, says Cork County Council councillor Noel McCarthy. Unfortunately, Fermoy suffers because of tolls on the motorway. "People who dont want to pay the toll have to go through Fermoy, and that includes what the bypass was supposed to discourage in the first place - the drivers of heavy goods vehicles." Drivers heading towards Dublin from Cork and who want to avoid the toll have to get off at Watergrasshill Junction 17 and travel up the R639 through Kilshannig and Rathcormac. They then travel under Junction 15, where there is a toll booth, and on into Fermoy and keep going along the R639 over the River Blackwater via the Thomas Kent Bridge and then up to Junction 14 at Moorepark to re-enter the M8. Drivers heading to Cork from Dublin just repeat the same steps but in the opposite direction. The two entry points are the only way to get on the M8 from Fermoy. That these people do not realise that to save on the toll, they are using more diesel or petrol and taking up more time is beyond me, Mr McCarthy said. There are so many disadvantages for doing this, but they still do it. I firmly believe that half the traffic going through Fermoy has no business or connection to Fermoy whatsoever. I think they are mostly coming through to avoid the toll. I see it every day of the week. The congestion going through Fermoy is unbelievable. He concedes that the toll is not the only driver, there is also the national route, the N72, for people who are travelling across areas between Killarney, Co. Kerry, at one end and Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, at the other. He adds: This is my personal opinion, but the toll has really become an obstacle for people living in Fermoy because of the traffic it is generating through the town. He does believe the town has benefitted from the bypass, especially businesses close to the motorway, like the towns Amber Station, where trucks come off and stay overnight. Early morning traffic on Patrick Street in Fermoy. Cork County Council councillor Noel McCarthy believes most traffic is "mostly coming through to avoid the toll". Picture: Dan Linehan But he believes the lack of an on-off, the M8 at the east of the town is a huge disadvantage. He now believes there should be a relief road built involving the Mill Road, off the N72 that passes through the town, down to the Thomas Kent Bridge and new traffic lights installed to control traffic. When the then-Transport Minister Martin Cullen travelled to Cork on October 2, 2006, to officially open the M8 Rathcormac/Fermoy bypass, the heading on the press release accompanying his visit read: One of the country's worst bottlenecks removed . . ." He was in an ebullient mood, trumpeting the fact that not only was the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project completed eight months ahead of schedule but that the bypass would remove 17,000 vehicles every day away from Fermoy town centre. Mr Cullen said the new 18km bypass would be of great benefit to people and businesses in Rathcormac and Fermoy and surrounding areas. The significant reduction of through traffic in both towns will also have a beneficial impact on the quality of life for many people, who will be able to go about their daily business in a more efficient way, he said. Improved access will encourage industrial, tourist and commercial activity in the locality, and the improvement of journey times between Cork and Dublin will have positive implications for the overall regional development." But it wasnt long after the bypass opened that concerns raised before it opened re-emerged. Chief among them was the lack of an access route from Fermoy to get on or off the motorway that didnt pass through a toll booth. And this then had the knock-on effect of forcing people to go through Watergrasshill and Rathcormac, or back into Fermoy if they wanted to avoid paying the toll. A new form of congestion has started to build up at the east of the town, from the area on the N72 from Fermoy Community Hospital, through to where stores such as Lidl are located and the town hall. Traffic on Pearse Square in the centre of Fermoy. The lack of an access route from Fermoy to get on or off the motorway that didnt pass through a toll booth is one contributing factor to the increased traffic in the town. Picture: Dan Linehan Last December, Tesco lodged plans for a supermarket on the old Barrys Timber Yard site near Fermoy Town Hall, off the N72 Courthouse Road end of the town. Submissions on these plans have since raised concerns about the impact that extra traffic heading to Tesco will have on the town. In 2014, the Fermoy Enterprise Board raised the issue in a debate about the County Development Plan (CDP), requesting that the provision to provide a third access point to the M8 be included in the CDP and that the National Roads Authority (NRA) be pursued vigorously to make financial provision to put this in place. Mr McCarthy is loath to criticise any politicians who oversaw the bypass for not getting this third access point, as he believes they may have just not foreseen the need for it that now exists. They were delighted to get the toll, he said. Maybe that's the only way they could fund the road but Fermoy was - and now is - the bigger sufferer because of that. Fellow councillor Frank OFlynn is in little doubt about the benefits of the bypass. It was a gamechanger and we are lucky to have it, he said. It gave the town back to the people. There was a lot of dust and fumes and one or two-mile queues. That is not the situation now, although - yes - we do still have large lorries going through the town that should not be there. Like Mr McCarthy, he recognizes that the lack of a third access point to the M8 is an issue. He says he does not miss the pre-bypass dust, dirt and long waits. He said: Fermoy was a no-go area. People living outside Fermoy were shopping in other towns like Midleton and Mallow. Since the bypass people have come back into Fermoy and they are staying local and shopping local and supporting local businesses. Cllr Frank O'Flynn at Kent Bridge in Fermoy which, according to him, is lucky to have the bypass. Picture: Dan Linehan The bypass has given them that opportunity. Family butcher Barry Fitzgerald, of Fitzgeralds Butchers on Pearse Square, in Fermoy, admits his familys business has done well out of the bypass, but sees other issues now affecting the town. People weren't coming into town to shop because they couldn't get in, he said. They are now and a lot of businesses, including our own, have benefited. But a proportion of motorists still dont want to pay the toll. That said, I think a lot more motorists recently have discovered rightly that the cost of diesel going through Fermoy, the wear and tear, the delays sitting in traffic, that it doesn't pay to go through the town for the sake of saving a few euro on a toll. Barry Fitzgerald: "I think a lot more motorists recently have discovered...that it doesn't pay to go through the town for the sake of saving a few euro on a toll. Picture: Dan Linehan Setting the M8 and its toll-dodgers aside, it is worth bearing in mind the population growth experienced by Fermoy. In 2006, the year the bypass opened, the town had a population of 5,873. This increased to 6,489 by 2011 and the population is on course to be just shy of around 7,590 by the end of the year. The town and its hinterland are expanding and that in itself - helped by the bypass and other factors - must play a role in increasing traffic and congestion in the town. But it is clear the question over the provision of a third access point to the M8 bugs people in the town. Pharmacist Michael Lyons, and chair of the Fermoy Forum, wants the issue of a third access point put back on the table. Such proposals could ease the new wave of congestion in the town, he says. He said: I think it needs to happen because it's not attractive to travel into Fermoy unfortunately anymore. You always welcome a busy town, but it's not busy if it's (just) people avoiding the toll and (who) have no intention of stopping in Fermoy. That's no good to us. His biggest concern is that the growing congestion in the town makes it unattractive to potential customers who are not going to want to have to face a 40-minute traffic jam through the town. The town desperately needs, he believes, a totally revamped traffic management system. What's in place at the moment needs to be reviewed, he said. Michael Lyons: You always welcome a busy town, but it's not busy if it's (just) people avoiding the toll and (who) have no intention of stopping in Fermoy." Picture: Denis Minihane. And thats putting it in a nice way. Do they just put a template and just use what they use in Mallow and other towns for Fermoy? Fermoy is unique. Having a toll road and having that bypass, having the parking issues . . . is it the number of parking spots that we have or is it just access to the parking? It really needs to be thought out because the current situation isn't working. Summer Time As many of you start dreaming about your summer holidays, our famers are getting busy in their fields as hay and silage season gets underway. Not only is it busy but this is a very important time of the year as farmers must cut and store enough silage to feed their livestock over the winter months. With so much work to do, this is not something that can be done by one person, therefore contractors are employed to help with mowing, gathering and baling. There can be multiple cuts of silage taken over the course of the year. After each cut farmers will spread fertiliser on the freshly mowed fields which helps the grass grow once again in preparation for the next cut. As well as silage, hay and haylage are also made this time of the year. Pic credit: SAS Contracting, Tipperary What is Silage? Silage is grass that has been pickled / fermented. Fermentation is the process of removing oxygen thus preserving the grass and its nutrients. When is it cut? Mostly in May! Silage is cut just before the grass has fully matured as this is when they contain their highest nutrient levels. The evening is the best time to cut the grass, as the sugar content will be at its highest after the grass has photosynthesised, (when plants turn sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into food (sugars) and oxygen). What happens next? Farmers then attach a tedder to the back of their tractors which is a machine that shakes out the grass so that it can dry and wilt. If making hay or haylage the grass is left longer so that the grass can continue to wilt. Within 24 hours the silage grass is then collected into trailers and brought to a pit where it is compacted (flattened) by heavy machinery. Compacting the grass removes the oxygen which is neecessary to allow the grass to ferment. This is a vital part of silage making as if not done correctly it may not be properly preserved, reducing its nutritional value. If the silage is stored as bales, the baling machines will compact the grass as they work. Old tyres help weigh silage grass down. Finally! The next step is to seal the compacted grass with plastic to keep oxygen out and keep it weighed down, usually with old tyres. Did you know: Money has been raised for many charities by farmers wrapping their bales in brightly coloured plastic! #WrapItPink #WrapItPink Experiment time Fermentation using sugar and yeast Fermentation is when bacteria, yeast or tiny organism break down substances such as sugar to create heat and gas. What you will need: Warm water 3 Balloons 1 teaspoon Powdered yeast 3 Glass or Plastic bottles Sugar Paper triangle - to create a funnel! Warm water What to do: 1. Create a paper funnel using the paper triangle. 2. Insert it into the bottle and add the dry ingredients. 3. Add 2 tsps. of yeast into each bottle. 4. Add 1 tsp. of sugar into the first bottle, 2tsps. into the second and NO SUGAR into the third. 5. Fill two thirds of each bottle with the warm water. 6. Cover each bottle and gently shake to mix the ingredients. 7. Over the opening of each bottle place a balloon. 8. Now store it in a warm dry area for 1 hour and see what happens!!!! The result: The yeast reacts with the sugar and water and creates gas which inflates the balloons. The bottle with the most sugar will have more gas and a bigger balloon! This is fermentation. Animal Spotlight Horses Did you know: Horses were used in times before tractors which is why the power/ speed of a tractor is still referred to as its horse power. Horses cannot vomit. Horses are measured in hands. 1 hand = 4 inches About Horses In the past horses were highly valued on a farm. Pulling farm machinery such as ploughs in the fields or trailers, laden with farm produce, to markets. The Connemara is native to Ireland. They were also a source of transport for the farmer and their family. The Irish draught breed descended from this time due to its versatility for both farm work and riding. Horse breeds in Ireland Connemara Irish Draught Irish Sport Horse Kerry bog pony Irish Warmblood Irish Cob Thoroughbred Horse Sense Did you know horses use their ears to communicate with us? Check out the pictures below to see what the horses are saying. When the ears are (left to right); Forward & Relaxed = Interested in what Is going on. Forward & Stiff = Alarmed & looking out for danger. Back & Relaxed = Listening to rider & possibly what is going on behind Back & Stiff = Annoyed & worried. Warning: Risk of getting kicked Droopy ears and head lowered = Calm and relaxed. Also look out for the tail: Tucked down tightly: Nervous and may buck or kick Switching: Annoyed & irritated by flies, another horse or its rider! Farm Safe Focus Tractor Safety: Know the blind spots This time of the year is really busy with farm machinery and the farm yard should be out of bounds to those not working. The blind spots are the areas where the driver cannot see. Do you know where the blind spots are? Sitting so high up, the driver has poor visibility and they will not see you if you approach. The closer you are to a tractor the less likely you will be seen and the more danger you are in. Look at the pictures below and see where the blind spots are located. Sun Smart Code Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland with 13,311 cases in 2020 (sce. Cancer.ie). Those working outdoors such as farming and the construction sector are at great risk of developing skin cancer. Lets all be Sun Smart this summer by following the Sun Smart Code. Meet the Farm Contractor Richie White, Contractor, Co Tipperary Along with his brothers John & Martin, Richie White runs Slievenamon Agricultural Services (SAS) near Fethard in South Tipperary. Richard White (left), with his brothers Martin & John of SAS Agri Contracting. Our drivers are busy throughout the year, eg. hedge-cutting, slurry and fertiliser spreading, harvesting, ploughing and planting many varieties of crops. During the summer, our main emphasis is on silage harvesting where we operate two large harvesters and a self-propelled mower as well as round balers. Why did you become a contractor? Farm contracting has been in our family for many years, our father started cutting silage in the 1960s. I have always liked working with farm machinery and after a year at Gurteen Agricultural College, I came home to work with our then-contracting business. How does your day begin? Usually after 8am by checking and making sure tractors and machines are ready for work. We then allocate the work to different drivers, depending on the weather and type of work to be done. If the tractors work in groups we spend time planning operations to provide the most efficient service to our farmers. How does your day end? We try to work a normal day. During busy times, which are always dictated by the weather, we will work longer days. When the weather goes wrong everything goes wrong and the best of plans have to change accordingly. What do you enjoy about your job? I enjoy working with machines and tractors which are constantly evolving. Nowadays we have GPS technology and auto-steer systems as well as field mapping, there is great satisfaction in learning these new skills and putting them to practice. I enjoy meeting people and the farm contracting job is a very sociable lifestyle. Each day, Im calling farmers and meeting new people. I also enjoy mentoring new entrants to the business and advising them how the business works, some even go on to running their own farm contracting businesses. No two days are the same in the life of a farm contractor, despite challenges, its always an interesting way of life. What do you not enjoy? Managing accounts is the part of the business I enjoy least. Sometimes machines test us in terms of their reliability and ease of use, but we always see that as a challenge that forces us to work harder to get things right for our farmer customers. What is your advice to our young readers who might want to be a farm contractor someday? Get educated especially in areas of business. Get as much knowledge and experience as you can in understanding, operating and repairing tractors and machinery. Learn a European language, preferably German. Many of the machines that we use are manufactured in Germany and there are great advice videos and manuals in the German language thats why I would strongly advise learning German. Lastly, I would advise working away from the home farm or contracting business before getting set up at home or on your own. Preferably work abroad, see how others do what we often take for granted, travel broadens the mind. Have you a safety tip? I know that silage pits are the most dangerous place on a farm, especially during silage harvesting. I often drive our wheeled loaded on the silage pit and there are so many blind spots for the loader driver, that children should not be allowed near this work area. We are always happy to see young people admire our work and in time possibly join our team of drivers at some stage, but in the interim, the safest place is well back at a safe distance from the silage pit. Agri Art Congratulations to ten-year-old Saoirse Bury from Tuam, Co. Galway! Saoirse is our On the Farm Agri Artist for summer and winner of our Flogas goodie bag. Saoirse loves to draw and wants to be a vet when she is older. Check out her winning piece below; Saoirse's winning art. www.flogas.ie www.agrikids.ie Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of lightning-fast retaliation if countries interfere in Ukraine, while US President Joe Biden was set to comment on Thursday in support of Ukraine's fight against "Russia's brutal war". Russia has told the United States to stop sending arms to Ukraine, saying large Western deliveries of weapons were inflaming the conflict. Addressing lawmakers in St Petersburg on Wednesday, Putin said the West wanted to cut Russia up into different pieces and accused it of pushing Ukraine into conflict with Russia. "If someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside, and create strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast," said Putin, according to video of his address supplied by Russian media. "We have all the tools for this, things no one else can boast of having now. And we will not boast, we will use them if necessary. And I want everyone to know that." Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February and has reduced towns and cities to rubble and forced more than five million people to flee abroad. Western countries have responded with sanctions and weapons for Ukraine to fight a war that has brought fears of wider conflict in the West, unthought-of of for decades. Russia calls its intervention a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West says this a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression by Putin. Biden will deliver remarks on Thursday in support of "Ukrainians defending their country and their freedom against Russia's brutal war", the White House said. President Joe Biden arrives at Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Picture: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik While Russia presses its military assault in eastern and southern Ukraine, its economic battle with the West threatens gas supplies to Europe and is battering the Russian economy as it struggles with the worst crisis since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. Ukraine said Europe should stop depending on Russia for trade after it halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for not paying in roubles. "The sooner everyone in Europe recognises that they cannot depend on Russia for trade, the sooner it will be possible to guarantee stability in European markets," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late on Wednesday. Germany, the biggest buyer of Russian energy, hopes to stop importing Russian oil within days but warned that a Russian energy embargo or blockade would tip Europe's largest economy into recession. Gazprom, Russia's gas export monopoly, suspended gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland on Wednesday for not paying in roubles, a move aimed to soften the impact of sanctions. While the president of the European Commission said Gazprom's suspension was "yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail". France will host a meeting of EU energy ministers on May 2. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, third from left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, forth from left, attend their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, fourth from right, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Picture: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia remained a reliable energy supplier and denied it was engaging in blackmail. He declined to say how many countries had agreed to pay for gas in roubles. Sanctions are taking a heavy toll on Russia, with its economy ministry indicating in a document the economy could shrink by as much as 12.4% this year. Canadian lawmakers voted unanimously on Wednesday to call Russia's attacks in Ukraine a "genocide", with members of parliament saying there was "ample evidence of systemic and massive war crimes against humanity" being committed by Russia. Canada's parliament said in a motion Russia's war crimes included mass atrocities, wilful killing of civilians, the desecration of corpses, forcible transfer of children, torture, physical and mental harm, and rape. Russia denies targeting civilians. Since the Russian invasion force was driven back at the outskirts of Kyiv last month, Moscow has refocused its operation on eastern Ukraine, starting a new offensive to fully capture two provinces known as the Donbas. Russia's Black Sea fleet retains the ability to strike Ukrainian and coastal targets, despite its losses of the landing ship Saratov and the cruiser Moskva, Britain's defence ministry said. About 20 Russian navy vessels, including submarines, are in the Black Sea operational zone, the ministry said on Twitter. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 28 April 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/kGpbSP2o7L #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/PKEHRgHGJ6 Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) April 28, 2022 Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Ukraine said Russian forces used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a pro-Ukraine rally in Kherson, the first big city it has seized. A series of powerful explosions caused by rockets hit Kherson later on Wednesday, Ria News agency reported. Blasts were heard earlier in three Russian provinces bordering Ukraine, authorities said, and an ammunition depot in the Belgorod province caught fire. Kyiv has not confirmed responsibility for these and other incidents but has described them as payback. "Karma is a cruel thing," presidential adviser Mikhaylo Podolyak wrote on social media. An aide to the mayor of the ruined port city of Mariupol said Russian forces had renewed their attacks on the Azovstal steel plant, where fighters and some civilians remain holed up. Concern has also increased over the prospect of the conflict widening to neighbouring Moldova, where pro-Russian separatists have blamed Ukraine for reported attacks this week in their region, occupied since the 1990s by Russian troops. Polish President Andrzej Duda denounced Russias war against Ukraine as he joined Holocaust survivors and people from around the world at an annual observance at the former site of Auschwitz. We are here to show that every nation has a sacred right to life, has a sacred right to cultivate its traditions, has a sacred right to develop, he said. Mr Duda joined more than 2,000 young Israelis and others who joined the March Of The Living, a commemoration taking place on Israels national Holocaust memorial day that pays tribute to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The route begins under the Auschwitz gate with the notorious slogan Arbeit Macht Frei (German for work will set you free) and leads to Birkenau, the largest site of mass extermination during Germanys occupation of Poland and other parts of Europe during the Second World War. A woman holds a Ukrainian flag at the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland (Czarek Sokolowski/AP) This years march, the first after being suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, also included delegations from Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. Mr Duda, walking as Holocaust survivor Edward Mosberg held him by the arm, took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Death Wall in Auschwitz, where prisoners were shot to death. Later, during a ceremony at Birkenau, Mr Duda spoke out against war, antisemitism and other forms of hatred, and paid tribute to Jewish victims of the Holocaust as well as the other victims of Nazi Germany, including Poles, Roma and Russians. We come here to show that while during the Second World War, Nazi Germany managed to wipe my country off the map, wipe it out and murder Poles, including Polish Jews, we will never again allow something like this to happen, he said. Polands President Andrzej Duda, centre left, and Auschwitz survivor from US Edward Mosberg, centre right, attend the March Of The Living annual observance (Czarek Sokolowski/AP) We are also here to show that there is absolutely no consent to the attempt to take freedom and kill the Ukrainian nation with impunity, as is happening today in the occupied territories of Ukraine, he said. More than 1.1 million people were murdered by the Nazis and their henchmen in Auschwitz. Most who were killed were Jews, but the victims also included Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and others. In all, about six million European Jews died during the Holocaust. When the Soviets liberated the camp, they found about 7,000 survivors. Interview Myanmars Revolution Must Succeed: NUG Humanitarian Minister The National Unity Governments humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister, Dr. Win Myat Aye. Myanmars military regime has killed civilians, torched houses and looted valuables in resistance hot spots across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting and Dr. Win Myat Aye, the humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister in the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), recently talked to The Irrawaddy about how his team is helping displaced people. The former rector of the Magwe University of Medicine served as the social welfare, relief and resettlement minister in the National League for Democracy government before the 2021 coup. Many people have been left homeless by junta raids. How is the NUG taking care of civil war victims? Many places are suffering from violence and Kayah, Chin, Sagaing and Magwe have been hit hardest. We are working to ease their plight. According to the UNHCR, around 566,100 people have been recently displaced by fighting. It is difficult for us to help all of them. So far we have reached 354,194 people. We have provided 2.7 billion kyats (US$1.4 million) in relief aid and 62 percent of that was given to Kayah, Karen, Chin, Sagaing and Magwe. We are trying to expand our outreach and cover all the areas. How is the NUG cooperating with residents and ethnic organizations? Some 14.4 million people are going hungry across the country. We have only been able to help a small percentage. The NUG alone cant handle it. The process calls for cooperation. Most of the war victims are in ethnic-minority areas and along the borders. So it is critically important for us to cooperate with ethnic organizations. When we provide assistance, we need to reach social organizations that can work with us. There are organizations networked with ethnic revolutionary groups and ethnic organizations. We need a coordination committee to network with those organizations. A coordination committee has been formed independently. It was not formed by the NUG and it is not operating under the NUG. All the stakeholders suggested that it will be effective if community-based organizations and civil society organizations can coordinate relief efforts. So we formed an independent coordination committee. This committee is working out relief efforts after adopting policies and procedures. We assume that this coordination has enabled us to better serve the people over the past year. What are the challenges? Can public donations fund the NUGs relief efforts? We were empty-handed after we initiated relief efforts. We need funds. We are the government during the revolution. We rely on the people. The people only have each other. We mainly rely on expats. People have actively helped with boundless goodwill. Some donors are helping through us and others directly help those in need. Some are helping through social organizations. Regional countries and the United Nations have called for the delivery of humanitarian assistance through ASEAN. Will the regime listen to their calls? We can only fulfill some of the many needs of the people so international assistance is necessary. But for now, Myanmars people help each other and they havent received international assistance. We are paving the way for the delivery of international humanitarian assistance. ASEAN has formed a humanitarian team for Myanmar which has received huge contributions. The assistance must reach people. The regime views civilian victims as the enemy. So assistance will not come through the regime. The international community must know how to help the people. The international community can help through the coordination committee and the NUG. We have international agencies and non-governmental organizations partnering with us. Humanitarian assistance can be provided through them. We can also help them contact community-based civil society organizations to work with. Financial aid will not reach the people through the regime. The international community has to take a practical approach to help the people. Social welfare was neglected under previous military regimes but it was pushed to the fore under the NLD government. As a former social welfare minister, what is your assessment of the regimes social welfare ministry? There is a huge gap between the past and present. We were an elected government and we could help people in real-time when they were in trouble. We went to affected areas in person and received their recognition. We were close to the people and provided help to the displaced and ethnic minorities. But I now realize we could not fully understand their feelings although we met them. Though we met cordially with displaced people, we did not have a chance to have open discussions with them. It has become obvious now that it was because of military influence in the administration. The military did not allow us to visit some displacement camps, citing security reasons. It concealed the real situation and suffering from us. This has been clearly revealed by the regimes violence against the people. It is difficult for the NUG to carry out relief efforts but we fully understand the feelings of displaced people. We are very sad about how much they suffered in the past. I want to apologize to them. The NLD government planned to largely increase the humanitarian budget. In the past, the defense budget got the lions share and humanitarian assistance was underfunded and things have gone back to zero since the coup. The NUG is helping those affected. But our assistance is very limited because we rely on donations. Our social welfare ministry does a good job but the regimes ministry fails to provide any services. We are working with civil society organizations, peoples authorities and peoples defense forces to provide services. There has been greater unity since the revolution started. What else would you like to say? Regime troops torch villages, destroyed property, loot belongings and deploy in villages. Residents are forced from their homes into forests and other villages. When junta troops leave, nothing is left. We are trying to help people and have designed plans. But we need funds. We are holding talks with international organizations to gain funds. There will be results soon. The most important thing is the revolution must succeed. Everything else can be handled if the revolution succeeds. We keep our eyes fixed on the success of the revolution in whatever step we take. If the revolution succeeds, power will be handed to the people and we will be able to establish the federal democracy which all the people want. We have to remain firm in this revolution and we are propping up the resistance. You may also like these stories: Pregnant Woman Miscarries, 4 Detained as Myanmar Regime Cracks Down on Six Twos Protest Myanmar Junta Asks UNs Top Court to Drop Rohingya Genocide Case at Hearing in The Hague Cobra Gold Military Exercise Kicks Off in Thailand Without Myanmar Burma Myanmar Junta Officially Endorses Militias to Attack Anti-Regime Civilians Junta forces outside the National League for Democracy headquarters in Yangon in February 2021. / The Irrawaddy Myanmars regime has officially endorsed pro-junta militias that are increasingly targeting civilians who oppose military rule. Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told the regime-controlled media in Naypyitaw on Wednesday that the regime was implementing a public security system and will strengthen them to eliminate terrorist forces. He said the system has been developed with regime supporters, the army and police in some areas where resistance forces have escalated attacks on junta targets. We will support them with manpower and equipment, he said. His comments come as pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias are increasingly terrorizing civilians and ambush resistance fighters alongside regime troops in resistance strongholds like Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay regions. The first Pyu Saw Htee named after a legendary historical hero militias were formed in mid-May last year after the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) began forming peoples defense forces (PDFs) to resist the regime. The groups emerged as attacks on military-appointed administrators and administrative offices were increasing. The Pyu Saw Htee largely consist of military supporters, retired military personnel, members of the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party and ultra-nationalists. The Progressive Voice rights group recently reported that the Pyu Saw Htee are becoming increasingly violent and are permitted by the junta to make arrests, kill PDF members, loot and destroy property and assassinate political leaders. On March 3 in Lel Yar village, Magwe Region, junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee members torched around 200 buildings, destroying homes, livestock feed, a water pump and crops, Progressive Voice reported. Approximately 1,700 civilians, including 500 children, fled Lel Yar after hearing gunfire as their houses began to be set alight. On March 4, junta and Pyu Saw Htee personnel raided Letpan Hla village, setting fire to around 30 homes and destroying property. The junta also used artillery. Around 14 resistance fighters in Khin-U Township, Sagaing Region, were killed in mid-February by Pyu Saw Htee members disguised as civilians. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun denied the newly emerged pro-junta Thwe Thout group was endorsed by the regime. He did not mention taking legal action against the group that is seizing civilians and leaving them dead with the groups lanyards. After the brutal murders of National League for Democracy supporters in Mandalay at the weekend, Thwe Thout said in a statement that it will murder other party members and supporters and the families of resistance fighters. Pro-junta social-media personalities and military informants shared the groups statement and its potential targets. On Wednesday, the NUGs defense ministry released a statement calling for members of the Pyu Saw Htee and other groups trained and armed by the regime to surrender to resistance forces. The ministry said it will protect those defecting while saying militia members guilty of war crimes will face the same justice as members of the armed forces. Burma NLD Lawyer Goes Missing Amid Pro-Regime Militia Attacks NLD lawyer Daw Ywat Nu Aung. A prominent lawyer from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) Party went missing on Wednesday in Mandalay. It is feared that Daw Ywat Nu Aung has either been arrested by the military regime or kidnapped by a pro-junta group responsible for the recent murders of NLD supporters in Mandalay. She is part of the legal team acting for ousted Mandalay Chief Minister and NLD vice chairman Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, who is currently on trial in Mandalays Obo Prison for alleged corruption. One of Daw Ywat Nu Aungs colleagues said she last saw the lawyer on Wednesday, just before she left Dr. Zaw Myint Maungs trial at the prison. I met her just before she left [the prison]. If she was arrested, it could be around 3:30 or 4pm, said the colleague. As of Thursday afternoon, the lawyers fate is still unknown. Many suspect that Daw Ywat Nu Aung may have been arrested by the regime because she is defending a high-profile NLD figure. However, her disappearance comes at a time when Mandalay has been rocked by the extrajudicial killings of NLD members by the Thwe Thout Group, a pro-regime militia. The group has vowed to respond to an anti-junta forces pledge to attack regime supporters, security forces and their family members. Since last week, Thwe Thout Group has claimed responsibility for the murders of at least two NLD supporters. As well as representing Dr. Zaw Mying Maung, Daw Ywat Nu Aung is also representing other prominent NLD figures detained by the junta, including NLD chair U Win Htein. She is also the NLDs senior official for Mandalay Region. The lawyer came to prominence for her work on a high-profile child rape case held in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw in 2019. The Irrawaddy was unable to contact the regimes spokesperson for comment. 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 Open Letter Warns China of Attacks on Projects in Myanmar Anti-regime protesters at the Chinese Embassy in Yangon in February 2021. / The Irrawaddy More than 500 civil and political organizations have warned China of possible attacks on its investments in Myanmar if Beijing maintains its ties with the military regime. In their open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, 558 civil society organizations, groups representing striking staff, academics, political parties, labor unions and parliamentarians said they feared Chinese investment would be targeted by resistance forces. Despite the public rejection of the regime, China is still engaging with the junta and is one of the top investors in Myanmar with energy pipelines and a proposed port in Rakhine State that would give China access to the Indian Ocean. China recently said it was ready to work with Myanmars junta to develop its major projects no matter how the situation changes. The affirmation sparked threats of resistance attacks on Chinese-owned copper mines in Sagaing Region. The open letter to the Chinese Embassy in Yangon said China could be seen as an accomplice to the oppressive junta. So China should resume its relations with Myanmar to support in rehabilitation only when the military regime is toppled, it said. Ko Ye from Stop Blood-Stained Money, an activist group lobbying to cut off the regimes financial sources, which signed the letter, said if China supports the regime diplomatically or financially, the revolution will last longer. Chinese investments will be safe if China either stands with the people or stays neutral, he said. Tayzar San, a prominent anti-regime protest leader in Mandalay, denounced China. China needs to respect the will of the people. It has to stop supporting the junta, he said. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Regime Backs Russias Invasion of Ukraine Myanmar Junta Threatens to Disband Two Major Parties After They Refuse to Submit Financial Records Cambodian, Malaysian PMs Call on Myanmar Junta to Implement ASEAN Consensus Analysis Who is Myanmar Regime Apologist Ko Ko Hlaing? (Right) Myanmar regime Minister for International Cooperation U Ko Ko Hlaing at the ICJ in the Hague. (Left) A caricature of U Ko Ko Hlaing by Myanmars late revolutionary cartoonist Harn Lay, after people scornfully call him Frog and Fish Catcher Ko Ko Hlaing or Candle Ko Ko Hlaing. Few people in the West or even in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) know who is who when it comes to the ministers of Myanmars junta. But one minister they should know is U Ko Ko Hlaing, as he is the military regimes Minister for International Cooperation and the juntas point man for dealing with the international community. U Ko Ko Hlaing is also the chair of the Working Committee on Supervision of United Nations (UN) Agencies and International Non-Governmental Organizations in Myanmar. In addition, he is the head of the Task Force on Humanitarian Assistance, meaning that the 65-year-old oversees international aid efforts in Myanmar. His recent visitors include David Carden, the deputy humanitarian coordinator for the UN in Myanmar. If those jobs were not enough, in February the former Lieutenant Colonel also led Myanmars defense at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands against allegations of genocide committed by the Myanmar military. Furthermore, he was among the few people ASEANs Special Envoy for Myanmar, Prak Sokhonn, met when he was in Myanmar last month. The envoy discussed humanitarian assistance issues with U Ko Ko Hlaing. He impressed the special envoys delegation with his friendliness and his 75-minute long discussion with the envoy was praised for being fruitful. But what foreign visitors dont know is that U Ko Ko Hlaing has been a staunch apologist for not only this military dictatorship but the previous one as well. He is infamous among the Myanmar people, many of whom refer to him scornfully as Frog and Fish Catcher Ko Ko Hlaing or Candle Ko Ko Hlaing. Looking back at his career, it is easy to understand why that is. Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has appointed a number of ministers and advisors who previously served in U Thein Seins quasi-civilian government. U Ko Ko Hlaing, who served as the chief political advisor to U Thein Sein, is one of them. He is also a confidant of former dictator Senior General Than Shwe. U Ko Ko Hlaing graduated from the 18th intake of the Defense Services Academy, and he and two of his classmates are reportedly regular visitors to Than Shwes residence in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw. One of those classmates is U Than Htay, the current chair of the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party. The other is retired Lieutenant General Wai Lwin, who served as defense minister in U Thein Seins administration and organized pro-military rallies in Yangon ahead of Min Aung Hlaings February 1, 2021 coup. U Ko Ko Hlaing did not hold high military or civil positions in Than Shwes regime, unlike his two classmates, but he played an important part in the regimes propaganda efforts as a writer and researcher. In 2004, he resigned as a Lieutenant Colonel from the research department of the defense ministry and transferred to the Information Ministry. Under Information Minister U Kyaw Hsan in the regimes State Peace and Development Council government, he served as an advisor to the information ministry, often publishing pro-military books as well as newspaper articles. One of his most notorious articles concerned Cyclone Nargis, which in May 2008 swept through Ayeyarwady Region and southern Myanmar, killing over 138,000 people and destroying and damaging some 750,000 buildings. In the immediate aftermath of the worst recorded natural disaster in Myanmars history U Ko Ko Hlaing, writing under the pseudonym Hlaing Aung, wrote that the Shwedagon Pagoda Myanmars most sacred Buddhist site could now be seen clearly from a distance and worshipped with ease, thanks to Nargis having blown down so many trees in Yangon. At the time, U Ko Ko Hlaing was living near Shwedagon Pagoda in Bahan Township. But while he was enjoying the view of the Shwedagon from his home, hundreds of thousands of residents in the hard-hit Ayeyarwady Region were left homeless by Nargis and were struggling without food and shelter amid the rotting corpses of humans and animals. To make matters worse, U Ko Ko Hlaing argued in his article that as the Ayeyarwady Region is rich in fertile soil and water resources, its shattered residents could catch frogs and fish to eat along with the vegetables that grow in the region. Defending the xenophobic refusal of Than Shwes regime to allow international aid into Myanmar, U Ko Ko Hlaing said that the meals he suggested were tasty and nutritious and more than enough for Nargis refugees to survive on, so they had no need for chocolate bars donated by the international community. The article was published in the regime-run English-language newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, and attracted hordes of disparaging remarks from both local and international readers. Despite that, U Ko Ko Hlaing continued to be favored by the generals and, in 2011, was appointed as chief political advisor to then President U Thein Sein. Later, his wife Daw Thida Tin transferred from the education ministry to the information ministry. She is currently serving as Deputy Director-General of the Information and Public Relations Department. From being a propagandist who dared not use his real name and was told what to write by the military regime, U Ko Ko Hlaing became an important figure as a presidential advisor. But his old habit of defending the boss he served was far from over. When Myanmar experienced long and frequent power cuts in 2014, U Ko Ko Hlaing again aroused controversy by saying: I want to say with goodwill. Why dont you switch off lights and light candles at your homes? Everything will be fine then. After U Thein Seins government lost the 2015 general election to the National League for Democracy (NLD), U Ko Ko Hlaing left Naypyitaw to serve as an advisor to the Myanmar Study Department of Yunnan University in Kunming, China. From there, he criticized the NLD governments handling of Chinese investments, and was personally engaged in promoting the interests of Chinese companies in Myanmar. He returned to Naypyitaw when Min Aung Hlaing appointed him as Minister for International Cooperation Minister. U Ko Ko Hlaing is just a year older than the coup leader, who graduated from the Defense Services Academy in 1977, a year after U Ko Ko Hlaing became a commissioned officer. U Ko Ko Hlaing has continued his propaganda efforts for his new boss, doing his best to cover up the regimes human rights violations. After many people died in July and August last year due to the regimes weak handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, he wrote a number of articles blaming striking health workers and western countries for failing to provide vaccines. I dont want to complain, but I have to. Western countries that have long said that Myanmar is on the verge of collapse due to COVID-19 and is in urgent need of international assistance have not yet provided a single dose of COVID-19 vaccines. The US$350 million lent by the International Monetary Fund to remedy the COVID-hit economy was part of the US$1 billion frozen by Uncle Sam. Nearly US$300 million in loans long promised by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank for the health of the people and agriculture has been stalled in the name of sanctions, he wrote in junta-controlled newspapers. Earlier this year in February, in another sign of the regimes faith in him, U Ko Ko Hlaing was chosen to lead Myanmars defense of the Myanmar military at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands against genocide allegations. In short, if you mention international cooperation minister U Ko Ko Hlaing to any ordinary Myanmar people you meet, you will see puzzlement on their faces as they have no idea who he is. But if you try Frog and Fish Catcher Ko Ko Hlaing or Candle Ko Ko Hlaing, they will reply: Yes, the regimes stooge. The international community needs to be mindful, too, that the facade of friendly minister U Ko Ko Hlaing hides a long-time apologist for military dictatorships. You may also like these stories: Pregnant Woman Miscarries, 4 Detained as Myanmar Regime Cracks Down on Six Twos Protest Myanmar Junta Asks UNs Top Court to Drop Rohingya Genocide Case at Hearing in The Hague Cobra Gold Military Exercise Kicks Off in Thailand Without Myanmar Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the First Innovation Exchange Conference for Craftsmen of the Nation, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called for contributing wisdom and strength to high-quality development and the implementation of the strategy to build the country into a leader in manufacturing. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Xi extended sincere greetings to skilled workers, model workers and general workers ahead of the International Labor Day. Xi stressed that skilled workers are a significant force to shore up China's manufacturing and innovation. Encouraging workers to strive to meet the needs of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation in today's world, Xi called on them to continuously enhance technical skills and contribute wisdom and strength to promoting high-quality development, implementing the strategy of making China a leader in manufacturing, and building a modern socialist country in all respects. Party committees and governments at all levels should deepen reforms in the cultivation of industrial workers and attach importance to giving play to the roles of skilled workers to fully stimulate their innovation capacity, Xi said. Held by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the conference showcases the superb skills and innovation outcomes of Chinese workers, and serves as an exchange platform for highly-skilled workers. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday it had sighted a report sent to the White House and the US Department of Commerce alleging that Yangtze Memory Technologies Co was supplying chips to Huawei. The report was said to be from TechInsights, a company that examines parts used by consumer electronics. In May 2019. the US placed Huawei on its Entity List, thus preventing it from obtaining American products without a licence from the Department of Commerce. Huawei got around this by buying what it needed from branches of American firms in other countries. The only thing it could not source were the proprietary apps that come with Google's Android mobile operating system. It developed its own operating system, HarmonyOS, using the open-source port of Android as a base. In May 2020, the US put in place further restrictions to cut off Huawei's supply of semiconductors which it gets made mostly by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. This was done through the Foreign Direct Product Rule that makes it necessary for any company American or foreign that sells American products or those made using American technology to require a permit before selling to Huawei. On top of that, new export control rules were imposed by the US Government in August 2020 and these made it well-nigh impossible for Huawei to obtain the SoCs it needs to build its flagship smartphones. The FT report said the chips supplied to Huawei by YMTC were reportedly made in February 2021 and used in the Enjoy 20e smartphone sold by the former. iTWire has contacted YMTC for comment. Enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources provider Workday has appointed Jo-Anne Ruhl as vice president and managing director of Workday Australia and New Zealand. Stephen Jack, who previously held the role for more than four years, continues as a director with Workday ANZ, helping advise and support Jo-Anne on business and customer strategies. Jo-Anne Ruhl joined Workday in 2018 and successfully led and helped grow Workdays ANZ mid-enterprise and customer experience team. She has built her career in the technology industry in a variety of leadership roles over the last two decades, including roles at Oracle and Infor. Workday Australia and New Zealand, which has been operating in the region for more than a decade, says it continues to see strong customer momentum with organisations such as The Warehouse Group, Carlisle Homes, Chorus, and Swyftx, having selected Workday to support their businesses in the changing world. Jo-Annes ability to build high performance teams and deliver on strong customer and business outcomes perfectly aligns with leading our ANZ business into the next phase of its growth. It is always a pleasure to promote from within and Jo-Anne is ideally positioned to partner with our customers on their digital transformation journey, said Workday APJ president David Webster. "I'm so excited to take on this opportunity at Workday, leading a strong and dynamic team and continuing the growth of the ANZ business,Ruhl said. As I take on this new role, I see an even greater opportunity to partner closely with our customers, as they look to deploy innovative finance and HR solutions to support their needs in the changing world of work." Autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai has been approved to operate public driverless robotaxi services in Beijing, with the public now able to experience a driverless robotaxi for first time in the Chnese capital. Pony.ai was one of two robotaxi operators awarded a permit by Beijing city authorities to offer driverless service in southeastern Beijing, and Pony.ai has had a permit to driverless test since October 2021 but not with the general public in the car. To ensure safety during the pilot program, a Pony.ai safety supervisor will sit in the front passenger seat. The new program, which is free to the rider, is in addition to an existing test program in which Pony.ai can offer fee-charging robotaxi service to the general public that retains a safety driver behind the wheel monitoring the ride. Pony.ai is now approved to conduct public facing driverless robotaxi rides in a 60 square kilometre area in a pilot zone in Yizhuang, Beijing - triple the operating area from the previous driverless 20 square kilometer testing area. Approximately 300,000 residents in the area can now hail a driverless Pony.ai robotaxi using the PonyPilot+ app from 9am to 5pm, with hundreds of pick-up and drop-off locations including public facilities such as subway stations, parks, and stadiums, alongside central business centres and residential areas. Pony.ais approval to operate driverless robotaxis in Beijing is a critical milestone in the transition from testing driverless autonomous vehicles within Pony.ai to offering driverless robotaxi rides to public passengers, said Pony.ai co-founder and CEO James Peng. Peng said that to obtain its driverless permit, Pony.ai passed stringent safety test qualifications and criteria, including: driverless navigation of unprotected left-turns, temporary construction zones, smog, heavy rain and snow conditions, drivered mileage, and the number of orders received. Since the launch of driverless testing, Pony.ai has demonstrated the technical quality of our system by successfully handling a wide range of extreme and complex scenarios. We did this by conducting multiple technical validations and iterations of driverless scenarios, and by improving system redundancy design, remote assistance platform development and fleet operation management, said Pony.ai co-founder and CTO Tiancheng Lou. Pony.ai received approval to conduct driverless testing without passengers in Beijing in October 2021 and in November 2021 became one of the first two autonomous driving companies to start charging fares for robotaxi services in Beijing. In Guangzhou, Pony.ai started driverless testing in June 2021 and recently became the first and only autonomous driving company to receive a taxi license in China. This Guangzhou license officially permits Pony.ais autonomous vehicles to operate as taxis, a milestone for the commercialisation of robotaxis in China. Pony.ai says that as of April 2022, its autonomous vehicles have driven over 11 million real-world autonomous kilometers globally, including over 200,000 driverless kilometres. Customer relationship management platform HubSpot and ticketing platform Humanitix collaborate to reimagine how marketers and event organisers manage and operate ticketing solutions. Starting today, HubSpot users can synchronise their contacts and ticketing information via the new Humanitix integration. The new feature leverages HubSpots custom objects to collect leads and track existing registrations throughout the customer journey within the HubSpot CRM platform. Both will streamline the ticketing process. Not only will this save event organisers and marketers time, but it will also provide them with access to key customer data to help inform future customer communications and marketing efforts. The Humanitix integration follows a number of integration collaboration between HubSpot and Australian and New Zealand companies, including Canva, Envato, MessageMedia, and Xero. Built with event organisers and marketers in mind, the Humanitix integration takes away the stress of siloed event management, says HubSpot APAC marketing director Kat Warboys. With the events industry emerging from the pandemic as one of the hardest hit, streamlined processes are no longer just a nice-to-have but critical for the revival of the events sector. Just as the pandemic changed the face of the events circuit in Australia, it also altered customer expectations. As a customer relationship management platform, HubSpot is committed to providing event organisers and marketers with the tools they need to surpass these expectations at every stage of the customer journey through thoughtful communications, value alignment and human touch. Selling tickets to help support disadvantaged children around the world is what gets us out of bed in the morning. Empowering our event partners to maximise that social impact at scale comes part and parcel, says Humanitix CEO and co-founder Adam McCurdie. The integration with HubSpot is game changing for us. Not only will it allow our partners to seamlessly synchronise customer data across both platforms, but it will also free them up to provide a level of customer service unmatched in the event ticketing industry. The Remarkable Woman business manager Emma Plummer is a long-time user of both HubSpots CRM and Humanitixs ticketing platform, and is confident the integration will help her team to further streamline and personalise the ticketing journey for both in-person and virtual events. All events we put on have had to go through HubSpot and Humanitix separately. We had to take our attendee lists from Humanitix, move them to HubSpot and manually track movements along the customer journey. This integration means we now have a centralised view of the customer journey and can better deliver for our community, Plummer concludes. GUEST RESEARCH: Only 6% of businesses globally use, access, and share data and data services in a way that grants them all the business benefits provided by a robust data strategy, according to new research from Snowflake, the data cloud company. The study of 1,000 business leaders and technology managers highlights the significant hurdles that the majority of organisations face in participating fully in the data economy. The data economy, as defined by Snowflake, enables businesses to tackle the most complex business problems and elevate the services they can offer above their competitors. It allows them to build new revenue streams by taking tailored data products and services to their customers, partners, and any other organisation participating in the data economy. At the helm of the data economy, according to the research, are the 'data economy leaders', companies which develop strategies that democratise access to data, integrate new technology, and demonstrate the true business benefits of capitalising in the data economy. While many companies have ambitions to take advantage of data to give them the business edge needed to be successful, these organisations require guidance to lay the right foundations. In fact, according to the study, only 38% of businesses surveyed globally and 40% across APAC are using data to inform the business decisions they make. As part of the study, Snowflake identified the four key attributes an organisation needs to possess to become a data economy leader. These include: Providing unimpeded access to data, no matter where the data users reside; Using data to inform all or most business decisions; Using data to a great or significant extent to advance strategic goals, such as growing revenue and identifying new business opportunities; Having the ability to share and access data securely with external organisations. The organisations that possess these four attributes are considered data economy leaders, and as a result achieve significantly more than those that don't use, access or share data in these ways. For example, 77% of data economy leaders globally experienced annual revenue growth over the past three years, while just 36% of 'laggards' - the lowest-performing businesses surveyed - can say the same. Moreover, 60% of leaders saw their market share grow over this period, compared to only 31% of laggards. The businesses that aren't using their data to its full potential are being left behind by the competition, which actively use data to strategically support the company and make critical business decisions. For example, 85% of organisations surveyed globally and 83% across APAC reported that they use data or are soon planning to use data to identify risk and prevent fraud within their business - the most common use for how data is used - demonstrating a growing trend for businesses to use data in a preventative way, to protect themselves and their customers. In addition, 80% of organisations globally use or soon plan to use data strategically to launch new revenue streams or pricing models. Similar trends are seen across organisations in APAC. 82% of organisations globally use or are soon planning to use data to reveal new market opportunities, while in APAC it is 80% of organisations. "Successful organisations will attain the business advantage that comes from access to data, data services, solutions, and collaboration - which can only be found in the data economy", said Snowflake principal data strategist Jennifer Belisssent. "Forward-thinking organisations are using all that the data economy offers to solve the most complex business problems, improve customer experiences and crack down on fraud. The laggards that don't yet have total control over all of the data they possess will find themselves falling behind the competition, and potentially at increased risk of security threats". The data economy challenge To join the data economy, businesses need to first get to grips with their data. However, many struggle to manage and effectively extract value from it. The ability to access all forms of data is an integral part of a data strategy, yet less than half 45% agree they can easily access all available data through a single system/application and just half agree their data users have ubiquitous data access regardless of their location. Many organisations also fail to break down internal data silos, impeding data sharing and collaboration across an organisation's business units only 55% say that sharing can happen freely in their organisation. Asked about the top barriers to using data strategically, a lack of investments from leadership teams was ranked fifth according to 13% of global respondents. 14% of global respondents cited trust barriers, while 15% cited cultural barriers to using data strategically. The top two barriers identified were lack of proper skills (19%), and the right tools and platforms (16%). In fact, just about half (51%) agree that they have a C-level mandate to become more data-driven, whereas almost two thirds (63%) of data economy leaders have such a mandate. Many companies also believe that the technologies they use are not fit for the data economy. An effective data platform must be scalable and elastic and manage a near-unlimited amount of data, yet fewer than one-third of the IT respondents say their data management solutions are easily scalable. More importantly, less than one-quarter say their solution lets them share, access and integrate data in near real-time. "Technology is a fundamental barrier stopping laggards from fully participating in the data economy," adds Belissent. "Most of these organisations are still using legacy on-premises technology which is not scalable or suitable for modern data needs. In contrast, leaders are capitalising on data platforms in the cloud, enabling easier data management and access to near real-time data." Leading the data economy While only constituting 6% of businesses surveyed, the data economy leaders are present in all industries from healthcare and life sciences to technology to retail and CPG. Once plugged into the data economy, they are part of a mutually beneficial ecosystem, both providing and receiving significant advantages from sharing data and data-driven insights with other participants via data management technologies. A number of Snowflake's customers are data economy leaders, using data to reveal new market opportunities, streamline processes and deliver a more personalised customer service. Australians back data diversity, but need more structure Over half (58%) of Australian respondents have a fully developed and clearly articulated data strategy, and an internal data/analytics centre of excellence structure to centrally support this work. Two-thirds (66%) of Australian businesses have a data literacy program in place, and 63% are measuring outcomes although only 41% say the "majority" of all decisions are currently informed by data. The study shows Australian data professionals have done a lot of the difficult preparatory work to have access to clean, reliable data: 61% can share and access data between internal business units, and similar proportions express confidence in the lineage, security and accuracy of data holdings. However, the data still isn't all in one place: 60% of Australian respondents can't easily access all available data through a single system or application. In fact, 91% of the survey's IT respondents say data is split between multiple cloud systems, a mix of cloud and on-premises systems, or only on-premises systems, which impacts ubiquity of access. Australian data users are also the least likely of any geography in the study to still access data even when technical system issues arise. "Australia is a case study for the overall research finding that technology is a fundamental barrier to data economy participation," says Snowflake ANZ managing director Theo Hourmouzis. "As data professionals, we've had it drilled into us over a number of years the critical importance of starting with good, clean data. Many businesses now have the data basics down, but now need to ramp up their investments in technology platforms to pool and manipulate the data, making it more accessible, shareable, easily analysed and resilient to failure, if they are to realise their full data economy potential." Australian data leaders are most likely to run advanced analytics and AI on use cases such as forecasting business performance, targeted marketing and campaign optimisation. For most other data-oriented use cases from fraud prevention and lead qualification, to personalisation, resource allocation and price modelling access to more data from diverse sources was seen as the most valuable tool to achieve these outcomes A deeper analysis of the data economy leaders globally revealed several other areas in which its members considerably outperform their peers, with their strengths exhibited across three main pillars; people, process and technology. People Strong leadership is essential if a business is to thrive in the data economy. For almost two-thirds (63%) of global data economy leaders, there is a C-level mandate to become data forward. Process Leaders are better at aligning data objectives across teams, with 62% having a data or analytics centre of excellence that coordinates data policies, and 54% enabling users to access all available data through a single system or application. Technology At the core of every data economy leader's technology strategy is a cutting-edge cloud data platform offering the latest cloud architecture and features. Twice as many IT respondents in data economy leaders (50%) describe the data storage and management technologies they use as 'easily scalable and elastic'. Leaders draw upon a greater volume of data, in different forms, while breaking down silos and collaborating with both internal and external partners. To find out more about the data economy, why it matters and how businesses can succeed within it, read the How to Win in Today's Data Economy report. Methodology The survey was commissioned by Snowflake and was completed in November and December 2021. The survey was carried out across eight countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). The 1,000 respondents consisted of C-level business executives and board members and senior technology managers. About Snowflake Snowflake enables every organisation to mobilise their data with Snowflake's Data Cloud. Customers use the Data Cloud to unite siloed data, discover and securely share data, and execute diverse analytic workloads. Wherever data or users live, Snowflake delivers a single data experience that spans multiple clouds and geographies. Thousands of customers across many industries, including 241 of the 2021 Fortune 500 and 488 of the 2021 Forbes Global 2000 (G2K) as of 31 January 2022, use Snowflake Data Cloud to power their businesses. Learn more at snowflake.com. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Today A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 86F. WNW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low near 55F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Tomorrow Mainly sunny. High 82F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Dachshund dogs wait in a box before competition at a dog show in Dortmund, Germany, in 2017. Research released on Thursday confirms what dog lovers know every pup is truly an individual. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close BLOUNTVILLE The land at the Tri-Cities Airport Authority Aerospace Park is vast with sprawling stretches of green, East Tennessee acreage stretching in all directions. The only thing bigger might be the opportunity for the site and its surrounding areas. She is 60 years old, but Laetitia Ngendakumana still cries like the 10-year-old girl she was in 1972 when her father disappeared in a wave of ethnic massacres in Burundi now classified as genocide by a government commission. Like thousands of others, Ngendakumanas world collapsed half a century ago when Burundis Tutsi-dominated government arrested her father, a Hutu banker in the countrys largest city, Bujumbura. We never knew where they took dad. What I know is that we lost everything we had, she said, wringing her hands during an interview with AFP at her home surrounded by lush banana trees near Gitega, Burundis political capital. Neither her marriage to a teacher nor the birth of their 14 children 12 survived nor an end to the bloodletting erased her pain, which feels as fresh today as it did in 1972. For a long time, the massacres were a taboo subject in the public sphere, with Burundians referring to the period between the end of April and June 1972 as ikiza (the scourge in Kirundi, the countrys official language). But in 2019, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by the authorities announced a plan to reopen mass graves to count and possibly identify the victims. Ngendakumana immediately reached out to the commission. Identifying human remains after five decades was a near impossible task, but the farmer clung to a single hope: her fathers dentures. My father had had an accident and lost his teeth. He was wearing gold prostheses, she said. The tip about the metal dentures led the investigators to discover her fathers remains, which were found on a wooded hillside, just a few kilometres (miles) from her home near Gitega. The state killed its people Since independence in 1962, hundreds of thousands of Burundians have lost their lives to ethnic violence between the Hutu and the Tutsi, and to a civil war. The 1972 massacres seen by some as the darkest chapter in Burundis history began on April 29, when Hutu extremists attacked Tutsis living mainly in the countrys south. This was followed by reprisals that quickly escalated into massacres of the Hutu elite including executives, teachers and school students. An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 people died in the violence the majority of them Hutu, who account for 85 percent of Burundis population, with the Tutsi at 14 percent. The killings engulfed the entire country, but Gitega was the epicentre, hosting a military camp where the victims were held in transit before being killed and dumped in pits. Out of the nearly 20,000 victims whose remains were exhumed across Burundi, an estimated 7,000 were found in nine mass graves in and around Gitega. Many graves have never been found. When we say 7,000 victims, it is only in relation to the graves that we have already found, confirmed, exhumed, the TRCs chairman Pierre Claver Ndayicariye told AFP. After a three-year investigation, the TRC last December published a provisional report saying that the killings amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity. In 1972, the state killed its people, Ndayicariye said, emphasising the role played by then president Michel Micombero, an ethnic Tutsi, in orchestrating the massacres. It is a genocide because the state planned, organised, carried out this genocide, he said. Political agenda But his views are not unanimous, with some observers accusing the current Hutu-dominated regime of exploiting the TRC to further its own aims. The TRC whose members mostly belong to the ruling party has faced allegations of bias for largely focusing its excavations on sites where Hutus were buried while ignoring the graves of Tutsi victims. There is actually a problem of political agenda in this story, historian Evariste Ngayimpenda told AFP, deploring the tendency of successive governments to play the ethnic card. When the Tutsi were in power the avoidance of the Hutu menace was a constant theme and today, it is the opposite, it is the avoidance of the Tutsi menace, which is also a constant theme. According to the rector of the Bujumbura-based University of Lake Tanganyika, the TRCs efforts also exhibit methodological shortcomings with regard to the dating of graves and the absence of any recourse to international expertise, particularly that of the United Nations. As the 50th anniversary of the massacres approaches, skulls, bones and bags of tattered clothing found near Gitega lie piled up in a small dark room inside a government building, awaiting the day when they will become part of a public memorial. Although the authorities have not announced any plans to mark the anniversary, Ngendakumana and her husband, Emmanuel Berakumenyo, hope their government will seize the opportunity to heal the countrys painful past. These are conflicts that may draw to an end little by little, but the administration must lend a hand, said Berakumenyo, a former teacher who survived the massacres. The head of the UN arrived in Ukraine Thursday, calling war an absurdity, after Brussels warned Russia it will not bend to blackmail over its support for Kyiv over the Kremlins decision to cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called war an absurdity in (the) 21st century as he visited Borodianka outside Kyiv, the scene of alleged civilian killings by Russian forces. Guterres will later meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on the visit, which follows talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Guterres is also expected to visit Bucha and Irpin, sites of further alleged Russian war crimes. Putin has said that if Western forces, which are supplying increasingly heavy weaponry to Kyiv, intervene in Ukraine, they will face a lightning-fast military response. We have all the tools for this, that no one else can boast of having, the Russian leader told lawmakers, implicitly referring to Moscows ballistic missiles and nuclear arsenal. We wont boast about it: well use them, if needed, he said. The dire threats came as Moscow claimed to have carried out a missile strike in southern Ukraine to destroy a large batch of Western-supplied weapons. As the war, which has already claimed thousands of lives, entered its third month, Kyiv conceded that Russian forces had made gains in the east. Russias military offensive saw it capture a string of villages in the Donbas region, now the focus of its invasion. And in its economic standoff with the West, Moscow cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, two EU and NATO members backing Ukraine in the conflict. However, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said Poland and Bulgaria are now receiving gas from their EU neighbours. Blackmail She described the announcement by Russias state energy giant Gazprom as another provocation from the Kremlin. It comes as no surprise that the Kremlin uses fossil fuels to try to blackmail us Our response will be immediate, united and coordinated. Both Poland and Bulgaria are now receiving gas from their EU neighbours, she said. The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe will come to an end. European powers have imposed massive sanctions on Russia since Putins invasion, while shipping weapons to Ukraines defenders. But they have moved slowly on hitting Moscows vast exports, with many EU members notably industrial giant Germany reliant on Russian energy. Putin has intensified pressure by insisting on payments for gas in rubles hoping to force his foes to prop up his currency. Gazprom announced the halt of gas to both Poland and highly dependent Bulgaria, saying it had not received payment in rubles from the two EU members. But von der Leyen said that about 97 percent of all EU contracts explicitly stipulate payments in euros or dollars and warned importing firms paying in rubles would breach sanctions. The European Commission sought to lend Kyiv economic support by proposing a suspension of import duties on Ukrainian goods, though the idea still needs to be approved in a vote by the blocs 27 members. Zelensky welcomed the plan, saying Russia was trying to provoke a global price crisis and stir chaos in the worlds food market. Missile strikes The first phase of Russias invasion failed to reach Kyiv or overthrow Zelenskys government after encountering stiff Ukrainian resistance reinforced with Western weapons. The campaign has since refocused on seizing the east and south of the country while increasingly using long-range missiles against west and central Ukraine. In Kharkiv, whose northern and eastern districts are less than five kilometres from the front, at least three people died and 15 were injured in shelling, Governor Oleg Synegoubov said Wednesday. Defenders of the besieged Azovstal factory in the strategic port city of Mariupol described massive bombardments, with Sergey Volyna of the 36th Marine Brigade pleading for extraction for the 600 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians he said remain trapped there. Russias defence ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had destroyed a large batch of weapons and ammunition supplied by the United States and European countries. Russia hit hangars at an aluminium plant near the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia with high-precision long-range sea-based Kalibr missiles, the ministry said. Local authorities denied that weapons had been stored at the factory, which they said had not been operational for six years. Tensions are also rising in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatists in the area claimed shots were fired across the border towards a village housing a Russian arms depot after drones flew over from Ukraine. Dangerous deterioration The unrecognised region has reported a series of explosions in recent days that it called terrorist attacks, leading Kyiv to accuse Moscow of seeking to expand the war further into Europe. Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu called the events a dangerous deterioration of the situation. Popescu said the Transnistrian authorities announced they would prevent men of fighting age from leaving the region. Russias targeting of Western-supplied arms came as the United States and Europe started to heed Zelenskys call for heavier firepower. Western allies remain wary of being drawn into war with Russia but have stepped up military support as Ukraine has maintained its fierce resistance. In a speech from London on Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss made a fresh call for an increase in arms deliveries to Ukraine, including heavy weapons, tanks and planes. US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, is set to deliver remarks Thursday on support for Ukrainians defending their country and their freedom against Russias brutal war, the White House said. burs-dc/gw/jv GAZPROM The UN chief called war an absurdity during a visit to Ukraine Thursday, after Brussels warned Russia it will not waver in its support for Kyiv following Russias decision to cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called war an absurdity in (the) 21st century as he visited Borodianka outside Kyiv, the scene of alleged civilian killings by Russian forces. Guterres will later meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on the visit, which follows talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Guterres is also expected to visit Bucha and Irpin, sites of further alleged Russian war crimes. Putin has said that if Western forces, which are supplying increasingly heavy weaponry to Kyiv, intervene in Ukraine, they will face a lightning-fast military response. We have all the tools for this, that no one else can boast of having, the Russian leader told lawmakers, implicitly referring to Moscows ballistic missiles and nuclear arsenal. We wont boast about it: well use them, if needed, he said. The dire threats came as Moscow claimed to have carried out a missile strike in southern Ukraine to destroy a large batch of Western-supplied weapons. As the war, which has already claimed thousands of lives, entered its third month, Kyiv conceded that Russian forces had made gains in the east. Russias military offensive saw it capture a string of villages in the Donbas region, now the focus of its invasion. And in its economic standoff with the West, Moscow cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, two EU and NATO members backing Ukraine in the conflict. However, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said Poland and Bulgaria are now receiving gas from their EU neighbours. Blackmail She described the announcement by Russias state energy giant Gazprom as another provocation from the Kremlin. It comes as no surprise that the Kremlin uses fossil fuels to try to blackmail us Our response will be immediate, united and coordinated. Both Poland and Bulgaria are now receiving gas from their EU neighbours, she said. The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe will come to an end. European powers have imposed massive sanctions on Russia since Putins invasion, while shipping weapons to Ukraines defenders. But they have moved slowly on hitting Moscows vast exports, with many EU members notably industrial giant Germany reliant on Russian energy. Putin has intensified pressure by insisting on payments for gas in rubles hoping to force his foes to prop up his currency. Gazprom announced the halt of gas to both Poland and highly dependent Bulgaria, saying it had not received payment in rubles from the two EU members. But von der Leyen said that about 97 percent of all EU contracts explicitly stipulate payments in euros or dollars and warned importing firms paying in rubles would breach sanctions. The European Commission sought to lend Kyiv economic support by proposing a suspension of import duties on Ukrainian goods, though the idea still needs to be approved in a vote by the blocs 27 members. Zelensky welcomed the plan, saying Russia was trying to provoke a global price crisis and stir chaos in the worlds food market. Missile strikes The first phase of Russias invasion failed to reach Kyiv or overthrow Zelenskys government after encountering stiff Ukrainian resistance reinforced with Western weapons. The campaign has since refocused on seizing the east and south of the country while increasingly using long-range missiles against west and central Ukraine. In Kharkiv, whose northern and eastern districts are less than five kilometres from the front, at least three people died and 15 were injured in shelling, Governor Oleg Synegoubov said Wednesday. Defenders of the besieged Azovstal factory in the strategic port city of Mariupol described massive bombardments, with Sergey Volyna of the 36th Marine Brigade pleading for extraction for the 600 wounded soldiers and hundreds of civilians he said remain trapped there. Russias defence ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had destroyed a large batch of weapons and ammunition supplied by the United States and European countries. Russia hit hangars at an aluminium plant near the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia with high-precision long-range sea-based Kalibr missiles, the ministry said. Local authorities denied that weapons had been stored at the factory, which they said had not been operational for six years. Tensions are also rising in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that borders southwestern Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatists in the area claimed shots were fired across the border towards a village housing a Russian arms depot after drones flew over from Ukraine. Dangerous deterioration The unrecognised region has reported a series of explosions in recent days that it called terrorist attacks, leading Kyiv to accuse Moscow of seeking to expand the war further into Europe. Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu called the events a dangerous deterioration of the situation. Popescu said the Transnistrian authorities announced they would prevent men of fighting age from leaving the region. Russias targeting of Western-supplied arms came as the United States and Europe started to heed Zelenskys call for heavier firepower. Western allies remain wary of being drawn into war with Russia but have stepped up military support as Ukraine has maintained its fierce resistance. In a speech from London on Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss made a fresh call for an increase in arms deliveries to Ukraine, including heavy weapons, tanks and planes. US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, is set to deliver remarks Thursday on support for Ukrainians defending their country and their freedom against Russias brutal war, the White House said. burs-dc/gw/jv GAZPROM UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday visited sites of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, decrying war as an absurdity in the 21st century and urging Russia to cooperate with an international investigation into atrocities. Making his first visit to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion on February 24, Guterres toured several towns and villages outside Kyiv where Russian forces are accused of killing civilians. I imagine my family in one of those houses that is now destroyed and black. I see my granddaughters running away in panic, the UN chief said in Borodianka, a ruined town north-east of the Ukrainian capital. The war is an absurdity in the 21st century. The war is evil, he added. In neighbouring Bucha, where dozens of bodies in civilian clothes, some with their hands tied behind their backs, were discovered this month after a Russian withdrawal, Guterres backed an International Criminal Court investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine. I appeal to the Russian Federation to accept, to cooperate with the ICC, he implored the Kremlin. The UN head will later meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Tuesday, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, repeating calls for both countries to work together to set up safe and effective humanitarian corridors in war-torn Ukraine. Nearly 5.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the invasion, according to the United Nations, and more than 12 million others are displaced internally. One hope We feel bad, we shouldnt be standing here, said Svitlana Gordienko, a nurse forced to relocate to the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, as she queued for food at a humanitarian hub. Were left with only one hope: to return home, added pensioner Galina Bodnya. With the war now into a third month and claiming thousands of lives, Kyiv has admitted Russian forces are making gains in the east, capturing a string of villages in the Donbas region. The first phase of Russias invasion failed to reach Kyiv or overthrow Zelenskys government after encountering stiff Ukrainian resistance reinforced with Western weapons. The Russian campaign has since refocused on seizing the east and south of the country while using long-range missiles against west and central Ukraine. Ukraines Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov warned of extremely difficult weeks as Moscow tries to inflict as much pain as possible. Senior presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak insisted Kyiv has the right to strike Russian military targets, suggesting direct attacks on facilities inside Russia. The defence ministry in Moscow said its forces had destroyed two arms and ammunition depots in eastern and southern Ukraine overnight with high-precision missiles. It said its air force also targeted 67 Ukrainian military sites while air defence systems destroyed a Ukrainian fighter jet in the Lugansk region. Russia has in recent days targeted Western-supplied arms, as the United States and Europe increasingly heed Zelenskys call for heavier firepower. Unacceptable threats In a defiant speech Wednesday, Putin said if Western forces intervene in Ukraine and create unacceptable threats, they will face a lightning-fast military response. We have all the tools for this, that no one else can boast of having, he told lawmakers, implicitly referring to Moscows ballistic missiles and nuclear arsenal. The Kremlin reiterated the warnings Thursday, saying Western arms deliveries threaten Europes security. Western allies remain wary of being drawn into war with Russia but have stepped up military support. The German parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of providing Kyiv heavy weapons, a major shift in policy. It drew praise from Podolyak, Zelenskys senior aide, as marking the return of (German) leadership in Europe. The White House proposed using assets seized from Russian oligarchs to compensate Ukraine for damage caused by Moscows invasion of the country, part of a US attempt to ratchet up economic punishment on the Kremlin. President Joe Biden was to announce the proposed legislation alongside his request to increase funding by Congress for Ukraines military later Thursday. Meanwhile the civilian and military administrator of the Russian-controlled region of Kherson in southern Ukraine was quoted as saying that the ruble will soon be introduced in areas under Moscows control. Ukraines ombudsman condemned the move as act of annexation and gross violation of UN Charter articles. Blackmail In its economic standoff with the West, Russia cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, both EU and NATO members, Wednesday. Bulgarias Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Thursday urged Europe to be stronger and wean itself off Russian gas as he also visited Ukraine, arguing everybody in Europe should be able to. Bulgaria and Poland are since receiving gas from EU neighbours, as Brussels warned it will not waver in its support for Kyiv, accusing the Kremlin of attempted blackmail. With the 27-member bloc, which has heavily depended on gas from Russia, scrambling to diversify its energy sources, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared: The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe will come to an end. European powers have imposed massive sanctions on Russia since Putins invasion but have moved slowly on hitting Moscows vast exports. Last year, Russia supplied 32 percent of the total gas demand of the European Union and Britain, according to the International Energy Agency, although Europes biggest economy, Germany, is particularly reliant on Russian energy. Tensions have also risen in Transnistria, an unrecognised breakaway region of Moldova that borders southwestern Ukraine. Authorities there have reported several explosions and incidents this week that it called terrorist attacks, leading Kyiv to accuse Moscow of seeking to expand the war further into Europe. We are alarmed by the escalation of tensions in Transnistria, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, saying Moscow expected a thorough and objective investigation. burs-jj/jm Bulgarias Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Thursday urged Europe to be stronger and find alternatives to Russian gas, during a visit to Ukraine. Russia on Wednesday cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, both EU and NATO members in a move Brussels described as blackmail. We have to be stronger. We have to be tough, the Bulgarian prime minister said in Irpin, one of the commuter towns outside Kyiv where Moscow is accused of committing war crimes following its February 24 invasion of Ukraine. Bulgaria has alternative choices to Russian gas flows, Petkov said, adding that: If we are able to do it, everybody in Europe should be able to. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said Warsaw and Sofia are now receiving gas from their EU neighbours. Last year, Russia supplied 32 percent of the total gas demand of the European Union and Britain, up from 25 percent in 2009, according to the International Energy Agency, although the situation varies significantly from country to country. Petkov said Moscow, which wants countries to make their payments in rubles since its invasion of Ukraine, cannot be seen as a trusted supplier. Today we have to pay in rubles. Tomorrow it will be the price. The next day it will the quantities, he said. You either have a contract that you respect, or nobody respects you, he added. Standing where alleged Russian atrocities were committed in Irpin, Petkov said Bulgaria stands with Ukraine and pledged to provide all the help necessary. Russian President Vladimir Putin should realise that he cannot win this war, the Bulgarian politician said. Ukrainian prosecutors said Thursday they were investigating 10 Russian soldiers on suspicion of war crimes in Bucha where dozens of bodies in civilian clothes were found after Russian troops retreated. Ten servicemen of the 64th motorised infantry brigade of the Russian armed forces, part of the 35th army, are suspected of cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of laws and customs of war, the prosecutor generals office said in a statement. The suspects will be declared wanted in order to detain them and bring them to justice. Prosecutors said the suspects had allegedly harmed civilians during their occupation of Bucha just outside Kyiv in March, and were also being investigated for premeditated murder. Horrific images of dozens of bodies in civilian clothes lying in the streets, some with their hands tied behind their backs, in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv, shocked the world when they emerged earlier this month. Prosecutors alleged the suspects held hostage civilians who did not take part in hostilities and did not have weapons. According to their investigation, the Russian servicemen put people on their knees, blindfolded them and tied their hands with plastic ties. They allege the suspects tried to extract information on the whereabouts of Ukrainian troops and inflicted body injuries on them to that end. People had been thoroughly beaten up and were also hit with gun butts, it said. The soldiers also looted the local population, removing personal belongings and household appliances, it said. There have been widespread reports of theft by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Moscow has denied killing civilians in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin bestowed honours on the 36th brigade which Ukrainian officials had previously said was behind the alleged war crimes in Bucha. A retired Bosnian Muslim forces general was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday for war crimes committed by foreign jihadists during Bosnias brutal 1990s conflict. Sakib Mahmuljin, 69, was tried for his role at the top of the command chain of foreign fighters that executed more than 50 Bosnian Serb prisoners of war in Vozuca and Zavidovici in the northeast of the country. Mahmuljin was at the time commander of the 3rd corps of the Bosnian army, composed mainly of local Muslims. The crime was carried out by the El Moudjahid unit attached to his corps, which was made up of hundreds of mainly foreign jihadists from Africa, the Middle East and some Western countries who joined forces with Bosnian Muslims. Mahmuljin was found guilty by a Sarajevo appeals court of war crimes against wounded and sick people and against prisoners of war, including murder and inhumane treatment. As a commander, he failed to prevent these crimes from being committed and knew or had every reason to know that members of this unit were preparing to commit crimes, the court said. The verdict is final and Mahmuljin can no longer appeal. This is one of the few convictions of former senior Bosnian military officials for crimes committed by foreign jihadists during the Bosnian intercommunal conflict that killed nearly 100,000 people between 1992 and 1995. The war crimes in question took place between July and October 1995, in the wake of two Bosnian offensives. The El Moudjahid unit had acquired a sinister reputation because of the crimes committed against Bosnian Serb or Bosnian Croat prisoners of war. Most of Islamist fighters left the country after the war under pressure from the United States, which at the end of 1995 hosted the negotiations on the Dayton peace agreement which effectively ended the conflict. Ukrainian prosecutors said Thursday they were investigating 10 Russian soldiers for alleged war crimes in Bucha and had identified more than 8,000 suspected war crimes cases since Russia invaded. In Washington, US President Joe Biden said he would ask Congress for a $33-billion package to further arm and support Ukraine and blasted Moscow for idle comments on the possible use of nuclear weapons. Were not attacking Russia, Biden said in a statement from the White House. We are helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression. On the ground, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on his first visit to Ukraine since Russias February 24 invasion now into a third month toured Bucha and two other towns where Russian forces are accused of crimes. He decried war as an absurdity in the 21st century and called on the Kremlin to cooperate with an International Criminal Court investigation into the accusations. Speaking at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Thursday, Guterres acknowledged the UN Security Council failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war. Later Thursday, Russian strikes hit Kyiv, in the first such bombardment of Ukraines capital since mid-April, according to AFP correspondents and Zelenskys office. Oligarch assets The prosecutor generals office in Ukraine said the 10 servicemen under investigation served in Russias 64th motorised infantry brigade. They are suspected of premeditated murder, cruel treatment and other violations of the laws and customs of war during their occupation of Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, in March. In an interview with a German TV channel, Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova also revealed the countrys investigators had identified 8,600 cases of possible war crimes. They include killing civilians, bombing of civilian infrastructure, torture and sexual crimes reported during Russias occupation of various parts of Ukraine, she said. The $33-billion package sought by Biden is a significant increase on previous requests and comes after the Russian leader warned Wednesday that if Western forces intervene in Ukraine and create unacceptable threats, they will face a lightning-fast military response. The bulk $20 billion would be military and other security assistance, while $8.5 billion will be economic aid to help Ukraines government respond to the crisis. Biden also outlined proposals to use assets seized from Russian oligarchs to compensate Ukraine for war-time damage, as Washington tries to ratchet up economic punishment on the Kremlin. Nearly 5.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the invasion, according to the United Nations, and more than 12 million others are displaced internally. One hope We feel bad, we shouldnt be standing here, Svitlana Gordienko, a nurse forced to relocate to the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, told AFP as she queued for food at a humanitarian hub. Were left with only one hope: to return home, added pensioner Galina Bodnya. With the war claiming thousands of lives, Kyiv has admitted Russian forces are making gains in the east, capturing a string of villages in the Donbas region. The first phase of Russias invasion failed to reach Kyiv or overthrow Zelenskys government after encountering stiff Ukrainian resistance reinforced with Western weapons. The Russian campaign has since refocused on seizing the east and south of the country while using long-range missiles against west and central Ukraine. Ukraines Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov warned of extremely difficult weeks as Moscow tries to inflict as much pain as possible. Russias defence ministry on Thursday said its forces had destroyed seven Ukrainian fuel and ammunition depots with high-precision missiles. German vote Russia has targeted Western-supplied arms, as the United States and Europe increasingly heed Zelenskys call for heavier firepower. Western allies remain wary of being drawn into war with Russia but have stepped up military support. The German parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of providing Kyiv heavy weapons, a major shift in policy. It drew praise from Ukrainian senior presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak as marking the return of (German) leadership in Europe. Meanwhile the civilian and military administrator of the Russian-controlled region of Kherson in southern Ukraine was quoted as saying that the ruble will soon be introduced in areas under Moscows control. Ukraines ombudsman condemned the move as act of annexation and gross violation of UN Charter articles. In its economic standoff with the West, Russia cut gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland, both EU and NATO members, Wednesday. Bulgarias Prime Minister Kiril Petkov urged Europe to be stronger and wean itself off Russian gas as he also visited Ukraine, arguing everybody in Europe should be able to. Blackmail Bulgaria and Poland are since receiving gas from EU neighbours, as Brussels warned it will not waver in its support for Kyiv, accusing the Kremlin of attempted blackmail. Biden said the West would not allow Russia to use their oil and gas to avoid consequences for their aggression. European powers have imposed massive sanctions on Russia since Putins invasion but have moved slowly on hitting Moscows vast exports. Last year, Russia supplied 32 percent of the total gas demand of the European Union and Britain, according to the International Energy Agency, although Europes biggest economy, Germany, is particularly reliant on Russian energy. Tensions have also risen in Transnistria, an unrecognised breakaway region of Moldova that borders southwestern Ukraine. Authorities there have reported several explosions and incidents this week that it called terrorist attacks, leading Kyiv to accuse Moscow of seeking to expand the war further into Europe. We are alarmed by the escalation of tensions in Transnistria, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, saying Moscow expected a thorough and objective investigation. burs-jj/imm/har The French army on Thursday rejected accusations by Mali of espionage and violation of the West African nations airspace. Mali had on Tuesday accused the French army of spying and subversion when it used a drone to film what France alleged were mercenaries burying bodies near a military base. The drone illegally flew over the Gossi base on April 20, the day after French forces handed the site back to Mali, the ruling junta said in a statement. The following day, the French army shared a video it said showed Russian mercenaries covering bodies with sand to falsely accuse the departing troops of war crimes. Two soldiers could be seen filming the half-buried corpses. French army spokesman Pascal Ianni told reporters in Paris on Thursday that we were in our right since Gossi was not in the temporary prohibition zone, for overflying. Ianni noted that the temporary no-fly zone had been extended to include Gossi on Wednesday. France, Malis former colonial power, is winding down its almost decade-long, anti-jihadist military operation in the West African state. But in February, it decided to pull out its troops after falling out with the military junta, especially over its rapprochement with the Kremlin. France officially handed control of Gossi to Mali last week as part of the staggered withdrawal. But under the existing agreement to station French forces in Mali, concluded in March 2013, they have total freedom of movement and action in the fight against armed terrorist groups, Colonel Ianni stressed. Responding to the espionage accusation, the army spokesman said the French action had avoided a major informational attack. If we had not managed to capture these images, French forces would have been accused of war crimes, he said. France and the United States have accused mercenaries from the Kremlin-linked security firm Wagner of deploying in Mali, where the junta claims the Russians are just military instructors helping to restore order. Vast swathes of Mali lie beyond government control because of the jihadist insurgency, which began in 2012 before spreading three years later to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. The impoverished and landlocked Sahel state has been ruled by a military junta since an August 2020 coup that was propelled by protests against the governments handling of the war against the jihadists. The conflict was said to have led to thousands of military and civilian deaths and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. The junta initially promised to restore civilian rule, but it failed to meet an earlier commitment to West African bloc ECOWAS to hold elections in February this year, prompting regional sanctions. Lee Soo Hyuk set the bar high for grim reaper roles after landing the role of the cold-hearted angel of death in "Tomorrow." The model-actor stars with SF9 Rowoon, Kim Hee Sun, and Yun Ji On as they portray grim reapers whose goal is to prevent people from committing suicide. The webtoon-based action fantasy K-drama is lauded because of its unique storyline, featuring various social problems like bullying, suicide, and harassment. Also how the actors portray their roles, especially Lee Soo Hyuk. Lee Soo Hyuk's Grim Reaper Versus the Webtoon Netizens lauded how the 33-year-old star played the character with his stunning visuals. Viewers pointed out how he carries himself as the intimidating grim reaper who hates people committing suicide. In addition, others also mentioned his similarity with the webtoon character. Lee soo hyuk character in Tomorrow Webtoon. ARE WE GONNA SEE SOOHYUK IN HANBOK AFTER YEARS ??? HELLO#LeeSooHyuk #Tomorrow # pic.twitter.com/fGsurrnwuw lee soo hyuk pics (@forleesoohyuk) January 8, 2022 Based on the original version, his character, Park Joong Gil, has sleek hair, dark under eyes, and an aura that would make everyone terrified of him. However, in the K-drama adaptation, the grim reaper turns heads with his stunning fashion style because Lee Soo Hyuk used to be a model before trying his luck as an actor. From Runway to K-drama He debuted as a model in 2006 and graced various runways and fashion magazines like Vogue, Marie Claire, and GQ Korea. Cementing his name as a leading fashion model Lee Soo Hyuk walked in London and Paris Fashion Weeks in 2013. He showed off his strut and unique visuals for designers like Balenciaga, J.W. Anderson, and more. With a stable career in fashion, Lee Soo Hyuk tried being an actor and landed a supporting role in the historical K-drama "Tree With Deep Roots." The rest is history for the actor after he was able to build a name for himself in showbiz. Now, he is considered one of the sought-after leading men in K-dramaland, headlining series from fantasy, rom-com, drama, and more. With his years of career as a model and actor, let's see how much Lee Soo Hyuk has earned through the years. Lee Soo Hyuk Net Worth 2022: This Is How Rich the 'Tomorrow' Star Is Juggling work as an actor and model, there is no doubt how he earned millions throughout his career. As noted by modelfact.com, Lee Soo Hyuk's net worth is estimated at around $15.1 million. His wealth is from his acting and modeling career, which includes dramas, movies, and endorsements. In 2020, he was tapped by skincare brand Nivea Men to be their new model and represents global brands like Adidas and Bulgari. Lee Soo Hyuk's Obsession with Legos One of Lee Soo Hyuk's pastimes is building legos if not busy with tapings and shoots. During his interview with W Korea, he shared that he likes building and assembling things with his hands, hence the lego. "Once upon a time, when I was in the studio for a while, I also liked sculpture. I like to do everything by hand," he said. KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Ahead of its premiere, tvN dropped "Eve's" poster, featuring the classy yet fierce character of Seo Ye Ji. 'Eve' Poster: Seo Ye Ji Exudes Class in New Teaser Seo Ye Ji immerses herself as a fierce, classy and smart woman who wants revenge for her family in her forthcoming revenge drama "Eve." tvN unveiled Seo Ye Ji's first character poster ahead of the drama's premiere in May. Clad in elegant black dress, she looks stunning yet dangerous as she exhibits strong emotions in her eyes. The "It's Okay to Not Be Okay" star will play Lee Ra El, a chaebol daughter who has influential parents and is considered one of the elites. She is described as a "dangerous flower" with an alluring charm. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 'Eve' Actress Seo Ye Ji Releases Statement For the First Time Addressing Controversy With Kim Jung Hyun After the shocking death of her father, revenge is already established in Lee Ra El's mind. She wants to destroy Kang Yoon Kyum (Park Byung Eun), the CEO of Ly Group who made her family's life miserable. "The Sixth Sense'' mainstay and actor Lee Sang Yeob will play Seo Eun Pyeong, the youngest lawmaker from a human rights lawyer. Park Bong Seop is in charge of producing the drama while Yoon Young Mi will write the script. "Eve" is slated to premiere on May 25 on tvN at 10:30 p.m. (KST). It will have its regular broadcasting every Wednesday and Thursday. Seo Ye Ji's Much-Awaited Comeback On April 22, tvN surprised fans after releasing "Eve's" first behind-the-scenes clip. The drama is also Seo Ye Ji's first drama after the romance-thriller in 2020, "It's Okay to Not Be Okay." Meanwhile, Seo Ye Ji's "Lawless Lawyer" co-star, Lee Joon Gi, stars in the ongoing megahit K-series "Again My Life." The award-winning actor has also been hailed as No. 1 most buzzworthy K-drama actor for the third week of April, according to Good Data Corporation. Watch for more updates about the forthcoming series on tvN's social media accounts. Are you excited about Seo Ye Ji's comeback drama? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, follow and subscribe to KDramastars. KDramastars owns this article. Shai Collins reported this. Hussein Borhot is seen in a courtroom illustration in Calgary on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Borhot, who pleaded guilty to terrorism-related activities with the militant group Islamic State, told a judge he didn't know any better. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mary Haasdyk We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Day two of the Punchestown Festival continues on Wednesday afternoon with an excellent eight-race card. The action gets underway at 3.40pm and concludes at 7.45pm. The ground at the track is currently Good to Yielding and there is watering taking place at the track. The forecast is for scattered showers. We have previewed the action with our race by race guide and you can find the more tips at www.Irishracing.com 3.40pm Handicap Hurdle (2m 3f) Life In The Park was a facile winner at Tramore and an opening mark of 119 looks fair. He has to be on the shortlist, along with Dads Lad who disappointed on his last two starts, but is a danger on the pick of his best form. Selection: Life In The Park 4.15pm Hurdle Final (2m 3f) An ultra-competitie event. I A Connect is a dual winner already this term and is respected off top-weight. However, preference is for Glengouly. A dual winner at Gowran Park and Leopardstown this season, there could be more to come going forward. Selection: Glengouly 4.45pm Hurdle (2m 3f) Classic Getaway is a potential danger having scored in good style at Punchestown in January. However, he did disappoint when pulled-up at Cheltenham in March. Nicky Henderson saddles Fils Doudairies who is respected following a good second at the track in Aintree. Ganapathi also merits inclusion, but this demands more following a third at Cork last time out. Gibraltar is another interesting contender following a second at Cork and looks open to more progress. Selection: Gibraltar 5.20pm Grade One Irish Mirror Novice Hurdle (3m) The Nice Guy is unbeaten in four starts and plundered the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle in fine style at the Cheltenham Festival, defeating Minella Cocooner in the process. Minella Crooner missed that race through injury, but does look a fascinating runner here having previously finished second to Minella Cocooner in Grade One company. Grade Two winner Bronn is another who commands respect. However, Journey With Me could relish the step up to three miles and can be forgiven when falling on testing ground in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time. Selection: Journey With Me 5.55pm Grade One Punchestown Gold Cup (3m) Allaho heads the market for this event and he was brilliant when successful for the second time running in the Ryanair Chase. However, he is yet to win in two starts over three miles and that has to be a slight concern. Clan Des Obeaux is the defending champion in the race and is clearly a leading player having won the Aintree Bowl. Fakir Doudairies also brings winning Grade One form having scored at Aintree last time out. Other contenders include this years Cheltenham Gold Cup second Minella Indo, fourth Galvin and the sixth Al Boum Photo. Galvin is interesting in this event given his winning course and distance form and he is taken to return to winning ways here. Selection: Galvin 6.30pm Bumper (2m) Facile Vega, the brilliant son of Quevega, puts his unbeaten record on the line here. He was simply awesome when powering to victory in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and it is hard not to see the five-year-old retaining his unbeaten record here. American Mike was second in the Champion Bumper, but is respected along with Seabank Bistro who was fourth in the contest and Redemption Day who disappointed, but is capable of more progression. 7.05pm Handicap Chase (2m 5f) Willie Mullins looks to hold a strong hand and preference is for Ciel De Neige. He has run a number of excellent races this term and was narrowly denied in Grade Three company last time out. Royal Rendezvous has also run a number of good races this season and can give his stablemate the most to think about. Selection: Ciel De Neige 7.45pm Mares Bumper (2m) Dorans Weir was a winner in Listed company at Fairyhouse in April and should go close here. She defeated Pink In The Park and they face off again here. However, preference is for Lily Du Berlais. The six-year-old is unbeaten in two starts and showed brilliant battling qualities when successful at Leopardstown in February. She is open to so much more progression and is taken to score here. Selection: Lily Du Berlais Staff members chat behind Chinese and US flags displayed at the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing, on Sept 4, 2021. In an interview with Voice of America last week, George Friedman, the US geopolitical forecaster and strategist, said that, "I think the reality that China needs to face is that there is no East or West problem, but China and the United States". He went on to suggest that the US is willing to have a reasonable discussion with China and find a solution, implying that China was not. While this gets to the nub of the matter in rightly pointing out the crux of the problem is the failure of the two countries to communicate, he wrongly puts the blame for it on China, claiming that it chooses to present the US as hostile for "internal political reasons". For whatever purpose that is misleading, as it is the US that is portraying China as hostile for internal consumption, and it is the actions of the US that demonstrate its hostility, not the imaginings of China. His argument does not hold water as it ignores the fact that Beijing has repeatedly sought to initiate dialogue, even going so far as to provide Washington with a "Dummy's Guide on How to Ensure Dialogue Is Fruitful" by giving it two lists one detailing the mistakes the US is making in its relations with China and how to rectify them, lest the US be in any doubt. The second is a list of its core concerns just in case Washington has too much on its plate and has trouble recalling them. These include the Taiwan question, on which the US has been increasingly trying to push the envelope on its commitment to one China. To such an extent that there is growing speculation that it is trying to lure Beijing into a proxy war. Indeed, the US has become increasingly brazen in displaying the ill-will it harbors toward China, which has had the nerve to successfully follow its own development path avoiding putting the nation in hock to US designs and politics. Apart from waging a trade war against China, high-ranking US officials have openly called China the primary rival and a strategic adversary of the US, only stopping short of naming China an enemy. Washington has also targeted Chinese companies that have grown to be multinationals, especially those in the high-tech sector, and banned them from doing business in the US. But this is only the tip of the iceberg compared with the strategic containment and encirclement the US has instigated against China both on the regional level and on China's wider periphery. Also, in his summary dismissal of an East-West divide, Friedman conveniently ignores Washington's penchant for rallying its Western allies around its anti-China banner and its action-oriented clique-building with them targeting China, as well as its efforts to decouple China from the global system through a process of exclusion. Washington is clearly not extending the hand of friendship to Beijing with such moves. Nor has it responded in any meaningful way to Beijing's urging that the channels of communication that were shut down by the previous US administration be reopened. Dialogue is indeed the key to better China-US relations, but it is Washington, not Beijing, that is unwilling to talk. Lynn Grooms writes about the diversity of agriculture, including the industrys newest ideas, research and technologies as a staff reporter for Agri-View based in Wisconsin. By James M. Dorsey Russia and the Nordic countries' pavilions at this year's Venice Biennale, the world's most prestigious art exhibition, project two different concepts of civilization, nationalism and sovereignty that have come to blows in Ukraine. Newly renovated, brooding and inward-looking, Russia's art nouveau pavilion stands empty and abandoned after its Lithuanian curator and artists resigned in protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A lone armed guard is what is left of what would have been Russia's cultural contribution. The pavilion, located in Giardini, a Venice city park, is expected to attract protesters instead of visitors. By contrast, the modern structure representing the Nordic states, Sweden, Norway and Finland radiates light and openness at a time that Russia's actions have prompted Swedes and Finns to consider trading in their long-standing neutrality for membership in Moscow's nemesis, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Nordic pavilion also breathes the kind of inclusiveness and historical reconciliation that is diametrically opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin's concept of a Russian world whose borders are defined by representations of Russian civilization rather than international law. By dedicating their gazebo to the Sami and letting artists from an indigenous minority populate it, Scandinavians opted to project an ethnicity that views them as colonizers. "It acknowledges the Sami as a nation that exists across contiguous borders; it makes space for a different notion of nation," said Jolene Rickard, an art historian specializing in indigenous art and a member of the Tuscarora Nation, a Native American tribe. The unprecedented gesture projects a national and ethnic identity that, even though it crosses internationally recognized boundaries and is civilizational, is all-encompassing, welcoming and harmonious. It jars with the civilizationism advocated by Putin and his autocratic counterparts in Asia, Europe and the Americas that is fueled by anger, grievance, righteousness and a quest for an imaginary past. By implication, the Nordic pavilion puts forward a 21st-century notion of sovereignty that acknowledges that multiple 21st-century common challenges and identities transcend national borders. It is a notion that embraces globalization rather than a definition of sovereignty that puts the nation-state beyond international law and the supervision of supranational organizations like the United Nations, views the nation as a homogeneous, ethnocultural entity where minorities or immigrants are accepted only if they agree to assimilate and embraces economic protectionism as a defense against globalization. A traditionally semi-nomadic people who number some 100,000, the Sami are scattered across northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia's Kola Peninsula. For much of the last two centuries, they were culturally repressed and endangered by deforestation and settlement on lands where they lived, hunted and herded reindeer. Definitions of nationalism, civilizationism and sovereignty are one aspect of the Sami struggle and perhaps not the one that is foremost in Sami minds. More immediate for them are their critical 21st-century challenges that have shaped their quest: the impact of climate change, the building of wind turbine farms on their land, land dispossession for mineral extraction and dam construction. The Sami-themed pavilion in Venice is the latest Nordic step in recognizing the groups' rights and addressing past wrongs. Despite having their own elected parliaments in Scandinavia that focus on cultural, educational and developmental issues, many Samis feel that racism remains rife and that they still have little say about what happens on or to their land. As a result, Samis may feel that Nordic states could do more. Even so, the principles underlying the Nordic engagement entail a vision of identity, nationalism and civilization that holds out the prospect of a world in which grievances and challenges are addressed non-violently in accordance with accepted norms and rules. Despite the rise of populist anti-immigrant sentiment in countries like Sweden, Nordic engagement contrasts starkly with Russia's track record of violent confrontation, brutal military aggression and land grabs in violation of international law. The juxtaposition of the Russian and Nordic pavilions at the Biennale graphically illustrates the battle for the shape of this century's world order that is being fought in the streets of Ukrainian cities, towns and villages. It is a battle not only over Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity but also over the definition of the concepts of sovereignty, nationalism and civilization. Dr. James M. Dorsey (jamesmdorsey@substack.com) is an award-winning journalist and scholar, a senior fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute and adjunct senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. By Kim Sang-woo The apparent attack and sinking of the Black Sea Fleet's flagship, the Moskva, represents a symbolic blow to the Kremlin. The Moskva was the pride of its fleet and the most prestigious vessel involved in the war against Ukraine. "The sinking of the Moskva is not just a significant loss, it is emblematic of the shambolic Russian military campaign," said Michael Kofman, the research program director and a Russia expert at the Center for Naval Analysis. Confirmation of the sinking came as CIA Director William Burns warned that Vladimir Putin may resort to using a tactical or low-yield nuclear weapon in light of his country's military setbacks. During a speech in Atlanta, Burns said: "Given the potential desperation of President Putin and the Russian leadership none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low-yield nuclear weapons." The Kremlin placed Russian nuclear forces on high alert shortly after beginning the war on Feb. 24, and furthered its nuclear rhetoric on April 14 when it said it would be forced to strengthen its defenses in the Baltic if Finland and Sweden join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including by deploying nuclear weapons. Burns, however, said the U.S. has not seen "a lot of practical evidence" of any actual deployments that could cause more worry. Recently, Russia successfully tested the Sarmat ICBM and President Vladimir Putin boasted: "This truly unique weapon will ensure the security of Russia from external threats, and make those who try to threaten our country think twice." Asked about Putin's comments, a senior U.S. defense official called them irresponsible. "We find that rhetoric to be unhelpful certainly it's not the kind of thing that we would expect from a responsible nuclear power, especially in the current environment." Douglas Barrie, a senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), said that the Sarmat's ability to carry ten or more warheads and decoys and Russia's option of firing it over either of the earth's poles, posed a challenge to ground and satellite-based radar and tracking systems: "This complicates where you've got to look." Launching the Ukraine invasion, Putin made a pointed reference to Russia's nuclear forces and warned the West that any attempt to get in its way "will lead you to such consequences that you have never encountered in your history." Failure in Ukraine could put Putin's own political survival at risk. His ultimate risks are his removal from office, imprisonment, and possibly even execution. Accordingly, Putin is far more likely to press harder in Ukraine than to acquiesce to a negotiated settlement that leaves him without tangible gains. The use of tactical nuclear weapons inside Ukraine is also a possibility in a last bid to achieve a military success. As NATO's nuclear umbrella doesn't extend over Ukraine, Putin may discount the possibility of retaliation. The shock of such an event would be profound and could even lead to Ukraine submission or acceptance of unfavorable terms. To counter the threat of a Russian first-use nuclear strike and regain freedom of action, the United States and NATO must return to the core deterrence principles of capability and credibility. NATO's nuclear forces, though much reduced, are absolutely capable of overwhelming Russia's. NATO's credibility, on the other hand, is constantly undermined when leaders publicly express fears that Putin will employ his nuclear arsenal, and they must at all costs avoid pushing him into a corner. A resolve not to be bullied is essential. Deterrence works best when leaders are direct, unambiguous, resolute, and calm. As President Emmanuel Macron reminded Russia recently, the West has nuclear weapons too. Over the last few weeks, such nuclear talk has arisen over a myriad of issues. If the war continues to go badly for Russia, at what point will a seemingly erratic Putin begin issuing nuclear redlines to Ukraine and its allies? Would a crushing military defeat push Putin over the edge facing the possible end of his regime? Ukraine nuke talk spins off into lots of other places. Nuclear North Korea is resuming its ballistic missile launches to intimidate non-nuclear South Korea and Japan. China is rapidly expanding its nuclear stockpiles as well. On April 17, North Korea test-fired a new type of tactical guided weapon designed to boost its nuclear fighting capability. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim Jong-un and other top officials observed the launch. It said that the weapon tested has "great significance in drastically improving the firepower of the frontline long-range artillery units, enhancing the efficiency in the operation of (North Korea's) tactical nukes and diversification of their firepower missions." The mention of the word "tactical nukes" suggests that the weapon is likely capable of carrying a battlefield nuclear warhead that could hit strategic targets in South Korea, including U.S. military installations. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha University in Seoul said, "Pyongyang's purposes likely exceed deterrence and regime survival. Like Russia employs the fear it could use tactical nukes, North Korea may want such weapons for political coercion, battlefield escalation and limiting the willingness of other countries to intervene in a conflict." Lately, the media seems fixated on hyping the relative stockpiles and megatonnage of various nuclear states, as if they were GDP or energy output data. The world seems nuclear-obsessed. Is there a danger in normalizing the abnormal and casually thinking the unthinkable? "The prospect of nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, is now back within the realm of possibility," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last month. This "strange voyage," in Winston Churchill's words, is a journey into the unknown, as all wars are. The best we can do is to prepare for the worst. At stake now is an international order founded on something other than brute force and imperial ambition. Kim Sang-woo (swkim54@hotmail.com) is a former lawmaker and is currently the chairman of the East Asia Cultural Project. He is also a member of the board of directors at the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation. By Nancy Qian CHICAGO After signaling that it was moving to a more nuanced COVID-19 policy, Shanghai a city of 26 million was pressured by the central government to lock down in late March, and has only just started to ease restrictions after almost one month. The official reason for this drastic policy shift is that citywide testing had revealed high infection rates. Yet one is left wondering why the authorities didn't opt for a less costly alternative to a complete lockdown. After all, Omicron, which now accounts for almost all new cases globally, has only mild effects on vaccinated people. And while China's elderly population does have a surprisingly low vaccination rate (around 60 percent), immunizing this cohort is well within the country's messaging and mobilization capabilities. Moreover, complete lockdowns have high economic costs. Economists estimate that Shanghai's closure could reduce overall Chinese GDP by 4 percent this year. And Chinese authorities have introduced additional economic uncertainty by shifting suddenly from a four-day lockdown to an indefinite one. Shanghai officials did not have time to set up the infrastructure needed to sustain a prolonged lockdown, and residents were unable to stock up on enough food before being confined to their homes. The fact that the city has recorded only 17 deaths (as of April 20, 2022) has added to the public's anger and frustration. Two facts are crucial to understanding the rationale for the lockdown. First, while the Chinese government aims to be a global leader in vaccine production, Chinese vaccines are widely considered to be less effective than those being produced and administered elsewhere. If an easing of the lockdown were to result in higher mortality rates among vaccinated Chinese (compared to vaccinated populations elsewhere), China would be deeply and publicly embarrassed. Second, there is an ongoing competition within the Chinese leadership between those who believe in strong centralized authority and those who prefer more decentralized governance. After the disastrous one-size-fits-all policies of the Great Leap Forward in the 1950s, the post-1978 reform government devolved decision-making to regional governments, which were given much more autonomy over economic policy and were encouraged to compete with one another. Fiscal federalism was very effective at promoting growth, but it also gave regional governments a taste for independence. To counter this tendency, the central government has invested a large share of its growing revenues since the early 2000s in centralizing mechanisms, such as by expanding the bureaucracy and strengthening tax enforcement. But, because regional governments' interests are not always aligned with those of the national government, re-centralization has been unpopular in many provinces. A recent example is the trade war with the United States, which generated nationalist support but damaged the economies of coastal manufacturing cities like Shanghai. The central government's argument for re-centralization is that it allows Chinese authorities to mobilize resources and make investments that are good for the country but that local governments would never pursue on their own. One example is China's rapid infrastructure development. A highway connecting two cities can provide large benefits overall, but if a town along the route objects to its construction and has a say in the matter, the project might not proceed. China's strong centralized decision-making avoids such problems. The most highly publicized example of beneficial centralized power is China's response to COVID-19 during the first phase of the pandemic. Through rapid lockdowns, mandatory quarantines, and mass testing, it achieved some of the lowest infection and death rates in the world a remarkable feat for a middle-income country with one of the world's highest population densities. Shanghai, however, refused to impose a mass lockdown. In addition to being the largest urban economy in China and the glittering jewel of the post-1978 reforms, the city has a history of free thinking. Reflecting the post-Opium War melting pot of European colonists and adventurers, White Russian and Jewish refugees, Chinese triads, and other groups, it has long been the place where East meets West. Modern political leaders from Communist Party founders to Kuomintang figures such as Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek as well as some of the greatest twentieth-century Chinese writers (Lu Xun, Qian Zhongshu, Eileen Chang) have had deep ties to the city. Today, Shanghai's residents are among the most educated, well-traveled, and wealthiest in China. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the city often experienced rates of per capita income growth as high as 28 percent per year, generating massive revenues for the central government in Beijing and making it accustomed to having a greater say over its affairs than most other cities. When it comes to economic and administrative management, Shanghai's residents often feel superior even to Beijing. Merited or not, these beliefs, combined with the importance of the Shanghai economy, mean that the central government must manage the city delicately. That is why Shanghai previously was permitted to deviate from the national lockdown policy. It pursued a more flexible approach, locking down individual blocks instead of the entire city. And when rising Omicron cases became inevitable, it distributed (voluntary) at-home antigen tests, a measure that one is more likely to see in Western countries than in other parts of China. The fact that Beijing ultimately overruled the Shanghai leadership can be viewed as a sign that the centralizers are asserting their power over the proponents of decentralized decision-making. But who will shoulder the blame for the wide-ranging economic and social costs that resulted from the lockdown? Will it fall on Shanghai for letting infection rates rise, or on those who forced the city into the sudden lockdown? The answer will be an indication of the future of China's recentralization efforts. Nancy Qian, professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, is founding director of China Econ Lab and Northwestern's China Lab and leads the Kellogg development economics initiative. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). By Tom Plate Ever since my first meeting with Lee Kuan Yew a quarter of a century ago, Singapore has remained in my mind as a special place. By the time of the founding prime minister's passing at age 91 in 2015, that assessment was going global; even in Hong Kong circles, where desultory governance and economic factors, especially housing, seemed to inspire spasms of exodus, Singapore seemed a smart option. It was not always thus. There was a time when Western media barely noticed the island city-state, and when it did the storyline was predictably a rehash of the 1994 caning of a visiting American teenager, or of odd restrictions on chewing gum sales. No longer. Today's Singapore storyline might be imagined as a combination of Hollywood films such as "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Perhaps even that encomium somewhat shorts Singapore. For government and political science nerds (like myself), the Southeast Asian polity offers almost textbook lessons on how to pull off professional modern governance. Employing the utilitarian standard that only better economic and social outcomes can justify government, Singapore has set exemplary standards. And those outcomes high per capita income, state-of-the-art public infrastructure engineering and an exemplary educational system remain on display as the city-state moves to select its fourth prime minister since its 1965 founding. At this point, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong has successfully emerged as the compromise leader of the dominant People's Action Party, tabbing him as presumed successor to Lee Hsien Loong, now 70, eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore's prime minister since 2004. Not everyone is stuck on Singapore, of course. Some people persist in viewing it as a one-off oddball of a city-state. Then there is scoffing at its population size: 5.5 million. So what? Prominent countries with comparable population sizes include Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway. Size is important but it's not everything. Some of my American colleagues trash-talk it as little more than a claustrophobic one-party state. Really? Consider Japan, arguably a one-party state embraced by the octopus known as the Liberal Democratic Party: It's nonetheless a key ally of the U.S. (struggling, by contrast, with its non-exemplary two-party system). History may be nudging Singapore, with a per-capita income 1.5 times that of Japan, closer to Tokyo's role as a Washington comfort pillow. At their joint media appearance at the White House last month, the two emphasized their bilateral connections. Midway through his carefully prepared statement, Lee noted: "Singapore is the second-largest Asian investor in the U.S., and the U.S. is the largest investor in Singapore." He then pointedly underlined his government's concurrence with the U.S.' condemnation of Russia's military assault on Ukraine's sovereignty: "We cannot condone any country arguing that another country's independence is the result of historical errors and crazy decisions." Niftily put; easily the best quip of the press appearance. Singapore's value to the U.S. is enhanced by its littoral location in Southeast Asia near Indonesia and Australia, by its role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and by its reputation, justified or not, as an East-West go-between with Beijing. An American reporter even dangled the phrase "China Whisperer" to Lee in a press meeting, but Lee was having none of that, even after the reporter persisted with, "Well, could you be?" The prime minister was not for turning: "No we cannot, we are not part of the family. We are an ethnic Chinese majority country in Southeast Asia. Multiracial, multi-religious with independent, national interests and priorities and [the Chinese] treat us as such. And we remind them that that is so." Singapore's shyness on this point will not convince everyone. It is well known that it cooperates with the Pentagon in Washington and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It even houses what might be described as a military hostel for the U.S. Navy on its turf. At the same time, it does enjoy a certain kind of special connection with China. This goes back to the young Lee Kuan Yew's famous effort half a century ago to be sherpa, cordially but carefully, to the economic reformer Deng Xiaoping's foray into the brave new world (for China) of 20th century capitalism and non-state entrepreneurship. Singapore may not want to be seen as working both sides of the China-U.S. street but surely it's an asset to have such a strategically located service on hand, whispered or not. As former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo once put it: "Singapore's relationship is that of a relative. We are not family, but we get pulled into the family's conversations from time to time. We cannot avoid being affected by the grand drama of the Chinese mainland. Singapore's involvement in the affairs of China goes back to the last days of the Qing Dynasty." What's Singapore's secret? Any number of factors, surely, but one, in particular, resurfaces in volume 2 of journalist Peh Shing Huei's recent biography of the second prime minister, Goh Chok Tong (1990-2004). The book is lengthy, but superb in detail and quality of storytelling. Chapter Six is titled: "To Not Be Mediocre." That might well qualify as the Singapore moniker. This exceptional nation fields its best brainiacs as well as anyone. May it proceed apace, if not grow, as both "China Whisperer" and "Washington Comfort Pillow." Peace needs all the help it can get, however it can get it. Tom Plate (platecolumn@gmail.com), a distinguished scholar of Asian and Pacific affairs at Loyola Marymount University, is the author of "Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew: How to Build a Nation" (Giants of Asia series). He is also vice-president of the Pacific Century Institute in Los Angeles. The above article was distributed by the South China Morning Post. 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 Tai chi instructor Greg Vick of Auburn leads exercises on World Tai Chi Day one year ago in the Eckhart Public Library park of Auburn. This years observance will be Saturday from 10-11 a.m. in the park and is open to the public. On April 27, 2022, Dreamcatcher announced the dates for their concerts in the United States, in line with their second world tour. Keep on reading for all the details here. Dreamcatcher Announces U.S. Dates for 2nd World Tour On April 27, 2020, Dreamcatcher took to their social media accounts to announce the United States show dates for their second world tour, "[Apocalypse : Save us]." For the United States leg of the tour, Dreamcatcher is expected to start in New York on June 28 and end in Los Angeles on July 17. ALSO READ: Dreamcatcher Draws Applause for Live Vocals During Encore Stage As mentioned, Dreamcatcher's first show date will be on June 28 in New York City, New York. The girls will perform at the Palladium Times Square. This will be Dreamcatcher's only concert in June. Their second show date is July 1 and will be in Reading, Pennsylvania. The girl group will perform at the Santander Arena. Then, on July 3, Dreamcatcher will perform in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Old Forester's Paris town Hall. On July 7, Dreamcatcher will perform in Chicago, Illinois, at the Radius Chicago. The following show date will be July 9, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They will perform at the Skyway Theater. After, Dreamcatcher will perform in Denver, Colorado, on July 12 at the Filmore Auditorium. They will then go to San Francisco, California, and perform at The Midway on July 14. ALSO READ: Dreamcatcher Reveals Members Stopped Doing This Amid 5th Year Together Their final show date in the United States is July 17, in Los Angeles, California. Dreamcatcher will perform at The Wiltern. [] 2022 Dreamcatcher() World Tour [Apocalypse : Save us] in USA Ticket Open 22.04.29 (FRI) AM 08:00 (PST) 22.04.29 (FRI) AM 11:00 (EST) 22.04.30 (SAT) AM 00:00 (KST) [New York] 6/28 Palladium Times Square https://t.co/WKhaXsajUX pic.twitter.com/hfKgqJEGBW Dreamcatcher (@hf_dreamcatcher) April 27, 2022 Currently, these are the only confirmed show dates. However, they might add more dates if there is a demand. Will you be attending one of Dreamcatcher's shows? Tell us in the comments below! Dreamcatcher Recent Activities On April 12, 2022, Dreamcatcher released their second Korean-language full-length album, "Apocalypse: Save Us." and its title track, "MAISON." On April 19, Hanteo Chart announced that Dreamcatcher broke their first-week sales record, with "Apocalypse: Save Us" achieving 85,123 sold. Their previous record was 75,551 for "Summer Holiday." "Apocalypse: Save Us" became the first K-pop girl group album to ever hit number one on the U.S. iTunes Tops Albums Chart in 2022. They are the fifth K-pop girl group in iTunes history to achieve this feat. On April 20, Dreamcatcher won their first-ever music show win of their career with "MAISON" on MBC's "Show Champion." It took Dreamcatcher over 1,900 days to win a music show trophy. The girl group took home their second music show win for "MAISON" on April 26 on "THE SHOW." For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Alexa Lewis ENHYPEN member Jungwon was selected as the idol with the cutest rice cake-like cheeks. Keep on reading to see the complete list here! ENHYPEN Jungwon Selected as Idol With Cutest Rice Cake Cheeks From April 14 to April 29, StarPlay held a poll titled "The idol with cute, soft rice cake cheeks." In the survey, users are encouraged to select the idol with cute cheeks that are so squishy "that you can feel even through the screen." Voters are also encouraged to choose the idol that captivates their hearts with their chubby cheeks. Their cheeks must be so cute that "you can't stop crying." The idol who wins first place will win one Seoul Station CM board video advertisement. In addition, several Korean media outlets will also write about their win in this poll. Ranking in the first place is ENHYPEN's leader, Jungwon. The rookie male idol received 754,330 votes. This is approximately 57.94% of the total votes cast. He is the only member of ENHYPEN to rank in the top ten. Though he is the leader of ENHYPEN, the fans and the members often praise Jungwon for his adorable energy when he is off stage. The members have stated that they thought he was cute the first time they met Jungwon. When he is not performing, he has a cute personality. Due to his wide array of charms, it is no surprise that Jungwon ranked first! His cheeks are home to one of Jungwon's charming points his dimples! When Jungwon smiles, his cheeks are more pronounced, and fans can see his adorable dimples. When he smiles, his eyes become more feline-line, which ENGENEs love. Second place went to DKZ member Jae Chan, while third place went to NCT member Jisung. Congratulations, Jungwon! These 10 K-Pop Idols Have the Cutest Rice Cake Cheeks 1. ENHYPEN Jungwon - 754,330 votes (57.94%) 2. DKZ Jae Chan - 176,008 votes (13.52%) 3. NCT Jisung - 171,812 votes (13.20%) 4. Kim Jaehwan - 102,723 votes (7.89%) 5. Kep1er Mashiro - 54,613 votes (4.19%) 6. aespa Ningning - 20,051 votes (1.54%) 7. MONSTA X Hyungwon - 11,180 votes (0.86%) 8. BLACKPINK Jennie - 5,720 votes (0.44%) 9. STAYC Isa - 4,922 votes (0.38%) 10. NMIXX Kyujin - 660 votes (0.05%) Did your favorite K-pop idol make the top ten? Tell us in the comments below! ENHYPEN Recent Activities In March 2022, ENHYPEN was named the model for the 2022 Nike Air Max promotions in Japan. The boys were appointed as models by ABC-Mart, a Japanese footwear company. Those who purchase shoes will received special benefits, such as AR experience and original stickers. On February 11, 2022, ENHYPEN member Sunwoo tested positive for COVID-10. On February 15, it was announced that the idol had fully recovered and was discharged from protocolary quarantine. He returned to group activties on February 16. For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Reported by Alexa Lewis Welcome Guest! You Are Here: U.S. Highway 12, eastbound towards Lake Geneva, will be closed for emergency repairs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 29. "This closure is required for emergency pothole repair," according to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. If repairs are not completed, the road will be close again from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 2. The closure will be from the County Highway NN interchange in Elkhorn to the State Highway 120 interchange in Lake Geneva. For more information, follow the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on Twitter @WisDOTsoutheast or visit https://projects.511wi.gov/region/southeast/ The closure is weather dependent and subject to change. State health officials are investigating four cases of children with significant and unexplained liver damage, including one child who needed a liver transplant and one who died. A state Department of Health Services health alert Wednesday asked doctors to be on the lookout for cases of acute hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, combined with infection of a particular type of adenovirus that usually causes diarrhea or vomiting. Clinicians should consider adenovirus testing in pediatric patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology, said the alert from Dr. Ryan Westergaard, a chief medical officer with the state health department. No details were provided on the ages or locations of the children. DHS spokesperson Jennifer Miller declined to provide the information, citing privacy concerns. Public Health Madison and Dane County spokesperson Morgan Finke said she has not been aware of any of these cases being in Dane County. An April 21 health advisory by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported nine such cases in Alabama and North Carolina, involving children who tested negative for hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E. The World Health Organization said Saturday that at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis in children have been reported in 11 countries, including 17 who needed liver transplants and one death. Most of the cases have been reported in the United Kingdom. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain and jaundice, the Wisconsin alert said. Adenoviruses are spread by close personal contact, respiratory droplets and objects such as utensils or furniture. They typically cause respiratory illness but some, such as the type 41 adenovirus involved in the hepatitis cases, cause gastroenteritis, or diarrhea and vomiting. Corner 17 called out an Instagram influencer for his negative review after the restaurant turned down his offer to give a promotional pitch for $100. New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI/PNN): An Indian graduate, Raul Rath, with a Bachelor of Design from the University of Melbourne, encourages us to consider how millions of trees are cut down every year for the creation of physical business cards. To help minimize this issue of deforestation in a world where the effects of climate change are a cause for serious concern, Raul Rath's design studio, WISQEY Studios, has recently released an innovative mobile app - LYNKE - that allows us to create and share personalized business cards. This completely free app, now available on the Play Store and the Apple App Store, makes creating, updating and sharing digital business cards extremely convenient. The best part is that it allows us all to do our bit for the environment by going paperless when it comes to our business cards. LYNKE, a very simple app to use, makes it easy for anyone with a smartphone to create their own personalized digital business card - their own 'LYNKE'. When you first download the app, you can create a new account for yourself by verifying your email address and entering some basic registration details. You can then choose a custom theme and LYNKE ID for your digital business card, adding information to your card that is displayed through interactive icons. Your digital business card is then ready to share. To make this app even more game-changing, you can edit your business card as often as you like (as opposed to paying for a set of new business cards every time your phone number changes), add others to your contacts list (never lose someone's business card again), and share your LYNKE business card across a variety of platforms. Also Read | IPL 2022: Congress Leader P Chidambaram Wants SRH Pacer Umran Malik Inducted into the Indian National Cricket Team. LYNKE was created keeping in mind the global challenges that we are faced with today. Raul believes that "the impacts of climate change can be catastrophic, and the continued use of paper to make physical business cards is only making things worse. The team behind LYNKE hopes to change this story." Roughly 100 billion business cards are produced each year, leading to the loss of approximately 6 million trees. Considering almost 88 per cent of all business cards are thrown away within a week, LYNKE offers us a much more environment-friendly option. "The fact there are about 6.6 billion smartphone users worldwide, we need to rethink our choices when it comes to how we share our personal or professional information." COVID-19 on the other hand, with social distancing, no-contact policies, remote-working, and the risk of infection, has created other issues for the exchange of physical business cards. LYNKE allows digital business cards to be updated in real-time and shared with others from a distance - no contact necessary. "This aims to solve the problems that traditional business cards carry," says Raul. Considering the world has made great advancements in technology, it is time to put a stop to deforestation for the production of business cards. "Physical business cards are difficult to manage and impossible to update," Raul explains. The app's advanced yet easy-to-use editing options means that even after a LYNKE has been shared, it will always hold the most up-to-date information. This cutting-edge mobile app offers us a solution to the pressing issues that surround us. Also Read | Gujarat Day 2022 Date, History and Significance: Everything You Need To Know About Gujarat Sthapana Divas or the Formation Day of Gujarat. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) (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 28 (ANI): As Delhi breached the 40-degree temperature mark this week, a private forecaster, Skymet Weather on Wednesday issued a warning with the prediction that heatwaves will last until the end of this month and may witness a downfall at the beginning of May. The national capital recorded the highest temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius at Siri Fort Complex on Wednesday. A 'yellow alert' has also been sounded for Delhi. Also Read | Sony Likely To Launch New Xperia Smartphones on May 11, 2022. Skymet Weather said that the heatwaves will not only restrict to Delhi but will also affect the residents of North India. Taking to Twitter, Skymet Weather wrote, "These heatwave conditions will last until the end of this month with sultry conditions affecting the residents of North India. However, heatwave conditions may see a backseat at the beginning of May." Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: SSB Jawan Booked For Allegedly Raping 24-Year-Old Woman in Lakhimpur Kheri. "Temperatures are expected to be shooting above 43 degrees. The state of Rajasthan may see maximums above 45 degrees Celsius as well. The states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are all set to see a comeback of heatwave conditions, starting April 28 until the end of the month," the weather forecasting department further said in a tweet. Meanwhile, IMD scientist RK Jenamani also informed that northern India will likely experience a dust storm on April 29, causing a drop in temperature from May 1 onwards. As per the IMD, heatwave conditions in isolated pockets are very likely over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, interior Gangetic West Bengal, interior Odisha and northern parts of Gujarat State. In addition, Manmohan Singh, director of Meteorological Centre Chandigarh also said that the temperature is being recorded as warmer than normal. "In the coming days, the temperature will rise, heatwave warning has been issued for some places in Punjab and Haryana," he added. Notably, Northwest India this year recorded the hottest March in 122 years, with an average maximum temperature surpassing the previous record of 30.67 degrees Celsius in 2004. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Diphu/Dibrugarh/Guwahati (Assam), Apr 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday while speaking at a rally at Diphu, 250 kms east of Guwahati, said efforts are on to remove AFSPA completely from the northeast region. Also Read | OnePlus 10R 5G Launched in India; First Sale on May 4, 2022. Later, addressing a rally at Dibrugarh in Assam after inaugurating seven cancer care centres and laying the foundation stone for seven others across the state, Modi said that he does not want anyone to fall ill but if they do, we have built hospitals for them to get the best treatment without any financial burden. Also Read | 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots: Former Congress Leader Sajjan Kumar Gets Bail in Murder Case. Addressing a 'Peace, Unity and Development' rally, he said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act could be withdrawn from various parts of the region as the law and order situation has improved in the last eight years. "As the (law and order) situation improved with 75 per cent decrease in violence in the region, there have been changes in the imposition of laws. The AFSPA was first revoked in Tripura and then in Meghalaya," he said. The previous governments in Assam in the last three decades had extended it again and again as there was no improvement in the law and order situation, Modi said. "Due to the proper control of the situation in the last eight years, the AFSPA has been removed from most parts of the state. We are trying to withdraw it from the remaining parts too. "The Act is applicable in some areas of Nagaland and Manipur, and we are working speedily to revoke it completely," he said. Earlier this year, the Centre had announced reduction of the disturbed areas imposed under the AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur from April 1. Prime Minister Modi also said the effect of the BJP's "double engine" government is evident in the return of permanent peace and speedy development in Assam. The term "double engine" is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state. The government has entered into peace agreements in Assam's Karbi Anglong and in Tripura, while efforts are on to ensure permanent peace and speedy development in the entire region, he said. "Several outfits of Karbi Anglong returned to the mainstream to march forward in the path of peace and development. The Bodo Agreement in 2020 paved the way for peace in the region and in Tripura, the NLFT also came forward for the peace, while the two-and-a-half decade long Bru-Reang issue was resolved," he said. Permanent peace returned to the region, and speedy development in the northeastern states was ensured due to a collective effort of the Centre and the state governments, Modi said. He stated that this process is "on and will continue in the future." "Earlier, the northeast was known for bomb blasts and violence and the worst sufferers were our mothers, sisters and children. Now as I see the smile on their faces when the youths have given up their arms, I feel God is showering blessings on me," the Prime Minister said. The Centre has always tried to resolve difficulties of people in Karbi Anglong and other tribal areas with the policy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas' (with everybody, for everyone's development and with everyone's belief), he said. Besides, efforts have been made to solve border disputes among states in the region in a cordial manner, he said. The recent boundary agreement between Meghalaya and Assam will encourage the others to resolve the issues and help them march forward, he said. The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for colleges of veterinary science and agriculture and a model government college in Karbi Anglong and also launched 2,985 'Amrit Sarovar' projects across Assam. The Rs 1000-crore projects for Karbi Anglong will give new opportunities to youths, particularly those who have returned to the mainstream to participate in the nation-building process, the PM said. "These foundations are not just that of any building or institution but are the foundations for the bright future of the youths of Karbi Anglong," he said. Speaking on 'Amrit Sarovars' in the state, as a part of the Azadi ke Amrit Utsav to commemorate 75th anniversary of India's Independence, the prime minister said he had started this in Jammu and Kashmir last week, and in Assam, "these facilities will not only be a source of water but also of income generation". Later, addressing a rally after dedicating seven cancer care centres and laying the foundation of an equal number in Dibrugarh, the Prime Minister said that the government is committed to further strengthen the health infrastructure and facilities to provide the best and the cheapest treatment to the ill, particularly those suffering from cancer. He said that he does not want anyone to fall ill but if they do, ''we have built hospitals for them to get the best treatment without any financial burden''. There was a time when setting up one hospital in seven years was a big achievement but times have changed with seven cancer hospitals inaugurated on the same day while three more will be ready in the next few months, he said. ''Hospitals are necessary and the government is setting these up, but I pray for the good health of all and do not want anybody to go there. If hospitals are empty, I will be happy but if people fall ill, they can go there without any hesitation and get the best treatment'', Modi said. Cancer is detected in large numbers not only in Assam but the entire North East and the worst affected are the poor and the middle class. Earlier, people had to go outside the state for treatment and this resulted in a huge financial burden for them, he said. During the last five to six years, the former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, present Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata have taken the initiative to set up the Assam Cancer Care Foundation to provide cheap and effective treatment to cancer patients, Modi said. ''This is a great service to humanity and I thank them for taking this initiative'', he added. The Prime Minister said that the centre has also focused on cancer treatment in the Rs 1500 crore Special package earmarked for the North East in this year's Union budget as this serious disease weakens the economic condition of the cancer patients family with many forced to take loans. Medicines will be made available to cancer patients at half the price under the 'Jan Aushadi' scheme and make 900 medicines available at a lower rate. Meanwhile, AAP, a new entrant to Assam politics, staged state-wide demonstrations against price rise coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the northeastern state. Police detained several AAP members who were protesting in Guwahati, while demonstrations were also staged in Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Dhubri and Tinsukia. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday lashed out at Telanagana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrashekar Rao and said that he has no right to speak about communal clashes alleging that his party aligns with parties which give communal statements. His statement comes after Rao said that politics over hijab and halal do not bode well for the country's image. Also Read | Vivo T1 Pro 5G, Vivo T1 44W Smartphones To Be Launched in India on May 4, 2022. "KCR does not have the right to speak a word about the communal clashes. KCR aligns with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party which gives out with anti-Hindu statements like 'if security forces are withdrawn for 15 minutes in the country, we (Muslims) will finish 100 crore Hindus'," Reddy told ANI. He further alleged that Majlis party incited communal clashes in Hyderabad and also forcibly occupied the houses of the Hindus in the area dominated by the party. Also Read | Poco M4 5G Smartphone Launching Tomorrow in India; Key Specifications Revealed. On the increasing fuel prices, Reddy said that it is affected by the international market. "Petrol and diesel prices are more in countries like America, England, Garmany, Japan and others when compared to India. Due to the latest crisis, the fuel prices saw a steep increase but not much was increased in India. The Central government does not get any profit by increasing the fuel prices." He also said that the Central Government has reduced the VAT on petrol and diesel, and already at the same time, an appeal was made to all the provinces to reduce the state-level taxes. "Many BJP-ruled states and some others have reduced the VAT but some still have not. They must do it. Petrol and diesel rates have increased a lot in the world because in the international level crude oil rate has gone up and it has also affected rates in India. In this view, state governments must come forward to reduce VAT," Reddy said. Hitting out at TRS ruled Telangana, Reddy alleged that the highest fuel prices are in Telangana. "Telangana government is repeatedly giving speeches against the Central Government on petrol-diesel prices. They should instead come forward and give people some relief by reducing the prices," he 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) Mumbai, April 28: PM Narendra Modi has appealed to states to reduce tax on petrol and diesel, but imported oil is taxed first by Centre and then the states, so the Centre should also reduce tax, said Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar on Thursday. Pawar said the state government did not increase any tax in the State budget this year. Maharashtra reduced tax on CNG due to which the state suffered a loss of Rs 1000 crores, he added. Pawar said that just like the Centre bought 'one nation, one tax' policy to promote the idea of Goods and Services Tax (GST), it should bring about the same change when it comes to levying taxes on petrol and diesel in the country. Speaking at a press conference today, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "Firstly, it remains to be seen how much GST money will come from the Centre to the state. PM Modi appealed to States and UTs to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel. In response, I would say that the Maharashtra Government did not increase any tax in the budget this year." No Fuel Price Hike in Telangana Since 2014, Centre Has No Right to Ask State to Reduce Taxes: KCR. "We can discuss petrol-diesel prices in cabinet today. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will tell us what happened in the meeting with PM Modi yesterday. Everyone in the country has to accept that the imported oil is taxed first by the Centre and then states, so the Centre should also reduce tax," Pawar said. The Minister said, "Like 'One Nation One Tax' policy, the Centre should consider making a policy on petrol and diesel. The Maharashtra government gives the maximum amount of taxes to the Central government. The Centre should take note of this fact." This comes a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Centre by saying that the state government cannot be held responsible for the hike in fuel prices. Thackeray told reporters on Wednesday after attending a meeting with the Prime Minister virtually, "Today, in the price of one litre of diesel in Mumbai, Rs 24.38 is for the Centre and Rs 22.37 is for the state. In petrol price, 31.58 paise is central tax and 32.55 paise state tax. Therefore, it is not a fact that petrol and diesel have become more expensive due to the state." The Maharashtra Chief Minister said, "Maharashtra collects the highest GST of 15 per cent in the country. Combining both direct taxes and GST, Maharashtra is the number one state in the country." On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a COVID-19 review meeting with Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel were amongst those present in the meeting. In the meeting, Prime Minister Modi appealed to the States ruled by non-BJP parties to reduce tax on fuel. He said prices of fuel were higher in many opposition-ruled states and urged them to reduce Value Added Tax in "national interest" and as a part of "cooperative federalism" to benefit the common man. (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 28: On the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the ties between the two countries have deepened in every sphere, be it strategic, economic or people-to-people contacts. The recent visit to India by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the annual summit laid out a roadmap for deepening the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries in a post-Covid world, Modi said in a tweet, adding that he looked forward to continue working with Kishida to realise that objective. PM Narendra Modi To Visit Assam Today To Lay Foundation Stone for Several Developement Projects. He said, "As we celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan today, I am happy to see that our ties have deepened in every sphere, whether strategic, economic or people-to-people contacts." India and Japan established diplomatic relations on April 28, 1952, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. (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 28 (ANI): Two Al-Badr terrorists were killed during an encounter in the Mitrigam area of Pulwama, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Thursday. "We had received information about three terrorists in Mitrigam village of Pulwama on Wednesday and as soon as the police launched cordon and search operation, firing began from the opposite end," said Vijay Kumar, the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Also Read | Gujarat Shocker: 19-Year-Old Delivery Boy Rapes Schoolgirl, Records Criminal Act on Phone in Surat; Arrested. According to the IGP, these two terrorists were a part of the group of four terrorists killed earlier this month, in the Shopian encounter (April 14). The police have recovered two AK 47 rifles from their possessions. Also Read | ONGC Recruitment 2022: Apply For 3614 Apprentice Vacancies at ongcindia.com; Check Details Here. Earlier on Sunday, three terrorists, including a deputy commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a Pakistani terrorist, were killed in an encounter in Pulwama. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 28 (ANI): Lashing out at the Centre for asking the States to reduce VAT (value-added tax) on fuel, Telangana Industry and Commerce Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday demanded the central government to scrap the Cess on petrol and diesel across the country. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Centre responsible for the rising prices of petrol and diesel. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: Case Registered Against Unidentified Miscreants for Dishonouring National Flag in Rajouri. "Fuel prices have shot up because of NPA (non-performing asset) Central government. Name calling states for not reducing VAT even though we never increased it; is this the cooperative federalism you are talking about Narendra Modi ji?. Telangana has not increased VAT on fuel since 2014 and rounded off only once," Rao tweeted. "We do not get 41 per cent of our rightful share because of the Cess imposed by your government. In the form of Cess, you are looting 11.4 per cent from the state and we are getting only 29.6 per cent for FY23. Please scrap Cess so we can give Petrol at Rs 70 and Diesel at Rs 60 all over India. One Nation - One Price?" added KTR. Also Read | Tecno Phantom X Premium Smartphone To Be Launched in India on April 29, 2022. In view of the increasing COVID cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of all the states via video conferencing and discussed various issues. The Prime Minister called upon opposition-ruled states to follow the Centre's decision by reducing taxes on petrol and diesel to provide relief to the people from the price hike. "In order to reduce the burden of rising petrol and diesel prices, the central government reduced the excise duty last November. We had urged the states too to reduce their taxes. Some states reduced the tax and provided benefits to the consumers but some did not do so," said PM Modi in the meeting. Naming opposition parties ruled states, PM Modi said, "Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu did not follow the advice of central government and people in these states are burdened with price rise." "I request these states to do now what they should have done in November. By reducing the VAT you can lower the burden faced by the residents," he added. The central government in November had reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 respectively. Following the Center's decision, 25 states and Union Territories, mostly ruled by BJP or their allies had reduced VAT on petrol and diesel to give relief to consumers. (ANI) (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 28 (PTI) Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey has written a letter to the Central Industrial Security Force's Director General to look into the role of the CISF personnel who were accompanying BJP leader Kirit Somaiya when the latter's SUV was allegedly attacked outside a police station here last week, an official said on Thursday. Also Read | Twitter Must Remain Politically Neutral, Says Elon Musk. Former BJP MP Somaiya enjoys 'Z plus' category CISF security cover. Also Read | India-Japan Ties Have Deepened in Every Sphere in 70 Years, Says PM Narendra Modi. In the letter written on Tuesday, Pandey asked the CISF's director general what their personnel were doing when the alleged incident took place, the official said. Somaiya had gone to the Khar police station on Saturday evening to meet arrested independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana when some Shiv Sena supporters allegedly hurling water bottles and footwear on the BJP leader's car. The BJP leader had later tweeted that he was injured in the attack by "Shiv Sena goons" and was going to the Bandra police station to file a complaint. Based on Somaiya's complaint, the police had registered an FIR and later arrested former Mumbai mayor Vishwananth Mahadeshwar and three other Shiv Sena members for allegedly vandalising the BJP leader's car. A delegation led by Somaiya had later met officials of the Union home ministry in connection with 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, Apr 28 (PTI) Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told a visiting European Union delegation, including EU special representative for human rights Eamon Gilmore, that constitutional and religious rights of every section are absolutely safe in India, sources in the ministry said on Thursday. The six-member delegation, which included Gilmore and EU Ambassador to India Ugo Astuto, called on Naqvi in Delhi, a day after they met National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra and other members of the panel. Also Read | OnePlus Nord Buds Now Official in India, Priced at Rs 2,799. According to sources in the Minority Affairs Ministry, Naqvi told the delegation that constitutional and religious rights of every section are absolutely safe in India but "nobody has the right to indulge in forceful and fraudulent religious conversion". The minister told the delegation that some people have been constantly trying to "defame" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a part of a "conspiracy", the sources said. Also Read | Heatwave in India: IMD Issues Orange Alert for Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, Temperatures Cross 45 Degree Celsius in Several Parts. He said that sometimes they write letters, while at other times they raise the "bogey of Islamophobia", according to the sources. Naqvi emphasised that the Modi government has given scholarships to over five crore minority students in the last eight years. He also told the delegation that the percentage of minorities in central government jobs has significantly increased to above 10 per cent. The sources said the minister told the delegation that the terrorist organisations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS may have been successful in their "nefarious designs" in Europe and other countries but they never succeeded in India. This is only because of India's strength of cultural co-existence and unity in diversity, he said, according to the sources. There was no official word from the side of the EU delegation on the meeting with Naqvi. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 28 (ANI): Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday accused the Centre of "taunting" the Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories in the recent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Chief Ministers were told that PM Modi would hold a meeting on COVID-19 situation in the country. Instead, PM Modi taunted the Chief Ministers of non-BJP states regarding petrol and diesel prices. It's not right. PM Modi was not expected to do so but CMs Uddhav Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee have given the answer," Raut said to reporters today. Also Read | Indias Ambassador to Japan, Sanjay Kumar Verma Inaugurated Ayurveda Day Organised Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. This comes a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Centre by saying that the state government cannot be held responsible for the spike in fuel prices. Thackeray said to reporters on Wednesday after attending a meeting with the Prime Minister virtually, "Today, in the price of one litre of diesel in Mumbai, Rs 24.38 is for the Centre and Rs 22.37 is for the state. In petrol price, 31.58 paise is central tax and 32.55 paise state tax. Therefore, it is not a fact that petrol and diesel have become more expensive due to the state." Also Read | Maharashtra Government Collected Rs 79,412 Crore as Fuel Tax, Says Union Minister Hardeep Puri. The Maharashtra Chief Minister added, "Maharashtra collects the highest GST of 15 per cent in the country. Combining both direct taxes and GST, Maharashtra is the number one state in the country." On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a COVID-19 review meeting with Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel were amongst those present in the meeting. In the meeting, Prime Minister Modi appealed to the States ruled by non-BJP parties to reduce tax on fuel. He said prices of fuel were higher in many opposition-ruled states and urged them to reduce Value Added Tax in "national interest" and as a part of "cooperative federalism" to benefit the common man. (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 28 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it will hear on May 18 the plea challenging the appointment of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rakesh Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner. A bench headed by Justice Justice DY Chandrachud said to list the petition on May 18, 2022. Also Read | AIIMS Bhopal Recruitment 2022: Apply for 159 Senior Resident Posts; Check Details Here. The NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' (CPIL) through its advocate Prashant Bhushan, mentioned listing the matter for hearing. The NGO though Prashant Bhushan had approached the apex court in an appeal against the October 12, 2021 order of the Delhi High Court which had upheld the Centre's decision to appoint Asthana, Gujarat cadre 1984-batch IPS officer, as Delhi Police Commissioner four days before his superannuation on July 31, saying there was "no irregularity, illegality or infirmity" in his selection. Also Read | EAM S Jaishankar Hands Over PM Narendra Modis Invitation to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to Visit India. In the affidavit filed by the Centre, it has been maintained that he was picked "to provide effective policing on the recent law and order situation which arose in the National Capital Territory of Delhi". The Central government has informed the Supreme Court that there was a "compelling need" to appoint Indian Police Service Rakesh Asthana as the Delhi Police Commissioner taking into consideration the national capital's "extremely challenging situations" of public order, policing issues, and their implications on national security. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) while justifying the appointment of Asthana as the Delhi Police commissioner, has informed the apex court through an affidavit that Asthana was appointed police chief of Delhi as a "special case of public interest". The affidavit was filed on a plea of NGO CPIL against the Delhi High Court's order of upholding Asthana's appointment as police chief. Eight Delhi Police Commissioners had been appointed by the same procedure without any complaints from the petitioner, the Centre had said while accusing the petitioner of harbouring a personal vendetta against Asthana. The affidavit had stated, "Delhi being the capital of the country has a specific and special requirement which witnessed certain untoward and extremely challenging public order problems/riots/crimes which have an international implication. This necessitated the appointment of an experienced officer having diverse, multifarious experience of heading a police force in any large State/Central Investigating Agency/Para-military Security Forces, etc, to head the Delhi Police force." It had sought that the petitions challenging the appointment to be dismissed. Asthana had also filed a separate affidavit in the court saying petitions were filed in the top court following a scathing social media campaign to malign his reputation and that petitioner NGO and Prashant Bhushan harboured a personal vendetta against him. The Delhi High Court while dismissing a PIL challenging Asthana's selection had said the justification and reasons given by the Centre for appointing Asthana are plausible, calling for no interference in judicial review. Asthana, who was serving as the Director-General of Border Security Force, was appointed the Commissioner on July 27, 2021, after being shifted to the Union Territory cadre from the Gujarat cadre for the tenure of one year. The NGO's petition has urged the top court to set aside the Centre's order to appoint Asthana after extending his service period. It had termed the extension of Asthana's tenure as well as an appointment as "illegal" as he did not have a residual tenure of mandatory six months of service at the time of his appointment as Commissioner of Police since he was to retire within 4 days. The petition had further claimed that the Centre's order violated the policy regarding Inter-Cadre deputation of All India Service Officers. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 28 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday appealed to the religious leaders for their support and cooperation to uninstall loudspeakers from religious places and organise the celebrations of upcoming festivals peacefully. Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said, "It has been requested to all the religious leaders to provide all possible cooperation in order to successfully organise all our festivals. Our district administration and police officials have talked to about 30,000 to 40,000 religious leaders. We have received support. This work is in continuous progress." Also Read | Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Centre To Set Up Renewable Energy-Based Power Supply Project With Japanese Aid. Awasthi said that the people and the religious leaders have been cooperative in removing the loudspeakers. This has given a good message to the society, he said, adding the department will ensure a balanced dialogue, in case of any difficulty in removing the loudspeakers. "So far, the volume of 39,000 loudspeakers has been reduced in the entire state. Around 17,000 loudspeakers have been uninstalled from various religious places. In the first phase, the Chief Minister did video conferencing with senior officers, yesterday he talked to the Tehsil level officers, it was his instruction to talk to the Gurus of all religions by meeting them," added Awasthi. Also Read | Google Now Allows the Removal of Phone Number, Email Address From Search Results: Report. The home department asked the police to remove the loudspeakers and those flouting the noise limit standards at religious places across the state. The order to remove loudspeakers from religious places in the state was issued on April 24. A compliance report from the districts in this regard has been sought by April 30. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray congratulated UP CM Yogi Adityanath for successfully conducting the drive to remove the loudspeakers from the religious places. While congratulating the Yogi government, he targetted the Maharashtra government and termed them "hedonists". He wrote, "I wholeheartedly congratulate and stand grateful to the Yogi government for having removed the loudspeakers from religious places, especially the masjids. Unfortunately, in Maharashtra, we don't have any yogism, what we have are bhogis (hedonists). Here hoping and praying good sense prevails. The Yogi government on Wednesday uninstalled a total of 10,923 loudspeakers from various religious sites in the state and lowered the volume of 35,221 loudspeakers as per the parameters till 4.00 pm. The order to remove loudspeakers from religious places in the state was issued on April 24. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on April 21 directed that the loudspeakers at religious places should not play loud and the sound must be confined to the premises only. He also said that the microphones should not be installed and that no new loudspeakers would be allowed at religious places. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) DAMASCUS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Four Syrian soldiers were killed and three others wounded in an Israeli missile attack early Wednesday on several sites near the capital Damascus, state news agency SANA reported. Citing a military source, SANA reported that the missile strikes carried out just after midnight caused damage to the targeted sites. The source added that the Syrian air defenses intercepted the missiles and downed some of them. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the Israeli strikes destroyed weapon depots belonging to pro-Iran militias in the countryside of Damascus. The Britain-based watchdog said nine soldiers were killed and eight others wounded by what it called the 10th Israeli attack on Syrian sites since the beginning of 2022. Cairo [Egypt], April 28 (ANI/Xinhua): At least two people were killed and 43 others wounded on Wednesday after a bus overturned in Egypt's South Sinai Province, the Egyptian Health Ministry announced in a statement. The wounded passengers were taken to the nearby Sharm El Sheikh international hospital, according to the statement. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. A total of 25 ambulances were sent to the site of the accident, which was on a highway leading to the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, according to Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, a spokeswoman for the Health Ministry. The bus was coming from Upper Egypt's Minya Province and heading to Sharm El-Sheikh, local media reported. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. The investigation is underway to find the cause of the accident, according to the Egyptian prosecutors. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], April 28 (ANI): Days after Tesla Chief Elon Musk take control over Twitter, he said that for the microblogging site to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral. "For Twitter to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral, which effectively means upsetting the far right and the far left equally," Musk tweeted. Twitter on Monday (local time) confirmed the sale of the company to Musk for USD 44 billion. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will receive USD 54.20 in cash for each share of Twitter stock they own, matching Musk's original offer and marking a 38 per cent premium over the stock price the day before Musk revealed his stake in the company, CNN reported. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said that he was proud of the employees who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. "I took this job to change Twitter for the better, course-correct where we need to, and strengthen the service. Proud of our people who continue to do the work with focus and urgency despite the noise," Agrawal tweeted. Meanwhile, the former CEO of the microblogging site Jack Dorsey dropped a series of tweets, suggesting that he supports the move. "In principle, I don't believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company. Solving for the problem of it being a company, however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness," Dorsey tweeted. For those unaware, Dorsey, the maverick co-founder of Twitter, on November 29, 2021, suddenly announced his resignation. Parag Agarwal, an IITian who was CTO at Twitter, was named his replacement. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], April 28 (ANI): Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reached Dubai after his name was removed from the list of Exit Control List (ECL). PPP's co-chairman met his daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari after reaching Dubai, ARY News reported citing sources. Also Read | Potentially Hazardous Giant Asteroid Set To Zoom Past Earth on Thursday, Says NASA. Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also left for Saudi Arabia. Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif said that he and Arabia's Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz will discuss wide-ranging matters. Also Read | Elon Musk on Fun Trail, Says Buying Coca Cola Next. "Today I am embarking on a visit to Saudi Arabia to renew & reaffirm our bonds of brotherhood & friendship. I will have wide-ranging discussions with Saudi leadership. KSA is one of our greatest friends & as Custodian of the Two Holy Places, has a special place in all our hearts," PM Sharif Tweeted. Recently, several high-profile names, including Punjab Chief Minister-elect Hamza Shahbaz, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, were removed from the Exit Control List (ECL). Last Friday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that the newly formed government had brought about changes in the rules for having an individual's name on the ECL, and through it, several thousands of people will have their names removed from the list, Geo tv reported. He had said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee to update the rules of including a person's name in the ECL. "Therefore, with a quick pace, federal minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Asad Mehmood, Naveed Qamar, and Azam Nazeer Tarrar put forth their suggestions and the cabinet has approved it," Sanaullah had said. According to government sources, the names of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal have also been removed from the ECL. Sources added that the process of removing names from the ECL under the new policy will continue for the next few days. As per local media reports, the names of more than 100 political personalities have been removed.The names were placed on the ECL on the recommendations of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).Exit Control List (ECL) is an ordinance to provide for the control of the exit of certain persons from Pakistan who have been involved in any economic crime involving government funds, mass corruption, or misuse of authority. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Singapore, Apr 28 (PTI) An Indian-origin senior citizen in Singapore has been jailed for five days for lying about his vaccination status to gain entry into a bar amidst the COVID-19 outbreak last year, according to a media report. Utheyakumar Nallathamby, 65, had impersonated Indian-origin Malaysian Kiran Singh Rughbir Singh, 37, to enter the bar, The Straits Times newspaper reported on Wednesday. Also Read | Elon Musk on Fun Trail, Says Buying Coca Cola Next. Utheyakumar admitted to cheating by using the TraceTogether app, which displays the vaccination status and was compulsory for getting into the bar. Singh told the court that he and his girlfriend met Utheyakumar on September 9 last year and went to the island resort Sentosa for drinks and decided to go to the Bikini Bar. Also Read | US President Joe Biden to Meet PM Narendra Modi at Quad Summit in Tokyo Next Month, Says White House. However, an assistant manager of the bar did not allow Utheyakumar as he was unvaccinated. Singh suggested that Utheyakumar enter the bar using Singh's TraceTogether application and vaccination status, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shen Wanqin said. Utheyakumar agreed to Singh's suggestions and went to another bar with the woman while Singh waited outside. As Utheyakumar was consuming drinks, the assistant manager of the Bikini Bar spotted him at the nearby bar and recalled denying him entry at her workplace as he was unvaccinated. Acting on her tip-off, employees approached Utheyakumar and found that he was impersonating Singh. Immediately, the matter was reported to a duty manager of the Sentosa Development Corporation. Singh, who had allowed Utheyakumar to pose as him, was also given a five days' jail term in February after he pleaded guilty to a similar charge. For cheating by personation, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined. (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 28 (AP) In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, a series of explosions boomed near the television tower late Wednesday and at least temporarily knocked Russian channels off the air, Ukrainian and Russian news organizations reported. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said missiles and rockets were fired at the city from the direction of the Ukrainian forces to the northwest. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. Kherson has been occupied by Russian forces since early in the war. Ukrayinska Pravda, an online newspaper, said the strikes set off a fire and knocked Russian television channels off the air. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. RIA Novosti said the broadcast later resumed. It said Russian channels began broadcasting from Kherson last week. Russia has been determined to strengthen its control over the city, but residents have continued to come out onto the streets to protest the occupation. ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: BERLIN An independent research group says Germany was the biggest buyer of Russian energy during the first two months since the start of the war in Ukraine. A study published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air calculates that Russia earned $66.5 billion from fossil fuel exports since Russian troops attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24. Using data on ship movements, real-time tracking of gas flows through pipelines and estimates based on historical monthly trade, the researchers reckon Germany paid Russia about 9.1 billion euros for fossil fuel deliveries in the first two months of the war. The German government says it can't comment on estimates and declines to provide any figures of its own. __ LONDON Britain's top diplomat says Western allies should send tanks, planes and other heavy weapons to Ukraine, saying inaction would be the greatest provocation. NATO nations have supplied Ukraine with military supplies including missiles and armored vehicles. But so far they have been reluctant to send fighter planes for fear of escalating the conflict. U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said this is a time for courage, not caution. Despite Truss' call for jets, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said there were no plans for the U.K. to send planes to Ukraine. Truss also said Russia's attack on Ukraine must be a wake-up call for international institutions. She called for a new focus on military strength, economic security and deeper global alliances. __ BOSTON Cyberattacks by state-backed Russian hackers have destroyed data across dozens of organizations in Ukraine and produced a chaotic information environment, Microsoft says in a report released Wednesday. Nearly half the destructive attacks were against critical infrastructure, many times simultaneous to physical attacks, the report notes. A top Ukrainian cybersecurity official, Victor Zhora, told reporters in a news briefing on Wednesday that cyberattacks on telecommunications have sometimes coincided with artillery and other physical attacks. Microsoft assessed that Russia-aligned threat groups were pre-positioning for the conflict as early as March 2021, hacking into networks to obtain footholds they could later use to collect strategic and battlefield intelligence or to facilitate future destructive attacks. During the war, Russia's cyberattacks have at times not only degraded the functions of the targeted organizations but sought to disrupt citizens' access to reliable information and critical life services, and to shake confidence in the country's leadership, the company's Digital Security Unit says in the 20-page report. Kremlin cyber operations have had an impact in terms of technical disruption of services and causing a chaotic information environment, but Microsoft is not able to evaluate their broader strategic impact, the report says. ___ ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday that Russia's war on Ukraine screams that the world needs to stop importing oil and gas from Russia and instead move toward other forms of energy. At an international forum on offshore wind energy in Atlantic City, Granholm said the U.S. as well as its energy industries are on a war footing, and called for a rapid acceleration of renewable energy including offshore wind power. Her comments were echoed by Kadri Simson, the European Commissioner for Energy, who noted that Europe recently committed itself to a large-scale move away from Russian fossil fuel imports, and considers wind energy an important part of that transition. Their comments came as Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday and threatened to do the same to other countries, dramatically escalating its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine. European leaders decried the move as blackmail. Germany and Italy are among Europe's biggest consumers of Russian natural gas but have already been taking steps to reduce their dependence on Moscow. Russia is waging a war in Ukraine and the imperative to move away from Russian oil and gas, for the world to move away from Russian oil and gas screams that there is an imperative that we electrify, said Granholm, the former Michigan governor. Offshore wind is just a huge component in that. ___ UNITED NATIONS The U.N. says its humanitarian office is mobilizing an experienced team from around the world to coordinate the complex evacuation of civilians from the besieged steel plant in the battered Ukrainian city of Mariupol with the International Committee of the Red Cross. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to U.N. and ICRC participation in the evacuation from the plant during a nearly two-hour, one-on-one meeting Tuesday. The sprawling Azovstal complex, which has been almost completely destroyed by Russian attacks, is the last pocket of organized Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol. An estimated 2,000 troops and 1,000 civilians are said to be holed up in bunkers underneath the wrecked structure. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Wednesday that the U.N. is trying to translate the Guterres-Putin agreement in principle into an agreement in detail and an agreement on the ground. And ultimately what we want is to make sure that a cease-fire would be respected that would allow us to move people safely, he said. Haq said U.N. officials are having follow-on discussions Wednesday with authorities in Moscow and Kyiv to develop the operational framework for the timely evacuation of civilians. He said the exact timing depends on the outcome of discussions between the U.N. humanitarian office and Russia's Ministry of Defense in Moscow as well as between the U.N. crisis coordinator for Ukraine, Amin Awad, and the authorities in Kyiv, where Guterres will be meeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. ___ OTTAWA, Ontario The Canadian government said Wednesday that it has imposed sanctions on more than 200 people who are loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Russian forces have been backing separatist rebels in the Donbas area for eight years following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. The Canadian sanctions are focused on the renewed Russian attempt to annex areas of the Donbas by targeting people attempting to support the next phase of the two-month-old Russian war on Ukraine. Canada will not stand idly by and watch President Putin and his accomplices attempt to redraw the borders of Ukraine with impunity, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement. International law must be respected. Global Affairs Canada, the governmental department that manages the country's diplomatic relations, said the new measures target 11 senior officials and 192 other members of the People's Councils of the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk for supporting Putin's attack on the area. ___ WASHINGTON The White House says President Joe Biden will tour a Lockheed Martin facility that makes weapons systems, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, that the administration is providing to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia's 2-month-old invasion. Biden plans to visit the facility in Alabama on May 3. A Javelin is a long-range guided anti-tank missile that can be carried by one person. The United States says it has provided several thousand of the systems to Ukraine. ___ MADRID Russia announced Wednesday it was withdrawing from the United Nations World Tourism Organization just hours before the body's assembly voted to temporarily suspend the country's membership over the invasion of Ukraine, officials said. UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili made the announcement on his official Twitter account. He said it was the first U.N. body to address Russia's membership. The organization went ahead and approved the suspension at a special meeting in Madrid on Wednesday, where the organization has its headquarters. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's military offensive is an attack on the founding principles of the United Nations and on the values that tourism represents, such as peace, prosperity and universal respect and the observance of human rights, Spanish Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said in a statement following the decision. The assembly resolution included a clause that said the suspension could be reversed if a change in the politics of the Russian Federation were noted. Spain was one of 22 European nations that had promoted the motion. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Norway's Energy Minister Terje Aasland said Wednesday that the Scandinavian country's position as a stable, predictable and long-term supplier of energy to the European market is only becoming more important. It is underlined by what is now happening on the part of Gazprom, Aasland told Norwegian news agency NTB. The state-controlled Russian giant said it was shutting off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday because they refused to pay in Russian rubles, as President Vladimir Putin had demanded. Russia threatened to do the same to other countries, dramatically escalating its standoff with the West over the war in Ukraine. European leaders decried the move as blackmail. Norway exports about 95% of its gas via an extensive subsea pipeline network linking it to terminals in Germany, Britain, France and Belgium. Last month, Denmark decided to resume the construction of the Danish part of Baltic Pipe, which will connect Poland to Norwegian gas fields. ___ MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to Russia's parliament that the goals of the country's military operation in Ukraine will be achieved. Putin said in an address on Wednesday to both houses of parliament: I want to emphasize again that all the tasks of the special military operation we are conducting in the Donbas and Ukraine, launched on Feb. 24, will be unconditionally fulfilled. That, he said, will guarantee the security of the residents of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent shortly before launching its military action in Ukraine, as well as Crimea which Russia annexed in 2014 and our entire country in the historical perspective. ___ BERLIN Germany's economy minister says the government is considering all scenarios for a Russian-owned oil refinery that supplies much of the petroleum used in and around Berlin. Robert Habeck told reporters Wednesday that the German government's goal is to ensure the country becomes independent of Russian energy supplies, and companies established to procure fossil fuels from Russia are not helpful in that regard. The refinery at Schwedt is controlled by Rosneft, a Russian state-controlled oil and gas company. Asked whether Germany would go so far as to nationalize the refinery, an option foreseen in a regulatory change approved by Cabinet this week, Habeck said that we are in a situation where the government must expect and prepare for all scenarios. There are likely to be some we haven't thought of, he said. But we are considering everything conceivable and making political preparations. Habeck said Russia's decision to stop supplies of gas to Poland and Bulgaria was an example of the reality where energy is used as a weapon. He acknowledged that Germany was and remains one of the biggest consumers of Russian fossil fuels worldwide, though it is making all efforts to diversify its supplies, reduce consumption and switch to renewable energy so that we are not defenseless. ___ KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian presidential adviser has hinted that his country might be involved in a series of fires in border regions of Russia in recent days. On Wednesday, the governor of the Belgorod region said an ammunition depot was burning after several explosions were heard. Earlier this week, there was a blaze at an oil storage facility in Bryansk. Ukraine hasn't officially taken responsibility for those and other incidents, and Russian officials haven't publicly ascribed them to Ukrainian attacks. But Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in a Telegram post Wednesday that karma (is) a harsh thing. He said that Russian regions where the incidents happened are now also actively studying the concept of demilitarization.' Without directly admitting any Ukrainian involvement, he said that sooner or later the debts will have to be repaid. ___ ROME Premier Mario Draghi's office says the Italian leader will meet President Joe Biden in Washington on May 10. Draghi's office said in a statement on Wednesday that Ukraine will be at the center of discussions, including coordinated measures to support the Ukrainian population and to counter Russia's unjustified aggression. The leaders will also discuss energy security. Italy is among European countries that get a large proportion of their natural gas from Russia. Draghi and his ministers have been working to get alternative sources. ___ WARSAW, Poland Security authorities in Poland say that a Russian and a Belarusian man have been arrested on allegations that they spied for Russian intelligence. A spokesman for Poland's state security bodies, Stanislaw Zaryn, said Wednesday that material gathered by Polish military intelligence led to their arrest. He said that they were gathering sensitive military information, including about Polish troops in the area near Poland's border with Belarus. The men were arrested separately last week. ___ SOFIA, Bulgaria The Bulgarian government says the prime minister and defense minister will go to Ukraine to meet with that country's leaders. The goverment press office said Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Defense Minister Dragomir Zakov were being accompanied on Wednesday by members of Parliament. In Kyiv, they will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and with members of the 200,000-strong Bulgarian community in Ukraine. They also will visit Borodyanka, Bucha and Irpin, in the Kyiv region, to see damage caused by the Russian invasion. ___ BRUSSELS The head of the European Union's executive Commission says energy companies in the 27-nation bloc that agree to Moscow's demands to pay for gas deliveries in Russian rubles will be breaching the sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen spoke after Polish and Bulgarian officials said Moscow was cutting off natural gas deliveries to their countries due to their refusal to pay in rubles, a demand made by President Vladimir Putin after sanctions were levied against his nation. Von der Leyen said Wednesday that our guidance here is very clear. She said that to pay in rubles, if this is not foreseen in the contract, is a breach of our sanctions. We have round about 97% of all contracts that explicitly stipulate payments in euros or dollars, so it's very clear. And the request from the Russian side to pay in rubles is a unilateral decision and not according to the contracts. Von der Leyen said Russia's decision to cut off supplies to Poland and Bulgaria is another provocation from the Kremlin and an attempt to blackmail the EU. She said that, following an urgent meeting of member states, both Poland and Bulgaria are now receiving gas from their EU neighbors. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Russia has expelled three Norwegian diplomats following the expulsion from Norway earlier this month of three Russian diplomats. Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfelt said Wednesday that the Norwegians being kicked out were doing regular diplomatic work. She vowed that Norway will continue to stand with our close allies and partners against Russia's aggression and in our support for Ukraine, Huitfeld told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that like other European countries and allies, we have reduced contact with the Russian authorities to a minimum. On Tuesday, Russia expelled four Swedish diplomats. The Foreign Ministry in Stockholm said they too were engaged in normal diplomatic activities. ___ The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced sanctions against 287 British lawmakers in response to the U.K. sanctioning 368 members of Russia's lower house of parliament. The ministry on Wednesday released a list of both government and opposition lawmakers, and a few former lawmakers. They are now barred from entering Russia because they took the most active part in the establishment of anti-Russian sanctions instruments in London (and) contribute to the groundless ramping-up of Russophobic hysteria in the U.K. The ministry's statement said that hostile rhetoric and far-fetched accusations coming from the mouths of British parliamentarians not only condone the hostile course of London aimed at demonizing our country and (at) its international isolation, but are also used by opponents of mutually respectful dialogue with Russia to undermine the foundation of bilateral cooperation. Responding to the announcement, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that those 287 should regard it as a badge of honor. ___ MOSCOW The Kremlin has criticized a statement by a Ukrainian presidential adviser holding the door open to possible military action in the separatist Trans-Dniester region of Moldova. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday described the statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser Oleksiy Arestovych as quite provocative. Asked in a video stream if Ukraine could send its forces into Trans-Dniester, Arestovych said it could do that but only if Moldova asks for it. Trans-Dniester, a sliver of land with about 470,000 people, has been under the control of separatist authorities since a 1992 war with Moldova. Russia bases about 1,500 troops in the breakaway region, nominally as peacekeepers. Tensions in the region have escalated in recent days with a series of explosions, for which no one claimed responsibility, raising fears of broader hostilities. ___ BERLIN The German government has rejected criticism that it has been slow to provide Ukraine with weapons requested by Kyiv. Following domestic and international pressure, Germany announced this week that it would allow the delivery of self-propelled armored anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine to help it fend off Russia's military attack, backing off earlier reluctance provide heavy weapons to the country. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, said that the federal government and chancellor have looked with great seriousness at the difficult situation Ukraine, Europe and the entire world are in, and taken a very balanced decision." He told reporters in Berlin: I don't see a change of position on the part of the government, but continuity. ___ KYIV, Ukraine The International Atomic Energy Agency's director-general says the level of safety at Europe's largest nuclear plant, currently under Russian occupation in Ukraine, is like a red light blinking as his organization tries in vain to get access for work including repairs. In an interview with The Associated Press, Rafael Grossi said that the IAEA needs access to the Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine so its inspectors can, among other things, reestablish connections with the Vienna-based headquarters of the U.N. agency. And for that, both Russia and Ukraine need to help. The plant requires repairs, and all of this is not happening. So the situation as I have described it, and I would repeat it today, is not sustainable as it is, Grossi said. So this is a pending issue. This is a red light blinking. He spoke in an interview Wednesday, a day after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the issue. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth commissioned the newly procured Passenger Variant Dornier (PVD) under the Indian LOC and received the leased the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv from India, said the High Commission of India in Port Louis on Wednesday. Taking to Twitter, the High Commission of India in Port Louis said, this is another milestone in the India-Mauritius relationship. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. "The platforms will enhance the operational capabilities of Mauritius Police Force and help them in catering to ever-increasing maritime challenges in the IOR," the High Commission tweeted. Recently, the Mauritius Prime Minister was on an eight-day visit to India. He also met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. During the visit, the Mauritius Prime Minister offered prayers at Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Mauritius PM also held a meeting with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. Meanwhile, 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 stated 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. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], April 28 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and said the country got rid of him, local media reported. While addressing the PML-N Workers' Convention in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said, "Those who are predicting the end of Nawaz Sharif's politics have seen him being honour despite staying in London, on the other hand, someone sitting in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has been disgraced," ARY News reported. Also Read | Brazils Vale Announces Share Buyback Program Latest Tweet by Reuters. She said that Nawaz Sharif has just ousted a government from London and soon, he will bury the politics of his rivals. Maryam Nawaz further slammed Imran Khan and said he had promised to construct 5 million houses for the nationals but he has just constructed his own house in Zaman Park, ARY News reported. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. With the Pakistan government being led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, brother and Former PM Nawaz Sharif has been issued a new passport that will enable him to travel to the country, reported local media outlet citing sources. Nawaz Sharif's new passport is valid for 10 years till April 2032. The passport's status is "active" as per the evidence shared by a trusted source and it is not diplomatic but "ordinary". This is a key development as ousted PM Imran Khan's government had refused to renew Nawaz's passport after it expired in February last year. The PML-N supremo was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019, and a month later, he was allowed to travel abroad for treatment for four weeks but he is still in London to date, reported the media outlet. Imran Khan had been slamming Nawaz for going abroad for treatment. Earlier in February, the ousted PM noted that letting the PML-N supremo leave Pakistan was a "major mistake" of his government. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): Marking the 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the deepening ties between the two countries. "As we celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan today, I am happy to see that our ties have deepened in every sphere, whether strategic, economic or people-to-people contacts," tweeted PM Modi. Also Read | Elon Musk on Fun Trail, Says Buying Coca Cola Next. "The recent visit of my friend PM Kishida @kishida230 to India for the Annual Summit laid out a roadmap for deepening our Special Strategic and Global Partnership in a post-COVID world. I look forward to continue working with PM Kishida to realize that objective. #IndiaJapanat70," he added. Notably, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida came on a two-day visit to India on March 19-20 for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi which saw the signing of several agreements on bilateral cooperation between the two countries. This was PM Kishida's first bilateral visit to India. Also Read | US President Joe Biden to Meet PM Narendra Modi at Quad Summit in Tokyo Next Month, Says White House. During the visit, the Indian and Japanese counterparts held deliberations on a wide range of topics and welcomed the launch of several new initiatives between the two countries, on clean energy partnership, development of India's northeast and bamboo cultivation and processing. Further, PM Modi will likely meet his Japanese counterpart again next month as the summit of leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) nations, that is, the United States, Australia, Japan and India, will be held in Tokyo on May 24. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ankara [Turkey], April 28 (ANI/Sputnik): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a two-day visit at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss the relations and cooperation between their countries. "President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Saudi Arabia on April 2022, upon the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia," Erdogan's office said in a statement, as quoted by Turkish news agency Anadolu. Also Read | Potentially Hazardous Giant Asteroid Set To Zoom Past Earth on Thursday, Says NASA. The sides will review bilateral relations, as well as "the possibilities of developing cooperation," the statement said. The meeting will also focus on "regional and international issues as well as bilateral relations," it added. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | Elon Musk on Fun Trail, Says Buying Coca Cola Next. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London [UK], April 28 (ANI): As the United Kingdom realize its growing dependence on Bejing for the development of new nuclear power projects, the country has recently begun to mull preventive actions to save the strategic sector from getting into Chinese hands, said a media report. Di Valerio Fabbri, writing in Geopolitica.info said the UK government is reportedly working on a deal aimed at removing China from a 20-billion project to construct a nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. The Sizewell C power station project, which is still in the planning and development phase, is owned by a French state-backed power giant EDF with an 80 per cent holding, and the China General Nuclear (CGN) having the remaining 20 per cent. UK government now plans to acquire a stake in the project, alongside the EDF, which would result into the removal of CGN from the project, said the report. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. The existing nuclear facilities in the UK are owned by EDF along with Centrica, a British energy company. The company had to shut down many plants ahead of schedule and four out of the seven stations are due to retire by March 2024. As a result, there has been an increasing push to build more nuclear power plants in recent years. The exigency has proved to be quite conducive for China to enter UK in a big manner, said the report. A nuclear deal signed during a visit to London of Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 cleared the road leading to China's future dominance in nuclear industry of UK. Under the deal, China got to fund Hinkley and Sizewell nuclear power projects, and then install its own reactors at a third site at Bradwell in Essex. However, what stoked analysts' fears was the deal's scope of letting China be a majority owner of a proposed plant of its own design, at a site about 50 miles from London, the report said. Meanwhile, the fears appear to be coming true with the indigenous Hualong-I reactor design of CGN getting the approval of UK's nuclear regulators for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and Environment Agency for construction in Britain in February 2022. With this, it joined the league of two other reactor designs approved in 2012 and 2017. CGN already owns 33.5 per cent in the project coming up at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is due for completion in 2026, Fabbri said. According to Fabbri's report, the recent development demonstrates that containing China's increasing inroads in the strategic sector is easier said than done for London. Notably, the United States has also been cautioning the country against heavy reliance on China for nuclear power plants citing national security concerns. In 2019, Washington blacklisted CGN over allegations of stealing nuclear technology. The Chinese company and its subsidiaries China General Nuclear Power Corp., China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, and Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute were reported to be trying to acquire advanced US nuclear tech for military use. The former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in mid 2020 urged Britain to choose sides in the battle to develop nuclear technology, saying it "stands ready to assist our friends in the UK with any needs they have", Fabbri said. According to the report, London's difficulties in dealing with Chinese companies have been increasingly apparent in recent years. A couple of years ago the UK government announced a ban on Huawei, a Chinese telecoms equipment manufacturer, from participating in its 5G mobile phone network, citing national security concerns. The two countries have also differed on other issues including the crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and the harsh treatment of Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region. UK's handling of the latest issue is of great concern and it would certainly test its ability to balance its energy needs with security concerns, the report added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kyiv [Ukraine], April 28 (ANI): Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday (local time) congratulated Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for becoming the youngest Foreign Minister of Pakistan in the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Taking to Twitter, Kuleba said that he is looking forward to working together with the newly appointed Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. "Looking forward to working together with the newly appointed Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari @BBhuttoZardari. We count on further developing bilateral ties and our mutually beneficial cooperation with Pakistan," Kuleba tweeted. On Wednesday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and the chief of coalition ally PPP, took oath as the new Foreign Minister from Pakistan's President Arif Alvi, in Islamabad, Geo News reported. Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. Meanwhile, congratulations poured in after Bilawal Bhutto took oath as Foreign Minister of Pakistan. "Heartiest congratulations to @BBhuttoZardari on the start of his public service career. I am confident he will add tremendous value to our foreign policy and inject it with a fresh perspective. I wish him the very best & look forward to working with him," Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted. "Congratulations @BBhuttoZardari Prayers for your success," Maryam Nawaz Sharif, vice president of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) tweeted. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Apr 28 (PTI) A Hindu body here called the USCIRF report on religious freedom a work of "Hinduphobic" commission members while Muslim and Christian groups hailed the observations made in it, demanding that the US declare India as a "country of particular concern". The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommended to the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as "countries of particular concern" in the context of religious freedom. Also Read | Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Visits LoC, Lauds Combat Readiness of Troops. The recommendations are not binding on the US government. HinduPACT, an initiative of the World Hindu Council of America, in a statement alleged that the USCIRF has been taken over by "Indophobic and Hinduphobic members". Also Read | China Concerned Over Falling Birth Rate Amid Decline in Marriage Registrations. The American Muslim Institution (AMI) and its associate organisations applaud the USCIRF recommendation, saying religious freedom conditions in India "significantly worsened" in 2021. The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations and the Indian American Muslim Council in separate statements also applauded the USCIRF recommendation. During a special virtual congressional briefing, a day after the release of the report, USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava had alleged that Indian government officials were tolerating and engaging in religious persecution of Muslims and Christians with prolific mob violence. India has dismissed such allegations. Senior US government officials have told lawmakers that India has a vibrant civil society, an independent judiciary and a mature functional democracy, which has enough mechanisms to address the internal human rights concerns if any. HinduPACT in a statement slammed the USCIRF. "This year's report follows a pattern of reports that have appeared in previous years. Based on publicly available information on topics like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the USCIRF report is a copy-and-paste of talking points peddled by an agglomeration of Islamist groups working with radical Islamist group Justice for All on whose platform USCIRF commissioners appear regularly," alleged Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduPACT. "It is now obvious that the USCIRF has been taken over by the Indophobic and Hinduphobic members. Many of these members have attended India and Hindu bashing events. It is no surprise that their selective observations are meant to promote a political agenda and further their electoral reach in select communities," said Ajay Shah, president of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA). In a statement, Koshy George, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, recommended that the president and the US Administration accept the USCIRF recommendations and name India as a "country of particular concern" while it could still help protect American interests in that region for the long-term. "This could also go a long way in helping the Union of India remain a functioning liberal democracy with respect for all religious and linguistic minorities," he said. Indian-American Muslim Council executive director Rasheed Ahmed said they commend the USCIRF for "refusing to cave in to the lobbying of US-based right-wing Hindu nationalist groups and making clear that the ground reality of minorities in India is of constant harassment and violence". "Given the damning information presented in this report, US State Department officials must now act on the recommendations made by the USCIRF by officially designating India as a CPC and by imposing targeted sanctions upon the Indian government to hold officials responsible for encouraging hate," said Syed Afzal Ali, president of the IAMC. (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 28: With an aim to provide stable and clean power supply to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Ministry of Home Affairs will set up a renewable energy-based power supply project with Japanese aid. On March 31, the government had signed a grant agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to provide a loan of $133 million. This project is being executed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' administration and expected to be completed by February 2024. Once completed, this will help the administration to reduce the carbon footprint in the islands by replacing diesel-based power generation with clean renewable energy, according to government officials. The proposed renewable energy based power supply will provide power supply in the most sensitive South Andaman region in particular by utilising power generated from renewable energy sources through equipment and facilities such as storage battery system and grid interconnection system. As per government data, the total population of union territory in 2021 was 400,647, which is dependent on diesel generation in the individual islands. The power generation is through 53 power plants in 19 inhabited Islands, out of which 12 power houses are in North and Middle Andaman. The officials also said that the South Andaman is more eco-sensitive that houses the indigenous Jarawa tribes. Earthquake of Magnitude 4.4 Hits Andaman and Nicobar Islands Campbell Bay. Many parts of South Andaman are protected areas, therefore, the option of renewable energy is the best option, they added. This project will also cater the clean power supply to the defence forces deployed to keep an eye on the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2022 02:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Lakhimpur Kheri , April 28: A Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) jawan has been booked for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said. The survivor alleged that the accused had taken her photographs while she was taking a bath and then blackmailed her. A departmental enquiry has also been set up against the jawan and the police have registered a case under IPC sections 376 (rape), 452 (house trespass after preparations to assault) and 506 (Criminal intimidation). According to the complaint, the SSB jawan often used to visit a neighbour of the survivor and one day he managed to make an alleged video while she was in the bathroom. The accused allegedly blackmailed the woman and forced her to have sexual relations with him. Ahmedabad Shocker: Four Men Gang-Rape Differently-Abled Migrant Woman Several Times; Booked. Kotwali Station House Officer, Arun Kumar Singh on Thursday said, "The FIR has been registered against the jawan and his unit has been informed. We have registered the complainant's statement and she will be produced before a magistrate to record her statement under section 164 CrPC. We have not included the section of IT act in the FIR as no video or picture has been recovered so far." (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2022 08:26 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). SNAP benefits 2022 recipients can use the progam to save 50 percent on their Amazon Prime membership. SNAP benefits are usually used to purchase fresh groceries and other qualified products on Amazon, according to a Go Banking Rates report. However, recipents can also check if they are qualified for the 50 percent off Prime by visiting its website, where they will be asked to enter their EBT number, upload an image of their card, and select the state that issued the card from the dropdown menu. Amazon wants qualifying recipients to be aware that their EBT card will not be used to pay for the discounted membership, which is $6.99 per month. Other beneficiaries of government assistance programs--such as Medicare, Direct Express, the National School Lunch Program, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and Supplemental Security Income--may also qualify for the benefit. Recipients for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Women, Infants, and Children could also get the benefit. For a limited time, users can upload an Economic Income Payment card to apply for the discount. READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: Texas, California, Florida, Other States Payment Updates SNAP Benefits 2022 Update SNAP benefits were being issued even before the pandemic started. With that said, it will continue to support families who need an extra assistance across the United States. However, the pandemic saw an emergency rate increase implemented. Seven states have announced that they will continue to offer a high level of SNAP payments in May, according to a Marca report. States such as New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin are among the states to offer a higher level of SNAP payments in May. The higher rate will also be maintained for the time being in Washington D.C. All households in states with increased SNAP benefits will receive emergency allotments of at least $95. Households receiving $95 or more will remain to receive that same amount. SNAP benefits are usually paid out through an electronic benefits transfer card or EBT card. However, some states may give this program a bit differently. In New Mexico, it is called the Fiesta Card while California calls the program CalFresh, according to another Go Banking Rates report. To be qualified, residents are required to meet income and resource requirements, which are updated annually. Amazon Prime Amazon Prime is a subscription service that gives members access to various Amazon perks, which include fast shipping, access to exclusive Amazon deals, as well as free movie streaming, per a Toms Guide report. Amazon recently raised its rates from $119 per year to $139 per year, with month-to-month rates increasing from $12.99 per month to $14.99 per month. After March 25, existing members started paying the new rates. Meanwhile, Amazon announced a new benefit for its 150 million Amazon Prime members, which is Amazon Prime Gaming. It is the latest freebie in Amazon Prime's digital perks. Prime Gaming is a rebranding of Twitch Prime. READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022: Schedule of April Payments in Oregon, Emergency Allotments Revealed This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: 12 Surprising Things You Can Buy with Food Stamps on Amazon - from Low Income Relief At least 20 people from Haiti were reported dead on Wednesday following the gang wars that continue to occur in the four neighborhoods of the country's capital, Port-au-Prince. According to Associated Press, the fighting between gangs reportedly sparked on Sunday, in the neighborhoods north of the country's international airport. The number of casualties in the recent gang wars was confirmed by Haiti's Civil Protection Agency. A family of eight, including six children, was among those killed since the fight between gangs started. Resident Lucien, who lives in the northern slums, told AFP on Wednesday that armed men from the 400 Mawozo gang set fire to his house and killed several of his neighbors before they also set fire to their residences, via France 24. "They rape women and girls when they manage to get into a house," Lucien added. The residents of Port-au-Prince were not the only ones affected by the siege between gangs in Haiti. Associated Press mentioned that one bullet had also hit an empty United Nations humanitarian Air Service Helicopter that is stationed near the airport. The Miami Herald also mentioned residents claiming that the fight between gangs also affected the operations of the public transportation and street markets between Croix-des-Missions and Bon Repos. "The conflict is likely to escalate in the coming days, leading to further casualties and new population migrations," the Civil Protection Agency said. Officials warned that the main road leading to Haiti's northern region could be cut off as a result of the gang wars. READ NEXT: Death of Mexican Teenager Sparks Massive Protests in Monterrey; Gender Violence Crisis in Mexico Intensifies Haiti: Thousands of Families Displaced Over Fighting of Gangs Reports claim that thousands of people from the country's capital were displaced due to the gang wars that started on Sunday. The specific number of displaced locals from Port-au-Prince was not mentioned by authorities. AP noted that families with children stayed at a park near a local mayor's office. According to the Miami Herald, over 20,000 Haitians were displaced from their homes in Martissant and surrounding communities. The said community is located in the southern part of the country's capital. France 24 added that residents were also placed in dire straits, with some of the locals claiming that they have no food and water. One young woman was mentioned by the outlet claiming that they can't get any medicine for his father who is in critical condition. The father was reportedly suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes. "We are in a situation where the only thing you can think about is your security. Not schooling, not anything else. There is no living here. The insecurity situation has paralyzed the country. ... If you don't have a need to go out in Haiti, you don't go out," Haiti's leading human rights defender Pierre Esperance told the Miami Herald. What Gangs Are Responsible for the Violence in Haiti? According to the Civil Protection Agency, this week's violence in Haiti's capital centered on the 400 Mawozo gangs and the Chen Mechan gang. Reports did not mention what was the issue that ignited the fight between the rival groups. The Miami Herald noted that a voice note circulating on social media warned the Haitian Police to stay away from their fight. A statement from Haiti's Ombudsman-like Citizen Protection Office has condemned the gang wars that continue in the capital. The office criticized the political leaders, claiming that their inaction and silence brought a "form of cynicism or contempt for human rights," specifically the right to life and security of the people. READ NEXT: Haiti Protests: 1 Dead, 2 Injured After Police Fired into Haitian Protesters in Port-au-Prince This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Gang Violence Running Rampant Throughout Haiti - From CBS News Police in Mexico had unearthed a pile of about 150 skulls in a cave near the Guatemalan border. At first, the Mexican police thought they were looking at a crime scene, taking the bones to the capital of Chiapas state. However, Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said Wednesday that the skulls were from sacrificial victims killed between AD 900 and 1200, The Guardian reported. The INAH noted that it took a decade of tests and analysis to determine that the skulls brought to Tuxtla Gutierrez in 2012 were sacrificial victims. Experts said the victims in the cave had probably been ritually decapitated, and the skulls were put on display as a kind of trophy rack known as a "tzompantli." Spanish conquistadores wrote about the said racks in the 1520s, with some Spaniards' heads ending up in the same rack. It was common practice among the Aztecs and other cultures, with experts saying that the cave skulls may have rested atop poles rather than being strung on them. Typically, the Mexica expertly decapitated victims and carved standardized holes in the skulls' sides so they could be arranged on wooden poles and posts into a rack called the tzompantli, which held hundreds or even thousands of skulls. READ NEXT: Mexico Creates National Guard Special Team to Recover Stolen Archaeological Pieces Skulls Discovered in Mexico Were Sacrificial Remains There were reportedly more women than men among the sacrificial victims, and none of them had any teeth. In light of the cave experience, archaeologist Javier Montes de Paz said people should probably call archaeologists and not the police, Washington Post reported. Montes de Paz noted that when people find something that could be in an archeological context, they should not touch it and notify local authorities or the INAH. Archaeological evidence seemed to suggest that human sacrifice was indeed a regular aspect of Aztec culture and religious practices. But historians and archaeologists said the conquistadors were prone to exaggerating the terrors of human sacrifice to demonize the Mexica culture. The INAH has already confirmed the existence of tzompantli. In 2015, INAH archaeologists discovered and excavated the remains of a skull rack and one of the towers underneath a colonial period house on the street that runs Mexico City's cathedral. Aztec Culture of Sacrificial Remains According to Science News, much of the Templo Mayor survived to be discovered. The Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Mexica in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. The Mexica people had built it in seven phases between 1325 and 1521, corresponding to the reign of a king. The Spanish destroyed the temple's final phases, with the smaller temples from earlier reigns were paved over but left relatively not ruined. Those ruins are now part of the Templo Mayor Museum. However, many structures surrounding the ruins remained hidden beneath the colonial city, now the modern megalopolis. Human sacrifice was mainly an important practice in Mesoamerica, with many of the region's cultures having believed that human sacrifice nourished gods. Most cultures that practiced human sacrifice include Maya and the Mexica. They believed that without human sacrifice, the sun would stop rising, and the world would end. They also believed that sacrificial victims earned a special "honored place" in the afterlife. Social scientists noted that costly offerings and painful rituals, such as bloodletting ceremonies, can help define and strengthen group identity. READ MORE: Mexico City Replacing Christopher Columbus Statue With One of Indigenous Woman; City Mayor Says It's to Deliver "Social Justice" This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Tenochtitlan -The Venice of Mesoamerica (Aztec History) - From Invicta The United States and Russia have carried out an unexpected prisoner exchange in a time of spiraling tensions, trading U.S. Marine Trevor Reed for a convicted Russian drug trafficker on Wednesday. Reed was a U.S. Marine detained in Russia for nearly three years. The trade would have been a notable diplomatic maneuver even in times of peace. But it was more surprising since it was done during Russia's war with Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. Russia received on their end as part of the deal Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who is serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. Reed's father, Joey, told the AP that the U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange occurred in Turkey when "the two planes pulled up side by side... and then they got out." "I think it's going to really hit home for him and for us when we finally get to see him and touch him," Joey told the outlet. Reed is a 30-year-old former Marine from Texas. He was arrested in the summer of 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer while being driven by police to a police station after a night of heavy drinking. Russian authorities sentenced him to nine years in prison, which the U.S. government described as being "unjustly detained." READ NEXT: U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Meet With Ukraine Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Trevor Reed Released via U.S.-Russia Prisoner Exchange Trevor Reed's parents received a call from President Joe Biden, whom they met in Washington D.C. last month. Biden noted that Joey was "totally gracious and wonderful and kind," Yahoo News reported. He also told Reed's parents that he hoped they would be able to meet with them again soon. Biden has confirmed Reed's release in a statement. The president noted that he was delighted to be able to share with Reed's family the good news about the former Marine's freedom. Biden said the negotiations that allowed them to bring Reed home required difficult decisions that he does not take lightly. Biden noted that Reed's safe return was a "testament to the priority" that his administration places on bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki commented on Konstantin Yaroshenko's release, saying that he had already served the majority of his prison sentence for a nonviolent drug crime. Psaki added that their overriding priority was the safe return of Reed, whose health had reportedly deteriorated. Russia-Ukraine War U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that he hopes to move toward reopening the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv in the next few weeks while U.S. diplomats started returning to Lviv for day trips on Tuesday. Blinken noted that the administration would put forward a request for supplemental funding in the "next couple of days" after Biden exhausted the budget in his presidential drawdown authority to aid in providing weapons and other military assistance to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Microsoft released a detailed report of what it described as "destructive" Russian cyberattacks on Ukraine, ABC News reported. Microsoft has reportedly observed nearly 40 attacks targeting "hundreds of systems," with 32 percent of the destructive attacks directly targeting Ukrainian government organizations. READ MORE: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelensky Says if Pres. Joe Biden Acted Sooner 'There Would Be No War' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Timeline: Trevor Reed's Detention in Russia and Release - From ABC News A man in Mexico exhumed his dead mom's body, put it on a cargo tricycle, and took it through the streets of a town in Quintana Roo on Thursday night. Authorities said Wilbert Puch Hau, 47, took his dead mother back to their home in the Maya community of Noh-Bec in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto as he believed that she was still alive. According to Mexico News Daily, Hermelinda Hau Mis had recently died, and the 70-year-old mom was buried in the community cemetery. Noh-Bec mayor Aurelio Aguilar Hernandez reported that someone had entered the town's pantheon at around 10:40 p.m. Thursday, desecrated a tomb, and exhumed a body. Witnesses said Puch Hau claimed to have had "a revelation" that his mother was only sleeping, which prompted him to dig out the recently buried body. Puch Hau's 81-year-old father, widower Longimo Puch Chuc, admitted to the police who went to their home that his son exhumed his wife's body. Longimo also said his son told him that he had a dream that his mom was still alive. Other family members spoke to Puch Hau and told him he was mistaken. They persuaded him, saying he could not keep his dead's mom body. At around 1:20 a.m. on Friday, the body was returned to its coffin and reburied. Relatives sealed the tomb. Longimo did not pursue any complaint against his son for the theft of the body, El Universal reported. READ NEXT: El Chapo Sons' Hitman Shot Dead by Rival Gang of Sinaloa Cartel While Eating His Last Taco in Mexico Bodies Exhumed in Mexico Eustaquio Pech Ku, a public attorney for indigenous issues, said the state Attorney General's Office had received a complaint from police. Pech Ku noted that the act could be probed "as a crime against respect for the dead and against the rules of burial covered in the criminal code of the state." In 2015, Mexican authorities investigated whether forensic officials illegally transferred some 150 bodies from morgues to two mass graves. Morelos state prosecutor's office has started the investigation after the release of a video showing forensic officials in white protective suits exhuming bodies in the village of Tetelcingo, ABC News reported. At that time, Morelos chief prosecutor Javier Perez said they would review whether the forensic officials acted within the protocols required by law. Mayans in Mexico Bring Out Dead in Intimate Graveyard Rite Grieving Maya Indians in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula cleaned the remains of their late loved ones during a unique annual family reunion with the dead. According to Reuters, the tradition dates back centuries. After three years in the grave, families in Pomuch exhumed their dead and transferred their dried bones and skulls, often with hair attached, to wooden crates on permanent display in open funeral niches. Families gather every year in a two-day ritual preceding the November 1 and November 2 Day of the Dead festival at the painted tombs to replace the boxes' embroidered cloth linings and give the remains themselves spruce up. According to the beliefs of the Pomuch people, the dead are believed to be "purified" during the first three years after their death. They are then dug out and welcomed back as highly respected members of extended families. One theory suggests that villagers may have begun exhuming their dead for sanitary reasons after they were faced with an overflowing cemetery. READ MORE: El Chapo's Sons of Sinaloa Cartel Organized a 'Narco Fiesta' Ahead of Christmas Day in Mexico Town, Raffled off Brand New Cars This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Narco Cemeteries in El Chapo's Hometown - From Stories A new official supermarket has been announced for Electric Picnic which returns this September to Laois. Aldi has signed a new three-year deal with Electric Picnic to become the Official Supermarket Partner to Irelands premier music festival. After three long years without festivals, Electric Picnic 2022 sold out in minutes and the #TeamAldiIreland are excited to join festival goers in Stradbally this year, for what is sure to be one of the best festivals yet. Melvin Benn, Festival Republic Managing Director said it will give "huge value" to festival goers. Its been three years since our last Electric Picnic so we cannot wait to entertain our fans with the very best line-up to date and cater for their every need. We are delighted to welcome Aldi as our newest partner at this years festival, who will be there to provide the essentials across the campsite, giving huge value to festival attendees, he said. So, what can you expect from Aldi at Electric Picnic? The retailer will have a pop-up store with all of your festival essentials, located conveniently for festival campers and will remain open for festival attendees to shop throughout the three-day festival. Festival goers will be able to purchase breakfast foods, snacks, sweet treats, beauty items and sun cream to the all-important festival Specialbuys to fully kit out your camping area when you arrive. Items such as sleeping bags, festival pop-up tents and camping chairs will be available for those who leave their packing to the last minute. Camping can be enjoyed all year around, so Aldi and Electric Picnic are encouraging festival goers to bring home their tents and camping essentials after the festival to enjoy for years to come. Aldi has two stores in Laois, at Portlaoise and Portarlington. However all 150 stores will be celebrating AldiFest throughout the summer, whether youre attending Electric Picnic personally or hosting a mini festival at home. In the run up to Electric Picnic, Aldis social channels and in store will offer chances to win the Ultimate Festival Experience with great festival themed prizes, from special access Electric Picnic tickets and glamping to pop-up tents and picnic tables. Niall OConnor is the Aldi Group Managing Director. This is a significant announcement for Aldi customers and employees alike as we finally reveal this very exciting partnership. Weve been working with Electric Picnic over the last few months to finalise our plans which includes a festival orientated Aldi supermarket at the event. At Aldi, value is at the heart of everything we offer, and we know that going to a festival means people still want that value in their pockets - and in their tents. Our customers continue to demand more from us, and we are confident that our presence at Electric Picnic will add to festival goers experience. Those attending can look forward to all the best Aldi offers from Specialbuys and grocery essentials to last-minute forgotten items and campsite snacks. To be able to bring our offering to Stradbally is a special milestone for us as a business bringing together Irelands favourite supermarket with Irelands favourite festival! Prison Officers have claimed that they are ending up before judges on false accusations of assault because of claims made by inmates. The allegation was made at the Prison Officers Association Annual (POA) Delegate Conference in Sligo in a speech by Tony Power, the association's President. We are deeply concerned about continuing false statements made by prisoners, leading to unjust and unnecessary court appearances by our members He said he raised that when he addressed 2019 Annual Delegate conference a colleague was in court. "At that exact time one of our members was in the dock of a Circuit Court, accused of assaulting a prisoner and of making a false statement to Gardai. CCTV quite clearly showed that the officer had done nothing wrong and the only one false statement that was that of the prisoner. This officer followed his training to the letter of the law, it was textbook, straight from the Irish Prison Service Control & Restraint Manual, a manual the judge said held no weight in his court but a manual that is still in use today. "Despite the fact that two independent expert witnesses were willing to testify that the actions of this officer on the day were exemplary and that the CCTV footage of the incident could be used as a Training Video, despite all this Minister, the officer and his family had to endure the stresses of an entire trial because the Prison Service refused to stand up and protect their staff member. This officer stood in court and listened as his employer offered him no protection in front of the judge. The employer merely stated that the Irish Prison Service had no role to play. How convenient I might say?" said Mr Power. The POA president said jury found the officer not guilty. He als described a second such incident at the conference. In the recent past at another of the states prisons our members had to deal with another violent uncompliant prisoner. Again, these officers used all their specialized training in Control and Restraint. Control & Restraint training in the Irish Prison Service is scenario-based, and while it is recognized as the most effective training system, it can never fully replicate the challenges faced by staff in some live situations. While every effort is made by staff to ensure the safety of the prisoner it is inevitable that at times people will get injured, both staff and prisoners. "In the incident in question the prisoner, while violently resisting staff, allegedly suffered a black eye. This prisoner was at the time one of the most high-profile prisoners in the state and when the Director General was made aware of the situation, she immediately visited the prison in question insisting that the staff involved be suspended without any procedure or investigation. Thankfully, in this case, the governor intervened. "These two incidents go to highlight the difficulty our members are facing on an almost daily basis. All it takes is for a prisoner to make a category A complaint and our members are under investigation for Doing their Job. "In court the Irish Prison Service is refusing to take the stand to outline the training staff receive, staff adherence to IPS Policies and the C&R Manual, which is a 300-page blueprint of all C&R tactics and techniques. The IPS and the Chief States Solicitor are also refusing to indemnify staff who may find themselves in front of the courts for following their training .and the rulebook," he said. Mr Power said the Prison Officers Association will continue to support our members in these situations but he predicted a change in practice if his colleagues are to protect themselves. "The day is fast approaching when we will have to advise our members when there is trouble in our prisons to step back and just call the Gardai. This is something we would not wish to do, however, we have a duty to protect our members, he said. Power concluded by stressing to the Minister for Justice who attended the conference that prison officers can no longer be asked intervene in disturbances if this puts their livelihood at risk A planning appeal that was going to further delay a long awaited new special school in Laois has been withdrawn, with the project now "full steam ahead". Kolbe Special School for severely disabled children in Portlaoise, was approved for a new building last month, but the school then lodged an appeal over one planning condition set by Laois County Council. The condition relating to road access would have raised the project cost. All is now straightened out, according to Sean Fleming TD, Minister of State in the Department of Finance. "I am pleased to announce that it is full steam ahead for Kolbe School in Portlaoise. "Plans are now proceeding immediately for the preparation of and drawing up of the tender documents so this project can go to tender and then to construction as quickly as possible. "There had been a delay in this project as the school had lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala which has now been withdrawn. "I had stated that a new Kolbe School for Portlaoise was my Number 1 priority during the last General Election campaign and I restated that on several occasions since," he said. Minister Fleming explained the issue. "Recently Laois County Council announced that they were granting planning permission for the new school, but the issue of an adequate buffer zone to the western side of the site to provide access way and a roadline route from the Stradbally Road to the Dublin Road had to be dealt with before the development could proceed. "The school lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala in the event that an agreement would not be reached at local level. "However I personally on a number of occasions spoke directly with Kolbe School Management, the Department of Education, the Minister for Education and senior officials in Laois County Council who were dealing with this in an effort to resolve the issue. "I am pleased to confirm that following these discussions, and discussions between Laois County Council and the school authorities regarding revised proposals in relation to reducing the buffer zone that this matter is now fully resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned. The new school project is now at tender preparation stage. "Preparation of the tender documents had already commenced but was on hold while this matter was before An Bord Pleanala. This process is now resumed. "In the interest of clarification, I wish to confirm that while I did deal with Kolbe School, the Department of Education and Laois County Council on this matter at no stage did I make contact with An Bord Pleanala. "I am very pleased now that the appeal has been withdrawn and the Department of Education, Kolbe School and Laois County Council are fully satisfied with the outcome and this project can proceed as originally intended. "I want to thank everyone involved for their constructive approach in bringing this matter to a speedy conclusion and I look forward to this project going out to tender as soon as possible. "As always I am available to help all schools in the County in relation to proposed capital or other projects in their schools and I will assist in every way I can," the Minister of State said. Kolbe is the only school for children with profound special needs in Laois, with 41 pupils but five of the seven classes are in prefabs. A new school has been on the Department of Education's list since 2001. The new replacement school building will be on a greenfield site, set aside for many years beside the school on the Block Road. The single storey building will have 8 classrooms and ancillary accommodation including a General Purpose room, a Home Economics Room, a Daily Living Skills room, library and resource area. The family of a 26-year-old mother of two who had a brain tumour and died eight years ago has settled High Court proceedings against two GPs and two hospitals over the care she received before her death. Laura McDonnells family settled several actions including for nervous shock against two GPs, St Jamess Hospital, Dublin and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. The familys counsel, Gabriel Gavigan SC with Barbara McGrath BL, told the court it was very sad and tragic and it was their case that if Lauras brain tumour had been caught earlier, her life could have been saved. Brain stem tests on February 19, 2014 at Beaumont Hospital showed no brainstem activity and Ms McDonnell was declared dead. Counsel said it was their case that the GPs, one of whom she visited on four occasions complaining of headache allegedly misdiagnosed her condition as sinusitis and there was an alleged failure to consider any other diagnosis. Mr Gavigan told Mr Justice Paul Coffey, Ms McDonnell should have been referred on to hospital but the situation took a terrible turn for the worse. She was referred to St Jamess Hospital on January 30, 2014, but he said was discharged from A&E without a proper clinical assessment. Counsel said Ms McDonnell returned to the hospital A&E the next day, but it was their contention there had been an alleged delay of about 17 hours without proper assessment. After she was transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin Counsel said there was an alleged failure to arrange for an urgent MRI. She had a tumour on her brain. Our experts would say if it was caught earlier her life could have been saved, Counsel said. Laura McDonnells partner, Graham Byrne of Liffey Valley Park, Lucan, and Lauras mother Bernadette McDonnell of Palmerstown, Dublin had sued GPs, Dr Orla Johnston of Grange Cross Medical, Grange Cross, Ballyfermot, Dublin and Dr Fiona McGrath of the same practice along with St Jamess Hospital Dublin and Beaumont Hospital Dublin. They had sued for nervous shock claiming alleged negligence and breach of duty over the provision of clinical services and in the clinical assessment and management and treatment of Laura Mc Donnell and her death on February 19, 2014. It was claimed Ms McDonnell attended Dr Johnston on November 26, 2013, complaining of a persistent headache and a clinical diagnosis of sinusitis was made and she was started on antibiotics. A few days later she reattended with the same GP and was diagnosed with persistent sinusitis. She went to Dr Johnston again on January 28, 2014, complaining of feeling rotten and it was claimed a decision was made to trial saline sinus washouts with antibiotics and steroids if needed. It was claimed on January 30, 2014, she attended with Dr Fiona McGrath and complained of feeling worse and the clinical notes recorded that she described head pressure. Ms McDonnell attended another GP and was referred to St Jamess Hospital Dublin for urgent assessment and to rule out meningitis. It was claimed when she arrived at the hospital there were significant queues and delays and she was advised to return the following morning. When she returned to St Jamess Hospital the next day and was clinically assessed, and it was concluded that she had an upper respiratory tract infection with headache, and she was advised to continue taking antibiotics and do follow up with her GP. On February 15, 2014, Ms McDonnell attended an out of hours GP service and was referred for a CT scan. It was claimed at St Jamess Hospital she was assessed by a doctor and later had a CT scan which showed a lesion on her brain. She later had to be intubated and ventilated and was transferred to ICU at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. Ms McDonnell arrived at Beaumont Hospital at 4.35 AM on February 17, but, it is claimed, did not get an MRI scan until after midday. In the early hours of February 18, Ms McDonnell deteriorated suddenly and was found unresponsive. A decision was taken in to bring her to theatre where an emergency craniotomy was carried out. Brainstem tests were later carried out and Ms McDonnell was declared to have died. The claims were denied. Approving the settlements which includes 100,000 for nervous shock for Mr Byrne and a separate confidential settlement for Mrs McDonnell, Mr Justice Paul Coffey offered his deepest sympathy to Lauras partner and extended family. A Wicklow man who became obsessive with his first love after a road traffic accident changed his attitude to their relationship has been given a suspended sentence for harassing the woman. Denis Condron (23) had been dating the woman for a number of months when he was involved in a car crash. The woman later told gardai that after the accident Condrons attitude changed and he became paranoid, obsessive and possessive. Garda Joseph Melvin told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting that the woman said Condron would ring her about 15 times a day and would ask her to take photographs to prove who she was with. On occasion he would video call her as she was going to bed in her own home and ask her to leave the phone open. When she awoke the following morning Condron would still be on the call looking at her. The woman ultimately ended the relationship after numerous attempts to do so. Each time she had tried to break up before that Condron would try to stop his behaviour and would improve but would fall back into the same pattern, the garda confirmed. He said after the relationship ended Condron regularly threatened to kill himself. He also threatened to send the womans parents intimate photographs she had sent him during the course of their relationship. Condron of Derry Drive, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing the woman between December 2019 and March 2020. Keith Spencer BL, defending, said his client found it very difficult to let the relationship go. He should have let grief be a fallen leaf and move on, Mr Spencer said. Counsel said it had been a very good relationship at the beginning and Condron had wanted to hold onto it at all costs. He refused to accept that she had moved on, Mr Spencer said before he added that this had been his clients first relationship, his first love. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that the relationship had been going well but it at some point Condron became abusive, and it seems that the car accident changed his personality and changed the relationship. He said Condrons cumulative behaviour of continually texting the woman after the relationship ended and the threats he issued meant he had harassed the woman. Judge Nolan accepted that both Condron and the woman have since gone their separate ways and there has been no contact since she made a statement to the gardai. He said that given the harassment lasted for three months it was at the less serious end of the spectrum of such an offence and Condron does not deserve a custodial sentence. Judge Nolan imposed a sentence of two years which he suspended in full for two years. He also ordered that Condron have no contact whatsoever with the woman for the next 30 years. If you do contact her, you will be committing a criminal offence and will be brought back to court and in all likelihood will go to jail, Judge Nolan told Condron. Running and hiding Gda Melvin told Ms Duffy that on some occasions when the woman met Condron in public she would end up running away and hiding because she was afraid of him. She also contacted Condrons mother because she feared he would harm himself after Condron told her his life was not worth living without her. In February 2020 Condron arrived at the womans home and at her college. At one point he followed her on a bus into Dublin city. When she got off the bus, she called into a nearby garda station and Condron followed her in. A garda walked the woman back to her bus and Condron followed her back onto the bus and to her home. Both she and her mother were concerned for Condron and offered to buy him food and a bus ticket home. He eventually did leave. In the weeks after the woman continued to receive texts and calls from Condron. She contacted the gardai because she was not sure what to do about the situation. Gda Melvin confirmed that while the woman was in the station making her statement to gardai Condron regularly messaged her. He accepted that Condron has not been in touch with the woman since. A victim impact statement was handed into court but not read out. He agreed with Mr Spencer that Condron told gardai later in interview that the way the woman finished things messed with his head. Avoca has opened the doors on its new homewares and food store in Kildare Village. This brings to 14 the number of its stores in Ireland, and the new branch will create 34 new jobs. The 196 ft shop will have a food market, clothing and interiors. To mark the launch, Avoca will stage a series of pop-ups in store from Thursday, April 28, to Sunay May 1, including singing waiters in store and throughout the village, as well as a live screen print bar where customers can design and create their own tote bag. The new Avoca store at Kildare Village The store will feature exclusive designs from Avoca's own brand collections, including cashmere scarves and knitted accessories for women, men and kids, beauty and gift items, interior decor and home accessories including printed ceramic ranges, cushions, home fragrances and candles. The store will also stock a collection of throws and soft goods hand woven in their County Wicklow mill. The brands signature tree can be found at the heart of the store, decorated with beautiful wisteria flowers. Outside, a premium Parisian food hut takes centre stage providing shoppers with convenient, delicious lunches and snacks such as coffee, soups, sandwiches, toasties and Avocas signature sweet treats. Visitor's food market range, including its own brand produce, gourmet grab and go meals and freshly baked pastries and bread, will also be on sale. The interior of the new Avoca store at Kildare Village Shane Flynn, managing director at Avoca, said: "It is a very exciting day for the business, and we are thrilled to finally be partnering with Value Retail to open a prime location in Kildare Village. We are dedicated to showcasing quality Irish produce and unique products woven from the Avoca Mill to our customers and this new store will help us achieve that. The store promises to deliver an inspiring retail and food experience for the local community and destination shoppers. We are committed to expanding in bricks and mortar this year and Kildare Village is the first of many launches to come. The shop will be open Saturday to Wednesday, 9am to 7pm, and Thursday and Friday, 9am to 8pm. Independent Deputy Marian Harkin brought up the granting of prospecting licences in Leitrim in this week's Dail Eireann. She stated, "Despite significant local opposition from landowners and business people and a unanimous vote from Leitrim County Council to oppose the application, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has granted a prospecting licence for gold, silver and base metals in 47 townlands in north Leitrim. "I know it is a prospecting licence and not a mining licence but it is a foot in the door for Flintridge Resources, a subsidiary of the Canadian gold mining company, Galantas Gold. We will be told, of course, that it is mining for base metals but it is a gold-mining company and it will mine for gold. We do not need it. We already have a supply of more than 500 years of gold mined globally. Can we look at the possibility of banning gold mining in Ireland? It is unnecessary, as well as being an energy-intensive, carbon-heavy process. As Coillte owns much of the 25% of land already planted in Leitrim, what will its stance be? Will it go against the local communities and allow access to its lands?" Responding Taoiseach Micheal Martin, "It is a prospecting licence and therefore it is not extraction at this stage. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, has to operate within the legal framework. I would like to examine the situation more deeply before making any kind of commitment in terms of banning anything in that regard and to hear the background to this and people's concerns." One exceedance of the pesticide MCPA has been detected in the South Leitrim Regional public drinking water supply in 2021. This exceedance was detected as part of Irish Waters public water supply monitoring programme. MCPA is still the most commonly detected pesticide in drinking water sources and is present in many commonly used herbicide products used to control thistles, docks and rushes. There was a significant reduction in the number of exceedances for pesticides in public drinking water supplies in Leitrim last year, according to Irish Water. In 2020 the utility detected four exceedances of Glyphosate as part of its ongoing monitoring, however, this had reduced to one exceedance of MCPA in 2021. The South Leitrim Regional water supply abstracts raw water from the River Shannon, which is vulnerable to runoff from land. Irish Water is asking users of any herbicide or pesticide products to continue to consider the vulnerability of their local drinking water supplies to pesticide contamination and the importance of these supplies to local homes and businesses in the community. Irish Water, working in partnership with a range of organisations involved in the NPDWAG, is asking the farming community, greens keepers, grounds keepers, and also domestic users of pesticides, to consider in each case whether they need to use pesticides at all. Minimising pesticide use not only helps to protect water quality but also has wider environmental benefits. For example, leaving areas unsprayed can help native flowering plant species to grow and support a range of insects including bees and other vital pollinators. One third of Irelands bee species are threatened with extinction and by helping the bee population survive and thrive we are also helping to protect our precious water sources. For more information on practical ways to help bees and other pollinators, check out the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan at www.pollinators.ie. Farmers should also bear in mind that application of herbicides reduces sward species diversity and could negatively impact on payments in future agri-environmental schemes. Where pesticide use is considered necessary, the NPDWAG is working with local communities to ensure that best practice measures to protect drinking water sources and biodiversity are always followed. Farmers and other landholders dealing with the challenge of rushes should note Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) guidance on the sustainable management of rushes. This approach is based on the concepts of containment or suppression and aims to minimise the use of pesticides. More information on this can be obtained from your local farm advisor or on www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/ sud/waterprotection The NPDWAG is chaired by the DAFM and involves key stakeholders from a range of Government departments and agencies, local authorities, industry representative bodies, farming organisation, water sector organisations and amenity sector organisations. Dr Pat OSullivan, Irish Waters Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist said: In Co Leitrim, the exceedance of the drinking water regulations for MCPA was noted in the South Leitrim Regional public water supply following routine sampling. While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels we are detecting do not represent a threat to public health, they are still however undesirable in drinking water and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives. Adding to this, Dr Aidan Moody, DAFM and Chair of NPDWAG commented: We need the continued engagement of all stakeholders, working in partnership, make further progress. Users of pesticides must always consider alternatives in the first instance and if the application of pesticides is considered essential make sure that they follow best practice measures to protect water quality. The name of the first president of South East Technological University (SETU) has been announced. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, today (Thursday April 28) confirmed the designation of Professor Veronica Campbell as the inaugural president of SETU, the amalgamation of Institutes of Technology in Carlow and Waterford. The appointment will now be put forward for ratification by the new university's governing body at its first meeting on establishment day, May 1 2022. Chairperson Designate of the Governing Body of SETU, Professor Patrick Prendergast warmly welcomed the news. He said, "This is a truly exciting time for the south east of Ireland. This Sunday we will have achieved our long-standing ambition to deliver a university for and of the region. And today Im particularly delighted to welcome Professor Veronica Campbell as first president of what I know will be an ambitious and innovative technological university. "Professor Campbell comes to us with years of experience in senior academic and management roles in higher education in Ireland and abroad. She will bring an energy, vitality and leadership to the role and drive our ambition to be a leading European technological university. Professor Veronica Campbell holds a degree in Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University of London. She was awarded a Health Research Board post-doctoral fellowship in 1996 and was appointed to an academic post in the Department of Physiology, School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin in 1998. Professor Campbell has extensive undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience and a productive research record in cell biology, pharmacology and tissue engineering. She has held several senior leadership roles in Trinity College, including Dean of Graduate Studies and Bursar & Director of Strategic Innovation; in the latter role from 2015 to 2021 Prof Campbell oversaw the commencement of a 300m capital project portfolio in the university. The professor currently serves on the Board of the Atlantic Institute based in Oxford University, and was the inaugural chair of the Global Brain Health Institute of Trinity College and UCSF. She is a former President of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (Biomedical Sciences Section). This Sunday (May 1), SETU will be formally established. The new university will officially celebrate its launch in September in a ceremony to mark its first academic year and the first intake of university students presided over by the new president. One exceedance of the pesticide MCPA has been detected in the South Leitrim Regional public drinking water supply in 2021. This exceedance was detected as part of Irish Waters public water supply monitoring programme. MCPA is still the most commonly detected pesticide in drinking water sources and is present in many commonly used herbicide products used to control thistles, docks and rushes. There was a significant reduction in the number of exceedances for pesticides in public drinking water supplies in Leitrim last year, according to Irish Water. In 2020 the utility detected four exceedances of Glyphosate as part of its ongoing monitoring, however, this had reduced to one exceedance of MCPA in 2021. The South Leitrim Regional water supply abstracts raw water from the River Shannon, which is vulnerable to runoff from land. Irish Water is asking users of any herbicide or pesticide products to continue to consider the vulnerability of their local drinking water supplies to pesticide contamination and the importance of these supplies to local homes and businesses in the community. Irish Water, working in partnership with a range of organisations involved in the NPDWAG, is asking the farming community, greens keepers, grounds keepers, and also domestic users of pesticides, to consider in each case whether they need to use pesticides at all. Minimising pesticide use not only helps to protect water quality but also has wider environmental benefits. For example, leaving areas unsprayed can help native flowering plant species to grow and support a range of insects including bees and other vital pollinators. If pesticides have to be used, the basic steps to reduce risks to drinking water sources and the aquatic environment are: Choose the right pesticide product (note that products containing MCPA are NOT approved for use in weed-wipers, and are not permitted to be used from the end of September until the beginning of March) Read and follow the product label Determine the right amount to purchase and use Dont use pesticides if rain is forecast in the next 48 hours Make sure you are aware of the location of all nearby water courses Comply with any buffer zone specified on the product label to protect the aquatic environment. Mark out the specified buffer zone from the edge of the river or lake or other water course and drainage ditches Avoid spills, stay well back from open drains and rinse empty containers 3 times into the sprayer. Store and dispose of pesticides and their containers properly. Never fill a sprayer directly from a water course or carry out mixing, loading or other handling operations beside a water course Following his trip to Russia UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced his arrival to the war-torn Ukraine where he will meet President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday Taking to Twitter on Wednesday evening, the UN chief said: "I have arrived in Ukraine after visiting Moscow. We will continue our work to expand humanitarian support & secure the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones. "The sooner this war ends, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia, and the world." In a meeting with Guterres in Moscow on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to the involvement of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross in the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Ukraine's besieged city of Mariupol. The UN is following up on an agreement with Russia to coordinate the evacuation of civilians in Azovstal, a spokesman of the world body announced on Wednesday Follow-on discussions were to be held with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Russian Defense Ministry. During their meeting, Putin also told the UN chief that the Ukrainian issue arose after the 2014 "unconstitutional coup" in Kiev and people in Donbas remained under blockade and military pressure even after the Minsk agreements on a peaceful settlement were reached. According to the Russian President, the Donbas "republics" have the right to declare their sovereignty and Russia has the right to recognise their independence and provide them with military assistance in full accordance with the UN Charter. Guterres proposed creating a contact group where the UN, Russia and Ukraine can discuss the situation together so that the humanitarian corridors are truly effective. The 'Blue Shield' marking system is being used to protect various sites and monuments, in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 13, 2022. @TIMLEBERRE / TWITTER An architecture graduate, Cameroonian Lazare Eloundou Assomo is the head of UNESCO's World Heritage Center. He is overseeing operations introduced at the start of the war to protect Ukrainian heritage. UNESCO has uploaded a list of 102 buildings with significant heritage value that have been damaged since the war in Ukraine began. Does this list reflect the level of losses incurred? Having led heritage protection operations in other countries such as Mali and Iraq, I know how difficult getting an idea of the level of destruction is while still at war. Once you can actually go there, what you find is usually much more serious than anything you could have imagined. When we do get to Kherson, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Irpin and all those cities where the war is now focused, the toll will increase considerably. Based on what has been documented so far, the scale of the disaster is already colossal. We haven't seen anything like this in a long time, especially in a country with such a rich heritage. Seven sites are included on UNESCO's World Heritage List, including six cultural sites; the tentative list all the sites for which Ukraine believes that one day it could apply for inclusion on the World Heritage List has 17 . Those aside, there are 650 museums, medieval churches, cathedrals, archaeological sites, monuments, buildings dedicated to cultural activities and masterpieces of the Constructivist period. None of the buildings from the Constructivist period are on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and only one, the Derzhprom in Kharkiv, is on the tentative list. Are the Ukrainian authorities unwilling to award any value to this Soviet heritage? There are also historical centers on this list with buildings from different eras. The historical center of Lviv, for example, is rooted in the Middle Ages, but is also home to 20th-century buildings. The same is true of the center of Chernihiv, or the port of Odessa. How does the "Blue Shield," the marking system supposed to protect heritage buildings in the event of armed conflict, work? This tool was conceived under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. Ukraine and Russia are both signatories to this convention. The "Blue Shield" is an emblem marked on buildings. It is a tool that countries can use to protect their heritage. The emblem may be painted, glued, stuck on a door or even laid out on the ground. The principle is the marking. Anyone can do it. As soon as a building is marked, parties to the conflict are supposed to have seen it. Since the very early days of the war, we have been encouraging Ukrainian authorities to mark their sites and monuments with the "Blue Shield." You have 55.54% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. SpaceX has launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for Nasa, less than two days after completing a flight chartered by millionaires. It is the first Nasa crew comprised equally of men and women, including the first black woman making a long-term spaceflight, Jessica Watkins. This is one of the most diversified, I think, crews that weve had in a really, really long time, Nasas space operations mission chief Kathy Lueders said on the eve of launch. The astronauts were due to arrive at the space station last night (Wednesday April 27), 16 hours after their pre-dawn lift-off from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Anyone who saw it realised what a beautiful launch it was, Ms Lueders told reporters. After an express flight comparable to travelling from New York to Singapore, the crew will move in for a five-month stay. SpaceX has now launched five crews for Nasa and two private trips in just under two years. Elon Musks company is having an especially busy few weeks: it just finished taking three businessmen to and from the space station as Nasas first private guests. A week after the new crew arrives, the three Americans and German they are replacing will return to Earth in their own SpaceX capsule. Three Russians also live at the space station. Both SpaceX and Nasa officials stressed they are taking it one step at a time to ensure safety. The private mission that concluded on Monday encountered no major problems, they said, although high wind delayed the splashdown for a week. SpaceX Launch Control wished the astronauts good luck and Godspeed moments before the Falcon rocket blasted off with the capsule, named Freedom by its crew. Our heartfelt thank you to every one of you that made this possible. Now let Falcon roar and Freedom ring, radioed Nasa astronaut Kjell Lindgren, the commander. Minutes later, their recycled booster had landed on an ocean platform and their capsule was safely orbiting Earth. It was a great ride, he said. The SpaceX capsules are fully automated which opens the space gates to a broader clientele and they are designed to accommodate a wider range of body sizes. At the same time, Nasa and the European Space Agency have been pushing for more female astronauts. While two black women visited the space station during the shuttle era, neither moved in for a lengthy stay. Ms Watkins, a geologist who is on Nasas shortlist for a moon-landing mission in the years ahead, sees her mission as an important milestone, I think, both for the agency and for the country. She credits supportive family and mentors including Mae Jemison, the first black woman in space in 1992 for ultimately being able to live my dream. Also cheering Ms Watkins on was another geologist, Apollo 17s Harrison Schmitt, who walked on the moon in 1972. She invited the retired astronaut to the launch, along with his wife. We sort of consider ourselves the Jessica team, he said, chuckling. Those of us who rode the Saturn V into space are a little bit jaded about the smaller rockets, Mr Schmitt said after the SpaceX lift-off. But still, it really was something and on board was a geologist I hope it will stand her in good stead for being part of one of the Artemis crews that go to the moon. Like Ms Watkins, Nasa astronaut and test pilot Bob Hines is making his first spaceflight. It is the second visit for Mr Lindgren, a physician, and the European Space Agencys lone female astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, a former Italian air force fighter pilot. Ms Cristoforetti turned 45 on Tuesday, so she really celebrates and is very happy with a big smile in the capsule, said the European Space Agencys director general Josef Aschbacher. Shes really a role model and shes doing an enormously fabulous job on doing exactly that. The just-completed private flight was Nasas first dip into space tourism after years of opposition. The space agency said the three people who paid 55 million dollars (43.7 million) each to visit the space station blended in while doing experiments and educational outreach. They were accompanied by a former Nasa astronaut employed by Houston-based Axiom Space, which arranged the flight. The International Space Station is not a vacation spot. Its not an amusement park. It is an international laboratory, and they absolutely understood and respected that purpose, said Nasa flight director Zeb Scoville. Nasa also hired Boeing to ferry astronauts after retiring the shuttles. The company will take another shot next month at getting an empty crew capsule to the space station, after software and other problems fouled a 2019 test flight and prevented a redo last summer. A SPECIALIST team will be sent to University Hospital Limerick to try and alleviate the record number of patients on trolleys. The expert team has been ordered to the hospital by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, who wrote to HSE Chief Paul Reid on Tuesday with the request. Last week, UHL recorded the highest numbers of patients on trolleys ever with 126 people waiting for a bed. Today, there are 95 people waiting on trolleys at the hospital, down from the 111 that were recorded yesterday. All but the most time-critical activity has been suspended at the hospital as they remain at the 'highest level of escalation'. INMO representative at UHL Ann Noonan told RTE News At One that she wants the team of specialists to "talk to those on the ground". "I totally understand that there is a cost affect of all of this and a shortage of staff in other disciplines however, I am the nurse representative and at the end of the ay the one discipline that is there 365 days a year, 24/7 is the nurses." A spokesperson for the University of Limerick Hospital Group said they look forward to receiving full details on the expert team and its work in due course. THE trial of two anti-war activists accused of causing criminal damage to the perimeter fence at Shannon Airport and of trespassing there on March 17, 2019 has reached closing stages. US army veterans Ken Mayers, aged 85, of Monte Alte Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Tarak Kauff, aged 80, of Arnold Drive, Woodstock, New York are charged with causing criminal damage to a perimeter fence at the airport on St Patrick's Day three years ago; trespassing with the intent to commit an offence or unlawfully damage property, and interfering with the operation, safety or management of an airport by entering a runway area and causing it to be closed. They have both pleaded not guilty, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, to all charges against them. Both are former members of the United States military who became anti-war activists in the 1960s and are also members of a US-based group, Veterans for Peace. The prosecution case finished on Wednesday and the two defendants gave evidence in their own defence. Following closing speeches tomorrow, Judge Patricia Ryan is due to charge the jury in the law before sending it out to begin deliberations. In their evidence on Wednesday both defendants acknowledged cutting a hole in the fence and walking onto the airport. They said they did so to protest against the United States' military use of Shannon as a stop-over en route to and from areas, many of them in the Middle East, where the military is involved. They said they also wanted to highlight what they maintained was a breach of Irish neutrality, in which they say the Irish Government is complicit, contrary to the demands of international law. The men said they wanted to inspect a civilian aircraft contracted to the US military and which was parked at the airport. Justifying their actions, they told the jury that they were defending international law, and were mandated by God in pursuit of a "higher purpose". The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister is expected to raise the Northern Ireland Protocol during his visit to meet with senior officials in the Biden administration. Minister Simon Coveney will visit Washington DC and Boston, with the three-day trip from April 27-29 set to include meetings with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. He is also set for meetings on Capitol Hill. The meeting comes amid ongoing negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol, as well as days before the Assembly elections on May 5. Mr Coveney is also expected to raise both the war in Ukraine and the upcoming elections during his visit, as well as the Northern Ireland Protocol. The protocol is aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland, but has created a series of economic barriers on Irish Sea trade. President Joe Biden has been a vocal opponent of any moves perceived to pose a threat to peace in Northern Ireland and the stability of the Good Friday Agreement. The UK Government has refused to be drawn on reports that the Queens Speech on May 10 may include legislation to unilaterally suspend the protocol if a negotiated solution does not emerge. Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Coveney said: Ireland and the United States have deep and warm relations built on a foundation of historic ties and shared values. Strengthening this relationship further is a priority for the Government. This visit to Washington DC and Boston is an important opportunity to discuss shared approaches to confronting global challenges, and to re-engage with our diaspora community and other friends of Ireland in the United States as we emerge from the pandemic. Iran is ramping up oil exports and benefiting from a rise in oil prices as its main buyer, China, pulls back on its purchases of Russian oil due to the war with Ukraine. Iran oil exportswhich go almost exclusively to China apart from rare deliveries to Syria and Venezuelarose to 750,000 barrels a day in the first three months of the year, up 12% from an average of 668,000 barrels a day in the full-year 2021, said commodities data provider Kpler. China cut back its purchases of Russian oil by 14% in March, according to data from Chinese customs administration. Irans growing exports illustrate how the invasion of Ukraine is redrawing the worlds energy trade routes, as energy consumers look for alternatives to Russian oil and gas to avoid Western sanctions. The changes are expected to accelerate as more Russian oil comes off the market, with the International Energy Agency predicting that the countrys production will fall by more than a quarter. Irans exports grew faster than any other Middle Eastern nation in the first quarter, and marked the highest level of oil that Iran has exported since President Trump reimposed sanctions on Tehran in 2018 after pulling out a 2015 nuclear accord signed under President Obama, according to Kpler. Russia and Iran have aligning interests on a range of issues, including supporting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and opposing the U.S.-led global order. But in the oil market, they are competitors, as some of Irans crude has a similar composition to Russian grades that makes it easy for refineries to substitute them for each other. Iran is now selling more oil to China despite charging higher prices than Moscow after oil prices rose to a decade high in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Moscow is selling its oil at a discount of $30 a barrel compared with international prices, while Iran offers smaller rebates of $20 a barrel, according to an Iranian official. Irans oil exports rose by 40% in the year ended March 20, the countrys oil minister, Jawad Owji, told state media earlier this month. As a result, the government received about 10% more than the amount of oil revenue it had initially expected, Mr. Owji said. The opportunity to sell more oil comes at an especially opportune time for Iran. It had been preparing to increase its oil output in anticipation of a nuclear deal with the U.S. that would have included an end to the embargo on Iranian oil. Talks to revive the pact have stalled. In recent months, Iran launched testing drills to restart onshore wells that were idle for years because of the sanctions, Iranian officials say. We are going to be ready to sell more oil," said an Iranian official. The aim was to substantially increase production to be able to export an additional 1 million barrels of oil a day as soon as the deal became effective, the officials said. Iran also sent tankers carrying millions of barrels of oil for temporary storage ready to be snapped by buyers, these people said. Data from shipping-tracker MarineTraffic shows the locations of the idling vessels include a northern Chinese port that is near South Korea, which has said it would restart Iran oil purchases if sanctions are lifted. But since then, oil deliveries from Russiathe worlds biggest oil and gas exporter-have been coming under pressure with many buyers shunning its products while others, such as the U.S., are banning them outright. State-run China National Offshore Oil Corp. halved its imports from Russia to 60,000 barrels a day in March while it boosted its Iran oil imports by 30,000 barrels a day, Kpler said. China remains cautious over how to handle the Ukraine crisis," an analyst with Kpler said. While at the same time, it does not expect to be hit by the U.S. over Iran because Washington has its plate full with Russia." While most countries have so far condemned Moscows actions in Ukraine, China has refrained from calling the Russian assault on Ukraine an invasion. But in talks with the U.S., China has presented itself as a neutral party and insisted it advocates respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries. Tehran doesnt disclose official data for its oil exports, which are carried through covert tactics such as vessels going dark or transferring their cargoes to other ships to conceal their origin. An Iranian official said oil shipments were higher than the Kpler figures, saying they hit 1.2 million barrels a daywith an additional 300,000 barrels a day delivered to China through third-party countries. Another Iranian official said Russias increased isolation on the world stage in the wake of the Ukraine invasion means Moscows oil is now much more difficult to sell than Irans crude. Ukraine changed everything" for Tehrans oil sales, the Iranian official said. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text Click here to read the full article. The general counsel of the ACLU testified on Thursday that Amber Heards op-ed in the Washington Post about domestic violence was timed to capitalize on the release of Aquaman. The op-ed alluded to Heards allegations against ex-husband Johnny Depp, though Depp was not named. Depp is now suing Heard for defamation, claiming that the op-ed destroyed his career and cost him a sixth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The American Civil Liberties Union was involved in conceiving, drafting and placing the op-ed, which used Heards experiences to address issues including the Violence Against Women Act and sexual assault on college campuses. At the trial on Thursday, Depps attorneys played a video deposition of Terence Dougherty, the ACLUs general counsel. Dougherty was asked about a Dec. 11, 2018, email from Jessica Weitz, the ACLUs director of artist engagement, in which she wrote about the timing of the piece. The goal is to get this out this week to capitalize on the tremendous campaign for Aquaman,' Weitz wrote. Aquaman in which Heard starred as Mera was due to be released on Dec. 21, 2018. Dougherty explained that the publicity campaign for the film would help get more attention for the op-ed. Heard also agreed that the timing was important, he said. From the ACLUs perspective, Amber is about to receive an incredible amount of press and be in the public eye, Dougherty said. So what better a time would it be than now to put out this op-ed, so that it generates significant readership about our issues. Depp alleges that Heard fabricated her abuse allegations and used them to advance her own career at his expense. Heard denies that, and her attorneys have argued that #MeToo accusations have generally not helped the accusers careers. Depp and Heard had issued a joint statement upon resolving their divorce in 2016, in which each denied making false allegations for financial gain. They also agreed to issue no further public statements. Depp has testified that he wanted to fight Heards claims at the time, but reluctantly took the advice of his lawyers to settle the case and move on. Doughertys testimony included internal ACLU emails about the drafting of the op-ed. Earlier drafts included explicit references to Heards restraining order in which she alleged domestic violence but those references were taken out on the advice of her lawyers. In one email, Weitz wrote that Heard would love to see a way to have that part in bold somehow put back in. In the final draft, Heard described herself as having been a public figure representing domestic abuse, but did not go into any further detail about her relationship with Depp. Heards lawyers have stressed that she followed her attorneys advice in the drafting of the op-ed. At the time of their divorce, Depp agreed to pay Heard $7 million, which she promised to donate to the ACLU and to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, with $3.5 million going to each charity. Dougherty testified that the ACLU actually received $1.3 million of that pledge including $350,000 directly from Heard, $500,000 from a fund tied to Elon Musk (whom Heard dated briefly), $350,000 from another fund and $100,000 from Depp. Dougherty said that the ACLU learned in 2019 that Heard was having financial problems and could not fulfill the remainder of the pledge. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Rob Kardashian, the admittedly reclusive younger brother of Kim Kardashian, made a rare public appearance in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday and claimed his ex-fiance Blac Chyna tried to kill him during a wild fight in 2016 that allegedly included a gun to his head, strangulation with an iPhone cord and a beating with a 6-foot metal rod. The sole Kardashian son, 35, started off slow, telling jurors he was at his weakest, lowest point when he started dating Chyna in 2016 after spending time in the hospital related to his diabetes. He said the relationship, which quickly hit warp speed, was mostly fueled by Chynas quest for celebrity, not real love. Describing the blowout fight on Dec. 15, 2016 thats now at the center of Chynas defamation claims against his mom Kris Jenner and sisters Khloe and Kim Kardashian and youngest sibling Kylie Jenner, Rob claimed Chyna was drunk, high and relentless. He claimed Chyna pointed a gun at his head in the kitchen, then again in a bedroom, wrapped an iPhone cord around his neck and broke down a door to beat him with a metal rod in a bedroom and its closet. She landed several blows to my body, my face, my back. Yeah, there were several, he testified Wednesday, saying with each new stage of Chynas alleged violent attack, he simply weathered the blows and tried to remove himself from the situation without fighting back. She tried to kill me, he said at one point, with mom Kris and sister Kim watching in the courtroom gallery. Rob, whos due to face a separate revenge porn trial next month over naked photos of Chyna he posted on his Instagram account in July 2017, then turned visibly agitated when Chynas lawyer confronted him on the witness stand with photos and videos in which he had no apparent marks on his face and neck in the days immediately following the Dec. 15 fight. One video shown to jurors depicted Rob visiting his dentist on Dec. 16, 2016, the next day, smiling and appearing uninjured with Chyna by his side. The video was shot by the production company behind the Rob & Chyna reality show. Rob testified that while he had scratches and marks on his body, he didnt sustain any bruises to his face, and whatever minor marks he had on his neck shortly after the fight were no longer visible. You testified under oath that Chyna hit you in the face with a 6-foot metal rod, and yet youre saying it didnt leave a mark of any kind on your face? Chynas lawyer Lynne Ciani asked. Correct, Rob responded. Did you have as much as a Band-Aid on you after this alleged severe beating by Chyna? Ciani asked. No, I didnt need a Band-Aid on my face, which I already testified to. I had no mark on my face, he replied, appearing to lose his patience. How did you not have a mark on your face? the lawyer asked, incredulous. Because it didnt leave a mark. Im just confused. I just told you it didnt leave a mark on my face. And you have three different pictures to prove that. And Im trying to tell you it did not leave a mark on my face, he responded, appearing to get more worked up. Right, and Im trying to Ciani continued before Rob cut her off. The gun to my head two different times in the night didnt leave a mark to my temple. The cord around my neck, Im sure it left a mark around my neck. It doesnt mean Im going to go to the hospital and put a Band-Aid around my neck, Rob responded. When Ciani tried to switch the topic back to the metal rod, Rob cut her off again. I never said I had bruises and marks all over my face. Youre acting like the thing didnt happen. Everything I testified to happened. She strangled me. She put a gun to my head, twice. She was on cocaine and alcohol. She has a history of doing this to her ex-baby daddy. She has a history of doing this type of thing, he said. Stop putting it out there like that. Its not fair, he demanded. Rob was called to the witness stand by Chynas lawyer on the seventh day of a trial accusing Kris, Kim, Khloe and Kylie of defaming Chyna and interfering with her contract to film a second season of Rob & Chyna. In her testimony last week, Chyna told jurors she and Rob were celebrating at home together the night of Dec. 14, 2016 after E! released a press release saying Season Two of their show had been picked up by the E! network. She testified that she was being silly with Rob, throwing money around, picking up an unloaded gun and placing an iPhone cord to his neck in lighthearted bids for his attention. She testified that Rob later stole her cell phone in a fit of jealousy and locked himself in a room with it, refusing to give it back. The 33-year-old model and influencer admitted she smashed a gingerbread house, a television set and a door in the Hidden Hills, California mansion owned by Kylie because she was frustrated and wanted her phone. She was adamant she never physically abused Rob. She said it was true she moved out of the house hours after the confrontation, but she testified she still considered herself engaged to Rob and spent time with him over the holidays and into the New Year, filming scenes for Season Two and parenting the couples newborn daughter Dream. In her underlying lawsuit filed in November 2017, Chyna claims that Kris, Khloe, Kim and Kylie conspired to kill the second season of Rob & Chyna with defamatory claims that she battered Rob during the Dec. 15 fight and was generally abusive in what they called the couples fake and toxic relationship. Kris boyfriend Corey Gamble testified Tuesday that he raced over to the house the morning of the fight and witnessed Chyna toss something resembling a rod to the ground before punching Rob several times. On Wednesday, when Ciani showed jurors a SnapChat video of Rob smiling and celebrating New Years Eve 2016 with Chyna at a steakhouse, two weeks after the alleged attack, she asked Rob if the seemingly happy social media post reflected a good time. No, Rob responded. I have social anxiety. Im very insecure with my body. I gained a lot of weight. I dont like to leave the house because it upsets me, and she forced me to come up out the house, said shed pick me up. And of course, Im just trying to keep it cool. Its New Years, so I went to dinner, and that was that. But I wasnt happy, to answer the question. Rob testified the relationship was based on a lie, from the beginning. When you became engaged to Chyna, were you in love with her? Ciani asked. No, that engagement was just all for her to pitch a television show to networks the next day. Thats not even my character. I dont even take selfies, let alone a selfie with her in a car going to a strip club, you know, somewhere where she was getting paid. Its just going to bring more money to her to get a TV show the next day, he said. You said you were obviously with her, engaged to Chyna, but your testimony is that you didnt love her? Ciani continued. Not real love, Rob said. I have a child with her. It wasnt a mistake. Things did happen quickly, but my child was not born out of spite, but it was never a real type of love, or else we would have been married. Click here to read the full article. The last time there were as many trombones in a movie as there are in Take Me to the River: New Orleans, Harold Hill was probably leading a parade. The ongoing vitalization of the Crescent Citys music culture really is like something out of a horn salesmans fever dream, with younger generations readily taking up New Orleans traditional second-line culture in a way that can only make the aging elders of other regional music scenes green with envy. Its this intergenerational mix, as well as the citys world-famous melting pot of styles, that director Martin Shore means to celebrate in his latest documentary, the bulk of which consists of recording sessions hes set up that foster collaborations between the old guard and new. The spirited end result suggests that New Orleans might be the one major city in America with no musical generation gap to speak of. In Take Me to the River: New Orleans (which opened in its title city last week and moves into New York and L.A. this weekend), the performances start with 60s hitmaker Irma Thomas bonding in a duet with Ledisi, the 21st-century Grammys favorite. From there, we get the late Dr. John with relative youngster Davell Crawford, and Cyril Neville with Dumpstaphunk, among other examples. Soul legend William Bell is joined by Snoop Dogg and G-Eazy on a climactic cover of the Allen Toussaint-penned hit Yes We Can Can, representing probably the only time Snoop will ever be the featured artist on a track that hinges on the repeated use of the word darn. (Its not clear why Snoop, a Cali kind of guy, is in the movie, but hes credited as an executive producer, so maybe doing Gods work on a project like this has its privileges.) One session has brass greats Donald Harrison and Christian Scott hooking up with the Tipitinas Interns, experiencing an internship that is about 10,000% funkier than any apprenticeship previously known. What the filmmaker also provides, between live recordings, is an overview of New Orleans musics past and present that covers surprising historical ground for a running time clocking in under two hours. Most of the topics are touched on so fleetingly that you might wish Ken Burns would do a miniseries thatd allow every topic or style coming up for quick discussion to get its own hour-long episode. When its mentioned that traditional music was well on its way out of New Orleans in the 1950s, before a revival of interest that turned into a tidal wave, you might wonder why that was. There is no time to find out, as the movie skips ahead to touching on other fascinating subjects, like the Mardi Gras Indians and their mix of colorful, fancy dress and battle-ready fierceness. (Theres a warrior culture, but for the most part, its about being pretty, says one participant.) One subject that does get a bit more screen time, to briefly sad effect, is Hurricane Katrina, which dispersed many musicians who once were tight-knit neighbors to other cities and states, some never to return. But its easy to forgive how quickly Shore moves on from the historical burning questions he raises or the thematic rabbit holes he so quickly explores, since the performance footage is really the movies main reason for being. The interstitial history and context? Thats really gravy on top of the gumbo, as it were. Take Me to the River: New Orleans devotes enough screen time to those musical sequences, in fact, that it almost falls into the concert film genre, even though none of it was shot at a gig. What transpired at the studio performances Shore captured does arguably add up to a last waltz, of sorts, given the inevitable changing of guards. Four who appear have died since the performances were filmed Art and Charles Neville in 2018, Dr. John in 2019 and hip-hop artist 5th Ward Weebie in 2020 so time was not a-wasting when it came to getting a cross-section of generations on film. (If only hed started filming in time to get Toussaint, who died in 2015 and is much-discussed toward the end of the film.) The doc includes one of Dr. Johns last performances, and a certifiably final one for the Neville Brothers as a group, as theyd called it quits as an act in 2015 but reunited briefly to film a reunion that brought in their children and grandkids. Itd be easier to feel sorrowful about these losses if the screen werent filling up with so much joy an exuberance that also makes you forget just how un-pretty the recording studios initially appear. The movie doesnt always trust that an audience will relax into these studio sessions. Initially, especially, theres an overabundance of cutting, as if a summit between Irma Thomas and Ledisi needed to be edited like a screwball comedy. On more than one occasion, there is the irritation of having songs interrupted so we can hear some voiceover about the importance of carrying on musical heritage, like anyone whod sit down to watch this needs the homily. But eventually the film finds its own rhythm. A movie that includes this disproportionate an amount of the worlds leading experts in syncopation would be hard-pressed not to. Reviewed online, March 22, 2022. Running time: 111 MIN. Running Time: Running time: 111 MIN. Production (Documentary) A 360 Distribution, Inc. release and presentation of a Social Capital production. Producers: Martin Shore, Cody Dickinson, Dan Sameha, Eric Heigle, Eric Krasno, Ian Neville, Ted Chung. Executive producers: John Beug, Zach Fawcett, Snoop Dogg. Crew Director: Martin Shore. Writers: Shore, Robert Gordon. Camera: Chad Chamberlain, Rob Davis, Alex Glustrom, Per Larsson, Ralph Madison, Loy Norrix, Christian Ortega, Sam Rider, Joshua Roberts. With The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Ledisi, Big Freedia, PJ Morton, Galactic, George Porter Jr., Christian Scott, Snoop Dogg, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ani DiFranco, Cheeky Blakk, Joseph Monk Boudreaux. Narrator: John Goodman. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Since the 1960s, many scientists have argued that the emergence of eukaryotes cells containing a clearly defined nucleus happened in response to the oxygenation of Earths surface environment. But new research led by Stanford University and University of Exeter scientists suggests eukaryotes in fact emerged in an anoxic environment in the ocean. We can now independently date eukaryogenesis and key oxygenation transitions in Earth history, said lead author Dr. Daniel Mills, a researcher in the Department of Geological Sciences at Stanford University, the Department of Biology at Portland State University, and the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center. Based on fossil and biological records, the timing of eukaryogenesis does not correlate with these oxygen transitions in the atmosphere (2.22 billion years ago) or the deep ocean (0.5 billion years ago). Instead, mitochondria-bearing eukaryotes are consistently dated to between these two oxygenation events, during an interval of deep-sea anoxia and variable surface-water oxygenation. The emergence of mitochondria the energy-producing powerhouses of eukaryote cells is now thought to be the defining step in eukaryogenesis. Mitochondria have different DNA to the cells in which they live, and the new study addresses the possible origin of this symbiotic relationship, famously championed by the biologist Lynn Margulis (then Lynn Sagan) in 1967. The 2015 discovery of Asgard archaea offers a major clue, Dr. Mills said. Mitochondria-bearing eukaryotes likely resulted from a merger between archaea and bacteria, and the DNA in modern Asgard archaea is more closely related to the DNA found in eukaryote nuclei today than it is to other archaea. This is additional evidence that the host that took in the bacterium was an archaeon. Asgard archaea live in anoxic ocean sediments, and they can live symbiotically with bacteria possibly the same situation that led to the metabolic coupling that created the first eukaryote cells. The new evidence supports the hydrogen hypothesis that mitochondria were acquired in anoxic conditions first put forward in 1998 by Bill Martin and Miklos Muller, said senior author Professor Tim Lenton, director of the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter. The idea that oxygen led to eukaryogenesis has been taken for granted. In fact, mitochondrial aerobic respiration probably emerged later, having only become globally widespread within the last billion years as atmospheric oxygen approached modern levels. Our review was intended to bridge a gap between biology and geology, as connections were waiting to be made following breakthroughs in both disciplines. The teams paper was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. _____ D.B. Mills et al. Eukaryogenesis and oxygen in Earth history. Nat Ecol Evol, published online April 21, 2022; doi: 10.1038/s41559-022-01733-y Post-release offenders might not be alone anymore as they may have a new light waiting for them to get back on their feet or start a new beginning. The Be The Light: The Honorable George P. Kazen Empowerment Center ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Laredo Federal Courthouse with a slew of city and county dignitaries including Mayor Pete Saenz, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa and others. The facility -- located inside the Laredo Federal Courthouse located at 1300 Victoria Street -- honors the late U.S. district judge who served for close to 40 years in the Laredo community. The facility will offer recently released prisoners a place where they can find a job or prepare for an interview. United States District Court Judge Diana Saldana, who worked with Kazen during his time in office, offered the keynote speech to the opening of the facility and stated how much it serves to remember his legacy. The facility will offer post-release offenders the one-stop experience of getting the clothes necessary for a job interview, see where they are hiring around the community and help them start fresh. "We are just really excited to be a part of Laredo, Saldana said. I think Laredo is a very special community, as I love it dearly, and we have so much to offer. "I think that people who come to Laredo from out of town and relocate here realize the love and the warmth of this community. So I am just excited that we are entering into this partnership with our other agencies in the community to meet that goal of trying to help and empower people who need help." Saldana states that for her personally, Kazen was her light. He helped show her the way to get where she is while setting the tone in such an important profession on how to treat others with respect and dignity. "He was the light to me by showing me through his actions on how he valued every human being that he came in contact with, whether it was here in the courthouse or whether it was out in the community. He really taught that me through his actions, Saldana said. I still remember the day that he called me, and he told me that he was going to take me as the liaison judge for Laredo. I think that is where he passed over that baton if you will, as the light had already been given to me from the moment that I met him. I think he knew that I was going to continue the work. Kazens family, which includes his two sons and daughter, were also present at the event and shared what they believe the facility means to them and their fathers legacy. "The family is extremely proud, and I am happy that the court system has dedicated this to his memory," said George Kazen, the eldest of the siblings. "This is something that dad firmly believed in and was something that he had a strong passion about -- both him and my mom, as my mom spearheaded the Bethany House program here in Laredo. Dad was also concerned about the direction of lives after they did their duty to society and always believed that they should have the chance to make a fresh start when they go out." Kazen stated that he believes that the new facility was a perfect way to establish his legacy. He thinks he would be extremely proud, even though he knew his father -- a humble man -- would not have looked forward to seeing a building under his name. "Everyone talks about how he guided and taught and loved, but from a family perspective, it was that and even more so," George Kazen said. "He was always the mentor of the family always giving advice and direction, and always showing us the right way and guiding us. Each one of us is a testament to his accomplishments." Kazens only daughter, Elizabeth, was also at the ceremony. She stated that he was his best mentor and always treated her the same as her siblings. She credited her father's teachings for everything she has accomplished. "I feel very proud of my dads legacy, and I am very happy that Judge Saldana has taken the time and effort to continue his light and that was his purpose," Elizabeth Kazen said. "He was my everything. I believe he was not just my light but rather everyones light, as he showed by his actions the way he thought I should be. I admire him for the way he was and everything he did, and I just aspire to be like him." Saldana stated that she was glad that the late judges family went to the event to see the facility and how much he continues to be remembered, even a year after his passing. "I am honored to have the family here," Saldana said. "I am honored to work with Magistrate Judge Kazen, because his father was really my mentor, the biggest inspiration in my professional life." Saldana states that the opening of the facility now leads to the next phase, which is working with the various partner agencies and groups they have around the community to connect the people that need these services. We are going to be partnering with different community agencies to be able to provide services for post-release offenders for resume building, job training, giving them access to and knowledge on who is hiring, and giving them the clothes that they can feel confident them in dress for success such as business shoes or whatever they need to be successful as they enter the workforce, Saldana said. According to the district judge, the facility and the court will also soon install some computers in an effort to help the released offenders with anything they need to find employment or any other resources. However, many of the facilities they will be working with will be external to the court, as they plan to partner with local agencies and organizations to gather all the resources that the post-release offenders might need in one area. She states that partnering with partners who already have the computer labs and other necessary things is a form of bridging the gap that exists between these agencies in an effort for them to work together. All of the services that the new facility will offer to the post-release offenders are free of charge. During the ceremony, Tijerina offered several words as to why he believed Kazen was a remarkable man and how his light will help people struggling for a new start and a better beginning to accomplish that through the facility. And Cigarroa also remembered the late judge for all the times he saw him speaking to his father at their home and how he was also someone that taught him about life and the importance of freedom and justice. As the Be The Light: The Honorable George P. Kazen Empowerment Center opens its doors, Saldana said that this is only the beginning, as she does have plans for the center to become much more important in and around the community. "Right now, we are going to be focusing on our post-release offenders, but the goal is to really expand to our community and to go and do outreach to ensure that anyone who needs these types of resources are able to get them," Saldana said. "Then if we are able to put them in touch with the different partners, we are going to do that, but that is another aspect of this, which is really kind of reaching out and being that light in the community to ensure we dont have people into the criminal justice system. That would be the goal." Saldana states that people interested in getting help from the new facility can do so by visiting the Laredo Federal Courthouse, going to its website and looking at contact information, or by calling the federal probation department at the federal courthouse. A man was drunk when he caused a head-on crash that killed two people in February near the Webb and Zapata County line, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. On Wednesday, Matias Cerda, 24, was served with arrest warrants that charged him with two counts of intoxication manslaughter. The case unfolded on Feb. 26, when a trooper was notified about a possible fatal crash reported on U.S. 83 South near the Webb and Zapata County line. First responders encountered a silver Volkswagen Beetle on the median on the wrong side and a black Ford Explorer with heavy front damage. Authorities blocked off the crash site. Then, Webb County Sheriffs Office deputies told the trooper that two people had died and that two more were taken to the Laredo Medical Center. Deputies also stated that they found alcohol inside the Volkswagen and that the driver seemed intoxicated when they arrived. DPS identified the driver as Cerda. DPS said that Cerda was driving his Volkswagen on the wrong side of the road on U.S. 83 South when it struck the Explorer, causing the death of two occupants and the injuries to a third passenger, states the arrest affidavit. DPS identified the deceased as Erick Alberto Moreno Rodriguez, 46, and Brayan Morales Alvarez, 25, both of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The trooper then observed an unopened green apple Smirnoff, a broken Smirnoff glass bottle and a small black bottle of Tequila Rose inside the Volkswagen. A blood specimen was drawn from Cerda. The results revealed Cerda had a 0.084 blood alcohol concentration. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08, the affidavit states. By the time the firetrucks arrived at the home of a prominent Dallas attorney in May 2016, the garage was overwhelmed with thick black smoke as flames tore through the enclosed space. Ira Tobolowsky was missing, his wife told the firefighters. First responders feverishly fought the blaze as they searched for the 68-year-old man. Then they found him - dead on the ground beside his car, his body burned after being doused with gasoline. The medical examiner later ruled his death a homicide from thermal burns, smoke inhalation and blunt-force trauma. From the very start, Tobolowsky's family pointed to a man who had been embroiled in a heated lawsuit with the attorney: Steven Aubrey. Almost six years passed with no arrests. That changed Wednesday, when Aubrey, 61, was charged with capital murder in Tobolowsky's death - a serious offense in Texas that is eligible for the death penalty. He was arrested in Broward County, Fla., jail records show, and is being held on a $2 million bond. It is unclear if Aubrey has an attorney. The Dallas Police Department did not specify what new evidence led to the arrest but noted that Aubrey has been a person of interest since the beginning. "Ultimately the information and evidence gathered during the years-long investigation have resulted in making the arrest," the police department said in a news release. In a statement to KTVT, Tobolowsky's son Michael said the arrest is "amazing news we have long waited for." Tobolowsky's gruesome death on May 13, 2016, horrified the public, making national headlines. Tobolowsky was a prominent, well-respected attorney in Dallas with deep roots in the Jewish community. He once successfully argued a case in the U.S. Supreme Court. About 1,200 people attended his funeral, according to D Magazine. Soon after Tobolowsky's death, police asked the family if the lawyer had any enemies. They identified Aubrey and his partner, Brian Vodicka, who in the months leading up to the incident had been on the opposite side of a caustic lawsuit. (Police have not implicated Vodicka in Tobolowsky's killing.) Tobolowsky and Aubrey met in August 2014 when the attorney represented Aubrey's mother in a lawsuit Aubrey filed after being written out of her will. Throughout the course of the case, Aubrey allegedly grew increasingly antagonistic toward Tobolowsky. Aubrey accused the attorney of several crimes, including witness tampering and bribery, according to D Magazine. He filed a motion that called Tobolowsky an "ISIS butcher," referring to the terror group, and at one point scheduled a deposition during the Jewish high holiday Rosh Hashanah, the magazine reported, and Tobolowsky filed a motion of contempt, accusing Aubrey of making "anti-Jewish remarks that are insulting, cruel, and evil." Aubrey eventually dropped his case. But Tobolowsky filed a defamation lawsuit against Aubrey and Vodicka in the summer of 2015. He also successfully argued that Aubrey should be declared a vexatious litigant, which creates guardrails for someone who files countless frivolous lawsuits. Aubrey would no longer be able to sue someone without a judge's permission. The case was ongoing when Tobolowsky was killed. After suspicions that the murder could be connected the case, police provided the judge presiding over it with extra security. He recused himself about a week after the fire. Tobolowsky's family won $5.5 million in the suit in May 2017. Evidence pointed to a planned attack from someone who knew Tobolowsky, police said. Tobolowsky's family also discovered a hole in the fence, giving a direct line of vision to the garage. Detectives suspected the killer had been watching Tobolowsky for days, tracking his schedule. Investigators searched Aubrey and Vodicka's home three times in the days following the incident, according to police. Records show they were looking for evidence that could tie them to a juice bottle filled with gasoline found at the crime scene, medical supplies used to treat burns and a drill used to make the hole in Tobolowsky's fence. They also looked for electronics and said they found a computer with a wiped hard drive. In the meantime, the couple remained aloof, dodging police when they visited their home and eventually staying in a second apartment they owned in Dallas, D Magazine reported. They were brought in for questioning about a week after the lawyer's death. Police called in a doctor to assess whether marks on Aubrey's arm were burns. The doctor's findings were inconclusive, according to D Magazine. At that time, detectives could not compile enough evidence for an arrest. In November 2016, the detective on the case told one of Tobolowsky's sons that his team had circumstantial evidence that Aubrey was involved in the incident but had nothing to prove that he was at Tobolowsky's house on May 13, D Magazine reported. But in the years that followed, Tobolowsky's sons did not give up hope. The family started working with private investigators and posted an ad on a billboard over a major Dallas highway offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who came forward with evidence that would lead to an arrest. Aubrey, who is in custody in Oakland Park, Fla., will be extradited to Texas, police said. A downtown bar was banned from selling alcoholic beverages for 90 days following an investigation that yielded evidence of narcotics trafficking, prostitution and drink solicitation, according to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The investigation that prompted an emergency order at Reynas Club on 511 San Agustin Ave. began in May. MADRID (AP) Algeria has threatened to suspend its gas exports to Spain, the latest twist in a complex triangle of diplomatic tensions between the gas supplier, the gas importer and their shared neighbor Morocco all against the background of skyrocketing prices driven by Russia's war in Ukraine. Spain has been in talks with Morocco about helping the North African kingdom boost its gas supplies. That could possibly be done by allowing Morocco to use processing facilities in Spain that could handle imports by ship of liquified natural gas, which could come from a variety of suppliers. Gas could then be sent to Morocco via an existing pipeline that crosses the Strait of Gibraltar. Spain, however, also imports natural gas from Algeria. And Algeria is in the midst of a deep diplomatic freeze with Morocco, with which it shares a land border. Algeria severed ties with Morocco last August. Then it choked off one of Moroccos sources of gas by switching off a gas pipeline that runs across their shared border. Morocco has turned to Spain for help in trying to make up the shortfall a prospect that appears to be raising hackles in Algiers. In a statement late Wednesday, Algeria's energy ministry warned that gas supplies it sends to Spain via a separate pipeline under the Mediterranean could be suspended if the gas is then diverted elsewhere. Such a diversion could be regarded as a contract breach, and, as a consequence, could lead to the breaking of the contract, the ministry warned. With Spain heavily dependent on Algerian gas, its energy ministry scrambled to calm the storm, saying in a statement that in no case will the gas acquired by Morocco come from Algeria. Until last October, part of the supplies of Algerian gas to Spain came via the pipeline through Morocco. Morocco got a sliver of that supply, getting enough gas to produce 10% of its electricity. But the kingdom lost that energy source when the 25-year gas distribution agreement ended on Oct. 31, with Algeria refusing to renew it. Algeria still sends gas to Spain through a second, longer pipeline direct from Algeria to Almeria on Spains southeastern shore and in the form of LNG shipped in tankers. But deprived of gas from its neighbor, Morocco has to go hunting much further afield. Spain's energy ministry said Morocco could acquire LNG on international markets and unload it at a re-gasification plant on the Spanish mainland. Once processed, the gas could then be exported to Morocco by sending it down the pipeline that, until October, used to carry Algerian gas up to Spain. The Spanish ministry said the plans were devised after it was approached by Morocco for help in guaranteeing its energy security. The ministry said it had spoken to Algeria in past months about activating this mechanism and communicated its plans to Algerias energy minister on Wednesday. Spain wants to strengthen ties with Rabat, a key player in the EU's efforts to manage an increase in immigration from Africa northward. The triangular tensions over gas come amid a broader international crisis over supplies and prices for the fossil fuel driven by the war in Ukraine. Major supplier Russia is using gas for leverage against countries that oppose its invasion of Ukraine. Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom this week informed Poland and Bulgaria, both members of the European Union and NATO, that it is suspending their supplies. Polish and Bulgarian leaders accused Moscow of blackmail. As European countries seek alternatives to Russian gas, supplies from Algeria have taken on added importance. Italy, which is also scrambling to wean itself off Russian energy, struck a deal this month to boost gas imports from Algeria. Spain is a leader in wind and solar power but continues to rely on energy imports with Algeria providing more than a third of its natural gas. The spat between Morocco and Algeria has forced Spain into a delicate balancing act. The feud between Morocco and Algeria is largely rooted in the disputed region of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in North Africa that is rich in phosphates and borders fertile fishing grounds. It was annexed by Morocco in 1976. Algeria backs the Polisario Front independence movement in Western Sahara. In March, it recalled its ambassador to Madrid in protest when Spain backed a Moroccan plan to give more autonomy to the contested territory. ___ AP writer John Leicester contributed to this report from Paris. picture alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I Tesla CEO Elon Musk was offered free land to move Twitters headquarters to Texas. As first reported by Austonia, Jim Schwertner, president and CEO of farming and ranching company Schwertner Farms, offered Musk 100 acres of land for free in Schwertner, Texas, which is in Williamson County north of Austin. Elon Musk, move Twitter to Schwertner, TX, Schwertner wrote in the tweet on April 26. 38 miles North of Austin in Williamson County, and we will give you 100 Acres for FREE. Russian metals producer Nornickel continues backing efforts to revive studies of permafrost, an area of continuously frozen soil, which covers a significant part of Russia, including the world's northernmost city of Norilsk, home to many of the company's operations. The second scientific and technical conference "Experience and prospects for the construction of buildings and structures on permafrost soils" at the Norilsk Industrial Institute (NII) gathered scientists and business officials, represented by Nornickel managers. Zhanna Petukhova, director of NII's Research Center for Construction Technologies and Monitoring of Buildings and Structures in the Arctic, thanked Nornickel for promptly "packing" the research center's permafrost laboratory with equipment. The head of the laboratory, Mikhail Elesin, has already tested the equipment during a unique expedition to the islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land. Professor Elesin briefed the participants and guests of the forum on the actual geophysical research in the archipelagos in a separate speech. Nornickel's Polar Division Deputy Chief Engineer Anton Pryamitsky, who oversees the company's large-scale project to monitor the state of industrial buildings and structures at Polar Division facilities, noted that the satellite monitoring programme of Russian space agency Roscosmos might join the project. The geotechnical monitoring system, launched in Norilsk in the summer of 2021, was launched into pilot operation late last year and almost immediately showed its effectiveness. At the first stage, the system has already covered 165 facilities. Before the launch, comprehensive surveys were carried out at all facilities to determine their condition and draw up design schemes. All readings from the equipment on the main parameters of the facilities' safety end up in a database in the system's control room in real time. Pryamitsky knows all the participants of the scientific and technical forum. With many of them, the Polar Division "has interacted, is interacting and will continue to interact." Dmitry Sergeev, the head of the geocryology laboratory of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Geoecology Institute, briefed the conference on the developments on substantiation of indicators and analysis of geocryological monitoring data. Before flying to Norilsk, the scientist made a presentation on this topic for Nornickel's engineering team, and in the northern city, he wanted to understand what is a priority in the territory today, what tasks should be addressed first. "Science cannot and should not stew in its own juice," Sergeev said. Mikhail Korolev, the head of the Laboratory of Geomechanics and the deputy director of the Institute of Applied Mechanics, who has repeatedly advised Norilsk enterprises on permafrost soils, presented a report "Promising methods for determining the mechanical characteristics of permafrost soils." NII rector Dmitry Dubrov hopes that the conference would become regular and contribute to the training of local permafrost experts and to the second stage of construction in Norilsk, which is impossible without scientific support. New Zealand seafood company Sanford Limited (SAN) has agreed the unconditional sale of its spiny (red) rock lobster quota in Fisheries Management Areas CRA7 and CRA8. Sanford has reached an agreement to sell these quota holdings to Deltop Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Fiordland Lobster Company Limited, for a total consideration of $49.3 million, with a completion date of 29 April 2022. Sanfords shareholding represented 0.3% of CRA7 and 2.3% of CRA8. The company is also considering the sale of its CRA2 quota holding. This transaction is not considered material and an update will be provided in the interim report. Sanford CEO Peter Reidie says we concluded that our lobster quota did not provide the best return on investment and the value realised from this quota sale will be reinvested in the business. It will ultimately help improve shareholder value by contributing to the significant investment required over the next five years to meet our primary strategic outcomes. These include the growth of our salmon and mussel businesses and sustainable investment in wildcatch operations. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: My Food Bag FY22 Results Briefing Details SKC - EXTENSION OF DEBT COVENANT RELIEF PHL - CEO Appointment 10th May 2022 Morning Report Chatham Commences Scoping Study for Phosphate Export Mine 9th May 2022 Morning Report CHI - Indicative Interest Margin for Bond Offer ARG - FY22 Annual Result Announcement Date and webcast Marsden Maritime Holdings commences due diligence MCK appoints Stuart Harrison as Managing Director The Government will not walk away from a plan to restrict turf sales in Ireland, with Eamon Ryan insisting it's "not an outright ban". The Environment minister said there was an urgent need to tackle the health damage caused by the burning of smoky fuels as he warned TDs that 1,300 lives were lost in the state every year as a result of air pollution. Green Party leader Minister Ryans comments came amid robust Dail exchanges with Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty. Deputy Doherty accused politicians from the two other government parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, of cowardice for failing to support Sinn Feins proposal to axe the planned restrictions on turf, scrap the imminent increase in carbon tax and remove excise duty on home heating oil. The Sinn Fein motion was defeated in a Dail vote yesterday (Wednesday April 27). Several Fine Gael and Fianna Fail TDs had expressed concern about Mr Ryans move to clamp down on turf burning at a time when fuel bills are rising sharply, but when it came to the vote the coalition parties rejected the opposition proposal. The Government has been accused of mixed messaging over the planned turf restrictions, which had been earmarked to come into force in September. Yesterday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said there would be no ban on turf sales for the remainder of the year. In the Dail today, Minister Ryan said what was being proposed was not an outright ban, indicating it would relate to larger scale commercial sales rather than small scale cutting and sharing of turf among neighbours within rural communities. Deputy Doherty said the Governments approach on the issue had been marked by chaos, confusion and contradiction. Yesterday, the Rural Independent group of TDs proposed a separate motion that would have axed the current carbon tax. It was also defeated. Noting that Sinn Fein had voted for that motion as well, Minister Ryan accused the party of a sudden policy change as he said its position up until that point was to retain the tax at its current rate, just not increase it. The carbon tax increase is due to come into effect on May 1. Defending the planned restrictions on turf, the minister added: It would be so easy to walk away and say no, we wont do that because it is difficult. But what number of deaths should we tolerate? What should we do in ignoring reality across the country? I dont believe we should ignore it and we wont, this government will act and will deliver practical measures that are not there to punish anyone, that are part of a way of actually managing this so that we can protect people from fuel poverty and protect lives at the same time. And Im very confident we can and will do that. He added: What we will do is we will start saving those 1,300 lives, we will not walk away as two previous governments have done, as a series of ministers have done. We will do what needs to be done while maintaining and helping our people through fuel poverty, but not ignoring the health issue, not ignoring the loss of life, that would be reckless and disregard of our duty. Referencing the ministers remarks about 1,300 excess deaths, Deputy Doherty responded by saying there were 2,800 deaths every year due to fuel poverty in Ireland. Minister Ryan disputed that figure, claiming it was 25 years old, an assertion Deputy Doherty rejected. Turf has been one of the only forms of heating not to see prices spiral in the last number of months, yet you still plan to punish individuals, to punish communities who rely on turf from September, Deputy Doherty told the minister. We know that the days of fossil fuels are coming to an end. We all recognise in this House the need for climate action, but the way that youre doing it is causing deep anger and deep upset and deep resentment in communities right across the state. You should not naively believe that a ban on turf is a solution because it is not. Deputy Doherty said, in some rural counties in Ireland, 30% of homes relied on turf as their sole source of heat. These communities need to be supported instead of facing the punishment that youre dishing out when there is no realistic alternative for them to heat their homes to keep their families warm and safe. So where minister is the just transition in telling these households who rely on burning turf as their main source of heating their homes that it is to be banned from September of this year? Crime By Chris Boyle Published: April 28 2022 $1K Fast-cash rewards issued within 72 hours of arrest. The Suffolk County Police Department and Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are highlighting several unsolved cases on the departments social media pages during National Crime Victims Rights week through April 30. Crime Stoppers is offering $1K fast-cash rewards for information leading to an arrest in each of the cases. The rewards will be issued within 72 hours of an arrest. Crime Stoppers has been proven to be an effective crime solving program since its inception in Suffolk County in 1994. During that time, more than $687,000 has been rewarded to tipsters who reported information anonymously with more than 2,800 arrests made. The Crime Stoppers partnership is essential to the Suffolk County Police Department, allowing individuals, who may be reluctant to speak to police, to stay anonymous while providing critical information about criminal cases, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said. We hope by highlighting these unsolved cases, someone comes forward with details that will bring justice to these victims and their families. Members of Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are dedicated volunteers from the community who work hand-in-hand with law enforcement to reduce crime in our communities, Suffolk County Crime Stoppers President Nick Amarr said. While we are featuring these five unsolved cases, we encourage people to come forward with any information about criminal activity that could aid police. Cases being featured include: Colin Jerrick is wanted for the fatal shooting of Ajala Carpenter-Toney during a Wyandanch party on June 13, 2020. He is also wanted in connection with the murder of Elbert Wright in North Amityville on July 31, 2020. Marco Castro, 32, of Patchogue, was walking on North Ocean Avenue, just south of Roe Boulevard, when he was struck by a motor vehicle that fled the scene on February 21, 2021 at approximately 3:55 a.m. Elvis Galvez Menjivar, 27, of Bay Shore, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run vehicle on eastbound Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore on April 17, 2021. The vehicle is described as a dark-colored SUV, possibly an Acura. A Commack man was stabbed at his home on February 2, 2022 following a dispute with a former co-worker, known only to the victim as Luis. The victim spent more than a month in the hospital recovering. Luis is described as Hispanic, approximately 35 years old, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall with a medium build and brown hair. The suspect was last seen fleeing the residence in a gray Nissan Xterra with New Jersey plates. Luis has family in New Jersey. Jaifield Gordon was found shot inside a 2013 BMW after the vehicle had crashed into a parked vehicle and fence in front of 55 Beach Drive in Coram on September 1, 2019. The shooting occurred on Judith Drive a short time prior. Gordon, 18, of Medford, was pronounced dead at a hospital. Others, Local News, Health & Wellness By Long Island Published: April 27 2022 Congress Has Already Taken Action Against Firefighting Foam Used at Airports and Military Installations; Gillibrand, Kildee Bill Would Go a Step Further to Fully Ban Use of AFFF. Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Dan Kildee (MI-05) held a video press conference to announce the introduction of their landmark bill, the PFAS Firefighter Protection Act. Per- and polyfluoroalykl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic chemicals found in a special foam used to fight fires called aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), and have been linked to certain cancers, thyroid disease, reproductive problems, decreased immune function in children, and other serious adverse health effects. For years, firefighters have been exposed to these chemicals through the use of AFFF and face a higher risk of developing cancer and other diseases. This bill would ban firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals. Gillibrand and Kildee were joined by Liz Hitchcock, Director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, the federal policy program of Toxic-Free Future, and Edward A. Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters. during the press conference. PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being of firefighters who have put their lives on the line to protect our communities. To make matters worse, the runoff from this foam can quickly lead to widespread PFAS contamination in the drinking water of surrounding communities near the facilities where it is used, said Senator Gillibrand. AFFF is harming our firefighters, our military communities, and innocent families who live near these facilities, and it has to stop. My PFAS Firefighter Protection Act would do just that by permanently banning the use of harmful firefighting foam in the United States. For decades, firefighters have been exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam, which are known to cause cancer and other health issues, said Congressman Kildee. Our firefighters put themselves in harm's way to protect usand we must protect them by getting rid of PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam. I am proud to introduce this legislation with Sen. Gillibrand to protect our brave firefighters. "PFAS firefighting foams have contaminated drinking water for communities in New York State and across the country. States from Washington and California to Colorado and New York have banned PFAS foams. Fluorine-free foams are available and in use around the world, with more and more entering the marketplace. It's time for the federal government to ban these dangerous toxic foams to protect firefighters and the communities they serve," said Liz Hitchcock, Director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, the federal policy program of Toxic-Free Future "Fire fighters serve as this nations frontline emergency responders. While combatting fires, our members are exposed to PFAS-laden firefighting foams. This exposure subjects us to higher risks of occupational cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The time has long passed to accept this as a hazard of our work, said Edward A. Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters. The 326,000 members of the IAFF support Senators Gillibrands legislation banning the manufacture and distribution of toxic PFAS-laden foams, and she has my gratitude for taking up this battle with us to save lives and communities from this deadly exposure. For decades, PFAS-laden firefighting foam has been one of the biggest sources of pollution from toxic forever chemicals, especially in communities near military bases, airports, and fire training sites, said Melanie Benesh, Environmental Working Group Legislative Attorney. Its also a major source of exposure for the firefighters who risk their lives to protect those communities and suffer from higher rates of cancer and other serious health harms. Safer alternatives to PFAS in firefighting foams are already widely available and PFAS Firefighter Protection Act will finally turn off the tap on this use of PFAS. Congress has already passed legislation removing the legal requirement for AFFF containing PFAS to be used at many commercial airports and military installations. To better protect our firefighters in New York and across the country, Senator Gillibrands legislation would go a step further by putting prohibitions in place against firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals. Specifically, the PFAS Firefighter Protection Act would: Ban the manufacturing, importation, and sale of all firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals within two years of enactment. Set firm deadlines for airports for prohibiting the use of PFAS firefighting foams. Current law states that the FAA shall not require airports to use firefighting foam that contains PFAS. This legislation would prohibit its use by 2024. Experts estimate that the drinking water supplies of more than 200 million Americans are contaminated with PFAS. PFAS chemicals do not break down in the environment and have been found in groundwater and drinking water across the United States, and are commonly used in products like firefighting foam, water-repellent clothing, and nonstick cookware, among others. For the full bill, please click here. Downer EDI Limited (Downer) announced today it had been selected by the Department of Defence to deliver the Planning Phase of the Australian Defence Forces proposed Riverina Redevelopment Program. The Planning Phase will commence this year and is scheduled to be completed in late-2023, generating revenue of $30 million for Downer. Subject to Government and Parliamentary Approvals, a Delivery Phase may follow and would involve an estimated $1.1 billion worth of works for the joint venture over five years. The Redevelopment Program will be delivered as part of a 50:50 joint venture with CPB Contractors. The program of works involves the delivery of major upgrades to accommodation and training facilities, as well as general remediation works to infrastructure services. The program spans New South Wales and Victoria, and incorporates three projects: - RAAF Base Wagga Redevelopment - Albury-Wodonga Military Area Redevelopment - Kapooka Military Area Redevelopment. The Chief Executive Officer of Downer, Grant Fenn, said the proposed Riverina Redevelopment Program would continue Downers proud history of supporting Defence. This contract reflects Downers strong credentials that stem from an 80-plus-year relationship with the Department of Defence, Mr Fenn said. In that time, our Defence business has expanded to include the Department of Defence, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other Commonwealth national security agencies. We look forward to working closely with the Department to develop these important Defence facilities, which is proposed to support Defence capability for the next 30 years. Authorised for release by Downers Chief Executive Officer, Grant Fenn. About Downer Downer is the leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand and customers are at the heart of everything it does. It exists to create and sustain the modern environment and its promise is to work closely with its customers to help them succeed, using world-leading insights and solutions to design, build and sustain assets, infrastructure and facilities. For more information visit downergroup.com. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: My Food Bag FY22 Results Briefing Details SKC - EXTENSION OF DEBT COVENANT RELIEF PHL - CEO Appointment 10th May 2022 Morning Report Chatham Commences Scoping Study for Phosphate Export Mine 9th May 2022 Morning Report CHI - Indicative Interest Margin for Bond Offer ARG - FY22 Annual Result Announcement Date and webcast Marsden Maritime Holdings commences due diligence MCK appoints Stuart Harrison as Managing Director Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc / Index: AIM / Epic: EOG / Sector: Oil & Gas 28th April 2022 Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc ("Europa" or "the Company") Appointment of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc, the AIM traded UK, Ireland and Morocco focused oil and gas exploration, development, and production company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Will Holland as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of the Company effective 1 June 2022. Mr Holland is a proven financier with a career spanning over 25 years in the upstream industry. He started as an engineer focussed on North Sea operations before moving into upstream banking at Macquarie Bank. Since 2013 he has run a successful consulting business which advises energy companies on commercial, financial and M&A matters. Mr Holland has significant experience in corporate acquisitions, establishing and growing small cap E&P companies, debt and equity financing, balance sheet restructuring and investor relations, much of which was gained working on deals across the UK and Europe. He has an engineering degree from Warwick University and an MBA from Heriot Watt University. Simon Oddie, CEO said: "I'm delighted that Will has agreed to join Europa in a full-time capacity. He has been consulting for Europa since November 2021 and orchestrated the equity raise for the Serenity farm-in. He brings a wealth of corporate, financial and M&A experience in the upstream sector that will be of crucial importance as we continue to grow the business and I look forward to working with him at this very exciting time for the Company." Further information on William Peter Holland as required in accordance with Schedule 2 (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies: William Peter Holland, aged 49 Current Directorships Past Directorships (last 5 years) Grafton Energy Ltd Aleph Saltfeetby Ltd Aleph Energy Ltd Viathan Power (Mauritius) Limited Independent Resources (Sahara) Limited Independent Resources (Ksar Hadada) Limited Independent Resources (Tunisia) Limited Grafton Energy Advisors Ltd Tethys Oil Services U.K. Limited Echo Energy Holdings (UK) Ltd Echo Energy Bolivia (Hold Co 1) UK Ltd Echo Energy Bolivia (OP Co 1) UK Ltd Echo Energy Bolivia (Hold Co 2) UK Ltd Echo Energy Bolivia (OP Co 2) UK Ltd Echo Energy Argentina Holdings Limited Echo Energy Tapi Aike Ltd Echo Energy C D and LLC Ltd Echo Energy TA OP Ltd Echo Energy CDL OP Ltd The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the retained EU law version of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (the "UK MAR") which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The information is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of the UK MAR. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. * * ENDS * * For further information please visit www.europaoil.com or contact: Simon Oddie Europa mail@europaoil.com Murray Johnson Europa mail@europaoil.com Christopher Raggett finnCap Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Simon Hicks finnCap Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Peter Krens Tennyson Securities +44 (0) 20 7186 9033 Patrick d'Ancona Vigo Consulting + 44 (0) 20 7390 0230 Finlay Thomson Vigo Consulting + 44 (0) 20 7390 0230 Notes to Editors Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc has a diversified portfolio of multi-stage hydrocarbon assets which includes production, development and exploration interests, in countries that are politically stable, have transparent licensing processes, and offer attractive terms. Production in the half-year to 31st January 2022 was 208 boepd. The Company holds two exploration licences offshore Ireland, which have the potential to host gross mean un-risked prospective resources of 1.5 trillion cubic feet ('tcf') gas. Inishkea is a near field gas prospect in the Slyne Basin which the Company classifies as lower risk due to its close proximity to the producing Corrib gas field and associated gas processing infrastructure. In September 2019, Europa was awarded a 75% interest in the Inezgane permit offshore Morocco. Initial results of technical work have identified 30 prospects and leads that have the potential to hold in excess of one billion barrels of unrisked oil resources. In December 2021, Europa announced a collaboration between Baker Hughes and CausewayGT to conduct a geothermal clean heat project at the Company's West Firsby field. If this project is successful it will prove the operational ability to extract and use geothermal heat from the site. Download Image: Web Brenda Alston-Mills, Ph.D., 66, will address students, families, faculty, and staff as the keynote speaker at Lycoming Colleges 174th commencement on Saturday, May 14, 2 p.m., on the Fultz Quadrangle. In recognition of her distinguished, extensive and inspiring contributions to higher learning as a faculty member, student adviser, researcher, administrator and trustee, the College will award Alston-Mills with an honorary Doctor of Laws, L.L.D., during the ceremony. Alston-Mills is an emeritus trustee for Lycoming College and a biology professor emeritus at North Carolina State University. As a respected alumna, she came to be known as an ambassador for Lycoming College Prep, a program that brings high-achieving, first-generation rising seniors from across the nation to the Lycoming campus for a hands-on introduction to the liberal arts, college life, and mentoring programs that help them pursue a post-secondary education. Born in Philadelphia and educated in the public school system, Alston-Mills graduated from Philadelphia High School for Girls and earned a bachelors degree in biology with a minor in chemistry at Lycoming College. She continued her education at Michigan State University receiving both a masters degree and a doctoral degree in zoology with a major emphasis in physiology. A strong interest in culture led Alston-Mills to attain a minor in French language and to study in Pau, France. She traveled to the Caribbean, Ghana, Brazil, Venezuela, Norway, England, Scotland, Italy, and Spain. Her travels and understanding of other cultures allowed her to be a strong mentor for students from all countries and backgrounds. Her knowledge of languages, coupled with her academic training, enabled her to pursue studies in the biology of mammary glands as it relates to breast cancer research, and to share her philosophy of teaching and her research nationally and internationally. At the beginning of her career at Camden County College in New Jersey, Alston-Mills saw first-hand that many students seemed unable to absorb information in class. As she began to investigate, she found that it was not due to lack of intelligence, but rather lack of opportunity. That put me on a path toward working with women and underrepresented groups in science. As I became more educated in the matter, the whole concept of equity and equal access to information emerged as the primary reason these lower-income students were having difficulty at the college level, she said. It was then that Alston-Mills began morphing into a social scientist, and the whole concept of social justice and equity quickly became a passion, leading her to Michigan State University, where she served as associate dean and director in the Office of Organization and Professional Development for Diversity and Pluralism. To teach is to learn, she said. No matter the class, students always manage to say things that are ah-ha moments for me. Alston-Mills was recognized by the College in 2001 with the Dr. James E. Douthat Outstanding Achievement Award for alumni. Lycoming Colleges Black Student Union awarded her the Black Alumni Achievement Award in 2018 in special recognition of her achievements. In addition to her service as a Lycoming College Trustee, she served on the Alumni Association Executive Board from 1989-1995. Dr. Rutul J. Dalal to receive Honorary Doctor of Sciences Dr. Rutul J. Dalal, chair of Infection Prevention and Control, and program director of Infectious Diseases at UPMC North Central Region, will also receive an honorary degree at this years commencement ceremony. Dalal joined the medical staff at UPMC North Central Region in 2013. He is on the medical staff faculty at the Family Medicine Residency Program and has chaired multiple task forces charged with preventing blood stream, catheter, surgical and other infections. In addition, Dalal spent two years as an associate professor of medicine at the Commonwealth Medical College. He is president-elect of the medical staff at UPMC Williamsport. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dalal has led UPMCs efforts to diagnose, treat and prevent the deadly virus, working tirelessly to coordinate care and directly treat thousands of patients. Dalal also chaired the UPMC Covid-19 Containment Task Force and was the spokesperson for media outlets, schools, and local governments. As Lycoming College and other organizations in the region developed and executed COVID-19 plans, he provided invaluable expertise, advice, and counsel. In recognition of his excellence as a physician and the extraordinary service rendered to the College and to the citizens of Northcentral Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lycoming College will award Dalal an Honorary Doctor of Sciences. Fayla Guerin to deliver Senior Greeting Graduating senior Fayla Guerin, a corporate communication major with a minor in film and video arts from Baltimore, Md., will deliver a greeting from the senior class at the ceremony. She was selected for this honor by the Senior Class Officers, and the faculty and staff who serve on the Senior Greeting Selection Committee. Guerins leadership on campus includes her serving as treasurer of Student Senate during her junior year, and as president during her senior year. She has been a strong voice and advocate for the student experience at Lycoming, helping various clubs and organizations navigate pandemic protocols while seeking to maintain student engagement in campus life. As a sister of Gamma Delta Sigma, Guerin served as vice president for her sorority, and worked for Admissions and a campus tour guide. Algeria warned today that it would terminate gas supplies to Spain if Madrid sold any Algerian gas to other countries, citing what it said was a Spanish decision to supply gas to Morocco via a pipeline. Algeria has previously said it will stick to its contract with Spain despite withdrawing its ambassador over a dispute between the two countries relating to the Moroccan-held territory of Western Sahara. Spain's energy ministry confirmed it planned to ship gas to Morocco but stressed that none of that gas would be of Algerian origin. North African gas supplies to Europe have grown increasingly important this year as the Ukraine crisis has cast doubt on Russian energy exports, and Algeria has agreed to raise its supply to Italy. Algeria wants to take advantage of higher demand for its gas after years of declining energy sales that have eaten into its foreign currency reserves. Meanwhile, ties between old rivals Algeria and Morocco have worsened over the past two years and last year Algeria broke off diplomatic ties with its neighbour. Algeria supports the Polisario Front movement that is seeking independence for Western Sahara, a territory seen by Morocco as its own. Spain last month said it backed Rabat's plans to offer the territory autonomy. Algeria also decided last year not to extend a deal to export gas through a pipeline running through Morocco to Spain that made up nearly all Morocco's gas supply. It is supplying Spain through a direct subsea pipeline and by vessel. Morocco now wants to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Spain by reversing the flow of the pipeline while it moves to develop its own longer-term LNG import terminals, as Reuters first reported last year. Algerian television, reporting the warning, said that Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab had received an email from his Spanish counterpart notifying him of Spain's decision to allow a reverse flow of the pipeline. However, Spain's energy ministry said that in no case would gas acquired by Morocco come from Algeria and that it had discussed the plan with Algiers in recent months. "Morocco will be able to purchase LNG on the international markets, unload it at a regasification plant on the Spanish mainland and use the Maghreb gas pipeline to bring it to its territory," the ministry said on today. Last week Algerian President Abdulmadjid Tebboune said "We assure the Spanish friends, the Spanish people that Algeria will never abandon its commitment to supply Spain with gas under any circumstances." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MANISTEE Michigan had more than double the number of reported antisemitic incidents in 2021 compared to 2020, according to the Anti-Defamation League's annual audit. Michigan saw an increase of antisemitic incidents reported, from 51 in 2020 to 112 in 2021, the report shows. The reports came from 32 cities across the state and the Michigan spike parallels national numbers, said Carolyn Normandin, ADL Michigan regional director, in the news release about the audit. Overall findings There was a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in Michigan, Normandin said. The data reflects a disturbing all-time high, both in our state and across the U.S. Michigan was tied with Texas for the fifth highest number of antisemitic incidents in the United States. Incidents were reported in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. The states with the highest number of incidents were New York with 416, New Jersey with 370, California with 367, Florida with 190, Michigan with 112 and Texas also with 112. These states accounted for 58% of the total incidents, according to the ADL survey data. The Anti-Defamation League describes itself on its website as "... a leading anti-hate organization that was founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry. Today, ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur and continues to fight all forms of hate." Nationally, ADL reported a total of 2,717 cases of assault, harassment and vandalism. This was the highest number of incidents on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979 an average of more than seven incidents per day and a 34% increase year over year, the organization said. Of the 112 incidents reported in Michigan in 2021, the ADL broke those incidents down into three categories: harassment, vandalism and assault. According to the ADL data of those three categories: There were 104 harassment incidents, cases where one or more Jews reported feeling harassed by antisemitic language or actions. There were eight vandalism incidents, cases where property was damaged in a manner that harmed or intimidated Jews. Swastikas, which are generally interpreted as symbols of antisemitic hatred, were present in a number of these incidents. There were no antisemitic assaults reported to the Michigan office in 2021. Manistee Two of the incidents of vandalism happened in Manistee. One in August and one in September, were documented by the ADL. Several swastikas were painted on multiple streets along Fox Farm Road and parts of Red Apple Road in Manistee in September. A resident named Ed Jones expressed concerns to the News Advocate in September about the incidents. "I am concerned that the community leaders have not denounced the recent frequent displays of hateful swastikas along Red Apple and Fox Farm Road. The city passed a (resolution) promoting inclusion and diversity (in 2020). Let's be more than just politically correct. Unfortunately, residents had to step up and get their paint cans and paint over the hateful symbols. And, I apologize to folks visiting our quaint little community, possibly looking for a place to live only to see these symbols of hatred. Obviously, and sadly, it does exist here," Jones told the news via email in September. Another resident named Rhonda Greene told the News Advocate in September that said she saw swastikas in downtown Manistee along the Riverwalk. She said she removed them herself. "We walk the Riverwalk from end to end multiple times a week so they couldnt have been there for more than a day or two before we removed them. We also removed one on another day prior to this but I dont recall the exact date and location. On (Sept.) 17 I decided to document one of them because I was annoyed that they seemed to be suddenly everywhere," Greene said and posted a video on Instagram. Greene said she did not make a report to the police or Manistee City Council and added that she believed there were was a likelihood of others cleaning up the symbols and not reporting them. Homicide There was once incident described as an extremist homicide by the ADL's hate, extremism, antisemitism, terrorism interactive map. The incident was reported to have occurred in August in Grand Haven. The description of the incident from the HEAT map notes the following: "... 19-year-old Aidan Ingalls shot a man and wife at a pier in South Haven, MI killing the man and wounding the woman. Police found swastikas and 'white supremacy markings' on the gun used by Ingalls. A search of his bedroom revealed books on Hitler as well as on violent topics ranging from serial killers to the Columbine shooting." In addition to the 112 reported antisemitic incidents in Michigan in 2021, there were 153 reported incidents in Michigan of what ADL considers white supremacist propaganda, according to the HEAT map. Many of the incidents, particularly in northern Michigan were by one group called Patriot Front, which is described as a white supremacist group by the ADL. They distributed several flyers, which had different statements that read "America First, "For the nation, against the state" and "Not stolen, conquered," among others. Incidents in 2022 So far in 2022, there have been four antisemitic incidents and 90 reported accounts of white supremacist propaganda. Those four incidents were not classified separately than the white supremacist incidents since the ADL notes on the HEAT map website that antisemitic incidents are a separate data set and results in that category are not filterable by ideology. Propaganda Many of the incidents reported this year are allegedly committed by separate white supremacist groups, according to the data in the HEAT map tool. All of the incidents reported occurred in the southern half of the state but two were reported in west Michigan. Once incident happened in Walker, near Grand Rapids in January. The description of the incident notes the following: "Folkish Resistance Movement (formerly Folksfront), a neo-Nazi group, distributed propaganda that read: 'White Lives Matter,' 'Resistance is duty' and 'Victory Through Unity."' According to the ADL HEAT map description, "other propaganda featured a Star of David and read: 'Resist Zionism.'" Another incident happened in Sparta and consisted of propaganda distributed by Folkish Resistance Movement which read: "Victory through unity," "United in blood" and "Blood and soil." Other propaganda featured a Star of David which read: "Break debt slavery." The other group allegedly responsible, according to the ADL, for one of the four incidents is called White Lives Matter. A description of the incident which occurred in Saline, southwest of Ann Arbor, in March notes the following: "Individuals associated with White Lives Matter, a network of anonymous white supremacists, distributed propaganda that read: "White Lives Matter." Other propaganda promoted an antisemitic film called"Europa The Last Battle." Screenshot/ADL.org The ADL audit for Michigan also noted that the Folkish Resistance Movement helped to drive the increase in antisemitic incidents noting in the report that "12 of Michigans incidents were classified as extremist related; Folksfront, a neo-Nazi group was very active with propaganda across the state," part of the 2021 ADL Michigan audit read. The ADL said that nationally and in Michigan there were many incidents that occurred in May, when fighting broke out in the Gaza strip between Israeli's and Palestinians. A group in Ann Arbor was also responsible for many of the reported incidents in 2021: "Witness for Peace, an antisemitic and anti-Israel group, continued its weekly protests outside an Ann Arbor, Michigan synagogue throughout 2021 (these protests began in 2003). WFP members typically hold signs with slogans like, Israel: No Right to Exist, Prof. Victor Lieberman: Heil Hitler! AMERICA First NOT Israel. WFPs founder is a Holocaust denier and says he convenes the protests because the synagogues support for Israel makes the congregation complicit in Israels nationalist agenda, a section of the audit reads. The ADL said it "believes it is antisemitic to target Jewish people and Jewish institutions engaged in religious observances for harassment because of their real or assumed support for Israel and hold them responsible for the policies of Israels government." The organization also said it updated its methodology in 2021 at least for the Michigan chapter of the ADL "... to more accurately reflect the disruptive and traumatic impact that these weekly violations are having on many Jews in Ann Arbor." WFPs weekly agitation of the congregants at the synagogue for nearly two decades is outrageous, Normandin said. Courtesy graphic/Anti Defamation League However, Normadin also noted that the Witness for Peace's activity was only part of the reason for the spike in reported incidents. Although the degree of the spike in Michigan was impacted by the change in counting methodology for the WFP incidents, even excluding those numbers, Michigan still saw a 56% increase, Normandin said. Find more information from the audit at adl.org/audit2021. WASHINGTON (AP) A veritable who's who of Washington's political and foreign policy elite gathered Wednesday to pay their last respects to the late Madeleine Albright, a child of conflict-ravaged Europe who arrived in the U.S. as an 11-year old girl and became America's first female secretary of state. The trailblazing diplomat and champion of her adopted country as the world's indispensable nation was joyously remembered by President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton as a no-nonsense, valued adviser who did not suffer fools or tyrants and was most concerned about Russia's war with Ukraine when she died last month of cancer at 84. Biden said Albrights name was synonymous with the idea that America is a force for good in the world. In the 20th and 21st century, freedom had no greater champion than Madeleine Korbel Albright, he said. Today we honor a truly proud American who made all of us prouder to be Americans. He said he had learned of Albright's death while flying to Brussels for an emergency NATO summit on Ukraine and was struck by the memory of her key role in pressing for the expansion of the alliance in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union to protect Europe from a repeat of the carnage of World War II and the Cold War ideological battle between communism and democracy. And Clinton, the man who appointed her first as his U.N. ambassador in 1993 and then as secretary of state in 1996, said his last conversation with Albright just weeks before her passing were dominated by the situation in Ukraine and her fears about the future of democracy at home and abroad. He recalled that Albright didnt want to talk about her declining health at a moment when the West is on edge following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Albright, Clinton recalled, assured him that she was getting the best care she could, but didnt want to waste time talking about that. The only thing that really matters is what kind of world were going to leave to our grandchildren, Clinton recalled Albright told him. He added, She made a decision with her last breath she would go out with her boots on. Biden and Clinton, along with former President Barack Obama and several of Albright's successors as secretary of state, including Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, John Kerry and current office-holder Antony Blinken, were some 1,400 mourners who attended the funeral at Washington's National Cathedral. The service was punctuated at points by tears, laughter and applause during reminiscences from Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Albright's three daughters, Anne, Alice and Katharine, who remembered her as a doting mom" and Granny Maddy to their own children even amid a hectic work schedule that often took her around the world. That schedule didn't let up when she left government service in 2001 and returned to teaching at Georgetown University, started a successful international consulting company, served on the boards of numerous women's and human rights groups and became a best-selling author. Hillary Clinton recalled stories that she had lobbied for Albright to serve as secretary of state, a role that Clinton would serve in herself during the Obama administration. Its been said that I urged my husband to nominate her as our first female secretary of state," she said. Unlike much thats said, this story was true. The two developed a strong friendship over the years. and Hillary Clinton recalled a pair of stories about her and Albright on visits overseas during which they bonded. Once on a walk in a drenching rainstorm in the Czech capital of Prague, Clinton said they laughed so hard they forgot they were wet. On another occasion in Beijing, Clinton recalled that she and Albright had marched through mud in a torrential downpour and confronted Chinese security forces to meet women's rights activists. Clinton in her own tribute recalled some lighter memories of Albright, including the time she taught the foreign minister of Botswana the Macarena and danced the night away with a young, handsome man at her daughter Chelsea's wedding. She also remembered Albright as a fearless diplomat that broke barriers and then counseled, cajoled and inspired women to follow in her footsteps. The angels better be wearing their best pins and putting on their dancing shoes, Clinton said. Because if as Madeleine believed theres a special place in hell for women who dont support other women, they havent seen anyone like her yet. On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and one month before her death, The New York Times printed what would be Albright's last published writing. She wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion would be a historic error that would cement his legacy as one of infamy. Until the end, she was still in a hurry to do good, Clinton said. Other top current officials who attended the service included Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA Director Bill Burns, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Mark Milley and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. The members of the VIP audience were masked, as Albright's family had requested. Foreign dignitaries invited to the funeral included the presidents of Georgia and Kosovo and senior officials from Colombia, Bosnia and the Czech Republic. Albright was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, but her family fled twice, first from the Nazis and then from Soviet rule. They ended up in the United States, where she studied at Wellesley College and rose through the ranks of Democratic Party foreign policy circles to become ambassador to the United Nations. Bill Clinton selected her as secretary of state in 1996 for his second term. Although never in line for the presidency because of her foreign birth, Albright was near universally admired for breaking a glass ceiling, even by her political detractors. Several senior Republican lawmakers, including Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, attended the service. As a Czech refugee who saw the horrors of both Nazi Germany and the Iron Curtain, she was not a dove. She played a leading role in pressing for the Clinton administration to get involved militarily in the conflict in Kosovo. My mindset is Munich, she said frequently, referring to the German city where the Western allies abandoned her homeland to the Nazis. As secretary of state, Albright played a key role in persuading Clinton to go to war against the Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic over his treatment of Kosovar Albanians in 1999. As U.N. ambassador, she advocated a tough U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the case of Milosevics treatment of Bosnia. NATOs intervention in Kosovo was eventually dubbed Madeleines War. She also took a hard line on Cuba, famously saying at the United Nations that the 1996 Cuban shootdown of a civilian plane was not cojones but rather cowardice. Bill Clinton recalled the moment in his tribute, remembering that Albright faced criticism at the time that the sharp barb was undiplomatic and unladylike." He absolutely loved it. I called her and I said ... 'This is the best line developed and delivered by anybody in this administration," Clinton said. In 2012, Obama awarded Albright the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, saying her life was an inspiration to all Americans. Born Marie Jana Korbel in Prague on May 15, 1937, she was the daughter of a diplomat, Joseph Korbel. The family was Jewish and converted to Roman Catholicism when she was 5. Three of her Jewish grandparents died in concentration camps. Albright was an internationalist whose point of view was shaped in part by her background. Her family fled Czechoslovakia in 1939 as the Nazis took over their country, and she spent the war years in London. After the war, as the Soviet Union took over vast chunks of Eastern Europe, her father brought the family to the United States. They settled in Denver, where her father taught at the University of Denver. One of Korbels best students was Condoleezza Rice, who would later succeed his daughter as secretary of state. Albright graduated from Wellesley College in 1959. She worked as a journalist and later studied international relations at Columbia University, where she earned a masters degree in 1968 and a Ph.D. in 1976. She then entered politics and what was at the time the male-dominated world of foreign policy professionals. Restaurant Brands total sales for the first quarter to 31 March 2022 were $275.4 million, an increase of 6.0% over the equivalent quarter last year. The increase in sales of $15.7 million for the quarter was across all four regions the business operates in. COVID-19 continues to adversely impact the business, with the high case numbers from the Omicron variant causing disruptions to staffing levels and dine-in transactions. Company owned store numbers were up by 11 on the equivalent period last year to 364, primarily due to new store construction. New Zealand First quarter sales for New Zealand were $118.5 million, an increase of 2.9% in total and a decrease of 0.5% on a same store basis. KFC same store sales growth was reduced by shorter trading hours for some stores due to staff isolation requirements and the lack of dine-in traffic due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, particularly within the Auckland region. Pizza Hut and Carls Jr. showed solid same store growth, whilst the newly opened Taco Bell stores continue to trade at expected levels. Store numbers increased by one during the quarter to 138, with the opening of two new stores (KFC Whangarei South and Taco Bell Cuba Street, Wellington), partly offset by the closure of the Queen Street Carls Jr. store in Aucklands CBD. Australia First quarter sales for Australia were $A58.8 million ($NZ63.1 million), an increase of 8.7% in total (local currency), due to new store openings late last year and store acquisition activity. Same store sales were up 1.6% (local currency). The high COVID-19 case numbers in New South Wales were reflected in a higher drive-through sales mix, with mall and in-line inner city store sales still to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels. Store numbers increased by one during the quarter to 75, following the opening of the new Taco Bell store in Broadway, Sydney. Hawaii First quarter sales in Hawaii were $US35.6 million ($NZ53.0 million), an increase of 0.4% in total and 2.1% on a same store basis (local currency). With the easing of dine-in restrictions in Hawaii, the market saw a shift back to dine-in rather than delivery sales. This resulted in a strong lift in sales for Taco Bell, partly offset by a partial pulling back in the previous large Pizza Hut delivery growth. Store numbers remain unchanged at 73 stores during the quarter. California First quarter sales in California were $US27.4 million ($NZ40.7 million), an increase of 3.4% on a total basis and 0.3% on a same store basis (local currency). The sales growth of the prior year has been maintained, despite rolling over two large Federal stimulus payments made in January and March 2021, which resulted in strong KFC sales growth during the first quarter of 2021. Store numbers increased by three during the quarter to 73 stores, following the opening of two KFC stores (Waterman Ave (San Bernardino) and Perris), coupled with the acquisition of a KFC store in Desert Hot Springs from an independent franchisee. Annual Shareholders Meeting The Annual Shareholders Meeting of the company will be held on Thursday 26 May 2022, commencing at 10.00 am. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: My Food Bag FY22 Results Briefing Details SKC - EXTENSION OF DEBT COVENANT RELIEF PHL - CEO Appointment 10th May 2022 Morning Report Chatham Commences Scoping Study for Phosphate Export Mine 9th May 2022 Morning Report CHI - Indicative Interest Margin for Bond Offer ARG - FY22 Annual Result Announcement Date and webcast Marsden Maritime Holdings commences due diligence MCK appoints Stuart Harrison as Managing Director Law enforcement implemented a search at A$AP Rocky's LA house. They turned up multiple guns and will run ballistic tests to verify if A$AP Rocky possesses the firearm used in an argument in Hollywood. The ballistic test will determine if A$AP Rocky was the triggerman who shot a man. Police will also determine if the firearms are legal. They will run a background test on every weapon and assure the origin of every gun. TMZ reported last week about A$AP Rocky's detention at a private Los Angeles terminal. The rapper came back from Barbados and Rocky was taken into custody for assault with a deadly weapon. The arrest relates to an incident that happened on November 6, 2021, in which an alleged victim assured that Rocky shot them three or four times, grazing his left hand. Officials claim that A$AP did know the alleged victim. Events & arrest The victim and the rapper argued. After the incident between the two, the shooting would have happened, information corroborated by LAPD, according to TMZ. According to Rocky's legal team, they were surprised and shocked by the arrest and the allegations about the shooting. Law enforcement decided to arrest A$AP Rocky arriving at the airport and on his jet. It was a surprise element tactic for avoiding any calls to hide all his weapons before the search process. A$AP flew from Barbados, where he was with Rihanna, to Los Angeles on a private jet. The police were already waiting for him at a private LAX terminal, where the musician was detained and handcuffed. Police footage shows moment Alec Baldwin was told Halyna Hutchins had died after Rust shooting Police footage shows moment Alec Baldwin was told Halyna Hutchins had died after Rust shooting Tragedy struck on October 22, 2021, on the set of a film set in New Mexico, as Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a gun during the filming of the movie 'Rust'. The American actor fired an assumedly blank gun during the filming of the movie, which discharged into the woman's chest and killed her. Dave Halls, the assistant director who gave Alec Baldwin the gun, admitted that he did not check the gun before rehearsing the scene because he was convinced it contained dummy bullets. Baldwin's shock after hearing the news of Hutchins' accidental death "I could have killed myself if I thought I was responsible for Halyna Hutchins' death," Baldwin admitted. "I dream about the accident constantly. I wake up the moment the gun goes off." Footage of Alec Baldwin's statement has leaked A video from the day of the incident has now surfaced in which police investigating the death of the cinematographer are taking a statement from Alec Baldwin. At the beginning of the interview, the 64-year-old actor was told the harrowing news. "No," said Baldwin, who immediately put his hand to his mouth. Alec Baldwin in shock A deafening silence fell over the interrogation room for a few long seconds as Alec Baldwin was in complete shock, covering his mouth and putting his hand over his heart. "I want to call my wife," he stated. Baldwin then walked out of the room with his hand to his forehead on one of the worst days of his life. Update narration See full narration Welcome to our American Finances live blog this Thursday, April 27, in which we discuss the latest financial news and updates across the United States. This includes some of the benefits programs on offer, in addition to money-saving tips. Today's blog will have a look at the monthly $500 checks being sent out in Chicago to low-income residents, as well as $150 Gas Cards that are on offer in the city. There will also be an update on the $850 check on offer in the state of Maine. As news continue to filter in from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about tax refunds, we will keep you up to date on when you can expect your payment and much more. What's more, there is likely to be an update on a potential monthly payment coming as part of the Supplemental Security Income program. There is a lot to discuss in this Thursday's live blog on the latest financial news in the U.S., so stay with us to find out what is going on. The most recent updates will be at the top of the updates. Weve teamed up with Takamaka to give you an opportunity to go on a rum-soaked trip to the Seychelles! On the island of Mahe in the Seychelles lies a distillery. One that operates on an estate was founded by French settlers over 200 years ago. Since 2002, it has been the first and only commercial rum producer and exporter in the Seychelles, and today produces a range of delicious spirits using sugarcane grown across Mahe by independent farmers, which is crushed, distilled, aged and blended on-site. Were talking, of course, about Takamaka rum. But why are we telling you all this? Because were inviting you to come and see the distillery for yourself. In the actual Seychelles. Nope, were not pulling your leg. This is a real competition. What you win This VIP trip means flights for 2 people from the United Kingdom to the Seychelles International Airport, airport transfers from and to said airport; and accommodation for 2 people at the self-catering Takamaka House, in Mahe, Seychelles. Theres also a complimentary tour of the Takamaka distillery, including rum tasting and an optional visit to the sugar cane fields, as well a complimentary welcome pack with essential food items and drinks at the accommodation, free use of kayak and snorkels provided with the accommodation, AND the possibility of a guided hike into the Seychelles mountain jungles or trek to explore hidden beaches. How to enter Easy. Just purchase a bottle of Zepis Kreol, Extra Noir, Pti Lakaz, and/or Grankaz. You can buy as many bottles as you want from the following selection, and the advantage of doing it this way means that even if you dont win youll still have a terrific bottle of rum to call your own. You have until 8 May to enter for the chance to win a trip of a lifetime, best of luck everyone! MoM Takamaka Rum Giveaway Competition 2022 open to entrants 18 years and over. Entries accepted from 10:00:01 UK Time 28 April 2022 and closes at 23:59:59 UK Time GMT on 8 May 2022. Date and travel restrictions apply. Winners chosen at random after close of competition. See full T&Cs for details. BEIJING, April 28 -- Japan's efforts to break through Exclusively Defense-Oriented Policy are alarming indicators that the international community should be extremely watchful and concerned about, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday. Senior Colonel Tan made the remarks when commenting on the reports about Japanese defense minister's statement on Japan's 2023 defense budget. According to reports, the Japanese defense minister suggested that the capability to attack enemy base should be taken into consideration for the budget. Besides, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan proposed that China and Russia should be classified as security "challenges" on a par with the DPRK in the new version of National Defense Program Guidelines, and that Japans defense budget should be boosted further. In response to these, Tan said that in order to seek the so-called capability to attack enemy base, strengthen its military strength and enhance its defense expenditures, Japan has recently been making all kinds of excuses and spreading irresponsible remarks. Such efforts to break through the Exclusively Defense-Oriented Policy are alarming indicators that the international community should be extremely watchful and concerned about. Senior Colonel Tan stressed that, in the past, Japanese militarists launched wars of aggression under the pretext of external threats, bringing untold sufferings to the people of China and other countries in the region. The Chinese side urges Japan to take history as a lesson, restrain its words and deeds and do more to maintain regional peace and stability. 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: